> The New Guy
>  by SilverWind102
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> First day...late
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

*TAPTAPTAP* A cyan hoof knocked impatiently against the white tiles of Canterlot Castle.

*Sigh* “He's late...” Rainbow Dash moaned, “I'm getting tired of just sitting here! When is he gonna show up?”

“Well, he was supposed to be here at noon, but it's already past three. I suppose his train could be late,” Twilight said, trying to pacify the impatient pegasus. 

Rainbow Dash gave Twilight an unconvinced look, “No train is three hours late. Ugh! Princess Celestia, do we really need to meet this guy?”

The towering white alicorn approached the hoof tapping mare and placed a hoof on her shoulder, “He will be important to the protection of Princess Twilight and to the rest of you later on, so I would much rather you all meet him together. I know this is taking a long time, but please, try to be patient. This isn't something that you can just skip over or rush through.” 

Princess Celestia had called the six mares, along with her sister, to Canterlot to meet a new guard who would look after and protect Twilight and her friends while she and Luna try to put together a military division for her.

“Protection?” Applejack whinnied, “Princess, no offense, but we don't need no protectin'. We can manage all on our own.”

“Yes, I know that, but I would feel much better if he was around. Even if he isn't needed, you can never be too safe. With Twilight's recent ascension, there may be new threats to the six of you as well,” Celestia warned.

“So wait, you're gonna send a guy who none of us have ever met before and shows up late on his first day to protect us? Yeah, great plan Princess,” Rainbow Dash mocked.

Rarity gasped at Rainbows comment, “Rainbow Dash! You apologize to the princess this instant!” the white unicorn demanded as she marched over to the pegasus, “Even if the new fellow is late, there is no reason to blame Princess Celestia.”

“It's quite alright Rarity, I do understand how Rainbow Dash feels. Certainly, the new guard not showing up on time is a bad first impression, but I can assure when I say he is one of the finest,” Celestia said and gave a small nod of approval.

“Fine, whatever. But I'm not gonna hang around any longer. If he shows up after I'm gone, then oh well!” Rainbow Dash flew out of the room and down the halls of Canterlot castle, shooting out of one of the open windows, not wanting to have to fly through the entire castle.

“I think Rainbow may have a point,” Twilight said stepping forward, “It's been far too long for the new guard to simply be late, even if he was lost. I don't think there's much point in spending any more of our time here,” Twilight said looking over to the princesses and her friends. They all nodded in agreement and moved out of the room. It was clear that the new guard wasn't coming, so they all decided to move on with their day.

Night fell rather quickly, and instead of going back to Ponyville, Princess Celestia offered to let them spend the night at the castle. Needless to say, they all quickly agreed for their own reasons. Twilight wanted to spend more time with Celestia, Rarity loved the decor,  Fluttershy wanted another chance at the royal garden after the Gala muck up, and the others were simply too tired to make the trip home, save for Pinkie pie, but really, she doesn't need sleep.

Night passed as quickly as it came. The six woke up feeling refreshed and revived. It was around ten when the girls began to stir and wake. One by one, the six made their way to the dining room of the castle, each of them waking up just a few minutes after the next, and greeted Celestia. (Her sister was asleep, having be the Princess of the night after all. It was only one in the few times yesterday that she was awake in the day.) They sat down and began to eat the scrumptious breakfast the chef was so kind to whip up, chatting about what they would do for the day. Their idle chatter was interrupted when they heard a commotion coming from the hall.

“Halt, who goes there!?” barked on of the guards. His voice was slightly muffled from the door, but he was more than loud enough so that every one could still make out what he was saying.

Curious as to what was happening, the girls got up from the table and poked their heads out the door, Celestia doing the same. At the end of the hall, they saw two of the guards with their wings crossed like blades, impeding the path of a strange cloaked figure, his clothes blocking both the entirety of his body and face.

“I'm here by the request of The Princess of the Sun,” answer the stranger. By his voice, they could tell he was male.

“The Princess has no meetings scheduled for this morning. I'll ask again, who are you?”  The guard commanded with the intensity growing in his voice.

The stranger let out a sigh, “Never mind,” he said before turning away and walked around the corner.

“Well that was odd,” Celestia said, “I wonder who that might have been,” Celestia pondered for a moment, then stepped out of the door way and into the hall.

“Guards!” she called out, “Bring back that stranger. I wish to see who it was.”

The two soldiers trotted down the corridor and cut around the corner. The sound hoof beats could be heard slowly fading as they went down the hall of the castle, only to return a few minutes later.

One of the guards turned back around the corner, “He's gone, your majesty. He must have left the castle grounds,”  he informed.

“Gone? But he was only gone a few seconds before I asked you to bring him back. How could he has possibly vanished so quickly?” Celestia questioned to herself. “Very well, no matter, return to your post. Thank you.” Celestia turned and walked back into the dining room.

“Who was it?” Twilight asked, having returned to her seat along with her friends.

“No pony important,” she responded.

“Well that hurts,” a voice called from the far end of the table. Every one quickly turned and looked to the speaker and found that a cloaked figure sat in a seat at the table with an apple in his “hoof”.

“I mean, you called me here and now you're saying I'm not important,” the intruder stopped and took a bite out of his apple, the loud crunching of his chewing was the only thing filling the room, “Although, in all fairness, I did show up a day late.” 

“Who are you!?” Rainbow Dash shouted as she jumped out of her chair and landed on the floor in a fighting stance, “How did you get in here!?”  

“Rainbow, wait--” Twilight called to her friend. 

“I hope yer ready to yer flank kicked boy, 'cause you done broke inta the wrong castle” Applejack said as she got out of her seat.

“AJ, just hold on--” Twilight tried again.

“Come on, lets get him!” Rainbow Dash hollered. The two dashed towards the stranger full speed.

Twilight yelled, “Girls, wait!” but it was useless. The two had already begun their charge. Lucky though, mid dash down the room, the two were encased in a golden aura, and stopped dead in their tracks.

“Hey! What the--”

“Whoa nelly!”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack began to  float and were placed back into their seat by Celestias magic.

“Now girls, is that any way to treat a guest?” Celestia asked in a sweet tone.

“Guest!? He broke in!” Rainbow Dash protested.

“I don't think so,” she looked over at the stranger at the end of the table, “Would you be so kind as to tell us who you are?”  Celestia called.

“Oh right! Sorry!” The stranger said as he hopped out of his seat, “I wasn't trying to alarm any pony, it's just the guards wouldn't let me pass, so I had to find a new way in,”  The stranger walked over to the other end of the table, stopping in front of the group. He put the string around his cloak in his mouth and gave it a tug, releasing their hold and falling to the floor. The fallen drapes revealed a wolf, his body was only slightly taller than that of Luna, with silver fur that became a deep blue at his under belly and chest, stopping just below his chin. He also had a pair of large white wings tucked to his sides.

Every pony sat astounded by the newly revealed wolf sitting in front of them, save Celestia who appeared to be expecting the unfamiliar creature. 

“My name is Silver Wind. It's nice to meet all of you,” he said with a bow of his head.

Celestia returned the gesture, “It's nice to finally be able to see you,” The room was quite for a moment while they finished their greetings, the silence was interrupted by Twilight.

“Um, Celestia, is this who I think it is?” she asked with an uneasy voice.

“If by that, you mean your new personal guard, then yes.” Celestia replied.

“But he's a....a...” 

“A wolf. Yes,” Silver said, ending the lavender alicorns sentence. She wasn't trying to sound rude, but she was most certainly caught off guard. After all, the only wolves she knew of were the Timber wolves in the Everfree forest, but they certainly weren't intelligent enough to speak, nor did they have wings.

“I understand this comes as a shock to you all, but this is the one we were waiting on yesterday. Perhaps we should move this conversation to the conference hall where it's a bit more appropriate,” Celestia suggested.

The ponies were hesitant, but agreed and moved out of the dinning room. Celestia lead the group through the castle, Twilight following closely behind with Silver on the opposite side walking next to her. The other five mares walked slowly behind the the trio, moving fast enough to keep up, but slow enough to keep a distance between the two groups, their eyes never leaving the wolf.

The group arrived at the conference hall, which was just a long, white room with a red carpet running down the middle leading from the entrance to the opposite side, where a platform was raised three steps high. The room had large windows accompanied by beautiful deep red and violet drapes, and a pair of glass doors that lead out to a balcony.

The ponies sat on the platform while Silver sat on the carpet in front of them.

“Would you introduce yourself again, please?” Celestia asked pleasantly.

“Of course. My name is Silver Wind, though most just call me Silver. I come from a country in the East called Houndland, and I've been assigned by my superiors to come to Equestria and guard the new alicorn princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends. It's a pleasure to meet all of you,” Silver said while his fluffy tail wagged back and forth and smile on his face.

“Houndland? You mean like 'pot-o'-gold at the end of the rainbow' Houndland?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Silver rolled his eyes, “Yes, that Houndland.”

Applejack scratched her head with a hoof ,“Now this just don't make no sense to me. Why would another country send a soldier to protect the princesses?”  she inquired.

Celestia turned to the country mare and explained, “It's part of an old agreement between Equestria and Houndland. Although I can't tell you the specifics, I can say that this arrangement has been around since before Nightmare Moon. Well before.”

“But if that's true, then why didn't  any pony say anything? It's kinda hard to miss a wolf living in a county filled with ponies, and if this has been going on for as long as you say, then surely some pony must have noticed.” Twilight asked.

“No pony noticed because we aren't supposed to let any pony know we're here,” Silver answered, “although I get the feeling that's not gonna last much longer, is it?”  he asked looking toward Celestia.

The white alicorn gave a coy grin and Silver groaned, “Oh boy.”

The others could only look in more confusion at the two, “Celestia, what does he mean?” Twilight questioned.

“I was hoping that maybe we could change the agreement a little. The wolves are supposed to remain out of sight from the public, but I was hoping that Silver could try and make some friends and get the every pony used to them. I'd really like for Equestria to have a friendlier relationship with Houndland  ”

“Why?” Silver demanded. The sudden change in his tone startled every pony, but Celestia simply picked up her head straightened herself before stating, 

“I wanted you to train some of our soldiers. Teach them a new form of combat. Our seem to be lacking somewhat, what with the whole Canterlot wedding fiasco. If the citizens get used to wolves being around, then I figured maybe the guards would be more trusting and willing to listen to your instructions.”

Silver stared at the white alicorn, his expression reflecting something akin to irritation, and Celestia looked back with a unfaltering straight face. After a long moment, he dropped his head and let out a long sigh.

He looked back up at Celestia, “You know, you didn't have to do all of this,” he said, gesturing a paw to the girls, “You could have asked and I would've done it.”

Celestia looked away with a face hinting at a feeling of guilt, “I wasn't sure you would agree. I asked the other two and they got kind of upset.” 

Silver let out another sigh. Twilight and her friends just sat and looked at the two, and then at each other, puzzled by their conversation. Silver caught a shrug from Rainbow Dash out the corner of his eye and realized they had no idea what was going on.

Silver looked past Celestia and the group of lost ponies around her, “I'm sorry for the confusion. Perhaps we should explain.”

“That would be nice, thank you,” Twilight retorted.

“In the agreement between Equestria and Houndland, high ranking military wolves are selected to come to Equestria and guard the princesses, but they must remain out of sight and cannot let any one know of their presence in this country, except for the princess. Unfortunately, Celestia broke that agreement when she told all of your friends about me. Luckily, however, you can send me back if you want. You're allowed to deny my service.” 

Twilight felt a relief wash over her. She really didn't want a some pony watching over her all the time especially if that some pony was actually a wolf.

“But she didn't say anything about you. All that she said was that Twilight would be getting a new body guard. You told us about you, and you're the one who popped up during breakfast. It's not really her fault,” Rainbow said.

“Well, you're right, but this morning I got a letter delivered to me by magic. It said 'Come join me for breakfast,' and guess who signed it,” Silver gave a Celestia a scolding look, to which she responded by giving an adorable sheepish smile. “The only ones who are supposed to know I'm here are princesses Celestia, Luna, Cadence and Twilight. Well, them and the other two wolf guards.”

Twilight's eyes widened,“Wait. Other two? There are two other wolves living in Equestria right now?”

“Yep. There's Black Wing guarding Princess Cadence and Star Shine guarding Luna and Celestia. Black Wing came here when Princess Cadence ascended and Star Shines been here for three years. ”

Twilight sat there stunned, “I don't believe it. You've been here the entire time and no pony ever knew. Wait, does my brother know about that Black Wing guy? He's married to Princess Cadence now.”

“Nope. Like I said, the only ones who are supposed to know of us are the princesses. That right doesn't extend to any pony else.”

“But how can you possible keep the princesses safe while remaining completely hidden from literally every pony else in Equestria?”

At the moment Twilight asked, the door to the conference hall flung open and her brother barged in. Every pony looked up to the stallion who had just walked in and quickly looked back at Sil--....he's gone!

The wolf disappeared!

Shining Armor approached the platform with a worried but serious look.

“Hello Captain,” Celestia greeted, “do you have a reason for barging in?”

“I'm sorry Princess, but I believe there may be an intruder on the castle grounds. The guards in the hall said they sent some one away, but the guards at the gates never saw any pony leave or even enter in the first place. I need to ask, have you seen any pony strange or out of place? They said he was wearing a cloak.”

“I haven't, but if I should I will tell the guards immediately.” 

Shining looked over to the others, who were looking around at one another unsure of what to say. Twilight simply shook her head and the others followed.

“Thank you. And, I'm sorry for so rudely interrupting. I was out of place," Shining Armor said lowered his head.

Celestia raised a hove, “It's quite alright, you were just doing your job.”

Shining picked his head  back up with relieved smile on his face, “I'll take my leave now. Good bye, your majesty,” Shining lifted a hoof and waved it at Twilight, “Bye Twily,”  Twilight waved back and smiled as her brother left. As soon as the door closed, she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

“I just lied to my BBBFF,” Twilight groaned, “Hey, where did--?”

Just as she began to ask, wind began to spin around on the carpet. It wrapped up into a small vortex and twirled for a second before dissipating, unveiling Silver. He was looking back over his shoulder at the door.

“We should probably lock that,” the wolf stated. Again, the girls sat in shock at what occurred. Honestly, at this point, their jaws should have fallen off from the number of times they've been dropped. Silver looked back at the stunned ponies and cocked his head in confusion as to what they were staring at.

“What? Is there some thing on my face?” Silver asked as he wiped his cheeks with a paw.

“What was that?!” the lavender alicorn asked, nearly shouting.

“Huh?....Oh, you mean my Evaporating Spell. That just let me turn my body in to air.” Silver said nonchalantly. Twilight stepped down from the platform and walk up to Silver, looking over his body carefully as she circled him. After the second or third time around, Silver covered himself with his wings and paws and hid his face.

“You know, it's kind of embarrassing when you look at me like that,” Silver said shyly. Twilight stopped her circles and shook her head before turning to Celestia. A smile quickly appeared on her face that said she just had a brilliant idea.

“OK, I'll keep him. I'm fine with this whole, 'wolf body guard deal',” Twilight said placing a hoof on the wolf's head. Silvers ears perked up and he came out of hiding. 

“HUH?!” every pony was astounded by her sudden complacency, save for Celestia who was over joyed with her decision.

Applejack walked over to Twilight and put an arm around her, pulling her in close and away from Silver ,“Now sugar-cube, are you sure you thought this through? He did say you can turn down the offer,” she whispered in to her friends ear.

Twilight pulled away and spoke in a normal voice, “Yes, I did think this through and I'm sure. It's not like he's gonna hurt me. Hay, he supposed to do the exact opposite.”

“But why?" Rainbow asked, "We have plenty of guards and sure, they might not be they absolute best but they can still do their jobs. Just look at your brother.” 

“It's not about the protection, it's about him,” Twilight said pointing a hoof over to Silver, “You saw his spell. We don't have anything like that here in Equestria, and it seems there are two others who might use magic similar to his. I want a chance to study him and his abilities, so I figure why not keep him around and see if I can talk to the others as well.”

The mares gave up. Once Twilight was curious, there was no stopping her.

“Great!" The wolf exclaimed, "Now that that's settled, I need to excuse myself. I know I'm cutting out early but there's something I need to attend to,” Silver said as he made his way for the balcony.

“Wait!” Twilight called, trotting out to the balcony and lowering her voice to a whisper, “Can you stop by the library in Ponyville when you're finished. I'd like to talk with you some more, if you don't mind.”

Silver gave a slightly puzzled look, but just shrugged and smiled, “Sure, but I'll be gone for the majority of the day and probably won't get there until late in the evening. Is that alright with you?”

Twilight lit up with a smile, “That's fine. I look forward to see you later.”

“As do I. If you need me for anything before then, just call my name and I'll come,” and with that he spread his wings and took off, disappearing into the clouds. Twilight walked back inside to find her cyan pegasus friend greatly annoyed.

“He shows up late, breaks into a castle, and then leaves work the moment he starts. Yeah princess, he's the best guard any pony could ask for,” Rainbow criticized sarcastically.

Celestia looked down at the pegasus with an amused smile, “I'm sure that whatever he's doing is important. If he is anything like the other two wolves, then he wouldn't do something like this without good reason. I know it may seem hard, but we must trust him. Like I said, he is one of the best.”

“Yeah, okay,” Rainbow mumbled with a defeated sigh, “but is there any pony else who is just a little uncomfortable with this? I mean, I haven't heard a peep out of you Fluttershy, and you're afraid of you own shadow. What do you think about this guy?”

“Oh, well, um...honestly, I was afraid at first, but then he didn't seem so bad when he started talking, except for when he got a little upset earlier. But he seems to be nice, and I don't think he would hurt us.”

Rainbows jaw hit the floor. Fluttershy, the most timid and fearful pony she'd ever known, wasn't afraid of a wolf. A magic wolf. A magic wolf with wings and a credible military background. While stuck in her stunned state, Rarity came over and put a hoof on the ponys back.

“Rainbow dear, I know he seems a bit strange...and slightly terrifying, but if princess Celestia trusts him then perhaps we should too. The other two wolf guards haven't done anything, so I think it's okay to say Silver won't either.”

Rainbow Dash brushed off the pearly white hoof, “Whatever, I still don't trust him or his pals,” she turned to Twilight with a serious look, “Just make sure to keep an eye on him. We don't know what he's capable of.”

Twilight gave her friend a nod, “I will. I know I said I was okay to let him guard me, but that doesn't change the fact that he is still a stranger. I'll be careful around him.”

DING-DONG DING-DONG

The Canterlot clock rang through the city.

“It's noon,” Celestia said looking to the sky through one of the windows, “You girls should get back to Ponyville. You do have jobs to get back to.” 

“Oh shoot," Apple Jack swore, "Big Mac's gonna buck me across Equestria for skippin' out on ma' chores.”

“Oh man, and the pegasi were supposed to be preparing for a heavy storm for the next few days. The boss is gonna grill me!” The rainbow pegasus moaned.

The two bolted out the doors and down the hall.

Twilight look to her old mentor with a grateful look, “Thank you for letting us stay Celestia. We really enjoyed it.”

“Any time, Twilight,” Celestia wrapped a hoof around the smaller alicorn and brought her closer, “but please, try to be at least a little trusting of Silver. I know it's difficult, but I assure you he means no harm.”

Twilight was hesitant but still replied, “I'll try.”

With their farewells wrapped up, the rest of the six went to the train station, where they found the other two of their impatient friends waving them down. The train hadn't shown up yet, and the two looked like they were about to just hoof it back to Ponyville. The train came about ten minutes later and the group made the departure back home.
> A Night With A Wolf
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilights day had been fairly normal, except for the bizarre morning she had in Canterlot, but even that could have gone worse. Silver could have tried to eat them all, or could have been an  assassin. But it's not like he was actually capable of killing any pony, not with princess Celestia there...was he?

Twilight shook the thoughts from her head and focused back on the task at hoof. She was reorganizing the library and cleaning up for when Silver would stop by. Usually she would have tasked Spike to do something like this, but he was away a comic convention in Fillydelphia would be there for the next few days. 

Twilight looked over to the clock on the wall.

“2:45,” Twilight mumbled to herself. While her time back in Ponyville had been normal and enjoyable, time seemed to be moving unbearably slow. The train had arrived in Canterlot at around 12:15, and the ride had taken about 30 minutes. 

“It's only been two hours, and he said he'd be here in the late evening,” Twilight said and let out a long sigh. She was eager to learn about a new culture and race she had never met. When Twilight first returned home, she quickly flipped through her books and tried to find something on Houndland and the wolves, leading to the creation of the mess she was currently cleaning. But despite her efforts, all she managed to find was some silly foalish books on how the big bad wolf would come and eat you if you didn't listen to your parents. There was nothing on their culture and magic, which Twilight had found to be a little strange, seeing as how she lived in a library and couldn't find anything on a well-known existing country.

Twilight had been fixated on Silvers amazing ability to turn his body from solid to gas. It was something she'd never seen or even heard of. And she wanted to learn it. Sure she could teleport, but she would instantaneously wind up in a new place, unlike Silver who seemed to be able to keep his body as a gas.  But it wasn't just his magic that fascinated her, it was also the land where he came from. She had obviously never met a wolf before, so she couldn't have met some pony from Houndland, and there for didn't have any knowledge of their customs. This was the perfect opportunity to learn first hoof. Maybe she could even write her own book on it.

“The Land of the Wolves” by Twilight Sparkle. The thought made her giggle like a filly.


Twilight finally managed to place the last book in its proper place and decided to begin sweeping. She went to the kitchen next to the fridge to grab the broom when something struck her.

She looked to the fridge and thought, “I wonder what wolves eat....Oh Sweet Celestia!”

'Meat! Wolves are carnivores! What was hay I thinking! I can't let him into my house while I'm alone, he'll devour me in seconds!', She thought to herself.

Suddenly, Twilight found herself missing her number 1 assistant a lot more. Sure he was just a baby dragon, but still, just having some one else with her made her feel a little better. Twilight didn't know what to do. She could cancel and run, maybe stay at a friends house, but then Silver might just leave once he realizes she's gone and go eat some other poor pony. Twilight roughly shook her head.

'No! Princess Celestia said he wouldn't harm her or any pony else', and Twilight trusted Celestia when it came to matters like this. But still, it couldn't hurt to have some protection.

The thought sparked an idea. Twilight ran through her library and began pulling the books off their shelves, hastily reading and throwing the newly re-shelved books back onto the floor.

“Come on, come on! Where is--- Aha! Property Protection charms”

Twilight flipped through the book until she found the spell she was looking for. Twilight read to herself “The Sanctuary Protection Charm- when cast, the spell will prevent any form of violence from taking place within the set property.”

Twilight closed her eyes and focused her magic. Her horn began to glow and little sparks of magic energy came shooting out. The library began to glow and a large burst of light shoot out from Twilights horn. When she opened her eyes, the walls glowed a faint purple before the glow disappeared.

“Did it work?” Twilight wondered allowed. The library didn't look any different, at least not from the inside.  There was only one way to find out. Twilight looked around the room and found Owlicious on her perch and trotted over. The small avian gave a welcoming hoot to her friend.

“Sorry about this,” Twilight said as she raised a hoof above the owl. Owlicious hooted and flapped, but the hoof came crashing down quickly. Owlicious flinched and covered her head with her wings, only to hear a loud crack come from the hoof above her.

Twilights hoof had been forced away by a magic shield, flinging her back and knocking her down.

“Well, I guess it works,” she dazed mare said with her eyes spinning. Owlicious hooted with anger at the the stunned alicorn, who could only apologize sheepishly in return.

“I'm really sorry, but I had to make sure it was working. You know I'd never want to hurt you,” Twilight said, reaching out a hoof to comfort her angry pet. The owl simply turned her head away, but allowed Twilight to pet her.

“How about I get you a special treat tomorrow to make up to you?” Twilight cooed. Owlicious turned her head around a little, then held up two of her feathers.

Twilight giggled, “Alright, two it is then,” Owlicious hooted happily and flew over to her owner, perching on her back and giving her neck a nuzzle, to which Twilight softly returned. Owlicious took her perch back and Twilight went back to the kitchen. She opened the door to the fridge and saw it was only half stocked.

“Hmm, I probably should go pick up something to eat. Silver will be here later in the evening and I'd hate to be a bad host, so I think I should cook dinner for us. But still, I wonder what I should get......Oh well, I'll just look to see what they have in the market. I'm sure there must be something Silver can eat,” Twilight exited the kitchen and grabbed her bag by the door, strapped it on and headed out. When she stepped outside, she noticed the pegasi  building up some storm clouds, and remembered what Rainbow Dash had said back in Canterlot.

“I hope he makes here before the storm starts. It would be terrible if he got caught in it,” Twilight thought to herself. She then realized that she was at risk of getting caught in the storm too and quickly trotted through the town to the market.

Looking through the stalls, all she could find were vegetables and fruits. While she was sure that Silver could eat those, she didn't want to upset his diet, and didn't think it would be very filling for him. Twilight kept walking and looking until she saw a pasta stand selling thin noodles and an idea struck her.

'That's it! I'll make spaghetti!' she exclaimed in her head, 'I know he can eat that,' Twilight made her purchase and went back to the tomato stall she passed earlier and then went to the spices. With her shopping list completed, Twilight trotted back through town. She stopped in the town square and looked to the large clock on one of the buildings.

“Hmm, 4:36. I still have time before Silver arrives,” Twilight gave a look to the sky, “and it doesn't look like it will start raining just yet.” 

The clouds had to be packed a certain way so that they will build up without raining ahead of schedule, which usually took a lot of time, especially for a storm of this size.

Twilight looked back down saw Sugercube Corner at the end of the road.

“Hmm, maybe I should get some dessert to go with dinner,” Twilight pondered and trotted over to her friends workplace. She entered into the bakery and was excitedly greeted by her pink friend.

“Hey Twilight! What's up?” Pinkie called out from behind the counter.

“Nothing much, Pinkie, just doing some grocery shopping. Do you think you could get me some dessert to go with my dinner?”

“Well of course! That's what Sugercube Corner is for!” Pinkie ducked back into kitchen and emerged a few minutes later with a pink box.

“Here you go! Half a dozen blueberry muffins and half a dozen chocolate chip muffins,” she said opening the box to reveal a mouth watering sight of pastries. They seemed to radiate a delicious glow and the smell rising from them told Twilight they were fresh from the oven.

“Thank you Pinkie, they look absolutely scrumptious,” Twilight said as she attempted to keep herself from drooling. She placed her bits on the counter and grabbed the box in her mouth. She waved good-bye to her baker friend and left the store. 

The smell of the muffins was teasing her nose and she couldn't help but stop and have a bite. She sat down on the edge of a fountain nearby and popped the box open, the smell rising out once more. She battled with herself in her mind, trying to decide which muffin to try. She eventually picked a blueberry muffin and plucked it out of the box. It was warm in her hooves and practically screaming for Twilight to eat it. Twilight brought it up to her mouth, and just as her tongue touched the baked dough,

CRACK! BOOOOOOM!! 

The sudden flash of lightening and roaring thunder startled the alicorn, causing her to toss the muffin from her hooves.  Her attention snapped from the storm to the falling muffin. Not wanting to loose her tasty treat, she quickly focused her magic and wrapped the the muffin in her magic just in the nick of time.

“Whew, that was close,” Twilight said, brushing a hoof against her brow, “I should probably get back now. It looks like the storm's starting to come together.” Twilight closed the muffin box and levitated it and her blueberry one in front of her while she walked, taking bites out of it as she made her way home.

Just as she reached her front door, the sky began to lightly drizzle. After coming, in she went to the kitchen and placed the muffins on a cookie sheet and set them in the over, keeping it on low to keep them warm until it was time to eat them. She left the kitchen and looked over at the clock, “5:22, he should be here soon. I should probably get dinner started.”

Going back into the kitchen, Twilight floated out some pots and pans, and set out her ingredients on the counter in order of which she would need them. She squashed the tomatoes into a pot and added her spices, then set it on the stove on a low heat. She then boiled some water in another pot and added her noodles. While waiting for them to finish, Twilight went to the main room and cleaned up the books she'd thrown about earlier. After a few minutes of cleaning, Twilight heard a knock....from her balcony.

“What the hay?” Twilight wondered as she went up the stairs, “Owlicious, did you get locked out or something? Or has Rainbow just crashed into my house...again?” 

Upon reaching the glass doors to the balcony, Twilight pulled back the curtains to see what was knocking, and had to try her hardest to stifle her laugh at what she saw sitting in front of her. 

It was Silver, fur sagging with water and twigs and leaves sticking out. But what made it funny was the ridiculous expression he had when he was trying to fish out one of the branches sticking out from his back. He sat there nipping at his back like a dog with fleas, every time he snapped, his back would move the twig out of his reach. He stopped when he realized that Twilight was at the door, her mouth quivering from her barely contained laughter.

Silver looked forward, and rubbed a paw behind his head, “I, uh, kinda got knocked over.....by a tree.”

Twilight couldn't contain herself anymore, and promptly burst into a fit laughter. Silver gave a dull chuckle and blushed a little at the embarrassing moment.

'Great, I show up a day late, then leave before I even begin working and now I show up at my employers balcony looking like I'm a tree in a kindergarten play,' Silver complained in his head.

Once Twilight was able to collect herself, she opened the door and let the soaked wolf in.

“Aha-ha-haaa....I'm sorry, it's just, I really wasn't expecting you to show up like that,” the mare giggled.

“Trust me, I didn't intend to come looking like this.”

“Okay, how about you go shower and clean yourself up. Dinner should be done by the time you get out.”

“Oh, dinner! What for eats?” Silver said with a wag of his tail.

“Just some spaghetti. I hope that's alright,” Twilight said, pleading in her mind that she didn't screw up.

“Sounds good to me,” Silver happily exclaimed as he made his was down the stairs.

“The bathroom's at the end of the hall!” Twilight called out after him. Shortly after, she heard a door open then shut, and heard the water start to run. Twilight closed the door and pulled the curtains back before headed back down to the kitchen. Her noodles were just about done and so was the sauce. After seeing Silvers disheveled state, she figured she should make herself a little more presentable while he was showering, so she went to her bedroom and brushed out her mane and coat. She put on just a dab of blush and some eyeliner before leaving back to the kitchen. At the same time, Silver had just turned the water off, and it was a few minutes after that Silver exited the steamed bathroom.

He walked down the hall and poked his head around the corner, looking into the main room.

“Um, Miss Twilight?” He called out.

“I'm in the kitchen,” Twilight responded, “ and please, just Twilight,” Silver followed the voice, which turned into a soft humming as he got closer. He didn't recognize the tune, but he did enjoy her gentle hums. He found her standing in front of the stove with a spoon encased in her magic, slowly stirring the sauce. He noticed her mane laid flatter and her coat shined a little more than it did earlier.  His eyes were drawn to hers, her iris' radiating a beautiful deep purple.

After staring for what felt like forever, Silver shook himself out of his trance and walked over next to Twilight. He hovered his nose over the sauce pan and took in a deep whiff.

“Hmm, smells delicious,” Silver said with a lick of his lips. Silver leaned forward over the stove, and Twilight had gotten a whiff herself, only it was of Silver and not her cooking. She could smell the soap he used, and while she was used to it's scent, she was not used to smelling it on some pony else. Her eyes drifted toward the sniffing wolf, and she noticed his fur was oddly dry for having just been out of the shower.  Upon realizing she was staring at him, Twilight changed her thoughts quickly before Silver could notice her.

“Why, thank you. I wasn't sure what you could eat, what with you being a wolf and all, so I just went with spaghetti. I'm glad to see I was right,” Twilight dipped out a noodle and blew on before eating it. She chewed for a moment before nodding her head in approval. She shut off the stove and levitated the pot over to the sink, then dumped the contents into the strainer. She floated the strainer up and gave it a few shakes to get all of the water out before pouring the noodles back into the pot, then floated out some plate and glasses from the cabinet .

“Is there a drink you would prefer?” Twilight asked the near drooling wolf.

“Hmm, I heard the cider here is pretty good. I'd like to try some if you have any.”

“Well, I do, but...uh...it's hard cider,” Twilight said with a hint of embarrassment, 'Great, now I look like a pony with a drinking problem,' She didn't drink it often, but she did when she had a long day, such as her day after reforming Discord.

Silver shrugged, “Well, hard cider it is then.”

Twilight floated the glasses back up and grabbed two mugs, then when over to the barrel of cider to fill them. She moved back to the stove and filled the plates with spaghetti, then floated everything out into the main room. She sat everything on the coffee table in front of the couch and put out and hoof in presentation.

“Violá, dinner is served,” Twilight said proudly. She didn't cook often, mostly because she couldn't. She would always forget about it and get caught up in a book or experiment, and leave it to burn. Spike had eventually banned her from the kitchen.

Silver licked his lips once more, “It looks great!” He walked over and sat down on the couch, Twilight taking her seat next to him. He leaned over and gave it another whiff, savoring the delicious scent. He couldn't hold himself back for long, and quickly leaned over and began to eat. 

He was a surprisingly clean eater. Twilight had thought that Silver might make a mess since it seemed he didn't have telekinesis, and therefore couldn't hold a fork. Going based off of his first appearance earlier that day in the castle dining room, she assumed he couldn't levitate things since he had to eat his apple from off his paw. It would seem her assumption was correct.

Silver lifted his muzzle from his place and licked the sauce from off his chin. He turned his attention over to his drink, which he seemed a little too eager to taste. He slid his paw into the handle and brought the mug to his nose, sniffing it as well. Twilight couldn't help but giggle.

“Do you always sniff your food?”

Silver looked up at the alicorn next to him, “well, I have to make sure you aren't trying to poison me,” he said jokingly and nudged her with a shoulder. Twilight giggled again and brought a fork full of noodles to her mouth. Silver sloshed his drink around in the cup before drinking some of it. He took three full gulps before he brought the mug down from his mouth with a sigh of refreshment. He paused and smacked his lips a few times, evaluating the cider.

“That's pretty good!” he cheered and  then took another swig.

“You'll have to thank Applejack for that. She and her family are the ones that run the apple orchard here and they're the ones that make all the cider. Both normal and hard.”

“I'll be sure to pass on my praise the next time I see her,” he said moving back to his food. The two finished their meal rather quickly, making light conversation as they ate. Twilight complained about how she couldn't find anything on Houndland or wolves, and Silver laughed and said she probably wouldn't find much in Equestria.

Once they finished off their plates, Twilight levitated the dishes into the kitchen and set them in the sink. She pulled out the cookie sheet from the oven an placed the muffing onto a plate, then brought them back into the living room and sat them on the table.

“Oh, muffins too!” Silver sang. The two grabbed their desserts and crawled on to the couch, then Twilights interrogation began.

“Okay, since my books clearly couldn't tell me anything, could you please tell me more about your magic and where you're from? I've been dying to know.”

Silver chuckled, “You know, your books probably do have the answer, you just couldn't find the right one,” Silver took a bite out of his chocolate chip muffin.

Twilight gave Silver a skeptical look, the gestured a hoof around the room for him to get up and prove his words. Silver sat his treat down and stepped off of the couch, then walked around the room looking at the shelves, carefully scanning each one. He then stopped and picked out a book and walked back over to the coffee table, setting it down and flipping through it. Twilight, now intrigued (and slightly irritated), slid off the couch and peered over the wolfs shoulder, reading the title at the top of one of the pages.

“Elements of the World”, it was called. Silver stopped flipping and landed on a page labeled “Air and Wind Magic”

“This is the magic I use,” he said sliding it over to Twilight. She grabbed it in her magic and quickly read through the pages, picking up the important bits. While the book didn't tell her all that she wanted to know, it certainly answered  some of her questions. She sat the book back down on the table, and looked over to Silver in surprise.

“Where did you find this?” she asked, suddenly felt a sense of deja vu .

“It was under E,” Silver sang out.

Ah, that's why this felt familiar. Twilight face-hoofed,  “I've really got to remember that one,” she muttered to herself.

“Don't feel too bad about it. After all, you didn't know I used Elemental magic. So you wouldn't have known to look for this,” he reassured her.

Twilight sighed and closed the book. She got back on to the couch and Silver followed.

“What else do you want to know?” he asked.

“Well, the book, while helpful, really wasn't all to clear. Could you just explain what exactly your magic is?”

“Okay, sure. To begin, magic is a form of energy made from the thoughts and feelings of a creature. Like most races of the world, all wolves have magic in their bodies. They also have what's called Auras, which are just the visual form of our current personality and mood. This will help determine what element you use. Elemental magic is divided into different elements such fire, water and so on, and depending on what your aura is will determine you element. Keep in mind that no one aura is linked to one element. You could have the same aura as a fire magic user, but still use water magic. It all depends on how you view the element that you use. The source of that fire users magic may be an anger that burns everything, and yours could be a violent river that slams into the what ever blocks it's path. The same concept, but different views.”

“So then what is your view of the wind?”

Silvers ear perked and flickered a bit, but then he looked deeply into the mares eyes and smiled softly, his eyes reflecting nostalgic memories running through his mind. Twilight had seen this look many times when she was still a student under Celestia, and she knew she asked something deeply personal. But the look in his eyes was some kind of bitter sweet nostalgia. His honey-hazel eyes seemed to sparkle for a moment as he stated his answer.

“Freedom,” he said in a gentle tone. For some reason, the word had great power when spoken by Silver, and it sent a chill down Twilights back.

“It's the greatest form of freedom. It's everywhere, feels everything, sees everything and yet it no pony can say they've seen it, no pony can touch it, nor catch it, nor talk to it. It can whip up a tornado that can destroy a city, or bring a soft gentle breeze on a warm summer day. It can blow the hottest sand of the desert, or the sheer cold snow of the arctic. It can be anything, adapt to any environment and still exist. It's.....what I want to be.” 

Twilight sat in silence the entire time Silver was speaking. He spoke with so much passion it made Twilight blush, though she didn't know why. She'd never thought of the wind like that. She never really thought of anything like that, aside from maybe friendship, but even that didn't have the same concept as Silvers heart-spoken words. Twilight felt that she was beginning to understand just what this wolf was like, even if it was only a little. And she felt horrible for casting that protection spell earlier. While she knows Silver is far from harmless, she also knows that he's very gentle. To quote him, “like a gentle breeze on a warm summer day.” She could see it in his eyes, the kindness radiating from them like a ray of warm light from Celestias sun.

“Twilight?” Silver said softly. Twilights mind snapped back to attention from having been lost in thought.

“Oh! Um, sorry,” She stammered as she rubbed a hoof behind her ears, “I was kinda trying to process it all. It's just, I've never really heard anything like it before.”

“It's alright. Not many other races can fully understand what it is that I'm trying to say. Heck, even other wolves can't quite follow. It's difficult to explain, and I know I'm not doing a very good job at it.”

“No, I understand more than I did before, and that's all that matters,” Twilight said with a smile.

“So, do you have anymore questions?”

“Oh, right! I almost forgot,” Twilight paused and tapped a hoof to her chin, “Ooh, I know! If you're from Houndland, why don't you have an accent?”

Silver let out a hearty chuckle, “I was wondering when you were gonna ask that. It's true that I used to have an accent, but over time I went to many different countries and learned many new languages. After a while, I learned how to adopt the accent of wherever I was.”

“How many languages can you speak?”, Twilight asked, now intrigued by the multilingual wolfs claim.

“Six, but I can read and write just about any language,” Silver casually stated.

Twilights jaw dropped, “SIX!? And you can read any language?”

“Well, almost any language. There are a few lost languages that don't have any actual writing in existence, but I still intend on figuring them out. But really, it's not that big a deal. Those skills really only come in hand for research. And besides, it's not like I'm Star Shine or something.”

Star Shine. Twilight had heard the name earlier when Silver was talking about the other wolf guards. She didn't take much interest in the mentioned wolf yet, as they were busy with their own protection details and she figured it would be best not to bother them, but this new information made her curious as to what the other two were capable of.

“What 's so special about Star Shine?”, the lavender alicorn asked.

“She's uh, kind of a super-ultra-mega-ultimate genius,” Silver rushed, rubbing a paw behind his head sheepishly.

“Well whats that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what you think. She's the kind of genius that puts even the super geniuses to shame. It's one of the reasons she was selected to come here.”

Twilights jaw dropped yet again. She had really hoped Silver was just exaggerating,  but going from his  personality, he didn't seem like one to do something like that.


“Do I even want to know what the other one can do?”

“Meh, it's up to you really,” Silver shrugged and took another drink  from his cider. Twilight sighed. She really wanted to know what this Black Wing could do, but she also wanted to know more about Houndland, and it was getting late. She decided to leave the topic of the other two for another day, or maybe for when she met them face to face, and turned the attention back to the land of wolves.

“I'll forget about the other one for now. On to my next question. I read in my poorly informed books that Houndland has a centralist form of a sort of multi-airchy government, which really doesn't make any sense to me. Could you explain a little more?”

Silver chuckled yet again. Well, at least Twilight wasn't the only one enjoying herself.

“Yeah, we have a confusing form of government. You see, at the very top, we have the Emperors. They're much like Celestia and Luna, but they run things a little differently.”

“How differently?”

“Well, they don't get involved with the citizens very much. They let the packs handle that.”

“Packs?”

“Packs are like guilds, and they tend to make up every form of government in Houndland. There are law enforcement packs, art packs, magic centered packs; there's virtually a pack for every aspect of a normal government, they just don't report to any one ruler, but rather the Royals.”

“Royals?” Twilight thought she was beginning to sound a little repetitive, but it couldn't be helped. After all, she didn't have her books and the only source of information she had at her disposal was Silver, although many of his answers just bred more questions in her head.

“Under the Emperors, we have the Royals. They're the second in command and make the majority of the decisions that run the country and the packs, while the Emperors sit back and maintain the natures of the world, like how Celestia and Luna have to raise and lower the moon and sun. Each Emperor can appoint 2 Royals, one male and one female, which then earn the title of King and Queen. Since there are 8 Emperors, there are 16 Royals. Each King and Queen are selected differently depending on the views of the Emperors. One might want a wolf with a heart of gold, and the other might want a wolf with a heart of coal. It usually works out in the end though. But you should also know that the Royals  don't obtain power when they are selected by the Emperors. The title of King and Queen are just that, titles, and don't come with any extra perks. The only significance they have if that you were selected by the Emperor to bear that title. The only reason why the packs report to the Royals is because they are usually the leaders of the more powerful packs. ”

“So a wolf could be a Royal and not be previously famous?”

“Right, though that's usually not the way it works. Usually, the Royals are well known through out the country even before they are selected.”

“But do the Emperors actually do anything? It seems like they just sit there.”

“Well, you wouldn't be wrong. The Emperors rarely ever play a paw in any thing concerning the welfare of the country, but it's not because they don't care. They say it's because they are the rulers of the nature of the world, not the creatures that inhabit it, so they have no place ruling over us.”

“What do they mean by 'rulers of nature'? And how are they like Celestia and Luna?”

“Well, Celestia is responsible for raising and lowering the sun, and Luna is responsible for doing the same with the moon. The Emperors have abilities just like that, but unlike Celestia and Luna, they see that as their only responsibility, and leave us to our own devices.”

Twilight thought for a moment and pondered the rest of her questions, many of which concerned delving deeper into Silvers personal life than she was comfortable with, and she didn't want to seem pushy after meeting him just that afternoon. She let out a sigh and decided to back off with her interrogation, deciding she would pick it up on a later day. For now, she figured it would be best to just go to sleep. It was rather late and the hard cider had made her slightly tipsy.

“Okay,” Twilight yawned, “it's late and I'm tired. I think we should be heading to bed now,” Silver gave a puzzled look. The way she phrased her sentence almost made it sound like..

“I'll go make a bed for you,” the mare said, getting up off the couch.

“Wait, you want me to stay here?” Silver asked.

“Well, I certainly wouldn't want you to fly home in the middle of this storm. You did get hit with a tree after all and I would really rather you didn't get injured on your first day because I didn't want a wolf staying in my home.”

“But aren't you worried I might try something? Isn't that what the protection spell was for?”

“Well sure, at first I was scared, but now I don't think-- wait a minute! How did you know there was a protection spell?!”

“I could sense it when I first came into the house. It was like something wrapped around me, but I couldn't see it. Then, when I was scanning the shelves earlier, I noticed a Property Protection Charms book, and figured that must have been what the feeling was.”

Twilight was surprised at his sensitivity to magic and his ability to piece together the small bits of details. She understood why he was picked for the assignment of protecting the princesses. 

“Right,” Twilight said, smiling sheepishly, “like I said, at first I was a little afraid but now I'm convinced that you won't try to harm me.”

“And why's that?”

Twilight stammered, “I—um—it's ---er , look don't question it, just be glad I'm okay with it and not making you fly home!”  Silver chuckled at the mares frustration, and Twilights cheeks flushed a slight pink. 

“Alright, I'll stop teasing.”

Twilight puffed out her cheeks and walked up the stairs, Silver following after her. She moved aside a book case that was on wheels for some reason and reveled the wall behind it with a large rectangular cut going up and stopping at about 8 feet. She wrapped the rectangular piece in her magic and pulled down, allowing a bed in the wall to fall to the floor. Twilight then walked over to her own bed, bent down and stuck her head under the frame, then emerged a few moments later with some pillows and a blanket in her magic.

Handing them over to Silver, she said “You'll be sleeping here tonight. I'm not sure how comfy the bed is, but at least it's better than the couch.”

Silver took the blanket in his mouth and tossed the pillows onto the head of the bed, then sprawled the blanket out in a swift fling of his head. The comforter slowly floated down and lightly set onto the mattress.

Silver looked to Twilight and rubbed a paw behind his head, “Hey, uhh, thanks for letting me stay, and for dinner and dessert. I'd like to return the favor sometime, if you don't mind,” he said giving a shy grin.

“Oh, you really don't have to! I just figured I should make some dinner and happened to grab some dessert as well, and letting you stay here seemed like the nice thing to do.”

“I know, but still, I would like to; that is, if you would allow me.” Silver flashed a charming smile that matched his words.

Twilight stared at the wolf in embarrassing surprise. She turned her head away and blushed, “Well, okay then,” she mumbled.

Silver beamed, “Great! I'll let you know when I have some free time, and I'll be sure to ask you when you can. But for now, I think we should get to sleep.”

“You're right. Good night, Silver,” she said as she turned to her own bed. She pulled the blankets back with her magic and slid under into the warm envelopment.

“Night, princess.” Silver softly said as he crawled into the bed. It wasn't the comfiest thing he'd slept on, but it certainly wasn't the worse.

'Well, tonight went pretty well. I got a lot of my questions answer and Silver doesn't seem to be all that bad of a guy. He's kind and honest, although what he said about the way he views his wind magic kinda bothers me, but I'll leave that for tomorrow,'  Twilight snuggled herself deeper into her pillows and wrapped the blankets a little tighter, 'Dinner was pretty good too, if I do say so myself. And it was nice being able to talk with some pony like that. It's been a while since I have a face-to-face lesson instead of just reading from a book. Silver seems interesting, even though he's a wolf....wait, why would that matter. Just because he's a wolf doesn't mean he would be any less interesting than a pony. Not unless I was on a date or....some...thing.'

Twilights thoughts spiraled out of control as she began to think of her night from a new view.

'Make up, dinner, drinks, dessert and a long personal chat. He even said he would 'return the favor'. Oh sweet Celestia, I went on a date with my wolf body guard.'

Twilight picked her head up from her pillow and looked over to Silver, who seemed to be snoozing softly.

'No, no. It wasn't a date. It was just....research. That's right, research,' Twilight thought to herself. She laid her head back down and closed her eyes once more. 'Pfft, date, I sound like Rarity.'

Twilight let her thoughts slip away as she began to dream. Her mind was filled with a colorful grassland, where a deep, emerald green could be seen stretching for miles across fields that were littered with bright yellow flowers. She looked to the sky and found it slightly cloudy, but still sunny all the same. Amid her staring, some pony had appeared beside her, but it wasn't a pony at all. Who else but Silver appeared standing next to her. She turned and faced him to find his eyes staring warmly into hers.

“Come,” he whispered, “I want to show you my world, princess,” Dream Twilight smiled and followed the wolf into the unknown lands. Little did she know, the real Twilight was smiling the same content smile.
> A Thousand Sins
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Although the rain stopped for a moment and the wind was still howling outside, the new guard slept seemingly sound in his bed. Twilight awoke half an hour earlier, though the time was noon. Her talk with Silver lasted longer than she thought it would have, and in turn she ended up sleeping in. After getting up and brushing her teeth and mane, she went off to the kitchen and began cooking breakfast.

“I think some scrambles eggs will do,” Twilight mumbled. She was never really much of a morning pony, even if it wasn't morning. Despite her lack of energy however, within a few minutes, Twilight had whipped up a scrumptious looking breakfast/lunch, enough for two, with a glass of orange juice to go with it. She floated out the food to the table and sat them down where she and Silver had eaten the night before.

Twilight figured she should wake Silver up before the food gets cold and opened her mouth to shout for Silver to come down, but stopped when she realized that it would be a rude awakening. Not wanting to anger her guest, Twilight decided on a more gentle approach to raise Silver from his slumber.

She trotted silently up the stairs and to her room, where a second bed was folded out and a wolf lay in it sleeping soundly. Twilight quietly moved over to the side of the bed where his head laid, his face turned towards her. She leaned her head over, near inches away from ear and softly whispered.

“Silver,” she cooed, her voice like butter, “It's time to get up.”

Twilight heard a small breathe come from Silver as he began to stir. His ears flickered at the tickling of Twilights voice. He groaned quietly and shifted his wings around for a second before settling again. Twilight giggled at the adorable sight in front of her.

Fact of the matter was that, while she loved Owlicious, she did want a puppy when she was a filly. She would admit only to herself that this played a small role in her deciding to let Silver guard her.

Twilight bent closer and gently nudged Silvers neck with her muzzle.

She whispered to him again, “Come on Silver, it's noon already. You need to get up,”  Her attempt was simply met with silence. Twilight pulled her head back and thought for a moment.

“Hmm...,” Twilight hummed while she tapped her chin, “Oh! I know.”  She leaned back to his ear and softly spoke, “I made breakfast,”

Twilight pulled her head back once more, and after a moment, Silvers eyes peaked open, revealing their honey-hazel radiance.

Twilight had to force herself from “daww”-ing and settled for, “Well good morning sleepy head.”

Silver sat up in the bed and let out a long yawn, letting his long canine tongue roll out of his mouth before pulling it back in and licking his dry lips.

“What time is it?” Silver asked, his sleepy voice in full effect.

“About noon,” was all Twilight could say, still resisting the urge to “daww”.

“I thought you said you made breakfast, not lunch,”

“I did, we're having eggs and orange juice.”

Silver nodded his head, with his eyes still only half open. He stepped down from the bed, and Twilight moved back a space to allow him to move. He pushed out his front paws and lowered his front half to the ground, raising his tail. Silver let out a satisfied groan as he kept his long stretch for a moment, then released it and raised himself back up into a proper stance. His eyes were now fully opened and he seemed to have a bit more energy in him.

Twilight blushed a little. The moment she had just witnessed was beyond adorable, and she couldn't help but to think of Silver as a puppy. Granted he would be a puppy that was bigger and had sharper teeth than the average, but still, he looked soo cute!

Twilights internal sequel session was stopped as the thought reminded Twilight of her little mental scenario she had the night before. While she certainly didn't think of Silver in a romantic way, she did think he was irresistible as a pet, impolite though it may sound.

“Alright, time to get the day started I guess,” Silver said as he trotted past the alicorn, who seemed to be lost in her own world. Twilight shook her head and followed after Silver, the two making their way down the stairs and to the table, where the food had cooled somewhat but was still warm. They sat down and ate brunch, making light conversation between bites about what they had planned for the day.

“I'm supposed to be going over to Fluttershy's today to help her check on her animals. She said the storm might have hurt some of them and she wanted to make sure they were okay.”

“Oh, so she's a care taker, that's nice. Well, I don't really have anything else to do for the day. I think I'll just go explore for a little while. If I'm correct, Ponyville sits on the edge of a Black forest. Ever-something, I think.”

“Oh, you mean the Everfree forest. Are sure you wanna go there? I mean, it's pretty dangerous.”

“Meh, I'll be fine,” Amid their conversation, the two were interrupted by a knock at the door. Twilight excused herself, and got up from the couch. She opened the door and was greeted by Applejack, who seemed to be exhausted.

“Oh, A.J., it's you. Is there something you need?”

“Twilight, I need yer help,” The cowpony began, “Ya' see when we stayed the night over in Canterlot, I missed abunch o' ma' chores and one of em' was breaking off the loose branches of the apple trees at the farm fore' the storm hit. But when we got back, I uh, kinda didn't to all of em' in time and abunch of 'em got ripped off last night. But now I need to get the rest of 'em down before the storm comes back and pick up all of the ones on the ground to make sure they don't get picked up and flung around. I need you're magic to help, other wise I might not get done in time.”

Twilight frowned, “Oh, A.J. I'm sorry, but I was supposed to help Fluttershy with her animals today.” 

Applejacks ears dropped, “Oh, well that's alright. It's my mess, and I reckon it's my job to clean it up. Bye Twilight.” The earth pony turned and began to walk away, when a head poked out from around a corner in the library.

“Twilight, who is it?” Just as Twilight was about to shut the door, she quickly thought of an idea.

“Applejack!” she called to her friend. The orange mare stopped and turned to Twilight standing in the door way. She trotted back and asked,
“What's up, Twi?”

“I think I have a way to help you with your chore,” she said, making Applejacks face light up.

“Really!? What is it?” Twilight motioned a hoof behind her and pointed to Silver, who was still peaking around the corner.

“Silver, do you fetch?” Twilight joked.

“Haha, very funny,” Silver mocked, “there is a difference between dogs and wolves, you know.” Twilight giggled.

“I was hoping you could help Applejack her with her chores today. Think you can?” Silver simply shrugged a shoulder.

“Sure, why not.” Applejack beamed once more, then rushed inside, grabbed the wolf with a hoof and dash back out in an instant. 

“Thankstwi'I'llgivehimbacklater,bye!” and the two were gone in a trail of dust. Twilight chuckled and closed the door back.

Over at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack had just arrived with a blazing trail behind her and startled wolf in hoof.

“Alrighty, what you're gonna do is pick up all the broken limbs from the ground and toss into that pit over there,” Applejack pointed a hoof to a large hole in the ground in an empty field. Or, at least, it would be empty if It wasn't covered with large, broken tree branches.

Now that Silver looked closer, there were large tree branches scattered every-where, all across the farm.

“Whoa, the storm really did a number on this place,” Silver said.

“Yeah, thanks to you!” Applejack accused and poked a hoof into Silver's chest.

“Me?! What did I do?”

“Ya'll showed up a day late and made us all wait on ya', while we coulda been doing our jobs, like taking down loose branches”

Silver opened his mouth to argue back, but then stopped, “Yeah, I guess you kinda got a point there,” Applejack lifted her head triumphantly, “But I'm not the one who made you stay in Canterlot an extra day. You did that on your own.” Applejacks triumphant moment had ended.

“Well, I—I mean, we-- it's just that--” Applejack fumbled, “Dang nabit, just get to work!” she commanded and pointed her hoof to the orchard. It was Silvers turn for triumph, and he lifted his head high as he trotted away.

The storm held out for longer than the two thought it would. Applejack was able to break off the a lot of the branches, but there were still many more to go and she was determined to see her job through to the end. As she broke off another snapped limb, she heard Silver call out for her.

“Hey, Applejack, I'm done collecting the broken branches. Is there anything else you need?”

“Huh? No way you cleaned up all that in such a short time.” She paused from her work for a moment and looked around to see what progress Silver had made. Much to her surprise, the entire orchard was clear of the broken branches. She even noticed the pit was covered without having to tell him to do it.

“Well, I'll be. Just how the hay did you manage that?”

“Like this,” Silver said and brushed out a wing. A gust of wind wrapped around the tip then flew off and blew the branches near Applejack toward the pit.

“Magic? I didn't know you could use magic,” Applejack said as her eyes followed the still blowing branch.

“Yeah, it's different from Equestrian magic, but it's still magic all the same.”

“Can it help me with breaking off these loose ones?”

“Yeah, sure. Just stand clear of the trees.” With that, he flew to the sky and hovered a moment, then waved a paw to Applejack telling her to move to the side. Taking the wolf's advice, Applejack walked off the the side away from the tree until she was clear. Silver nodded, then flew up high, reaching the clouds, then looped back down and dove towards the ground. He sped towards the orchard and just before hitting the top of the trees, he pulled up and soared just above them. The tailwind, enhanced with some magic, blew across the orchard and with a snap, crackle and pop, the branches of the apple trees hit the ground.

Applejack stood to the side and watched the events unfold,  mumbling to herself, “Well shoot, if he'd just done that in the first place, I wouldn't have been out here busting mah' flank for so long.”

She trotted across the orchard to where Silver had landed, having seen him set down near the house. It only took her a minute to reach him. She spotted sitting next to the pit with a large pile of sticks next to him, presumably the ones he had just knocked down.

Still to far to talk normally, Applejack hollered across the field, “Well, that was some mighty fine flyin' ya did there Silver! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were better than Rainbow!”

“Thanks!” he called back, “Could you help me move the—APPLEJACK MOVE!”

“Huh?” was she could manage before being crushed under a large limb. The world was black for a moment, and there was a sharp pain in her hind legs, but she quickly opened her eyes to the sight of a panicked wolf standing over her.

“Applejack are you ok?!” Silver said as he moved to lift the branch off of her.

“I'm fine, just got knocked over is all,” she said as she tried to lift herself off the ground. She managed to get her front hooves propped up, but her hind hooves gave way to a sharp pain. The moment she put pressure on either of them, she was met with a head spitting agony, and let out a scream before falling.

Silver quickly caught her before she hit the ground again and slung her over his back in a quick but gentle motion. Lightening erupted in the sky and a wet drop hit his fur.

“Dammit, of all the times..” he muttered as he ran back to the house. He burst through the door and called for help, but was met with silence. 

“Where is every pony?!” Silver wondered aloud as he dashed to the living room couch, laying the the wounded mare onto sofa so that she laid on her back with her head resting on the arm of the couch.

“Big Mac's got a delivery, so he shouldn't be back till tomorrow. Applebloom's staying at a one of her friends house for the weekend and Granny's visiting some family in Fillydelphia few the next few days,” she explained. She seemed to be unusually calm about the situation, but that's probably due to her lack of knowing what it was exactly.

“Great, that's just perfect,” Silver grumbled, “do you have a med kit?”

“Yeah, in the bathroom upstairs, under the sink.” Silver nodded and bolted up the stairs, leaving Applejack a moment to herself. She hesitated in wanting to know what Silver was so worried about, but looked down to her legs anyways. 

...That's a lot of blood...

Applejacks eyes widened as she  saw that her upper left hind leg had a hole in it, about an inch big, and blood was steadily streaming down her to her hoof. He right hind hoof was swollen and had an excruciatingly painful throb.

“Silver!” she wailed, her panic taking over.

“I'm here!” he called back running down the stairs with a white tin kit in his mouth.

“Th--there's a lotta bl--blood,” she stammered.

Silver tried his best to reassure the terrified mare, “Yeah, I know, but don't worry, it's looks worse than it is.” Unfortunately, that did little as Applejack only began to heave and her breathes quickened. Silver couldn't pause to try and calm her down. While he was telling the truth about the wound, it was still bleeding badly and needed to be bandaged. Silver popped open the med kit and grabbed some bandages, pads and a bottle of disinfectant. Unscrewing the bottle, Silver poured some on his paws, then over Applejacks leg, causing her shout, and then poured some onto the pads. He pushed the pads onto the wound and help them there tightly while he grabbed the bandages in his mouth. He quickly unrolled them and began to wrap around Applejacks leg, while still trying to hold her still and keep her from squirming by pressing a wing against her,.

Even after the wrapping was done, Applejack still squirmed. Silver quickly pushed his now bloodied paws onto her shoulders to hold her down and starred her in the eyes.

“Applejack, listen to me. You need to calm down,” Silver said in an attempt to still the mare.

“But—I'm—it's,” the poor thing couldn't even form a proper sentence.

“You're going to be fine, okay?” Silver said softly as he moved his paws up to her cheeks, “I've stopped the bleeding and as long as we swap out the bandages, you won't get infected. But you're other hoof is still hurt, and flailing around isn't going to make it better. So I need you to take a deep breathe, and calm down.”

Applejacks eyes were still wide and panicked, but she tried her best to take Silver's advice. She slowly steadied her breathing and relaxed her body, though she still quivered noticeably.

“There you go. Now I need to take a look at your hoof, but it might hurt a little.” Applejack nodded in response. Silver looked over at the now bruised and swollen hoof and picked it up gently with a paw. Applejack winced and tensed, but kept still. After close examination, Silver concluded, 

“I don't think it's broken, but you should still stay off it. At least until we can get you to a real doctor.” Applejack nodded again and let out a held breathe as Silver gently placed her injured hoof onto a pillow he grabbed in his mouth. She tossed her head back and let out a series of deep breathes.

After a moment, Applejack spoke, “Thanks Silver.”

“Don't worry about it. You were hurt, any pony would have done it,” Silver said as he began collecting the scraps of packaging from the bandages and pads.

“Not just fer patching me up, but fer, ya know, getting me to calm down an' what not. I don't really handle blood to well, as you can tell.”

“Well, at least that one thing we have in common.”

Applejack cocked her head, “Really? Ya look fine to me, and you were calm the whole time.”

Silver let out a weary chuckle, “Well, it's not so much the sight, but the smell. I've,uh...well let's just say I've had my fair share of it shed and we'll leave it at that.”

Applejack raised a brow, but nodded. She didn't want to dig into the past of some wolf she'd just met, much less the past of a soldier. Perhaps it was due to the conversation that Applejack had noticed Silvers shaking paws as he began to place the unused materials back into the medical box.

“Ya okay there?” Applejack asked, “Yer shaking more than a rattlers tail.”

“I'm fine,” he stated quickly, in an attempt not to worry the mare, “I'm more worried about you though. How are you feeling?”

“A bit woozy, and I know Imma have a hay of a bad headache soon, but other than that, it's just mah legs that are hurtin'.”  Silver took notice of Applejacks paler complex, attesting it to either the loss of blood, the panic attack she had just recovered from, or perhaps both.


“Let me know if it starts to itch or something. That branch may have splintered off into your leg. If it does, don't scratch! It will only make things worse.” Applejack nodded. She looked back down to the blood that had stained the couch and floor. Granny Smith was going to tan her hide for this, even if it was an emergency.

Amid her fretting of her wrongful punishment, Applejack had barely noticed Silver had left and came back with wet rag and towel.

“Here, let's clean you up,” Silver said as he began to wipe off the blood from Applejacks shoulders, neck and cheeks.

“I can clean mah self, ya know” Applejack groaned.

Silver smirked, “Yeah, but it's more fun this way.” Applejack simply rolled her eyes and allowed him to continue to clean her. Since the excitement had passed and she finally collected herself, Applejack was exhausted and far too tired to do anything further. Although it was a little strange, Applejack actually kinda welcomed Silver's clean up. First he wiped with the rag, then dried her off. Applejack took notice of the warm water the rag was wet with. It was a nice change from the cool air the rain had left behind outside, and the wind blowing certainly didn't help.

Silver finished cleaning her shoulders and cheeks, and then moved down to her leg. Luckily for him, the puncture from the branch was higher on her thigh and the blood ran down, so he didn't have to go too far up while cleaning. Applejack winced at the first touch, as her leg was bruised from the weight of the branch itself.

“Sorry,” Silver apologized.

“S' alright.” Silver continued to wipe down her leg, lightly dabbing at the more tender spots. He was more gentle than Applejack would have thought he would be. She had figured he would be more brutish and out of control since he was a wolf, but it was quiet clear now that her judgment was wrong.

“Silver, I uh, I think I should apologize for the way I treated ya when we first met,” Appljack said as she rubbed a hoof behind her hat.

Silvers ears tilted in confusion, “Where did this come from?”

“Well, it's just, here you are looking after me while I'm hurt, and all the while, I was making judgments about ya when I don't even know ya in the first place. It's like Zecora all over again.” 

Silver ceased his cleaning, as he had finished, and turned to Applejack, “Don't worry about it. It's not like you're the first to do it. Wolves aren't exactly well-liked among other countries.”

“Why's that?”

“Most countries have some form of lower wolves living in their lands, and those wolves are a little more, eh... violent,  and when they associate us with them, it doesn't really do our reputation any favors. They aren't exactly wrong, I mean, we do have an affinity for violence, but that's just part of our nature, and we can control it more than the others.”

“So wait, are you saying you're related to the timber wolves?”

“We're a similar genus, so I guess kinda, but we're very distantly related.” Applejack took a moment to process the information, but ultimately just waved it off as her head began to hurt.

“Oooohh,” she groaned, “mah head killing me, and now I'm cold.” Silver hadn't even noticed the shivering as he wiped, and proceeded to grab a quilt off of the back of the near by recliner.

“Wait,” Applejack said just before Silver threw the blanket over her. She grabbed a pillow in her mouth from behind her and tossed it on the floor. “Could ya help me down? I'd rather not lay in a pool of my own blood.”

Silver thought it would be a bad idea to move her around too much, especially to lay her on the floor, but figured it would be cruel to make her lay on the bloodied couch. Silver set the quilt down and positioned him next to the couch so that his body ran along it. Applejack wrapped her fore hooves around his neck, then rolled over on to his back. Although the movement was quick, it still cause her much pain, and she let out a small whimper as she maneuvered. Silver took a step back and grabbed the pillow at the end of the couch before moving to the pillow on the floor. Silver gently lowered himself to the ground and let down his wing for Applejack to slide down off of. With a soft thump, she landed on her back, but her swollen hoof knocked the floor, sending a jolt of pain through her leg. She winced and Silver quickly moved to place the second pillow under the hoof. He grabbed the blanket a few feet away and tossed it over Applejack, who quickly took to it's warmth and bundled herself up. For an injured mare laying on the floor, she seemed to be quite comfy.

Silver looked up from the snuggling mare and noticed a fireplace that he seemed to have passed by without noticing.

“Want me to start a fire?” Silver asked.

“How? It's raining.”

“I can use my magic to keep the rain from falling in the chimney, but still let the smoke out.”

“Oh, well then sure.”

Silver walked over to the stack of logs next to the fire place and grabbed three, tossing them into the pit. He grabbed the bottle of gas and squirted some onto the logs before using the matches above on the mantle to light the fire. The flame quickly sprouted and the room was filled with a orange glow and warmth. Silver placed a paw on the side of the chimney and closed his eyes. A blue wave ran up the bricks and after a moment, Silver pulled his paw away.

“Pretty convenient,” Applejack said.

“Magic always is,” Silver retorted as he moved to lay behind Applejack, keeping a distance between the two.

After a moment of silence, Applejack spoke up with a question, “Hey, Silver, yer a solider, right?”


“Yeah, why?”

“Well, I was meaning to avoid asking this, but after you said you'd shed some blood, I feel I need to know now. How many have you killed?”

Silver was silent. He didn't look at Applejack, but after a while he finally spoke, “Are you sure you want to know?”

Applejack gulped. She knew it was a dumb question, one that should never be asked to a solider, but felt it was important and that if she was to trust him like how Twilight and Princess Celestia wanted her to, then she had to know.

“Yes..”

Silver let out a sigh and continued to look away, “Truth is, I don't know how many I've killed. But it's at least a thousand .” Applejack laid silent and shocked. The insane number warped her sense of the world and made her even dizzier than she already was.

“Yer not serious, are ya? Cause if not, that's a pretty sick joke and I won't stand for it.” Silver simply looked to the mare next to him, his eyes reflecting his regret of telling her.

“Ya are serious...” Applejack said as she turned her head to look at the roof, “I'm sorry I asked you. I shouldn't have, and I clearly over stepped my bounds.”

Silver looked at the mare and titled his head in confusion. He had never really told any civilians that number, and he was sure that he would be hated for it, but the response from Applejack was anything but hatred. From what he could tell, it seemed to be understanding, and that's exactly what it was.

“That's an unbelievable number, but the fact that you were willin' to tell me despite knowing the normal reaction tells me that I can trust you to be honest. I understand that sometimes you don't have a choice, so I won't hold anything against you.” There was a soft thud, and Applejack look over to find Silvers head laying on the floor, his face buried in the carpet. Upon closer inspection, she also saw a steady stream of liquid running down his cheeks, and he was biting his lower lip.

A wave of guilt flooded Applejacks heart, and she quickly apologized again,“Silver, I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have--”

“Thank you....” Silver whispered.

“Huh?”

“All this time, I was able to accept my actions, but I was so worried nobody else would understand, that they would just push me away. I know what I've done, the damaged I've cause and I'm willing to own up to it. But the idea of some one else finding out, it..it..” Silver trailed off and crossed his paws over his muzzle.

Applejacks remorse had reached it's peak and despite being injured, she moved closer to the crying wolf and wrapped her hooves around his neck, nuzzling her muzzle into his fur.

“Shh,Shh. It's alright sugercube, I understand. Not many know, but my ma' was a solider too, before she came to be a farmer,” Applejack took a hoof and gently stroked Silvers head, “I made the mistake of asking her about it one day, and she said that she didn't have a choice on the battle field, that it was her life, or theirs. So no, I won't push you away Silver, I promise.”

The was a long moment of just sniffles, but Silver eventually picked his head up and look to Applejack, his eyes red and cheeks wet.

“Thank you,” he said again,” and I'm sorry to just dump this on you. It's not exactly my best of moments.”

Applejack smiled, “Don't worry, we all need to let it out at some point.” She wrapped her hooves back around and hugged him again. Silver was surprised, as he had not been able to notice the mare around his neck until after he had calmed down. But still, he liked it. Her grip was firm but gentle at the same time. Applejack pulled her head back and looked at Silver. He noticed her eyes were half shut and she seemed to have trouble holding her head up.

“You look tired,” Silver said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, getting crushed under a tree branch will take it out of ya.”

Silver chuckled again, “Here,” he said as he reached behind the sleepy-eyes mare and grabbed the pillow her head was laying on earlier. He pulled it under her head and with a paw, softly set her head down onto the cushion. Applejacks arms fell to her stomach, but she was still pressed against Silvers body.

“I'm still a bit cold,” she said as a shiver went through her.

“Don't worry, I'll keep you warm,” Silver cooed as he wrapped a wing tightly around Applejack. He flipped to his side and slid a paw under her, and then the other one was draped around her, pulling into his embrace.

His body was warm, and the place where his body was previously laying was heated. The fur tickled her nose and hooves, but she still nuzzled herself into him. Silver plucked the stetson off her head and set it down next to them, so that it didn't push into his face. He moved his head and placed it atop Applejacks golden mane, and before long, the two slipped into sleep.
> Naughty Dreams and Skyline Schemes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was dark, and cold. There was a strange rythmic beeping noise and a gentle hum coming from somewhere. Something soft was on top of Applejacks body, and felt like it was made of cloth. Was it clothes? She didn't remember putting on PJ's before falling asleep. But she did remember Silver, who seemed to be missing. Applejack felt around for the fluffy warmth she had fallen asleep with, but couldn't find where it had gone.

Applejack creaked an eye open and was blinded by a light. She quickly shut her eyes again, regretting her decision as the sudden brightness sparked a headache. She moved a hoof up in front of her eyes, and noticed a small pain as she moved it around, as well as the feeling of something dangling from it. Slowly, she peaked her eyes open again, letting them gradually adjust to the light. After the light became bearable, Applejack looked around and found she was no longer in her home on Sweet Apple Acres, but in a hospital bed. She looked to her arm and found an I.V.  sticking out from it, and followed it back to an E.K.G machine.

“What the... when did I get here?”

“Applejack!” she heard some one call, and her sight was quickly filled by the face of  a familiar lavender mare.

“Twi'. What are ya'll doing here? Where's Silver?”

“Silver said you got hit on the head by a falling branch and he rushed you here  to the hospital. When he dropped you off, he came and got me, but then it started raining so he couldn't get the others to come. He's going to tell them now.”

“What about my legs? I thought I hurt em'.”

“Huh? Your legs are fine A.J.

“Wha?”

“It's probably just that dream you were having.”

“...Oh Luna must bucking hate me. A dream!? Really!?”  Applejack thought as she threw a mental fit. She was really enjoying her night with Silver. “Just when he started to nibble too.”

Applejack hung her head, “So this whole time, I've just been laying in a bed?”

“Yep. You keep talking in your sleep too. Something about a thousand of something, and that you understood. Oh, and that you were cold. I kept putting blankets on you, and after a while you just stopped, and started moaning a lot.”

Applejack flushed furiously and hid her face under the pile of blanket on top her.

“Well, it was probably all these blankets, they make me kinda uncomfortable,” she meekly excused. In truth, she was actually kind of glad for all of the blankets. She could say they made her sweat as another excuse for the...effects, from her dream. And although she was the element of honesty, there was a limit to what she could bear to expose of her life, and therefore didn't mind hiding this little secret from her friend. She did need her privacy after all.

Just as Applejack had finished her thoughts, the door to her room opened and a pony with a blonde mane and white coat with two crossed crutches for a cutie mark came in.

“Ah, I see you're awake,” the stallion said as he walked over to the monitor  machines next to the bed, “Well, to get right to it, you're not too hurt. The branch hit the back of your head and then you fell to the ground, hitting the front as well. Luckily, you don't have a concussion and were just knocked out, so you'll be able to go soon. Now that you're awake, all we need to do is a quick check up, and then you can leave. Though I'm not sure where you could go. The storm is still going on outside.”

“I'm sure I can make it too some shelter.”

“Don't worry A.J., we can just go back to the library and stay there for the night. It's too far for you to walk back to the farm.”

“Well, shucks Twilight, that'd be great.”

“Alright, now that that's settled,” the doctor said as he pulled out a small flashlight from his coat pocket, “I need you to follow the light please.” The doctor shone the light into Applejacks eyes and  doing as she was told, followed the light. First left, then right, then up, then down. The doctor then clicked off the light and tucked it away. He moved closer and placed his hooves on the side of Appljacks head and turned it from side to side to examine it closely.

After a few turns, he let her head go, “How are you feeling? Any nausea or loss of balance? Are you seeing double?”

“No, nothing like that. Mah' head just hurts real bad.”

“Yes, that's to be expected. I imagine you will probably have a head ache for the next day or two, but it should go away after that. If it doesn't go away after a week, come back and see me.”

“So I can go now?”

“Yes, but you just need to fill out some forms real quick,” the doctor informed before moving to the door. He lifted a hoof, but the door had already begun to open before he reached the handle. Quickly moving back for the new visitor to come in, he stepped to the side and allowed a damp wolf to enter. 

“Ah, you're back,” the doctor said casually, never showing a hint of any reaction to the canine, “I was just going to get the release forms for Ms. Applejack here. She's fine and will be heading home in the next few minutes.”

Silver let out a small sigh of relief, “Thanks doc, I'm glad you took good care of her.”

“No problem, Mr. Silver,” and with that, the doctor left. Silver turned to find a slightly panicked Twilight and confused Applejack looking at him. It hadn't occurred to either of them that in order to drop off Applejack, he would've had to show himself to the ponies at the hospital.

“What?” Silver asked, his expression matching their combined confusion, “Is there a branch sticking out of my back again?”. He looked over his shoulder to inspect himself.

“No, it's not that! Why didn't the doctor, you know, freak out!?” Twilight asked, raising her voice unnecessarily.

“Huh? Oh, right. Well, it seems the good doctor has operated on a few different species, wolves included, so he really wasn't surprised to see me. Well, he didn't expect me to be in Equestria, but he did know what I am, so he didn't mind. I only wish I could say that about the rest of the staff,” Silver sighed and shook his head in disappointment.

“Right, well, I suppose I might be able to explain to some of them the situation, and maybe then they would be a little more understanding,” Twilight suggested.

Silver raised a paw in protest, “No, really you don't have to. It's fine. Actually, it's kind of expected.”

Twilight was insistent though, “No, we've had this happen before with a zebra friend, and I don't want a repeat of it. I'm going to ask all of the free staff to gather so I can talk to them. And besides, this might be for the best. If Celestia wanted you to be more involved with ponies, then we might as well start  some where.” Silver got the feeling there would be no talking her out of it, so he dropped his paw and admitted defeat, allowing Twilight to twirl around and leave the room.

“Huh, kinda scary when she gets serious,” Silver said as the door had closed. He turned to find Applejack laying in her bed, shifting and fidgeting under the blankets.

“What's up with you? Are the blankets too heavy or something?” he asked as he made his way to the bedside.

“It's nothin', just don't like to sit still fer too long,” she responded. Again, she wasn't telling the truth, but she wasn't actually lying either, though the truth was that she felt inconceivably uncomfortable being left alone with him. The dream she had, while most certainly pleasurable for her, also left her deeply confused and made Silvers presence quite awkward for her.

“Well it should only be a few more minutes before you can go. The doctor should be back soon and--*gurgle*” Silver was interrupted by the growl of the hungry mare on the bed, and after pausing and processing what he had just heard, he couldn't help but snicker, which then turned into a outright laugh.

“Shuddup! It's not like I've eaten anythin' lately,” Applejack exclaimed in her defense. Not that she really had anything to be ashamed of. She was hungry, it was natural. Silver was just being...foalish? No, puppish? Aw, screw it, childish. 

Once his fit of laughter died down, he Silver spoke up,“There's a vending machine just down the hall, why don't I go grab you something?”

Applejack looked away and puffed out her cheeks, “Thanks...”she muttered as Silver got up from the his spot. He simply rolled his eyes in a playful manner and moved to the door.

“Oh, right. I almost forgot,” Silver said as he opened the door. He stuck his head out and the sound of a bag unzipping followed before he pulled back in with a stetson between his teeth. He walked back over to the bed, put his front paws up on to it, reached his neck over and tucked the hat onto the cowponys head.

“There you go, good as new,” Silver said as he pulled away and moved back to the door, “I'll be back in  a moment,” he called over his shoulder and left the room. Unfortunately for Applejack, she didn't hear a word of it as she was still trying to get her cheeks back to their normal color.  Silver hadn't noticed it, but the whole time he was in the room, Applejack hadn't looked him in the face. Mostly because every time she tried, her dream would come flooding back to her and she would find herself fighting back her blush.

In that one moment Silver put the hat on her head, all of the resistance she had built up to Silvers presence had come crashing down. She honestly couldn't tell if she hated him or not. She knew he had done nothing wrong, but she still felt like he was to blame for her current emotional state. Applejack sighed and hung her head. She took off her hat, looking at it as she remembered her mother who it had belonged to before. It always helped to calm her down, but now it had also reminded her of her dream. It was a quick flash, but she remembered Silver taking her hat off and setting it to the side before she fell asleep next to him. She then remembered just how it was the two had gotten in that position in the first place.

“I wonder...” Applejack thought aloud.

“Wonder what?” Silver asked standing next to the bed with some snacks in his arm.

“Eya! Geez!” Applejack jumped as she didn't notice the wolf came back and threw her hat into the air, “Don't you make noise when you move!?” Applejack chided as grabbed her hat off the floor and put it back on.

“Sorry, old habit,” Silver explained as he set the snacks down on the bed sheets, “alright, we have some packs of cookies, a honey bun, two muffins and a couple of sodas. Take your pick.” 

Applejack sat back upright and looked at the food, “Ya really know how to make a mare feel special, dontcha?” she said with a light giggle.

“Well, if you don't want it,” Silver started as he began to pull the food back.

Applejack quickly put out a hoof to stop him,“No, no! It's alright. I mean, yer not really gonna get much else in a hospital.”

Silver put the food back and grabbed a pack of cookies and a soda before sitting down in one of the near by chairs. Applejack had decided on a honey bun and soda.

“So, how are you feeling?” he asked as be popped one of the mini Oreos in to his mouth.

“I'm fine, mah' head just hurts is all. I suppose I need to thank ya'll fer getting me here. It was mighty kind of ya.”

Silver waved a paw at the acknowledgment, “Aw, don't worry about it. I just did what any pony would do.” Applejack felt a sense of familiarity with the direction of this conversation, but she forced herself to ignore it. There was something she caught though, out of the corner of her eye, that she couldn't ignore. Silver was shaking in his seat, though it wouldn't have been very noticeable if the plastic bag from the cookies didn't crinkle with every shiver.

“Ya okay there partner? Yer shaking mighty bad there,”Applejack pointed out. She continued to deny to herself that this conversation had happened before.

“Yeah, I'm fine. I just...uh...I don't like hospitals.”

“Why's that?”

“Darn it! Now why did I have to go and ask that?”

Silver was a bit hesitant at first, but eventually spoke up, “It's the smell. There's a lot of blood in hospitals and although they do their best to clean it up, I can still smell it lingering. It's really creepy, I know, but I can't help it.”

“Wait, what?! He really doesn't like the smell of blood?! Then mah dream was real. Wait no, it couldn't be, mah legs are fine. But still, I wonder if...no! Even in mah dream that didn't end well. ...But maybe if  I ask in a different way.”

“Um, Silver?” Applejack said as she set her snacks down and straightened up a little , “I was wondering, and this'll seem a might strange, but...does the number one thousand mean anything to you?”

Silver looked at the mare and cocked his head in a wild confusion. After a long moment Silver finally answer, “A thousand? Thousand what?”

Applejack sighed and shrunk a little, though she didn't seem to notice it herself. It was clear Silver had no idea what she was asking about, not that she really thought that he would. After all, the whole not liking the smell of blood thing really didn't seem all that unbelievable. She knew canines had a strong sense of smell, and that it's very common for some pony not to like being around blood, so it's natural that there would be some who don't like the smell. The fact that he had the same issue with blood as he did in her dream was just a coincidence. Or, at least, that's what she thought.

With the bigger question out of her way, she finished her snacks and the doctor came back with the papers.

“Sorry it took so long,” the doctor said as he entered the room, “I couldn't find where the receptionist had gone and she's usually the one who holds all the paper work like this.” He gave the papers and a pen over to Applejack who began to scribble on them.

“I'll go get Twilight,” Silver said standing up, “I don't want to leave her here by accident.”

“Alright, I'll meet ya'll by the front door,” Applejack called after him as the door closed.

As Silver walked through the halls, he was met with a constant flabbergasted gaze from ponies. A gaze which he promptly ignored as he had other things on his mind.

“How the hell did she know that number?! Even Celestia doesn't know about that! So how...”

Amid his frustration, Silver happened to overhear a lecture being held in behind a closed door. He paused in his thoughts as he immediately recognized the voice as that of his princess and pushed the door open. He found Twilight standing on top of a soap box, which seem to be very out of place, giving a speech to the staff about not judging some pony based off of their race.

“Twilight,” Silver interrupted, “we're about to leave,”

Twilight turned to her bodyguard, “Oh, okay,” was all she said before turning back to the staff, “I hope you've all learned a lesson today,” and stepped off the box then exited the room, the hospital ponies following behind her.

Twilight joined Silver by his side and the two began to make their way to the entrance. As the two went down the halls, Twilight happened to notice a strange scowl on Silvers brow.

“Is something the matter, Silver?” Twilight inquired.

Silvers ears perked up as if he had just been slapped awake from a deep sleep,“Huh? Oh, no. It's nothing,” he replied.

“Are you sure? You seem a little distracted.”

Silver smiled  lightly, “Don't worry, I'm fine. Come on,” he said as he trotted ahead, “Applejacks waiting.” Twilight couldn't shake the feeling that Silver was hiding something from her. At first she wanted to push until he told, but then corrected her thoughts when she remembered Silver was not one of her close friends like Applejack was, and didn't want to intrude on his privacy. And besides, they had only known each other for a day, so he was bound to have secrets she didn't know of. Twilight simply passed it off and trotted to Silver. It wasn't long until they reached the entrance, and much to their surprise, it had stopped raining.

“Huh, I guess that last shower must have been all the clouds had left,” Silver said as he looked to the sky. The clouds were still heavy and gray, blocking most of the sky, but he could see a few patches of light beginning to peak through.

“Well, I guess I won't be needin' to stay with you Twilight. Suppose I'll just head on back to the farm now.”

“Alright, Applejack. But please, try to take it easy and rest for the day,” Twilight said as she put a hoof on her friends shoulder, “You're still hurt and I don't want you to wind up back in here an hour after you got out.” 

“Don't worry, Twi'. I'll make sure to go home and rest up proper,” she said and then turned and left the building.

Silver and Twilight followed a few moments after, taking a different route that lead away from the farm and in to town.

“Are you sure you want to go this way?” Twilight asked, realizing the reaction the hospital had would be close to how the rest of the town react.

“Actually, I think I might go exploring like I had originally planned. It's only 3 o'clock, so I should still have some time before it gets dark.”

“Hmm, well, alright. Just please be careful. I've already had one friend in the hospital today, I don't want to make it two.”

Silver chuckled, “Alright, mom,” and took off to the sky.

“I'M SERIOUS!” she yelled after him, but he had already disappeared behind the clouds.


The clouds were thicker than he had originally thought they would be. When he pushed through, he realized he was soaking wet and stopped on a cloud to shake off the water. Once he was mostly dry, he pause to look around. He never really liked the top of the clouds after a storm. The storm clouds seemed to stretch on forever, creating an endless field of a depressing dark gray fluff. It met with the azure blue sky on the horizon, and the two opposing colors seemed to battle to set the mood for the day. Either sun-filled happiness, or a heavy and dark sadness.

It was while Silver was examining the top cloud line that he noticed something strange. There was an odd tuft of cloud hovering even above the storm clouds. Upon closer inspection, Silver saw what looked like a cyan ear poking out from the cloud. Choosing to ignore it, Silver began to walk along the top of the clouds, peaking down at the town below as many shops had begun to open again.

After about fifteen minutes, Silver found himself on the edge of the clouds, which seemed to stop just before they hit the Everfree Forest. Silver's curiosity got the better of him and he spread out his wings to go dive down and take a look at this Black forest.

Before he ever took off from the cloud, though, he noticed something. It was the same something that he noticed fifteen minutes ago. A cloud with a cyan ear poking out lingering behind him.

Silver let out a sigh and shook his head, “I know you're there!” he called out over his shoulder. The cloud seemed to shift a little, but the pegasus hiding behind it didn't come out.  Silver sighed once more.

Silver spread his wings and dove down below the clouds, and the tuft of cloud following him zoomed after. Much to it's surprise, Silver had disappeared. It “looked” around for a moment and then returned to the top of the storm clouds. It rested on top of them for a minute and a hum could be heard coming form it.

Suddenly, in a flash, the cloud puffed and the pegasus hiding behind it was dragged into the storm clouds by the tail.

“WHOA!” a voice called as she pulled through the gray fluff by an unknown force. Just as quickly as she had been plunged down, she was returned to the top of the clouds, landing on her stomach with an “umph”.

“Hey! What's the big idea!?” the now exposed Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“I could ask you the same,” Silver said as he looked down on her. Rainbows frustration quickly turned to fear as she realized she had been discovered.

“Oh, horse apples,” she mutterd.

“I don't suppose you would mind telling me why you were following me,” Silver asked as he extended a paw. Rainbow Dash reluctantly accepted it and explained, 

“It's because I don't trust you.”

“...Wow, harsh.”

Silver sighed yet again, “Man, I'm really not feeling the love in this town.”

“Well what do you expect? You're a wolf!”

“Wow, that was actually kinda racist.”

Rainbow pulled her head back as she realized he was right, “Well, what ever. I still don't trust you,” she said as she jabbed a hoof into his chest. Silver rolled his eyes and turned away, heading back to the direction of the forest.

“Hey! Where do you think you're going?”

“The forest. Why, do you intend to follow me in there too?”

“Of course! Don't think you can give me the slip buddy! I'm Rainbow Dash, the best flier in Equestria, and if you think—what?! Hey!” Amid her boasting, she realized Silver had taken off again and left her behind. She flew into the sky and looked around to find Silver hovering above her.

“Ya know, for bragging about being the best flier, I have to say, you're kinda slow.” 

“WHAT WAS THAT!?” Rainbow fumed. If she didn't like him before, she certainly didn't now. All it took was a cocky smirk from the wolf to send her into a frenzy, making her bolt towards the wolf at full speed.

Silver simply moved to the side, causing Rainbow Dash to shoot past him. She screeched to a halt and turned to find Silver once more. He put his tail in the air and wiggled it, “Catch me if you can!” he taunted before taking off into the sky.

“THAT'S IT! IMMA KILL HIM!” was all the cyan pegasus could think through her rage as she bolted after him. She flapped her wings harder than ever to give chase to the wolf in front of her. She was able to draw closer to him, but he kept making random, sharp turns that caused her to fall behind. For every three feet she drew closer, he drew another five feet away after each turn.

The two zipped through the sky at an inconceivable pace, bouncing from place to place in random intervals, the distance slowly increasing between the two.

“She's good, I'll give her that. But her temper got the best of her. If she were calm, she would've been able to catch up by now. Oh well, I suppose I should stop teasing her.”

Silver dove to the ground in a nose dive, Rainbow following after. Their speed rocketed as the ground grew closer and closer. Rainbow might have been blinded from her rage, but she wasn't a fool. Before she got too close, she pulled up and let Silver sly away.

“PULL UP!” she shouted, when she realized Silver was still diving, but he continued to plummet.

“He's gonna crash!” 

But much to her surprise, he didn't. She couldn't tell how far he was from the ground, but he some how managed to go from a vertical dive, to a horizontal line in a snap! To add on to her shock, he had an incredible amount of speed as well. The bushes and tree he flew by had  whole limbs ripped off as he rocketed past them.

“Whoa...what the hay was that?” While she still hated him, she had to admit, he had some skill. Some  skill.

It wasn't until Rainbow snapped herself out of surprise that she realized just where Silver was headed.

The Everfree forest.
> Castle Fight and Twilights Night 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey! …Hey! You still alive?!” Rainbow Dash called out in to the forest below.

“Silver!...” No voice called back.

“Oh, man...” Rainbow Dash dreaded what she knew she had to do. She had gone into the Everfree forest many times before, but it's not like she enjoyed being in there. Every time she ventured in, she could shake a strange tingling creeping up in pit of her stomach. Not like butterflies, but something more along the lines of being watched. Like she could feel a pair of eyes scanning her, waiting to pounce.

Reluctantly, Rainbow flew down to the top of the tree line and started scanning the land below, or at least the land she could see through the black leaves of the trees. She looked for a long while, but much to her worry, she couldn't find where the Silver had landed.

“Oh, great! Now he lost out here, and every pony's gonna think it was my fault,” the pegasus moaned.

“Are you still following me?” an annoyingly familiar voice asked from below. Rainbow stopped flying looked down to the direction the question had come from, and much to her bittersweet joy, she found Silver, not that he was really lost in the first place. He was perched on a branch in a large tree, and from what Rainbow could tell, was completely fine.

“There you are!” she shouted as she flew down to him, stopping just in front of the branch, “Do you have any idea how much trouble I would've been in if I didn't find you? Twilight would have had another breakdown and blamed it on me!”

“Oh relax, I'm fine,” he said as he dropped down from his place in the tree, “But I suggest you go back home.I saw something when I landed, and I don't intend on turning around any time soon. If this place is as dangerous as you ponies say, then you shouldn't even be flying over it, much less be wondering into it looking for trouble.”

“I'm not leaving you here, you're coming back with me!” she commanded as she grabbed Silvers tail and pulled, though it was pointless, as Silver far outweighed her. After her futile struggle, she dropped Silvers tail and turned to him, “Well even if I can't drag you out, I'm still not gonna leave you here by yourself.”

“So you are still following me," Silver said with a noticeably bothered tone.

“Yep.”

Silver sighed and hung his head, “Suite yourself, but if there's any danger, run. Don't fight, just run.”

“Please, I can take care of myself. I've been in here plenty of times before, and even fought off a manticore once. I'll be fi--”

“No, I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. My job now isn't to just keep Princess Twilight safe, but her friends as well.”

“Well if you're supposed to keep me safe, then why don't you just leave! I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you.”

Silver stopped and let out a frustrated sigh, “Like I said, I saw something when I landed. Something about this place is even more wrong than it should be. I was trying to get you to leave , but you're so damn persistent, and I can't just let this go unchecked.”

Rainbow Dash was actually a little surprised at his concern. She didn't realize she was making things difficult for him, but that didn't change the fact that she wouldn't just turn around and go home.

“...What did you see?”

“A castle. It's old and broken, but there was something moving around. I'm not sure what it was, but it felt...wrong, somehow.”

“I think you mean the Castle of the Two Sisters,” Rainbow informed, “It's where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna lived before Nightmare Moon.”

“Whatever that place is called, there's something there, and it's been hiding out for a while. So please, I'll ask you one more time. Will you just go home?” Silver pleaded, a look of concern and worry forming on his face.

“Sorry, but now I can't. If what you're saying is true, then I can't just leave things the way they are. I have to protect Ponyville too.”

Silver let out another sigh, “Fine. Just stick close,” he said as he turned and began to walk to the castle.

“This isn't going to end well.” 





The pair took off to the sky, figuring it would be faster if they just flew to the castle instead of walking.  It was also because that even though it was mid-day, the sky was dark, and the ground under the trees were even darker and they didn't want to risk being attacked. It wasn't from the storm clouds, since the Everfree forest had it's own whacked out weather, but from unnaturally black clouds looming in the sky. The castle quickly came into view on the shadowed horizon, and upon seeing it, Silver got the same feeling he did when he first landed.

It didn't take long to reach the front doors of the castle, or at least what was left of them. The castle hadn't been used in 1,000 years, so it was naturally in bad shape. Much of the roof and upper floors were missing, allowing what little light there was coming from the sky to cast a unnerving glow into it, and several walls had been ripped off from weather or creatures of the forest. The walls that were still intact had been overgrown by vines and plants. All in all, Silver wasn't too disturbed by the appearance. After all, it wasn't the first abandon castle he had strode in to. But what got to him was the temperature. For what ever reason, when he first landed in front of the castle, he felt an strange freeze run through him. It was like he had just jumped into the Arctic Oceans for a swim. He let out a noticeable shiver and Rainbow couldn't help but to make a comment.

“Ya scared already? What happened to the whole, 'Oh, I'm supposed to protect you'”

“If I were scared, I wouldn't have bothered coming. I'd have just burned the forest down and left it at that. No, this... This is something else. And perhaps the strangest thing is that it's familiar.”

Rainbow simply rolled her eyes. While it was true that she wasn't fond of the forest, she did know what the castle was like. She had been in there many times before and nothing too terrible happened. Okay, except for the whole Nightmare Moon thing and Pinkie Pie scarring the crap out of every pony by pretending to be the Pony Of Shadows, but other than that, nothing.

The two pushed open the half hanging doors of the castle and wondered in. Rainbow Dash hadn't felt the cold that Silver had, but for Silver, it didn't leave his body and seemed like it would stay for a while.

The first room they entered was a grand hall, or at least what would have been a grand hall if half the roof weren't missing and vines hadn't invaded. The tattered remains of a red carpet ran down the center, and along the interior walls were several archways that lead to different areas of the castle. There were six passageways totals, three on each side, though the two on the front left wall had collapsed and couldn't be entered.

“Come on,” Silver said pointing his head to the right side, “I saw something move on the West side of the castle.” He trotted to the front of the middle passage and Rainbow followed behind.

“Which on do we take?” she asked waving a hoof to the choices before them.

“The back one.”

“How do you know?”

“I saw it in the castle room of the back tower. Amazingly, it's the only left intact.” Silver moved down the hall to the archway and motioned for Rainbow to come. She gulped, but went any way. She was used to the castle, but she and her friends had never bothered to go back to where Silver was suggesting. Twilight said it used to be where Luna's room was, and out of respect for her privacy, and fear of her wrath, they decided it would be best to just leave that area alone.

When she reached Silver, she looked down the hallway scanned the walls. Candles lit the way a good bit, but she still couldn't see very far. The hall was fairly wide, big enough for at least four ponies to walk through side-by-side.

Silver was the first to enter the hall. Rainbow stayed behind a pace or two, figuring it was a big enough distance to keep comfortable, but close enough to make sure she didn't lose him. The hall was longer than she expected, and Rainbow Dash eventually moved closer and closer to Silver the further they went in. She was too worried to notice Silver hadn't spoken since the two entered, but he soon asked her,

“Have you ever been to this part of the castle?”

“N-n-oo.” Rainbow answered, her fear beginning to take control, “Why?”

“No reason, just wanted to know if you were scared,” Silver replied with a smirk.

Rainbow Dash quickly jumped to defend her pride,“I'm not scared! I'm just...cautious. Yeah, that's right. Cautious,”

“There's nothing wrong with being scared, you know” Silver said, giving her a sympathetic and understanding smile, “Fear is good, especially in places like this. It's what keeps you alive.”

“Then, d--do you think something might attack us while we're here?”

Silver shrugged, “Dunno, maybe.”

Rainbow gulped again. She really didn't like where they were going, but she didn't have a choice. If what Silver said was true, then she felt she had a responsibility to deal with the problem as one of the ponies who helped saved Equestria on  several occasions.

The walk continued. The hallway was quite long, and they were walking for quite a few minutes, but they eventually got to the end. At the back end of the hall, there was a winding staircase leading up to the higher floors. The staircase was a little smaller, but still big enough for the two to go together.

It didn't take nearly as long to reach the top as it did to get down the hall. When they reached the top, they found a large set of old oak doors with a crescent moon engraved on the wood. Silver gave one of the doors a push and cracked it open to poked his head in.

He looked around for a moment then pushed the door open the rest of the way, allowing Rainbow to enter. The room was lit by a few old candles and at the opposite wall was a large bed, considerably larger than the average, but still not gigantic. It had dirty covers ruffled and bunched up on it, and a few old pillows that had deteriorated.  There was a dresser pressed against the wall to the right with a number of items on it, mostly combs, brushes, bottles and what looked like old make-up along with a mirror attached to the top. On the opposite side to the wall with the dresser, there was a large glass door that lead to a small balcony on the outside.

Silver moved over to the glass door and peered through it, “This is where I saw the figure,” he said, then turned around and examined the room.

He paused before saying, “Somethings off...This room is different from earlier.” Silvers ears swiveled and his eyes continued to scan the room. He suddenly stopped his inspection and spoke, “The lights. The were no candles lit when I saw the room earlier. They're on now...”

“Are you sure?”

“I'm sure. If they were lit, I would've seen the figure better. Besides, think about it. You said that none of you're friends have come back here in the time that you've discovered the castle. So why were the candles in the hall still burning after a thousand years?”

“Magic candles?” she said meekly. Silver shook his head.

“Then, who lit the candles?” 

Silver look around at the room again. First to the bed, then the door, and finally to the dresser, then widened his eyes. He noticed something in the reflection of the mirror. A shadow, slowly taking form behind him. It wasn't stuck to the wall, but actually taking the form of a pony behind him. Silver quickly looked back over his shoulder, and saw nothing there, then looked back to the mirror, and saw it again. It had fully formed into a faceless pony shape, and then raised a hoof to what would be its mouth, as if to shush him.

“Rainbow, run...”

“Wha---”

In an instant, Silver flew across the room, kicked by an invisible force, and crashed into the dresser crushing it.

“RUN, NOW!” he screamed from the ground, and Rainbow Dash bolted out of the room. Silver scampered to his paws and ran after her, quickly catching up.

“WHAT WAS THAT?!”

“It was a--” but Silver stopped as a large black spike shot down at him from the ceiling. He jumped to the side, narrowly escaping a fatal blow, but still managed to get cut down his side. “FASTER!” The two darted down the hall at even greater speed, but it was useless. The blackness that the spike came from on the ceiling caught up and this time, spread itself to the sides of the wall as well. Silver saw the blackness spread and realized what was about to happen.

“RAINBOW, HANG ON!”

“WHA---AHH!” Silver dashed under Rainbow and put her on his back. He slammed his paws into the ground as hard as he could, and just as the spikes shot out from the wall and ceiling, he disappeared.





Silver wasn't sure where he had ended up, but he managed to escape for the moment. He looked at his surrounding and found he was in a storage room. Of course, that meant there weren't any windows to escape from, so they were pretty much at a dead end.

Silver sighed and looked back at Rainbow Dash. She had her eyes tightly shut and her faced buried into his back.

“Hey, we're good. We got away,” Silver said as rolled his shoulder to get her attention.

“Huh?” she said as she picked her head up. She looked around and was stunned at the sudden change in location, “Where are we? How did we get here?”

“Don't worry about that. Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

“No, I'm fine, but-- Silver, you're bleeding!” Silver looked down at his side and saw a crimson stain on his silver and blue fur.

“It'll be fine. It's not that bad. Are you sure you're not hurt?” Silver asked again.

“I told you I'm fine. Just a little shocked is all. I've never seen something like that, even in the Everfree forest. What was it?”

“It's a Shade, I think.”

“You think?”

“Well, it has the form of a Shade, but I've never seen one this strong before. They can't hide in mirrors, and they shouldn't be able to attack like that. Something in this castle is making it stronger, but I can't tell what. Is there something powerful hidden in here?”

“No, we've been in here dozens of times, and we've never found anything like that. The only thing that would be considered powerful would be the Elements of Harmony, but they haven't been here in a long time. We even had to get rid of them to revive the Tree of Harmony.”

“Yeah, but for a thousand years, they sat in here. The Shade was probably feeding off of their power before you came and got them.”

“So, what? Is that thing on like steroids now or something?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

Rainbow Dash hung her head and sighed. When she felt the fur tickled her nose, she realized she was still on Silvers back.

“Umm, could you let me down now?” she asked as a bit of blush found its way onto her cheeks.

“Oh, right! Sorry,” Silver said as he leaned down to let the mare off.

“Thanks,” she said once she stepped down. When she did, Rainbow finally realized they were in different place, “Hey, do you know where we are? Or how we even got here?”

“We're in the hall on the opposite side of the one we went into. I kinda over shot the main hall we came in from, and ran past the exit. We have to go back to leave.”

“Nice going, super solider.”

“Hey! It's hard move that quickly in such a small space. And besides, I didn't hear you complaining while you were on my back. If you like, I could just grab you and dump you back there.”

“You wouldn't!”

“Try me..” The two gave each other a fierce glare before turning their backs. Silver was the first to look out the corner of his eye, but Rainbow still had her back facing him. He noticed a cut between her shoulder blades and rolled his eyes and moved closer to her. He put a paw on her back, causing her to squeal and jump.

“What the hay are you doing?!” she yelled as she tried to pull away. Silver put his other paw on her shoulder and pushed her back down before she could move.

“You're hurt. Now sit still.”

“I told you before, I'm fine,” the pegasus groaned. Silver ignored her and continued to inspect the wound. It didn't seem to be too deep, but it was bleeding slowly, though he figured it would stop soon.

“It's fine, just a cut.”

“See? Told you. Now if you're done checking me, do you mind explaining how we're going to get out of here?”

“We go back the way we came.”

“Seriously? With that thing still there? It'll kill us!”

“Not if we get to the main hall first. It's big enough that the Shade won't be able to enclose us like it did before. We just have to get to the door first. If it does attack, just dodge. It's slower than you think, and I know you can out maneuver it.”

She didn't like the idea, but she couldn't think of a better plan. It was true that that was the only way out, so they really didn't have a choice. “Fine.” she muttered finally.

The pair left the storage room and moved back down the passage. It didn't take long to reach the main hall, and when they entered it, they found it was empty.

“Let's move, quickly.” Silver said. Rainbow Dash didn't need to be told twice. They got half way to the door when it was suddenly wrapped in a black cover.

“Crap! It knew we would come back. Quickly, out through the roof!” Silver said as he and Rainbow took off. They bolted for the hole in the ceiling, but it was covered by a blackness as well. They stopped dead in their tracks as they saw all of the passages sealed off by the Shade, leaving them with no where to run.

“We're trapped!” Rainbow yelled. At the center of the hall, a black mass swirled gathered, forming into a faceless pony. 

“Silver! It's here!” Silver flew between the Shade and Rainbow,

“Remember what I said, just dodge. Stay in the air and off the ground.” He darted toward the ground where the Shade stood, crashing into the floor, sending dust and stones into the air. There was a quick gush of wind and the dust cleared, revealing Silver standing alone in a small crater. A black shadow rose behind him and spikes shot out. Silver glanced and saw the attack, jumping and rolling out of the way, getting to his paws moments after and lunging back at the Shade, this time making contact and slamming it into the wall. It was pinned for a moment, and when Silver went to bite down on it, it absorbed into the bricks and ran up the wall to the ceiling, stopping just above Rainbow.

“Rainbow, move!” Silver yelled, and the pegasus dashed out of the way. The Shade jumped but missed and hit the ground, merging once again with the floor before darting around the hall, quickly running along all of the surfaces. It continually jumped out and attacked Rainbow, each time she barely managed to avoid being hit. 

“Crap! It's catching up! I'll get hit soon!”

When it lunged the next time, Silver jumped and snagged the Shade in his jaws, biting down with a bone crushing grip. He shook his head and flung it into the air and opened his jaws wide. A blue light began to gather between his teeth, and large a beam fired from his mouth. The ground rippled from the force, and the blow back pushed Rainbow Dash a few meters away. The Shade that was caught in the blast was obliterated, alone with what little of the roof was left and a portion of the back wall. Bricks and rocks came crumbling down and dust filled the room.

“Silver! *cough cough* Silver!” Rainbow called through the dust, “Silver, where are you!?”

“I'm here!” he answered. His voice came from in front of Rainbow Dash. She trotted forward and found Silvers tail poking through some dust.

“There you are! Is it gone now? Can we leave?” she asked as she walked up behind him.

“Yeah, just hold up a sec,” Silver said as he stepped forward. He walked to the farther end of the hall until he reach the wall that he had blew off. A few rocks had continued to fall off, but there was a small section of the wall just to the right of the hole that was completely unscathed by anything. Not even the vines, which had infested virtually every wall in the room, had not touched that one spot.

“What is it?”

“This wall. There's a room behind it,” Silver replied as he moved forward and ran a paw over the bricks.

“I wouldn't be surprised. This place has all kinds of trap doors and hidden walls. We ran into a few of them before. They were just little surprises for the Princesses to play with though, nothing special really. Now can we please go!?”

“No, this is different. The air coming through the cracks, it's...” Silver paused and lifted his nose, whiffing near the bricks, “...sweet. Like vanilla.” Silver ran his paws over it once more, “There's a spell on it. It's locked and protected.”

“Silver, please! Can we just go!?”

“Just wait.”

Silver put both paws onto the wall. A blue archaic circle appeared light and a number of gold lines pulsed through the wall. After a long minute, the magic shattered, both the circle and the lines. There was a loud clunk and whining, then a puff of dust shot out from the cracks of the bricks. A small portion of the wall collapsed, revealing a dark room behind it.

Now, Rainbow Dash could smell the sweet scent Silver was talking about. He was right, it did smell like vanilla, but why? Did they just discover Celestias secret cake stash or something?

Silver moved to the side of the wall and grabbed a candle. He turned back and went through the hole, Rainbow coming in after. The candle provided little light, luckily though, the room was small and had a lantern of it's own laying on the floor. Silver lit it and took a good look at the room. He looked down and saw he was in front of an old desk with scattered quills and bottles of ink and papers on top. To his right, there were two bookshelves which held tomes of magic and research. Finally, behind him, there was a podium with a book laying open on it. It was this that caught Silvers eye, and he had a inkling that he knew what the book was.

He moved to the podium and scanned through the pages of the book. He flipped it over to the cover and instantly realized what was happening at the castle. He stared in disbelief at the tome in front of him, only to be interrupted by Rainbow Dash.

“Silver, what is it?” She asked as she looked at the cover, “It's just some old book. I'm sure Twilight would have a party over it, but I wasn't expecting you to.”

“It's not just a book,” he said, his voice mixed with fear and excitement, “It's a grimoire.” Silver cracked a huge grin, one that actually scared Rainbow. She hadn't seen a smile like this before, and she didn't know what it meant. It was twisted in a way, like a mad stallion with a devilish plan.

“What's a grimoire?”

“Don't worry, I'll tell you about it later. But now, I have a bit of an understanding about what was going on in this place.” Silver moved back to the desk and picked up and old saddle bag that was laying next to it. He dumped out the contents and stuffed the book into the bag. He went back to the desk and ripped open the drawers, dumping them out as he opened them.

“Silver, what the hay are you doing!?” Rainbow Dash yelled as she watched Silvers erratic behavior.

“Come on, come on. I know you had to have something. If you have this then I know you were...AHA!” Silver exclaimed as he emptied out the final drawer. A thick, black journal with multiple tabs sticking out of it fell to the ground. Silver quickly swiped it up and crammed it into the bag as well, then strapped it on himself.

“Alright, lets go,” he said, he previously cautious demeanor had turned into a gleeful smile like that of a filly on a field trip.

“Waitwaitwait, you said you understood what was going on.”

“Yes?” Silver said as he stepped back out of the hole.

“So? Do you feel like sharing? In case you hadn't noticed, I'm a little more than lost here,” Rainbow followed behind him and the two moved back through the main hallway to the exit.

“We found a grimoire. It's a book of magic. Ancient, powerful magic. I think this is what the Shade was feeding off of to gain it's power.”

“How can you know that?”

“Let's just call it a hunch for now, but I'll be able to tell when I get a chance to look at it. For now, I think we should leave. I've had enough of this castle for today.” For once, Rainbow didn't need to argue with him. She had felt the same, and couldn't wait to get away and ditch the wolf. She regretted ever following him in to the forest.

But she also felt that, maybe, he wasn't too unbearable. He did look after her while they were there, though he didn't really need to, and he was pretty cool in that fight. But he's still annoying and stubborn!





When they got back to Ponyville, it was already sunset. The clouds had mostly scattered, but a few big ones still lingered in the sky. Rainbow Dash had decided to go home for the day, and flew back to her cloud home. Silver figured he should at least go and let Twilight know he was back before she began to worry, so he flew to the library. Just as before, he decided to knock on the balcony glass door instead of the front. It was only seconds after when Twilight appeared with a look of relief on her face.

“Silver! You're back! I was afraid you'd gotten lost or something,” Twilight said as she opened the door and let Silver in. The two went down the stairs and to the main room and sat on the couch.

“Yeah, sorry. I meant to get back sooner, but something kinda came up.”

“What was it? What happened?”

Silver proceeded to tell her about his encounter with the Shade and the grimoire he found. She took it well, considering he almost got her best friend killed, but was now more worried than she was before. He showed her the grimoire to see if she recognized it, but she didn't.

“But why would something like this grimoire be in the Sisters Castle?”

“Well, I'm not really all that surprised. I wouldn't put it past Celestia or Luna to study  something like this, but what I'm trying to figure out is why the Shade was there. They're not natural creatures, they have to be made by some pony, and the magic used to make them isn't commonly found in Equestria. What's worse is that this is the second one I've seen since I've been here.”

“Wait, you ran into another one of those things?”

Silver nodded his head, “It's why I didn't show up the first day. I had to stop and search a valley to the north to find it. Then there was this mare, and she'd had a rough day, but that's another story. Anyway, the point is that at first I thought the Shade was sent after me, but now that I've seen the Shade in the castle, I'm thinking it's been there a lot longer than just a few days.”

Twilight hummed and tapped her chin,“These shades, they're just shadows right? They actually look  and behave like shadows?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I'm thinking that's where the Pony of Shadows legend came from. It's and old story that says when Nightmare Moon was banished, some of her magic was left behind and haunted the old castle. Ponies might have been confusing the Shade with remnants of  Nightmare Moons magic. And if that's true then the Shade was hiding out in the castle for quite some time. Maybe years, centuries even.”

“That would certainly make sense. Anyway, I'll figure it out tomorrow. I'll go talk to Celestia and Luna and see what they know about this. For now, I think I'll just head home.” He packed the book away, but before he had even turned to leave, Twilight spoke.

“Are you sure you don't want to stay the night again? Spike still isn't back yet, and I do happen to have some dinner cooking,” she offered. She did enjoy his company, and she would feel bad if she made him fly home after his long day.

Silver paused and thought for a moment. After a few seconds, he shrugged and set his bag down, “Sure why not? What are you cooking this time?”

Twilight smiled, “Lasagna. It should be done in about 20 minutes. Why don't you go shower and it'll be done when you get out.”

Silver chuckled, “I get the feeling we've done this before,” he said as he trotted down the hall. Twilight giggled too as she watched him disappear around the corner. When she heard the shower cut back on, she picked up Silver bag with her magic and set it on the couch.  She went to her room and straightened herself out, the thoughts of her previous night with Silver coming back.

“It's just like a date again. Well, maybe not exactly, but still, it's pretty close. But the weird thing is, it doesn't really feel wrong. In fact, I think I might kinda like it. I think I might...even...like...”

Her thoughts were interrupted be the sound of the bathroom door opening. Twilight snapped out of her imagination and quickly finished sprucing herself up before she left her room, just as the timer for the lasagna rang. She went to the kitchen and pulled out the steaming tray of pasta and sauce and set it on the stove. She looked at her meal and admired it for a moment, mentally congratulating herself for not burning her meal, only to have a muzzle appear next to her, whiffing the aroma.

“Smells great,” Silver hummed.

“Yep,” was all Twilight managed to squeak out. His body was inches away from hers, and his head was hovering just above her shoulder next to her cheek. She could feel the heat from the hot water of the shower radiating off his body and could hear each breathe he took when he whiffed the food.  She couldn't tell if he was doing it on purpose, or if he just didn't realize how close he was. Either way, Twilights cheeks practically exploded with blush. It wasn't until he moved away that she finally got her nerves under control, although the pink in her face was still prominent.

“Mind if I have some cider?” Silver asked as he pointed to the keg in the kitchen.

“Help yourself,” Twilight said as she floated out two mugs, plates and silverware. She passed the mugs to Silver, “Some for me too please.” Silver took the mugs in his paws and flicked the switch on the tap to fill them up. Twilight was cutting out some pieces of lasagna and setting the on the plate, then floated them out to the table in the main room. Silver came out shortly after with the two mugs in one paw and sat them on the table. He took his seat next to Twilight and began to eat. He occasionally paused and asked about her day. She told him after he left, she went to help Pinkie Pie fix the roof of Sugarcube Corner  since it had gotten badly damaged from the storm. That took up the majority of her day, and she had only been home for about an hour and a half before Silver arrived, just long enough for the lasagna to cook. The two finished their meal and downed their drinks, and much to Silvers surprise, he had gotten a little dizzy.

“Hmm... this is a little stronger than last time.”

“I think you might be right,” Twilight said as she stared into the empty mug, “I think I might've grabbed the wrong barrel. -hicup-”

They sat back on the couch and tried maintain their composure as much as possible. Silver had a bit of a hard time since he was now not only buzzed, but tired. His eyelids had grown heavy, and he knew he would fall asleep soon.

Perhaps it was due to the alcohol, but Twilight ended up asking a question she normally wouldn't ask, not even to a pony.

“Silver, what do you think of mares?”

Silver raised a brow, “Huh?”

“Mares. What do you think of them? Do you find them attractive or are they just ponies to you?”

“Um...why are you asking this?”

“I'm just curious. I don't see very many relationships where the couple are two separate races. But since Spike can see Rarity as attractive, I figured maybe wolves can too.”

“Hmm,” Silver hummed, “ I guess I've never really thought about it, but yeah, I can see some mares as attractive. What about you? Have you ever had a thing for another race?”

“I don't concern myself with romance, regardless of race, ” Twilight said with a dismissive wave of a hoof.

Silver flashed a charming smile, “Aww, that's a shame,” he said as he leaned closer and whispered, “You're actually one of the cute mares,” Twilight bloomed into a brilliant fuscia pink. 

She buried her face in her hooves and muttered, “You're terrible, you know that?”  Silver chuckled and laid his head down.

“Yeah I know...” Silver paused and let out a yawn, “...but I meant what I said,” he mumbled. It only took a few moments for Silver to fall asleep. When Twilight finally picked her head up, she realized he was snoozing, though that didn't change the fact that she was still thinking about what Silver had said.

“He..he thinks I'm cute? But why? No other stallion has ever really shown an interest in me. Is it because he's a wolf and just sees me differently?”

Twilight couldn't help but stare at the sleeping wolf before of her. She stepped off the couch and moved to sit in front of Silvers body. 

“What am I doing!?” She wasn't sure if her actions were her own, or if it was the cider taking over. 

She put her fore hooves on the couch and pulled herself up. Silver took up a lot of the couch, but when she crawled next to him, he seemed to move back and made room, as if to tell her to join him.

“I need to stop and leave now! Twilight Sparkle, just go to bed!”

Twilight lowered herself onto the couch and against Silvers side. His warmth rushed over her like a thick blanket, and she suddenly felt like her home was much colder than usual. Silver moved around a little as he tried to account for his company to make himself comfortable. He rolled onto his side and wrapped his arms around Twilight, receiving a small yelp from the notion, but nothing more. She didn't struggle. Instead, Twilight rolled to her side as well, so that she faced Silver. She place her hooves on his chest and nuzzled herself into his fur.

“He's so....warm...”

Twilight could hear the rhythm of his breathing and his heart. To her, it was like a melody. With the gentle rise and fall of his chest, it was as if she were floating in the ocean, her body bobbing up and down with the waves passing below her, rocking her to sleep.

“I shouldn't be here...I shouldn't be doing this...but for some reason, I couldn't care less.”

Twilights eyelids fell, and her mind began to slip. Her final thought before slipping into a slumber,

“I think I'm gonna keep him...”

> New Recruits and Lovers Dispute
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was soft and fluffy. A heart-melting warmth enveloped Twilights body, and a sweet, familiar smell filled her nose. She peaked an eye open, only to shut them a split second after as the light filling the room made them sting. It wasn't too bad, but it still did hurt, and she pushed her head further down into the fluff she was resting in, which produced a small groan. At first, she ignored it, but when the realization that pillows don't groan hit her, she quickly popped her eyes open, despite the stinging she knew would follow.

The first thing she saw was a dark blue fur which transitioned into silver. Her eyes slowly followed the fur up until it became a  muzzle. Silvers muzzle. He was sound asleep, much to Twilights relief, and she found that she was tangled up in his paws. In a flash, the memories of the night before came flooding back to her, and she remember her drunken mistake.

...Wait. Was it a mistake? Twilight honestly couldn't tell. Although she could remember the actual events clearly, she couldn't remember what was going through her mind at the time. But what she did know was that she enjoyed her sleep quite a lot. Perhaps her good nights rest was due to her new sleeping partner, and if it was, then was it really a mistake? She knew she didn't actually do anything with him, and he didn't seem to know, or at least mind, she was there. So in the end, could anything she had done really been wrong?

Silver shifted and groaned once more and Twilight froze like a statue, waiting for Silver to settle before moving to get up. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she was certain Silver could feel it as well. Luckily for her though, he didn't. After he stopped moving, Twilight slowly and carefully slipped out from under his arms and off of the couch. Upon getting up, she realized how warm he was as she felt like she had just stepped out of her house and into the snow without any clothes on. She felt a little sad she had to leave him, but she really didn't want him to wake up and she still be there. She looked at him one last time, remembering the moment she knew would probably never happen again, then turned and went to the kitchen to cook breakfast. Thanks to her unusual wake up, she was more awake than she would've been if she'd slept in her bed.

As she began cooking, Twilight was running numerous different scenarios in her head relating to the different was her previous night and morning could have gone. She could have just thrown a blanket over Silver and gone to bed, woke up and started cooking like she had before. 

She could have kept sleeping and then be woken up by Silver getting up, leading to an extremely awkward conversation.

She could have even bucked him and started a relationship.

But she didn't. Instead, she just slipped away and made breakfast. Twilight hung her head and sighed at what could have been. The only one she didn't mind avoiding was the awkward conversation.

“Something wrong?” Silver asked from the doorway of the kitchen, startling the mare and causing her to jumped a little. His voice was low and still half asleep. It was what Rarity called, “The Sexy Sleepy Voice,” and now Twilight knew why. His half-woken state made Twilight wish she had bucked him.

“Oh! Um, nothing! Just a little tired it all!” Twilight stammered out. She was trying her best to not look at Silver, afraid that he might some how miraculously figure out what happened.

“I'm sure some breakfast will help with that, but none for me though. I need to get to...*yawn*...Canterlot soon. I want to talk to Celestia about that book.” Silver leaned down and stretched, letting out a small whine that caused Twilight to squeal  in her head.

“Oh, okay. Do you mind if I come too? I would like to learn about it as well,” she said, doing her best to maintain her composure. Silvers ears perked up and he brought himself back to his paws.

“Well, the book wasn't the only thing I was going to talk to her about. I was going to ask about those guards she wanted me to train too, so you might end up having to tag along to some other places as well.”

“That's fine. I don't really have much to do today anyway.”

Silver simply shrugged, “Alright then. We'll leave in an hour, so meet me at the station. I need to go check on a few things first.”

Twilight nodded and went back to her cooking. She wanted to ask what Silver was going to go do, but figured she would seem a bit nosy if she did. 

After Silver left, Twilight ate her breakfast and showered before cleaning up the plates and mugs from last nights dinner. She had fallen asleep before she remembered to pick them up and set them in the sink. Since she still had some time, she washed up the dishes. By the time she was finished, it was time to leave. She trotted out of the door and flew to the station to where she found Silver patiently waiting. It didn't take long for the train to arrive, and the trip to Canterlot was only 30 minutes, so the two would arrive fairly quickly.

Of course, there was a complication. The complication be that the ponies weren't to seeing a winged wolf in the streets and on a train. Silver paid them no mind, but Twilight still felt awkward even if he didn't. The ponies kept staring at the two, whispering indistinctly.  If it was this bad on the train, then she couldn't imagine what it will be like when they reach Canterlot, which isn't exactly known for it's acceptance of the unorthodox.

When the train pulled in to the station, Twilight hesitated to get up out of the box. She knew how the ponies of Canterlot would react, and wanted to avoid an outbreak of panic.

“I'll meet you at the castle,” Silver said as he stood up out of the seat, breaking Twilight out of her worrisome thoughts.

“Huh?”

“I said, I'll meet you at the castle. I trust you know how to find your way there on your own. I don't want to walk through the streets of this place, so I figure I should just evaporate and fly into the building.”

Twilight felt a wave of relief wash over her as she realized she had forgotten all about his ability. After Silver disappeared in a wisp of wind, Twilight trotted off the train and through the city to the castle. She stopped by the guard post at the front gate and asked them to tell Celestia she was there, since she couldn't have Spike deliver a message before arriving like she normally would. After unlocking the gate, Twilight made her way into the castle grounds and walked through the front doors. She figured Celestia would be in her study, where she normally spent her time when she wasn't in a meeting. Twilight trotted up the stairs to the second floor to where the study was located, the way to the room was clearly ingrained in to her mind as she could remember all of the times Celestia had brought her up for private lessons.

Twilight approached the large wooden double doors and lifted a hoof to knock. She tapped three times and waited before she heard a voice tell her to enter.

“Come in,” Celestia called through the door, and Twilight pushed one of handles to open. She peaked only her head in at first, looking to find where Celestia was before entering. The room large and the ceiling stretched quite high. There were bookshelves reaching all the way to the top of the room, and some plush furniture to rest on while reading, as well as a writing station. Celestia was behind the desk with a large stack of books and papers next to her.

“Sorry to drop by so suddenly, but I didn't have any other way of reaching you. Silver said he need to speak with you and I just kinda tagged along,” Twilight said, only her head and front body coming through he door.

Celestia gestured a hoof for Twilight to come in, “It's quite alright Twilight, I do enjoy the company. Luna sleeps all day and the delegates and officials can get a little boring, so little surprises like this that make my day better. Now, what is it you wanted to talk about?” Twilight went over to her previous mentor and was wrapped in a hug by her wings. She fondly recalled the memories they shared in that room, and all the lessons she had learned from the ancient alicorn.

“Well, like I said, it was Silver that wanted to talk with you. I just tagged along,” Twilight explained, breaking away from Celestias embrace.

“Well, I wonder where out little wolf friend has gone,” Celestia inquired. Just after speaking, she felt something drag up her back slowly and tickling between her wings, causing her to let out a quivering moan.

“Umm... Celestia? Is everything okay?” Twilight asked, confused by the unexpected expression. She knew she was cuddly, but she didn't think it warranted something like that. 

“Oh, I think she's fine,” Silver said, as he stepped out from behind her, “I'd been wondering what your sexy voice was like.”

“Silver, if you wanted to discuss those kinds of things, you could have just left Twilight in Ponyville,” Celestia scolded while trying to fight back a bit of blush, “I'd much rather answer those kinds of things in private.”

“Oh don't worry, I intend to learn much more about you, but I afraid those lessons will have to come at a later time. I wanted to talk to you about the guards you wanted me to train.” Silver stepped in front of the desk next to Twilight, who looked at him with a bewildered face. At first, it was because he was able to make Celestia moan like that, but now it was because he was flirting with her ex-teacher. While she didn't fully understand what exactly they were talking about, she did have a pretty good idea, and she didn't like where it was going. It wasn't that she was jealous, but that it was Celestia, and Twilight wasn't used to seeing her act in such a way.

“Oh yes, the guards,” Celestia said as she shuffled some papers on her desk before pulling out some folders that were pilled underneath, “I've hand picked a few that I think would do quite well. Their some of my best.” 

She floated the five folders over to Silver, who spread them out of the table. One by one, he picked them up and flipped through them, quickly scanning the stats inside. Twilight looked over his should and did the same. Three of them were pegasi, one was an earth pony and the other was a unicorn.

“Wow, these are some top notch soldiers,” Twilight said as she read, “There all captains like my brother, and they all have an excellent background. Top of their classes at the best academies, recognition from multiple other squads and guards, highly decorated and have had several successful missions. Silver, with guys like this, the training should be a breeze.”

“Hmm...” Silver thought as he stared at the folders. He looked over to the clock, reading 10:00 in the morning, then looked back at the folders, “Are they training right now?”

“Yes,” Celestia said with a proud smile, “They insist on keeping their skills sharp.”

“Let me see them.” 

Celestia got up from her spot and went to the window, “Over there,” she said, pointing a hoof to a field in the neighboring land outside of the wall surrounding the palace. It was quite a ways away, but Silver could make out a group of ponies doing exercises and drills.

“I'll need a closer look,” Silver said as he opened the window. He jumped out and spread his wings, quickly moving across the sky to the field next door, landing just a few yards from the group. A few moments later, Celestia and Twilight landed behind him, causing the guards to stop what they were doing and bow.

“As you were,” Celestia said, and the ponies went back to their exercises. Two of the pegasi took off to the sky, flying through tightly knitted hoops and curves, while the third was on the ground sparring with the earth pony. The unicorn was firing magic bolts at targets set up a couple hundred yards away.

Silver closely inspected the guards, watching their every move. The pegasi in the sky were phenomenal, each turn and cut perfectly executed and timed. The sparring earth pony and pegasus were very skilled as well; the pegasus using her speed to dodge and parry all of the earth ponies blows, but the earth pony had inconceivable strength. The unicorn had a wide range of spells, and to match them, he had impeccable accuracy, hitting every one of the targets 400 yards away with ease. They truly were some of Equestria's finest.

“I can't use them,” Silver said as he turned away, “They're useless to me.”

Those words brought everything to a screeching halt. Celestia and Twilight dropped their jaws, and the guards turned to Silver and cast him a ghastly glare.

“Silver, what do you mean they're useless? They're the best guards I've ever seen!” Twilight exclaimed as she worried for her friends safety.

“Silver, please do explain. How are they not good enough?” Celestia asked.

“I never said they weren't good enough, and all I said was that they were useless to me. They are, with out a doubt, the finest soldiers in the Royal Guard, but that's the issue. They're too good. If I tried to introduce a new form of training and style, it would only mess up their skills. They've become too engrossed in the Equestrian combat style. So, I can't do anything with them.”

The glares of the guards seemed to disappear, but their eyes still harbored ill feeling toward the wolf, not that he seemed to care though.

“So, do you need untrained soldiers?” Celestia asked. She could understand what he was trying to say, but it didn't fully click with her. She knew that Silvers judgment was accurate, though her understanding was mostly due to his status in his homelands military.

“No. Here, why don't you let me pick who I can train. That way, it's less work for the both of us. You don't have too keep looking, and I won't have to make do with what you come up with.”

Celestia didn't like it, mostly because of the way he said it, but she reluctantly agreed. She was already swimming in paper work due to her neglect while she was looking over soldiers profiles, so she didn't want to add more by doing the exact same thing again.

“Very well, but on one condition. You must first introduce me to the ones you pick.”

“Deal. Now, I have one more matter to attend to while I'm in Canterlot. Tell me, where is that little sister of yours?”

“Luna?” Celestia asked, cocking her head, “She's sleeping, like she always is when it's day time. She's usually only awake at night. Why? What do you need her for?”

“I was at your old castle in the Everfree Forest yesterday, and I found something that belongs to her.”

“What was it?”

“Now, Tia. You should know better than to go asking about your sisters personal items.” 

Celestia wanted to respond, but knew Silver had a point. Luna would be quite upset if she found Celestia poking around in her personal affairs, even if she was her sister.

She sighed and hung her head, “Fine. I won't ask. She usually gets up at sunset. I'll tell her you were looking for her.”

“Don't bother. I'll just stop by a little later and see her. But in the mean time, I need to go to Manehatten.”

“Manehatten? Why are you going there?” Twilight asked, breaking her silence.

“If you tag along, you'll see.”

Twilight wasn't sure if she should, but she figured since she didn't have anything else to do, she would. She also didn't want to stick around and get in Celestias way while she was trying to do her paper work.

“Fine,” Twilight sighed.

“Cool. We'll be back after sunset,” Silver said to Celestia, “Come on Twilight.”

Silver spread his wings and took to the sky once more, keeping a slow pace for Twilight to keep up. Slow as it may have been though, they were still flying at a decent pace, and soon found Canterlot Castle in the distance behind them.





It didn't take long for Twilight to break the silent flight. She flew up next to him and spoke,

“Silver, I couldn't help but notice that you called Celestia 'Tia'.”

“Yes?”

“Well, it's just that, the only pony I've ever heard call her that is Luna, so I figure you would have to be pretty close to call her by that name.”

“Well, you're doing pretty good so far.”

“And going based off the way you two were talking with each other, I can't help but wonder, were you and Celestia, um... together, in the past?”

Silver came to halt and turned to look at the lavender alicorn next to him. His face was nothing but pure confusion, but that didn't last long before he practically fell out of the sky laughing.

“HAHAA! TOGETHER!!! AHAHA!!” Silver was barely able to keep himself from plummeting to the ground while he was trying to keep his gut from bursting. Twilight, while shocked at his sudden outburst, was quite upset as she felt he was laughing at her. After another minute or two of boisterous laughter, Silver finally managed to collect himself and explained,

“Ahaha....ahhh. No Twilight. Celestia and I have never had that kind of relationship. I'll admit, she's beautiful, but our flirting was just play, nothing more. As for my familiarity with her, that's because while Luna was gone, she visited Houndland a number of times, and while there, we got to know each other,” Silver wiped a tear away from his eye with a claw and resumed his normal flight speed, Twilight flying next to him.

“So all of that from the castle was just the way you two normally talk?”

“Pretty much. Celestia doesn't get a chance to just talk normally with ponies since they all act so formal around her, even you. I didn't bother with acting like that so I guess she took a liking to the fact that she could talk to me as a friend and not a citizen or subject.”

“It's weird. I never would have imagined Celestia had a side like that to her. I mean, I knew she liked a good prank or party every once in a while, but never something like that. ”

“Twilight, she might be a millenniums old alicorn, but she's still a mare. She has her playful and flirtatious side, she just never shows it. Never knew why though, she's a knock out beauty with the biggest flank I've ever seen, so I'm sure she could have some tricks.”

“Silver!”

“Oh, come on! I know I'm not the only one who thinks that!”

“You can think it, just don't say it!”

“See, this is why I can call her Tia, and you can't. I can't tell you how many times I've made a comment about her butt and she just laughed at it.”

Twilight was beginning to feel flustered. She felt like she was talking to some colt in high school. She turned her head away and put on her best pout face.

“Oh come on, don't get mad,” Silver cooed, “for what it's worth, I think your flank is pretty cute too.”

Twilight's ears perked up, before falling back down with embarrassment. She lowered her head and spoke softly,

“I hate you some times, you know that.”

“Yeah, every pony does.”

Twilight dropped her speed a little and flew behind Silver instead of beside.

“There he goes again with the flirting. I can't tell if he likes me or if he's just having fun like he does with Celestia. And what they hay is up with that any ways? Hitting on two mares at the same time? What's wrong with him?”

“What's wrong with me?... Why am I getting so upset over it? Silver already said he and Celestia are just good friends. But still...I don't know why I'm angry. It's not like he's made a commitment to me, but I still...”

“We're here,” Silver said as he stopped on a cloud. Twilight snapped out of her thoughts and landed next to him. They were still high up in the sky, looking out over the city. Silver stepped to the edge of the cloud and squinted while he scoured  and scanned the streets.

“What are you looking for?” Twilight asked as she stepped next to him She could barely make out the taxis on the ground, much less any individual pony.

Silver didn't look away but still answered, “The slums. It's where I'm gonna find my recruits.”

“Recruits?”

“Yeah, for the training.”

“Wait, I thought you were just going to pick different soldiers. Ones with less experience than the ones Celestia picked out.”

“Nope. Even if I did do that, the training would still only mess them up. What I need is some pony with raw ability but no defined style. That way, I can teach them to apply what they've learned into a proper form. Like taking a ball of clay and molding it into the shape you want.”

“If that's what you're looking for then why are we here? I think you would be better off looking at new recruits in the academy rather than looking at the slums of Manehatten.”

“The prior training wasn't the only issue I had with the soldiers. It was also where they came from.”

“What do you mean?”

“They all came from snob hill,” Silver said with a roll of his eyes, “The richest of the rich and they all got accepted into the best places because of their families money and status. Of course, they really are the best ponies in the Royal Guard, but the ponies I'm going to train are going to be much different; they're going to be the best in Equestria. And for that, I need a different kind of pony, one that knows what it means to have to survive on your own, to struggle through the filth and claw your way to the top. Not one who had the way paved out for them on a road made of gold.”

Twilight went silent. She didn't like this side of Silver. In fact, she could even say she hated it.

“You can be mad all you want, but that's not going to change anything. You saw those files too. You know the only way to get to those kinds of places is to have prestige and wealth.”

“That's not true!” Twilight shouted, causing Silver to pull his eyes away from the city and to the wrathful mare beside him, “You don't anything about Equestria or the requirements it takes to become the level those guards were at. My brother struggled and fought as hard as he could until he made captain, and guess what?! He didn't come from some wealthy family! He didn't have it the easy way! So when you say that about them, you're insulting my brother too, and I won't have that! Do you understand!?” Twilight had stepped closer to Silver until her muzzle was just inches away from his, forcing him to lean back.

Silver was shocked. No, not just shocked, but scared too. As well as guilty. He stared down the huffing mare and as the tears began to form in her eyes, he realized his mistaken words.

“Oh...Twilight, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it like that,” He said as gently as he could, “Look, I know your brother isn't like that, Blackwing has told me all about him in letters, and I didn't mean to offend. I shouldn't have spoken like that. It-it was wrong of me...” Silver dropped his ears and looked away in shame.

It was silent for a minute. One of the longest minutes Silver had ever experienced. But then, much to his surprise, he felt a small thud against his chest. When he looked down, his muzzle was met with a nose full of purple mane.

“Twilight?”

“Dammit Silver...” she mumbled. She honestly didn't mean to get so upset, it just kind of caught her off guard. Her brother had a difficult time climbing through the ranks, so when ponies begin to doubt or discredit him, she takes it a little personally.

Twilight turned her head up to look at Silver, “I didn't mean to yell. I'm sorry...”

Silver wrapped both his wings and his paws around her, hugging her tightly, and for the second time that day, Twilight swam in Silvers warm fur, “Don't worry about it. You were right to be mad,” he said before pulling back, much to Twilights dismay, “Now come on, I know where we're headed.”





Silver took the lead once more, flying to the east side of the city. Twilight quickly took notice of the change in scenery as the neighborhood they were flying into had a noticeably different feel to it compared to the rest of the city. The streets below were filled with a  constant tension that could be felt even in the sky, even though the streets themselves were empty.

Silver landed on a roof of the tallest building he could find,  and then once again went to the edge to and scanned the streets.

“What are you looking for now?” Twilight asked.

“A sign, like a flag or something.”

“A sign? For what?”

“For the pony who runs this district.”

It took her moment to realize it, but she eventually caught on to what Silver was saying.

“A gang?! He's going to train a gang member to be a soldier?!”

“...Silver, do you really think it would be wise to train some pony like that? I mean, gangs are dangerous. I don't think they're safe enough to trust.”

“I'm not training the gang members, but I do need them for something.”

“Well, that's a relief...kinda.”

“What for?”

“You'll see...ah there!” Silver pointed a claw at an alley way in between a few buildings up the street. Twilight couldn't see it, but Silver saw a graffiti tag on a wall of broken sword with a crown hanging off the handle.

“The Fallen Kings, or something like that. Not a bad name, but I don't think they know the story behind it.”

Twilight simply looked to Silver with confusion, his rambling going over her head and making very little sense.

“And now to find my recruits.” Silver said as he jumped off from the roof and over to the neighboring one, then did the same thing again and again, slowing making his way down the street as he paused every few building to look down below once more. Twilight followed behind, but instead of jumping, she just hovered behind.

Silver continued to roof jump for a long time, at least for two hours, until he finally came to a stop.

“Hmm.. this place seems promising,” he said as he looked to the building across the street. It was made from brick, much like the majority of the buildings in Manehatten, and three stories tall. It was old and beat up, but still standing firmly, with the windows all boarded up. There was a little yellow piece of paper on the front door, most likely a condemned note. From what Twilight could tell, it used to be an apartment building.

“Wait here, and don't leave the roof. No matter what,” Silver turned and said before dropping off the edge and gliding down the the other side of the street.

He approached the front door of the building and, instead of knocking, turned and kicked the door in, causing it to fling inside. Twilight could here shouts from the ponies inside following moments after the door came in, and could see shadows of ponies moving around from the entry way. Silver stepped inside and the shouting grew louder, but once he passed the threshold of the door, Twilight could no longer see what he was doing.





Silver calmly walked through the hallway. A door to his right flung open and a large, bulky stallion stepped out. He lifted a hoof to hit Silver, but before he could even swing, Silver flicked out his wing and knocked the stallion through the wall and continued to walk.

From around the corner at the end of the hall way, three more ponies stepped out. One was a pegasus with a metal bat, and the other two were unicorns, one floating a hammer and the other a knife. The unicorn with the knife was the first to attack. He charged at Silver, who simply side stepped and kicked him through a door. Next, the other unicorn and pegasus attacked simultaneously, but Silver bolted forward with his wings out and clothes-lined them both, rendering them unconscious. He made the turn around the corner and went up the flight of stairs that followed them to reach the third floor. 

It was here that the main brunt of the ragtag army appeared. Fifteen or so of them stepped out of the doors in the hall, each baring some kind of nasty looking weapon, protecting the door at the end of the hall. They couldn't do much though, as Silver disappeared in a flash, appearing behind them and bringing after him a powerful gust that knocked them aside. Once again, he kicked in the door, sending it flying. The room that was previously hidden now exposed a dimly lit room, with seven ponies hiding in it's shadows. Although he couldn't see their eyes, he could feel the deadly glares piercing his soul...and he laughed.

“That's good....this is just what I need,” he said to himself, “Listen up! I'm doing a bit of recruiting for a little project I'm putting together. If you want to become stronger than any other pony in this country, then come to the old complex on the corner of 4th and Smith later this evening. I'll be on the roof waiting for you. And if you don't think I can teach you anything, then just ask yourself how I got here with out a scratch on me. The choice is yours.”

Before Silver could turn and walk away, there was movement in the room. A knife was brought out and  hurled at Silver, only to miss and fly down the hall as he evaporated.




The shouting died down, and Twilight began to feel anxious. Was it a good silence, or a bad one?

“Alright, time to go,” Silver said as he walked up behind her.

“Silver! How did you—oh, right, evaporation.” 

Silver flew into the sky and Twilight followed again.

“Silver, what was that? Why did you go in there and pick a fight? You could've been killed!”

“Twilight, if ponies like that could kill me, I'd have died a long time ago.”

“But still, what was that? Why did you even think about approaching that place?”

“Because, it was the one place that wasn't tagged by the Fallen Kings.” Twilight cocked her head, and Silver sighed before pointing out to the buildings.

“See, the tags stop after a certain number of streets, and since there aren't any other tags in this area. It means that something, other than a rival gang, was able to keep them from taking over. That 'something' was the group ponies I just talked to.”

“That was talking? I'd hate to see what you're definition of fighting is then.”

“It was the only way to get them to listen. Out here, you have to make a splash if you want respect and attention. Other wise, you'll just end up ignored...or a victim.”

Twilight didn't get it. It wasn't the world she was raised in, so she didn't expect to ever full understand what Silver was saying, but she figured that if Silver knew what he was talking about then it would be best not to question it.

“Well, now where are we going?”

“To the Fallen Kings hide out.”

“Wait! What!? We're going from one gang base to another? Why?!”

“Because, that's the spot I told those ponies to meet me at.”

“But aren't those two groups fighting?! Won't bringing them there start a war?”

“No, it'll put an end to one. Twilight, in case you haven't noticed, these streets are pretty empty, and it's still only late afternoon. No pony is out here because they don't want to be caught in the cross fire between these two groups. They've been fighting for a while, so something like the other ponies showing up at the front step of the Fallen Kings home wouldn't be too surprising.”

Twilight was astounded. She wasn't sure if it was bravery, genius or just stupidity, but Silver was unbelievably calm about this entire ordeal. Which was pretty much the opposite of herself, as she was seriously contemplating just running home and hiding under her blanket. She had just been placed in the middle of a war between to gangs and just tagged along with the wolf who just pitted them against each other. Again, either brave, genius or stupid.

The two reached their destination after a bit of a long flight. They had to take a longer way to avoid being seen by Fallen King members wondering around. They weren't able to land on the roof, as one member was sitting on top of it, but they did manage to pull a cloud to hover over it.

The sun was still up, but going off of it's placement and the color of the sky, Silver guessed sunset would be coming soon, meaning the show would start soon as well. It took about an hour and a half, but eventually, Silver spotted a group of five ponies walking towards the building. Something about their gait told him that they were the ponies in the room he had barged into. It tool a little longer for the member on the roof to notice them, but after he did, he ran for the door and shot down the stairs. Silver could hear him shouting and reporting what he'd seen, and from the tone in his voice, he was terrified. 

It intrigued Silver. Now why would this guy, who has an entire base filled with probably 40 or so ponies, be so scared of just five others? Of course, he already knew the answer. He had experienced that same moment many times himself, just not as the one who was scared.

The ponies marching toward the strong hold were monsters. 

Beasts of the most vicious breed and seething a blood-lust that could freeze the devil dead in his tracks.

Beasts like him.

“And so the show begins...” 

As the ponies grew closer to the complex, they began to understand just what they were headed into. An argument broke out, and three of the ponies ended up running, much to Silvers disappointment. But when he stopped and looked closer, he found that the two remaining ponies were the real threat the Fallen Kings were so scared of. Without them, the other three came off as harmless, or at least, cowardly. This only excited Silver even more. Just these two ponies are capable of making an entire gang shake in their boots. Silver couldn't wait to meet them.

The two ponies entered the complex. The shouting grew louder, and fighting could be heard even on top of the cloud. Twilight couldn't bear it, so she covered her ears with her hooves and buried her face into the nearest object. That object being Silvers back.

The fighting continued for ten minutes, and Twilight never looked up. For a moment, Silver thought she might have fallen asleep, but then she let out a quiver telling him otherwise. Eventually though, the door to the roof burst open and a pony came flying out, his face bruised and bloodied by a hoof. Then two mares stepped through the half hanging door, one a unicorn, levitating two re-bar, and the other a pegasus. They looked around for their host, but didn't seem to find him.

“Yoo-hoo!” Silver called as he waved a hoof over the cloud. The two mares looked up and found the wolf they had been looking for.

“Why dontcha come down!? I'd love to get to know you a little better!” the pegasus mare called out. Her voice reminded him of Rainbow Dash, though a little more feminine.

“Why don't you come up?! You got wings, don't you?!”

“Smart ass,” she muttered before taking off, and boy was she fast! It only took her a fraction of a second to close the 100 yard gap between the roof of the building and the cloud. Not that it mattered though, as the moment she reach the cloud, Silver smacked her back down to the roof with his wing.

“AH! FUCK!” she cried as she slammed into the roofing.

Silver turned to the hiding mare in his back, “Stay here. Don't come down until I tell you,” he said before flying down to the roof.

As he landed, the pegasus got back to her hooves and turned to Silver. She kicked the dirt below her and blew out a puff of air through her nostrils, then charged once more. She jumped and swung at Silver, who leaned to the side and dodged before spinning around on his front paws and kicking her in the stomach with his back legs. She flew back and smashed into the wall of the doorway, shattering the bricks. Silver could hear her coughing as she laid in the bricks.

Silver turned to the unicorn, “Would you like a try?” The mare calmly shook her head.

“Huh, pussy...” the pegasus said as she rolled off the pile of bricks. The unicorn shot her a nasty glare, to which the pegasus just rolled her eyes at.

“Are you done now?” Silver asked.

“Guess so. Doesn't feel like I'm gonna win any time soon, so I might as well just stop.” The pegasus spoke from the ground with out getting up and stared at the sky. Now that the excitement had settled down, Silver could finally get a good look at his new recruits. 

The pegasus on the ground had a light, tan coat and a slightly lighter mane and tail with blonde streaks. Her tail was a medium length, and her mane was long and flat, with the bangs held to the side by a clip. Her cutie mark was a large crack in a piece of land.

The unicorn had a coal black coat, and a jet black mane and tail with a single deep blue streak running through the mane. Her tail was long and almost touch the ground, and her mane was long as well and put into a single braid that draped on her left shoulder. A lock of her hair dangled in front of her eyes. Her cutie mark was a black gem, almost invisible thanks to her coat.

“So what are your names?”

“Rupture, but most just call me Ruppy.” The pegasus said.

“My name is Onyx.” the unicorn said after, speaking her first words.  She had a silky smooth voice, but it sounded cold and empty, like she lacked emotion. 

“Nice to meet cha'. Name's Silver Wind. Sorry about this whole thing, but I wanted to test you to see how strong you were. Congrats', you both passed!  Now, are you still interested in what I have to offer?”

Ruppy sat up and spoke, “I didn't beat my way through a building just have tea and cookies. Now tell me, can you really make me the strongest in Equestria.” Her emerald eyes held a fierce determination, one that reminded Silver of himself when he was still on the streets.

“I can,” Silver boldly stated, and Ruppy cracked a wide grin,

“Then count me in,” she turned to the unicorn beside her, “What about you? You down?”

Onyx nodded in reply.

“Good, now I want you to meet some pony before you leave, so you can get an idea of what you're life is gonna be like,” Silver said before waving a paw up to the cloud. Twilight peaked her head over the edge then flew down, landing softly next to Silver.

“Um.. Hi there,” she said shyly. 

Ruppy laughed, “Well, shit. I knew you were hiding some pony up there, but I didn't think it was a fuckin' princess.”

Onyx simply bowed her head in respect.

“I'll be training you to protect Princess Twilight Sparkle, and maybe even the other three princesses as well. If you still want out, you're welcome to leave.”

“Hell no,” Ruppy said with a grin, “I only have one question, do I get paid?”

“Yes, Princess Celestia has agreed to pay you with the salary of a captain,” Twilight said.

“Then it's fine by me.”

Silver turned to Onyx once more, who again simply nodded. A mare of few words, this one.

“Great, now go pack your crap. You'll be meeting me in Canterlot Castle in three days.”

And with that, Silver found his new recruits. But there was still one last matter he had to attend to before he could call it a day.

Luna....
> Canine Crimes and Lunas Snack Time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was late evening, and the sky was turning into a mix of vibrant orange and deep purple, the moon beginning to flash it's silvery light. Ruppy and Onyx left, and Silver and Twilight were about to head back to Canterlot.

“It's gotten cold,” Twilight said as she shivered. The temperature had dropped considerably since it was the beginning of fall.

“Think you can make it back to the castle? We don't have to go back to Ponyville tonight, I'm sure Tia won't mind us stay at the castle,” Silver suggested as he cast her a small smile.

Twilight nodded lightly and responded, “Yeah, I think I can make it,” before taking off from the roof. Silver quickly followed behind and soon caught up to the still shivering alicorn. 

“Are you sure you're okay?” Silver asked.

“Yeah, I'll be fine.” Truth was that she wasn't. She hadn't eaten all day and had done a lot of flying. That, topped with the stress of dealing with Silver and the cold air, Twilight had begun to feel woozy and light headed. Her hooves had gone numb and her wings were beginning to feel so as well. She felt herself drop every so often, but quickly pushed herself back up, hoping Silver wouldn't noticed. She didn't want to be a burden to him.

She continued to fly and drop subtly for about ten minutes, Silver never saying a word. By that point, the numbness in her hooves had begun to spread up her legs, her wings felt stiff and her cheeks stung terribly. Her head pounded and she could barley see straight, and the minutes began to slow, feeling like hours.

It was then she felt something soft and warm against her stomach. At first, she was startled,  but then she welcomed the feeling as it began to lift and carry her.

“If you weren't feeling well, you could've just said so. I would've just got a hotel room or something instead of flying back to the castle,” Silver said.

Twilight sheepishly hid her face in his fur, “Sorry, but I knew you wanted to speak with Luna, and I didn't want to hold you up, so I kept quiet.” Twilight had stopped flapping her frozen wings and wrapped her hooves around Silvers neck. Much to her disappointment, she couldn't feel Silver warmth as her hooves and cheeks were numb, but she continued to nuzzle herself into him anyway. It took a few minutes, but the feeling in her limbs gradually returned, and she noticed something odd about the back of the wolf she was riding. When she ran her hooves across his back, she could feel a large welt running down his shoulder blades, buried beneath the thick fur.

“Silver, what is this?” Twilight asked as she traced a hoof over the oddity.

“Huh? Oh, that's an old scar I got a while back.”

“A scar? What happened?”

“Black Wing happened.”

“Black Wing?” Twilight cocked her head, “You mean that other wolf guard? I thought you two were friends.”

“We are, but we weren't always. About eight years ago, Black Wing and I got into it pretty bad, and wound up almost killing each other. That scar is a nifty little gift from that fight.”

“You almost killed each other?! What were you fighting about?!” Twilight said picking her head up.

“Well, that's a really long story. Let's just say we have different viewpoints and leave it at that.”

“Oh, okay...” Twilight said as her ears fell flat. She was disappointed at the open-ended story, but also a little upset with herself. She was digging into Silvers past again after only knowing him for a few days. She kept getting closer to Silver, both physically and emotionally, and she didn't know why. At first, she wanted to keep the relationship between the two of them strictly professional, but she found herself wanting to be a little more involved with Silver. Again, both physically and emotionally. Twilight knew she had feelings for him, but she wasn't sure what that meant just yet. After all, it's not like she was use to feeling this way.

Of course, it was too late to change her mind now. She had already begun to dig, and since Silver was willing to share a little about his past, then maybe he would be willing to satisfy the curious pony jumping and screaming in the back of her mind and answer a few more questions. But that would have to come at a later time, because now, Twilight was beginning to feel the effects of Silvers fur. Just like the night before, her eyelids became heavy, and Silvers breathing and heartbeat set a rhythm that began to put Twilight to sleep. The warmth rushed over her once more and she felt like the body-numbing cold was just some kind of fairy tale weather, something that never really existed, and only the warmth was real.

Twilight snuggled herself back into Silvers neck, more than willing to let the doziness take over. Unfortunately for her though, Silver flies much faster by himself.

“We're here,” Silver said as he gently touched down onto the grass in the royal garden. Twilight creaked an eye open and looked around and sure enough, there they were, in the grounds of the castle. The sun had just set and the stars and moon illuminated the beautiful scenery.

“Damn it all to Tartarus.”

Silver enter in through the doors and stepped inside. The guards swiftly intercepted him, but upon seeing a half asleep Twilight on his back, they realized there was no threat. Twilight was too tired to take notice that she had just been seen being carried on a wolf's back, and so ignored the guards quite chuckles. She reluctantly stepped down off of Silvers back after instructing the guards that they would be staying for the night. The guards saluted and trotted back to their post.

Silver turned to Twilight and quickly took notice of her exhausted state, “Here, why don't you go and find a snack to eat in the kitchen, then go to bed in the guest room. I'll go talk to Luna.”

Twilight, too tired to give a proper answer, lazily nodded and shuffled off to the kitchen. Silver, however, made his way to Lunas personal chambers. He wondered through the dark halls until he found a door that resembled the one in the Canterlot ruins. They were tall and thin, painted different shades of dark and deep blues, and a full moon painted in the center. Silver knocked lightly, then a voice from the other side called,

“Enter,” and Silver pushed the door open. The first thing he saw was a crescent moon shaped bed, the blankets still ruffled and tossed from the pony who had emerged from them a few hours ago. The room, much like the door, was painted a number of different shades of blue, and a beautiful deep sapphire rug to match. Silver looked around, but found no pony. Upon closer inspection, he saw that there was another glass door on the opposite side of the room. It led out to a small balcony with a table and chair. Silver moved across the room and stepped into the cold outside.

At the ledge of the balcony was where Luna was sitting, and in front of her on the stone railing was a small bowl filled with ice cream. Her midnight coat sparkled like stars in the light of the moon, and her majestic mane gently wafted and danced in the breeze.  A serene silence filled the air, and only the crickets chirps and the winds singing could be heard as Silver stared in awe of the elegance and allure of the Princess of the Night.  Her beauty in the moonlight overthrew him.

Silver shook his head and snapped himself out of his enchantment, then moved to the alicorns side. In an in attempt to distract himself, Silver questioned, “Ice cream? On a cold night like this?” While his fur may have protected him from the cold, it didn't mean he couldn't tell the temperature.

“I'm not bothered by the cold. In fact, I rather enjoy it,” Luna said as she stared at the sky, never so much as glancing at Silver.

“Hmm, I don't suppose I could convince you to share a little,” Silver quirked as he moved a paw to the savory treat, only to have it smacked away by a hoof.

“I do not share my ice cream, not even with my sister,” Luna scolded, finally turning to face him.

Silver pulled his swatted paw away, “Well, I suppose that's one thing we have in common.”

Luna turned her eyes back to the sky and huffed, “And here I thought that would be near impossible,”

“Oh, you'd be surprised. Just as you don't like to share your ice cream, there are some things I don't like to share either. Like say, my memories,” Silver said flatly. Luna was silent and continued to star gaze, but at the mention of his memories, Silver noticed her ear twitched a bit.

He waited for a response, but after not receiving  one, he sighed and looked to the sky as well, “I'd be lying if I said I wasn't upset, but I'm not as mad as you think. Just tell me, why? If you wanted to know, you could've asked. You didn't need to invade my dreams, and you certainly shouldn't have shared them with some pony else. So why?”

Luna continued to look away and remained silent.

“Are you really going to ignore me?” Silver asked, looking toward her with disappointment, but her silence didn't break. Silver hung his head and sighed,

“Fine,” He said before reaching into his bag, “I just came to drop this off anyway.” Silver placed the grimoire he'd found in the Everfree castle onto the ledge next to the ice cream bowl and turned to walk away.

Luna finally looked away from the stars and peered down at the book.

“He found it? Did...did he read it?”

Silver had only just reached the glass door to the room when Luna spoke up,

“It's because...,” she began, and Silver turned around to face her, “It's because you didn't bother to come see me...”

Silver cocked his head, “What?”

“You came a day late, and you visited every pony else. But me...I was forgotten...again,” Lunas head dropped and she looked at the ground in guilt, “I know it's foalish and stupid, but even after a thousand years, I still come second to my sister. Even the wolves, who are known for their love of the night, forgot the princess who brings it.”

Silver could only feel pity for the mare, regardless of how foolish it may seem.

“Don't be stupid. How could I forget a pony I've never even met before?” Silver said as he walked back over to Lunas side, “and as for the whole, 'wolves of the night' thing, you're right. We are known for being active during night time. So why in the world would you think I would put your sister before you?”

Lunas head perked up a bit and was met with a soft smile from the canine next to her, “I didn't forget about you Luna. That's next to impossible. Even back in Houndland, you're praised.  The only reason I didn't come talk to you sooner was because you were sleeping. And I've heard some stories about what happens when you get woken up early.”

Luna looked away and blushed, “I only punched that stallion because he woke me up and asked a ridiculous question. And besides, it was over a year ago. Can't these ponies learn to let things go?”

“Let things go? You knocked him through the castle wall!”

“...Perhaps I don't quite have full control over my strength in the morning.”

Silver let out a hearty chuckle. After it died down, the two went silent, looking back up at the sky.

“I'll never forgot about you Luna,” Silver said after a long time, “No matter what happens, I'll always remember.”

Luna felt her cheeks flush furiously. It was one of the few times any pony directly said something like that to her. In an attempt to distract herself, she the topic switched over to the grimoire.

“So, where did you find this?” she asked, trying to change to conversation.

“In your old castle, the one in the Everfree forest. It was in a hidden room, and a Shade was feeding off of it.”

“Did you kill it?”

“Yep,” Silver said with a nod.

“Good. I'm glad it was in the room the whole time. I didn't want any pony getting their hooves on something like this,” Luna paused for a moment and thought, “Just how did you get this out of that room? I had it sealed using alicorn magic from the Elements of Harmony. It should have been impossible for anything to get in there.”

Silver cracked a grin, “My Wind magic,” he said proudly, “I can get into anywhere with it. Since it allows me the greatest freedom, it lets me go where I please, regardless of what may be in my path. Whether it's a locked door or a magic seal, I can break in or out of any place.”

“Hmm....” Luna hummed, staring the wolf down, “I'm not sure if I can trust you now. If you have those kinds of skills, then you're naturally a thief.”

“Do you want to know the truth?” Silver asked. The expression on his face told Luna that what ever he was about to say couldn't be all bad, as the look said something like, 'It's-not-exactly-a-secret.'

“Yes, please.”

“You're right. I am a thief. I have a level 5 bounty on my head.”

Lunas jaw dropped in awe. So much for not all bad.

After all, a level 5 bounty was more than serious. There were only fifty other creatures in the entire world with that bounty, and Silver was one of them.

“Yo—you're a level 5 criminal?” Luna stammered out. Silver simply nodded.

“But how?! You're in the Houndland military aren't you?! They can't allow you to join their ranks with something like that on your record. They should have arrested you on the spot, or worse, killed you!”

“I never said I was a part of the military. All I said was that I had a high rank in Houndland. Although, technically, since I hold that rank, I'm not actually a criminal anymore and don't have a bounty, but really, that's just a technicality. And honestly, that rank never really made much sense to me. I mean, how can you be a part of the military, and at the same time, not be? It's weird and confusing, and I don't like it. ”

Lunas jaw fell off. There was only one rank she knew of that could eliminate a class 5 bounty. If what Silver was saying was true, then she was standing before a beast like none other. The wolf that stood before her was not a soldier like she had been told, but a demon. Something that could crush the grandest empires and topple the greatest kingdoms.

An Army Slayer.

It's the only rank in the world that can't be given by any one country's military, but must be elected by at least five others before it can be bestowed. It's because of this that the rank isn't technically affiliated with any military. The only way to earn this rank is as the name implies, to lay waste to an entire army by yourself. The rank is given and eliminates the bounty is because the rulers of the countries decided that it would be too dangerous to pursue the criminal.

Lunas blood froze with fear, and for once in her life, she felt cold.

“Tia knows him! She's even called him a friend. Then does she also know about this too?! Did she purposely let him enter the country because she knew, or is she oblivious to all of this!?”

“D-does Tia' know?” Luna asked shakily, trying to calm her nerves.

“Yep. But no pony else does. I made great efforts to make sure of that. Efforts that were almost wasted because you showed my memories to Applejack," Silver scolded.

Luna pulled back in fear and looked away with guilt, “I am sorry for doing that. It-it was a mistake, and I promise I won't ever go through your memories again.” 

Silver smiled, “Thank you, and you're forgiven. She didn't figure it out, so no harm done really.” He looked back to the sky and his expression seemed to soften. Luna corrected her stance and stared at Silver. Despite knowing the power he held, he seemed so...humble, in this moment. Staring into the endless night sky, watching the stars dance around the moon. Looking at him, you'd never guess he was an ex-criminal, nor a monster.

Luna found her shock and fear fading the longer she looked. He didn't feel threatening, although Luna knew he was, and he seemed to have a strange atmosphere to him. As if he was...content.

“I suppose I should probably apologize too,” Silver said, breaking Luna out of her trance.

“Apologize? For what?”

Silver pointed a hoof to the book on the ledge, “I read it. It's how I knew it was yours. That room in the old castle, you weren't researching it because you found it; you were creating it.”

Luna moved over to the ledge and ran a hoof over the cover. Her nerves seemed to calm, and she began to explain, “Yes. To make a grimoire, one must be in complete isolation. The creation of it requires that you pour pure emotion into it, and you must be able to focus. So I can see how you might view that as an invasi--”

Luna was cut off by two large paws being wrapped around her neck. At first she panic and her heart spiked, but then calmed herself when Silver spoke,

“I had no idea that was how you felt...” Silver said softly, “the cold of isolation and loneliness. You were alone for so long, and no pony ever saw your pain, much less your tears. It almost makes me hate your sister. You'd felt it so much, you made a magic out of it.”

Luna began to feel her heart break. It was like when the Elements of Harmony had released her from being Nightmare Moon, and the feeling of guilt crashed over her. The wall of resolution that she had built in her heart over the years began to crack.

“And here I am, making you feel the same way, a thousand years later,” Silver pulled his head back and moved his paws to her cheeks, which were beginning to turned red, “You'll never feel alone again, I swear it.

A small stream of tears ran down her cheeks, and she planted her face into Silvers chest. She didn't sob and huff, but she was certainly crying, though not for long. After all, this was an issue Luna had delt with before, though not completely gotten over. Her resolute wall had spilled a leak, but soon enough, it was fixed again, and this time, it came with a new addition.

...Silver....

Once her silent cries stopped, she looked up to Silver. At first, she turned her red eyes away, but then look back.

“Silver, you said you wouldn't let me feel lonely any more right?”

Silver nodded.

“Then...would you mind keeping me company for the night?”  After asking, Luna immediately look back away. At first, Silver was shocked, causing Luna to be a little fearful of what idea Silver might get from her suggestion. But when his expression softened, she felt relieved as she knew Silver didn't take it the wrong way. Sure she was lonely, just not that kind of lonely. At least, not tonight anyway.

“Sure. I did promise after all.”

Luna smiled wide and she pulled away from Silver, “We should go back inside. I might not be bothered by the cold, but you aren't impervious to it.”

“Alright then,” Silver said as he turned and went to the door. Luna began to trot behind him, only to stop halfway and turn around. She looked back and used her magic to float the half eaten bowl of ice cream and the book up next to her, then continued her trot inside. She tossed the book onto the bed and crawled into the sheets. Silver pause and looked around the room,

“Hmm, no chairs. I'll just grab the one from outside,” Silver said before he turned to exit, only to be stopped by Lunas voice,

“Don't be silly, we can share the bed,” Silver gave Luna a confused look. Certainly she wasn't implying that...

“It's big enough for the both of us to lay on.”

Yeah, she wasn't. Silver was slightly hesitant at the offer, as he wasn't exactly sure where she was going, but he had a feeling she wasn't suggesting anything. He slowly crawled on to the bed and laid down on the opposite side of her.

“I thought you said you didn't share.”

“I don't. At least, not my ice cream,” Luna replied as she scooped up a spoonful of the tasty treat and ate it, “and what about you? I thought you said you didn't like to share you secrets? But you didn't really seem to mind telling me about your...hmm, occupation? Shall we say.”

“I don't mind telling others. I just don't like it when they go behind my back to learn my secrets. If there's something you want to know, you can always just ask, no need to be a sneaky. But if it's something too personal, you'll need to ask in private.”

“Oh really? Then do you mind if I ask you some thing?” Luna said, a devious smile creeping across her face.

Silver was suspicious, but said “Go ahead.”

“Have you bucked my sister yet?”

Silvers head dropped into the blankets, and Luna burst out laughing.

“You're the second mare to ask me that,” he muffled through the sheets.

“Oh really?” Luna said between laughs, “and who was the first?”

“Twilight,” 

Luna laughed harder, “It was only because she saw me and Tia together. I told her that we were never had that kind of relationship though, which is the truth by the way.”

“Well,” Luna began as she managed to catch her breathe for a moment, “I don't know about bucking, but Tia told me a certainly interesting story.”

Silvers head shot up, “What did she say?!”

Luna laughed once more, “Oh nothing. Just that one night while she was visiting Houndland, you forgot to dry yourself with your wind magic, and when you came out of the shower she saw your um...shall we say 'wolf-hood'” 

Silvers face dropped to complete despair, “Oh, I'm gonna kill that mare.” Luna continued her fit of laughter, rolling and flailing around on the sheets. After a minute, she paused for a moment and looked to Silver,

“It's not like it's small. She said it was actually pretty big, though she thought it might have been fake.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!” Lunas laugh continued once again.

“Can we please stop talking about my...anatomy? It's very embarrassing.” Silver said throwing a blanket over his head.

“Oh don't worry Silver. It's fine! Besides, you should be quite proud. My sister has not been with many stallions, though the ones she has been with have all been quite large. So for her to say that about you only means you'd have to be quite...exceptional.”

“Stop it! Just stop it!” Silver whined through the sheets. Luna giggled once more, and then the room was silent once again.

“So, you haven't been with my sister?” Luna asked after a while. Silver kept his head under the covers, but shook his head.

“Good. Then perhaps, I can have you first. But...maybe on another night. I don't want to ruin this one.”

Luna continued to watch the hiding wolf as she finished off her ice cream. When to bowl was empty and licked clean, she set it down on the night stand and scooted over to Silver. She slowly pulled the blankets off his head, revealing a snoozing wolf.

At first, she was a little annoyed, but when Silver rolled over and put his head on her hooves, she found her irritation had vanished. Silver gently nuzzled into the black coat of her chest, his breathes and touch sending a tickle throughout Lunas neck. She slip a hoof out from under and gently stroked the top of his head and down his neck.

“There, there, little wolf. Your princess is right here.”
> Silvers Key and BMP
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The cold pressing against Silvers back is what awoke him. It wasn't unpleasant, but actually quite comforting. It wasn't like the cold of an ice cube, but rather like a cool breeze on an autumn day, refreshing and relaxing.

Silver pressed up against the surface more, finding it was not only cool, but also fuzzy. The more he pressed, the more his body shifted, and his eyes were soon caught by a beam of Celestias sun. The light stirred Silver from his half-woken state, prompting him to roll over and go back to his dreamland.

Upon resting his head back on the bed, he found that his face had fallen onto the same surface that his back was previously against. He once again found comfort in the cool sensation, and quickly nuzzled himself into the fuzz, picking up a strange but familiar scent coming from it.

“Hmm, smells sweet, like....ice cream?”

It took him a minute, but he soon realized just what it was he was snuggling. Fear crept into his mind and he slowly opened one eye, hoping that his theory was just that, a theory. Unfortunately, (or for some, not so unfortunately) he was right. The chilled fluff he had become absorbed in was, sure enough, Princess Luna. He found that he had placed his head into her chest, and at some point, she had wrapped a hoof around his neck, bringing him closer. She was sleeping softly, though Silvers lightening fast heart rate might change that.

“Ohcrapohcrapohcrap! What the hell is going on!? I don't even remember falling asleep last night! When did I close my eyes?! And why didn't she wake me?! Why did she just leave me here to sleep...with...her....”

Silvers heart, while still pounding, changed from fear to fluster and flattery.

“There's no way that she...Nooooo....she was just being...courteous. Yeah! It is rude to wake some pony up when they've only just fallen asleep. But, then again, it's also pretty rude to fall asleep in some other ponies bed, even more so if they're in the bed with you.”

Silver simply stared at the sleeping mare for a moment. She was wearing a small, adorable smile, and Silver could have sworn he'd heard a giggle at some point. At first he thought she'd might have already been awake, but when he whispered something to her, she didn't respond.

Silver laid there for what felt like hours, silently watching and trying to think of something to say to get him out of this situation that wouldn't end with his corpse on the floor. In the end, he figured it would just be best to slip out of the bed and evaporate out through the glass door.

He rose his hind legs a few inches off of the sheets, careful to keep his head down so that he didn't shift the hoof draped over his neck and wake up the mare attached to it. He slowly moved his legs across the bed and placed one back paw onto the floor, and then the other. The first phase was complete.

Silver moved his front paw over to the head of the bed and grabbed a pillow. Then, very carefully, he slipped his head out from under the hoof, while replacing the space with the pillow. With time and delicacy, Silver managed to completely slip out of the grasp of the Princess. He felt his heart begin to slow, but he wasn't done yet.

Silver moved silently across the room, his claws never making a sound against the floor. As he passed by the bed, he noticed something on the floor. The grimoire.

A thought had occurred to Silver. Well, it wasn't quite a thought, but more like a feeling. There was something odd, something he'd missed, but he couldn't think of what. The piece of the puzzle that would make clear the image that was painted on the scattered pieces.

While lost in his inattentiveness, Luna had awoken.

“Leaving so soon?” Luna cooed, her voice soft and gentle, catching Silvers attention. It seemed to be so much more transcendent than normal, where her voice would be deeper and more commanding. Silver froze with fear, praying that maybe the joke that alicorns couldn't see you if you didn't move was real. Her mane still flowed like it always had, even after she'd just woken up, and her eyes were only half-open. On her muzzle was the same smile Silver had woken up to, and he hoped it would stay that way.

“Relax Silver,” Luna said, picking up on his tension. She sprawled out onto her bed even more, “If I wanted you out of my bed, I'd have simply kicked you off and told you to leave. But, as it stands, I quite fond of the warmth of your fur, which is strange because I find most levels of heat intolerable. The only ones I like are small fires and that's only during a storm and with a good book.”

“Ya don't say,” Silver chuckled out awkwardly. He broke his frozen form and scratched the back of his head with a paw, “Look, sorry I fell asleep in here last night. I didn't mean too, honestly.”

“Didn't I say it was fine? Really Silver, if you keep ignoring what a mare says then you'll find it quite difficult to ever keep a mare friend.”

Silver winced slightly at the comment. It wasn't that he was offended, but that he'd been single for a while and thought that maybe that was the reason why.

“I need to get going. It would be bad if some pony saw us and got the wrong idea,” Silver said before turning to the balcony door.

“If you were a level 5 criminal, then sneaking out of a room unseen should be foals play. And besides, if any pony were foolish enough to spy into my room, then I would assume they would be prepared to face the consequences. ”

“Scary...”

Luna waited for a moment before speaking again, first looking down to the sheets, then back up at Silver,  “I don't suppose I could convince you to stay, could I?” she said in a disappointed voice, putting on a pouting face to match. Silvers heart nearly shattered, and he was dying to take her up on the offer, but he knew he had things to do.

“I'm sorry, but I can't. Twilight needs to get back to Ponyville, and I need to get things ready for the mares I'm gonna train. But, there is some things I need to look into, so maybe in a couple of days, I'll come back and we can hang out then.”

Luna expression seemed to lighten up a bit, “Oh well...okay then. I suppose a few days wouldn't hurt. But when you come, bring ice cream! I won't let you in other wise.”

Silver chuckled and pushed the glass door open, “Okay, ice cream it is,” he said and then he disappeared.

Luna laid on her bed, tightly squeezing the pillow that had substituted for the wolf.

“Just a few days...I can wait that long.”





Silver floated around a moment in a gaseous state before coming into an empty hall and reappearing, landing on his paws and began walking

“I seriously need to stop sleeping with princesses. First Twilight, now Luna. Who's next, Cadence? Oooh...that's one situation I'd really rather avoid. At least with Twilight, she doesn't know I know.”

Silver trotted down the hall to the guest room Twilight stayed in. He stopped at the door and knocked lightly, but no pony answered. He turned the knob and pushed the door open, only to find an empty room with no lavender alicorn sleeping in.

“Hmm...” Silver hummed as he walked in to the room, “Where did she go?” Silver continued to look around, eventually finding a small paper on the table next to the bed.


Silver,


I've gone back to Ponyville already to go pick up Spike. I couldn't find where you'd gone, so I went ahead and left without you. Come back when ever you're ready.


-From, Twilight.


“At least she left a note. Oh well, I guess I can get an early start on getting the things I need for Ruppy and Onyx.”

Silver crumpled the paper and threw it in the trash bin, “Best get started then...”





For the next two days, Silver did some personal chores. He went to various locations around Equestria, and always came back with a number of items, all of them strange and things no pony was used to seeing, especially Twilight. During the time he wasn't across the country, he was with Twilight,    Rainbow Dash or Applejack. 

Twilight often talked to him, trying to understand the magic that came from Houndland. She occasionally asked him for a demonstration, which led to even more questions. Of course, that was just his magic. When she discovered his physical prowess as well, she became even more intrigued. How could a wolf hold so much power, and what's more, how far could that power go? Twilight intended to find out, doing so by a number of shifty experiments.

When Spike found out about the wolf, he was naturally surprised, but seemed to accept it. Silver seemed to be quite fond of the little dragon, saying that he didn't know that some thing so terrifying started off so small and cute.  

Rainbow Dash usually challenged Silver to competitions, varying in all sorts of aspects of physical exercise. Speed, strength, agility; every fiber in their bodies were pushed. Much to her disappointment, however, she lost every time. She eventually gave up, and said he could claim the title of Iron Pony. Silver declined and said that to be the Iron Pony, he'd first have to be a pony.

Applejack was his escape from the other two mares. When Twilight would begin talking about experiments she wanted to test on Silver, or when Rainbow Dash began making outlandish dares, Silver would head for Sweet Apple Acres. Of course, while there, she put him to work. Not that he minded though; he enjoyed the simple life on a farm, and the baked treats Applejack made after were certainly worth the work.

But eventually, Silver had to go back to the Castle. The three days had passed, and Ruppy and Onyx would be arriving soon. It wasn't all bad though. Silver couldn't wait to start the training. He wanted to polish the gems he'd found and make them shine across the world. 





Silver approached the castle, this time using the front gate. He figured he might have to expose himself in Canterlot while the training was going on, so he decided to show a little of himself to the ponies. Naturally, the ponies were surprised to see a wolf in the middle of the city, but luckily, their reaction was much more subtle than what Silver had originally thought it would be.

The gates squeaked open, and Silver entered the castle grounds.

A solider trotted towards him and saluted, “Miss Rupture and Miss Onyx are being escorted from the station, sir,” he informed, “They should be here shortly.”

“Thank you,” Silver said returning the salute, then guard turned and went back to his post.

Silver went ahead inside and went to the grand hall where Celestia was and waited for the arrival of his new disciples.

“Where did you find these two girls?” Celestia asked.

“Manehatten slums,” Silver replied, taking a seat next to the tall alicorn on the raised platform.

Celestia cocked her head, “That's a strange place to go looking for recruits. I'm surprised you managed to find some pony willing to train. The ponies there aren't too fond of the guard.”

“Can't imagine why...” Silver muttered. He knew that his dislike for the standards of the Royal Guard were more personal than professional, but he wasn't about to change his mind. After all, what he said before about the having to be rich to be in the guard wasn't completely wrong, just a little misunderstood.

Or at least, that's what he's convinced himself to believe.

The doors to the hall opened and Ruppy and Onyx stepped in, their bags on their backs. They came forward and stopped in front of the platform that Silver and Celestia sat on.

“'Sup,” Ruppy said as she dropped her belongings on the floor. Behind her, Onyx lowered and bowed her head.

Celestia looked at the mares before her. Ruppy seemed to have a careless attitude about her, and Onyx didn't seem to give off any sort of impression what so ever. She closely examined the two from the platform.

“You're the two that Silver has selected to join the training?” Celestia asked, her eyes moving back and forth between the two.

“Well, he asked five others, but they pussied out,” Ruppy replied.

“Oh? And why did you two stay?”

“Well, I don't know about Onyx, but I came for power. He said he could make us the strongest in Equestria, and for what I got planned, that's exactly what I need to be.”

“And just what is it you plan to do?” Celestia asked. 

Ruppy looked down at the floor for a moment, then back up. She became silent, and the air tensed. Her pupils became the smallest of dots in a white void, and her eyes had become cold and heavy with hate.

“...I gotta kill a certain pony....”

Celestia sat and stared at the frigid eyes that looked into her own. She could feel a heart wrenching fear creep into the pit of her stomach, but kept her composure. She leaned to look behind the wrathful mare,

“And you?” Celestia asked, referring to Onyx behind Ruppy.

“Bored,” she said plainly, “I came because I was bored.” Celestia got a similar feeling from this one. Her eyes didn't reflect the hatred Ruppys had, but rather, they didn't reflect anything. 

They were empty. Lifeless. As if she was staring at a corpse. 

Between the two, she couldn't tell which one was more dangerous. The one that sought death, or the one who played with it.

Celestia turned to Silver, “Can you train them? Keep them in line?”, she asked voicing her worry.

Silver stood up and walked over to Ruppy and Onyx,

“Well,” he began, “Yes, I can train them. I can make them the strongest ponies you've ever seen, but...”

“But?”

“I can't control them. Or rather, I won't.” Silver finished.

“What do you mean, you 'won't control them'? What's the point of training a solider if the soldier doesn't take orders?” Celestia asked.

“I asked these girls if they wanted power, not if they wanted to be soldiers. I intend on keeping my promise, to both of you. I will give these girls the power they desire, however, it is up to them to decide what they do with it. Should they decide to defect, then I will try again, and train more ponies.”

Celestia stared down at the wolf, her annoyance and anger reflected in her scowl. Silver smiled back at her, as if mocking the ancient alicorn. She didn't like the feeling she got from Ruppy and Onyx. They were dangerous, and unlike a certain draconequus she knew, these two couldn't be reformed.  After a while, she hung her head and sighed, 

“I see your idea of sovereignty and independence hasn't changed. It's always been this way with you. Never justice or evil, good or bad, black or white. It's always that murky, middle place just in between. You do whatever you feel like, be it insane, or rational, and extend that courtesy to every pony else,” She lifted her head back up, “Fine, I won't argue. But if they get too out of hoof, I expect you to deal with them.”

Silver nodded, “I intended to from the beginning.” He turned to Onyx and Ruppy, both of which gave him a death-filled glare. After all, he did just say he'd deal with them if they acted rashly.

“What the hell? I thought you just said you'd let us do what we want,” Ruppy said.

“And you can, but I will also do what I want.  If you decided to go out and slaughter a thousand ponies, I wouldn't stop you. After all, you have the power to do so, and I have no right to tell you how to use that power. But if Twilight asked me to stop you, then I would because that's my job. I'm allowing you to do what you want, but remember, I also have my own freedom and power. I'll never tell you what to do, but I will also do as I please. Even if that is putting an end to you.”

The two changed their expression from anger to confusion.

“I told you,” Celestia spoke up, “Murky, gray zone. Even I can't fully comprehend what he thinks.”

“It's an acquired thought,” Silver said, moving to the door, “Now, shall we get you two set up?”

“Set up?” Ruppy asked.

“Yeah, you girls are staying with me.”

Ruppy and Onyx look at each other, then back at Silver, “What? You didn't think I was gonna let you sleep in the streets again, did you?”

The two shrugged and stood up. Silver led them out of the room and down a hall until they reached a door. It didn't seem special, just your average, ordinary, oak wood door.

“This is your place?” Ruppy asked snidely, “I thought you meant you had your own house.” 

“I do,” Silver retorted as he pulled out a chain from around his neck. It was concealed by his thick fur, so no pony can usually see it. On the end of the chain was a small blue and white key. He raised the key up to the keyhole of the door and pushed it in, then gave it a turn. Then, the cracks around the door glowed a bright blue light, then stopped.

When the light disappeared, Silver pushed the door open and reveled a huge, lavish living room. The floor was a shining white tile, that after a few yards, went down a step to blue carpet. On the carpet, there was a white sectional sofa, and a large plasma tucked in the corner. On the right side of the room, there was a kitchen, which changed from white tile to checkers tiles, and to the right of the fridge was a hallway. On the left side of the room was another hallway, and a large window with a glass sliding door that led out to a porch.

“Whaaaaat the fuuuuuuuuuck....?” Ruppy awed as she stepped inside.

Onyx for once, actually showed a little surprise as well, “It's...bigger on the inside,” she said as he jaw hung slightly open.

“What was that key?! Can I have one!” Ruppy asked excitedly and she turned and looked at the small trinket.

“It's called a Dimension Key,” Silver informed, holding it up in his paw, “It records a certain door way, and then by placing it in the keyhole and turning it in any other door in the world, it will connect that door way to the one that was recorded and create a portal connecting the two. The portal stays open as long as the door remains open, so once it closes, you can't go back, and no pony can come in.”

“So then how do we get back to Canterlot if the door shuts?” Onyx asked, being surprisingly chatty today.

“When you turn the key in the hole from inside the house, it will open the portal back to the last door where you opened it.”

The two continued to stare in amazement at the home. It was huge and spacious, almost a little too big.

“Come on,” Silver said as he walked to the hallway beside the fridge, “I'll show you to your rooms.” When he stepped into the hall, the lights flicked on, and Ruppy and Onyx ran to catch up. Silver kept walking and passed three doors and a stair case until he reach the fourth door on the right side of the hall.

“This is your place Ruppy,” he said as he opened the door. The room revealed was quite big and had a brown carpet flooring. The bed was on the left side of the room with the head against the wall and was made of clouds. It was at least a queen size, and on both sides was a small table with a lamp. On the opposite side was a large dresser with a mirror. On the side across from the door was a window that stretched corner to corner, creating a wall of glass, with the curtains drawn half way.

“Fucking shit, you must be loaded...”Ruppy said as she entered her new space. She tossed her bags in the corner and jumped onto the cloud bed, sending a puff of white fluff into the air that dissipated moments after.

“Oh, this bed feels amazing...” Ruppy praised as she ruffled around in the sheets.

Silver chuckled to himself, then turned to Onyx, “Would you like to see your room?”

She gave the same nod she always did, and Silver turned around, the two leaving Ruppy to enjoy herself. Silver crossed the hall and went to the door diagonal from Ruppys. It was the last door in the hall.

“And now...” Silver said as he opened the door.

Behind this one was another large room, just as big as Ruppys. The bed was circular, and put in the far left hand corner. The dresser was on the left wall, and there was a bean bag chair in the right hand corner close to the door. The window was wide across from the door, but didn't stretch as far as Ruppys did, but instead stopped about half way.

Onyx did the same as Ruppy did, and dropped her bags and went to the bed.

She crawled onto it and laid down on her back, “It's been so long....” she quietly said to herself, thinking Silver couldn't hear.

“So long since what?” Silver asked. 

Onyx rolled over onto her side and curled up,“It's...nothing,” she said.

Silver worried for the mare, but choose to leave the discussion alone. He didn't want to bring up old scars with a mare he didn't know well.

“Well, it's almost noon, so I'm gonna make some lunch. Would you like some?” Silver offered.

Onyx went back to her nodding.

“Okay. I'll make some sandwiches and drinks,” Silver looked back over his shoulder, “ Ruppy! You hungry!” he called.

“Fuck yeah!” she called back, “Hey, do you have shower?! I smell like shit!”

“Two doors up!”

Silver heard the soft thud of Ruppy landing on the floor, then the bathroom door open and close. The water started running moments after and Silver left Onyx's room and went to the kitchen.

Onyx rolled onto her stomach and ran a hoof over the sheets of the bed. They were soft and thick, just the way she liked them. Well, back when she had a home that is.

“I wonder how long this place will last? It shouldn't long until we're on the streets again. It's always been like that...”

“Hey,” Silver called, startling the moping mare. She turned and looked at the door to see Silvers head poking in from around the corner, “There's another shower if you want to clean up. It's on the third floor below, second door on the left.”

Silver pulled his head back around the corner and disappeared back into the kitchen. Onyx got up from her bed and left the room. She went down the stairs and to the bathroom. It was small compared to the rest of the house, but still fairly large for a bathroom. She looked at the room and noticed a tub, and decided she would take a nice, long soak. Then she remembered her lunch and figured the bath would have to come later. 

She turned the nozzle and stepped into the hot water. It felt amazing on her coat as it trickled down her legs. For the first time in a while, she felt her muscles relax and give way to the warmth. Her body ached and was sore from having to be constantly tensed and focused. It was like she'd just got done running a marathon, or working out for the first time in a while, and woke up the next morning in pain. As she stood in the shower, she thought about the position she was living in.

“What's his play? Why's he going so far to train us? Is it just because he was told to, or does he have his own agenda? I get the feeling it's the latter. He seems like the scheming type. He'll probably kill some pony and use us scapegoats, or just make us kill them for him. Celestia knows what else he might have in store. He's probably some fucked up, sicko wolf. But that doesn't matter. I'll kill him eventually, before he kills us.”

She sat in the shower for a while, just absorbing the sensation of the hot water. After so long, she heard Silver call for her and say lunch was ready. She quickly washed and dried herself, then stepped out of the steamed up bathroom. When she came out into the hallway, she looked at the other doors that were there. Curious, she went to open one of them, but found it was locked. And so was the next one, and the next one, and the next one. Onyx eventually gave up and went back up the stairs to the kitchen.

When she stepped out of the hallway, she saw Ruppy with a towel wrapped around her, with her front hooves on the back of the couch watching T.V.. In front of her on the couch was Silver, and both had a sandwich in their mouths.

Onyx went to the kitchen and found a daffodil and daisy sandwiches on the counter with a glass of sweet tea. She picked them up and went to the couch with the other two.

“Hey Silver, I've been wondering,” Ruppy began, “Why would you even bother training us?”

Onyx almost spit out her sandwich. Ruppys boldness was often the only thing that could catch her off guard, and this was one of those moments.

Silver looked to Ruppy, who in turn stared at him as if she'd asked what his favorite color was.

“Well,” he said, “I guess I'm like Onyx. I'm just bored.”

Onyx began to choke. She reached over and grabbed a glass off the table, not caring whose. Her theroy had just been smashed to Tartarus.

“Hey! That's mine!” Silver said, but Onyx had already downed the contents of the glass and was trying to catch her breathe.  

“Ya okay there, Onyx,” Ruppy asked. She nodded in response.

“That can't be right! He's lying! Even if he is a wolf, I know he only cares about himself. That's the way it always is. No pony will ever look after us or care about us, so we have to look out for ourselves. That's what we said we'd do, and that's why we're here now, to make sure we can survive. It's only ever been me and Ruppy.”

Onyx looked to Ruppy, who continued her conversation with Silver. She was smiling, but not like she usually did. It seemed genuine, not like the smile she usually had when she was blood thirsty, but like she actually trusted this wolf. Like she was...happy.

“So, what? You're just going to teach us how to fight?” Ruppy inquired, as Onyx finally started paying attention to the conversation.

“Dunno. Depends on where you are now. I may teach you to fight, I may teach you to think. I won't know what to do until I see your skills.”

“So when do we start training?” Ruppy asked.

“Tomorrow,” Silver informed, “I'll get a feel for what you can do, then I'll put together a schedule and regiment.”

“Hmm, well,” Ruppy hummed flirtatiously, “If you want to get a feel for me, we can go ahead and start tonight,” She leaned in close and put a hoof under Silver chin, drawing him in, “I'll show you everything I can do.”

Silver put up a paw and blocked the mares face, “Sorry, but I only like girls who are better than me at something. If you can prove your skills, then maybe you have a shot.” 

“Does sex count as a skill?” she asked, pulling herself away.

Silver laughed heartily, “Sweet heart, if there was a pony in this country who could match my skills in bed, they'd have to be the Princesses of Sex.”

Ruppy waved a hoof, “We already have one of those. Her name is Cadence.”

“Shinning Armor, you lucky SOB.”

Onyx dropped her head.

“There's no way this guy could be like I thought.”





After they finished their snack, Silver left to go back to Ponyville. He left them each a Dimension Key so they could come and go whenever they wanted, but Onyx and Ruppy stayed at the house, exploring the various rooms. The house had four floors; the first one had the living room and kitchen. 

“Come on, let's take a look around,” Ruppy said, hopping up off the couch, “It'll be fun.”

Onyx was bored, and figured since she didn't have anything else better to do, why not invade the privacy of the wolf who was putting them up. 


...What? It was his fault for leaving them alone in his home.

Ruppy led the way down the stair case and stopped on the second floor.

“There's no point. I already tried to look in these earlier, but they're all locked,” Onyx informed.

“Yeah, but you're not me,” Ruppy said with a devilish grin. She picked the closest door and pulled out the pin from her hair. She bent down to the handle, only to find there was no lock.

“What the hell?”

Ruppy got up and went to the next door. The same thing was found on the handle, along with every other handle in the hall.

“Huh. Well, this was a bust. He must have locked it with magic or some shit,” Ruppy shrugged and turned back to the stairs, “Oh well, on to the next floor I guess.”

They ventured down the stairs and found yet another hall way. This one had only three doors. The first one they entered lead them to a gigantic library. The room was two floors and had about 15 rows of book cases. On the far end wall from the door was large glass widow that looked out over the mountains.

Wait...mountains?

Ruppy dashed over to the window, ignoring the books. She looked out and found that she was looking down a mountain side.

“Well, now I know why this place is so big,” Ruppy commented.

“Huh?” Onyx said as she trotted up to the window.

“That guy built this home inside of a fucking mountain. That's why every room is so damn big, and why the stairs go down instead of up. He build it at the top. I guess that's also why I have cloud bed. They can't hold their form on the ground, so I thought it was weird that I had one. But now it makes sense. We're high enough in the sky for it to have it's form.”

Onyx couldn't keep looking down. Great heights made her uneasy, so she turned away and looked at the rest of the room. There was a large stair case in the middle that led up to the second floor of the library. Onyx strolled through the cases, looking at the titles of the books on their spines. There were some she'd recognized, but a lot of them were in some other language.

“Hey Onyx! Lets go!” she heard Ruppy call out from across the room.  Onyx quickly trotted back through the book cases to the door, where she found Ruppy flying and waiting impatiently.

“Come on, I wanna see what else this place has.” 

She dashed out the door and across the hall into the next room. There was a loud crash and clattering, and Onyx ran to find out what happened.  When she entered the room, she found Ruppy on the floor next to a wall, buried under a pile of hammers, bars and spokes.

“Fuck, that hurts,” Ruppy groaned, “Who the hell has this many hammers, anyway?”

Onyx floated up on of the fallen hammers and inspected it. She looked around the room and saw it had a furnace, anvil, pressing machine and various other contraptions she didn't recognize.

“I think this may be a smith shop,” Onyx said as she put the tool back on the wall. She floated up the rest of them as well and placed them back as Ruppy got to her hooves.

“Smith shop? What you mean like blacksmiths?”

Onyx nodded. Ruppy looked around and noticed what Onyx had earlier, “Well, this isn't what I was expecting. Oh, well. Nothing fun here. On to the next room,” She said as she left the room, deciding to walk instead of fly.

They went back to the hall and went to the third and final door. When they opened it, it revealed a white room, small in width, but very tall. On the walls were various instruments, ranging from cellos and violins to guitars, both acoustic and electric, and different types of flutes each made of different materials and lengths.

In the center was, going by it's shape, a piano cover by a white sheet.

Ruppy blew raspberries, “Boring! Next!” She said and then left the room. Onyx didn't want to leave. She liked this room. She found she couldn't pry her eyes off of the hidden piano.

“Hey, come on!” Ruppy hollered, snapping Onyx out of her thoughts. Reluctantly, she turned and followed the pegasus down the stairs to the final floor.

The first thing they noticed about this floor was that it wasn't a hallway. It was just one incredibly large room. The next thing was that there was no tile or carpet beneath them, only concrete.

The room was by far the biggest in the house. It was twice the width of the library but only half as tall, and dimly lit as well. All the two could see in front of them were boxes. Ruppy flew above them and still, all she could see was boxes and miscellaneous items.

“Um, I guess this is the basement,” Ruppy said, landing back on the ground She picked up a box and opened it. There were a bunch of papers and books filled inside. She pushed that one aside and picked up and opened it , finding it was filled with old clothes.

“Yep, basement,” she concluded, “I actually kinda want to start flipping through his shit, but there's way too many boxes in here. Maybe some other time.”

She closed the box back and put it on a stack of others. Onyx had also taken an interest in the boxes, and began looking through one or two.

In one of them, she stumbled on an old photo, dusty and smudged, but still mostly clear. Silver was in it, though he looked a bit younger. He was with 7 other wolves, and they were all smiling with their wings and arms wrapped around each other.

“Whatcha got there?” Ruppy asked, looking over Onyx's shoulder. She held it up for the pegasus to see. 

Ruppy took it out of Onyx's magic and held it up to the light. She stared at it a moment, then turned it onto the back.

“BMP...” She said aloud, reading the letters written. “Alphas L to R – Luna, Toxic, Bloodstain, Hallow Eve, Silver Wind, Star Shine, Crown, Black Wing. ….The fuck is this?”

“There's more,” Onyx informed. Ruppy looked down into the box, and sure enough, it was filled with photos. All of them had wolves in them, some had Silver, others didn't. But they all had the same three letters written on the back...

… “BMP.”

“Do you know what it means?” Onyx asked.

Ruppy shrugged, “Fuck if I know. Probably some wolf shit. Anyway, I'm bored now. Let's go back up stairs and see if Silver has any games.”

Ruppy tossed the photo back into the box, and Onyx closed it and put it back. They went back up the stairs and went to the living room. After peaking into the draws of the T.V. stand, they found what they'd been looking for.

Three gaming systems and more than enough games to entertain them.

“Oh I love this place...” Ruppy said as she ran a hoof over the game cases. They made a wonderful clacking noise against her hoof, and she eventually picked out Call to Arms: Pony Warfare 2. Onyx didn't feel like playing, so she just sat on the couch and watch Ruppy. After sitting there for about three hours, she began to feel sleepy, and her eyes drooped. As she slowly fell asleep, she'd felt something she hadn't in a long, long time.

Content...

“Maybe...maybe this place isn't so bad. Maybe we can stay...”
> The Clandestine King and Ruppys Upbring
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Onyx stirred from her inadvertent nap, feeling the warm rays of the sunset hit her cheeks. As she slowly roused from her sleep, she rolled over and felt the comfort of something weighing down on her. She looked and found that during her nap, some pony had thrown a blanket over her.

As she looked around the room, she'd forgotten where she was for a moment. In that time, she hardened herself and prepared for the unexpected, but when she saw a note on the couch, she remembered her new residence.

Onyx felt the tension slip from her body as she reached out and took the note.


Onyx,

Have a nice nap? I'm afraid I won't be able to cook dinner tonight, so you and Ruppy will have to cook yourselves, but if you need me for anything, I'll be in the library. (Yes, I know you explored. Ruppy told me.)

P.S. You talk in your sleep. Like, a lot! And really loud too.

– Silver


Onyx felt a ping of annoyance flare up as she read the last sentence.  Ruppy had always said the same thing about her, though Onyx never once believed it. She rarely talks when she's awake, she why would she in her sleep?

Onyx crumpled the paper and got off the couch. She paused for a moment to stretch out and shake herself before going to the kitchen. She popped open the fridge and it was stocked full, but didn't find anything she found appetizing. She went to the pantry just next to it, and at the bottom found a bag of fruits; some were apples, others peaches, and pears as well. She picked a green apple and a large peach from the bag with her magic and left the kitchen, munching down on her snack as she went into the hall. She was bored and had nothing to do, and figured Ruppy may be able to provide some entertainment.

Not bothering to knock, she peaked her head into the room, but found it empty.  She thought for a moment, then figured Silver might know where the pegasus was. Onyx pulled back and went down the stairs. She strolled through the hall and into the grand library.

When she entered, she quickly examined the room to find where the wolf was, which didn't take long. He was on the second floor, browsing through his collection.

“Silver?” Onyx called, getting the wolf to look up from the stacks.

“Oh! Onyx, you're awake,” Silver said as he moved away from the shelves and down the steps, “Is there something I can help you with?”

“Where's Ruppy?” she asked before finishing off her apple.

Silver stepped off of the stairs and moved to a desk tucked away in the corner. It was covered in books and papers, with a glass of tea sitting on the edge. As he walked past Onyx, he grabbed the peach in his mouth and munched down, sending the juice squirting everywhere. “She shaid she realished she washn't done eshploring and wanted to shee the outback. I told her she should take you with her, but she said she didn't feel like dying,” Silver swallowed the large piece of fruit in his mouth.

The scenario wasn't necessarily wrong, though she wished Ruppy would have phrased it better. Onyx hated being woken up by any pony for any reason.

The unicorn titled her head, “Out back?”

“Yep,” Silver said as wiped his mouth and pointed a claw out the window, “The mountain only drops off on this side. There's a flat plain on the other side of the house where the porch is. You probably didn't see it earlier, but Ruppy did when she rage quit the games. She thought it'd be fun to go explore.”

Yep, that was Ruppy. She always had a sense of adventure, and couldn't wait to explore the unknown with her curious mind. Onyx felt the same way, but she wanted something exciting to happen, rather than being curious. She hated being bored, and would do anything to to escape it. Unfortunately, the sun was already setting, and Onyx wasn't foolish enough to go about a place she'd never been during the night. So, she was stuck.

She still had the energy thanks to her nap, but she didn't have anything to channel that energy into. The only one she could spend time with was Silver, but that would mean she'd have to do what she hated.

Start a conversation.

“So, what's all this?” Onyx inquired, referring to the mess on the desk.

“Huh? Oh!” Silver exclaimed, “This is research. I'm trying to figure something out.”

“What is it you want to know?” she inquired once more.

“Well, I'm not really sure. I had a feeling a few days ago about something I'd found, like I'd missed something, but didn't know what. I've been trying to figure it out, but I think I might just be a little insane.”

Onyx was a little curious now. Silver may not have come off as smart, but Onyx could tell from the books on the shelves that he was certainly intelligent. Maybe not a genius, but still knowledgeable. So she couldn't help but wonder, “What did you find that made you feel like you missed something?”

Silver was about to speak, but then stopped. He gave the unicorn a funny look, then proceeded, “Do you know what a grimoire is?” he asked.

Onyx nodded. While she didn't know much, she did know at least a few basics of what a grimoire is.

“Well, that's what I found. But that's not all. I also found what's called a Shade, and two at that. I won't get into details, but let's just say it's a magic shadow. The first Shade was in a valley in the Galloping Gorge, and I didn't think much of it. I just figured it was there for me. But the second Shade was after the grimoire, trying to feed off of it, but I killed it.  But I feel like I missed something. Something incredibly important...” Silver looked to the books scattered on the desk and furrowed his brow.

Onyx was now a little more intrigued. Mysteries weren't quite her favorite, but she did enjoy the ones that sent her around Equestria. Especially to places she didn't know existed, like this valley.

Onyx wondered over to the desk where Silver was and began looking at the books. A lot of them were about rituals and myths about grimoires, but a few were geographic oriented and maps of Equestria. 

“Are you sure the first Shade was after you?” Onyx suggested, “Maybe it was like the second one and trying to find something.”

“Well that's what I thought at first, but then I didn't think it was possible. If there was something like that in the valley, then I would have sensed it, or read about it, or something.”

Onyx looked over at the maps to refer to where this valley was. She looked at an older one, but didn't find a valley labeled in Gorge. She shuffled through to an newer one, but it still wasn't there. Even if it didn't have a name, there weren't even any mountains or hills on the map to even indicate that a valley was there.

“Silver, where is this valley you're talking about? I don't see it on the maps,” Onyx said as she continued to flip through the papers.

“Oh, that? Yeah, the valley doesn't appear on any of the maps or references to Equestrian geography. It's like it doesn't exist or....some...thing...” Silver trailed off and his eyes focused.

“Silve--”

“SHH!!” he shushed and waved a paw. He turned his head to the ground and focused, his eyes wide like a mad wolf.

“....doesn't exist...non-existent...invisible...hidden....”

Silver snapped his head up and flew up the second floor. He ran over to a book shelf at the back and began ripping books off one by one.

“No. No. No. No.” he muttered as he tossed them to the ground. Onyx rushed up the stairs, only to the top just as Silver jumped back down with a book in his teeth. He ran back over to the desk and quickly pushed through the papers and books until he pulled out a large black tome at the bottom of a pile. He flipped through the pages of both books in a hurry, and Onyx arrived back at the desk just as he stopped.

She looked at his face and followed his eyes as they scanned the words. The black tome was in a language she couldn't read, but the other book Silver had brought with him was in Equestrian. It showed a picture of a bracelet, small and silver with four gems embedded into it. At the top of the page, it read...

“The Clandestine King?” Onyx read aloud.

“It's an old legend,” Silver began “One from Houndland. It's about one of the old wolf kings. It was said that no one knew who he was, what he looked like, or even his name. But every wolf in the land knew his power. But as the years went on, his influence dwindled and eventually disappeared all together, but the one thing that he left behind was a bracelet. This bracelet was said conceal anything from any one, and was thought to be the source of the wolf kings power.”

“And you think that bracelet is what is in the valley?”

“Think about it. An entire valley that's been there for thousands of years. Plenty of resources and space, but no pony notices it. The whole places just hidden away. Like it's been...”

“Erased...” Onyx finished.

Onyx stared at the tome. It seemed crazy. Absolutely insane and illogical. How could there be a power that completely conceals an entire valley?

“So then what's the black book for?” she asked since she couldn't read the words.

“It's a book of black rituals. Dark, ancient magic. I'm trying to find out why the Shades would want the grimoire and the bracelet. Also, a hint to where the bracelet might be.”

Onyx switched her attention from the book to Silver. Why would he have a book like that? She understood that he was using the book as a reference, but hoped that was all he'd used it for. As a unicorn, even though she didn't attend school, she did know about black rituals. They were created to only inflict the greatest pain and deliver death, and even had ill affects on the caster. They were not something to be used under any circumstance, especially since they were illegal world wide.

Silver sighed, “Nothing,” then shut the book, “I really need to find that bracelet.” He put a paw up to his temple, gently massaging it.

Onyx was actually kind of glad he closed it. It worried her. She didn't mind a little blood, just that torture was too much for her.

But she found herself worrying about something else. Or rather, some pony else. Or again, rather, some wolf else.

She didn't know why, but she didn't like that Silver had that book, or was so familiar with it. Perhaps it was due to him becoming her trainer, and she felt he might make her learn those kinds of spells. Or perhaps, it was simply that in the short time she knew him, she grew attached to him and this new home. For once in her life, Onyx may have actually care for some pony other than herself and Ruppy. Thinking of the devil, the boisterous pegasus busted through the door.

“I'M BACK BITCHES!” she hollered. Always has to make an entrance, this one. She flew over and landed beside Onyx, “Whatcha doin?”  

Onyx merely pointed to the books.

Ruppy looked over to the stacks, “Da fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” Silver groaned, “Don't worry about it. What about you? Did you have fun on your little adventure?” 

“Fuck yeah! This place is awesome!” Ruppy beamed with excitement, “Did you know you had a lake back there!? A fuckin lake!?”

“Yeah, that was already there when this place was first built. It's safe to swim in, so you're more than welcome to. There's also a hot spring.”

“Sweet! Onyx, we're swimming tomorrow after training!”

With her zealous friend back with her, Onyx reverted back to simple gestures for responses, and nodded.

Ruppy sniffed herself and gagged, “Whelp, I smell like sweat and shit again, so Imma go shower, eat then sleep,” she said before she stretched and yawn.

Silver chuckled lightly, “I think you should go ahead and shower too, Onyx. I'm not saying you smell, but you should get ready for bed. You do start training tomorrow.”

Onyx nodded once more, then left the library with Ruppy.

Silver looked back over the text.

“Just what the hell is going on?....”





Despite her nap before, Onyx slept soundly though the night. She was awakened the next morning by a voice softly calling her name.

“...Onyx...” the voice called.  Despite its gentle tone, her instincts kicked in and her eyes snapped open. Not bothering to look at where the voice was coming from, Onyx lunged in the general direction and tackled who ever it was to the floor, making a loud crash ring through out the home. Her hooves met with a fluffy fur and she felt something pressed against her throat.

When she finally realized she was  in no danger, she looked down and found herself on top of a very familiar wolf, and against her throat was a claw. It would seem she wasn't the only one who acted out of reflex.

The door to the bedroom flung open, “What the fuck ish goin on?” a drowsy Ruppy slurred, her mane frazzled. She blinked a few times before finally noticing Onyx standing over Silver in a seemingly provocative manner.

Ruppys eyes widened and she marched toward the unicorn, “Onyx, what the hell?! I thought we agreed I'd get the first go with him!”

“It's not like that. He startled me,” Onyx explained as she got off of Silver.

“Oh...”

“'Oh...'? Really?Do you really two have an arrangement about who gets me first? Do you do this with every male you see or am I just special?”

“Shut the fuck up. You love it and you know it,” Ruppy said before turning and walking out of the room.

“True, but that's besides the point. Now that every ponies awake, we can get to training. Meet me in the castle in ten minutes.” 

Onyx nodded and Ruppy hollered from her room, “'KAY!”

The minutes passed and Ruppy and Onyx stepped out of the house and into the castle hall.

Silver instructed them to follow him and the trio left the castle. They headed out of the back entrance and into a forest next to the grounds. They walked for a long time until they reached a clearing in the trees.

“Alright so,” Silver began, “before I can actually begin teaching you something, I need to see what you can do. So we're gonna have a little sparing session. Come at me however you please.  The use of weapons is encouraged. Oh, and if you fail to land a hit on me by midnight, I'll make you sleep out here for the rest of the week.”

“Midnight? It's seven in the morning. Do you really think we're take that long?” Ruppy declared in a cocky manner.

“No, you probably need longer. I don't expect you to be able to land a blow at all,” Silver nonchalantly commented.

Ruppy scowled and dug a hoof in the ground, and Onyx moved over to a tree. She used her magic to snap off two thick branches and levitated them by her sides. When she turned to face Silver, she was wearing a noticeably angered expression.

Onyx slowly walked toward the wolf, the branches being brought up a little. Ruppy began to circle him, her eyes never leaving his position. Silver simply sat on his haunches in between the angry mares, observing and noting their movements.

“So, Onyx uses a duel-wield style. Her posture and stance don't indicate and formal training or style, but there's still very few openings. Ruppy doesn't have any stance at all, although I still can't quite tell what her movements will be.”

Silver cracked a grin, “Now we're talking...”

Onyx was the first to move. In a flash, she dashed forward and swung at the wolf. Silver leaned to the side, avoiding the blow with minimal effort.  The second strike was just as easily avoided, and Silver remained in the same sitting position.

“The strikes are strong, but sloppy.”

Onyx raised the branches once more and swung one from the side. Silver ducked, only to have the second branch come down from above. He rolled out of the way, then yet another swing came from the direction he was jumping.

“She read my movements?! But how!? Even experienced soldiers can't do that!” Silver planted a paw on the ground and pushed up over the swing. At the same time, he heard a shuffling come from behind the branch and looked to see Ruppy dashing toward him on the same path the branch had. He rolled in the air, and pushed off her back with his paw, causing the would be punch to miss and send Ruppy flying. Silver landed on his paws and watched the two mare regain their positions.

“And then there's Ruppy. She timed the attack perfectly, using the swing as my blind spot, and the attack didn't seem coordinated. She might not seem the brightest, but Ruppy is definitely observational, and can think in her hooves.”

“Tch! Nimble little bastard...” Ruppy grunted.

“Their offense is good, but let's see their defense.” 

“My turn,” Silver warned, then bolted toward the two mares, not giving them time to prepare. Silver used his wing and batted at Onyx. She jumped back, but not quickly enough to avoid a full blow. She was sent hurdling across the clearing and into a tree.

“She quick on her hooves, and has good reflexes, but her overall physical condition needs to be improved if those skills are to be of any use.”

Ruppy unexpectedly lunged at Silver, using his movements to create a blind spot once more, only to have him duck, then spin on his fore paws and kick her in the stomach. She too flew across the clearing.

“Shit! She caught me off guard and I kicked too hard! But there was something wrong with her stomach...”

Much to his surprise and relieve, Ruppy simply laughed and rose to her hooves.

“Damn, that's one hell of kick you got there,” Ruppy coughed out.

“What the hell? That kick should have shattered her rib cage. She should be coughing up bones and lungs! What the hell is she made of, diamond?”

Lost in thought, Silver barely noticed the presence behind him. Silver jumped and rolled out of the way just in time before the branch could make contact with his skull.

“Onyx?! When did she get behind me!?”

Silver quickly pulled a good distance away from her.

“Oh? He's quick for a big guy...” Onyx said flatly as Ruppy joined her.

“These two....they're perfect! Ruppy has an incredibly strong body, and a mind to match it! If she learns a proper style, she'll be unbeatable! And then there's Onyx. Her strikes are strong and well thought, and coupled with he natural ability to read body movements, she could defeat a dozen trained guards with minimal effort. And her ability to mask her presence in mere seconds is hardly surprising, but still remarkable. I hardly noticed she disappeared. If I train these two properly, they may surpass   even me....

...ha...”

...Haha...”

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

THIS IS GONNA BE SO MUCH FUN!”

Onyx and Ruppy could see Silver crack a maniacal grin, “Let's continue, shall we...”

For the rest of the day until late into the sunset, the three of them were out in the forest sparring. The two mares would often come close to landing a hit, but never could make contact. As the day turned to evening, the two mares grew tired and breathless.

“Celestia...Damnit....” Ruppy huffed in exhaustion, “Why....can't we....hit him...”

Silver sat in front of them, his breathing unchanged and his posture relaxed, “Ya ever heard the term 'too slow'?” he taunted. Ruppy blew a breath out of her nose and rose to her hooves. She charged at the wolf, only to be smacked away by his wing.

Silver had put a little more strength into his strikes at Ruppy when he discovered her durability, but when Ruppy hit the ground and didn't get back up, he began to rethink his decision. She was on the ground for about thirty seconds before Silver began to worry.

“Ruppy?” Silver called. She didn't call back. She just laid on the ground silently. Silver took a step forward, but then the atmosphere around Ruppy had begun to change. It was filled with blood-lust and and a deep seeded hatred.  The thought to be unconscious pegasus rose from the ground in a wearily manner and her breaths were drawn out and raspy. She slowly turned her head and stared at Silver.

Her eyes were wide, and the iris and pupils shrunk. The emerald green that once filled them had vanished and was replaced by a bloody crimson red.

The killing intent that radiated off of her made Silver doubt if this was the same mare from just a few seconds ago, but he knew that it was. What happened though? Did he hit her too hard? Was she finally fed up with the taunts and just snapped? Just what brought about this sudden change?

“Onyx...get back....” Silver instructed. The coal unicorn wasted no time moving to cover behind a tree. She'd seen Ruppy get like this once before, and it ended with a bloody massacre.

The raged filled Ruppy rushed Silver, her current speeds far surpassing what she had previously shown, and caught the wolf off guard. She brought her hoof down on top of his head, and he crashed into the ground with an enormous impact, causing the land beneath him to split and Rupture.

The pegasus stood on her hind legs and brought one up above Silvers head. He rolled out of the way just in time as the hoof came down, sending the crack to spread even further. Ruppy turned and faced the evasive wolf, only to see him disappear in a moments notice.

The wind started blowing hard in the clearing, and began wrapping around Ruppy. She made futile swings at the winds, but they only persisted and picked up in speed. As the winds gathered, they began to glow a brilliant blue, and soon encased Ruppy. An ear shattering scream pierced the air, and then the winds broke all at once. 

Ruppy collapsed from her hind hooves and fell to be caught by Silver. Her eyes were shut and she seemed unconscious. Silver put an ear to her chest and heard soft breathes and steady beats.

Silver sighed in relief, “It's okay. She's okay!” he called to Onyx who came out of hiding. As she approached the two, Silver laid on the ground and propped Ruppy against his side.

“Is she...?” Onyx began, cautious about approaching.

“She calmed down,” Silver finished, “I think. I'm not really sure what went wrong in the first place though.”

Onyx moved over to the sleeping pegasus and laid her head down on her lap, “It's because you hit her too much.”

“What?”

Onyx looked up from her friends lap, then looked back to Silver. She wasn't sure if she should tell him, but felt that he needed to know, “Did you notice? Her body? It's strength?”

Silver nodded, “Yeah, she has one of the toughest bodies I've ever seen.”

“She wasn't born with it,” Onyx began, “When she was young, her parents were abusive. They beat her mercilessly and broke her a hundred times over. Her body kept healing and coming back twice as strong, but that only made them hit harder.”

“When she was thirteen, the social services got involved and took her to a foster home, but that was only worse. The foster parents there beat her too, and to make it worse, so did the other kids. Even at school, she was beat up. There wasn't a day in her life that Ruppy didn't get punched or kicked. Eventually though, she ran away at sixteen, and that's when she met me.”

Silver was a little apprehensive about learning this, not just because he felt like he was invading, but because he just didn't like stories like this. He knew he had to know though. What ever that thing was was dangerous, and so he asked, “What was that thing?”

Onyx showed the same apprehensiveness Silver did, but continued, “The first time I saw it was during a brawl we'd gotten into with some gang. We were out numbered and getting beaten pretty badly. Then, the same thing from just now happened, and she went into a fury. She--- she killed all of them, smashing their heads into the pavements and buildings, and sends huge cracks across every surface. The entire block was destroyed by the end of it.” Onyx gripped her arms as she recalled the frightening moment, “So much blood...”

Silver recalled the blow to the head that he received, and looked back at the fissure. Certainly, that was a strength that could level a city block with ease.

Onyx managed to collect her self a little and picked up again,“When she finally calmed down, she told me about everything that happened to her. Before then, I didn't ask, and there for didn't know about her past. But she said when she was getting beaten, her mind was flooded with the memories of her parents, foster home and every other punch and kick she'd received in her life and she just...snapped.”

“So when she gets hit repeatedly, she reverts to...that?”

“I'd appreciate if you didn't refer to me as 'that',” Ruppy murmured.

Silver looked back over his shoulder to the mare that laid against him, “You're awake?”

Ruppy nodded, and Onyx looked up to her. She stared at the unicorn for a moment, then in a quick movement, a tan hoof went across her coal black cheek and a loud slap resounded through the trees.

“Fuckin bitch....”

“Ruppy!” Silver scolded as he used his wing to hold her down against his side.

“It's okay...” Onyx spoke up, “I deserved it.” She rose to her hooves and moved closer to the pegasus. Silver kept his wing  pressed firmly against Ruppy, and Onyx threw her hooves around the mares neck.

Ruppy turned her head away, but Onyx continued to embrace her, “I know you're mad, but he would have found out sooner or later,” the unicorn whispered softly.

“But it would have been from me!” Ruppy hollered, “You had no right!”

“I know, and I'm sorry...I shouldn't have and I'm so, so sorry...” Onyx hugged Ruppys neck a little tighter. The pegasus was still clearly upset, but she let out a sigh and her body relaxed a little,

“Damn it Onyx...”

Silver loosened his wing and Ruppy reach out to return the hug. Their embrace broke after a few minutes and Onyx laid down next to Ruppy against Silvers side.

After a few moments of silence, Ruppy spoke, “So, whatcha think?” she asked, “You gonna keep training a freak like me? Or am I too much of hazard?”

“Freak?” Silver questioned and turned to give the mare a genuinely confused look, “You're not a freak, Ruppy. Slightly terrifying, yes. But certainly not a freak. And besides, even if you were, that would make me and Onyx a freak too.”

Ruppy chuckled, “Then I guess we're all a bunch of freaks...” She looked up at the sky for a moment, then asked, “Hey, are you still gonna make us sleep out here?”

“Nope. You managed to land a hit before mid-night.”

“We did?” Ruppy asked. Silver pointed a paw over to the fissure in the ground.

Ruppy wondered what he meant, but was too exhausted to ask. She crawled on top of his  and laid across it, “Can we just go home then?”

Silver laughed lightly, “Sure. Grab Onyx and toss her on.”

Ruppy looked over and saw the unicorn had fallen asleep at some point. She rolled her eyes then pulled her up over Silver back and balanced her so she wouldn't fall off.  Silver trotted carefully back to the castle so as to not disturb the sleeping pony on his back.

Most of the trip back was quiet, only the sounds of the first few crickets of the evening filled the air, and the occasion mumble from Onyx. But eventually, Ruppy broke the silence.

“Hey, Silver?” she asked softly, “When you said that if I was a freak, then you were too, what did you mean?”

Silver looked to her with a confused face, but answered anyway, “Well, for one, I was the one who stopped you, so I guess that makes me even more of a freak, since I can beat one. But, it's also that I'm a lot like you.”

Ruppy blew raspberries, “How are you like me? Last I checked, you don't go ape shit when you get your ass kicked and you're not some little punk off the streets. You're loaded with cash with a huge house and your surrounded by hot chicks all the time. Your life is the complete opposite of mine.” Ruppy hung her head. Before, she had accepted that her life was, as she put it, shitty. But now that she got a taste of what better life was like, she began to feel the effects of just how bad hers was before.

“Maybe now, but my life wasn't always like this,” Silver informed, “Growing up, I had a life similar to yours. My mom didn't beat me, but I still had my problems. In Houndland, at the time, the local wolf packs were constantly at war. No where was safe, and a lot of wolves got killed in the cross fire of the fighting. I grew up in a world of violence, death and blood. And what's worse is that I learned to tame that insane world, and eventually became it's king....

“It may not seem bad when I explain it, but my power was gained by creating a mountain of corpses, and standing atop them as the proud victor. I had to kill to survive, and I enjoyed it....Even now, there's still a piece of that inside of me. So yeah, we're more alike than you'd think.

“As for my current life style, well I made myself. I'm not sure where the hot chicks came in, but I struggled and fought to get to where I am now. I was by no means born with it.”

Ruppy just lowered her head and wrapped her hooves around Silvers neck. 

“...Just a bunch of fucking freaks, I guess...” she whispered, her chuckling voice contradicting the feel of the statement.

“But still, it's a place I can call home....”
> Fallen Kings and Luna Sings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight stared at the key in her hoof. It was small, blue and silver, with a strange flowing pattern inscribed into it. She found it on her couch the day before, with a note lying underneath.


Twilight,


I want you to have a key to my house should you ever need to come get me. Just pick any random door, doesn't matter the size, shape or location, place the key in the lock, turn it and come in. 

DON'T LOOSE IT! It's very expensive and hard to replace.



Sincerely - Silver 


Twilight looked at the key and kept running the message through her head.

“Should you ever need to come get me.”

The sentence echoed through her head. She hadn't seen him for the past two days, and was a little worried. She wanted to see him, but didn't need to, and felt like she would be pestering. She knew that he started the training for the two Manehatten mares a few days ago, but she couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. 

Or maybe it was her desire to simply just see him again. She did enjoy their talks, even though it was mostly about Houndland Magic, or as she had learned it was supposed to be said as Houndish Magic. On occasion, she would pry a little into the wolfs more personal life, and he didn't seem to mind. In fact, he was quite forthcoming with his secrets, however small they may have seemed. Still though, it was nice to learn more about the wolf himself, rather than the place he came from.

This was something Twilight found strange. She had never before been quite so invested with some pony's private life, unless they were close personal friends of hers. She usually cared more about the ponies cultures and customs rather than their life story.

But with Silver, it was different. Sure, she enjoyed his explanations and demonstrations,  but his personal life and ideas seemed to intrigue her so much more, and she couldn't for the life of her tell why.

Just what was it about this wolf that made want to dig deeper into the depths of his past? Was it his vagueness when it came to answering the more difficult questions about his life?  Like the air of mystery he left when he'd say, “It's a long story,” or something else to dodge the question and press on. Twilight found he did that when she asked about a particular type of story, usually involving violence of some kind, like the scar he'd gotten from Black Wing. Twilight had asked him about it before, but he never did give an answer. Or at least, one that satisfied her.

In truth, it actually annoyed Twilight a bit. She wanted answers, but knew she couldn't press him for them. He had every right to keep his past from her, but that only made the curious pony in the back of her mind scream louder.

For a wolf who seemed to be willing to share any secrets, he certainly kept many of them to himself.

Of course, the small item in her hoof could change that. This was the key to his home after all, and it would definitely provide her with answers.

But...should she?

It's wrong to go snooping around some pony's home. But then again, Twilight wasn't sure how much longer she could deal with the screaming curious pony.

The lavender alicorn sighed and dropped her head. She looked down to the wooden floor of the library hall, then up to the wooden closet door she stood in front of. 

“Maybe I'll just stop by and say hi,” Twilight thought aloud. She used her magic to float the key to the closets lock. She gave it a quick turn, causing the signature blue light to fill the hall before dying down. Hesitantly, Twilight pushed the door open.

“Um...hello?” she called as she poked her head in. When no one called back, she stepped inside and looked to her surroundings.

Twilight reveled in awe as she moved across the shining white tiles. It wasn't just because of the size of the home, but mostly because the massive room was in place of what was supposed to be a junk closet. She'd heard about spells like this, though she'd never seen one for herself.

Her hooves clacked and echoed through the halls. After her amazement lessened a little, Twilight noticed a paper laying on the kitchen counter.


In the smith room
-Silver 


Twilight looked around and saw the two hallways that went throughout the house. She looked down one, but didn't see any doors, and the other had many. Naturally, she went with the one with doors.

She wondered slowly down the halls, and carefully knocked on each one. No pony answered, and so she moved down to the next floor. When she reached the second floor, she tried the doors there, but again no answers. She was beginning to wonder if he was even home, but there was more to the home for her to check. When she first went to the third floor, she could smell smoke filling the hall, but could see any rising.

At first, she panicked, but then thought about what the note said.

“Smith room? It couldn't be.”

Twilight lifted her nose and followed the scent down the hall and to the last door. When she reached the door, she could hear metal striking and whistles blowing. She took her hoof and knocked loudly over the sounds.

“Come in!” Silvers voice called through the door. Twilight pushed and entered.

“Silver?”

“Right here,” he answered. He was standing next to a large furnace with a large pair of tongs in his paws and an apron on, “Oh! Twilight, it's you! I wasn't expecting you. Is there something you need?”

“O-oh, nothing really,” Twilight stammered, “Just wanted to pop in and say hi, you know; see how you were doing. Oh, and to see how this key worked.”

Silver set the tongs down on a stone bench and moved to the alicorn, “Oh, right. Sorry I haven't come by to see you lately. I've been trying to finish a little project, as you can see,” he gestured a paw over to the furnace. Twilight could see something sticking out from the pit, but couldn't tell what.

Twilight took a step back to the door, “Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt. I'll let you get back to your work.” She turned to leave.

“No, wait. It's okay. You caught me a good time. The metal needs to be tempered for a while anyway, so I have some free time.” Silver undid his apron and let it drop to the floor before picking it up and hanging it on a hook behind the door, “Just let me go clean up and we can leave.”

“Oh, no. I don't think you should, not with all this going on,” Twilight waved a hoof around the room, “I'd hate for you to mess up your project just to spend time with me. Or worse, leave and have your house burn down.”

“Hmm, I guess you have a point. But we can still hang out here! I think I have something you'd like to see.” Silver pulled the door open and allowed Twilight to step out. When she exited, she noticed the temperature hadn't changed.

“Hey, it's not hot in there,” she pointed out.

“Ice magic spell. I had a friend install it in the room to keep it cool, along with a fire-proofing spell. I also put in an air filter spell to ventilate the smoke, but unfortunately it doesn't do anything for the smell.”  

Twilight let out a giggle and allowed Silver to pass by across the hall into the bathroom, “Ya know, even with the smell, I still find it impressive that you have a fully functioning blacksmith work shop inside your house.”

Silver lifted his face from the sink faucet and grabbed a towel, “Then I think you're gonna love the next room,” he muffled through.

He tossed the towel onto the rack and went through the hall to the library door. Twilight followed behind him and stepped through door after he opened it.

When she entered, she could only gasp and awe in starstruck amazement. It may not have been the first library she'd seen, but it was a library she'd never visited before, and that meant new books to read. She loved the feeling of knowing that there was still more to read and learn, and every new library she went filled her with that feeling of anticipation and eagerness to flip through the pages and see what secrets the tomes held.

“This! Is! Amazing!” the alicorn squealed as she fluttered through the shelves. She ran a hoof excitedly over the spines, quickly reading the titles as she glided by, “Oooh! I can't wait to read them!! Can I!? Can I?! Can I?!”

Silver trotted behind her and chuckled at her excitement, “Of course! That's why I brought you in here.”

Twilight whooshed down and wrapped the wolf in a hug, “Thank you!” she squealed again, before taking off into the shelves once more. She eagerly plucked a number of books off the rows and plopped them down in a spot next to the window where a pile of pillows laid. She laid down and quickly flipped open the first book and began reading.

Or, at least, tried to begin reading.

Twilight cocked her head as she noticed an irregularity in the books, “Huh?”

“What is it?” Silver asked as he walked over.

Twilight moved her hoof across the lines on the pages and the strange symbols and characters that filled them, “This book, I can't understand it. It's not in any language I've seen before.”

“Hmm?” Silver quickly looked over the words on the page, “Oh! No wonder, you picked one from the ancient languages section. There aren't many who can read it. Even I can't read every single word, but I know enough to get the picture. Why'd you pick this one though? Didn't you see the writing on the spine?”

Twilight shrugged, “Well, I just kinda felt like I wanted to read it. I didn't pay much attention to what was written on it, but just that I didn't recognize the title, so I knew I didn't read it yet. Is it interesting?”

“Sure!” Silver said as he moved to Twilights side, “It's a collection of old stories from a long lost fox tribe called the Kitsune. They were said to be one of the most powerful creatures to ever exist.”

Twilight marveled at the book before her. It was a one of a kind literature piece, and she couldn't read it. Nothing else in the world could break her heart more than this moment.

Twilight dropped her head and frowned, “Guess I can't read it...” she moped. She sunk a little lower and sat like that for a moment.

Then a thought struck her.

“I may not be able to read it, but you can!” she exclaimed as she whipped her head up. She looked at Silver with bright, gleaming eyes, “Could you read it to me!? Pleeeeease?!” Twilight put on her best pleading face.

Not that she really needed to. Silver found her too adorable to resist anyway, so he happily agreed. He laid himself down next to her and flipped through a couple of pages.

“Hmm, lets see...oh! This one's good....”





Time had flown. The hours felt like minutes, the minutes like seconds and the seconds seemed to disappear entirely. With each word that flowed from Silver, Twilight found herself getting more and more lost, but she wasn't sure in what.

Was it the book? It was certainly intriguing. She'd never heard about these nine-tailed creatures from the far east, and found them to be a wonderful read.

But there was something else about the moment that she enjoyed. Something that made her heart flutter and her tummy twirl with delight.

“...Silver...” the mare whispered. Her head laid on a shoulder of fluff, while a warm voice filled her ears.

Silver looked down to the snoozing mare, who had fallen asleep just a short while ago. He continued to read, as the last time he stopped, she began to stir from her slumber, and he didn't want to ruin her moment of repose.

Twilight could still hear every word the wolf spoke, and the stories provoked vivid, powerful images in her mind. Though she wasn't aware she had fallen asleep, she continued to listen, both to the story, and the wolf reading them.

Not just to his words, but to his voice. To him. 

The vibrations the deep tone made her smile, and the sounds of his heart played it's sweet harmony in sync with his breathes, which was what put her to sleep like it had done twice before.

It was this feeling that Twilight ached for. This is what kept calling her back to the wolf, despite knowing there was no real need. Sure, there was the study of wolf culture and magic, but even so, there were two other wolves she could talk to, one of them was in Canterlot, just a train ride away.

But still, she kept coming back to him. Not out of convenience, but hope. Hope that maybe she can again feel this flutter of her heart and twirl of her stomach.

This feeling of...





Twilight's dreams had slipped away from her. No matter how hard she tried to grasp them, they just kept fading.

Eventually, her eyes slowly opened to find that she was still on the pillow pile in the library. The stack of books were still there, but the Kitsune one laid in front of her, closed.

Twilight lifted her head and examined the room. Her cuddle buddy seemed to have wondered off some where, though not too long ago as the spot where he laid was still warm.

Twilight rolled onto her back and stretched out her limbs, earning a loud yawn from her. She rolled back over and rose to her hooves then walked to the window. The sun was setting, and when she arrived, it was almost noon. She'd slept for at least five hours.

Twilight sighed. While she was more than happy with her nap, she wished she'd stayed awake to read the stories, or at least talk more with Silver. 

But the nap was good too.

“Oh, you're awake.” Silver called from behind. Twilight turned to face him, and took notice of the flakes of soot and ash under his cheek fur.

Of course, she also took notice of the heat in her own cheeks, “Hehe, sorry. I promise I don't usually fall asleep randomly. It won't happen again.”

Silver waved a dismissive paw, “Don't worry about it. I'd have probably joined you if I didn't have to watch the blades.”

“Blades?” Twilight asked with a tilt of her head.

“Oh, yeah, I never told you, did I? Well, you can already guess I do metal works, but I specialize in weaponry, particularly of the bladed variety. It's what I was working on earlier.”

“Who are they for?”

“Onyx. I saw she used two re-bars back in Manehatten, and yesterday, she used two branches she broke off from a tree. So I figured, I should make her something a little more useful. I want to do something for Ruppy too, but I haven't figured out what yet.”

Twilight was surprised at the wolfs profession. When she saw the smith room, she knew he had the ability to create and mend metal works, but she didn't expect him to make blades. It just didn't seem in his nature.

“Can I see them?” Twilight asked.

“Well, they aren't done yet, and I don't like showing off an unfinished product. And besides, I won't be giving them to her until I come up with something for Ruppy too. It would also seem kind wrong to show them to some pony else before she got to see them.”

Twilight ears dropped a little, “Oh, well that's a shame. But I'm afraid I need to get going anyway. It's getting late, and I'm sure Spike is worried.”

Twilight moved away from the window, and was about to head to the door when she looked back to the books she picked. She used her magic and floated them back to their spots, but stopped when a certain one passed in front of her.

She looked at the title, which, luckily for her, was in Equestrian.

On the cover was written, “The Fallen Kings”. Twilight thought for a moment.

Now where did she hear that name from.....

...MANEHATTEN!

“Silver, is this...?” Twilight began as she held the book up.

Silver looked closer and read the title, “Oh yeah! This is where the name of that gang came from. Or at least, I think. Their details were a bit off, but I think this is what they were aiming for.”

Twilight stared at the book, then looked to Silver, “Do you mind if I take it with me? I would love to give it a read.”

“Sure, go right ahead. Just bring it back in one piece.”

“I will.” Twilight assured as she left the room. In truth, she really did find the story a bit interesting, but she mostly took the book just to have a reason to come back. It would also give her something to talk about the next time she saw him.

...Wait, why was she planning this?

“I don't need an excuse to come talk to him; he said I was welcome to come any time. More importantly, why am I even looking forward to seeing him again? I mean sure, he's not a bad guy. He's nice, sweet, charming, warm and fluffy. His eyes are like rivers of golden honey and his smile is just the cut--

Wait...what am I thinking?! A small crush is understandable, even manageable, but this is just getting out of hoof. I need to make sure I don't get too involved with him.”

Twilight strode out of the door and back into the library. She in the main room and stared at her book, the excuse she'd come up with. She laid the book down onto the coffee table and put herself on the couch.

“What am I doing? Of course I know I like him. I'm not to sure when this infatuation began, but it's here now. I guess the question is, what do I do?”

Leave it to Twilight Sparkle to think of a plan on how to deal with a crush.

As she laid on the couch, the memories of her night with Silver crept to the front of her mind. At first, it was the feeling of emptiness on the couch. Then, she began to feel cold. She balled up to keep herself warm, gripping a pillow tightly in her chest. 

It wasn't quite like Silvers fur, but it sufficed.

Twilight sighed, “I need help. But who can help me? I need to find some pony with a lot of knowledge about stallions, or maybe just males in general.”

“Hmm...Applejack? No, she's too busy with farm work to have relationships. Flutter Shy, maybe? No, no. Definitely not.

Oh! I know! I'll go talk with Rarity! She's always going on about her dates!”

Twilight hopped off the couch and left the tree home, her sights set on Carousel Boutique.


Silver set the newly sharpened blade down onto a wall rack. It had been about an hour since Twilight had left, and he just finished up the sharpening of Onyx's blades. All that was left was the buffer and polish, then he'd start on Ruppys new toys.

He'd finally come up with an idea for the pegasus. He'd decided on making a pair of magic gauntlets, imbuing them with earth magic crystals that allowed her to control land and rocks.

While it wasn't quite as powerful as one who had learned to use earth magic naturally, it still was very strong.

Silver once more left the smith room and washed his face before heading to the kitchen to start dinner. Ruppy and Onyx would be back soon from swimming, and Silver wanted to make sure the food was done before they came in and started snacking.

He went to the kitchen and set out a ball of lettuce, a bag of tomatoes, carrots and oranges from the fridge. He then grabbed a number of spices and a couple of cans of soup from the cabinets.

He put the soup on the stove in a pot, then added the spices and left it to simmer. He turned his attention back to the other ingredients he pulled out and began chopping them up.

He pulled out a six bowls and set them on the counter. He filled three with the lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and orange slices, then the other three with the soup.

Just as he finished serving, the two mares came in from the back door, soaked and panting.

“Whew! Oh, man that was great.” Ruppy said as she entered, Onyx following behind. Their coats were mostly dry, but their manes were still dripping, creating a trail of droplets where ever they walked.

“Please wipe that up.” Silver said as he pushed the bowls in front of the chairs, “Foods done!”

The wolf quickly trotted over to his seat and was joined by the mares. They wasted no time digging into their dinner, promptly scarfing and inhaling the soup and salad.

“Mmm, this is really good!” Ruppy praised with a mouthful of food. She swallowed her serving, “Hey, now that I think about it, don't you need meat to survive? I mean, you're a carnivore, right?”

Silver took a break from his eating, “I do need meat, but since ponies don't sell much of it here in Equestria, I take vitamins instead. They don't give me everything the meat does, but it's still enough to live.”

“Ooooh...” Ruppy said before digging back into her meal.

The three quickly finished their dinner, and Ruppy and Onyx went to shower. Silver had left to go to Canterlot for more research with a bag of....something.

Also to visit a certain Princess of the Night.





The halls were quite as they had always been during the night. Silvers claws didn't make so much of a tick as he moved across the floors. It didn't take long for him to reach the library. He learned the layout of the castle fairly quickly, even a few of the secret chambers Celestia had installed. Silver approached the large oak doors and cracked them open slightly. He peeked inside and found the mare he was looking for.

Luna sat on the floor in front of a fire, a pillow under her hooves and a book open. Silver, with a devious thought in mind, quietly crept into the room, making sure not to reveal himself or his intentions.

He slowly stalked behind her, until he was hovering just over her back. He leaned down close and whispered in her ear, “Did ya miss me?”

“KYAH!” the alicorn squealed as she jumped into the air, flying to the ceiling and gripping it tight. Silver simply stared at the startled mare for a moment, before falling to the ground laughing.

“HAHA—WHAT THE – HAHA-- You can—You can stick to the ceiling!?”

Luna growled, “Silver, I do not appreciate being sneaked up on!” she floated down from the roof, “If that had gone differently, you may have ended up dead.”

Silvers laughs slowly died down, “Well, consider that pay back for embarrassing me last time.”

Luna huffed and sat on her haunches, crossing her fore hooves and turning away from Silver to pout.

“Oh, come on. Don't be like that. It was just a joke,” Silver cooed, but received no response from the mare.

Silver faked a sigh, “ Oh, well. Looks like I'm gonna have to eat all this ice cream by myself.” He made sure to give the bag a rustle to get the mares attention.

At the sound of the rustling, Silver could see Lunas ear twitch. She slowly turned her head to face the wolf, “What flavor?”

Silver opened the bag and looked inside, “I got chocolate fudge, strawberry, vanilla and moose tracks.”

Luna dived and snatched the bag out of his paws, quickly going back over to her spot in front of the fire and on the pillow. She dug into the bag and pulled out the vanilla tub first, popping off the lid. She licked her lips and was about to dig her muzzle into the ice cream before Silver cleared his throat loudly to get her attention.

She paused and looked up from her frozen treat. Silver was clacking two spoons in his paws with a smug look on his face. Luna looked to the tub in her hooves, her tongue still in mid lick.

She quickly straightened herself and levitated a spoon over, “Well, I suppose I could forgive your little stunt. You did keep your promise after all, even if I was hoping you'd come visit sooner.”

Silver smiled sheepishly, “Sorry, I kinda got caught up in some things, so I couldn't come when I wanted.”

“I know. Tia told me all about the mares you found in Manehatten. She says they're quite intimidating, but promising.”

“She doesn't know the half of it,” Silver said as he moved to the stacks of the library. He climbed a ladder and began looking through the books.

“So, why are you here?” Luna asked with a mouthful of ice cream.

Silver spoke without looking to her, “I need to find a book on Equestrian lore and fables. Particularly, stories that cross with ones from Houndland.”

“Hmm,” Luna hummed as she tapped a hoof, “Well, I'm not sure about stories that cross with Houndland, but we most certainly have books on lore and fables. Check the 7th shelf.”

Silver pushed up the ladder and along the row of books, stopping when he found the right section. He skimmed the titles, then plucked a few off the shelf before jumping down.

“So, what about you?” he asked as he sat the books down in front of Luna, then pulled a pillow up in the same spot, “Why are you in here? Don't you have things to do?”

Lunas expression seemed to drop a little as she shook her head, “No. The night is not nearly as busy as the day, so when I finish my patrols, I have a lot of free time on my hooves. Sometimes, I'll go for a fly or a walk, and other times, I'll just come in here to read.”

“Oh, well that sounds nice,” Silver said honestly. He liked having time to himself.

“Yes, it's not bad when you have some pony to spend it with. It happens on occasion that I'll enter a dream of some pony whose having a nightmare, and help them get through it, but it doesn't last for long. Nightmares don't occur all that often these days. Not that that's a bad thing.” Luna took another spoonful of ice cream. Her expression seem solemn and lonely.

Silver reached out paw and gave the mare a reassuring look, “Ya know, you could always come visit me.”

Luna gave him a confused look, “I thought you said you didn't want me to look into your dreams anymore.”

“Well I changed my mind. I don't have nightmares often, but most of my dreams are quite pleasant, and I think you'd enjoy them. Just don't go to my memories, those are still off limits.”

“What if your dream is a memory? How will I know?”

“I'll let you in if I want you to see it. But if I don't, please don't pry and force your way in. Just leave it.”

Luna gave a small nod. Sure, it wasn't exactly what she wanted, but still, she had some pony she could spend time with, even if it's not face to face.

Maybe it was better this way. A pony's dreams do reveal a lot about them, even if they don't mean for it to. After all, dreams are formed from your subconscious, so it's not like you can have full control over them. Sometimes, even Luna couldn't control her dreams.

Maybe she could learn a little more about this new wolf she'd come to call a friend.

Silver took his paw back, realizing he'd left it there for longer than he'd intended. He pulled a book from the small pile he gathered and flipped through it.

It was filled with all kinds of artifacts and legends, but after an hour, he found nothing.

He grabbed the next one. Another hour later, and still nothing.

The third one was the same, as was the fourth and the fifth. They didn't take as long since they weren't as large as the first two, but Silver was still sitting there after four hours with nothing to show for it.

Luna and Silver made conversation as he read, but nothing of any significance. Luna told Silver about the most interesting nights she had, and some of the funnier dreams she'd entered. She wanted to lighten the mood, as she saw Silver was beginning to get frustrated. 

He dropped his and groaned in annoyance, “Stupid bracelet. Why's it so hard to find?”

“Bracelet? Is that what you've been researching this whole time?”

Silver nodded his head and looked up, “Or at least I would be if there were any actual research on it.” He began to rub his temples with his paws, as a migraine had become present in his mind.

Luna sat and watched the wolf as he moped, “So then what are you gonna do? You can't find what you're looking for if you don't have any clues.”

“Oh, I have a clue. There's a valley where the bracelet may be hidden, but I was hoping to find a bit more information to help narrow down it's location so I don't have to go checking every nook and cranny in the whole damn thing. Looks like I have no choice though.”

Silver dropped his head once more, this time allowing it to hit the floor with a thud. Luna winced as his head made contact with the carpet. She honestly didn't think he could be like this. Her impression of him was some pony who never got over worked or...well, mopey. But the wolf before her was most certainly both.

...And in all honesty, it was kinda cute.

Luna couldn't help but let out a small giggle at the sight. She used her magic to push the pile of books aside, then moved closer to the wolf.  She took her hoof and stroked the top of his head, making his ears perk up a bit.

“There, there. I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for. It may take a while, but you'll get it.” She moved a bit closer and pulled Silver into her chest, cradling his head in her hooves and nuzzling hers  into his neck.

Silver, while shocked at the notion, seemed to be quite pleased. He once again felt the cool of Lunas coat against him, relieving some the pain in his head and this time, there was a small something else added to the moment. It started off as a gentle hum, but soon, words were formed and....

♪♫Come little children, I'll take thee away,
Into a land of enchantment...

Come little children, the times come to play,
Here in my garden of shadows....♪♫

Luna quietly sang, her voice filling the room with a sweet melody. She was like the whistle of the wind in the night; cold but comforting, eerie and yet beautiful. Silver loved it. It sent his heart into a strange pace, seemingly pounding but yet still remaining calm. A tickle filled his chest, and he found himself hoping that morning never come, so that he might lay in the comfort of the arms of the Princess of the Moon with her pleasant songs filling his ears. 

This was a moment he would always treasure. The night Princess Luna sang him to sleep with a lullaby.

The more she sang, the more Silvers eyes drooped. They were like lead in water, and once they closed, they wouldn't open again till sunrise. 

At first, he fought to stay awake. For one, he wanted to hear the rest of the song, but he also didn't want to fall asleep with a Princess...again. But as time ticked on, he found himself caring less and less about how it may appear to others should they discover the two of them, and began to dive deeper into the comfort of Luna.

“Screw it...I don't care anymore. If ponies start talking, I'll just let 'em talk. But right now, this is all I want.”

Luna felt Silver nuzzle a little into her. She continued to sing until she was sure the wolf had fallen asleep. She looked down and smiled at the peaceful face Silver made when he was snoozing.

“Perhaps I'll just take a peek.”

Luna let her head rest on Silvers neck, then concentrated to connect her mind to his. She wasn't going to join him, just a little look-see.

Luna's mind slipped into Silvers conscious, careful not to go in to far. She searched for a moment, then found Silvers dream.

It was a vast plain, with tall swaying grass and a few thick trees scattered about. She looked to a nearby tree, and saw a familiar wolf sitting below it, reading a book with a glass next to him. Luna could feel the sun and the wind, even in the dream. The smell of the grass filled the air as a breeze blew by, tossing the blades about and making them dance in the wind.

This is what Silver was. This moment told her everything she needed to know about the wolf. He was humble, tranquil, content, but above all...

...He was free...
> Lunas Embrace and A Wild Goose Chase
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver was met with an all too familiar sensation. The light blankets that were draped across his body, the pillow that propped his head up, the springy bed that he laid on; it was all far too familiar.

But perhaps, what he recognized the most was the rush of coolness, flowing over and through his fur, contradicting the warmth of the blanket. He could feel something against his chest, tickling the hairs as it shifted a little and pressed itself further into him, and the feeling of something constricting his body.

No, not constricting, but...hugging. A tight, loving embrace, never wishing to let go.

Silver moved his paws across the sheets until they felt the same cool fluff his body had known. He wrapped them around the figure and brought it closer, holding on a little tighter and buried his face into it when it got close enough.

“Maybe I'll just stay here for the day...”

Silver cracked an eye open and looked down to see a sleeping Luna. He had already expected to see her there, though he wasn't sure how they had gotten to her bedroom. The question was quickly dismissed however, as Silver felt his eyes close once more.

Silver took a deep breath in, then released it in a relaxing sigh,“Yeah, I'm definitely staying here today. The bracelet can wait.”

Unfortunately, the universe had other plans.

The alicorn his arms began to slowly wake. First, it was a simple moan, but then Silver felt her pull her head away from his chest. He looked down to see the half-lidded eyes of Luna staring back at him.

“Mhmmm, you're warm,” she cooed in a sleepy voice before nuzzling him once more, “It's a shame you need to leave. You need to make time so that you have a day where you can sleep in with me.”

“Why don't I just stay with you today?”

The mare shook her head, “No, you know you can't. You need to go to that valley today and find the bracelet. You said it was important, didn't you?” she muffled with her face still in his chest.

Silver groaned and sighed, “I didn't think you'd be the one making me leave today.”

Luna tightened her hold on the wolf, “Trust me, it's not like I want you to. I would send out a scouting party instead, but I doubt they could find it. Something tells me that finding this bracelet may be too much for them.”

Silver looked up to the clock on the wall. It was still only seven and he desperately wanted to stay. But Luna was right. He needed to find the bracelet, and laying around in bed all day certainly wouldn't help him.

Even if he was with a beautifully stunning alicorn princess.

Oh, the temptation.

But alas, duty calls. Silver struggled to rise from the bed, the sheets feeling like they'd gained ten thousand pounds. He felt Lunas arms slip off of him as he rose, making him regret ever deciding to get up as the comfort slipped away as well.

Luna rolled onto her back and watched the wolf rise, his posture lazy and tired. He sat on the edge of the bed with his back paws hanging over, then arched his back and yawned as he stretched before slipping off the bed. He gave a few shakes and made his way to the balcony door.

He'd much rather avoid any confrontation with the guards, or her sister.

“Come back soon...” Luna softly purred from the bed.

Silver turned and gave her a soft smile, “I will,” then cracked the door open before disappearing into the air.

Luna laid and watch where the spot where the wolf was previously standing. In her mind, she was hoping that maybe this was all a dream, and that she would wake up once more in the arms of the wolf. But the longer she laid there, the more she knew that it was real.

She sighed and rolled over to face away from the glass. She ran a hoof over the spot where Silver was laying, still warm from his fur.

“I suppose I'm lucky. I don't get to spend much time with him, but we've already grown this close. But I  want more time with him. It's not fair that he spends all his time with Twilight in Ponyville.

I wonder how close they've grown. They spend much more time together than I do with Silver, but that's to be expected since he's her bodyguard. If only he was assigned to me instead. Or, if we could....switch.”

In her mind, Luna had formed a plan. One that would win her more time with the wolf she wanted.





Silver reappeared in the hall in front of the door that he always used to get home. He put the key in and entered the house, finding Ruppy and Onyx on the couch with cereal in the their mouths while watching T.V..

“Oh, hey. You're back.” Ruppy greeted with a mouthful of cereal.

“Yeah, I was at the castle researching all night last night. That reminds me, we're gonna have to skip over training for a few days, including today. I need your help with something.”

Ruppy and Onyx turned their attention away from the show and to Silver, “What's up?” Ruppy asked.

“I need you're help looking for something in a valley. It's a bracelet.”

Onyx immediately caught on to what Silver was asking, “So, you found it?” she asked.

“No. I couldn't find a clue to how it's hidden, but I know it's in the valley. And even if it's not the bracelet, then there must be something else there that I over looked. Either way, the answer's in that location.”

“I don't know,” Ruppy protested, “This doesn't really seem to make much sense. I mean, aren't you kinda making some jumps here.”

Silver sighed, “Yeah, I know, it doesn't make much sense, but what little sense it does make is the only sense you're gonna find in this situation. The Shade that attacked me in the valley was there for a reason; one other than me. I'm not one hundred percent sure it's the bracelet that it was after, but there was something in the valley that it was looking for. I just need to find it first.”

“And you intend to search an entire valley for something you're not even sure is there? Great plan boss.” Ruppy mocked

Silver sighed once more. If only there were some pony who knew the valley. Some pony who could point out all of the strange spots that would likely hide where some thing would be hidden.

Silver faced-pawed. He was an idiot. He'd already met some pony who knew the valley like the back of her hoof. Although he hadn't seen her in a few days, he was sure she'd help him out.

“You two; meet me at the station in an hour,” Silver instructed, “We're going to the Galloping Gorge.”

Silver trotted off back through the front door, leaving a confused Ruppy and Onyx on the couch. They looked at each other and shrugged.

“Whelp, wild goose chase it is then.” Ruppy submitted.





The train whistled and hooted as the station filled with steam, only to have it dissipate moments after. On the platform stood two mares, one a coal black unicorn, and the other a sandy tan pegasus.

“He has ten minutes to get here before the train arrives to the Galloping Gorge.” Ruppy said impatiently, “And if that dumbass misses the damn train, I'm not gonna bother coming tomorrow for the next one.”

“I'm a what now?” Silver questioned from behind the mare.

Ruppy swung her head around to see the wolf, “You heard me, a dumbass!” she hollered. It took her a moment, but she finally saw that Silver had not come alone.

Standing next to him was not only Twilight Sparkle, but also an earth pony mare. She had a light blue coat that had three deep blue stripes running across her chest, and a strange swirling pattern on her fore hooves that matched the color of the stripes. Her main and tail were a dark blue, with light blue swirls like the ones on her hooves.

Twilight waved a shy hoof, “Hello again.” In truth, Ruppy and Onyx scared her. Onyx seemed to have a very cold, distant demeanor, and Ruppy was...well, Ruppy.

“Da fuck is this?” Ruppy questioned, pointing a hoof the the stranger.

“You weren't  kidding; she does have a bad mouth,” the mare said looking to Silver.

“The fuck was that!?” Ruppy shot back.

“Calm down,” Silver said as he stepped between the mares, “you know it's true. Ruppy, Onyx, I'd like you to meet Aerial. She's the first pony I met when I came to Equestia, and will be helping in our search.”

Onyx stepped forward and extended a hoof, to which Aerial kindly shook. Ruppy simply stood and glared. It would seem the two weren't quite going to get along.

“So, why's Princess Twilight here?” Ruppy asked, shifting her eyes to the alicorn. He gaze went from annoyed to curious upon doing so, much to Twilights relieve.

Twilight stepped forward, “Well, Silver came to tell me that he was going to search a valley, and when I asked which one, he explained everything about what he'd been researching. I was a little mad that he kept it from me, but after hearing everything, I felt like I needed to come too. This does concern the safety of Equestria, so I don't want to be on the sidelines.”

Ruppy looked to Silver and raised a brow.

“Hey, she was coming whether I wanted her to or not,” he defended.

The train in the distance whistled, and Silver looked out over the platform to see a billow of steam racing toward them.

“Train's here,” he informed before grabbing a bag off the ground and tying it around his waist. It took only a few minutes of waiting before the train reached the station, then the five of them hopped on.

While the act of moving on to the train was fairly quiet, Silver still received a few strange looks from the other passengers, though no pony said anything. It would seem the residents were beginning to get use to Silvers presence, at least in Ponyville anyway. In this case, it may have been the presence of the alicorn that threw them off.

Silver moved through the carts until he found an empty one. Luckily, there weren't many who were traveling in the direction of the Gorge, so many of the carts were lacking in ponies. Silver took his seat in a booth next to a window, Aerial placed herself next to him, and Twilight next to her. Onyx and Ruppy sat across on the opposite seat.

Once ever pony had boarded, the train whistled once more and took off. The train chugged along the tracks, which was the only sound in the cart since no pony had spoken a word.

The silence was awkward, at least for Silver, Twilight and maybe Onyx. It was hard to tell how she felt most of the times.

Ruppy sat and stared at Aerial, her eyes piercing in to the earth pony's soul. Aerial sat and twiddled her hooves, trying to avoid eye contact with the angry mare across from her.

“So,” Ruppy began, a hint of annoyance in her voice, “Just how exactly did you two meet?” The question could have been answered by either Silver or Aerial, though it was directed mostly at the latter. Twilights ears perked up as she recalled that Silver mentioned meeting a mare on his first day in Equestria, which caused him to be late. 

“Well,” Aerial explained, “I was out on my day off and I decided to go to the valley in the Gorge to relax. No pony else goes there so it's a nice spot for some privacy and relaxation. Anyway, while I was there, I felt like I was being watched, but ignored it. Some things happened and I ended up meeti--”

“What 'things'?” Ruppy interrupted. Aerial paused in her story and slowly looked to the floor of the train cart. She fidgeted with her hooves more than she was before, and began to shake noticeably.

Silver reached over and put a paw on her shoulder, giving her a warm smile when she looked up to him, “It's okay, you can do it.” he assured her.

She smiled back and continued, “I was walking along a cliff side to get to the lake below it, when it collapsed. I wasn't hurt, but I almost died.”

Ruppy scoffed and rolled her eyes, but Aerial seemed to ignore it, “A little while later, after my...incident, Silver found me and asked me to help him look for something. We searched the valley until sunset, but didn't find it. That was when Silver saw I had an extra shadow, and then he ripped it off the ground and it became what he calls a Shade. They fought, he won and then we...”

Aerial paused and smirked ,“...went back to my place,” and added a bit of husk to the ending, earning a small twinge of anger from the pegasus across from her. Silver – some how – didn't manage to catch it, neither the anger nor the husk. 

One of the greatest warriors in the world, and he's as dense as a brick when it comes to a mares feelings. Twilight, on the other hoof, caught on, and while she turned a brilliant shade of pink, she also felt a prick of pain. She hadn't even thought about if Silver was single.

But to some extent, it also brought Twilight some relieve, though it was very little. If what Aerial said was true, then it meant Silver did at least have an attraction to mares. Before now, she wasn't sure if his flirting with her was playful or if he was serious. Of course she still isn't completely sure, but now she was leaning towards the latter.

“He made me promise not to tell any pony I met him though. What about you?” Aerial questioned, “How did you meet Silver?” Again, any one of three could answer, but it was directed mostly at Ruppy.

“He busted into our place, fucked up our guys, barged in on a meeting and asked us on date.” Ruppy said with a wave of her hoof, “Although the date did turnout to be a trick which led to us beating the shit out of another gang.”

Aerial gave a questioning look to the wolf beside her, to which he responded, “Hey, shit happens.”

Aerial sighed. While she hadn't known him long, she knew his antics were not only insane, but always for a reason.

“So, why'd you do it?” she asked to Silver, but Ruppy answered instead.

“He said he was looking for ponies to train, and that the whole 'gang fight' thing was a test to see how strong we were. Needless to say, we passed with flying colors.”

“Silver, you're training other mares?” Aerial questioned.

The way she sounded made it seem like he'd just got caught cheating, “Um..yeah..didn't I tell you?” Silver winced as the earth pony beside him glared. 

Twilight pulled back into the corner of the seat. This was a conversation she'd rather not be a part of.

“Other mares? You're training with him too?” Onyx asked, finally speaking up.

Aerial turned her attention away from Silver, “Yes. After my incident, I discovered I posses Wind Magic, much like Silver, and he's agreed to show me how to use it.”

“SO THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE ALWAYS DISAPPEARING OFF TO!” Ruppy exclaimed, “And here I thought you were banging the princess or something.”

Twilight perked up and flushed a face full of pink once more as she began mumbling incoherent sounds. 

“Banging the princess?” Aerial quickly turned her attention back to Silver, her eyes like daggers.

Silver balled up in his corner of the seat, “Look, I'm not with Twilight that way, alright,” Silver defended meekly, “I'm just her body guard, that's all.” 

“Body guard? Since when?” Aerial interrogated once more.

“Since my second day here. It's kinda the whole reason why I'm in Equestria.” Silver rubbed a shy paw behind his head.

“Oooooh, Silvers got some explaining to doooo!” Ruppy mocked as she laughed.

Aerial continued her death glare for a minute longer, only to sigh and look away.

“Should've known better...” she mumbled to herself.

“Huh?” Silver quirked, picking up on her noticeably saddened state.

“Nothing,” she mumbled back.

Twilight, still in her corner, might as well have died from embarrassment. She also felt guilty for some reason, like she stole Silver away from Aerial. She simply balled up sat quietly, not knowing what to say.

Silver, still being as dense as a boulder, ignored the moment. After all, he could see the Gorge coming up on the horizon.

“We'll be there soon,” he informed.





The steam filled the station, just like it always did, then disappeared. After the train pulled away, the group walked down the steps of the platform and across the tracks towards a forest in front of the stop. Aerial and Silver led while Ruppy, Onyx and Twilight trotted behind.

They reached the tree line of the forest in a few minutes, then walked along the trees and bushes rather than at it. After another minute of walking, Aerial stopped in front of a bushel of lilies, then pushed them aside and revealed a path behind them.

The path was natural, being mostly formed by pebbles and roots pushing up through the ground, but hoof prints could clearly be seen in the dirt where Aerial had used it before.

“Follow me,” Aerial chirped and stepped behind the bush. The others followed and walked down the shadowed path for another solid twenty minutes. The road itself wasn't actually that long, it just took a while to climb over and under a lot of over sized roots.

When they finally reached the end of the path, they emerged on top of a hill, looking out over the valley.

There were four mountains, two on each side. A crystal blue river cut through the land in between them , surrounded by emerald plains of grass, littered with trees.

Aerial took in a deep breath, held it for a moment, then breathed out.

“No matter what happens here, I always love it. Even if I did almost die...twice.”

“Yeah, yeah, enough of that bullshit,” Ruppy said as she pushed past Aerial, “can we just find this stupid bracelet thing and go? I wanna take a nap.” The pegasus went down the hill side to the plains below.

Aerial let out a frustrated grunt, but decided not to act on her anger.

Twilight approached Silver, “Are you sure they're going to be okay? They don't seem to like each other very much.”

Silver hummed and thought before saying, “Well,we need to split up anyway, so it shouldn't be much of a problem. Aerial and Onyx can search from the ground, while the rest of us look from the sky.”

Twilight nodded, “Sounds good.”

Silver told Onyx next, then Aerial. Finally, he went down the hill to find Ruppy. She was at the river getting water.

“Hey Ruppy,” Silver called. She looked up from her drink,

“What?”

“You're gonna be with me and Twilight in the sky, 'kay?”

“Okay.” She went back to drinking.

He knew something was wrong. He had only known her for a few days, but he could tell when something was bothering her. “What's with you today?” Silver asked. Ruppy kept drinking but looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

“Come on, you've been cranky all day. What's wrong? Is it Aerial?”

Ruppy pulled her mouth from the water and wiped. She spread her wings and flew off, never so much as glancing back at Silver.

Of course she didn't have to, since Silver took off as well and swooped in front of her, “You're not getting rid of me that easily.”

Ruppy stopped and hovered there, glaring at him with great annoyance, then went around. Silver again swooped around in front.

In stead of stopping this time, Ruppy swung a hoof. He caught it with ease and grabbed her, swung her around and tossed her into a near by cloud. She didn't move, but just sat there in the white fluff. Silver moved to sit on top of the cloud, above where Ruppy had landed.

“That bad, huh?” Silver quirked. Ruppy sat silently. Silver sighed and moved down to her level.

“Ruppy, please. Talk to me.” he pleaded. The mare remained silent, “Could you at least tell me why you won't say anything?”

“...Because it's stupid...” she whispered, turning away.

“Huh?” Silver leaned in closer.

“Because it's stupid, alright! I'm stupid!” she yelled, causing the wolf to reel back. She huffed and glared, only to lay back and mope a few seconds later.

“What do you mean?” Silver asked as he moved a little closer. Ruppy rolled on to her side,

“I thought Aerial would be like every other mare from Canterlot, all prissy and stuck up. But she's not. She's actually a decent pony, no matter how much I seem to piss her off. And that just pisses me off.”

“That you were wrong about her?”

She didn't respond, and instead balled up. Silver had never known she could get like this. To him, she seemed like she was always having fun, though that fun may have been at some pony elses expense, and often was perverse. But now, here she was, moping because she felt guilty about judging some pony before actually getting to know them.

And honestly, Silver was glad. He was happy that guilt was one of the things the street hadn't beaten out of her. It made her more pony than monster.

Silver stepped over the mare and leaned down to look her in the eyes, “You know what you have to do right?”

Ruppy sighed and stood, “Let's just start looking for that bracelet.” She lept off the cloud and began her search.

Silver pondered if he should go after her, but decided it would be best to let her work through it herself. He'd much rather avoid another swing at him.





7 hours. 7 grueling, mind-numbing  hours of searching for a piece of jewelry they weren't even sure was there.

It was the evening and every pony had regrouped near the river.

“So, did you find anything?” Silver asked every pony.

They all shook their heads. Silver sighed and hung his.

“Well, I'm sorry for dragging you all out here for nothing. I guess it was just a wild theory.”

Twilight place a reassuring hoof on his back, “Hey, it's okay. You were only doing what you thought was right.”

Silver smiled back at her, “Thanks Twilight. Come on, lets get going. We haven't had anything to eat all day. Luckily, the river gave us water though.”

The group all turned and headed up stream. Every pony except for Aerial that is. She stood still.

“Aerial, you coming?” Silver called.

“...The river...” she mumbled. Silver cocked his head.

“The river runs to the lake. We didn't check the lake!” the earth pony exclaimed.

“It's probably not there,” Ruppy spoke up, “Why would some pony hide it in the lake anyway? Wouldn't that just make the bracelet rust?”

“No, if it's magic, it won't rust. And besides, the lake is deeper than it seems. It's not so much a lake as it is a cave. Every time I went swimming I would try to touch the bottom, but never could. I thought maybe the lake leads back into a cavern or something, so there wasn't a bottom. Oh Celestia, I'm so stupid! Why didn't I think of this before?”

“I'll go check it out. Every pony else, go back to Canterlot,” Silver commanded. Not that it really worked though. The mares all gave him questioning looks.

“Yeah, don't think so,” Ruppy retorted.

“We're coming with you Silver,” Twilight added on. The other mares all nodded in agreement.

Silver sighed, “Figured it was a long shot. Oh well, but if we get into trouble, getting Twilight out is the first priority. I'll get the bracelet, just make sure she gets out.”

“Roger,” Ruppy said with a salute. 

Twilight didn't like the idea of being put before every pony else, but she knew this was something Silver wouldn't argue about, nor would any pony else.

So they trudged along the river for about twenty minutes, until it came to a cliff and became a waterfall. Silver peered over the edge and looked down at the lake below.

“Hmm, doesn't look that deep.” Silver hummed.

“Trust me, it's deep.” Aerial reassured.

Silver took a couple of steps back from the edge, “Well, only one way to find out!” Silver charged at the edge and jumped.

“SILVER!” Twilight called after him, but it was too late. The wolf dived into the water below, creating a large splash.

He didn't resurface for a few seconds, the longest seconds of Twilights life. Eventually though, the water bubbled and a wet wolf head popped up from it's surface.

“Hey! Aerial was right! The thing is a bottomless pit!” Silver called up. Twilight let out a sigh of relief and flew down with Ruppy to the lake side. Onyx jumped just like Silver had, and Aerial...glided?

She certainly wasn't falling, but she wasn't flying either. This must have been the Wind magic she said she discovered, and Twilight had just discovered her new study subject.

But that would have to come later. Right now, there was an underwater cave that needed to be searched.
> Almost Killed and Secrets Spilled
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver crawled out of the water and shook himself, making sure to quickly dry his fur with his wind magic to ensure that no pony could see his...wolf-hood. He gave the bag around his waist a good shake as well before tying it back on.

“So, how are we getting down there?” Aerial pondered. She walked towards the surface of the water and peered into it in a failed attempt to see the bottom, “It's too deep to try and swim. Princess Twilight, do you think you could create a magic bubble to protect us?”

“I could try, but my magic can only handle so much pressure. If we go too deep, the water pressure might break through the barrier and we would drown.”

Wow...morbid.

“It's okay,” Silver said stepping forward, his fur little more than damp, “I can do it. Just gather around.”

Every pony moved closer to Silver, then the wolf spread his wings and the wind began to form around them in a large sphere.

“Stay close,” he instructed and the group went into the water.





It was strange being under water like that. The feeling of walking along the muddy lake bottom and  seeing the water flow all around you but yet not getting wet by it's fluids. It felt...incomplete.

As the group ventured further and further to the bottom of the lake, the light from above slowly disappeared, going from a murky blueish gray and darkening until there was only black.

“Um...could we get some light please?” Silver asked.

A violet glow came from a lavender horn, bright enough to illuminate the path about ten feet in front of them.

“Well, it's still hard to see, but much better than before!” Silver chirped, earning a small scowl from the alicorn. It was the best she could do after all, since the water blocked out all of the light.

The underwater trek continued for a long time, at least forty-five minutes. They reached the point where the heat from the sun no longer warmed the water, and the air inside the bubble became cold and frigid.

“S-shit, it's f-fuckin freezing down h-here,” Ruppy shivered.

“Sorry, I didn't think we would be going this far,” Silver excused, “But for it to be this cold, we'd have to be somewhere around 4,000 meters below the surface.”

“That can't be right,” Twilight interjected, “We haven't been walking long enough to reach that deep.”

“No, not unless the path is steeper than we think,” Silver looked down to the mud he was walking in. The darkness made it impossible to see, but Silver could definitely feel a slope in the ground. He let out a shiver as he realized just how dark it was. There was no sound either, or rather any lack of ambient sounds, which made the atmosphere all the more eerie. 

Aerial moved up and poked Silver in the side, “How can you be cold with all that fur?”

“I'm not; it's this place. My senses are useless down here. Not only is it pitch black, but I can't here a thing, there's no smell except water, and the mud makes it hard to feel vibrations. It makes me uneasy.” The ringing of the white noise in his ears had plagued him since the moment the sunlight disappeared, and it was something he wasn't comfortable with hearing.

For as long as he could remember, his hearing had always been one of his greatest senses, rivaled only by his sense of smell. And now, not only were two of his greatest natural assets rendered useless, but so were all of his others. 

The terror of this lake laid not only in it's natural depth, but also in it's able to strip you of your ability to observe.

To isolate you by taking away the things you'd known for all your life.

To make you bare and...exposed.


Silver attempted to shake the uneasiness away, but it clung to him like the mud on his paws, making sure to stain him with fear and panic.

He needed to get out of this lake soon. While he could hold onto his sanity, the conditions made him jumpy, and a jumpy wolf is dangerous, especially one as powerful as he.

He tried his best to push the fear to the back of his mind and the trek continued for another hour and  fifteen minutes, the conditions holding steady. The silence was all the same, as was the smell and blackness that enveloped the group. The cold  began to pierce even his fur thanks to the dampness from his earlier swim, causing his body to become numb. Silver could feel his fear slowly creeping back into his heart.

*THUD* 

Silver whipped his head to inspect the source of the sound. It was Onyx.

She collapsed to the ground, balled up and shivering. The others quickly moved around the mare in worry.

“Onyx!” Ruppy called as she dash over and brought the mare up in her hooves. Silver stood by her side and watched.

The unicorn cracked an eye open, her voice trembling as the shakes ran through out her body, “I can't do it Ruppy. This feeling, not knowing when the bottom will come; not seeing, or hearing or anything! It's...it's...” her voice cracked as she shut her eyes tight once more, and burried her face into the chest of her friend. Ruppy sat and stroked her mane, whispering shushes and trying to comfort the mare.

The wolf beside her felt like a fool.

No, fool wasn't a word to describe the depths of his stupidity. Of course he wasn't the only one who was feeling the effects of loosing his senses. Every pony else probably felt it too, and were probably scared out of their minds. Rightfully so too.

The wolf moved and placed his paws on the trembling Onyx's cheeks, “Hey, hey, hey,” he said softly, “It's gonna be fine.” He slowly moved a paw down from her cheek to the spot where her neck and jaw met.

“Just close your eyes, breathe slowly and count to ten,” Onyx did as he suggested, “There you go. It's just like taking a nap.”

Silver applied a small amount of pressure to the spot where his paw was placed, the pressure point slowly knocking the mare unconscious as she counted. By the time ten came around, she was asleep.

“Ruppy, can you carry her?”

The pegasus nodded and slung the unicorn onto her back. Silver stood and looked around to the mares around him. Each one expressed worry and concern in their eyes, but behind that was a flicker of fear and regret, thinking that it was only a matter of time before they ended up like Onyx, too terrified to continue.

They were all scared of dying at the bottom of a lake, and the wolf became riddled with guilt for dragging them all into this mess. Silvers description of the lake earlier seemed to fit their current situation.

They were walking down the slope of a black, bottomless pit.

…Wait...bottomless pit...

The idea itself is unnatural, both scientifically and magically impossible. The planet wasn't large enough for this lake to have no end, and to make it endless using magic, one would have to have an endless supply of magic.

So how is it that this lake could appear to be bottomless.

“Twilight,” Silver began, “How long have we been walking?”

“Um...about two hours, I think.”

“But you're not sure? You don't have a watch or something?”

“Well, no Silver, I didn't think I'd need to know the time!” the alicorn snapped back, “Why do you have some where you need to be?” The tolls of the environment were already showing. 

Silver sat and thought for a moment. His mind scanning over the possibilities.

“We've been walking for what feels like two hours, but somethings not right. We've been surrounded by the same darkness, the same silence, and the same mud for an hour and fifteen, with the same freezing cold...that's it.”

“It's still cold!” Silver exclaimed.

The others exchanged confusing looks at each other, “Well, yeah. We've been freezing our asses off for a while now,” Ruppy retorted.

“No, I mean it's the same cold. The temperature has changed. If we've been walking down a slope, then we should've hit a point where the cold is unbearable, but we haven't! So why?!”

“Because we're not on a slope?” Twilight offered.

“Exactly! We've already hit the bottom,” Silver lifted a paw and pointed to the surface “Now, all we need to do, is go up.” 

“Ehh, I don't know Silver, seems kind of iffy to me,” Aerial protested, much to his surprise.

The wolf thought for a moment, then moved over to the edge of the wind sphere and placed his paw on the wind. Concentrating, he read the status of the sphere.

“I knew it!” He exclaimed once more, “Aerial, come here.”

The mare moved and placed her hoof onto the wall for a few seconds, then opened her eyes wide, “...Oh.”

“'Oh' what?” Ruppy questioned.

“The pressure exerted on the sphere by the water hasn't changed either. If we were really going deeper, then I would have sensed the pressure building up on the shield, but it hasn't. It's stayed the same since we first reached the cold zone,” Silver explained.

“So why didn't you notice before?” Twilight asked.

“For the same reason none of us realized we've been moving in the same spot. My sense were out. I can't see, hear, smell or feel anything, which is how we observe change in our surroundings. I didn't notice because I was too distracted by my lack of ability to observe.”

“WAIT!” Ruppy said in a frustrated voice, “You mean to tell me, we've been in the exact same place this entire time?! How!?”

“Take a look at the mud,” Silver indicated to the ground with a paw and all the ponies followed the claw to the spot where it was pointed. They quickly caught on to what he was pointing out, as the mud was still moving even though they stopped walking.

It was going backwards. 

“We were on a slope to reach where we are now, but I suspect that the current feeling of the slope was actually our hooves and paws being slid back by the mud. My guess is that there are currents in the deeper part of the lake that shift the mud as well as the water, pulling it along even if they aren't touching the ground. They're also probably what kept Aerial from touching the bottom on the lake when she was swimming. While we were stepping forward, the mud was moving backward, like on a treadmill. That movement, coupled with the lack of senses, made us feel as though we were moving downhill.” 

Ruppy gritted her teeth with annoyance and frustration, “Can we just get the fuck out of here, before I loose it like Onyx did?”

“Sure,” Silver said and flicked his tail. The sphere began to pull away from the ground and lift, rising slowly to the top.

It took about a total of ten minutes until the top of the wind bubble broke through the surface of the water, placing them in a cave with a ceiling littered with beautiful multicolored crystals.

“Well, I'll be damned,” Ruppy mumbled out.





The bubble landed and dissipated on contact with the ground of the cave. The crystals illuminated the the tunnel with enough light for every pony to see clearly, giving it a beautiful rainbow radiance.

Upon landing, Ruppy immediately placed Onyx on the floor.

“Onyx! Onyx! Wake up!” she begged to the unconscious mare. She quickly turned her attention to the wolf who put her in her state in the first place, “Undo it! You knocked her out, now wake her up!” she demanded.

“Are you sure you want me to?” Silver replied, “We're still stuck in a cave, and I don't think that would really make her feel much better.”

“I don't care!” the sandy pegasus screamed. Her voice echoed down the tunnel and rang for what sounded like miles, and was more than loud enough to startle the others, “...I just want to make sure she's okay. Silver, please. I'm worried about her.” Her face formed a heart wrenching frown and made Silver regret putting the mares in this situation in the first place, even if he was just looking out for her.

Silver looked over the agitated and anxious mare. It would seem that being stuck down here was taking it's toll on her too, and he couldn't help but wonder when the other two would break. He needed to move quickly, but didn't want to push them past their limits. Perhaps waking Onyx would show that their situation wasn't as dire and bleak as it seemed. Maybe it could restore some peace in their minds.

Maybe...

Silver nodded and moved to stand over Onyx's body. He took a paw and place it over  the center of her chest, then took a deep breathe in and back out.

A blue light formed and flickered around his paw, and little white spots twinkled in the air around it. The lights seeped into the chest of the unicorn, then died down. Silver stepped back and waited.

A few seconds later, Onyx groaned and slowly opened her eyes.

“Huh?” she mumbled. She glanced around the cave and noticed the change in scenery, then slowly propped herself up with her fore hooves, “What happened?”

“Onyx!” Ruppy shouted with glee and dove, rapping the newly risen unicorn in a crushing hug.

“Where are we?” she asked slowly.

“Well,” Silver began while rubbing a shy paw behind his ears, “You see, there's good news and bad new. The good news is we're not under water anymore! The bad new is that now we're in a cave...I think.”

Onyx slowly turned her head and looked at the wolf. At first, her eyes were half lidded and seemingly tired, but then shot wide open with anger and her magic erupted from her horn, blasting Silver in the chest and knocking him to the ground.

“YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!” she shouted as Ruppy attempted to hold her back.

“Okay, yeah,” he groaned as he rose back up, “Totally deserved that.” He dusted the dirt off of his wings and back.

“You deserve to get the shit kicked out of you!!” she hollered once more, though luckily no shots were fired.

“Look, what did you want me to do?” The wolf defended, “You were freaking out and I couldn't think of a way to calm you down. So, I put you to sleep. It's not like I actually hurt you or anything.”

Onyx simply glared at the wolf with spite. The memories of the fear she felt from the darkness had only just come back to her right after she fired her bolt, and while she saw Silvers actions as reasonable, she was still angry.

She huffed and turned her head away, “I can understand why, but I'm still gonna kick your ass for this later.”

“Fair enough,” he replied.

While the scuffle went on, Twilight and Aerial sat astounded. First, they didn't think Silver could be knocked down so easily, but what really threw them for a loop, as well as every pony else, was the amount of emotion Onyx was showing. She wasn't one to express her opinions or her feelings very often, so this out burst of rage was more than a surprise.

Twilight shook herself out of her confusion and cleared her throat, “So, now that that's...settled, are you good enough to move on?”

Onyx donned her normal expressionless face, “Just give me a few minutes to rest, and we can continue.”

Twilight nodded and sat, the other ponies doing the same.

The wolf, on the other paw, took an immediate interest in the crystals that jutted out from the wall. He strutted over and looked them over.

“Hmm...” he hummed while examining them. He took a paw and swiped down on one of the crystals, breaking it off from it's perch. He held it up and inspected it, slowly rotating it as he looked.

“Silver, what are you doing?” Twilight asked as she stood and walked over.

“I think these are Black crystals. They're multicolored while in the darkness, but turn black in the sun light,” he explained. He paused for a moment to think, then continued,  “Yep! I'm gonna take some.”

“For what?” she asked once more.

“I can infuse the magic of the crystals into the weapons I make and give them...unique attributes. Magic and enchanted items tend to sell for a pretty penny.” Silver continued to break off a number of crystals and stuck them in his bag, “There we go, that should be enough.”

Twilight could only stare at the wolf in confusion.

There were stuck in a cave at the bottom of a lake that was more than likely dangerous and possibly had no way out, and he was thinking about how he could make a profit.

She honestly wasn't sure if she was mad at his antics or impressed by his calmness. In the end, she figured it be best to just let it go. If Silver was this calm, then maybe he knew there was a way out. It'd be nice if he shared, but as long as they all made it out alive, it was of little consequence if he kept a secret or two.

Once Silver tied off his bag of crystals he continued to poke around the cave. First he trotted a few steps ahead, earning a warning from Twilight to not wonder too far. He lifted his nose and sniffed the air.

There was little of it, but he could smell fresh air mixed in with the water vapor from the lake. He walked back over to where they had emerged and took a quick sip of the water.

...Muddy.

He then turned and put his ear to the ground. No vibrations from what he could tell.

“Silver, what are you doing now?” Twilight groaned, this time not bothering to get up from her spot.

“Dunno. But, I can smell fresh air mixed in with the caves air, so there's definitely a way out.”

Every pony sighed in relief at his statement, only causing the guilt to build inside of him.

“Look, I know you're all tired and annoyed, so if you want, I can lead you directly to the exit, but I'll have to come back for the bracelet, or what ever the hell is hidden in here.”

“Silver, can you even still be sure that there's something here?” Twilight questioned. All this journey seemed to do is scare her, and she doubted that there was anything to actually find in the first place.

Stupid wild goose chase.

“Pretty sure there is,” he stated with certainty.

“How can you be sure?” Aerial spoke up.

Silver moved over to the wall and gave the crystals a tap, “If I can make magic weapons from these crystals, then that means that there must be magic in them. But crystals can't produce magic, only store it, unless there is a near by source which the crystals draw magic from. So even if it's not the bracelet, there must be some source of magic near by that is fueling the growth of the crystals. And judging by the number and size of the crystals in the cave, it must be a fairly large source.”

Twilight sat and flatly stared at the wolf. For once in her life, she was tired of magic. She just wanted to go home, take a hot bath, eat and nap for a week. Maybe she could even convince Silver to join her. Of course, this little lesson she learned would prove to be something useful. 

The lesson being is to never follow Silver on a trip. The crystal lecture was nice, but this information was far more valuable. Next time he found something potentially dangerous, he could have all the fun he wants with it...by himself.

Twilight looked over to the others for their opinion. They all shrugged and agreed.

“Fine,” the alicorn said, “We'll tag along and get the bracelet or whatever.” She rose to her hooves, “We'd best get moving. We don't want to be here any longer than we have to.”

The others all stood and followed suit, following Twilight as she moved through the tunnels. The cave was quiet, but not nearly as quiet as the lake was. The alternating colors of the crystal lights made it more bearable and less stressful on the mind.

Silver eventually began to lead since he was the one who could smell the fresh air. 

“Silver, how do you intend to find the magic object anyway?” Twilight asked. “Sniffing the fresh air is one thing, but you can't smell magic. Or at least, I don't think you can.” 

“It's all about the crystals,” He stated matter-of-factually, “The closer we get to the object, the large the crystals will be. The closer ones will be bigger since they get a higher dosage of the magic.”

Twilight looked to the wall and noticed the large size of the crystals, ranging from one to two feet in length, and about eight inches in diameter. They must have been getting close.

The walk continues for another ten minutes until the group reach a large open area in the cave. It had a dome shape to it, and in the center was a pedestal with... a book?

“Huh...well, could've been worse. It could have empty.” Silver said as he crossed into the dome room.

Upon stepping inside, he felt a powerful shiver run through out his body, making his fur stand on end. This didn't go noticed by the others.

“Heh, you getting the chills there big guy? What? Afraid of a paper cut?” Ruppy mocked as she entered behind him, the others following behind.

“I..uh..I'm not sure what that was.” Silver said in a very uncertain tone, “Don't touch the book though.”

“OW! Damnit!” Ruppy yelled.

Too late. 

Silver sighed and walked over to the mare, who was holding her fore hoof while wincing in pain. There was a bad burn on it, like it had been shocked.

“What did I say?” Silver scolded. He took the burned hoof in his paws and examined it.

“Shut up,” she snapped back, “You weren't loud enough. Anyway, how are we supposed to get the book if we can't touch it?”

Silver reached over and grabbed the book in a paw, then stuffed it in the other side of the bag.

“What the hell!? How come you didn't get shocked?!”

“It's a grimoire. You need to have a certain amount of magic to touch it, other wise, you'll just get hurt.” Silver ran a paw over the burned area, making Ruppy flinch with pain.

He gave a brief sigh of relieve, “It's not as bad as it looks. When we get back we--”

*CRACK*

The noise came from behind Silver, followed by a pulling feel from around his waste. His bag was ripped from his hip, causing the crystal pouch to fall off and hit the floor while the book pouch was yanked from him.

He quickly followed the bag to the source of the pull, a whip, which lead up to an all too familiar dark yellow pony.

“Hiya Silver sweetie.” the thief called down from a ledge. Silvers bag landed neatly in her hoof while she let a smirk cross her muzzle.

“D.,” Silver growled, “What are you doing here?”

“I here for the same reason you are,” she held up the bag and gave it a rustle, “Thanks for getting this for me. I couldn't touch the book itself, but the bag that holds it is another story. But I must say, I didn't think the rumors were true; that you'd ended up as the pet dog of the Princesses.”

“Wait a sec, are you...” Twilight stepped forward and squinted at the pegasus above. Her coat was a dark yellow, and her mane was monochrome, various shades of gray. “You can't be. Are you...Daring Doo?”

The dark yellow pegasus lifted her head proudly, “That's right! Adventurist, archaeologist, historian and treasure hunter! I'm no other than--!”

“I think you left out thief-for-hire and tomb raider,” Silver interjected. Daring shot him a glare, and Silver gave one back.

Twilight followed the intense stares, “What? What do you mean?”

“Daring Doo isn't just a real pony, Twilight,” Silver spoke with out looking away from the pegasus, “She's a criminal. One with a level 3 bounty on her head at that. The adventures you've read are all real, although they leave out the bit saying that what she does is illegal.”

Daring huffed, “Ha! Like you're one to talk about being a criminal. I might have a level 3 bounty, but that's nothing compared to you, Shinning Fang!”

Silver stepped forward and bared his fangs, “Call me that name again and I'll see to it that you choke on the tongue that uttered those words.”

Twilight froze. She'd heard that name before, or rather, read it, and dread the reputation that came with it. “Silver what does she mean?” Twilight asked, voicing her worry.

“It's not important, Twilight.”

“Not important!” Daring laughed, “Princess Twilight, when you get the chance, ask Silver about his pack, more importantly, it's history and origins. I'm sure he'll tell you the truth. After all, he's been so up front about what he really is so far.”

“QUIET!” the wolf hollered.

“Ooh, scary,” the pegasus mocked, “But, I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut our little reunion short. I do need to get back and hand this over to my employer. But first,” Daring stuffed the covered book into her own saddle bag and produced a small switch upon bringing her hoof back out, “All little farewell firework show.”

Silvers eyes shot open when he realized what she was holding, “Every pony, move now!” The wolf bent down and grabbed his bag in a quick movement.

CLICK

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A series of explosions erupted from the ceiling, causing a large hole to be blown in the roof and rubble to come crashing down. 

It took only moments for Daring to slip out from her exit, while Silver and the others bolted for the entrance they came in from.

“Keep moving! This cave is coming down!” Silver yelled as he dashed through the tunnels. The mares behind him followed closely as the cave shook and rocks tumbled. The group continued to run, barely out maneuvering the falling debris as they darted through the cave.

Left, then right, then another right, then left. Silver weaved through the labyrinthine tunnels as the mares blindly followed, attempting to not get crushed. 

With each turn, even the mares could feel the change in the air. It was getting cooler and fresher, until eventually, they emerged on a cliff side of one of the mountains, looking out over the dark valley. Night had fallen, and the stars accompanied the moon in the sky.

As they all pushed out of the cave, the exit collapsed, allowing the group pass just in the nick of time. They all collapsed once they safely reached the outside. Silver looked to the sky and let out a long sigh of relief, “We made it.”

“I...wouldn't...celebrate..just yet,” Twilight huffed out in exhausted breathes. She took a moment to steady her breathing before speaking again, “Daring still has the book, and we still don't know whose it was or what it did. We're right back at square one.”

“No,” Silver corrected, “We know that Daring was hired to get the book, so now all we have to do is find her employer.”

“And how do you plan to do that?” Twilight asked skeptically.

Silver gave her a cocky smirk, “Don't worry, I have my ways. For now, we should head home.”

“Finally!” Ruppy groaned as she rose to her hooves, they others doing the same.

Ruppy carried Onyx on her back, while the others flew down, Aerial using her newly found wind magic to support her. Twilight still wondered about her abilities. As an earth pony, she shouldn't have any magic like that, so where did it come from?

...Oh screw it. Right now, she was tired, and decided it was a mystery for another time. 

Once back on the grassy plains of the valley, Aerial led the way back as she knew how to navigate it in the dark. The group slowly made their way back to station and awaited the train.

It was an hour before it arrived, but luckily it was the last one to Canterlot before the trains stopped running for the night. They all boarded and moved to their seats, in the same spots they had before.

Silver promptly rested his head on the window and took a quick nap, Twilight and Onyx doing the same. The only two still awake were Ruppy and Aerial.

“So...” Ruppy began once the others were all sound asleep. Aerial tried not to make eye contact, and her eyes kept flicking between the mare and the floor. Ruppy took notice and rubbed a hoof behind her head, “Look, I know I've been a bit of a bitch to you lately, so I wanna say I'm sorry.”

Aerials eyes stopped flicking between spots and focused on the pegasus across from her as she continued talking, “It's just, you weren't really what I was expecting, and...I don't know. I just feel kinda shitty for the way I treated you. It wasn't right, and...I'm sorry.”

Ruppy hung her head in shame, and a moment of silence passed.

Then, she felt a hoof on her shoulder and looked up to see a smiling Aerial in front of her, “Don't worry about it,” she said soothingly, “To be honest, I was a kind of being a bit of a bitch also, so I'm sorry too.”

Ruppy returned the smile, gazing into the warm light brown eyes of the mare in front of her.

“Huh. She's actually kinda cute, ya know, when she's not about to be crushed under a rock and all.”

“I guess one of us should stay awake to make sure we don't miss our stop,” Aerial suggested and removed her hoof.

“You sleep,” Ruppy offered, “I'm still a little shook up, so I don't think I'll fall asleep anytime soon.”

Aerial donned a worried look, “Are you okay?” she cast her gaze down to the burned hoof.

The pegasus waved a dismissively, “I'm fine. I'm a lot tougher than I look. Don't worry about me, just sleep.” She poked  Aerial back to her seat.

“Well, alright then,” she reluctantly replied, “Just make sure to wake us if you need some thing.”

Ruppy rolled her eyes, but smiled while doing so. She found Aerial to be a kind mare. It would seem her life was becoming filled with kind ponies. Maybe she could actually find some ponies she could call friends, other than Onyx.

Maybe she actually be happy for once.





The group wearily stepped off the train and yawned. It would seem the nap only served to remind them of just how tired they really were.

“Aerial, do you think you could make it back to your place by yourself?” Silver asked, half asleep.

She nodded lazily, then turned and left the station.

“Come on, let's go.”Silver motioned with his head to leave the station, “Twilight, you can stay with us for the night.” 

The alicorn made no protest. She wanted to talk with Silver anyway. The name Daring had called him still worried her, and his response to it didn't help in the least. She knew nothing of the pack Daring mentioned, but she figured that would probably play into the mystery some how as well.

The four of them roamed through the midnight city and reached the castle at around 11:00. The guards allowed them to enter with out issue, and they all made their way to the door Silver used to enter his home.

They all came in and went to wash themselves of the dirt in their coats. Ruppy and Onyx bathed in the same bathroom, one in the tub and the other in the standing shower, while Twilight used the other bathroom. Silver made food for every pony while they were cleaning up.

For the ponies, salads. For Silver, ramen noodles, his childhood favorite.

Onyx was the first to come out, then quickly scarfed down her food and went straight to bed. Ruppy was the next and did the exact same. When they'd gotten out and Silver finished eating, he went to shower as well.  All that was left was...Twilight.

Silver slightly regretted offering to let her sleep over, though he knew he'd still end up having to explain everything. He knew he shouldn't have let her read that book. 

It was a mistake, and one that would cause him to spill the secrets he'd rather keep locked away. But even if she didn't read it, she would have asked about the name anyway, and he would still have to spill. He had no intention of lying to her, nor did he wish to keep secrets. He just didn't bring them up so long as she didn't ask.

But he knew she would.

Silver turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, drying himself off with both his towel and magic, then left the bathroom. He went back into the hall and, as if called by his thoughts, Twilight sat at the table, her bowl polished of it's salad, and her coat a little damp from the water.

Their eyes met for a moment, then broke contact. No one spoke for a moment, and an awkward silence filled the air.

“Silver...I...I want to know. What did Daring mean?” Twilight asked eventually, but gently.

“Twilight please...” Silver begged, “It's late, and we're both tired. Can we talk about this in the morning?” He eyes showed honest exhaustion, and Twilight found herself nodding in agreement.

Silver turned and began to move down the hall, “But...” she called after him. Silver paused and turned around.

“Where am I gonna sleep?”

“You can take my room. I'll just take the couch.”

Silver turned to begin walking again only to stop when he felt a hoof against his back. He turned around once more and saw a fiercely blushing Twilight, whose eyes kept darting around, looking everywhere except for at the wolf.

“It would be wrong of me to kick you out of your own bed. Can't we just, ya know...share?”

She continued to not look at him, the red in her cheeks holding steady, or if not, increasing in color.

Perhaps it was the exhaustion, but Silver made no argument against the notion.

“Sure,” he said and then led the way to his room. As it turned out, it was in the other hall that was in the living room. The hall went forward a short way, then turned left and ended with a door at the far end.

The door opened up to a large room, occupied mostly by the bed. It was fairly larger than any bed she'd seen, and was pushed in the center of the wall opposite off the door. To the left of the bed was a cluttered desk with papers and a journal and to the right was two book shelves, with half of it books on the floor below it.

The bed itself was raised on a one step platform, making it feel more like a throne than a bed. Silver stepped on to the bed and plopped down into the springy goodness, causing the blankets to fly up. Twilight hesitantly stepped onto the bed after him and laid down, making sure to keep her limbs tucked to herself.

That was until she felt a thick warmth fall on top of her. She looked over to find Silver had tossed the blanket over her and was now offering a pair of pillows for her.

Laying on the bed while seeing the wolf next to her reminded her of the warmth that accompanied his presence. The tingling feeling she'd come to adore filled her stomach and she was lost in her infatuation.

The mental exhaustion of the cave, secrets and confusing emotions had clouded her thoughts, and Twilight found herself in full dive toward the wolf. 

She threw her hooves around his neck and pulled herself into his fluff.

“Twilight, what are you--?”

“Please...” she begged, “After everything that's happened today, please just let me have this.”

Silver, while shocked, had no intention of denying the mare any form of comfort she may have needed. The bottom of that lake certainly did do a number on her, and while he was glad it wasn't physical damage, he still knew that was damage dealt to her mind.

Silver laid the pillows he offered under her, then gently place her head on them. He slid a paw through her arms and took her cheek.

“Twilight,” he whispered in her ear, “I'm sorry I put you through this today. I shouldn't have taken you out there, much less hidden the things I have. But I swear to you, if I've hurt you in any way, please tell me so I can make it right.”

Twilight's hooves lessened their grip and her head slid back to look Silver in the eyes.

“You didn't do anything. I insisted I join you when you said you were going to the valley, so any effects I may have because of that lake is my own fault, not yours.”

“But I still didn't protect you like I should have. I failed, and now your mind has been upset because of it.”

Twilight waited for a moment to think, “If you want to make it up to me then explain everything Daring mentioned earlier. I want to know tomorrow. I know I'm prying, and it's none of my business, but please. I want to know. ”

Silver nodded.

“Thank you,” she took her hooves down from his neck and to his chest, wrapping them around him once more, “Now, like you said, my mind's been a bit jumpy thanks to that lake, so can we sleep now?”

Silver let out a light chuckle, “Of course.”

He planted a small kiss on her head, then wrapped his paws around her. Twilight was either too tired to notice or had already fallen asleep because she didn't seem to react to the kiss.

Or maybe, it was something she wanted.

“Silver...”

“My Princess...”
> Silver Lies and Twilight Cries
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“It's so hot...”

The sun beat down onto the grassy plains below, causing Silver to wipe a bead of sweat from his brow. He was in the back fields of the mountain of his home, instructing Ruppy and Onyx on their training.

“Onyx,” He started as he pulled two large, metal bars out of a duffle bag he'd brought with him and held them under his arm, “You'll be learning to fight with dual swords. You can already dual wield, but you lack a style, so I'm gonna teach you one. First, I want you to swing a thousand times.” He  dropped the bars in front of the mare, landing with a heavy thud and clank.

The unicorn raised a brow, flicking her eyes between the wolf and the bars.

“Seriously?” she questioned with a surprising amount of sass in her tone, “Don't you think that's a little much?”

“It's the basics of sword training. If you can't swing a sword properly, then you don't deserve to hold one.” He kicked the bars closer to her.

Onyx sighed and rolled her eyes before wrapping the bars in her magic. They were heavier than she expected, and by far the heaviest think she'd swung.

“Oh wait! I almost forgot,” Silver stepped forward to the floating bars, “You can only levitate them from here down,” Silver used his paw to indicate a spot, about a sixth of the bars full length at the bottom.

The mare shot him an even more confused look, but followed his instructions. She pulled her magic down to where he had pointed, and found it noticeably harder to control the bars. She moved off to an open spot and flung down.

WHOOSH!

The bars broke free of her hold and flew forward, almost hitting an emerging earth pony that came from behind a bush.

“WHAT THE FU--!” the familiar light blue earth pony called as she ducked to avoid a deadly blow.

“Aerial?” Ruppy questioned as she stepped forward for a closer look.

“I think. If my head it still attached, that is.” She stepped out from the bush and walked closer over to Silver and Ruppy while Onyx retrieved her bars and went back to swinging.

“What are you doing here?” the pegasus asked.

“Silver said I should start training with you guys, so here I am!” She beamed brightly.

Ruppy turned and gave Silver a questioning look, “I figured since you all already met, might as well have you all train together. I was going to do this eventually anyway, and besides, it was way too much work to keep running back and to for the three of you.”

Ruppy honestly didn't mind. In fact, she welcomed it. Aerial was a nice pony to have around, and she seemed like they could be friends.

Huh...friends. It was never really something Ruppy bothered with before, but it was mostly because the ponies she'd hung around with scared off most other ponies. Or at least, the normal ones.

“Alright Aerial, I want you to continue your vortex training. You need to hold it for at least three hours. After that, move to the cutting exercises. ” Silver instructed.

Aerial nodded and went off to her own space. She stood for a moment, took a deep breathe in, and back out. The winds began to whip around her and soon a small vortex formed around her body. It was weak, but strong enough to shake the leaves of the surrounding trees.

“And what about me?” Ruppy asked.

Silver smirked, then pulled out a large stack of papers from his duffle bag and a ball of string. He cut off a long piece of the string and moved over to one of the trees. He tied one end to a branch and the other to a piece of paper.

“I want you to punch a hole through that paper. When you do it, I want you to pick up another and do it again, and again and again, until the whole stack is gone.”

“....Really? That's it?” she questioned.

“It's harder than you think.”

Ruppy rolled her eyes and walked up to the hanging paper. She pulled her hoof back and swung. The paper crinkled and crunched against her hoof, but it was still intact.

“The fuck?” She punched once more. The paper didn't change. She punched again, and again, and the paper simply swung with the force of the blow, but never ripped.

“Keep trying!” Silver called over his shoulder as he trotted back towards the house, “I'll be back for you when dinner is ready!”





“Dammit 'Tia, why'd you have to go and make it so hot today?”

Silver stepped warily on to the porch, swaying a little as he became a slightly light headed. He blinked a few times and the feeling went away for the most part, though he could feel a migraine coming on.

He slid the glass door open and stepped inside. It was cooler, but Silver still felt like he was standing in a fire pit. He moved across the living room and to the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the cupboard, then filled it with tea.

“Ah-hem,” a voice cleared. Silver snapped his head up and noticed a lavender horn sticking up from the couch, accompanied by two ears and a purple mane.

“Shit...”

Silver sighed and set his glass down on the counter, then moved in front of the mare on the couch.

Everything was silent for a minute, Silver refusing to look Twilight in the eyes and staring at the ground. He didn't see it, but he could feel her scowling at him.

“So...” he hesitantly began, “Where do you want me to begin?”

Twilight floated a book that rested on top of the couch and placed it on the coffee table in front of her. It's title read, “The Fallen Kings”.

Silver stared at the words on the cover and the regret of loaning her the book filled him. Didn't really make much sense though. After all, how could he know that Daring Doo would show and start spilling secrets?

“How...how much do you know?” Silver asked.

Twilight tightened her glare, then used her magic to flip the book open.

Twilight began, “The Houndlands Territory Wars; a time when the packs were fighting for control over the lands in the west. During that time, a group of four male wolves came into the light. They went by many names, such as the Mutts of Madness, the Dogs of the Damned, the Canines of Chaos, but they were mostly referred  to as the Fallen Kings.”

Silver gulped.

“These four wolves held immense power, enough to rival the Royals of the Emperors, hence their name, and were known for their brutality in combat. The four of them alone slaughtered the packs, even those that weren't fighting. Thousands died at their paws. They put an end to the Territory Wars themselves, but at the cost of every pack in the western region of the country. One of the names of the Fallen Kings was Saber, or as he is more infamously known by his alias on the battlefield, 'The Shinning Fang'.”

Twilight leaned forward and pierced Silvers soul with her dagger eyes, “Is it you?”

Silver hung his head, “Yes...”

Twilights eyes went wide, though Silver couldn't tell if it was from shock or anger. She sat and stared at the wolf for a while, then, dropped the book on the table and she slowly rose from the couch and began to walk to the door.

“Twilight wait! Let me explain!”

“Explain!?” she hissed at him, “Silver, you've killed over a thousand wolves! How can you expect to explain the reasoning behind that?! I don't care if you were in the middle of a war, you're a monster!”

“Twilight please! It was different back then; I was different back then!” the wolf tried to defend.

“Back then!? That's another thing!” Twilight levitated the book back up, “This war was a hundred years ago!”

Silver winced at the comment, his mind overflowing with guilt.

“Do I even want to know about your pack?! You know, the one Daring Doo mentioned? Are they all the same?! How is it that she even knows about this in the first place?! Tell me Silver, what else are you hiding from me!?” Twilight huffed and panted and Silver shrunk down under the mares angry glare.

No one spoke for a while, then Silver lifted his head.

“Twilight, I swear I didn't mean to hide this from you, I just didn't know how to tell you. It's true that I didn't want you to know about my life before, but if you asked I would have told you. I swear on my freedom that I will tell you everything you want to know, just ask me.”

“Fine,” she huffed, “let's start with Saber. Who is he?”

“He's me. It's the name I went by during the war. I don't really know where it came from, but wolves just kept referring to me by Saber, and I figured it was best to use that instead of my real name.”

“And everything you did, why?”

Silver pulled back for a moment, but Twilight only stepped forward, “I...I was bored.”

Twilights eyes shot open again, this time clearly with shock.

“You...you were what?”

Silver didn't speak, but Twilight stepped closer once more, “Silver!”

“I was bored, okay!” Silver hollered, “I know, it's sick and stupid and I massacred hundreds of lives for my own amusement, and I KNOW THAT MAKE ME A MONSTER!!” Silver clenched his teeth and bit his lip as fresh tears filled his eyes and streamed down his cheeks. He turned his head down and refused to look Twilight in the face.

Silence filled the air once more for a long time, but instead of a voice to break the it, it was only the sound of hooves.

They got further away from Silver, and he looked up to see the back of Twilights head walking away.

“You're not a monster....you're something far worse.” she spat back to him, her voice filled disgust. Each step echoed through out the room.

CLOP

“No...”

CLOP

“Please...don't leave....”

CLOP

“Please...don't hate me...”

THUD

The sound caused Twilight to pause and turn her head. Silver laid on the ground behind her, unmoving.

“Silver, if this is some stupid attempt to make me stay, it won't work.”

The wolf still didn't move.

Twilight sighed in frustration and rolled her eyes, “Silver stop it! Get up!”

No response.

She moved back to stand over him, “Silver?” she nudged him with a hoof. His body was incredibly hot and upon looking closer, she couldn't see his chest moving.

“SILVER!”





“SOME PONY!? ANY PONY?!” Twilight screamed down the halls of Canterlot castle as she raced through the interior, a unconscious wolf levitated behind her.

“What is going on out here?” Celestia said as she stepped out of a door. She was met with a wide-eyed, panicking Twilight.

“Celestia, you have to help! Silver passed out and he's not breathing and he has a really high temperature  and I don't know what to do!” she rushed out.

It took only and fraction of a second for the tall alicorn to react. She pushed the door open, “Bring him in and set him on the bed,” she stood aside as Twilight rushed in and placed Silver on a large bed, laying him out on his back.

“Shouldn't we get a doctor?” Twilight asked.

“It would take too long. Star Shine!” Celestia hollered. It took mere seconds for a wolf to drop down from the ceiling.

“What wrong?” the wolf asked. Her fur had a mix of purples and black, and her hair was pulled back into pony tail that laid down her neck, with a lock in front of her eyes. Her wings went from the color of her fur to black at the tips of the feathers/ There was a large bag tied around her waist, with bottles and vials of different colored powders and liquids in the side pockets.

“He's not breathing and has a high temperature,” Celestia informed. Just then, the doors to the room opened and Luna stepped in.

“Sister, what is happening? The guards heard some pony shouting for help,” she asked as she stepped in.

“It's Silver,” Celestia stated, “something's wrong with him.”

“What?!” Luna quickly rushed to the bedside and looked him over.

Star Shine pulled a bottle of blueish-green powder from her bag and sprinkled some down the wolfs throat. She waited a moment, then Silver coughed up the same powder and began to breath again, though it was raggedly and filled with coughs.

Star Shine put the bottle down onto the dresser and placed her ear on Silver chest. His lungs were barely getting enough oxygen, and his body temperature wasn't only making matters worse. 

The wolf pulled yet another bottle from her bag, this one containing a pink liquid. She grabbed the blanket and ripped off a corner, then doused the fabric with the pink substance and threw it over his muzzle. Slowly, his breathing became less ragged and the coughing ceased.

“Okay, now to bring down his temperature,” Star Shine said with a small sigh of relief. She looked across from her to the worried blue alicorn, “Princess Luna, do you know any spells that could help?”

Luna snapped her attention away from the wolf, then thought for a moment. She then quickly used her magic to pull the blanket out entirely from under Silver, the placed her horn to it. A light blue archaic circle appeared on the blanket, then disappeared.

“There, I've enchanted the blanket to remain cold.”

The covers radiated a frosty air when she dropped it on Silvers body and wrapped him in it.

Star Shine went back into her bag and pulled out a small flashlight. She pulled his eyes open and shined the light in. His eyes dilated, a good sign. She placed a paw on his neck and counted the heart beats per minute. His heart was racing, but not to the point where it would cause harm.

Star Shine let out yet another sigh of relief, this one louder than the last, “Okay, he should be alright for now.”

“What happened to him?” Twilight asked.

“I don't know,” Star Shine answered, “There aren't any marks on his body, so he's not injured. The only thing I can think of is an ingested poison, it's the only thing Silver can't defend against. The one way to kill him. It's why he always sniffs his food before eating.” She went onto her bag again and switched the flashlight for a syringe. She pressed it into Silvers arm and drew blood, then put the syringe back into her bag.

“I'm going to go run some test on his blood. Princess Twilight, I want you to come with me,” Star Shine instructed, “Princess Celestia, please call a doctor and have them come put I.V. Bags on Silver and monitor him while I'm gone.”

“Of course,” Celestia answered and left the room. Luna sat and watched the wolf, her eyes never even blinking.

“Hey,” Star Shine said in a comforting tone, “He'll be fine. I've seen him pull through worse.”

Luna broke her gaze from Silver for a moment and looked to the wolf across from her. Her eyes were filled with dread and fear, then returned to Silver.

Star Shine turned and left the room, Twilight following close behind.

“Where are we going?” she questioned.

“To my lab,” Star shine informed, “Now, I need you to tell me what happened when Silver passed out.”

“Umm, we were arguing and I went to leave and then he just collapsed. I went to get him to get up, but he didn't move and then I saw he wasn't breathing, so I wrapped him in my magic and floated him out here to find help.”

The female wolf seemed to know her way around the castle as she kept making swift turns and taking paths even Twilight didn't know existed. They eventually found themselves in the lower levels of the castle, in front of a large oak door.

Star Shine pushed the door open and enter, revealing a huge lab with a large number of different machines and various sets through out it, and a few book cases tucked against the wall.

On a normal day, Twilight would have geeked out, but right now she was too worried to care about the lab.

Star Shine made her way over to what looked like a Mass-Spectrometer. She took out the syringe of blood and squeezed some into a vial, then placed it into the machine. She pressed a few buttons and the machine whirred on. She then walked across the room and grabbed a number of books off of a shelf then moved over to an empty table.

“What are you doing? And, who are you?” Twilight asked as she followed the wolf.

“I'm Star Shine, the wolf from Houndland that protects Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Now, if you don't mind, I'm trying to identify the poison that is killing my pup hood friend four floors up.”

Twilight slumped back and folded her ears against her head.

Star Shine stopped flipping through the books and looked up, “Look, I'm sorry I snapped, but I don't have time to explain things right now,” she went back down to her book and began flipping rapidly through the pages.

When she finished with one book, she tossed it aside and grabbed another, and another and another.

Twilight, seeing that she was of no use at the moment, left the room. Her mind was in a daze and she found herself wondering the halls aimlessly. Her thoughts were plagued with the last moments of her argument with Silver.

“You're not a monster...you're something far worse.”

The words rang and echoed through her conscious, filled with spite and loathing

“Why did I say that? I didn't mean it...did I? I knew he must have taken lives since he's a solider, but the sheer number alone is terrifying, and his reason...it's sick! To kill so many for fun, it's- it's just—UGH!

...but...why do I feel so betrayed? I know I'm angry at him, and I can never forgive what he's done.

But...why does this hurt so much?”

(Well Twilight, it's hard to love some pony and hate them at the same time...)

A fresh stream of tears wet her eyes and cheeks as the thoughts continued to resound in her head.  

“Twilight?” a warm voice called from in front, causing the smaller mare to lift her head. She looked up and saw Celestia standing before her. The alicorn peered down at the mare, Twilight's eyes filled with what looked like guilt and regret, “Twilight, my dear, what's wrong?”

“What's wrong?!” she said in a raised voice, “Silver is dying!”

Celestia pulled herself back and shrunk a little. It was a bit of a dumb question, but she didn't expect Twilight to snap like that.

Twilight quickly recoiled and corrected her voice level and tone, “Celestia, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get so upset. It's just, we were arguing before he passed out and I—I just...” Twilight struggled to choke back her weeps.

Celestia wrapped a wing around the upset alicorn and brought her into a warm embrace, “There, there Twilight. Silver will be fine. I'm sure once he wakes up, you two will talk it out and everything will be okay again.”

“But what if he's not?” Twilight looked up to Celestia, “What if he doesn't make it? He'll die and-and the l-last thing I had said to h-him is that he's worse than a m-monster.” Her tears streamed down her cheeks and dropped to the floor, “I'll never get a chance to say I'm sorry.”

Celestia put her hoof under Twilights chin, “Twilight why would you say something like that?”

“Because...because of his past.,” She sniffled, “You don't know the things he's done.”

Celestia stiffened and hesitated before speaking, “But I do,” the white alicorn corrected, “I know what Silver did all those years ago. And you're right, his actions were horrible. But he is not who he was back then. He has changed, and he's not the demon you make him out to be.”

“But he still--”

“Twilight, if you believe that Silver is a monster, then you must believe Luna is still Nightmare Moon.”

Twilight cocked her head, “What? No, I-I don't. I know Luna's changed! We used the Elements of Harmony to change her back!”

“Then why can you not believe that Silver has changed? What he did happened a hundred years ago, and you mean to say that in all that time, you don't think Silver corrected himself?”

“Luna didn't kill over a thousand ponies because she was bored!”

“No, but she did try to plunge the world into eternal night out of jealousy. That, Twilight, would have had a far worse affect on the world than what Silver did. I'm not excusing his actions, but I'm asking you, please try to be a little more understanding. Let him explain everything with a clear mind.”

Twilight couldn't believe it. Celestia, the most just and loving of all the ponies she'd met, was asking her to forgive an inexcusable and unprovoked act of mass murder.

“But why? Celestia, why would you ask me to do something like this?”

“Twilight, believe me, when I first heard of what Silver did during the Territory Wars, I was appalled. I sought out Silver and demanded he tell me everything. And when he did, I felt much of what you're feeling now; betrayal, but also heart-break. The Silver I knew was not capable of such things, and the fact that he admitted to do them broke my heart even more. And then he explained. I know you must be terribly confused at what that means, but I'm afraid it's not my place to tell you. So when Silver wakes up, I want you to ask him to explain what his life and the country was like when he killed those wolves. After that, if you still do not wish to accept him, then you can have him sent back to Houndland.”

The thought of banishing Silver pierced Twilights heart. Would she be able to do it? To send back the wolf she'd come to know, the wolf she grew to love. But if she didn't, she'd have to accept who he is and what he did; to forgive his actions and move past it.

It would seem this talk only furthered her internal turmoil. The smaller alicorn pulled out of the embrace, “Thank you Celestia. I need to get back to Star Shine.” she said wistfully. Her steps were slow and somber as she moved past the older alicorn.

The white mare let Twilight go, her heart breaking as she saw the pained expression grow on her face as she walked away. She knew she had only caused further damage to Twilights heart, but if she could just talk with Silver, then maybe she would understand. Forgiveness was a bit of a long shot, but she desperately wanted for the two to make up. She couldn't bare to see her old students heart torn asunder between keeping her first love and accepting what she believed to be a monster.





Twilight wondered through the halls once more, her mind in more of a frenzy than it was before. She slowly but surely made her way back to the lab. She pushed the door open and entered to see that Star Shine had not moved an inch, and the pile of books she'd finished reading had only grown larger.

The wolf sighed in frustration and rubbed her temples, “Nothing!” 

Just then, the Mass-Spectrometer beeped and Star Shine shot up from her seat and ran over to it. She plucked the vial out from the machine and took a small bit of the blood in to a pipette, then placed that blood onto a glass slide and looked at it under a microscope.

Star Shine didn't say anything for a while, causing Twilight to worry.

“Did you find something?” the alicorn asked.

“There's nothing,” she answered, “Silvers blood is fine.”

“What? I thought you said he was poisoned.”

“I said he might have been poisoned. There must be something else then...Princess, during the last few days with Silver, have you seen him come into contact with anything strange?”

“Um..no, not that I can think of. Other than that valley, Silver hasn't done anything out of the ordinary, except for grab what he called Black crystals.”

“The crystals are harmless. But what's this valley you're talking about?”

“We went to a valley in the Galloping Gorge yesterday to look for a magic object. We found it, but it got stolen by some pony else.”

“Hmmm,” the wolf hummed, “Some thing must have happened in there that put Silver in this state. You said you didn't see anything, and if Silver got afflicted then he clearly didn't know about it either, otherwise he would have come straight to me. We need to go back and look at where you all went.”

“We can't. When we search the valley, we split up, so I don't think any pony knows where Silver was looking or what he may have come into contact with. And the cave where the book was got blown up.”

Star Shine furrowed her brow, “Come on, think!” she said to herself, “I need to find away to see what Silver saw, to feel what he felt, to smell what he-- I got it!”

Twilight only looked in confusion.

“Princess Luna!” she exclaimed. She turned and bolted out of the lab, back up the floors and bust into the room, Twilight just a few moments behind her. It was now filled with more ponies; 9 more to be exact.

Twilights friends had joined, along with two doctors that Star Shine had requested, and Celestia.

“I told you're friends, Twilight,” the white alicorn informed, “They said they wanted to come too, so I teleported them here along with the doctors, ” 

“Good, you're all here too. I'm gonna need your help,” Star Shine said as when went over to Luna.

“Princess Luna, I need you to do something. I want you to send me and three others into Silvers memories so we can find out what happened to him.”

Luna pulled back, “No. Silver told me to never invade his memories again! I won't do it.”

“Princess please,” the wolf begged, “If you don't, Silver may die. The only way I can figure out what put Silver in this state is if I was there, but I wasn't, so I need to experience what he did.”

Luna eyes widened as she grasped the situation. She'd much rather break her promise than let him die, but he certainly wasn't going to be happy when he woke up. Oh well, maybe her surprise might keep him in a good mood, “Fine. But please, anything you find in there, you must keep to yourself.”

Star Shine nodded, “I know. Now, who's coming with me?” She turned to face the six mares behind her, all of which were confused.

“Okay, look we don't have a lot of time. I am going to go into Silvers mind and flip through his memories to find out what happened to him, but I can't do it by myself since it would take too long, so I need three others to come along to help look.”

After hearing the explanation, the first pony to step forwards was Twilight, “I'll help you.”

“Great!”

The next two to step forward were Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

“Ah' don't much like the idea of invading some pony's privacy like this, but Ah' reckon we don't got much choice. Silver will get over it anyway if it'll help save his life.”

“Let's just go!” Rainbow rushed, “The longer we wait, the less time we have!”

Star Shine looked to Luna, who nodded to proceed, “Every pony, please clear the room. If you're in here when I cast the spell, you'll be pulled in too.” Luna spoke.

The doctors and every pony else shuffled out of the room and closed the doors behind them. Twilight, Star Shine, Rainbow and Applejack all gathered around Luna.

“Before we do this, I must warn you” she said in a grave tone, “The spell I'm going to use isn't going to allow you to observe Silvers memories, but instead experience them as he did. You'll see what he saw, smell what he smelt and feel what he felt. Both physically and emotionally. You will hear his thoughts, and know any memories he may have recalled at that time. You will become Silver.”

Twilight swallowed hard, but nodded along with the rest.

“Very well, then let's begin.”

Luna lowered her head and white and blue aura wrapped her horn. White threads spread from it, connecting to each of their heads, and one to Silvers.

They all felt a violent jolt run through their bodies and a head splitting pain in their minds as their consciousnesses were ripped then plunged into blackness.


> A Peek in the Past Leaves Ponies Aghast
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Going into the mind of another is never a pleasant experience. There's the confusion of finding out how the memories are sorted, the awkwardness of stumbling upon buried secrets and also the mind splitting agony that accompanies the spell that you use to enter the mind.

The very same mind splitting agony Princess Luna had so conveniently forgot to mention.

It was only there for a brief moment, but it certainly left its mark on the ones who experienced it. The moment of pain was over, however, and the three ponies and wolf found themselves in an outlandish place.

They were standing on still water that reflected their images below and above there was a bright blue daylight sky littered with a few clouds.  In front of them were several doors, all of different sizes and colors.

Several hundred doors.

Several hundred thousand doors.

Among the empty space were trees, though they had no leaves. Twilight observed the area they had appeared in.

“Where are we?” she asked.

“Silvers mind. Where else?” the wolf retorted.

Rainbow Dash poked a hoof at the water below, causing ripples to be sent out, “Um, what's up with this place? It's like some weird fairy tale, where the adventurer gets a magic pair of boots that lets him walk on water.”

Star Shine dragged her paw across the surface, then lifted it to examine. It was still dry, and from what she felt, her claws didn't push through the water.

“Hmm, I think it's a barrier,” She proposed, “I can't see through it and it doesn't seem like you can push through. But that's not important right now. We need to start flipping through Silvers memories and find out which one tells what happened to him.”

“But how are we supposed to do that?” Twilight questioned, “We don't even know where his memories are.”

Star Shine gave her a flat stare and pointed a paw at the doors before them.

“Oh..” the alicorn mumbled, “But it would still take too long! By the time we even got through a tenth of these doors, Silver would...would...” She hesitated to say the dreadful word.

“Twilight, time doesn't exist in here,” Star Shine informed, “Think about it. When you recall a memory, it takes only a fraction of a second for you to remember the whole day, or at least the vital information. We're moving at the same speed. We'll experience the memories at the same pace Silver did, but the time outside of here will move much slower. We have all the time in the world.”

Twilight thought for a moment, then something struck her as odd.

“You seem to know an awful lot about this,” Twilight said with a bit of suspension.

“Of course I do. This isn't the first time I've done this,” Star Shine retorted without a hint of shame.

Behind her, Rainbow Dash began to snicker, then fell out in a loud laugh.

“What's so funny?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow waved a dismissive hoof, “Oh nothing.”

Then a small white cloud came down and hovered over her head. An image appeared in the fluff, one of Twilight laying on top of Star Shine in a very sexual manner, and their previously spoken words forming in a speech bubble.

Twilight turned red as an apple, and Star Shine snickered, “Well I guess you can take it like that too. It's true either way.”

“Rainbow!” Applejack scolded.

“Huh?” Rainbow Dash looked up and saw the image on the cloud, “Oh horse apples.” She frantically waved her hooves in to the cloud and make it dissipate, a blush as red as the streaks in her mane formed on her cheeks, “I swear I didn't know that would happen.”

Star Shine continued her laugh, “I guess Silvers mind is connected to ours just as much as we are to his. I suggest you all try to keep your thoughts and imagination under control.”

They all nodded and turned back to the doors, “Well, better get started then,” the wolf finished and the four of them moved on to their own doors.

Twilight moved to an old, worn out looking door. It had a faded paint of blue and what looked like streaks where the paint had gotten wet while it was drying.

Rainbow had moved up to a red door. There was nothing that really stood out about it, other than it looked incredibly heavy.

Applejack approached a red door as well, only this one was shiny and newer looking than the one Rainbow had picked.

Lastly, Star Shine went up to a blue door. It was simple and made of oak.

They all looked to one another once more, giving each other assuring eyes, then open the doors and stepped inside.





Star Shine had gotten the lucky draw. She was in the memory of Silver while he was in the cave back in the valley. Silver had just rounded a corner and came upon the large dome room, where the stone pedestal held the grimoire. 

“This is probably trapped.”

Silver stepped into the room, but felt something surge through his body, causing him to let out a shiver. He couldn't tell, but Star Shine could feel something wrong. Something had forced it's way into Silver, but not into his body, but rather his mind.

For just a moment, a thought flashed through Silvers head,

“It's wrong to steal. We should just leave.”

That was all Star Shine needed to know. Silver would never think twice about stealing an ancient item, unless it was rumored  to be cursed. Whatever that surge was had attempted to plant thoughts into Silvers head into an effort to convince him to leave. A very silly thing to try.

Silver did what he wanted, and Star Shine knew that. Any attempt to change his mind rarely ever worked, so much so that even something like magic held little to no influence over him. Of course, that didn't mean it could try.

The spell was probably still active, and currently trying to battle Silvers own desires, which can lead to physical injuries. And since in this case magic was involved, the physical effects would be much greater, hence the stopping of his breathing and the fever.

Star Shine continued to watch the memory through, discovering that Twilight figured out his past from Daring Doo, and all the way to the exit of the cave, at which the memory ended. Star Shine was pulled back into a darkness, then came tumbling out of the door she went into.

“Well, that was easier than I'd thought,” she said as she stood up, “and it seems Silver isn't in as much danger as I thought he'd be. Now, let's go pull the...other...girls...out.”

Star Shine stopped and looked around, forgetting immediately which doors the mares had wondered into.

“Shit.”





Twilights body was cold, frozen stiff with numbness. Her throat was dry and constricting, like she'd just got done coughing hard for ten minutes straight. It took her a second to remember that what she was feeling was not through her own body, but Silvers.

She was looking out over a cliff in the middle of the night. The stars twinkled and the moonlight fluttered through the spaces between the clouds. A bone chilling breeze would come by every once in a while and ruffle the wolf body her mind was inhabiting. It would seem that even Silver could experience feeling cold, despite his thick, warm fur.

It was strange being in the body of a wolf, or perhaps maybe it was because it was Silver. Everything felt so intense; the smells, the sounds, the lights. Everything was amplified ten fold.

"Is this how Silver sees the world?"

But perhaps the strangest thing of all was the wolfs thoughts. His mind was lost, so much so that Twilight could tell he didn't register the biting cold he was sitting in. He ignored it, his mind focused on one, soul thing.

“Lily...”

That name.

Twilight didn't know such a pain could be brought by mentioning one simple name. Though in this case, the name may not have been so simple, or at least, not for Silver.

No, this name shattered every fiber of his being. It tore his soul to shreds and shattered his heart, stomping on the remaining pieces until there was nothing left but sand to be blown away in the winds of despair. It made the cold air disappear and feel like nothing.

Twilight was lost in this onrush of emotions. So much pain filled his head and heart, and she was sure that her body, the real pony body, was flooding with tears.

Twilight felt a wet stream roll down her cheek, and a choke in her throat. Her view of the night sky was blurred and the lights of the stars began to blend together.

The wolf was crying...

Thoughts and memories raced through her mind, images of blood and screams filled her head. It was all to much. So much pain filled her that she couldn't make sense of it all, save for one moment. A single, powerful memory was burned into his mind, refusing to leave no matter how much both he and Twilight demanded it to.

It was Silver, looking down at his paws, as they were caked and soaked in blood. She could swear she felt the heart of Silver stop for a few beats.

“What's happening?! What is this?! Why does this hurt so much!?”

Silvers heart ached and screamed, and Twilight could feel hers doing the same. This was what Luna had warned them of. She was feeling every single thing Silver did.

“Silver...he-he lived through this? He stills lives with this pain in his heart? How? How in the name of Celestia can some pony live with this?!”

Amid all of the emotions, she could noticed something change. Silvers mouth opened, and while his throat struggled to, he managed to produce a voice.

Twilight could hear music in his head, playing a soft guitar tune. It was beautiful and heart wrenching.

“There's no one in town I know,
But you gave us some place to go,
I never said thank you for that,
Thought I might get one more chance.”

Dear Celestia, his voice. It wasn't just smooth, but filled with ever feeling he could muster. This song, these words, the raw emotion it all produced; it broke Twilight. Love, joy, sadness, regret, guilt; so many emotions concentrated on that one name.

Many more flashes of memories came to Silver, and so to Twilight as well. Images of Silver watching a wolf smile and laugh among her friends. So many smiles, and each one only brought more tears.

Twilight couldn't handle it anymore. Silver, the wolf she loved, had experienced something so horribly heart breaking that he was able to produce a song that could make the heavens themselves shed tears, ones of beauty and sorrow.

Whoever this Lily was, she meant more to Silver than Twilight could ever hope to understand. She needed to leave; this wasn't something she needed to know. This was beyond personal, and clearly left a deep scar on Silver.

The song ended, and with it, so did the memory. Twilight was pulled into a blackness once more.

She came fumbling out of the door, crashing to the ground after a few steps and the door closed behind her.

Twilight buried her head in her hooves, the tears still coming as the memories were fresh in her mind. She could still feel the pain Silver had, and I haunted her heart.

“Princess Twilight! There you are!” The wolf walked towards the mare on the ground, “Hey I found the--” Star shine took notice of the emotional state the sobbing alicorn was in, “Princess, what's wrong? What did you see?”

Twilight didn't answer at first, only shaking her head, but then spoke between sobs, “I don't w-want to be in h-here anymore. We s-should have never c-come h-here. We need to leave the first c-chance we g-g-get.”

Star Shine looked down at the mare. She couldn't even being to list the possible things Twilight could have seen. After all, Silver didn't exactly have an easy life.

Star Shine nodded, “Okay. As soon as the others get back, we'll leave. I already found what we were looking for anyway.”





Pain.

That seems to be the theme of these memories so far. For Twilight, it was emotional. But for Rainbow Dash, unfortunately, it was physical.

She couldn't feel anything but pain. She could feel the stinging cold of the snow, but compared to everything else, that was pleasant.

Silvers body was broken, beaten, cut, bruised, stabbed, burned.

Rainbow was sure that if there was a way to inflict pain, Silver was feeling it. His bones had been shattered. His chest, back and neck torn to shreds by various gashes and piercings. His skin and fur were horribly burned on his legs. Everything else was one big bruise, and his body was losing far too much blood.

The stench certainly didn't help either. The coppery smell of the blood mixed with the smell of charred flesh made her stomach twist. The blood had dried into his fur and became sticky and crusty while still being incredibly thick. She could even taste the blood in his mouth, making her wish she could hurl every time he swallowed.

Silvers sight was beyond blurry, and even loosing color, though there was not much color to see. The snow had covered most of everything, though Rainbow could still make out the shape of trees in a dense forest.

Each crunch of Silvers steps in the snow shot an agonizing pain through out his body, and reverberated into Rainbows. With every step, she could feel his body getting heavier and slower, though he never stopped walking.

And through all the screaming pain, Rainbow could feel his heart. He was...happy.

Even though each step brought tremendous pain, it also brought a bright joy.

“Just a little further. If I can make it home, then it'll be fine. So long as I can see them just one more time, then it would all be worth it.”

Rainbow felt a flash of peace and tranquility rush over her as Silver recalled fond memories. Ones of his friends enjoying a large meal together, smiling and talking like one big, happy family.

This tranquility, this acceptance of his fate crushed the hitch hiking pegasus. How could he be so accepting of this when he knew he was about to die? How could he be so damn happy?

The trek continued for another few minutes, the bittersweet joy filling Silver even more as he approached a large tree. A thought flashed through Rainbows mind. Something was important about that tree.

Silver walked closer, each step feeling like it took an eternity for his paw hit the ground. Finally, he reached the trunk. He dug his weak, broken and burned paws at the snow at the base, uncovering a bag. Inside, he pulled out a small, blue crystal.

He put it in his mouth, and bit down as hard as he could. There was a white flash, then the cold disappeared. Rainbow found herself looking at a room, and it was one that filled Silvers heart with a warm, nostalgic feeling. It appeared to be a living room, very plush furniture and with a nice fire place in front of the couch.

On said couch, along with seven others scattered around the room, was a wolf. Silver lit up when he saw their faces.

“I'm back,” he wearily said, then dropped to the floor.

“Silver?” the wolf from the couch called, “Silver!”

She jumped off the couch and ran over to the wolf, wrapping her arms around him. Silver struggled to lift his head, but managed to look the wolf in the face.

She was beautiful, with blinding white fur and stunning azure blue eyes. But her expression was the one thing that brought down Silvers joy of returning home.

“For Emperors sake, Silver what happened?” she asked.

Silver coughed and blood shot through his lips, “You were right, dragons are one the most powerful creatures in the world.”

The wolf went wide eyed, fear and horror plastered on her face “You...you didn't. Silver, tell me you didn't go by yourself!”

Silver gave a weak smile, “I didn't want us to all have to go together, and risk more than one of us getting killed, so I handled it myself.”

The white wolf bit her lip and turned to face away.

“Don't look like that,” he said softly. The other wolves had gathered at his side, and they all wore the same scared look the white wolf did. “Please, I don't wanna see you guys sad...I want the last thing I see to be the smiles of the family I love. So please...smile. Let me see it just one last time.” Silver flashed his same charming smile that he always did.

The wolf holding him broke into tears and sobbed, but lifted her head and looked at Silver...

...smiling. They all did. It was a smile filled with sadness, but also joy. It was just like Silver to put his friends before himself. They were the one thing he always came back to. The place he called home.

Rainbow felt his heart light up with joy, “Thank you for this love you've all given me. I only wish I was around long enough to return it ten fold.”

Rainbow felt Silvers head drop, “Oh well. At least I got one last hurrah. But...I think Imma....nap now.”
His body became cold, and as his consciousness faded, Rainbow was certain of one thing.

He was still smiling.





Rainbow came tumbling out of the door, her body shivering and eyes wide.

“Rainbow, are you okay?” Twilight asked as she approached her. She went to put a hoof on the pegasus' back, only to have the mare jump away. She had a wild crazy look in her eyes, along with tears.

“Rainbow, it's okay. It was just a memory, remember?” 

The cyan mare slowly calmed down. Her eyes grew back to their normal size, but the tears were still present.

“We need to leave now,” she said after a while.

Twilight nodded her head in agreement, “I know. We just need A.J. to get back, then we can go.”

Rainbow Dash nodded her head slowly, then sat down on the floor, her eyes never leaving the reflection of the water.

Twilight wanted to ask what she saw, but felt like it would only be intruding on Silver more than they already were, and also cause Rainbow more pain.

She moved over to her friend, slowly sat herself  down and wrapped the pegasus in a gentle wing hug. Rainbow twitched on contact, allowed the embrace to continue.

What little comfort it did give her was all Twilight could offer.





An army.

Applejack was staring down an army.

Well technically Silver was, but since she was riding front seat she might as well have been the one standing in front of them by herself.

Yep, by herself.

The entire army marched forward, at least 600 in total, and headed straight for her. Silvers thoughts crossed her mind, and she new they were coming for war.

In his thoughts, however, there was also excitement. The wolf felt giddy looking at the army as it closed in on him. He could barely contain himself.

“Hehehehe, this is nice! This is what I'm talking about! A real challenge, finally! No more of these little pussy wanna-be alphas, but a fully trained army. Oh, I'm gonna enjoy every moment of this.”

Something was weird about the sound of his thoughts. It had an accent. A Houndish accent.

Silver took to the sky, and Applejack felt her heart sink to her stomach. For one, she wasn't used to flying, but she was also terrified of what was about to happen.

She wasn't worried for Silver, but rather the wolves coming to him. Upon first seeing the army, Applejack had an inkling that maybe her dream from the hospital wasn't just a dream. But this confirmed it. Silver had lied about what Applejack asked him about, and he had killed over a thousand soldiers. This would just be the bulk of that thousand, and she was sure many more would come, if they hadn't already.

Silver flew above the clouds, using them as cover for his approach. He got closer to the army until he hovered right over the front line. He looped around and plummeted down through the clouds, descending in a rapid nose dive.

He crashed into the ground, and sent the warriors flying back with the force of the landing. Applejack could feel the power ripple through the body of the wolf. The strength, the speed, the magic, the intelligence. It was all there. She quickly understood how it was that Silver was capable of killing such an absurd number of wolves. From what she could tell, his power rivaled that of the dragons.

“Well, now that you're all here, what do you say we play a little?” Silver broke out a cocky grin as the soldiers stood back up. They all brought out spears and weapons as the circled around Silver.

Silver stretched out his wings, and Applejack could feel an energy run through his body. His wings shone, and a light passed over them. With each part the light touched, Silvers wings became clad in armor. His wings had become blades.
“Come. Show me your skills.”

They all lunged at Silver, their spears and swords coming at him full force, but in a quick movement, Silver spun in a circle and sliced the blades off, and the wolves that were holding them.

The wolves behind the circle took a step back.

“Oh, retreating are we? Alright then, I'll come to you.”

Silver kicked off in a fast break, zigzagging through the crowd and slicing down enemies by the dozen. None of them could keep up with Silvers incredible movements, though for Applejack, everything seemed to slow.

Silvers eyes were keeping up with his rapid movements as he bobbed and weaved, making the experience all the more detailed for Applejack. She could feel as his wings sliced through the armor and flesh, as the blood seeped through his metal feathers and splashed onto his coat.

It was sickening, but she could feel the thrill Silver was experiencing. It was the battle he loved. The idea of battling powerful opponents, to push himself beyond his limits filled him with excitement, and this army was going to do just that.

Silver stopped darting around when his wing blade was finally deflected. He came to a skidding halt as he looked to the one who stopped him.

The wolf was clad in armor, and although he didn't have wings, but he was considerably larger than Silver.

“Oh? And who might you be?” Silver asked.

“Captain Quake of the 39th ,” the wolf responded, “And you?”

“I'm Saber, the Shinning Fang. I'm honored to have this battle,” Silver bowed his head in respect, and Quake did the same.

As they raised their heads, both began to take their positions. They waited, still as statues in the middle of a battle, neither wanting to make the first move.

But some one had to, so Silver took the lead. He dashed forwards and brought his wing in front of him, then slashed at the Captain. He jumped back and spun on his front paws, swinging his back legs at Silver only to have him duck and slice at Quakes front legs holding him up.

Quake pushed off the ground and jumped high into the air.

“Now you'll see why why call me Quake,” the wolf captain began to fall with great speed, but then...

There was a quick flash, and the Captains body went limp in mid air as a figure appeared behind him, “You should know better than to go into the air while fighting a wolf with wings.”

The body of the Captain fell to the ground as a corpse, and Silver continued to hover above the army.

“Huh, powerful but not bright. I can only hope the other captains don't disappoint me,” Silver floated back down and landed among the army once more, “Now, whose next?”





Three days. That was the duration of the battle.

Silver fought non-stop for three full days, and Applejack had to live through it. The lower ranked soldiers weren't much of a challenge, but the 15 captains Silver encountered left an impression, both on  his body and memory. 

It all came down to one last regiment, about thirty or so wolves. But among them was one Silver was particularly excited about. Through out the days, he'd been searching for this wolf, the one who lead the army.

The admiral.

He was here, and Silver knew it. This last platoon had something unique about them. Each one was a master in their own right, and among them there was a beast. One with claws and fangs like no other that was on the battlefield.

“WHERE ARE YOU, ADMIRAL?!” Silver called across the field. 

A black wolf with a white underbelly stepped forward. She was smaller than Silver, about Twilights size, and around her paws there was a strange blue light, flickering like a flame. The same light appeared on her ears and the tip of her tail.

“You called?” she said as she came closer, “You've certainly made a mess of my wolves. I hope you're ready to pay the price.”

Through Silver, Applejack could feel the power emitting from the wolf. The amount of magic was suffocating, but Silver still grinned.

He'd finally found some one who could match his strength.

“I don't suppose you could ask your men to leave. I've killed enough today, and would hate to put an end such promising lives.”

The wolf turned her head and spoke to her men, “Go home. I'll not let you die at the claws if this monster.”

Her men glared at Silver, and stood firm in defiance, “We won't abandon you!” one called.

“And you would rather stay and face him? He's killed over a five hundred of us, and you still believe you can win?”

“It's not about winning!” the wolf called back, “We'll not abandon our Alpha! 'Loyal to the end'! That is the way of the wolf!”

“Spoken honest and true,” Silver said to himself. Applejack felt a spark of honor ignite in him, and could tell he decided.

“Very well,” he said as he took his stance, “I find your determination quite endearing! I won't belittle your resolve, so I won't be holding back!” Silver flared his wings and his magic erupted, becoming similar in power to the admirals.

“Come! Let's end this!” he called, and rushed forward. The admirals eyes glowed and torrents of water appeared out of the air, rushing at Silver. He brought his wings up and cut through one, but was crushed by the other. The pressure of the water had fractured his ribs, though he was still able to stand.

The admirals soldiers rushed forward, and each took a swing at Silver. They were strong and refined, but were still cut down one by one.

Silver broke through the onrush, and charged back at the admiral. Amid his dash, a blue magic circle appeared below him and a pillar of water shot up and caught him from below, sending him into the air. The wind was knocked out of him, but Silver managed to correct his positioning.

Silver flared his wings and gave them a powerful flap, and a tunnel of wind appeared, shooting down at the admiral. She jumped off to the side, but didn't get away unscathed as a large cut appeared on her hind leg.

“You can cut with wind?” she questioned, “I though wind magic could only create powerful gust and tornadoes.”

Silver broke his cocky grin once more, “Normally you can't, but I've figured out a way to make blades of wind. Let's see if you can figure it out.”

Silver brought his wings together once more in a flap, and this time dozens of individual sharp winds came forth and crash down on the admiral.

She managed to dodge them for the most part, though received some mild cuts in return.

Silver sucked his teeth and came back down to the ground. The soldiers came up behind him, though they were cut down with a flick of his wing, his wind blades making quick work of them.

Silver bolted forward once more, this time bringing his wings together in front of him, and then sliced before ever reaching the admiral. A long blade of wind came forth and flew at the admiral, catching her off guard as she barely had enough time to avoid a fatal blow, but still received heavy damage.

She jumped back and put distance between the two of them, “Now I see. You form the wind on the shape of the blades of your wings. It gives them an edge instead of making a push.”

Silver smiled, “That's right. But I'm afraid you don't quite understand everything.” 

“No, you don't understand everything. I can make blades of water as well!” A liquid blade formed by her side and shot out, cutting Silver clean across his chest.

Silver jumped back and added to the distance between the two as he caught his breath.

“Well, I'll admit I should have seen that coming,” he said as he panted a little. Applejack could feel the blood trickle down his chest and to underbelly where it began to drip. Silver flapped his wings once more and another tunnel made of wind blades formed in front of him, and the admiral made the same only made one of water.

The swirling masses of cuts collided head on and the surrounding earth was shredded and sliced a thousand times. The forces dissipated, and the two stood staring one another, both beaten and bloody.

Silver smiled from ear to ear. This wolf was just what he was looking for, and he knew there was only one way to win, “I said I wouldn't hold back, so I'll show you one last secret,” Silver flapped his wings once more as the air swirled around him and focused into a single point.

“Blades of wind aren't the only thing I've learned to make,” the center where the winds were gathering began to glow white. A small ball of energy formed, and continued to grow larger as more winds came.

The admirals eyes shot wide open as she yelled to her men, “RUN! RETREAT! GET AWAY FROM HERE AS FAST AS YOU CAN!”

Her men were confused, but seemed to follow orders this time. They abandon the fight just as Silver took off high into the air. The ball of energy had grown larger, but was still only about the size of his head.

“He's making plasma. Concentrating high speed winds into a single point, until it becomes energy.  It will annihilate everything.”

Silver lifted his jaws where the plasma was centered, then flung the ball of energy down at the admiral.

“Obliteration”

A huge white sphere erupted and ripped the land apart. Building sized chunks of the ground flew into to the sky and across the lands. The fleeing soldiers were caught in the blast and erased.

The explosion itself lasted for about 30 seconds, and once it ended Silver glided down and went to the admiral, who was laying on the ground, half dead and beaten to exhaustion.

“She's still alive? Huh, she may have beaten had I not used that. She really is just what I was looking for.”

Silver leaned down and spoke into the wolfs ear, “I'm sorry for the lives of your men, but I must say, this battle was one of the best I've ever had the chance to enjoy.” Silver scoped up the unconscious wolf and put her on his back, “You'll not die yet. I won't allow it. Even if you don't come back and fight me later, your life is far to precious to waste. After all, you've made me fall for you. Even if you hate my guts after, that won't change.”

Applejack had forgotten she was in a memory, she was startled when she was pulled out. She tumbled out of the door and fell flat on her face.

“Applejack! You're back! You've been in there for hours!” Twilight called as she ran up and hugged the earth pony.

“Hours?” she questioned, “That memory was three days long.”

“Three days!?” Twilight exclaimed, “You lived through three whole days of Silvers memories?!”

“Yeah,” the earth pony sighed, “It was...well lets just say Silver has some explaining to do. But it wasn't the memory of Silver getting sick, so we need to keep searching.”

“No, Star Shine already found the memory,” Twilight informed, “Now we just need to get back.”

“Oh, okay. But just how are we supposed to do that?”

“Star Shine said she knows a spell. Come on, she and Rainbow are waiting for us.”

Applejack nodded and followed Twilight. She was glad to leave, and as was every pony else. It would seem Star Shine was the only one who had not encountered Silvers not so pleasant memories.

The two made their way through the labyrinth of doors until they reach the spot where they had first entered Silvers mind, a blank area where the doors seemed to stop.

“Good, you're okay!” Star Shine greeted, “Now we can leave. Come over here.”

Star Shine gestured a paw for the mare to gather. They grouped up into a circle and Star Shine lowered her head and closed her eyes.

DESTERRAR

She said loud and clear. There was a bright flash, and the same mind crushing pain that pulled them into Silvers head came and pulled them back out.

Everything was black. Twilight creaked and eye open and found herself staring at the roof of the bedroom. She heard the others stir around her and she felt relief wash over her.

They were back.
> When Wolves Die and Ponies Cry
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The four ponies woke and stirred from their slumber, a small headache coming to the forefront of their heads. In the middle of the group stood Luna, who cast a worrisome look over them.

“Are you alright?” she asked, “Did you find what you need? You only been gone a few minutes.”

“It's fine, I got it,” Star Shine replied, “Silver got affected by a Compulsion spell. It tried to force the idea of leaving the book behind into his head. When things like that happen, it can sometimes cause physical harm if the ideals differ too greatly, though the harm is usually a high fever. I imagine the stress of his argument with Twilight was probably what caused most of the damage. Anyway, he should be fine for now. I imagine he'll actually wake up soon.”

Twilight swallowed hard. “I did this to him? I almost killed him because I was mad he lied to me? Oh no, please for the love of Celestia, please let him wake up!”

Luna let out a sigh of relief, “That's wonderful news, but I still wish to have the doctors watch over him until he's awake. I'll go get them and the others as well.”

Luna turned and headed for the door, only to pause before opening it and turned her head back around to face to mares, “Oh, and thank you all for all you've done.” She bowed her head in thanks, then turned and left the room.

As the mares tried to shake away the dull pain in their skulls, they too began to move to the door to exit.

“Could you all wait for a moment, please?” Star Shine called after them, causing them all to stop before leaving and turn to her, “I need to speak with you all about something. If you could please follow me to a more private location, I can promise this won't take too long.”

The girls all looked to each other, each one taking note of the others exhaustion and confusion, but nodded in compliance. They stepped aside as Star Shine walked past and left the room, then followed behind her. Once again, the wolf seemed to know every inch of the castle, easily able to navigate it until they came into a room with two couches facing each other and a large window.

Star Shine moved to one couch and motioned for the ponies to sit on the other. They all took their seats and waited for Star Shine to start.

“So,” She began, “I'm sure you're wondering why I brought you here. It's just that I'm worried about all of you, so I need to ask you all to tell me something. What did each of you see in Silvers memories?”

Her eyes seemed to soften when she brought up the subject, and the mares eyes all widened, each one with a different emotion.

Twilight was filled with guilt and remorse.

Rainbow with fear and panic.

And Applejack with an strange uneasiness.

Star Shine quickly picked up on the flare of emotions, and her look soften even more, though with more sadness and pity than anything.

“Oh, I see. That bad, huh?” she said, “But I'm afraid I still must insist that you tell me. Depending on what it is, I may be able to help shed some light on what you saw, and if not, then it's something you'll have to ask Silver yourself if you want.”

No pony spoke. How could they, after all? They themselves couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on, so it was hard for them to properly piece together everything.

Luckily, Twilight had broken the silence, “He was on a cliff, looking out to the stars. It was cold, but it didn't seem to bother Silver. Then, I felt my heart –his heart–  shatter,” Twilights voice cracked with the words, though she managed to keep her tears back, “I don't know what happened, but all I know is Silver deeply missed some wolf named Lily.”

Star Shines ears perked up and her eyes widened just as the mares had, “Lily? You're sure that was the name?”

Twilight nodded and wiped a tear from her eye, “Like I said, I'm not sure what happened, but I can still feel what he felt. It...hurt...so...much...” The alicorn shut her eyes and bit her lip, trying desperately to fight back the tears.

“Hey, hey, it's okay,” Star Shine said soothingly, “Though I'm afraid that this matter is too personal to Silver for me to explain, so when you get the chance, you should ask him,” she looked to the other two. Dash was up next.

She was the most hesitant and reluctant to speak, “Please, just tell me,” the wolf begged.

The pegasus let out a shuddering breath, “He...I...died...”

The room when dead silent, (pun intended) and the ringing white noise filled every ponies ears.

“He..he what?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow only buried her face into her hooves and shook her head, “I-I CAN'T!” she jumped off the couch and bolted out of the room

“Rainbow wait!” Applejack called after her.

“It's okay, let her go,” Star Shine spoke up, “There's nothing we could have said to make her feel better anyway. I'm afraid this is another matter for Silver.”

Star Shine looked at Applejack, her eyes pleading for her to tell the story.

The country mare sighed, “It was a battle. It lasted  'bout three days. Then this admiral showed up and she fought with Silver, and lost. But he picked up after anyway, and that's where the memory ended.”

Star Shines mood seemed to lighten, though only a little, “What you saw what the Battle of Shepherds Field. It was the battle that got Silver ranked up to Army Slayer and that admiral is now a close friend of Silvers. That's honestly about all I know, so is you want more, I suggest you  talk to Silver. I'm sorry I can't be of more help to any of you, but Silver prefers to keep his secrets to himself.”

“It's okay Star Shine,” Twilight reassured, “I'll admit, I don't like what I saw, but at least now I can understand a little more about Silver. I'll be sure to talk to him when he wakes up.”

“Yea', me too,” Applejack agreed.

Star Shine smiled as the two got up and began to leave, but then called for Twilight once more, “Princess Twilight, wait. There's one more thing I need to talk to you about.”

Twilight stopped and walked back over to the wolf, “What is it?”

“It's about what Daring Doo said in the cave. Look I know that you and Silver are probably arguing about his past, but trust me when I say Silver is not the same as he was before. The wolf that Applejack saw was already beginning to change, and that was a hundred years ago. So please, when he wakes up, just listen to what he has to say.”

Twilight nodded, “I will, don't worry. Celestia told me the same.” With that, she turned and left the room.





Have you ever had a hangover, or at least know some one who has? If you have, then you know that it's a skull splitting headache and the urge to puke what ever food you may have managed to swallow an hour after you ate it.

Well Silver felt like he just got back from a three day binge, and yes, he knows what that feels like.

Silver felt the pain crash into his mind, like he'd gotten smacked over the head with a mountain. He groaned and buried his face under the pillow.

“Ohhhhhh....” Silver could here the sound of paws clicking against the floor, and the familiar scent of Star Shine, “Star, please, could you not stomp?”

“I'm not stomping,” she said quietly.

“Well there's no need to shout either,” the wolf responded as he pressed the pillow harder against his ears.

Star Shine rolled her eyes and went into her bag, producing yet another vial of liquid, “Here,” she said offering it to the wolf.

Silver refused to pull his head out from the pillow, so instead stuck out a paw blindly to receive the medicine. Star Shine once again rolled her eyes and put the vial into his paw. He took it and swallowed it all in seconds. A few moments passed before Silver dragged the pillow off his head, a dazed and worn out look filling his eyes.

He took a few sniffs, “I smell Tia. Don't tell me I went and rutted her or something.”

Star Shine giggled, “No, but you were sick. You've been out for about eight hours. Something got into your head and messed you up, but it looks like it's gone now. But...there's something you should know.”

Silver raised his head and gave the female wolf a curious but worried look, “What did I do?”

Star Shine shook her head, “It's not what you did, but what I did.” Silver continued to stare, his expression never changing.

Finally Star Shine spilled, “I might have kinda took three of the mares you've been hanging out with into your memories.”

Silvers eyes shot open, “You...you what?”

Star Shine only flinched in fear of the verbal lashing she knew was about to come.

“You took them into my memories!? Using what spell?!”

“The Re-live Spell...” she mumbled out.

Silvers jaw dropped, “You mean they...oh sweet Empress, what did they see?”

“Princess Twilight saw you after Lily died, Applejack saw the Battle of Shepherds Field, and Rainbow Dash, well...I'm afraid she saw the worst of it. She saw when you got back after fighting Fafnir.”

“Oh no. Please, nonononono.”

Silver swallowed hard, “How...how is she?”

“She's traumatized. I don't think she saw the actual fight, but she definitely saw what came after. When I asked her to tell me, she bolted out of the room. But that was four hours ago. I don't think any pony has seen her since.”

Silver bit the inside of his lip.

“This is my fault! All because I was too stupid to think twice before waltzing into a room with a grimoire sitting in the center! Of course it was trapped, why the hell wouldn't it be!? And now...now Rainbow has to...”

Silver pushed to covers off of him and jumped out of the bed.

“Whoa, where are you going?” Star Shine objected as she stepped in front of him.

“To go see Rainbow, now move!” Silver pushed her out of the way, but Star Shine continued to protest.

“Silver, you can't! You haven't recovered yet! That potion only got rid of the headache, your body is still weak!”

The wolf paused and turned back, walking up to meet her face to face, “And what the hell do you think she is feeling right now!? There is no potion that can help her, and she has already spent an entire day trying to deal with you put her through! I don't care if I pass out or die, but I will not let her go through that on her own!”

Silver turned and stormed out of the door, leaving an opened jaw Star Shine in the room.

“He's...he's right. I did put them through that. Oh, sweet Celestia, what have I done?”





Silver flew through the sky as fast as his wings would allow him. Star Shine was right, his body was still damaged from the spell, but he had not intention of letting that stop him.

His course was charted for Rainbows cloud house. It's location occasionally changed depending on the wind patterns, but since Silver could read the wind, he could accurately pinpoint its current spot.

Silver approached the large home, and took notice of a change in it's color scheme. The usual white fluff had become dark and heavy rain clouds, and the rainbows pouring from it had ceased all together. Silver was sure the house was reacting to Rainbows emotional state.

The wolf landed wearily on the front step, his breathe escaping him in short exhales and inhales. When he finally managed to regain control of his lungs, he raised a paw and knocked on the door.

He waited a minute, but no one answered. He knocked again and waited once more, but still no answer. He wondered around to the side of the house to try and peek through a window to even see if she was home, but the curtains were closed, blocking his view.

He flew up to the next floor and tried the window up there, only to find that one had been closed too. Silver landed back on the cloud.

“Well, no choice then. Sorry Dash.”

Silver evaporated and reappeared inside the confines of the cloud house. The lights were off, and the room was considerably dark, even for the inside of a storm cloud. It was still late afternoon, so Silver figured some light must have been able to tunnel through, but it would seem he was wrong.

It only showed how bad a state Rainbow was in.

He wondered through the home until he came close to the living room where he heard a small sniffle come from. He peeked around the corner and saw a ball of cyan blue fur and two tufts of rainbow hair laying on the couch.

Silvers heart broke at the sight.

Rainbow Dash, the most proud mare he'd seen since he'd come to Equestria, was now crying and probably has been for the last four hours.

Silver stepped out from around the corner, “Rainbow?” he called softly.

His voice appeared to have little effect on the mare, as all she did was twitch he ear. Silver came closer to the couch until he was within paw reach.

“Rainbow, it's me,” he extended his paw and touched her shoulder, rolling her over to face him. His eyes met with hers, and he hated what he saw.

She looked dead. Her eyes were glazed over, seemingly dull and lifeless as they stared right through Silvers own, as if he didn't exist. She had misery written all her her face, and didn't show any response to anything.

Silver sat the mare up and placed his paws on her cheeks, “Hey there,” he said softly with a gentle smile, “Why don't you tell me what's wrong?”

Silver was met with a long silence, and he looked down in self-disappointment, “Look Dash, about what you saw--”

Silver was cut off by a hoof moving it's way up his chest. He looked and felt the hoof trace over scars that laid beneath his thick fur. As each one was touched, he counted in his head.

“One, two, three, four,....ten, twelve...twenty-one, twenty-two.”

Twenty-two scars from that one battle. It was with a full grown dragon, so it made since that he would get pretty banged up, but what didn't make sense was how he was still alive.

“How?” a raspy voice came from the cyan pegasus, “How can you still be alive? I felt everything you did, all that pain. I felt as the life and blood poured out of you, and you...y-you d—die--”

She was cut off by a paw pressed against her muzzle. Silver waited and flashed his smile once more, “My friend, the one that you saw holding me, she found a way to keep me alive.”

“How!?” the mare hollered suddenly. The life in her eyes came back, though they were filled with a cold fear, “How could you possible survive that?! I felt you die, Silver! I could feel everything! I felt what it was like to not exist anymore! To be nothing! I couldn't-I couldn't-I...”

Rainbow broke down into sobs as fresh tears barreled down her cheeks. Silver wrapped the mare into tight hug as she screamed her cries into his fur. Her wails echoed through the house, and through Silvers heart. A small stream of tears found their way down his face as well.

“I know...I know...” was all he could say as he huffed to try and keep calm. The two sat for hours, crying with one another, one trying to calm the other while they came to terms with death.

It was one thing to accept death as part of a natural cycle. You know it's then end, so there's no point in trying to deny that it won't come.

But that's the thing about death. When you die, you're not supposed to come back. Silver always believed there was a reason for that, and after his fight with Fafnir, he belief was beginning to make sense. But they did.

They broke the cycle, and were paying the price for it.

When you die, there is nothing. No heaven, no hell. No land where you can make peace. There is no white or black, no color or sound or smell. Like the bottom of the lake Silver and the others had to endure, only worse.

To Silver, that cave might as well have been a paradise compared to his memories of his death, though there technically were none, since he couldn't consciously think.

But that's is what left the imprint. While he couldn't remember the time he experienced during his death, he could feel that he couldn't think. He had nothing.

It was oblivion in its truest sense.

Nothingness.

At least in the cave, he was aware that he couldn't observe, but dying was something else entirely.

The sobbing ceased, and became quite chokes and gasps for air, accompanied by sniffles.

Silver pulled the mare away, much to her protest, and looked her in the eyes once more. She was exhausted from all the crying and mental suffering.

“Rainbow, you should try to sleep some,” Silver suggested.

Rainbows eyes opened wide, “No! Please no!” she quickly buried her face back into Silver as she shook her head furiously.

“Please...if I go to sleep...I won't wake back up...”

“Yes, you will Rainbow, I promise.”

The mare shook her head once more, “No I won't! How do you know I will!?”

“How do you know you won't?”

“Because I'm already dead!” she shouted. A silence hang in the air, “I've died once already, and there's no way I can come back. If I go to sleep, I'll never wake up again and I'll just go back to that place!”

The mare tightened her grip and she shuddered with fear.

“Rainbow, look at me,” Silver said after a while. It took her moment, but she finally looked up, “You wanna know how I know?”

Her eyes pleaded for an answer.

Silver took a paw and placed it on her head, turning it to the side and pressing it against his chest, “You hear that?”

Rainbow listened closely. Over the screaming fear in her mind, she began to hear something wonderful. Something she'd never thought much of before, but in this moment, it's sound meant the world to her.

A heart beat.

It was gentle and yet strong, beating hard and resounding through her.

“That's how I know you will wake back up. This is the sound of life itself, and it will stay with you until you wake, and I swear to you that you will come back.”

Rainbow had begun to feel much of what Twilight had felt, though she herself didn't know it. Silvers heart played it's melody as sleep took hold of the pegasus.

“There now,” Silver said as he crawled onto the couch next to her. He laid with his back propped up against the arm, and Rainbow laying down on his chest.

It took mere moments for the mare to fall asleep, knowing that so long as the drums of life beat their rhythm, she would wake once more.





A growl.

Well, more like a gurgle.

That was the sound that woke Rainbow from he fearful slumber. The next thing was a change in lighting. Although it wasn't blinding, it was enough to fully wake her.

Rainbow pressed her eyes tighter before opening them. She was met with a blur of messy blue fur, to which she followed up to meet Silvers sleeping face.

It took a moment, but she eventually remembered the events of the night before and the words of her brokenhearted ramblings.

She wanted to blush, she really did, but found that her body was too tired even for that. Even her mind didn't bother to register the embarrassment that would have gone through any pony else. 

Instead, she simply laid and stared, her arms still wrapped tightly around the snoozing wolf.

“He...he stayed. He was right. I did wake up.”

Tears of joy found their way down her face as she buried herself into Silver once more, nuzzling into the spot just above his heart. She could feel his heart pumping in his chest, and she never thought something so simple could bring her so much joy.

“Hey, what's wrong?” Silver asked softly as he lifted a paw and ran it through her mane.

Rainbow snapped her head up and looked to Silver, unable to hold back her tears.

“You..you were right,” she whimpered out. A smile broke out across her face, “You were right.”

She nuzzled herself back into the fur and allowed her joyous tears to continue to flow. Silver let out a small sigh of relief and continued to stroke her mane. She wasn't quite fixed, but she was better than she was before. Healing something like this would take time, but Silver had felt a responsibility to the mare. After all, it was his memories that did this to her in the first place.

The two laid there for another 2 hours. After the first forty-five minutes, Rainbow had stopped crying and reached over Silver to grab the remote on the night stand behind him. She clicked on the T.V. And continued to lay on Silver while they watched in silence.

It wasn't a bad silence; just silence. There was nothing that needed to be said between the two at the moment, strange as it may sound. After all, one would think recovering from a traumatic experience would require more conversation and sharing.

But not for these two, or at least for Rainbow. She knew that so long as he was there, she would be fine. She could ask him anything at any time and he would give her a response. It was comforting, and that's exactly what she needed right now.

Unfortunately, life is too cruel to allow her one day of rest, as the phone in the kitchen rang.

Rainbow didn't even need to pick it up as she already knew it was her boss. She looked over at the clock and found it was already past noon, meaning she was well beyond late and her employers were looking for answers.

She was half tempted to just continue to let it ring, until Silver gave her a look saying that she should answer as he knew who it was as well. Their time spent together in the previous days allowed him to understand her work schedule, and he now had a fair understanding of how she worked.

Rainbow groaned as she let her grip loosen for the first time since the night before and rose from the couch. She stretched and shuffled to the kitchen to pick up the phone. Silver heard the click and an incoherent conversation coming from the room.

A few minutes later, Rainbow shuffled back to the couch and plopped down onto Silver once more, “I have to go in. They said some ponies got injured and I have to fill in for them.”

“Are you sure you're okay to?” Silver asked as he petted the mares mane once more.

Rainbow smiled at the stroking, “Yeah, I'm good. I'm still a little tired, but all they want me to do is operate the cloud making machine, so I'll just be pressing buttons and turning knobs all day.”

“Oh, okay then. I have things I need to get to as well, so I suppose I should get going soon. When do you need to leave?”

Rainbow looked up from her spot and glanced to the clock, “I need to get there in about forty-five minutes, and I still need to shower,” the mare sighed as she placed her head down for one last nuzzle, “You're not gonna tell any pony about this, right?”

Silver let out a chuckle, “No, not unless you feel like sharing first.”

Rainbow nodded her head, “Good, cause even if you did, no pony would believe you. Every one knows I'm way too awesome to cry and too cool for things like cuddles.”

The mare continued to snuggle herself into the fur, to which Silver simply rolled his eyes.

“Too cool, huh?” he said with a smirk.

Rainbow gave him a playful punch, “Shut up,” she pulled herself off the wolf once more, “I guess I  should shower now.” She began to leave the living room and headed for the stairs as Silver rose from his place as well. As he went for the door, he was stopped by Rainbows voice calling him.

“Silver,” she said as she peeked her head down the stairs, “Um..thanks, ya' know, for last night. I feel a lot better.” She quickly pulled her head back up the stair case and a few moments later, Silver could hear the shower shut on.

“You're welcome,” he said back, though he knew she couldn't hear him, then evaporated out of the home.





Silver reappeared on a distant cloud, far enough away from the Rainbows home, but close to his next destination.

He looked out over the fields below, the whole thing filled with apple trees. It never occurred to him before, but the size of Sweet Apple Acres was incredible.

From below, Silver could hear a grunt and thud, followed many more softer thuds in rapid succession. He looked down below and found the country mare he'd been looking for.

Applejack was next on his list of visits for the day. While he wasn't sure if his memory had done any damage to her, he still wanted to check as he found it to be the second most dangerous of the ones viewed by the ponies.

That battle may not have done much damage to him, but the wolf he was at the time was certainly different than how he was now, and he was worried that may have left an impact on her.

“Well, here goes everything.”

Silver flapped his wings and glided down to the apple-bucking mare below.

He landed softly and slowly walked toward her as she kicked another tree.

“Applejack?” he called, getting her attention.

“Huh?” she looked up from her bucking position and took notice of the wolf, “Oh, howdy Silver.” She grunted as she kicked the tree once more, causing more apples to fall to the ground, “What can Ah' do for ya?”

“Nothing, I was wondering,” Silver began as he rubbed a nervous paw behind his head, “How are you feeling? You know, after seeing my memory?”

Applejack ceased her bucking and began to pick up the fallen apples, placing them into baskets nearby, “Well, Ah'd be lying if Ah' said Ah' wasn't bothered by it.”

Silver visibly winced. He expected her to be upset. After all, she just lived through Silver killing 600 soldiers over the course of three days.

“But the thing is, when Ah' was you, it didn't feel wrong. Ah'm not sure if that was 'cause Ah' was feeling what you felt, or if it was something else, but all Ah' no is that what you did wasn't wrong.”

Silver stood with his jaw hanging open. He knew Applejack was an understanding pony, but he certainly wasn't expecting this. He thought she would be outright furious.

Applejack took notice of the wolfs shocked state and continued her explanation, “Look, the way Ah' felt was something like 'These are warriors. If Ah' felt shame for killing them, then it would mean Ah' didn't respect 'em', and that was something Ah' could understand...strangely.”

Silver still stood shocked at her words, “So if you was expecting me to hate ya or somethin', then Ah'm afraid you came to the wrong mare. But if ya keep standing 'round with ya mouth open instead of helping me, then Ah' will get angry. 'Bout the only thing Ah'm kinda mad about is that you lied to me back at the hospital when Ah' got hurt, though Ah' can understand why you would, so Ah'll forgive you.”

Silver shook himself out of his confused stupor, and moved under the tree to pick up the apples, “Right, sorry. But is that really it? You're not mad, or confused or anything?”

Applejack shook her head, “Nope. Ah' spent three days in that head of yours, and while Ah' was wondering why you would enjoy killing all those wolves, it hit me. You didn't enjoy the killing, but the battle. The killings was just the result of war.”

Silver stopped his work for a moment and once again fell into a trance of amazement. She perfectly worded exactly what he felt.

The killing wasn't what excited him, it was the battle. The drive of having to push himself to keep up with his opponent. 

If anything, the killing was what he least liked. He had no personal grudge against those wolves, and he actually respected them. Even after knowing his reputation, they all still came and fought to the end, and that was something Silver held in high regard. The least he could do was honor their courage, and give them a proud death by fighting them to the end.

“But there is one thing Ah' was curious about,” Applejack said, pulling him out of his thoughts, “That admiral on the last day of the fight. Who was she? You said you fell for her, but that other wolf said she was a close friend of yours. So what happened?”

Silver stepped around the tree to pick up more apples as he began to explain, “Ohh, about her. Her name was Riptide. We're friends now, strange as it may sound, but we never got together or anything. She's actually married now, and even has pups. As for my feelings for her, well they were genuine. I really did fall for her, though her method of kinda pissed me off. ”

“But why fall for her in the first place? Ah'll admit, she was pretty, but she was your enemy, wasn't she? Even while Ah' was you, Ah' couldn't figure out what you meant.”

“That's the funny thing about me A.J.. I'm attracted to those who are better than me. I fell for her because she bested me in battle.”

“Whaddya mean? You beat her, didn't ya?”

“Nope. During our first blows, I was hit by her torrents of water. I lost then.”

“No you didn't. You got hurt pretty bad, but you got back up.”

“Applejack, you don't understand. Riptide could have killed me if she wanted. She could create torrents of water blades. If she'd hit me with that in the first blow, I would have been ripped to shreds. Even if I did survive, the second blow that came from below would have killed me.”

Applejacks eyes widened. She didn't even think of it.

“She went easy on me, and even then I had to pull out all the stops to even knock her unconscious.  To this day, I don't know why she spared me, but it showed just how much stronger she was. She not only had raw power, but the skills and experience that refined it into a deadly art of war. So yeah, she was stronger than me, and probably still is. That's kinda what pissed me off. We were at war, and I wanted to find some one to match my strength, or maybe even best me. She was the latter, and yet still showed pity. It took a blow to my pride, I guess.”

It was Applejacks turn to shake herself out of her amazement. She hadn't even thought of it, and now she realized just how close Silver had come to dying.

The thought ignited another worry she had.

“Oh, well Ah' can understand that. But on another hoof, how's Rainbow doing?”

Silvers ears twitched, “How did you know I went to see her?”

“Ah' didn't. Ah' just figured you'd want to check up her; didn't think you already had.”

Silvers ears laid flat against his head as he felt a little stupid for exposing that, “She's doing a lot better. She by no means 100% perfect, but she's said she's feeling better.”

Applejack let out a sigh of relief, “Thank goodness. Ah' was afraid that whatever she saw broken her beyond repair.”

“Well, beyond repair, no. But she'll definitely remember it for the rest of her life.” Silver hung his head, and Applejack walked over and placed a reassuring hoof on his shoulder.

“Hey now, don't you worry. If Ah' know Rainbow, Ah'm sure she'll be right as rain soon enough.”

Silver gave a thankful smile to the country mare, “Thanks.”

Applejack retracted her hoof, “Now, if Ah'm right, you have one more mare to go talk to, now dontcha?”

Silver gulped. He wasn't sure how she knew, but she was certainly right. And she was also speaking of the mare he wanted to avoid the most.

Applejack gave a stern look at Silver, as if reading his mind, to which Silver sighed reluctantly.

“Yeah, you're right. I guess I should go see Twilight now.”
> Twilight Drinks and Silver Rethinks
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dread...no, perhaps anxious?

Yes, anxious was the word Silver used to best describe his internal turmoil as he sat atop a cloud and looked down a the Golden Oaks Library. Only one light was on, and it was in Twilights bedroom.

“I was really hoping she wouldn't be home. I can face an army, and even a dragon without hesitation...but this?”

Silver sighed heavily.

“Why is this so damn hard? I never really cared before if some one thought of me as a monster, but now, I can't bear the thought of her hating me for it.”

The wolf looked up and squeezed his eyes shut as the blinding rays of the setting sun shone across the horizon. It was late evening, and the temperature had dipped quite a bit. Silver had spent the past few hours stalling at Sweet Apple Acres, in hopes to put this off, but Applejack wound up forcing him to go talk to Twilight.

Silver sighed to himself once more as he stood from his seated position, “Might as well get this over with.”

He spread his wings and glided down to the balcony, landing silently. He knock on the glass once and waited but no pony answered. He knocked again and got the same result.

“Oh well, looks like she isn't home! Better try again tomorrow!”

Was the first thought that race through his mind, but then he paused to think if he waited any longer, then their talk would become awkward, and possibly more heated.

Silver shook the cowardly thoughts from his head, deciding he wouldn't turn away. He gently pressed down on the handle of the glass door and entered the home.

He wondered around the corner to Twilights bed, only to find it empty with the lamp still on.

“Huh? Is she really not home?”

Just then, the sound of steps could be heard coming up the stairs. Silver turned and saw green scales coming up over the top steps as Spike appeared with a basket of gems in his claw.

“Spike?” Silver said getting the dragons attention.

“Hmm?” Spike looked up and wiped the gem crumbs from his mouth, “Oh it's you.” he spat harshly.

“Uh...”

“Don't even speak. Do you have any idea how much you hurt Twilight? She spent all day crying yesterday and couldn't even talk to me about it!”

Silvers eyes widened in honest fear, not solely because of the angry dragon, but because he'd just learned he made his princess shed tears.

“Damn it,” Silver muttered as his bit his lip before sighing sadly, “I guess you have a right to be mad, after all you've known her all your life. But please, I need to talk to her. Can you tell me where she went?”

Spike looked the wolf up and down. Silvers concern seemed genuine, as well as his regret and fear. Spike rolled his eyes and let out a long breathe, “You get one chance,” he said after a while, “But if you blow it, I will roast you alive. You made her resort to drinking her sorrows away, by the way. She hasn't bothered to go to a bar since Flas--...well that's not important. She's down at the Tartarus Tavern.”

Silver winced at the statement. Was she really that upset? He knew he'd caused a good amount of damage to her, but he didn't think she'd go out to a bar. Then it hit him that on top of the argument was seeing Lily in his memories, and he began to quickly regret leaving the mare alone all day. He remember what he was like after the incident, and couldn't even begin to imagine what Twilight was feeling.

The wolf nodded and moved past the dragon, “Thanks, I'll head over.”

As he reached the glass door, he heard Spike call for him one last time, “Hey Silver!”

He turned to look at the small dragon, only to regret it. He quickly took notice as Spikes eyes became filled with a cold blooded rage, “I meant what I said. If you hurt her again, I will roast you.”

Silver gulped and nodded before quickly scampering out of the library and flying into the sky. While Spike may not have been a full grown dragon, he was dragon enough to scare Silver. After his last encounter with one, it left more than one type of scar on him. One that doesn't heal quite so easily as a physical one would.





The wolf quickly soared through the sky, looking down at the streets below to find the tavern. It took only ten minutes for him to actually find, but he wished he'd found it faster. He really didn't want to leave Twilight in the state she was, and felt like a foolish jerk for thinking he could earlier.

And for him, using the word “jerk” meant something. It was one of the few words that had an impact on him, much like “monster” when it came from Twilight. It was one thing if he used the word on himself, but should some pony else use the words against him, it would cut deep and reopen old wounds.

Silver landed on the front step of the bar of the doors. He could hear music playing inside, though it wasn't too loud, and seemed fittingly depressing.

He pushed the door open and stepped in. The tavern was dim, but still lit. He received a few curious glances from the other patrons in the room, but they quickly ignored him as they had their own self-wallowing to do.

Silver looked around the room, his eyes stopping on a corner booth where he saw a purple mane on the table and two lavender hooves cupped around a mug of what was probably hard cider.

Silver swiftly moved around the room and over to the booth, “Uh...Twilight?” he asked nervously.

The mare slowly looked up, staring at the wolf with a sorrowful expression. Silver sat down in the booth on the edge, while Twilight remained tucked in the corner.

“Soo, on a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you hate me?”

Twilight continued to stare, only to let out a long distressing sigh, “I'm not mad Silver, and I don't hate you,” she said before scooting out of her corner and closer to Silver to lean against him. The fur brought her a little comfort, but she knew what was about to come next.

“Are you sure?”

Twilight looked up, and Silver noticed the tears still in her eyes, “I'm sure. I honestly don't think I have the energy to mad. The last two days have been an emotional roller coaster for me, but Celestia and Star Shine said I should listen to what you have to say, so I want you to explain some things. I promise I'll keep calm.”

Silver nodded in response. Twilight took one more swing of her drink, then motioned for the waiter to bring another two. As the waiter sat the drinks down at the table, Twilight crawled into Silvers lap, leaning back and allowing her back to press against Silvers stomach.

A buzzed Twilight was a forward Twilight. But Silver, while blushing slightly, didn't bother to stop her. 

She downed another swing before speaking, “I guess the first thing I want to know is this whole Battle of Shepherds Field.”

Silver winced, then reached across Twilight and took a drink of his own.

He set the mug back, “The battle was 103 years ago, but I was in the war for three years before that. I heard another pack was trying to invade the territory I claimed, sending an army to get it. Any normal wolf would have put together an army of their own, but I decided to take them on myself.”

“Why? Didn't you think it'd be a stupid idea?” Yep, a forward Twilight.

“I was pretty much just still a pup then, but I was powerful and I wanted to test my skills. Claiming the territory I had was rather simple for me, so I wanted to find a worthy opponent. The army was just that. Although, in essence I was just...bored.”

The both of them hung onto the word; the very same word that caused so much trouble and heartbreak.

Silver continued, “Twilight, you have to understand, it wasn't the killing I found joy in, but the fight itself. Trading blows with powerful adversaries is thrilling. Death is...well, an unfortunate consequence. Had it not been a war, I probably wouldn't have killed them. But, that's what war is; fighting to the death.”

Twilight pondered for a moment, staring down into the drink in her hooves.

“When he says it like that, it sounds reasonable, but still....I promised I wouldn't get mad, and honestly I'm not. But...this isn't the part of Silver I wanted to know. I knew that he had to have taken lives, and while I was expecting it to be a smaller number, it was still...unsettling.”

Twilight downed another mouthful, then stared into a long silence that only added to Silvers turmoil. His heart sank at her response, or rather lack of one. He didn't belong in Equestria. He didn't belong at her side. There are a number of reasons the wolves were never supposed to show themselves to ponies, and this was one of them.  They're just too different.

He finally understood.

“I see...so I guess this is it then.”

“Twilight...” he began, his voice barely able to keep from shaking and cracking.

“Well, it was fun...”

“I understand. I don't really belong here...”

“I got to meet some ponies, and new friends...”

“So, I think it's for the best...”

“Hell...I even fell in love...”

“...if I just leave.”

“...But a monster has no place among angels.”

Twilight slammed her cup onto the table, “NO! I won't let you leave!” she turned and wrapped her arms around the wolf, squeezing him tightly as if her life depended on it, “I...I...don't want you to leave me...please. Silver, please don't leave me.”

Her voice became shudders as a fresh tear rolled down her cheek. Silver regretted even thinking of leaving. So what if he didn't belong? He never even thought of how much pain it would cause her to let him go, only thinking it would make it easier if he made the decision for her. 

A foolish thought.

“Okay, I...can accept that.” she finally said. She looked up to the wolf with begging eyes. “It's not just that I don't want you to leave, but that that I honestly understand. It wasn't boredom Silver, it was pride. I still think it was wrong, but I do understand why you did it.” Celestia and Star Shine were right; all she needed to do was listen, but there was still something she wanted to make sure of.

Twilight could feel Silvers heart skip a beat and a sharp breathe come from his lungs. He wrapped his paws around her and gave her tight hug, “Thank you,” he whispered into her ear with a fearful, shaking voice.

Was he really that scared? Did his fear of her hating him really escalate to this? Or was it that he was afraid of leaving Equestria all together?

“But please promise me, so long as you're in Equestria, you won't take a life. Not unless it is absolutely necessary.”

Silver looked down at the mare, her eyes looking back up, pleading and pained, “Are...are you sure? I don't have a problem with just not killing at all.”

Twilight shook her head, “No. I know your line of work. At some point, there must be a time when you have no other options, so I won't restrict you to the point where some pony will die or get hurt because you decided to keep your promise.”

Silver looked at her with star struck amazement. Some pony as innocent as her was able to make the call to allow him to kill when deemed necessary. In this moment, Silver forgot his affection for her, as he was filled with respect for the young alicorn.

Silver leaned down once more and wrapped the mare into a hug, whispering into her ear again “I promise.”

Twilight's face erupted with blush, though she smiled happily. She turned back around and leaned her back into Silvers chest once more.

“So, what about your pack?” she continued, attempting to hide her face by looking down.

“Oh...right. Forgot about that,” Silver took another drink, “My pack is...well I'm not gonna sugar coat it, we're a bunch of criminals.”

Twilight had to stop herself from choking. Silver seemed a lot more forward about this, so she hoped it wasn't quite as bad.

“Criminals?” she asked.

“Well, the pack itself is actually seen as a criminal empire, but since packs don't need have to have any specific occupation, it still does count as a pack.”

Twilight looked stared at the wolf with a confused and slightly fearful expression, “So, what exactly do you do?”

“Hmm. Well I suppose it depends on the faction.”

“Faction?” Oh great, a confusing subject to talk about while she's drinking. This ought to be fun.

“Yeah, you see the pack was originally eight individual ones, but over time, the alphas befriended one another and ultimately became one pack with eight factions, each faction run by the original packs alpha. I guess it's like an allegiance between the eight of us.”

“ ' the eight of us?' You mean you're...”

Silver nodded his head proudly, “Yep, I'm one of the eight Alphas of the Black Moon Pack.”

Twilight sighed and a heavy thunk could be heard through out the bar as her head hit the table, “And so mister Alpha, what exactly is your...expertise, shall we say?”

“Illegal arms and magic weapons, and the occasional thief for hire,” Silver said eerily calm.

Twilight stared at the wolf with a flat expression, then looked to her drink.

“Yeah, I'm gonna need something stronger.”

“It's not as bad as it sounds. I mean, Star Shine's a drug lord, and Black Wing sells forbidden and ancient magics.”

Twilight looked up in surprise, “Star Shine and Black Wing are in your pack too?”

“Yep, they're two of the other eight Alphas, making a total of three here in Equestria.”

“Yep, really gonna need something stronger. Maybe they have some nice gin in the back, or possibly some whiskey?"

“...wait a minute. Eight alphas. Why does that number feel familiar? Eight...eight...eight...”

Twilight slowly turned her head and stared at the wolf wide eyed, “Silver....there are eight Alphas of your pack correct?”

Silver nodded.

“And there are eight Emperors of Houndland right?”

Silver nodded once more.

“Are you...?”

Silver gave the mare a questioning look for a while, before his eyes went wide.

“Pfft...pfffft..pfft AHAHAHAHAHAH!!” Silver fell over onto the bench into a ball of laughter, barely able to contain himself, “You—you think I'm one of the-- HAHAHAHA!”

Twilight only looked down in confusion and annoyance, mostly the latter.

“Ahaha....ooohh, I'm sorry, it's just, where I come from, it's ridiculous to even think such a thing.” Silver paused to wipe a tear out of his eye.

“Well you can hardly blame me. I mean, you are an Army Slayer after all. It would make sense, even if you are a criminal, and there aren't many in the world who hold that title.”

“You'd be surprised. There are many more in the world who are capable of matching me, and others that can beat me. Just because you don't have the title of Army Slayer doesn't mean you can't do it. Like Star Shine. She isn't an Army Slayer, but she can fight on par with me, so she must be able to what I did. She'd just do it in a different way.”

Twilight was about to speak again before something hit her. Her she was, casually talking about the very subject that made her so mad before. It seemed ironic in a way, though she found she didn't particularly care at the moment. Perhaps it was the alcohol.

“Well I guess you have a point, but is it really necessary to send some pony as strong as you to protect me? I highly doubt that some pony would send an army after me or one of the other princesses. So, don't you think it's a bit much?”

Silver looked at the mare with a confused face, “You...you really don't know a thing, do ya?”

Twilight scowled at him, “What do you mean by that?”

“Sorry, it's just, do you really know what it means to be an alicorn?”

Twilight fluttered her wings and poked at her horn, “Excuse me?”

“Twilight, I don't think you're getting it. The reason they send some one as strong as me is because it takes something a lot stronger to beat an alicorn.”

Twilight completely dropped her scowl and turned to more of a scared expression, “What do you mean?”

“Twilight, alicorns hold far more power than you realize. Even I can't beat them.”

“What do you mean? You're an Army Slayer. Celestia and Luna might be able to take you, but in all honesty I kind of doubt it. And I know Cadence and I can't take you either.”

Silver let out a small laugh, “Twilight, you already beat me.”

“...What do you mean?”

“Twilight, you're the Princess of Friendship. You can turn just about any pony into an ally, including me. And that's one of the most powerful magics there is in the world. Winning a fight isn't just about beating your opponent, nor is it the only way to win one. The moment you made me your friend, I lost.”

Twilight sat awe-struck. She'd never thought about things like that, but now that she had, she could certainly see how it could be a formidable power.

“But what about the others?” she asked, “They don't have what I do.”

“Princess Cadence can control and spread love, so she can pretty much do the same thing as you. Celestia and Luna on the other paw, well...they're not like the two of you. Unlike you two, they were born alicorns and have lived for thousands of years. They have enough power to easily control the sun and moon, and Celestia can even do both, though I'm sure Luna could do the same. While their power is more direct than yours, it's still untouchable nonetheless. Besides, I've heard stories of when they were in battle.”

“Really? Cause Chrysalis beat Celestia pretty easily.”

“Twilight, Tia was holding back. She could have destroyed that changeling in a heartbeat, but probably would have destroyed the empire too, along with every pony in it.

“So...so what are you saying?”

“What I'm saying is that in terms of power, I'm completely and utterly inadequate compared to the alicorns. I couldn't put a scratch on any of you. Even if I could, it would probably result in my death.”

Twilight sat astounded. She just learned that one of the most powerful creatures she's ever met, is completely powerless against her. 

She sighed and dropped her head, this time considering just leaving it there and not bothering with picking it up as she knew it would just drop five minutes later.

“And here I thought you were over powered. First an Army Slayer, then an Alpha of a criminal empire. What's next, a Royal?”

“Over powered? You seem to understand less and less. Being an Army Slayer is one thing, but Alpha? Well, never mind, I suppose I could see how that might reflect strength, but it really doesn't. I mean, there are other packs with their own Alphas who are weaker than me, so saying that every Alpha is as strong as me or the other two is kinda presumptuous. And remember, the title of Royal is just that, a title. It doesn't hold any extra perks. Hell, they don't even get paid.”

“Really? How do you know that?”

“Oh, Black Wing and Star Shine are Royals.”

Twilight kept her head on the table for a while longer, “You're making this up, aren't you?”

“Nope! Star Shine is the Queen of Ancient Knowledge,  and Black Wing is the King of Lost Magic.”

“But why send them here? Aren't they supposed to protect the Emperors?”

“Meh, the Emperors are like alicorns; they can't be beaten. But unlike alicorns, they don't hold back, hence the need to have Royals fight for them.”

Twilight simply rolled her eyes before finishing off her drink. Every time she had a little interrogation session with Silver, it always ended with her having more questions than before. She stared down into the empty mug, pondering if she should get another or just call it a night. She asked what she wanted...no wait...she hadn't. There was still one thing she forgotten to ask about, and it was the whole reason she decided to start drinking in the first place.

“Silver, wanna head back now? I think I'm done for the night.”

Silver shrugged then emptied his mug. He threw a few bits onto the table and got up from his seat and offered a woozy Twilight a paw to balance herself. She managed to get her barrings, though would trip over a hoof every few steps.

After the two left the bar, Silver noticed Twilights constant fumbling and decided to slipped under Twilight and lift her onto his back.

“Oh no, please...no flying. I don't wanna ruin your fur.”

Silver laughed lightly, “Don't worry, I won't fly tonight. But uhh...can we go back to my place instead of the library? I get the feeling Spike wouldn't be too happy to see me.”

Twilight didn't seem to fully comprehend what Silver was saying, other wise she would've asked what what happened, and instead nodded yes. She quickly nuzzled into the fur to stave off the cold of the early night.

Silver trotted through the streets with the drunken alicorn on his back. Luckily, there weren't any ponies out that night, so Silver could move around freely without embarrassing the poor mare.

“Ugh...I feel like I'm gonna loose my lunch any second. Can't he walk a little more gently? Why is he even carrying me at all? I'm not some filly that fell asleep at a party and gets carried home and tucked in.”

The thought reminded her, there was yet another thing she meant to ask.

“Hey Silver, juss how old are you?” Oh great. She finally started to slur her words.

“I'm 128 years old, why?”

Twilight snorted and snickered, “You're old enough to be my great grand father. But that would be really weird since I kinda to bang you.”

WHOA! A buzzed Twilight may have been a forward Twilight, but a drunk Twilight was a pervy Twilight!

“I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that's the alcohol talking.”

“You can say what ever you want, but at the end of the night, I'm gonna be the one out on your limb~” she giggled.

The sentence actually made Silver blush, stammer and almost topple over.

“Oh what's wrong? Huh, little pup?” Twilight blew into his ear and nibbled on the tip. If only she knew that of the many things females had called him over the years, "little" was certainly not one.

“Twilight, I swear, if you don't cut it out, I don't think I'll be able to stop myself.”

She nipped down his ear and began to kiss his neck tenderly, “Mhmm, I got a case of puppy love~” she moved a hoof down his side and began to slowly tease his sides with a hoof.

Silver became stiff, and not in the legs.

“Oh sweet Empress, please let don't me do something stupid tonight.”

It would seem the Emperors were indeed looking out for the wolf, as the moment the thought crossed his mind, he heard a disgusting sound come from the mare on his back.

“BLEEEEEGH!!!”

Projectile vomiting. It wasn't something Silver saw before, but hoped he'd never have to see again, especially from Twilight. Luckily, the mare threw her head off to the side and missed getting any puke on Silver. 

Twilight laid with her head hung off to the side for a moment while she coughed and spat. She wiped her mouth with a hoof and laid her head onto Silvers back.

“Oh sweet Celestia, can we please go home now?” she muttered

Silver laughed and picked up his pace. They weren't far from the library, and reached the front step a few minutes after Twilight lost her lunch. Silver took the key from around his neck and placed it into the door. The magic shined and the door opened to Silvers home.

The wolf stepped in and took notice of the blonde mane poking out from over the couch. It was Ruppy.

“Holy fuck, you're still alive!” she exclaimed as she hopped off the couch. Silver quickly shushed her as Twilight groaned and grabbed her head in pain.

“Is she...”

“Shit faced? Oh yeah. Anyway, she's crashing here for the night. What are you still doing up though? It late.”

“Just couldn't sleep. I'll just eat something and head back to bed.”

Silver nodded, “Well okay then. Goodnight.”

“'Night.”

Silver turned and went to the hall to his bedroom.

“Hey Silver,” Ruppy called causing the wolf to look back, “Welcome home.”

Silver smiled, “Thanks,” then went into his room and Ruppy to the kitchen.

The wolf gently placed the mare down onto the bed. She groaned as the movements caused her head to hurt even more and pulled the blankets over her to bundle up.

Silver simply laughed silently as he got up to leave, only to be stopped by a small tug on his tail. He looked back to see Twilight peeking out from under the covers.

“I thought you said you weren't gonna leave me,” she mumbled and pouted.

Silver was at first shocked. She'd been getting more and more direct with her actions, but he found himself caring very little that she was. In fact, he rather preferred it. At least this way he didn't have to pretend it never happened.

Silver crawled into the bed next to her, careful not to shake the mattress. Twilight lifted the cover for a moment to allow Silver to come under it, dropping it over him when he laid down and wrapping her hoof around him.

Silver rolled onto his back to where Twilight could lay with her head on top of his chest.

“Hey, Silver...”she said softly. Her voice had taken a gentle tone, and the slur of her words went away, assuming when she puked earlier. “There's one more thing I meant to ask.”

“What's up?”

“What...what happened to Lily?”

Twilight felt the same thing she had earlier when she forgave Silver. His heart jumped and his breathes become quick.

“Are...are you sure you want to know?”

Twilight nodded, “I need to know. Silver, what you felt back then, it was...well, I honestly can't describe it. But it's killing me. I keep feeling it, but I don't know why and it just makes it worse. I keep thinking 'why does it hurt so much?' and I can never find an answer, even though it feels like I already know what it is.”

Silver was silent, and Twilight looked up at him. His eyes reflected his mind flipping through the horrid memories of what happened to the wolf, each one only adding to the pained expression he wore.

“She...she killed herself.”

All the alcohol drained from Twilight, as well as any fatigue she was feeling.

“Oh...I...I won't ask anymore, but if you want to talk about it, then I'm right here.”

Silver flashed a sorrowful smile, “Thanks, but it's been a long day. I think we should get some sleep. I still have some things I need to do tomorrow.”

Twilight nodded and Silver rolled onto his side to face Twilight. 

“They're gonna come back, aren't they? The nightmares...”

He closed his eyes, then reluctantly fell to sleep. The mare, however, couldn't. How could she after hearing something like that? She laid beside the wolf and watched as he dreamed. His face was the same as it always was when he slept, or at least at first it was.

After laying for hour or so, Twilight heard a soft whimper come from Silver. His normal expression when sleeping became not only fearful and panic, but even worse, pained. A small tear formed in his eye before leaking down.

Silvers paws pressed into the mattress and grasped at the sheets for something to hold. Something to soothe the terrors that haunted his dreams.

Instead of his pillow and blankets, he was met with a warm embrace. Twilight wrapped her hooves around his head, cradling him into her chest.

She softly hummed a gentle tune and the wolfs paws calmed and found their way across her form to hug her tighter.

“Oh Silver...”

His breathing was ragged and his body was...cold. It was strange. Well, it was more terrifying. She thought at first that he was becoming sick again, but then Silver spoke.

“Lily...” he mumbled.

Twilight held the wolf tighter, wishing with every fiber of her being that she could just make the wolf happy again. To take back what she'd asked and just let him sleep in peace.

She pulled herself back and looked once more at the snoozing face of Silver. It had softened at little, but the pain was still there.

She leaned forward and planted a small kiss on his head, “I'm sorry I can't help you. But just as you won't leave me; I promise,

“I won't leave you.”


> Twlights Dream and Lunas Scheme
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight nuzzled herself deeper into the fur as she basked in it's warmth. She could feel the sun washing over her back as she laid atop Silver, her hooves wrapped around his chest and his paws around her waist. Every muscle in her body was completely relaxed; even her wings, which instead of being tucked to her sides like normal, fell limp, allowing for the thin blades of the tall grass below to brush and tickle against the tips of her wings.

She looked up from her nuzzling, looking Silver in the eyes.

Oh those sweet, honey hazel eyes. Like ponds of translucent gold, tempting her to dive in, and get lost in his gaze.

She allowed her hooves to release their hold on the wolf, slowing sliding them up his chest, then neck and finally to his cheeks. She pulled his head closer, and leaned in herself, her eyes never breaking away.

Their lips locked, gently but firmly. His were soft and sweet, like the honey that filled his eyes. His kiss was serene and calming, and yet at the same time exciting and intoxicating. Their tongues danced in their mouths and she found she didn't want this moment to end, for their lips to never part.

But after a long moment, they both needed air, and so they broke apart. Twilight pulled her head away, panting slightly with flushed cheeks and looked once more into the eyes of the wolf.

She opened her mouth to speak, “Silver, I lo--”





You know those times when you're having the best of dreams, and for what ever reason, your brain decides to wake up.

This was one of those times for Twilight. To make matters worse, not only had the blissful dream ended, but she woke up to a mind splitting headache.

“Oooohh...fucking hangovers.”

Twilight lifted the blankets over her head, though it was unnecessary as there was no light coming into the room. It was mostly just for comfort, like she was hiding away from the world and her princess duties for the day. Just wanting to sleep in until the pain went away.

Twilight turned over, her hooves landing on a familiar fluff. The contact caused the fluff to groan and stir from it's slumber. Two paws patted across the mattress to find the mare they had fallen asleep with the previous night.

It took only a few pats until the half woken Silver found what he was looking for, then wrapped his paws around it and pulled it closer. 

Twilight felt herself get dragged across the bed and into Silvers embrace. While the movement cause her some pain, she gladly welcomed it. His fur provided some relief as she found it to be one of the more relaxing things she'd experienced, aside from reading a good book or working on a complex equation.

Twilight shifted to a more comfortable position, throwing her hooves around the wolf and cuddling into his body.

Perhaps she could stay in bed for the day. Maybe Silver would stay with her and cuddle some more. They could just lay there and read books, or talk or just do whatever. They could snack on junk foods and tell jokes, and overall just, as Rainbow Dash would put it, chill. 

The thought made Twilight smile, allowing her a brief reprieve of her headache.

“I could have him to myself for the day. No Ruppy, or Onyx, or any pony. Just me and him.”

“Mhmm,” Silver groaned as he woke more, “Morning Twilight,” he whispered softly.

Thank Celestia, this wolf had some common sense. She remembered the last time she had a hangover and Spike decided he would get his chores done in the noisiest fashion possible.

Twilight didn't respond, only pushing her muzzle deeper into the fur. It wasn't solely because of the head ache, but also that he'd found her laying next to him. Sure, she asked him to sleep with her, but it was still a bit awkward for her to still be in bed with him after they'd awoken. After all, while they're sleeping, it can't be helped if they happen to fall into each others arms. It was beyond their control.

But waking up and not moving from said position was a little more direct. It clearly said, “Hey, I like to cuddle with you so don't get up and leave me to freeze to death without your fur.”

“Headache?” the wolf asked. Twilight slowly nodded in response.

“Well, I think I have some medicine around here that should help with that, but you'll have to let go if you want me to get it.”

Twilight only shook her head and tightened her grip. If he gets up, there was a slim chance he'd get back into bed. After all, he said the night before that he had things to do today.

Silver chuckled lightly, “Well alright then. But you'll have to let go eventually. One of us needs to get up to get food and drinks.”

“Damn, I forgot about that.”

Twilight sighed and released her grasp so that her hooves were simply in front of her on Silvers chest.

“Can...can you stay for today?” she asked.

Silver gently stroked her mane, “No, I'm sorry. I need to catch up on Ruppy and Onyx's training, and I still need to find Darings employer. And besides, don't you have things to do today too?”

For once, she did. Celestia had asked her to begin looking into making her own guard. Celestia and Luna would help with the process, but they needed to know what kinds of ponies were needed for Twilight. 

These guards wouldn't be like Ruppy and Onyx, however, who were meant to be more like specialist. These guards would be like the common ones; trained but not particularly outstanding. The two princesses both agreed to transfer some of their more experienced members to Twilights guard to help guide the newbies, but the actual selection of the newbies would be left up to her.

She would have to go and look at files of guards and recruits for the day, shuffling through papers and reading recommendations and resumes. Twilight would much rather spend her day with Silver, or at the least, in bed recovering. Today was not the day for interviews and file reviews.

The hung-over alicorn groaned as she pulled herself from the bed, Silver following after. She looked at the clock, reading it was half past ten. It was later than she intended to get up, but at least it wasn't noon.

“Do you mind if I grab a bite on the way out?” Twilight asked as the two stepped out of the room. They moved down the hall and into the living room.

“No, go ahea--” Silver stopped mid-sentence as his eyes fell to the wavy, midnight mane sitting on his couch.

“Well, it was a nice life.”

“Silver?” Luna called as she turned and looked to Silver, “You're awake...and with Twilight.”

Twilight froze upon hearing the voice. She was scared, but couldn't figure out why. Sure, she just left Silvers room with him after sleeping together for the night, but what's so wrong about that? If Luna did figure it out and had a problem, she could simply say it was none of her concern what she did with Silver.

But this was something else. Perhaps it was Silvers reaction that scared her, and not the lunar alicorn herself. He did seem to have a guilty look in his eyes, but that could have also been embarrassment. His fur made it hard to see the blush.

“Heyyyy” he said back awkwardly, “what are you doing here?” 

“Star Shine said you'd run off yesterday before you could heal properly, so I wanted to come make sure you were okay. There were also a few things I wanted to talk to you about, though it concerns Twilight as well.” Luna couldn't help but flick her eyes back and forth between the wolf and lavender alicorn.

Oh boy. Silver was beginning to get tired of hearing that phrase. Why does every pony feel the need to ask him questions? Sure, he prefers it if you ask directly instead of snooping behind his back, but still, give a wolf a break!

“Okay, but could it wait until a little later. I haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon, and I'm really hungry.”

Luna nodded.

“I think I'll just stop by Sugar Cube Corner for breakfast instead,” Twilight nervously informed, “I'll uh... I'll see you later Silver.” Twilight quickly but awkwardly shuffled out of the door, leaving the guilty Silver and confused Luna to themselves.

“Soo...how are you feeling?” Luna asked, taking a sudden interest in the floor. It was a very nice tile.

“Um, good mostly,” Silver responded as he walked over to the kitchen, “I get winded easily and my muscles are a bit sore, but other than that I'm fine.”

“Good, that's good.”

Silence. An incredibility awkward silence. Silver wished he had just stayed in bed like Twilight had asked, but Luna would have probably came in after a while and found them. And that would not have ended well.

Silver reached up and grabbed a bowl and box of cereal from the cupboard, “So, just how did you get in anyway?”

“I used Tia's key. I told her I was coming to check on you and she hoofed it over.”

“Oh...”

Silence once more.

Silence again.

And again.

It was killing both of them. Luna was dying to ask what he was doing with Twilight, but knew she couldn't. After all, it's not like they were together, so she couldn't go around accusing him of sleeping with other mares when he was never committed to one in the first place.

Silver desperately didn't want her to ask. He could handle any other question, just not that one. He felt like he was betraying her, and although nothing happened, he still felt guilty.

“Silver...” Luna began. Oh shit, here it comes, “What...what was Twilight doing here?”

Silver stopped eating for a moment and pushed his bowl away, “She got drunk last night and spent the night here,” he said calmly. On the inside, however, he was shaking more than Pinkie Pie on a sugar high.

“I see. She slept with you?” she tried her best not so sound accusing or upset, but rather curious.

“She did. I'll admit, I may have been a bit...tipsy as well, but we didn't have sex or anything. Just slept.” And cuddled, you big, fat liar. 

That brought the mare some relief, “So you two aren't 'together' then?”

“DAMNIT, WHAT AM I SAYING?!”

Silver shook his head, “No.”

Lunas internal flip out had ceased when she heard the response, “Well, I suppose good things can come of mistakes. Still, I suppose this complicates things a bit. He might be too attached to her now, or she to him.”

“Very well,” she rose from the couch and head to the door, “Come find me when you have some free time. I have a proposition for you.”

Silver nodded and Luna left the home. The moment the door shut, Silvers head banged on the table with a loud thunk.

“Damn, who killed you?” Ruppy quirked as she stepped out of the hall.

“It's nothing, don't worry about it,” he retorted before picking his head back up.

“So how ya feeling?” she asked as she sat down at the counter, stealing Silvers bowl. He didn't care. The awkwardness of the conversation had caused him to loose his appetite.

“I'm fine for the most part. A little sore and winded, but still alive and kickin'.”

“Good,” Ruppy said with a mouthful of cereal, “Cause we need your help with training today. I can't put a hole through the paper, and Onyx and Aerial both passed out yesterday and the day before.”

Silver sighed, “Yeah, I was afraid that might happen.”

Ruppy set her bowl down and raised a brow, “You knew it was gonna happen?”

Silver nodded, “The paper thing is supposed to teach you how to punch. It comes from a boxing training that teaches you to react your arm after it hits your opponent.”

“I wasn't talking about my training. Silver, that scared the shit out of me, okay? I almost lost it when Onyx dropped, but Aerial said she was gonna be okay so I figured Onyx just pushed herself too hard. The Aerial turns around and does the same thing the next day and suddenly I'm afraid I'm gonna be next!”

“Ruppy, I know you're upset, but I didn't mean for it to scare you or the other two. I was supposed come by and check up while you were training so you didn't get alarmed like this. I can assure you neither of them were in any danger.”

The pegasus sighed tiredly, “Well...if you say so. But next time, do you think you would at least warn us of the …erm, hazards, of your training. I might be okay, but I can't say the same about the other two.”

She dropped off the stool and trotted back to her room. Silver sighed and put the bowl in the sink.

“She's right. I should go see how they're doing. I hope they're not hurt.”

Silver turned and left the kitchen, going down the hall stopping in front of Onyx's door. He knocked and entered when she called him in.

“Hey,” he greeted as he poked his head in. Onyx was laying on her bed with a book and some music playing softly. She gave a small smile and gestured for him to come in.

“Ruppy told me about what happened and how you collapsed. Are you feeling okay?” he asked as he entered and sat on the floor in front of the bed.

“I'm fine. My magic just ran out. I realized what caused it though.”

Silver perked up and gave her an amazed look. Onyx simply giggled and closed her book, marking the page it was on before levitating a dufflebag in the corner onto the bed. She pulled out one of the long black bars and set it on her bed.

“Corax Stone, right?”

Silver nodded.

“It slowly saps your energy, even when you not touching it. It's like those crystals in the cave that feed off of magic, but this just eats it and doesn't grow.” She slipped the bar back into the bag and focused on Silver, “But why? Why make me use this?”

“It will help you to increase the amount of magic you have. When I was training with my grandfather, he would make me where a chain around my neck made of the stuff. It would slowly sap my power, but when I took it off and recovered, I had more reserves than I did before. I didn't notice it because I couldn't feel the change, but I eventually discovered my magic lasting longer than it did before.”

Onyx stared at the bag with a curious face.

“You won't notice the change already. It's only been two days after all, but fainting is very common when training with Corax stone. When you cut your connection with it, however, you immediately begin to recover. Your body will get used to it after a while, and while you'll still faint, you will recover more quickly.”

Onyx floated the bag back to the corner, then turned her attention to the wolf who had guilt written all over his muzzle.

“Ruppy scolded you, didn't she?”

Silver nodded, “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare any of you. I meant to explain it all, but I got sick and you guys kept training without me.”

“It's okay,” she said gently with a reassuring smile, “No harm was done.” This was the most kindness he'd ever seen her show, or the most he'd ever seen her smile.

Silver looked up at her with a lightened expression, “Really? Thank you!”

Onyx giggled and dismissed the wolf from her room. It was strange, that moment. It was as if Silver had become a foal who was happy his parents didn't punish him for breaking something. It was actually pretty adorable.


Silver trotted out of the room and down the hall, a noticeable skip in his step. He grabbed his key from his room and headed for the door. He could stop by Aerials on the way the castle, since the last time he used his key was at the library, that was where he would step out.

Silver left his home and stepped outside. He took to the skies moments after locking the door behind him and flew to Canterlot in ten minutes. He was far fast than any train, and could take a more direct route than the tracks.

He landed a top a building across from the apartments Aerial lived in. They weren't exactly spectacular, but they weren't run down either.

Silver evaporated into the building, reappearing in the living room of Aerials apartment. He went to the front door, then opened and closed it. It was his way of letting her know he came in without scaring her.

Aerial trotted down the hall from her room, “Oh, hey. How have you been?”

Silver sighed. That question was really getting old. Sure, they were just worried about him, but the fact that he was standing should have been an obvious answer to their question.

“I'm fine. I'm more worried about you. Ruppy said you fainted during training.”

The mare looked glumly to the floor, “Yeah, I kinda over worked myself, I guess.”

Silver stepped forward and picked up her chin with a paw, “Hey, what's up? You seem down. I know that passing out can be a little embarrassing but it's not all that uncommon.”

Aerial shook her head, “It's nothing like that, it's just...” she trailed off into a mumble.

“You need to speak up if you want to talk.”

“Well it's just, while you were gone, I found this mare right, and I think I might really like her. We only just met recently, but I think I might want to try something with her. The problem is that I think she has a thing for this other guy I know, and well...I kinda had a thing for him too.”

“You had a thing for him, or you still do?”

“Had...have...I don't know!” she groaned and plopped on the floor.

Silver sat and thought for a moment, “This guy, does he like you back? And what about the mare?”

“I don't think he thinks of me in that way, more like a good friend than anything. And the mare, well, we had a moment, and I think she might feel the same about me, but I honestly can't tell. It was just that once, after all. I just don't wanna get my hopes up.”

“You know, this would go much easier if you just gave me names.”

Aerial shook her head, “Nope. I won't do that.”

Well that told Silver all he needed to know. He clearly knew the mare and the stallion, and while the stallions identity eluded him (fucking idiot), the mares was quiet clear.

Strange thing was, he never saw Ruppy interact with any other stallions. So who was it that she could possibly have taken a liking too?

“Look,” Silver began as he knelt down to Aerial on the floor, “I can't say I understand what you're feeling. But what I do know is that you're an amazing mare and I know that you can have any one you want. If this guy can't see you for what you are, then just go for the mare. You said you felt like there may have been something between you two, so why not chase it?”

A small smile formed on Aerials face as she thought about being with her new found crush. Sure, she developed it a little fast, but that didn't mean she couldn't take her time getting to know the mare.

“I...I guess you're right. I think I'll just ask her to hang out today. I wanna make sure we feel the same way.” Aerial rose from the floor, “Was there anything else you needed?”

Silver shook his head, “No, not really. I just wanted to see that you were okay. You still need to keep training, but don't push yourself too hard.”

“I won't and I'll make sure Ruppy doesn't nag you any more too.”

Silver chuckled nervously, “Was it really that obvious?”





Canterlot Castle.

Silver had seen it a number of times before, but it was only now that he was afraid of it. In it's halls roamed a mare that Silver was, at the moment, terrified of visiting. Not because she was angry with him, but because he knew he hurt her.

Silver sighed and stood from his perch on a cloud. The streets were busy and he didn't feel like dealing with the judgmental looks he got from the Canterlot snobs, so he figured he'd stay out of sight.

Silver flew down and over the gates, signaling to the guards that it was him flying in. Most ponies in the city were unicorns, so none of them ever paid attention to the sky. He landed at the front doors and trotted in. It had only just occurred to him, but he realized he rarely ever used the front door to any building except for his own home. Usually it was a window or a side door. Huh, strange. Maybe it was his thief habits kicking in.

Silver wondered through the halls, looking for the lunar mare that had called him there. It had only been twenty minutes since she left his place, but he figured that since he was here in Canterlot he might as well see her.

“Silver?” a voice called from above. He looked up to see Star Shine sitting on top of a column. He hadn't even noticed her presence.

“Oh, Star. Hey, can you help me? I'm trying to find Luna.”

“That's Princess Luna to you,” she corrected as she dropped down, “And yes. She called for me as well. In fact, I think I saw Princess Twilight heading towards her as well.”

Star Shine took the lead and led her friend down the halls. She brought him to a study. It wasn't Celestias, so Silver figured it could only be Lunas.

When they stepped inside, Silver quickly saw just how different it was from the other. It was smaller than her sisters, and had cooler colors too. The walls were a blend of deep purples and blues, and the carpet was straight black. A desk was pushed into a corner, and two large couches were in the center of the room facing each other.

On one of those couches was Twilight, and on the other was Luna. Star Shines earlier prediction had been correct. Luna wanted to talk with all of them at once. But what for?

The two of them looked up from their conversation.

“Oh, you're here earlier than I expected,” Luna said as she rose from her spot. Twilight remained seated, but her eyes kept switching back and forth between Silver and Star Shine.

“Yeah sorry,” Silver said as he stepped forward, “I found myself in Canterlot and figured I might as well drop by to talk,” Silver looked past Luna and to the mare one the couch, “But why's Twilight here?”

Silver didn't get a chance to here an answer before he was smack over the back of the head by the wolf behind him.

“Ow! What the--”

“It's Princess Twilight to you,” Star Shine scolded as she stepped next to him, “And you'll do well to remember it. Geez, I swear you do this with every authority figure you meet.”

“That's not true. I call Princess Cadence by her title.”

“Yeah, only because she's married and you know you can't get with her.” Star Shine scoffed back.

“That's not true!”

“Ahem!” Luna cleared her throat to get the attention of the bickering wolves.

Star Shine quickly shot to attention and bowed her head, “Forgive me, I was out of place.”

Silver simply rolled his eye, “Suck up,” he muttered.

“If you wouldn't mind,” Luna said with a near growl, “I would like to begin our talk. It concerns all of us.”

Silver nodded and moved over to the couch, sitting next to Twilight. Star Shine took a spot on the floor next to the couch Luna was on.

“Now,” Luna began, “As I said before, I have a proposition for you Silver, and one for you as well Star Shine. I have already begun to talk with Twilight about it, though we were interrupted when you to came in.”

Star Shine folded her ears back. Oops.

“Anyway, what I propose is this. Would the two of you mind switching places as our guards?”

Silver cocked his head at her request, “Switch places? You mean I guard you and Star guards Twilight?”

Luna nodded.

“Hmm, well it wouldn't break any regulations,” Star Shine spoke up, “There would still be a guard for both of you, and technically we are supposed to be protecting all princesses, not just the one we're assigned to. But I currently guard both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. Have you talked to her about it?”

“Yes, Tia said she is fine with it so long as every pony and wolf agrees. So, what do you say? Would you like to change places?”

Silver looked down at Twilight. Her expression saying she was mulling over the proposal, like it was a business deal. He honestly wasn't sure what he wanted to do. On one paw, he enjoyed being with Twilight, and had grown rather fond of her. On the other paw, he did want to spend more time with Luna. Although their last encounter had left things a little awkward for them, he still wanted to be with her.

Silver was broken out of his thoughts by a poke to the side. He looked down and found Twilight motioning for him lend her his ear.

He bent down so he mare could whisper.

“I think you should do it.”

The words surprised Silver. He wasn't expecting Twilight to give him up so easily. Maybe it's time for a little fun.

“Oh really? Is that it? Are you bored with me now?” Silver asked jokingly.

“What? No! It's just...” Twilight began to mumble as her face became a light pink, “If you aren't assigned to me, then it's less likely that you'll get in trouble when we have more...personal time together. I know I said I didn't want you to leave, but this way we can be...together in a different way.”

Twilight pulled away and began twiddling her hooves, staring at the carpet.

“Look, I kinda need some one new to research,” she excused, “Silver's good and all, but I can't quite figure out everything I need to know. It's by my understanding that Star Shine is quite intelligent, and more so than Silver. So, I figure she could help me more with my research. Therefore, I think we should switch.”

Star Shine shrugged, “I'm fine with that. Silver?”

Silver looked from the mare at his side, to the one across from him.

“Meh, sure. Why not?”

Luna beamed with glee. Finally, she could spend time with the wolf she wanted, “I don't think you have anything that needs to be moved, do you Star Shine?”

The wolf shook her head.

“Very well. I now conclude this meeting,” Luna said as she rose once more, “Come Silver, we have things we need to attend to.”

The alicorn headed to the door as Twilight got up herself.

“Hey,” Silver whispered to Twilight, “You can drop by my place whenever you feel like, 'kay?”

Twilight smiled and nodded as she left the room with her new guard. She was a little sad she wasn't going to be with Silver quite as often, but she actually meant what she said earlier. She really did need some one new to help her with her research, and if Star Shine was the genius Silver made her out to be, then she would be a great help.

Twilight left with Star Shine and headed back to the train station. Hopefully, the appearance of a new wolf in Ponyville wouldn't cause any panic.

Luna and Silver made their way down the halls of the castle, “So, what's first on the agenda?” Silver asked as he trotted next to the alicorn.

“I have a meeting with a Caneighdian Noble. He says he has access to powerful magic items and the ones who build them. He's willing to sell them to the guard and is coming today to get an idea of what kind of deal will be struck. Things like quantity, prices, materials, shipping and any special request we may have.”

“Hmm, sounds interesting. And your sister?”

“Tia is still trying to clean up the backlog of paper work that she neglected when she was looking for your trainees. I told her to let me handle picking them out but she insisted that she be the one to do it. And now, I have to take over her day court. Luckily my own responsibilities at night aren't too great, so I can manage both.”

The two rounded a corner and came to the conference room. It was medium sized, with a large circular table in the middle, with eight chairs surrounding it.

“He should be arriving soon, and it's by my understanding that he brought his own security. So, do play nice.”

Silver rolled his eyes, “Fine. I promise not to choke any one who looks at me side ways,” he said jokingly.

Luna giggled at the comment. Just as their joking died off, the door to the room opened once more, and  a large pony...no, moose walked in. He was far taller than your average pony, and his legs was thinner as well. His figure itself was huge, and that wasn't taking his antlers into account. Behind the large moose was a single, smaller figure.

A vixen.

She had golden fur and a white underbelly. Her eyes were baby blue and she had a black collar around her neck. On her back was a large, black case.

“Welcome,” Luna greeted as the two approached the table. The fox took the case off of her back and set it on the table.

The moose knelt, “It's an honor.” Silver hardly even noticed the moose there, as all attention was drawn to the shimmering fox behind him. She too knelt.

Compared to the fox, this moose was plain. He had a maroon and black coat. Silver couldn't see his cutie mark as his coat covered it, but didn't particularly find any interest in it, or was even sure if there was one. He was still focused on the fox.

She was fascinating not because of her beauty, but because of her location. Foxes were known for being isolated to the eastern islands of Foxan. So why is it that one was here?

Silver was broken from his thoughts by the sound of chairs scraping across the floor. Luna and the Caneighdian had taken seats, and the vixen was moving off to the side. Silver did the same.

“Before we begin, could we excuse the room,” the moose said, “I intend on sharing some secrets that are best not heard by...some.”

The moose cut his eyes at Silver, accusing him without saying anything directly. Luna followed his eyes to the wolf behind her.

“I can assure you Silver will not say anything. He's a well respected guard and loyal like none other.”

“Yes well,” he began without shifting his eyes, “I'm afraid I have issue with trusting mutts, so I must insist that he not be in the room during the meeting.”

What happened to 'All Caneighdians are nice'?

Luna fought back a scowl and the desire the throw the table at him, “Very well,” she growled, “Silver, would you please step out?”

“If I'm leaving, so is she,” Silver said, pointing a paw at the fox. She perked up and looked around as if she was oblivious to the conversation around her.

“I'll not be left here unguarded,” the moose insisted, “I won't attack Princess Luna, so you may leave now.”

“That's not happening,” Silver replied flatly.

The Caneighdian glared and growled at the wolf with frustration.

“Forgive me,” Luna said getting the moose's attention, “but I do have a schedule to keep, so I need to move this along.”  He looked up to Luna who wore an impatient face.

“Fine,” he growled through his gritted teeth. He waved a hoof and the fox stood and went for the door, the wolf following after. The doors closed with a clunk that echoed through the halls of the castle, and the two were left to each other. They were silent at first, but the curious Silver intended to change that.

“So...” Silver began, “What's the collar for?”

The fox didn't respond. She didn't even spare a glance; her eyes only focusing on the wall opposite to them.

“Could you at least tell me your name?”

Still nothing.

“Helloooooo?” he waved a paw in front of her eyes, but she only blinked. Well, at least she wasn't blind. Silver sighed and turned to face forward. They sat in silence for just under an hour until...

“Why didn't you get angry?” the fox said. Her voice was soft and timid, which was strange considering the enormous amount of magic she was giving off.

“What do you mean?”

“He called you a mutt. Isn't that a racial slur where you come from?”

Silver shrugged, “Well he wasn't wrong. I am a mutt since I have the blood of all three wolf races running through me. But I don't think he actually knew that it was a racist comment in that sense. Sure, he doesn't like wolves, but a lot of ponies don't. And besides, if got I mad every time someone called me a mutt, I be alone for the rest of my life with out friends.”

“So, it doesn't bother you?”

“Well, it would bother me if he meant it the way it is back in Houndland, but he didn't, so no harm done.”

“What do you mean 'back in Houndland'? Does it have a different meaning there?”

“It does, but it's a long history lecture that I don't really feel like reciting.”

“Oh...okay.”

They sat in silence once more. This time, it was only a few minutes before she spoke again.

“Radiance,” she said.

“Huh?”

The fox repeated, “My name is Radiance.”

Silver smiled and turned to her, “Well Radiance, it's a pleasure to meet you,” he said as he stuck out a paw. She flinched and hesitated at first, but then returned the gesture.

“You know, you're awfully shy for a girl packing so much magic.”

“I'm not that shy, it's just...Master doesn't like it when I talk too much. He doesn't want me to bother others.”

Silver looked to the closed door, “Master? Well, sorry Luna, you just lost a business partner. There's no way I'm letting this one slide.”

He looked back to the fox, “And I guess 'Master' is the one who put that collar on you too?”

Radiance nodded, “It's so he can know where I am at all times, though I'm usually with him. If I try to take it off, I get shocked until I'm unconscious.”

The words sent Silver into a rage. His claws dug into the tile, the cracking of the floor just barely quiet enough to not give away his anger.

“With as much power as she has, that would take hours. She would lie there, getting electrocuted  and tortured because this prick thinks he owns her!?”

“Do you want it off?” Silver offered, never letting a hint of his wrath slip.

“Didn't you hear me? I can't, not without--”

“I heard you. You can't take it off, but that doesn't mean I can't.”

“That doesn't matter. Either way, if some one attempts to remove the collar, then I get hurt,” Radiance couldn't fight back a shudder.

“So she has tried to escape then.”

Silver flicked his tail, a blade of wind whipped off and sliced cleanly into the floor. Radiance looked up in shock of the sudden action.

“I could cut this entire building clean in half if I wanted. Cutting through something like that collar would be nothing, even if it is magically enchanted. Even if that doesn't work,” Silver cast a deathly glare at the door, “I can always go to the root of the problem.” 

“No!” she defended suddenly, and much to the wolfs surprise, “Even if Master hasn't treated me fairly, I still owe him a lot, and while I do wish to be rid of him, I don't want him dead.”

Silver sighed. In a way, it was a good thing. Amid his anger, he'd forgotten his promise to Twilight, and wouldn't have thought twice about killing the moose behind the doors when he had the chance.

“Well, when you do want out, come find me. I have a friend who can help get the collar off, or at the least, disabled. While I can cut it off, it wouldn't be smart as it would probably take off your head as well.”

Radiance pulled back in surprise, instinctively moving her paw up to her neck to assure her head was still attached.

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot,” Silver added to the conversation, “Why is it that you're here? Don't foxes usually stay on the islands?”

Radiance nodded, “Yes, most do. But I got tired of the same old country, so I left. I was wondering the mainlands for a few years until I got into some trouble with some black market dealers, and that's when Master came and bailed me out. He said I have to serve him until my debt is fulfilled.”

“Black market? So the over grown rat with horns has underground connections. That gives me an idea, so I guess I'll need him alive for a little longer. Lucky little bastard. I suppose Luna will want to know too.”

“Well, if it's a debt, then I can understand why you wouldn't want him dead. It wouldn't be right to just up and kill him. But my offer still stands. If you want the collar off, just come find Luna or any one of the castle guards and they'll take you to me.”

Radiance gave a small smile, “Thank you.”

As they're conversation came to an end, Silver heard the doors to the conference room unlatch and open a bit. The meeting was over, and the moose was rising from his seat.

Silver pushed the door open and entered, Radiance slipping in behind him and moving to the Caneighdians side.

“Well, I hope to do further business with you in the future,” he said as bowed, then turned and went to the door. He didn't bother to acknowledge Silver walking past him, and Silver did the same.

“I too hope to continue business with you,” Luna replied from her seat. In front of her on the table was the large case Radiance had carried in, locked with three pad locks.

A sign of good faith maybe? Or perhaps a sample of his products? Oh the wonders a locked case held.

The door to the room closed, and Luna dropped her smile, and her head. The table made a loud thunk as her head connected.

“Ugh,” she groaned.

“Did ya' have fun?” Silver mocked.

“Faust, no. All he did was brag about how good his creations were. He never actually made any kind of a deal, or even the outline of one,” Luna lifted her head and pulled the suit case forward, “He did give me this though. Apparently, it contains three items he's collected.”

Luna floated a key that was laying next to the case, then unlocked each of the locks. She clicked open the case and revealed the treasures inside.

The first item was an orb. It gave off a dull, yellow glow. The second was a dagger. It resembled a hunting knife, though the edge was completely serrated. The third item was a necklace, simply a gold chain.

“Hmm,” Luna hummed as she examined the items, “What does he expect me to do with these?”

Silver chuckled and reached for the case, pulling it in front of him. First, he lifted the orb, eyeing it closely, “It's a Catalyst. It's loaded with explosive magic. You set a timer and then it goes boom, though it doesn't seem to be too well made. The explosive magic itself seems fine, though the timer on it is flaky.”

Silver placed the orb back and picked up the dagger, “Enchanted. Other than that, I can't tell. You won't know what it does until you cut something or some pony with it. As just a normal dagger, I give it a 6 out of 10.”

He put the dagger back and lifted the necklace, “Same as the dagger. Enchanted, but I can't tell with what. I recommend putting it on a dummy and seeing what happens,” he set the necklace back down and looked over the items once more.

“There is one thing I know about these items though. They were all made from the underground.”

“How can you tell?”

“Magic items manufactured by companies all have signature spells and magics placed on them. They teach all the enchanters in the company the same spells so that each item is the same. These on the other paw are unique. They have an unfamiliar signature.”

Luna looked at the items in the case, “So they're faulty. You said the timer on the Catalyst was broken, and there is probably something wrong with the other two. He's trying to scam us.”

“Probably. He might have known that you weren't able to tell the difference quality and faulty goods, and tried to sell them to you.”

“Well, then this deal is off. I have no interest in buying items that would put my soldiers at risk.” Luna closed the case and pushed it away.

“Well, before you do that, I might need him for something,” Silver said nervously. Luna looked up and gave him a look that was somewhere between a glare and curiosity.

“Need him for what?”

“Well, as it turns out, that moose has connections in the underworld. Connections I need if I'm going to track down that grimoire that was taken in the cave.”

Luna groaned, “Why can't you just make your own connections?”

“Because to do that, I would have to set up an op out here for my pack. While Equestria does have some commodities I would like to get my paws on, I think it would be best if our two worlds didn't mix. Might get a little nasty.”

Luna let out a long sigh, “Do I have to? I really didn't like him. Not only did he call you a mutt, but he kept flirting with me. It was quite uncomfortable.”

“Well, I really only need the fox he was with. She seems to do most of the leg work and probably has a better standing than he does in the underground. Work ethic is well respected among criminals. So really, just keep him around until I can win her over and then you can tell him off all you want.”

“I'm sure you'll be using that charm of yours to steal her heart,” Luna mocked.

“No, actually I offered to get that collar off of her. I already set the bait, so I suspect she'll bite first chance she gets. When that chance is, I don't know, so I need her to have a reason to keep coming back. The best way to do that is to keep the connection between you and him open.”

Luna rolled her eyes and sighed once more, “Fine, but if he asks me out on a date, I'm shutting this whole thing down.”

“Fair enough. Now, is there anything else for today?”

Luna groaned once more and dropped her head again, “Yes...”





For the rest of the day, Luna and Silver sat through meetings and court sessions. They had to listen to nobles complain and bicker over the most insignificant of things. One stallion was even trying to sue a filly for bumping into him and knocking his coffee onto his new sweater. How Celestia puts up with these imbeciles was beyond both of them. But eventually the solar half of the diarchy lowered her sun, and evening came. The doors to the castle closed and the ponies were sent on there ways.

After the day she had,  Luna decided a nice long soak seemed appropriate to help relieve the stress. It was nightfall when Luna came out of the bath.

Luna walked back into her room, looking for the wolf she had told to wait for her after he got done with his own bathing.

She noticed the doors to her balcony where opened, allowing for a cool breeze to blow in. She went through the doors and found Silver waiting, looking out over the edge. Instead of looking at the stars, he was looking at the forest at the base of the mountain. His tail wagged gently as he peered over.

“Want to go play?” Luna asked as she walked towards the wolf.

Silver looked back and saw Luna walking to him. There were still a few droplets of water clinging to her fur, allowing the moonlight to glisten off them, and her usual majestic mane and tail had become flat, “Naw. Besides, you look too tired to play.”

Luna giggled, “Well, you're not wrong. I am quite tired,” she sat down next to him and leaned against his body. His fur was damp, but still warm despite the cool breeze that was blowing that evening, “What's so special about the forest?”

Silver smiled, “It reminds me of Houndland. There are huge forest and empty plains to run around in. I used to do it when I was a pup, running around with my friends and playing tag, or hide-and-seek. We even built a club house.” A flash of nostalgia flickered in the wolfs eyes, and Luna suddenly found herself feeling guilty.

“How could I have not noticed? Silver misses his home and I never once bothered to even ask how he felt.”

“Do you miss it? Your home and family?” Luna asked gently. She leaned a little more into Silver and wrapped a wing around him.

“Well, I do miss Houndland, and I can go home anytime I want with my key. I suppose what I miss is the good ol' days, where was I still innocent and playful.”

“And your family?” Luna asked as gently as she could.

Silver flashed a bitter-sweet smile, “My family is...gone. They all died a long time ago.”

“...Oh...”

Silver lifted his paw and stared at it, “Luna, I'm not an average wolf. I've lived for over a century. My family didn't. My brother, sister and mother are all dead, and I never knew my father. Though I'm happy to say they all went peacefully, dying of old age.”

Luna felt herself drowning in guilt, “I'm sorry,” was all she could say.

Silver waved a dismissive paw, “Don't worry about it. Everything dies at some point. Nothing last forever.”

“But what about you? You've lasted well past your time.”

“Funny thing about Houndish Magic; it alters your body the more of it you accumulate. The more magic you have, the longer you live. With my magic, I'll probably live for another three hundred years. Star Shine will live for about as long as me, and Black Wing will live for at least another five hundred.”

“So then you're not immortal?”

Silver chuckled, “No, but for what's it's worth I did try. That's how I met Star Shine actually. We both wanted to live forever, but we gave up. Figured there was not way to become immortal, only to be born as it.”

“A short lived dream then.”

“Indeed.”

After their talk died down, the two sat in silence for a while. Luna still had her wing wrapped around Silver, and he leaned down and rested his head on top of hers. The scent of chocolate scented shampoo wafted through his nose, then a thought occurred to him.

“Hey Luna,” he said, “I've been wondering, what was the whole point of switching me and Star Shine?”

Luna giggled at his adorable ignorance, “You haven't figured it out yet? It was for this,” Luna stepped forward and slipped under Silvers arms, placing herself in his lap. She snuggled her back deep into his fur and made certain her body was kept warm by his.

“You just wanted to cuddle more?” Silver said jokingly.

Luna laughed, “No, I wanted more time with you. Twilight had you all to herself, and after the first few times we were together, I found I wanted to be with you more, so I asked if I could switch.” Lunas midnight blue coat didn't due her any favors for hiding her blush. In fact, it only made it more visible.

“So you just want me for my fur, huh?”

She laughed once more, “No. You made a promise to keep me company. I'm just helping you fulfill that promise.”

“While getting snuggles and cuddles at the same time. Well played, moonbutt. Well played.”

“Moonbutt? How did you...”

Silver chuckled, “You might be able to look into my memories, but so long as your sister is around, I will know every last one of your dirty little secrets.”

“I'm so gonna kill 'Tia”

“What-what else did she tell you?”

“Oh nothing important, moonbutt,” Silver teased then wrapped his paws around her waist and pulled her tightly. It didn't hurt, but kept her pressed against him firmly.

Luna rolled her eyes and made herself comfortable in his embrace, “But you are right. I do enjoy your cuddles. Though I must ask...did...did Twilight enjoy them as well?”

Silver froze and chuckled nervously, telling Luna all she needed to know.

“I see...”

Silver sighed, “Look, nothing major happened between the two of us. Yes, we slept together. Yes, we shared in some of the more intimate of contacts. And before you ask, yes, I do feel strongly for her. But those are all things I can say about you as well.”

Lunas heart dropped and jumped all at the same time. While it pained her to hear him say that about Twilight, it also brought her joy knowing he felt the same for her. Deciding not to put a damper on her night, Luna voted to ignore any feelings of dismay and to simply enjoy Silvers company.

“Mhmm, well I suppose you saved yourself. If you hadn't said that, I'd have stolen your key and made you sleep outside.”

Silver let out a relieved sigh, causing Luna to giggle.

“Scared were we?”

“You have no idea.”

“Well worry not, little wolf. You'll be staying with me tonight,” Luna assured as she pulled herself from Silvers hug. The night air suddenly felt so much colder, “Come. I'm tired and my bed has been feeling rather empty lately.”

Silver rolled his eyes in a playful manner and rose to follow Luna back to her room. They stepped inside and quickly got into the bed. The blankets were lifted with Lunas magic and the two crawled under the comfort of the covers.

Silver laid on his stomach while Luna nestled her body into his side. He draped a wing over her form and she dropped the blanket onto the two of them.

It was like a piece of paradise, that bed. Luna felt like time had stopped, and allowed the two to lay there for as long as they pleased. It took mere moments for Silvers warm fur to put the alicorn to sleep. Silver laid awake for a little while longer, gently nuzzling the sleeping mare at his side.

“I never noticed before, but her coat is really soft. It may not be as long as mine, but it's still like silk. *sniff sniff* And she smells like ice cream too. Maybe that's just her natural scent. After all, Celestia naturally smells like cake, so maybe it's the same for Luna.

Silver stopped his nuzzling for a moment and caught the sound of a small wheeze.

“Huh? Is she snoring? OH, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS LIVING, THAT'S ADORABLE!!”

Lunas ear flickered and her hooves twitched a bit. She pressed herself against Silver a little more, mumbling something he couldn't make out, but got the message. He continued to nuzzle her more, and her twitches died down until she became still once more. 

He noticed the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. The way her nose twitched on occasion and her wings wiggled into his stomach. But what made him happiest, the thing that brought boundless joy to his heart was the small, content smile gracing her lips, and the mumbled half sentence that escaped them.

“--ove you...”
> Punching Papers and Tail Chasers
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lunas mind slowly and hazily drifted back to reality from her comforting slumber. Her attempts to hold onto to her sleep were futile, despite being able to control dreams, as piercing rays of sunlight shown across her face. The mare groaned and stretched, her back coming into contact with a warm fur behind her.

The sudden contact gave her a bit of a jolt of panic, having not woken up in the same bed as some pony else for a long time, but it was quickly dismissed as she recalled the previous night.

She rolled over to face her sleeping buddy, the wolf snoozing blissfully. They hadn't moved an inch during the night, and she was glad for it. Silver made quite a comfortable pillow. It felt like a crime to have to wake the canine, and Luna seriously considered just leaving him in the bed for the day. The only issue with that fantasy was that she wouldn't be there to share the bed with him. The day court still needed some pony to manage it, and her sister was still busy with her paper work.

Amid her thoughts, a rustle came from the sheets. The wolf moved his paw up the bed and to the waist of Luna, tugging her a little closer. She relished in the snuggle, desperately wishing for the sun to go back down and for their night to begin all over again.

But alas, duty calls.

“Silver,” she whisper gently into his ear, “Silver, wake up.”

The wolf groaned and flicked his ears down, mumbling something about obnoxious pixies. Luna couldn't help but giggle at the sight.

“Come now little wolf, it's time to rise,” She gently prodded him with a hoof, until his eyes finally opened.

“Do I hafta?” His have woken state was even more adorable than his sleeping one. His eyes were still half-lidded, his mouth slightly agape, and his voice seemed to be a little different from it's usual tone.

Luna giggled once more, “I'm afraid so, yes. The pixies have launched an attack on the jackals, and now the time mines are going to turn blue. It simply demands out attention.”

Silver blinked a few times at the scarily accurate description of his dreams, “That's the last time I ever let you into my head.”

Luna snickered, “All dreams aside, we do have things to do today.”

Silver sighed. Would there ever be a time where he could do what the mares asked and just lay in bed for the whole day? It seemed every time the opportunity presented itself, one of them, if not both, had something to do that day.

“Fiiine,” he groaned, rolling out of the bed and on all fours, “Imma go shower real quick and grab something to eat at my place.”

Luna pulled herself from the bed as well, “Very well, I shall do the same,” quickly realizing how her statement may be taken, she attempted to correct herself,  “J-just not there. I-I mean, I will take my bath and eat here.... in the castle. N-not with you....” Luna sentence had become a stuttering mess, one to which Silver couldn't fight back a chuckled at; the adorableness of the flustered princess overwhelmed him.

He left the room and trotted down the hall, going to the door he used to enter his home and stepped inside, finding the house unnaturally quiet. A small note on the counter explained why.


Started training early today

Ruppy and Onyx.
P.S. Aerial is with us too.


Silver felt a burst of pride in his pupils. Even though he hadn't been around to instruct them lately, they still stuck to their training regiment. Luckily, he wouldn't have to be around since their basic training was bound to take a month at the least, at least for Onyx and Aerial. Ruppys training would be completed  in about a week, but she would move onto punching a tougher material so the training wouldn't really change.

Figuring the least he could do was return the favor, Silver picked up a pen and scribbled onto the note where he would be for the day.

The wolf finished his note and fished out a plastic container from the fridge hidden in the back of the fridge, popping it open to reveal a few large pieces of fried chicken. It wasn't often these days that he had the chance to eat meat without sickening those around him.  While it's true he had the pills he needed to fulfill his protein needs, so actually eating the meat wasn't necessary, but that still didn't curb the cravings.

He popped a few pieces into the microwave and pulled out a glass from the cupboard. He poured some sweet tea into it and grabbed a few napkins from the counter. A few seconds later, the microwave beeped and he popped it open, reveling in the scent. He sat down with the steaming chicken on his plate and devoured it in a moment. He was positive he looked wild while he ate, but he didn't care. It wasn't like there was any pony to see him.

He quickly finished off his meaty breakfast and made for the shower. It took only ten minutes for the wolf to wash and step out. It was the drying process that took the longest. Sure, his spell quick dried him, but it could only do so much. If he used it without toweling off first, he would still be soaked.

After drying and stepping out, Silver picked up a brush and ran it through his fur. Thanks to his spell, his fur was loose and easily managed. He set the brush back in the bathroom and left the home, finding a midnight blue alicorn waiting for him.

“Oh, hey. Sorry, did I keep you waiting?”

Luna shook her head, “Now, I just arrived a minute ago. Come, or we'll be late.” She turned and began to walk down the hall.

Silver nodded and followed after the leading mare. And so began another day of court and pointless complaining.

Oh joy....





Ruppy stared at the swinging paper that hung from the tree. It was crinkled and had a small corner ripped off, but no hole in the center.

“Ugh!” she groaned, “What the fuck!? Why is this so damn hard!?” Ruppy plopped on the ground in fit of frustration. After a minute, the sound of hooves gently trotting against the dirt caused the mare to look up from her pout.

“Hey, what's wrong?” Aerial asked. Ruppy simply pointed a hoof to the paper.

“Ohh, that. Well, keep trying. I'm sure you'll get it.”

“Yeah, but that the thing. What's the point of this stupid exercise? I mean, he told me that it'll help with my punches, but I don't really need it. I've never had any problem punching some pony before. Shit, my hits break bricks.”

Aerial sat down next to the pegasus, “Well, I'm sure there must be a good reason why Silver would have you do it. I remember when he first started training me, all he had me do was sit around and do pretty much nothing. I got mad after a while and called him out on it,  then he explained that to control wind magic, you have to be calm and collected, otherwise you'll just hurt yourself.”

“So what you're saying is that by having me punch a piece of paper, he's teaching me control?”

“Well, I don't know about control,” Aerial said as she rose from her spot, “But I know it'll teach you something you didn't have before.”

Ruppy remained seated, but glared up at the paper. It swayed in the breeze, mocking her failure. She could put a hole through a single sheet. How pathetic!

The strange thing was, it wasn't pissing her off all that much. Sure it was frustrating, but at the same time, it intrigued her. How is that a single sheet of paper could with stand the force of a punch that could shatter stone? Ruppy rose and walked toward the dangling sheet. She circled it and examined its movement with a critical eye.

Aerial noticed her new-found focus and decided it would be best to get back to her own training. 

Ruppy continued to circle the paper. She stopped and poked it with a hoof, causing it to move. She looked down at a rock on the ground, then paused to think. She scooped up the rock and tied a string around it, then tied the other end to the tree branch next to the paper.

She continued to circle them, trying to note every little difference she could. Size, weight, mass, positioning, anything that could have been different. Although the wind was making it difficult since the paper kept turning and flipping so much.

...Wait. The paper is moving in the wind. Ruppy looked at the rock. It swayed a little, but not nearly as much as the paper.

A huge grin broke out on her face. An idea formed in her head.

Well, not so much an idea, but rather a feeling. She knew she found something, but now she just had figure out how to use it.





Twilight flipped through her notes, studying the contents. She was in the lab beneath the library with Star Shine, going over her data and trying to make a bit more sense of it. Of course, it might help if Silver was there to test on.

Name: Silver Wind
Age: Unknown 128 yrs.
Height: 4ft 5in
Length: 5ft 6in
Race: Wolf( Winged)
Magic: Elemental (Wind)
Day 1: 

Observations show that subjects magic allows for complete control over wind. He can use the wind in a variety of ways, including turning his own body into a gaseous state. 
Subject states that Elemental Magic is based off of the individuals own personal beliefs about the element they use. 
Subjects own personal belief is based around freedom, though it would seem that belief is some how different from most. How this affects his magic will have to be determined later.

Test 1: Simple breeze.
Length of time wind blew: 30 min. Subject states he could hold the small wind for as long as he was conscious.
Speed: 5MPH Subject states that he could produce hurricane-like winds, though it would cause fatigue after about three hours.
Affect:  Blew around small, light objects. Ex: Leaves, paper, ect.

Test 2: Different forms of wind.
Gust: A wind that has no form and blows objects around. Subject can produce gusts that he claims can rip houses off the ground. Further testing may be required.
Tunnel/Vortex: Subjects creates a tornado/vortex in any location he chooses. He states that he can create a tornado at a maximum range is about 5 miles from himself. The size of the vortex is unknown, and will require more testing.
Blade: Subject forms the gust of wind into a edge, giving it a cutting ability. He states that he forms it based off of the shape of his wing, wrapping the wind around it and then shooting it off. He states he can cut almost any object in half, though it is doubtful. Further testing will be required. Subject also states he can combine this with vortex, creating a whirling mass of blades.


“So this is what you managed to gather?” Star Shine asked, looking over Twilights shoulder. The mare nodded and handed the wolf the journal. She had only gotten about five pages worth of data, and couldn't make much sense of it.

Not only was Elemental magic foreign to her, but Silver at the time was as well. She now had a vague understanding of what Silver meant by “freedom”, or at least, his definition of it. For him, there was no such thing as right and wrong, so therefore he could do what he wanted. It was like the wind, either a cool breeze, or a hurricane. Both good and evil, and therefore it wasn't either.

“Well, most of this data is right, though Silver was definitely holding out. The forms of magic he showed you were just basics of his techniques; the foundation of his own personalized style of wind magic. And you didn't even get to see his skills with blades, or even scratch the surface of his biology.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked as she went over to look back at the book, “I got his wind blades, right there.” Twilight pointed a hoof at the page where the data was written. She didn't bother pointing out Silvers physical anatomy. The wolf was right, Twilight barely knew anything about a wolfs body, much less Silvers, despite having spent so much time next to it. 

Star Shine skimmed through the page Twilight referred to, “I didn't mean those blades. Silver uses the Steel Wing Spell, but I'm guessing he didn't show you.”

“Steel Wing Spell?”

Star Shine nodded and set the book down on a table before taking a couple of steps away. She held out a wing and a purple light passed over it. When it crossed her feathers, her wing became clad in metal, sharpened on all edges, even the feathers.

“The Steel Wing Spell encase our wings in metal by transforming our magic and condensing it, giving it a solid, sturdy form. I don't really use it, but Silver does. It's how he figured out how to make wind blades. Anyway, when he combines his magic with his wings, the wind blades become ten times sharper. The ones he was showing were the duller forms.”

Twilight sighed and dropped her head, “And here I thought he wouldn't keep any more secrets from me.”

Star Shine undid her magic and stepped a little closer to the mare, picking up on the tension of the mentioned issue, “You got pretty close to him didn't you, Princess?”

Twilight looked up and nodded slowly. It didn't matter how close she was before, since now she agreed to switch, she would rarely see him. Sure, her original plan was to get closer to him in a different, more personal way, but how would she if she couldn't even talk to him. And she couldn't just show up at his house. That would make her look desperate!

“It's surprising, you know,” Star Shine said as she looked back over the book, snapping Twilight from her thoughts, “I didn't think that a mare would be the one to fix him.”

Twilight cocked her head, “What do you mean, 'fix him'?”

Star Shine continued, “Silver was a bit different back home. I'm sure you can already tell that he has a bit of a charm to him.”

Twilight nodded, blushing fiercely as she admitted having been wooed more than once by the wolf.

“Well in Houndland, he never did date. Sure, he's a massive flirt, but he never once attempted a relationship, or even sex at that. He's been like that for a while now.”

Twilight instinctively blew raspberries, only realizing after how rude that may make her look in the eyes of the wolf. Surprisingly, Star Shine didn't seem to mind. In fact, she laughed.

“I know, it's difficult to believe. But don't get me wrong, there was a time when all he did was chase tail, and often he caught it.  I remember someone told him once, 'if you chase two rabbits at once, you won't catch either', and a week later Silver proved him wrong.”

Twilight let out a mad blush, and a small twinge of jealousy found its place in her heart.

“I apologize, that was inappropriate of me,” Star Shine said with a bow of her head, noticing Twilights discomfort, “But there is a reason I'm telling you. Like I said, that was before Silver changed. Before Lily.”

Twilight immediately forgot about the awkward image that appeared in her head and focused on the mentioned name.

“Did...did you ever ask him about her?” the wolf inquired. She seemed afraid for some reason, like the subject was taboo, and to Twilight, that would have been understandable.

The mare nodded, “I did. All he said was she...she killed herself.” she had to force a shudder down as she spoke the words. Suicide was not a topic Twilight ever wanted to discuss, “He didn't want to talk about it.”

“I see...Well, allow me to shed some light on the brighter aspects of her. Lily was the wolf that brought some...control to Silvers life at the time, back when he still went by Saber. Before, he did what he wanted, much like he does today, but back then he didn't care who got hurt. Lily was somehow able to reign in his chaos and tame the beast to an extent.

“It wasn't until after she died that Silver actually became the Silver you know. He began to care more and even founded his own pack. But when she died, she changed him in another way too. She took a piece of him with her and...I don't know. It's not like he forgot how to love, but....something's just different.”

“He...he loved her?” Twilight almost face-hoofed. She wasn't sure how Star Shine would take it, as it could be interpreted many ways, though jealous was what she feared most.

But the wolf nodded, never giving the remark any attention, “I don't think he knew it before, but after she died, I think he figured out what he was feeling. Everyone else saw it but him. And when she passed, it broke him. There was one other girl he tried to be with, but she left him.” 

Twilight took notice of the sudden change in tone when Star Shine mentioned the other girl. A loathing, hateful spite was all that she could feel coming from the wolf. Whoever this girl was, Twilight would be surprised if she wasn't already dead.

“Anyway, after that he never bothered to date again. He's been alone for years now. I've tried to convince him to go out and try to meet someone, but he always says he doesn't feel like dating. I don't know, maybe I'm just looking for something that isn't there.”

“So, he's okay now? He's willing to at least try to start a relationship?”

“I don't know. Like I said, I may just be reading to much into this. But what I do know is that you and Princess Luna are the only two females I've seen Silver express this much interest in.”

“Well, it's more—wait, Luna?” Twilight had barely caught the name, and if it weren't for the Princess part added on, she probably would have ignored it.

“Yes, Princess Luna has spent some...personal time with Silver as well. He didn't tell you?”

“No. He didn't.” Twilight growled.

Star Shine gulped at the scowl the mare made. Silver should know better than to piss off an alicorn. “Well, if it's any consolation, they didn't have sex. I know they spent some nights together, but that was all. So, um..could you put the wrench down...please? Princess?”

The wrench hit the floor with a loud clank, and Twilight sighed, “I suppose I can't get mad. It's not like we're together or anything.”

“So...you do have feelings for him?”

The alicorn nodded. She didn't care if Star Shine knew. Something told her that shes known for a while now, “But you said he didn't want to be in a relationship, so I guess it doesn't really matter.” A heavy, disheartened sigh escaped from her.

“I did say that he was broken, but I also said I could be wrong. I've never been able to get a good read on Silver, so I can't be certain. I'm sorry, I should have said that first.”

Twilight shook her head, “Don't worry, it's fine. Besides, I don't think making Silver choose between me and Luna would be a good idea. It might only make things worse.”

Star Shine thought for a moment and hummed, “Actually, doesn't Equestria have herds?”

Twilight once again found herself blushing, “Star Shine, I can understand how you might come to that as a solution, but I'm afraid that even I am a little uncomfortable with that idea. A herd isn't a harem, where multiple mares fall for one stallion, but where every pony loves each other. That means Luna and I would have to love each other as well, and while I do think the princess is pretty, I don't think of her in that manner. And besides, if Silver won't date one mare, what makes you thinks he'll date two at once?”

“Hmm, I suppose you're right. I apologize once again, I've stepped beyond my bounds. I think Silver may be rubbing off on me.”

Twilight shuffled over to her books to try and occupy herself. The suggestion, while being a strange one, caused Twilights mind to wonder. Could they?

She knew that both Luna and Celestia at some point in time had herds of their own, but that was ages ago. There's no way Luna would agree to that, or even Silver!

Amid her page flipping, Twilight suddenly felt like it was time to get a little even with the wolf in the room for making her thoughts turn to such things, “Star Shine, you once said you and Silver were puphood friends, didn't you?”

Star Shine stopped what she was doing as well and paused to think, “I don't recall ever saying...oh wait, yes I did.”

“So just how long have you known Silver?”

“Hmm, for about 100 years. I'm only a few years older than he is, but we met during the war when he said he was looking for immortality. He'd heard I was doing the same and asked if he could join in. Though his way going about doing it was absurd. He blasted his way into my lab and so, naturally pissed off, we fought. We almost killed each other, but in the end he ended up explaining that he wanted immortality just like me. It took a little while, but we eventually became friends.”

It was a lot to take in, but Twilight managed to follow through the story. It would seem all of Silvers old friends have almost killed him in the past. But that was a discussion for another time. No, now's the time for revenge.

“And in all that time, you remained just friends?” Twilight asked, a small smirk appearing on her muzzle. Star Shine didn't seem to notice, or really care in general about the question.

“Yeah, just friends. I'll admit, there may have been a point where I found him attractive, but I realized how insufferable he was and any affection for him died in a glorious blaze. We never tried for anything more.”

Twilights smirk fell. So much for revenge. Oh well. In a way, it was a good thing. At least she didn't have to compete with a puphood friend for Silver.

...wait, compete?

“Am I really going to have to fight over Silver? I mean, I do want to be with him, but trying to win him over just feels a little...immature.”

Much to her relief, the sound of the basement door opening pulled Twilight out of her conflict, though the voice that followed caused her some bitter-sweet joy.

“Twilight!” Silver called. His paws could be heard clacking down the steps, and Twilight wasn't sure if she was happy or uneasy.

“Oh, there you are,” he said as he reached the bottom. He gave the same old smile as always and as it turned out, Silver did bring her happiness, “Spike let me in. I need to talk with Star.”

The mentioned wolf looked up from the records, “What's up?”

“Do you have any understanding of the Equestrian Black Market, or really just any part of the underworld?”

Star Shine stared at the wolf with a a cautious eye, “Why?”

“I need to find Daring Doos employer and the only way to do that is to reach into the darker side of Equestria.”

Star Shine shook her head, “Nonononon, I know what you're going to do, and no! I let you get away with a lot already, but this is one thing I won't let you do.”

“Star look, I'm gonna do anything stupid, alright? I'm not gonna set up an op, but I do need connections.”

“It doesn't matter if you set up an op or not, just showing your face will rile things up. They'll think the pack is trying to move in on their turf and that will only put the Princesses in danger. It's bad enough that you exposed us in Equestria, and doing anything in the underworld will make things messy.”

Twilight could only sit and watch the two argue. She wasn't completely lost, though she didn't quite understand what was causing Star Shine so much concern.

“Star, I can do this quietly. I won't even show my face, I'll have Ruppy and Onyx do the hunting. They've already been part of the other side for a while, so them coming along and asking questions shouldn't look suspicious.”

Star Shine was about to argue back, but realized that her concern was already covered. The only thing she was worried about was the heads of the underworld thinking the Black Moon Pack had set it's sights on Equestria, and even had the Princesses under their control. If Ruppy and Onyx act instead of Silver, then nothing could be linked back to him, other than the two of them being his pupils, but even then, it would be hard to see the connection. But he would have to make sure that they aren't linked back to him.

“Alright fine, but on one condition. You give a cover for Ruppy and Onyx. They disappeared right after you showed your face and trashed the Manehatten Slums, so they might make the connection. Find a way to cover their trail and make sure they won't connect you to them.”

“Deal.”

Star Shine sighed. Silver was not only the best at finding and stealing things, but also the reverse. He could hide and make anything or one disappear into thin air, much like his Evaporation spell, so covering the two mares would be simple. But even with all those skills, she still couldn't help but worry.

“The Black Market varies from region to region, though your best bet would be the Las Pegasus one. Send the girls to a club called, and I can't believe I'm about to say this, Slits for Bits. The bartender is the one with all the information about exchanges and deals. But tell them to be careful, their patrons are  a bit...different.”

Silver nodded, “Thank you. I owe you one.” He turned and gave Twilight a quick hug, “Bye Twilight,” then scampered up the stairs before Star Shine could scold him.

“That damn wolf!” Star Shine hollered.

Twilight could only giggle, “Don't worry, it's fine. I've done worst to him.”

Star Shine held back her frustration, taking hold of this new information. She turned and looked at Twilight with a curious eye, “Oh really? Do tell.”

The alicorn didn't let this little bit of information slip by. It would seem Silver couldn't touch her, but she could touch him.

“Well,” she began as a bright blush found its way to her cheeks due to recalling the previous night, “I may have gotten just a little drunk.”

“Uh-huh....” Star Shine was now listening eagerly for the next events.

“And I may have kinda sorta maybe tried just a little to seduce Silver.”

A huge grin broke out on the wolfs face. Screw being formal for now, she needed to hear this. While she was a little upset that Silver let her get drunk, she was glad he was at least responding to a mares advances. And in all honesty, deep down inside her heart....she shipped it. She christened that ship SilverLight, and watched it sail off into Celestias glorious sunset.

Then she asked the vital question, “How?”

And so began a conversation so embarrassing, Cadence herself looked pale compared to Twilights cheeks.

> Guardian Angels and Working an Angle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“He wants me to go see him?” Twilight asked. The wolf sitting on the floor of library across from her nodded.

“He dropped by earlier,” Star Shine explained, “but he didn't want to wake you, so he told me instead. He didn't say for what though.”

Twilight pondered for a moment, wondering why Silver might ask her to visit. Knowing him, it could have been anything. Maybe he wanted to switch back? Maybe he'll confess? Maybe senpai will finally notice her as more than just a protection detail?

….

Twilight questioned her last thought. She needs to stop spending so much time around Flutter Shy and her anime.

The alicorn stood from the couch she was sitting on, “Well, I guess I should go see what he wants.” She walked to the door in the hall she always used and put the key in. After it's signature glow died, she went in.

She wasn't sure how to feel about the first sight upon entering. On one hoof, she was always happy to see the mare before, but for some reason found Twilight herself glowering at the alicorn in front of her.

Luna turned when she heard the door open, “Sil—oh, Twilight, it's you. Did Silver call you here as well?”

“He asked her to come too? Well, I guess it makes sense, he's her body guard now.”

Twilight wiped away her scowl, hoping the Princess before her didn't notice, “Yes, he asked me to come. Do you know why?”

Luna shook her head in response.

“Do you know where he is?”

Another head shake saying no.

Twilight shrugged. There wasn't much else to do in this situation, “Well, let's go find him.” She turned and headed for the hall that lead to Silvers room, only to pause at Luna voice.

“Wait, are you sure we should? It would seem rude to just roam around his home,” she voiced her concern.

Twilight, in some ways, agreed with her, but couldn't help the desire to snoop a little. After all, she'd never seen all of the rooms before, and she wanted to know about those locked doors on the second floor.

“I've wondered around here before, so I don't think he'll mind,” Twilight excused, taking a little satisfaction in knowing that Luna had not had the same allowance. Foalish, yes, but still satisfying none the less.

Luna looked around for a moment, her nervous eyes scanning the place as if Silver was gonna pop out at any moment. And for all she knew, he would.

But after a few hesitating moments, she nodded and followed the lavender alicorn.

They went down the hall and knocked on the bedroom door, but didn't receive an answer. Twilight pushed the door open, much to Lunas protest, and poked her head in.

Empty.

The two sighed and headed to the other end of the house. Twilight suggested asking Ruppy and Onyx, but Luna said there was a note saying they were training. So the duo headed down the steps.

Twilights inner curiosity grew as her eyes fell to the locked lock-less doors. What was he hiding?

The two went around and knocked on each door, but nothing came back. The younger alicorn wanted to try blasting the doors down, but knew the other would protest, and so kept quiet.

The thought made Twilight concerned. Why was she being so hostile today? Was it because of Lunas presence? Or the lack of Silvers? Or perhaps all the secrets he had finally got on her nerves? Was she jealous of the time the he and Luna spent together? Jealous of the information Star Shine had let slip before about Luna and Silver? There was just so much swirling around in her head, she could make sense of it all.

Twilight sighed and made her way to the stairs once more, her steps seemed defeated in a way.  Luckily, there was something to distract her. Half way down, she paused, hearing a voice echoing up from the hall.

It was entrancing, like a sirens song, but male, and more importantly, familiar. Twilight looked back and found Luna had frozen as well, a look of awe and curiosity on her face. The two pushed forward, the voice growing in volume as they came closer.

In the hall, a door was cracked open, and it seemed that was where the voice had come from. Twilight and Luna approached the room, opening the door a little more to look in, but didn't dare step inside in fear of the singer stopping.

What they saw was something neither of them thought of before. Twilight had lived through it, but do to the moment, she couldn't quite focus on it. The swirling mass of emotions kept her too distracted from focusing on the voice at the time. But this time was different. The sight before her had her full attention, and Lunas as well.

There, in the center of a room filled with instruments, was Silver on a stunning white and black piano, singing.

♫♪When I see your smile...
Tears run down my face...
I can't replace...

And now I'm strong I have figured out
How this world turns cold and it breaks through my soul
And I know I'll find deep inside me
I can be the one...

I will never let you fall...
I'll stand up with you forever...
I'll be there for you through it all...
even if saving you sends me to heaven...♫♪

Heart ache.

It was something the two mares at the door shared in common. They themselves weren't sure why they felt this way, but the song wrung their hearts.

The words flowed through the air, bouncing and reverberating off the walls and through to mares cores. The sheer, raw emotion put into it could overload a changling. And yet, they couldn't tell if the words were of joy or sadness. He seemed to be expressing his love and loyalty for some pony, but at the same time the words brought pain. The only thing they could pick up on was what they dreaded the most.

Sacrifice.

The very thought of Silver actually dying for any reason was enough to cause them to shudder, but to think that he would be willing to die for them. Well, that brought guilt crashing down on them.

The two had nearly fallen for the same trap Twilight had the first time she heard his singing in his memory. Lost in the emotions, the mares somehow brought their attention back to just the voice, barely able to keep the dreadful thoughts of the loved ones death at bay.

Luckily, his voice was quite addicting. It was smooth, and soothing. Each stroke of the piano keys were flawless and powerful, and complimented his tone well. The walls bounced the sounds of both perfectly, as if the room had been sculpted just for Silver and the piano, and not a storage room for musical instruments. Everything was beyond compare.

But every song must come to an end, and the curtain had to come to a close for this particular performance.


♫♪Even if saving you sends me to heaven...
It's okay..
It's okay...
It's okay.....♫♪

Silver sat on the piano bench for a moment, his eyes closed and a small smile gracing his lips as the last sounds of the keys rang out. He look up, and opened his eyes to show a gentle expression. He turned directly to the door,

“Come on in.” He said, his smile never wavering.

The two mares behind the entry froze. He saw them. He knew they were there the entire time. He wanted them to hear.

But, then....wait. Was...was it for them? Did he mean for those lyrics to be directed specifically at one of the two? And if so, then which one?

The questioning thoughts raced through both Lunas and Twilights minds. They were so panicked, neither one of them noticed that they had already stepped inside and were standing in front of Silver.

“Did you enjoy the show?” he asked. He didn't seem to be sarcastic, but with him, it was sometimes hard to tell.

“It was beautiful...” Twilight responded automatically, only to shoot a hoof over her mouth a split second after. She glanced to her side and noticed a shocked expression on Lunas face, who could only flick her eyes back and to between the two.

Silver chuckled at the comment, “I'm supposed to be the one embarrassed here.”

Luna took a small, but quick step forward, “No! It was amazing! You shouldn't be embarrassed at all. If anything, you should be proud.”

Silver chuckled again, “Hehe, thanks. I'm nothing compared to you though,” he said and rubbed a bashful paw behind his ear while tilting his head to look down at the floor. He seemed so innocent and sweet, and the midnight mare was finding it difficult not to squeeze the adorable site in front of her in a tight embrace.

After an awkward moment or two, Twilight finally managed to recover from her slip up and asked “Silver, I don't mean to sound rude, but why exactly did you call us here?”

Silver snapped to attention, “Oh yeah! I almost forgot! I need your help. I have a plan for Ruppy and Onyx, but in order for it to work, I need to inventory some of my merchandise. That's where you two come in. I need you to help count and record the weapons I've made.”

Twilight beamed. Taking inventory was one of her favorite past times, and one she was exceptionally good at.

Luna on the other hoof groaned, “Really? You want me to take inventory? I just got done with three days of day court!”

“Oh come on,” Silver said with a dismissive wave, “This is nothing like the day court. And besides, I already have most of it done, you guys just have to count one room and then your finished! I'll have to watch over Tia in court, but I'll be doing some inventory myself later, and the girls are training so they can't do it either.”

Celestia had finally finished her paperwork and was now back to her usual schedule. But that also meant Silver had to guard her now instead of the younger of the two.

Luna rolled her eyes and huffed, “Fine. But you better pay me back in some way or another.”

Silver nodded, “Agreed. And something for you too, Twilight.”

The mare shook her head, “Oh no, I'm fine! Really!”

“Oh come on, it wouldn't be fair to spoil only one of you.”

Luna glared at the wolf for the comment, to which he laughed off, “Oh, you know I love you both. Now come on, we got weapons to count!” The wolf jumped off his seat and strode past the two dumbfounded mares.

“Did he just say...”

“Oh sweet Celestia....”

Imagine, if you will, a meter that gauges the level of blush one experiences.

...well that gauge just exploded in a pink mushroom cloud.

The two of them turned and headed for the door, careful not to look anywhere but the ground. The wolf waited for them at the bottom of the stair case in the hall, ignorant to the chaos he caused. Honestly, this guy could give Discord a run for his bits.

The wolf lead the two strangely distracted mares up to the second floor and trotted over to one of the doors. It was this that cause Twilight to look up, recuperating instantaneously as her curiosity took over.

“So that's whats behind these doors! Silvers armory! Wait...is it all of the doors, or just this one? Ugh, so many questions!”

Silver walked forward and turned the knob, and it turned without seeming like it was ever locked.

“Wait, how did...” Twilight stopped herself, but it was too late. He'd know she tried to unlock the doors before.

Silver turned and gave sly grin, “Oh? Snooping were we?”

“Umm, uh, no! We were looking for you and thought you might be in here, but it was locked.”

Silver laughed, “It's alright if you were. These rooms don't really hold any secrets. They're just my storage rooms for my weapons and materials. Although if anything goes missing, I will be very upset.” he finished with almost a scowl.

Both mares nodded, Luna having finally recovered. Silver pushed the door open and flicked on a light switch. The room was medium sized, in all aspects. Along the walls were boxes and crates, all strapped shut and sealed.

“So this is what you're working with,” he said, waving his paw around the room, “It's not too much, but it's still a good bit. Just record how many there are of each item. And don't use your magic on anything in a box. Some are rigged to activate on contact with a source of magic.”

Twilight nodded and stepped into the room, Luna reluctantly following after. Both grabbed a clip board from the side of the wall in their magic and began to pry off the lids to some crates.

“If you need me, I'll be back in the castle in the court room,” Silver said as he left the room. The two mares responded with mumbles of understanding while counting the items in the boxes.

Lunas box had been filled with short-swords. They seemed plain and simple, like the ones issued to their own guard. They were in a row, and the six of them sat shinning. She floated up her clipboard and marked down the number next to the proper column, then placed the lid back and moved to the box under it.

Twilights box had been the same, though instead of six short-swords, she found two large battle-axes. Again, nothing peculiar seemed to stand out, so she marked them down and moved on. The two continued to work in silence for a little while longer until Twilight broke the silence.

“So...Luna. How have you been?” Sweet Celestia this couldn't more awkward. She had never really spent any personal time with the Princess of the night, save for that one nightmare night. But even then, she'd spent most of that time helping her fit in and readjust to the town.

“I'm quiet good, thank you,” She said without looking up from the box, “Having Silver around has made the nights a little less lonesome and dull. What about you? How is having Star Shine around?”

Great, she just had to rub it in.

“Oh, she's wonderful!” Twilight chirped. She wasn't lying, but she would honestly rather have Silver back, “She helps me out with so many theories and equations, and even helped me upgrade my lab equipment.”

Luna giggled, “Well, I'm glad our exchange brought you some good as well. Though, I must be honest, it was rather selfish of me to propose it in the first place. The whole ordeal was purely selfish in fact.”

Twilight stopped her counting and turned to face Luna, “What do you mean?”

“In all honesty, the only reason I wanted to switch was so I could spend more time with Silver. It was silly and rude to Star Shine, but I'd been missing him lately and found my nights to be more quiet than before we met. I...apologize for my selfish actions Twilight.” Luna had finally looked up from her box and bowed her head.

“No no! It's perfectly fine! I actually kinda understand why you did it.”

Luna looked up from her bow, eyeing her curiously.

“Um, I kind of feel what you felt. Not having him around feels...different. Like something's missing.”

“Why am I telling her this!? Why are we even discussing this in the first place!?”

Luna stared in disbelief. Sure, she figured Twilight would be attached to Silver, but not in the way she was. Twilight was surrounded by her friends and always having fun. She never figured the mare would need Silver in a way similar to herself. Maybe now was the time to ask the million bit question.

“Twilight, forgive me if I overstep my bounds, but...how do you feel about Silver?”

The inquiry caused Twilight to freeze. She admitted her feelings before, but that was to Star Shine, not the mare Silver had been sleeping with. And that's what scared her the most.

Even through the embarrassment, Twilight was terrified of Lunas reaction. Would she be angry? Would she banish her to the Badlands for her feelings?

“I...” she began.

“SILVER!!” boomed a voice from above. Both mares in the room had recognized it as Star Shines, “Silver, what did you do with Princess Twilight!?”

Steps could be heard coming down the stairs, but nothing greeted the voice.

A grumble of curses came from the bottom of the stairs as the wolf reached the second floor, “There had better be a good reason for having her here!”

Star Shine trotted down the hall to room where the mares were. Her eyes fell to the clip boards in their magic and she pieced it all together, “Oh, here you are. I apologize for his rude behavior, you're welcome stop working and tell him to 'shove it' any time you feel.”

“It's fine,” Twilight dismissed, glad to have a distraction from the earlier question, “He's not here by the way. He went to guard Celestia for court. Besides, it's good to get away from all those files on those guards and recruits. What are you doing here?”

“Nothing. You hadn't come back, so I figured Silver must have been up to something. Spike had gone out to go play with three fillies, so I was just bored and figured he would have something fun to do. Though, now that I'm here, I'm beginning to rethink my decision.” Her eyes wondered around the room, examining the work to be done.

“Well you're more than welcome to help,” Luna complained. She had a deep hatred for any form of math...or work for that matter.

The wolf  shrugged, “Might as well.” She stepped over to look at the clipboard to see what had already been recorded, then moved to a box in the corner.

“Star Shine, you don't have to stay,” Twilight offered, “The stuff in here all seems pretty simple. We shouldn't have trouble.”

Star shook her head, “No, I'm already here, and I don't thinks it's wise to leave to two of you unguarded. Besides, I don't think you'd be able to identify everything in here.”

“Really? These are just normal weapons, right? It shouldn't be too hard.”

The wolf motioned a paw for the two to come over. The mares came closer and looked to the box Star Shine pointed at. It had four blades in it. None of them were like the ones they saw before. Each one was unique, beautifully designed and perfectly crafted. Next to each blade was a parchment of paper, rolled up and tied off with a bow.

“It's items like these that are hard to identify,” She explained, “Silver doesn't use numbers to label these, but instead gives them names. They aren't like the other generic ones. These are special made orders. They're unique and crafted to fit the users abilities.”

Luna reached over and picked up a scroll in her hoof, unrolling it and scanning the writing. She immediately noticed that she didn't recognize the language, which was strange as she knew how to read many different ones.

“What is this?” She asked. It would seem there were somethings in the room they couldn't identify.

“It's called a Soul Binding Contract. It binds an item to a ponies soul so they can wield it freely, and without the use of their body. It's useful for earth ponies and pegasi, and any other creature that can't use telekinesis.”

Neither Twilight nor Luna had any idea such a thing existed.

“The only draw back is that you can only bind your soul to two weapons,” she continued, “After that, you have to terminate the contract by destroying the weapons, so if you bind one, it better be one worth keeping.”

The two mares looked back at the box of blades. All of them were swords, and each one seemed to give off a feeling like it wasn't just a weapon, but an living thing. It was tempting to pick one up.

Star Shine tugged the clipboard out of Twilights magic and marked down the special blades, “Well, this shouldn't be difficult. I imagine Silvers going to have Ruppy and Onyx working an angle acting as sellers. Shame though. It kind of feels like we're cheating them.”

“Cheating them?” Twilight repeated, “What do you mean?”

Star Shine placed the lid back on the box, then moved to the ones behind it, “Well the blades here are only the ones he made while he's been in Equestria. He usually stores all of his merchandise in a vault somewhere back in Houndland. That's where he keeps all of his best creations. The ones here are good, but not as good as the others.”

“Well, if Silver is as good as he says,” Luna interjected, “Then we shouldn't be giving any underworld members quality weapons. It will only make it harder to deal with them. I suppose cheating them would be for the best.”

“Speaking of cheating....NO! Silver and I are not together! It's none of my business what he does with Luna. No matter how much it may hurt...”

Twilights expression fell, and she shuffled away back over to a box. It had occurred to her that she was unusually moody, but she didn't have the energy to really give it any more thought. She had been awake for an hour and a half before she came to his house, so she was still a bit slow. And his performance earlier didn't help her get over his absence.

Today was going to be a long day...





The time passed and the three girls in the storage room finished their task in a short hour. Little was said, except for Star Shine explaining what a few items were. When they left the room and headed back upstairs, Silver's trainee, Ruppy, had just come through the back door.

THUD!

A large stack of papers fell to the ground, and the pegasus mare stood proud over them, “Hey fucker! Get out here, I finished your training!” she yelled across the house. She didn't take notice of the three mares standing in the hallway until after she finished her hollering.

“Oh, hey!” she said casually, “Where's Silver? I need to throw this in his face.”

Star Shine stepped forward, “He's in court with Celestia. He should be back soon though.”

Ruppys ears fell flat, “Damn, and I really wanted to gloat too. Oh well, I'll do that later.” As if on command, the front door opened and Silver stepped through.

“Hah! Yes! In your face!” Ruppy shouted. Silver simply stood with a confused look on his face, “I did your stupid training!” She picked up a sheet of paper, a clean hole punched straight through it. The she gave the stack below her a hard whack and sent hole-filled papers flying and scattering across the room.

Silver watched as each paper fell, confused at first, but then a wide grin grew on his face, “So you did it, huh? That's great!” he congratulated. His praise, while enjoyable, also threw the mare off. She was wanting more disappointment that his training was too easy. “And just in time too. Your going to start that Las Pegasus deal I told you about today. Which reminds me, where's Onyx? She's going too.”

Ruppy pointed a hoof to the back side of the mountain, “She's on her way back with Aerial. They're both pretty tired, so I went ahead. What is it I'm doing again?”

Silver began to go around and pick up the papers, only to have Luna and Twilight pick them up before he could. They all flew in purple and blue auras into a neat stack, while Silver made his way to the couch and sat down.

“You and Onyx are going to a club to find some pony selling grimoires. You'll be acting as a seller for weapons to keep any pony from connecting you to me, since I showed up and stole you two away from Manehatten.”

Ruppy sighed, and shuffled over to the couch with her head down, plopping down with a thump. It wasn't what one would call subtle, so naturally Silver and the others picked up on her distress.

“Something wrong?” Silver asked.

The mare rolled over and sprawled out on her back, “It's just...I don't want to have to drag Onyx back into that damn place. We just got out and found a place we can call home, and now we have to go back. Even if we're only going to be there for a little while, I still don't like it. It's one thing if it's just me, but I don't want her to have to go through it all again.”

Silver lowered his head. He had felt the same way. He didn't want either of them to have to go back to that kind of life, regardless of how short their stay may be, but he had little choice. The only alternative he had would be to have Aerial do it, but there was no chance of him or Ruppy allowing that. She had never set hoof in the underworld, and they intended on keeping it that way.

The wolf sighed, “I know. I don't want you to either, but Star's right. If I try to do it myself, it will only cause bigger problems. This job won't be anything too bad though. You're just gathering information, that's all. After that, I'll just go steal the book.”

Ruppy sighed. She really hated the idea of sending Onyx back to the world that broke her in the first place, but at least Silver was right. The job really wasn't all that tough. Sure they'd have to lie their flanks off, but it's nothing they hadn't done before.

The back door slid open, and a sweat dripping Aerial and Onyx stepped in. The pegasus on the couch sat up, and gave the two guilty look.

“What's going on?” the coal unicorn asked.

Ruppy slid off the couch, “Nothing. Go shower and eat, we're going to Las Pegasus in an hour or so.”

The two mares at the back door exchanged confused looks, but didn't argue. They wondered off down the hall to the showers, pushing through the ponies and wolf that were occupying the space, and who seemed to have been forgotten by the company on the couch.

Ruppy began to leave too when Silver spoke, “Thank you, and I'm sorry. You know I wouldn't do this if I didn't have to. I care too much for the two of you to have to put you through this again.”

The mare froze. She wasn't used to some pony talking to her like that. Actually having some one care about her feelings. It was one of her weak spots.

She turned and jumped at the wolf, throwing her hooves around his neck in a tight squeeze, “I know you wouldn't. And thank you for caring.”

Silver returned the embrace, and for a small moment, the two sat there like that until Ruppy broke away.

“Why don't you go bathe too?” Silver suggested, “I don't think Aerial would mind if you used the tub while she was in the shower.” A sly grin formed on his mouth, and Ruppy rolled her eyes.

She didn't say no though.





The train ride to Las Pegasus was an hour and a half long. Silver had given them a list of items they would be selling, and Ruppy had spent the first half of the ride memorizing the list in case of emergency. Onyx didn't bother to since she was going to act as the muscle, not that it would really be needed. He also wrote down the directions for finding the club, and who to talk to. Honestly, he almost seemed like an over bearing parent.

The train finally came to a stop at the station and the two mare bustled off to the platform with the crowd. Following the instructions on the map, a half hour walk later, the two found themselves in front of Slits and Bits.

Ruppy cringed at the name. She could only imagine what it meant. While she was no stranger to sex, she didn't enjoy copious amounts of it. It just made her feel wrong.

They entered the dimly lit club, and much to their surprise, it was fairly busy. Considering it was only three o'clock, the club shouldn't have been so full, since clubs were meant to be more of a nightlife thing, especially ones like this.

There were about a dozen poles placed throughout the building on platforms, but only six mares were working them. They must bring them all out at night then. There were tables and booths pressed against the walls and surrounding platforms, where the patrons could get a full view, and a bar at the back.

The two ignored the poles dancers and made their way to the bar. According to Star Shine, the bartender was the one who had all the information. Now all they had to do was pry it out of him.

While crossing the floor, Ruppy finally adjusted to the darkness of the room and noticed what Star Shine meant when she said the club was a little “different.” The dancers were all thestrals, or bat-ponies as some of the less informed called them. The ponies watching weren't of the bat variety, but she assumed that if the rumors were true, then the  thestrals would show themselves at night when were awake, since they're nocturnal.

They came to the bar and sat down on the stools, while the bartender stepped forward. He was also a thestral, and Ruppy after seeing his slit pupils, she understood why it was called Slits and Bits.

Well, time to start acting.

The tan mare dropped her head and sighed loudly, getting the attention of the bartender, “Whiskey, straight.” she murmured. Might as well enjoy herself.

The bartender nodded and took out a bottle from behind the counter along with a glass, “Long day?” he asked.

“Yeah...work's a bunch of bullshit,” the bat poured the drink into a shot glass that Ruppy downed moments after before continuing her charade, “Market sucks. I can't find a damn buyer to save my life, and on top of that, the mare here says she needs a special book from the library.”

“Oh, so you're a business mare? What do you sell?” he inquired.

“Some of this and that. Not that it matters though, since no pony will buy the damn things,” she complained. She pushed the glass forward and the bartender refilled her glass.

“Depending on what you're selling, I may be able to help,” he offered, “A lot of ponies come through here, and some leave their contact cards in case of an opportunity showing up. And I get a hefty payment for each pony I send. What do you have?”

Ruppy pulled out the slip of paper with the list of weapons Silver had and downed her shot, placing the glass on top of the paper and sliding it across the bar.

The bartender took the paper discreetly, while refilling the glass. He gave it a quick look over, “You can provide all of this?” he asked.

Ruppy nodded then downed her shot, “I'm good at what I do.”

The thestral gave a nod of approval, then went below the counter and retrieved four small cards. He set one under the glass and pushed it forward, “I think this is the mare you're looking for. She just happens to be in the market,” Ruppy drank and placed the glass back. He pushed the other three forward, “As for you're friends book, you'll have to look into some more private collections. I'm sure you'll find what you need from these three. They're collectors.”

One last shot and Ruppy slid the cards into her bag, then pulled out a bag of bits and tossed them on the counter, “Thanks for the talk. You're right. Maybe the market isn't so bad.”

She hopped off the stool and Onyx followed. A lot of help she was. They left the bar and headed right back for the station. Unfortunately, it took a little while since Ruppy actually got drunk off of the five shots of straight whiskey, but hey, she had to sell it, right? But at least Silver was right. The job was easy.

Little did they know, they weren't the only ones reporting back to some pony. The thestral had left the bar shortly after the two mares left, heading to a back room and picking up the phone.

He punched in the numbers and waited. At the click on the other end of the line, he began to speak.

“Two mares I've never seen before just showed up. One was a tan pegasus with a blonde mane and tail. I didn't see her cutiemark. The other was a unicorn with a black coat and mane, and an onyx for her cutiemark. They wanted to sell weapons and buy grimoires, or at the least, spells.

“Uh-huh...yeah..I understand.”

The phone chimed as he hung it up, “Huh, 'market sucks'? Like hell. I should know; I helped build the damn thing.”
> Meeting Beats and Bounty Sheets
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The chugging of the train was the only sound  loud enough to drown out the snoring of the sleeping drunken pegasus beside Onyx. It would seem taking five shots of straight whiskey was enough to knock even her out.

The unicorn merely rolled her eyes at her friends drunk slumber, turning her head to look out the window and watching the landscape drolly go by.

She hated train rides, especially when she didn't have a book or at least some company. Preferably some pony who was awake.

It would surprise most ponies to find that Onyx wasn't actually anti-social, but that she just never thought to get involved in conversations. The way she acts is often because she doesn't think much beyond just listening to those around her. She never bothers to think about giving her own input.

Ruppy was about the only one who could hold a conversation with her, though Aerial seemed to be learning too. Silver was getting there as well, though he seemed a bit reserved around her, like he was dodging a question he wanted to ask. Other than those three, there was really no pony else that she could call a friend.

Even the ponies she was with back in Manehatten weren't close to her. Sure, she had say in what happened in the quarter of the city of they ran, but she never really knew any of them. Most of them were assholes anyway.

Onyx was lost in a daze thinking about her relationships with the ones around her. Perhaps if she wasn't, she'd have noticed the change in scenery as the train took an unexpected turn, and was no longer headed for Canterlot. Instead going north through Ponyville to the capital, the train went south, headed towards the Everfree.

It wasn't until Onyx saw the black forest pass by that she realized something was wrong. Did they get on the wrong train? No, she clearly remembered hearing the call for the Capital Express. She quickly scooted over to wake her friend, “Ruppy, get up. Somethings wrong.”

The mare batted a hoof and rolled to face away, “shuf up..”

Onyx rolled her eyes and stood from her seat. She grabbed the hind hooves of her friend and ripped her out of the seat. Ruppy hit the floor with a loud thud, and hollered at her rude awakening.

“Ah! The fuck Aerial!”

The unicorn gave her an inquisitive look, “Onyx...” she corrected.

“I said that, didn't--” she was cut off by the sound of the train car slamming open. Three burly stallions stepped in and strolled down the isle.

“What the--” Ruppy began, only to stop as the stallions came to their seats. The pegasus stood, and Onyx charged her magic.

“What?” the tan mare asked.

One of the guards kept eyeing the two of them, scanning their appearances closely. He looked back and nodded to the other two. All at once, they rushed the mares.





“Don't you think they should have been back by now?” Twilight asked as she paced around the table in Silvers living room.

“Twilight, they're fine. These things take time. Besides, I've heard the train in Las Pegasus runs late all the time. Something about there being something tied to the tracks.”

The mare sighed, “Okay, I guess you're right,” and took a seat after wearing a groove into the tile floor, “I suppose I'm just overreacting.”

Silver let out a light chuckle as he scooted over to let the mare sit next to him, “If you get this way about all of your guards, you're gonna have trouble giving them orders and sending them out on missions.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, “Well I'm sorry for worrying about the well being of some pony else, but Ruppy and Onyx aren't trained like the Royal Guards. They might not be able to handle some things.”

It was Silvers turn for an eye roll, “Twilight, those two were raised in that world. They can handle it better than any guard ever could, and I wouldn't trust this with any pony else.”

“Yeah, I guess you're right...again. I wish my guards will be at least something like Celestias and Lunas, all strong and confident and loyal.”

The wolf chuckled lightly, “You know the two guards are completely different, right?”

Twilight cocked her head, “What do you mean? I thought they were both part of the Royal Guard, but just protected different princesses. Like how you and Star Shine do.”

Silver nodded, “Well, you're right. But there's more to it than that. Each guard is different in the way it operates, which gives each it's own strengths and weaknesses. Celestias guard are bold and shining, defining themselves in broad daylight and keeping order among the citizens. They take pride in their service and have no issue showing it off to the towns ponies. They have not only numbers, but physical prowess as well and with Tia's wisdom to guide them, they're damn strong.

“Lunas guard takes a more quiet approach, and are an opposite to Celestias. They lurk in the shadows, silent and patient, handling the messier affairs of the nation. There are things that go bump in the night, and the night guard are the reason why silence follows that bump. They are what's keeping the underworld from spilling out and chaos spreading.  They are not quite as bold as the day guard, but they are most certainly there, and what they lack in numbers, they make up for in personalized skill sets.”

The explanation brought a new light to the way she saw the Royal Guard. The mare had always wondered why she never say any of Lunas guards, and eventually figured they were just wearing the same uniforms as Celestias. But it would seem that they were around a lot more than she knew.

“Wow...I never really knew much about the guard, other than they protect the Princesses and the nation.  I didn't think they both had their own specific roles to play. I feel like I have to meet some kind of standard now that I have to have my own guard.”

Silver laughed, “There is no standard. This is just the way Luna and Tia prefer to have their guards operate. You can command your soldiers how ever you please.”

“Oh,” well that was a relief, “Well, I suppose if anything I just want them to be friendly. Not so much an authority figure, but some pony who is always there to help. Some pony any pony can talk to. They don't have to be special, but just an average pony willing to do the right thing. I don't want them to hated and feared, like how some ponies feel about the Royal Guard, but just well liked.”

Silver gave a gentle smile, “That's just like you. So intent on not coming off as authoritative, but rather an equal. It's admirable, really.”

A small blushed found it's way to Twilights cheeks, “Um, Silver? Would you be considered a part of my guard?”

Silver hummed, “Well, technically, I'm not part of any guard. Any one of the princesses could ask me for something and I would comply, so I suppose the answer would be both yes and no.”

Twilight sighed sadly. She wasn't even sure why she bothered asking, since Silver was guarding Luna now. If anything, he would be part of her guard. Maybe she could convince him to switch back? The thought had occurred to her before, but she never really gave it a try. She couldn't really think of a way to do it anyway. Anything she could think of would just seem desperate.

A loud slam from the front door flinging open pulled Twilight from her scheming. Silver quickly shot a wing over the mare and glared the the figures walking in.

“Silver! We're back! And we brought some friends too!” Ruppy shouted as she strolled in. Onyx was just behind her, pulling behind three unconscious stallions in her magic. She floated them over to the couch and tossed them down as if they were gym bags.

“Ruppy, could you please not try to break the door off the hinges?” Silver sighed as he lowered his wing.

The pegasus looked back at the door as it squeaked close while Onyx shut it, “Oops, my bad.”

Silver rolled his eyes, “Now, you said something about bringing friends home?”

The mare perked up, “Oh yeah! These jackasses over here tried to jump us on the train,” she said before giving a swift kick to the gut of one of them. He coughed hoarsely and stirred from his unconscious state.

“Oh, so that's why you were late,” Silver said as Onyx joined them.

“Actually,” the unicorn spoke up, “We kind of got on the wrong train.” She rubbed a hoof behind her head as a Ruppy scowled at her.

Silver simply chuckled and shook his head, then the stallion on the floor began coughing again.

“Hey, if you get blood on my floor, I will kill you,” the wolf threatened.

The mare on the couch had decided to take in interest in the conversation, “Why did you bring them here?” Twilight asked as she looked up from the couch. She actually kind of felt bad for the poor stallions. After all, she'd seen Ruppy and Onyx fight through a building of armed thugs and emerge unscathed. Those three couldn't have known what they were getting themselves into.

“Simple. We're gonna interrogate them,” Ruppy answer, “After that, we'll just hand them over to the guard. But I wanna know who the fuck sent these assholes after us.” Onyx nodded in agreement.

“Well, that's all good and well but what about the book?” Silver inquired, “Did you get names, or should we ask them for that too?” 

“Oh yeah,” Ruppy recalled, before fishing out the cards from her bag, “These three have magic for sale, probably grimoires or spells. This last one is the mare that wants the weapons.”

Silver took the card and read the numbers. Unfortunately, there were no addresses, “Hmm, I'll see if Luna will get the homes for these three. As for the other mare, give her a call and see what she's willing to buy and sell it to her.”

“Cool, but can I do that later?” Ruppy asked, “I still need answers from the Three Fucktards over here,” 

Silver shrugged “Sure, just get it done in three days.”

“Deal,” then she and Onyx dragged the three of them down the hall and to the stairs. The basement should be low enough to muffle their screams.

“So, what are you gonna do?” Twilight asked. She seemed to be remarkably calm about all of this.

“I'll do what I do best; steal.” Silver explained, though it sounded a bit like gloating, “First I need the addresses. Then, I'll go steal the books.”

Twilight gave a curious look, “All of them? Don't you only need the one?” The mare asked.

“Yep. But it's not out of greed or anything, I just don't think it would be wise to let them be sold off in the black market. Too many ponies with different intentions.”

Twilight nodded in agreement, though she felt Silver might still be hiding something, “Well, I suppose you should go see Luna about those cards. I still have portfolios to sift through.” She ended her statement with a long sigh and hung head.

Silver chuckled, “Hey, buck up,” he encouraged, wrapping a wing around her and pulling her into a gentle hug, “How about I drop by later and help? Luna said she had some of her own paper work to catch up on and the day court is closed for the day.”

“You don't have to come,” Twilight replied, “I know you have your own things to do. Besides, you're supposed to be guarding Luna and Celestia at all times, not just when they're outside or around other ponies.” In reality, Twilight really did want him to come, and pleaded desperately in her mind that he would ignore her words.

“Well I want to make sure you don't end up hiring some nutcase by accident, so I'm coming anyway. And besides, I feel clingy if I stick around those two for too long, so I like to leave them to themselves for a while. They'll be fine anyway, they know not to leave the castle without me.”

Twilight let out a small sigh of relief. Perhaps maybe cuddles would be in her near future?





In the basement of the home of the wolf, a very interesting conversation had begun.

“You know, if you just tell me who sent you,” Ruppy offered, “I'll make sure the guard put in the deepest cell they have. They may even agree to throw you into Tartarus.”

The bound stallion on the floor just laid there and huffed as he tried to regain his breathes. It would seem kicking some pony in the stomach too many times made them loose their breathe, not that the mare didn't already know it.

“I...won't...” he huffed out.

“Okay, is this loyalty or something else? Cause I really can't tell,” she said as she stepped closer, “I mean, here I am, beating the unholy shit out of you, and you won't say a thing! That's either die-hard loyalty, or fear.”

“I'm not scared of that little shit!” the stallion hollered, only to shut his mouth moments after.

“Oh, is that so?” Ruppy smirked, “So tell me, what's this little shit got that makes you so loyal then? Is it dirt? Hostage? Or maybe just a debt?”

The stallion didn't speak again, but instead just laid his head on the floor, but this told the mare all she needed to know.

Ruppy sighed, “Look, neither of us are enjoying ourselves here, so I'm gonna make you an offer. If you tell me who employed you, I'll take care of them and take back whatever they have on you. That way, you can be happy again, and I won't have a target on my back. Sound good?”

The stallion actually chuckled at the offer, “If things were that simple, I've had killed them all a long time ago.”

“Them? It's more than one pony?”

The stallion remained silent for a while longer, but eventually let out a long sigh, accompanied by a cough, “Can you really do it?” he asked.

Ruppy cocked her head, “I kicked your ass three times over, drunk might I add, so I think I'd be okay.”

He shook his head, “You don't understand. These guys aren't your normal thugs. They took over Manehatten in just a few days, killing any pony who didn't side with them. Apparently they named themselves after some badass group from a hundred years ago.”

Ruppy broke out a huge grin and fell to the floor laughing, “You—you mean the Fallen Kings?!” 

“You know them?” he asked.

“Know them?! Fuck, I'm the one that crushed them! Ahahaha!!” her howling laughter echoed through the basement, “But I guess I wasn't thorough. Oh man, forget our deal, I'm gonna kill them for the fun of it.”

“No, wait! You don't get it! You didn't beat them before and now they're even stronger! They aren't the same! They've got a hell of a lot more muscle and money. You can't seriously expect to take them on!”

“Ahahaaa,” Ruppy finally managed to collect herself, and leaned down closer to the stallion, “Hey, I'm gonna let you in on a few secrets. Did you know this place had a library?”

The stallion looked at her in confusion, “This isn't some joke, you're gonna get killed and I'm gonna get screwed for outing them!”

“I get bored a lot after training,” she continued, ignoring his pleas, “so sometimes I like to stop and read a good book. The guy who owns this place has a hell of a taste in literature. I remember one of the first books of his I read was called the Fallen Kings.”

The stallions panic only grew, “Then you know what they can do! They have that name for a reason!”

“But that wasn't the only thing I found,” Ruppy said standing up. She walked and began to weave through the stacks of boxes and moved some aside until she picked up a specific one, “Now, this isn't any book,” she called over as she dragged the box in front of her captive, “But I'd say it tells a story of its own.”

She popped open the lid and rummaged through, then held out a sheet of paper.

It was a bounty.

On it was the face of a wolf, one the both of them had seen before. While he wasn't fully coherent, he did catch a glimpse of his hosts face and remembered it well enough to match it to the one on the paper. After all, he didn't see many wolves in his life. Or any at all, actually.


WANTED:



Saber “The Shinning Fang”



Affiliation: The Fallen Kings



Crimes:


Mass Murder, Theft, Mass Destruction, Illegal Arms Manufacturing, and numerous other crime



Bounty:


270,000,000 Dead Or Alive


The captive looked on in horror, “He's...”

“That's right,” Ruppy assured, “This is none other than one of the original Fallen Kings. I've seen what he can do, and trust me when I say, the little pricks in Manehatten are shit compared to him. But he has his own thing to take care of, so me and Onyx will be handling this.”

“Wait, Onyx? You mean the Shadow Mare?”

Ruppy whistled, “Man, I haven't heard that name in a while. But yeah, that's her.”

“But does that mean you're...”

Ruppy stood and smirked, “Go on...say my name, bitch.”

“Rupture....” The stallion froze in horror. He heard rumors of the two mares even before the Fallen Kings took over. They were bonafide monsters. She didn't need a nickname because her real one fit her perfectly.

“Look, I've heard of you two before, but trust me, you can't do this!”

“You know, you're awfully concerned about me. Don't tell me our time together made you fall for me, cause if so, you're one kinky bastard.”

“I don't care about you, I care about what happens to my sister if they—” the stallion stopped himself. He'd let himself slip.

“Oh, so it was a hostage.”

“Look,” he said sternly, staring at her as if his eyes could bore through her skull, “if you go and pick a fight and die, they're gonna know one of us outed them. They won't care if I'm already dead, they will kill her.”

“What's her name?” Ruppy asked suddenly.

The stallion only looked on in confusion, but answered anyway, “Scootaloo. I sent her to Ponyville to keep her away from them, but they found her anyway.” His head dropped in shame as his sentenced finished.

“*sigh* Damnit, now I feel bad for the asshole.”

She knew she'd feel bad if she didn't do anything, so she did the only thing she could do. “Well then I suggest you go find her,” she said almost reluctantly, “Me and Onyx are going to be busy in Manehatten, so I suggest you go look after her and make sure no pony comes after.”

“Wait, what? You're just gonna-”

“Yep,” she interrupted and untied the ropes around his legs, “Besides, the wolf upstairs is on good terms with Ponyville, so I don't think he would appreciate it if I caused trouble for the town or its inhabitants. Especially if it just a little filly.”

The stallions face contorted with confusion as he slowly stood. His mind was clearly clouded with doubt as to whether or not to trust this mare. “You beat the shit out of me, kidnap me, beat the shit out of me again, and then let me go to look after my little sister. What the hell?”

Ruppy blew raspberries, “Like you weren't gonna do the same to me.”

"How do I know you won't screw me over?" he asked.

Ruppy sighed, "Onyx, the Shadow Mare you're so afraid of, is like a sister to me. I'd kill anything or one who so much as even thought about hurting her, and would do anything to make sure she's happy. So I understand why you would keep running with the Kings. You can't fight back against them, so you're doing the only thing you can to keep her safe."

The stallion actually smiled at the sentiment. She understood, and while he knew she could be lying, he decided against not trusting her. He lifted a hoof in an attempt for a shake, only to put it back down after pain was sent shooting through it.

“Meh, you'll be fine,” Ruppy said with a wave of a hoof, not a hint of guilt showing. And in truth, she really didn't feel any. He did try to jump her after all, “Honestly I'm surprised you can stand. Most can't take a single punch from me without coughing up something.”

“I'm durable and heal fast,” He informed as he worked the pain out of his hoof. He extended it forward once again, “My name is Beats. And not like the vegetable. Like music.” 

Ruppy shook the hoof, “Rupture, but call me Ruppy.”

Beats looked the mare up and down. It was a very strange meeting, the strangest he's ever had by far. But if she actually succeeded in what she had planned, he wouldn't care if they met in a lollipop field. He'd be grateful for the rest of his days.

Ruppy walked past the confused stallion and up the stairs, “I suggest you stick close. Silver might kill you if he thinks you escaped.”

Beats gulped. He'd never seen a wolf before and looking at the wanted poster certainly didn't help calm any anxieties or fears he already had. He trotted up the stairs slowly after the mare and followed her up to the first floor. On the couch was Silver watching the T.V. and snacking on chips. He spun around and faced his guest.

“Oh hey, would you look at that? You're still alive,” he said with a mouthful of chips. He'd already dropped off the cards to Luna and was simply waiting for a response. What better way to kill time than snacks and T.V.

“Yeah, apparently he heals fast,” the mare answered, “Have you seen Onyx? I got what I wanted.”

“She decided to drag those other two out back. Something about the cliff and some chairs,” he replied and turned back to the T.V.

Ruppy rolled her eyes and headed to the back door. That mare had a thing for theatrics when she decided to be creative. She slid the door open and stuck her head out, “ONYX! I GOT WHAT WE WANTED! COME BACK!” and slid the it closed again.

She turned to Beats, who stared at her quizzically, much like he had done most of the day. He was broken and bruised, but noticeably recovering. He wasn't lying, he did heal fast. Really fast.

She never really bothered to pay much attention to his appearance before, but now decided to take a closer look. He was a pegasus, his mane and tail were short and orange, his coat a deep brown. His eyes were a bright ruby red, and were actually quite stunning. His body itself seemed slim, though Ruppy knew from their fight that he was stronger than he looked.

“Why don't you go clean yourself up?” Silver offered, surprising the stallion, “The bathroom's down the hall, first door on the left.”

Beats nodded slowly and left to go to the bathroom, limping slightly. It would seem he didn't heal as fast as he'd like. Just as he left, Onyx stepped in through the back door with the other two captives, “Are we good?” she asked, dropping them on the porch.

Ruppy nodded, “Yep. Beats, the other guy, said the Fallen Kings had somehow gotten back on their hooves, and got bigger and better. I suggest we finish what we started.”

Onyx agreed with a nod.

“You hear that Silver? We're starting a war with the Kings, you good with that?” Ruppy called over her shoulder. The sentence itself would cause panic to most ponies, but to the beings in the room, it was just another day at the office.

“Yeah, that's cool,” Silver said dismissively, “I don't need you guys to help getting the books, so just go do what ever. Just don't get killed, it's hard to replace talent.”

Ruppy smirked, “Sweet! Onyx, we're going to war.” 

> Fairy Wisps and A New Kind Of Ship
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, usually when thieves steal, they have a plan. Get in through the window, dodge some lasers, knock out/ seduce a guard or two, snag the prize, then jump out the nearest window with a cable attached to your back.

….Now we have Silver. Master thief known through out the world for stealing some of the most priceless artifacts.

...Never planned for a robbery a day in his life.

The wolf stared at the gates of a mansion from a distance, safely perched on top of a building a few blocks away from his destination. The house was quite large, though due to Canterlot being located on a mountain, the land of the estate was not. Shame, it always made it easier if he had more room to maneuver.

Luna had amazingly already gotten an address from one of the cards, though she said the other two would take a little longer. It was fine with Silver. After all, three consecutive robberies all targeting the same type of item would look a little suspicious, so spacing them out would do some good.

Silver focused in on the guards in front of the gate. Even in the dark of the night, he could see well enough to make out two unicorns, somewhat bulky, and stiff at attention. There were no other guards wondering the manor. This either meant that they had barriers set up around the perimeter to keep any unauthorized ponies out, or they were seriously skilled and would detect even a fly going in without permission.

Of course, Silver was no fly. The wolf smirked and evaporated, flying silently and undetected towards the house. As it turned out, his first assumption was correct, which made things much easier. A barrier he could be deal with, but unfortunately, even in his gaseous state, he could still be detected by some pony with enough skill.

After touching the barrier and realizing that even his gaseous form could not get through, Silver headed back to his rooftop. A simple, minor setback. Not that it would keep him for long.

The wolf steadied his breathing and closed his eyes.

“I am the wind...” he recited, “I am free to go where I wish and do as I please...”

As the words left his mouth, a blue haze followed after them, flying towards the building. With a gentle touch, they ripped open a small gap in the barrier, small enough so that the unicorns who set it wouldn't notice, but any gap was big enough for Silver to slip through.

He evaporated once more, this time slipping through the barrier with ease. He flew to the house as a breeze in the night, checking for any way into the building, but the building was sealed tight. Even the front and back doors didn't have gaps underneath them for him to get through.

Luckily, all of these fancy aristocrats of Canterlot had to have a wine cellar, and this one had a door leading to it from the outside. That was his ticket in.

He slipped through the cracks of the wooden door and to the underground below, landing silently as his became solid once more. While this didn't seem like the best of ideas, Silver figured that so long as he was stealing the grimoire, he might as well take a little something else too.

He reached his paw above his head and waved around until he felt a string, then gave it a tug. The light switched on and lit up the cellar, revealing the walls of alcohol. Silver stepped over to one of the racks, examining each one closely.

“Hmm. Oooh, a nice bottle of Kripta,” he whispered greedily as he slipped it into his bag, “And is that, ooh, a 20 year old single malt scotch? Man, I don't know why it's down here, but I'm glad it is. I have to give it to the aristocrats, they have good taste. Or, at least, this one does.”

Silver quickly shoved the bottle into the bag and turned away before he could continue looking. Knowing his own habits, he'd make a dozen trips to and from this wine cellar until it was empty, grimoire be damned.

“Now, time to get down to business.” Silver walked back over and turned the light off, disappearing into air moments after. In his gaseous state, he passed under the crack of the door and into the halls of the home.

“Sense it...feel out the magic of the grimoire...ancient and powerful magic is hard to miss.”

He could feel it. A small tingling in his mind, leading and guiding him through the halls of the mansion. Left, right, another right, down the stairs, the door on his left.

He slipped under it and looked around the room, never releasing his state. It was just a normal storage room. A couple of racks against the walls held what he imagined were a number of cleaning items and mops and brooms littered the corners and floor. Silver reappeared once more.

Unfortunately, there was no light for this room, so he had to make do with what little he could make out. He ran a paw along the shelf, causing an occasional, light clatter as his paw knocked into a few things. Eventually, his paw hit the back wall, though something was off about it.

Something about the texture of the bricks seemed off, like it was smoother than others. Silver patted around the brick a couple of times, but nothing happened.

Now that he had spent some time in the dark room, his eyes had adjusted more, and he could clearly make out the shapes in the room, his sights confirming that the room was indeed filled with cleaning supplies.

Silver looked to where the smooth bricks were, barely able to make out a difference in color, giving him an idea. He pushed his paw back to the wall once more, though instead of going against the bricks, he dug his claws in and pulled them out. His nails easily ripped through the soft material, and after a moment of digging, revealed a string behind the stones. He gave it a tug and a click followed shortly after. 

He turned to see where the sound came from, and saw a small patch in the floor opening up, finding underneath the moved bricks was a square piece of cloth. He stepped over and picked it, revealing the grimoire underneath and while it wasn't the one from the cave, he still intended on taking it. Silver was so caught up in examining it, he didn't realize that the only reason he could even identify the book was because the door to the room had opened and allowed the light to flow in.

“Oh?” a voice said from behind Silver, “An uninvited guest? At this hour?”

The wolf quickly reared his head and saw the figure behind him. His horn glowed a brilliant pink, and balls of fuchsia flames appeared and lit the room.

“Don't you thieves have any manners?” he finished, then volleyed the magic fire forward. The room exploded in a bright pink light and Silver came crashing through the walls and into the halls.

“Well,” he coughed out as he rolled over and raised himself, “This ought to be fun!” 





Ruppy and Onyx stepped out of the train station, glaring down the streets. The city was not kind to either of them during their stay, so neither of the two were happy to set hoof back in the damned place.

Even with a first few glances though, they could tell the city had changed, and not for the better. A familiar graffiti tag of a broken sword with a crown hanging on its hilt was plastered to the side of a building right in front of the station, as if it were a sign to every pony that stepped off the train who ran the town.

Ruppy laughed, “They're bold. I like it.”

The unicorn that accompanied her simply rolled her eyes and left the building, trotting down the streets as the pegasus flew to catch up.

“So, where to start?” Ruppy pondered for a moment, “Hmmm...Oh! Let's pull a Silver and crash one of their places! We can figure it out from there!”

Onyx stopped and considered the option, the shrugged and nodded. They didn't exactly come with a plan, so if it worked for Silver, why not them?

“Okay, now to find one of their little clubhouses and burn it,” the pegasus mare took to the skies and scoured the night life below. Unfortunately, the train ride took longer than they liked, the two arrived shortly after sunset. But she could still see well enough to identify the Fallen Kings tag on the side of a lively looking building.

Target acquired.

“Yo, found it,” she informed Onyx as she landed, “It's a couple of streets up. Let's go.”

She went to turn away, only to find her partner hadn't done the same yet. Ruppy looked back to find the unicorn trotting off to an ally, “Hey, where are you--!”

Two loud clunks sounded from the ally, and Onyx reappeared with two floating metal bars at her side, “Ready.”

Ruppy rolled her eyes, “Always gotta have your toys, huh?”

The mare in question simply trotted by, a small smile on her face. The two walked through the familiar streets of Manehatten, and instead of reminiscing, they found themselves wanting to burn it all. To them, it was a putrid city, with nothing left to offer. After this whole debacle was settled, chances were they wouldn't come back for a long time.

A few street crossings later, and the two were at their not so appreciated destination. While Ruppy was looking forward to a little violence, she wanted to go home as quickly as possible. Kicking ass is very tiring after all.

As the pegasus walked up to the front door, she found herself standing alone. Onyx was known as the Shadow Mare for a reason, and busting in through the front door wasn't exactly her style.

For Ruppy however, it was her favorite.

Rearing her hind legs, she kicked the door down with a powerful buck, sending it flying through the building.

“Knock, knock bitches! Open up!” She proudly strode in, taking notice of the party that went on inside. Booze, sex and hormones filled the air, and the moment she came in, everything stopped, and all eyes fell to her.

“What the fuck?!” a stallion hollered as he came bounding out of a room. He turned and glared at the mare responsible for breaking his front door, and was about to march over until a black bar found its way to the side of his skull, smashing his head against the wall. Onyx stepped out of the room behind him, both of her bars already stained with blood, and Ruppy walked over to peek behind her.

Already, she'd knocked out or possibly killed five other ponies that were in the room. How she did it within the time it took for the stallion to get up and get to the door was a mystery to her.

But the pegasus simply smirked, “Well, aren't you raring to go?”

Onyx simply nodded. Inside however, she couldn't have been more annoyed by this sad crew of thugs. She honestly wanted to see if Silvers training had paid off, but with these lowly pushovers, she wasn't exactly expecting a challenge. At this point, she just wanted to get things over with.

Ruppy turned and faced down the hall, “Well! Who's next!?”





Silver rose from the ground, slipping the grimoire into his bag and staring at the dust floating in the air as a unicorn figure made itself apparent within it.

“Well,” the unicorn spoke, “I've never seen a wolf before, but I suppose this confirms the rumors. There is a Canine among the ponies of Equestria, and is playing the new pet of the princesses,” he stepped closer and out of the dust cloud from the wall debris, “But this poses the question, just what are you doing here in my home, trying to take my book?”

Silver smirked, “I wouldn't say I tried to steal your book, but I already have,” his comment was met with a sudden launch of flames towards him. Silver jumped and dashed down the hall as the flames followed and exploded behind him. Mid jump, he turned and flapped his wing, using his magic to aid the gust and sending a powerful wind blowing down the hall, causing the following flames to burst and fill the area with a bright glow.

The wolf landed on the floor as the light faded.

“Something's wrong. The walls aren't scorched, and now that I think about it, neither am I. That first attack in the room earlier should have at least singed my fur, but I'm fine.”

“Those are some strange magics you got there,” Silver commented as the unicorn came closer, “I'm guessing you've been doing some late night reading?” he said as he gave his bag a jiggle.

His opponent cocked a grin, “I suppose you could say that. The flames are quiet unique, and I don't mean their color. Perhaps you could figure it out before I kill you.”

Well that didn't bode well...

Fighting against unknown elements was one of Silvers no-nos. But then again...he was having fun. Besides, it's not like he could leave anyway. The unicorn would most certainly chase after him, and the grimoire in his bag cause magical interference with his Evaporation Spell. It would seem running was not an option.

Silver stopped and tried to focus on the flames, making every observation he could while the stare down between him and the unicorn lasted. Other than their colors, the flames didn't look any different. He couldn't hear any strange flickering or crackling. And they didn't burn either.

...wait...they don't burn, but they explode? Well that's strange. If there's no heat from the explosion, then maybe something else is being released?

Silver took a deep breath in, analyzing the smells, disguising it as a sigh so the unicorn wouldn't catch on.

There!

Something was odd about the scent of the room, but he couldn't quite put his paw on it.

Well, if he couldn't figure it out, then the next best option would be to end this as quickly as possible. Luckily, his opponent was just as cautious as he was, and didn't make a move while Silver was thinking. Or maybe he was just patient?

Silver actually sighed this time, “Well, I suppose I should get going,” he said as he flared his wings.

His host glared and stomped a hoof, “You're not going anywhere unless you leave my book, or in a body bag,” he threatened.

The wolf rolled his eyes. Sure, being up against strange flames wasn't exactly the best of positions, but this guy didn't seriously think he would be able to kill him, did he?

The wolf flapped his wings, and a powerful whirlwind wrapped around him, “Sorry, but I'm ending this!” he shouted over the howling winds. He commanded the magic the blow outward, taking the form of sharp wind blades and shredding through the walls.

But the unicorn stood, now grinning. Just as the attack was released, his eyes glowed a bright pink, and...

BOOOM!!!

The entire floor of the house, all at once, erupted  with fuscia flames, blowing out windows, walls and stairs in a flash. The wolf was sent hurling down the hall, crashing through rooms and finally coming to a stop in one. Thank Celestia this pony had a huge house, otherwise he'd have been thrown outside, where he would gather more attention. Not that the explosion didn't.

Silver coughed, tasting the metallic flavor of blood coming up his throat and seeping through his fangs.

“What—*cough*--what the fuck!?” he stammered out as his tried to bring himself up from  the floor.

The unicorns hoof steps seemed to echo down the hall as he came to Silver, “You haven't figured it out yet? Allow me to explain,” he pretty much gloated as he stepped into the broken room, “They're called Fairy Wisps. When my flames explode, they don't release heat, but magic gas. This gas is unique in the the way that it will only ignite when I will it, and when it does, it will produce more of my flames, which then explode and will in turn create more gas.  Naturally, since I read the book and hold the magic, the explosion won't hurt me, but when you wrapped all that air around you, you wrapped the gas as well, and became the center of it all.”

The unicorn came closer, and Silver was still catching his breath and trying to re-coordinate himself.  He never noticed the unicorn floated up a piece of sharp, wood shrapnel and only realized it when it made pierced and dug into his side.

Silver screamed and barked in pain, quickly scampering past the assaulter and out of the room, back into the hall. The unicorn laughed and followed, “I thought you wolves were supposed to terrifying creatures! Turns out, you might as well be lapdogs!”

Silver sat in the hall, his breathes ragged and his side bleeding.

“Screw this, I'm done playing games.”

The wolf took one long breath in and extended his wings, closing his eyes as he did.

“Oh, this again?” the home owner questioned as he brought forth more flames, “Didn't you learn last time?”

Silver invoked his Steel Wing spell, his wings becoming clad in metal. His eyes shot open, seeming to have a spark in them, like they'd been filled with magic. His opponent found his hooves stopping in their tracks.

“Wh-what is this?”

The wolf let out his breath, a blue mist coming from his mouth.  His fur seemed to shine brighter, and the winds gathering around him were different from the ones before. They were fiercer; sharper.

“Cut it down...” he muttered to himself. All at once, the winds wrapped and twirled, tearing through the floor and the roof, the walls and doors, expanding at a rapid pace. The entire house was shredded in mere moments, leaving nothing but the two figure in the center of the swirling mass of blades.

Silvers opponent looked around in fear, “What is this?!? This is different from before!”

The wolfs metal wings flapped and the feathers came flying off, gathering in the winds and flying at inconceivable speeds. They cut through the air, causing an ear piercing whistle to cry out.

Silver folded his wings in front of him, and the flying metal feathers, from all directions of the tornado, came together at his target. There was no time for the unicorn to do anything, and in flash, his body ended up just like his house. Shredded

His cries were not heard as the winds whistles were louder. He fell to the ground in a bloody mess, hundreds of lacerations covering his body. Silver slowly stepped to the fallen unicorn. The wolfs eyes seemed to loose to the spark they had earlier, and were now cold and desolate of any trace of soul. Death himself would freeze in his tracks at the glare Silver cast.

“What-what are you?” he croaked out.

“You were wrong,” Silver muttered as his feathers returned to his wings. He lifted the head of the unicorn from the ground to eye level, holding him by the cheeks with both paws, “We wolves are not to be feared...It's just me you should be afraid of.” In that moment, pure fear swallowed the unicorns soul and in a swift, clean motion, Silver sliced through the neck with his wing. His body dropped his a solid thud, and he continued to stare in to the eyes of the head he held for a moment, watching as life and fear faded from them. As the last remaining shine fell from his eyes, Silver dropped the head.

He ended his visit with a bow of his head, a small sign of respect for a pony who was able to actually make him bleed, before he took to the sky, using his still raging tornado as cover for his escape.

Once he reached a safe distance, he looked back at the remains of the home, what little there was, as it was swarmed with security.

“Well....Twilight's gonna be pissed....”





Ruppy slammed the head of an already dazed thug against the wall, “Hey, fucker! Speak clearly!”

The house was silent, save for the mares ruthless interrogating, and bodies of ponies were scattered through out the rooms and halls. No pony was spared.

“24th and James...” he slurred out.

“Finally!” she exclaimed as she dropped his head. Onyx was had just stepped out of a room with her satchel overflowing with jewelry. If she learned anything from Silver, it would be that stealing from criminals is never wrong.

“You done there?” Ruppy asked her friend, who nodded in response, “Good, cause we're going back home. We don't have time to finish with this tonight, so we'll do it tomorrow.”

She finished her statement and began trotting to the stairs and left strolled out through the front door, only to pause and turn back around.

“Almost forgot,” she informed Onyx as she stepped back in. She looked over the crowd of unconscious and/or dying ponies and picked out one that was more or less coherent.

“Hey!” she yelled, slapping her in the face to wake them, “If the heads of your little clubhouse asks who did this, tell them it's Ruppy and Onyx. They should remember us pretty well. And tell them to soil themselves while they can, cause I'm gonna shove my hoof so far up their asses, they're gonna be shitting sideways for a week.”

The mare Ruppy had grabbed seemed to be awake, and was more than terrified enough to listen to the crazy mares demands. She nodded her head quickly before the tan pegasus dropped her and strolled out where Onyx was waiting.

“Come on, let's go,” she said and headed back to the train. She was a little disappointed that she didn't get to finish it all that night, but fighting through that building, getting an answer and raiding it took a lot longer than she thought. It was fairly late into the night, almost eleven, and she never liked to do physical activity at night, unless of course it was sex.

But it would seem the second act of their rampage would have to wait until tomorrow. Oh well. Maybe this will give the Fallen Kings some time to stew in their own panic. Or maybe they'll come up with a plan! Oh, now that would make things fun!





A set of lavender hooves plodded across the white tiles of Silvers home.

“Twilight, would you please calm yourself,” Luna complained from the couch, “Silver will be fine. He's a master thief, after all.”

“I know, but I can't help but worry!” she said back, “What if he got caught? What if Celestia couldn't do anything for him? What if she has to turn him over to Houndland he gets executed for everything he's done!?”

Twilights breathing had now become erratic and short, quick gasps. Luna stood from the couch and walked over, placing her hooves on the mares shoulders, “Calm down, Twilight. Silver has been doing this for far longer than you think. He'll not be caught so easily.”

The younger alicorns breathing had slowed, but the worry was still present on her face. What came strolling through the door moments after didn't help either.

“I'm back!” Silver called as he came in.

At first, she was overly excited to see him return home. That was until, she saw the blood coming from his side and down his wings, along with a crimson tint around his mouth.

“Silver, what happened?!” she exclaimed.

The wolf looked up, actually taking notice of the two mares in the room instead of calling out blindly just to see who was home. Twilight and Luna were his favorite ponies to see most of the time, but right now he could do without the lavender one. After that nights activities, he was certain she would argue with him about his actions, but he honestly wasn't in the mood for that discussion.

“Oh, what are you two doing here?” he asked, completely ignoring his emotions of not wanting to argue.

“Well I came to see what book you brought back, and to tell you that fox from the other day sent a letter,” Luna said stepping forward for a closer look at the blood, “Twilight was simply worried. Though I'm beginning to think that worry might have been well placed. Silver, what happened to you?” she finished as she moved the fur out of the way for a better look. The contact only caused Silver to give a quick yelp and flinch in pain. Lunas expression went from one of worry to guilt and fear.

“No touching please?” he said as he dropped his bag. He really didn't feel like putting it away, “As for where it came from, I'm afraid I underestimated my score.”

“You mean a pony got the best of you?” Luna asked as she picked up the back. There was still a little blood on the side of it, causing her to gasp.

“No, I'm saying the grimoire got the best of me,” he clarified, though it sounded more like an excuse, “The pony himself was an idiot, and lucky enough to have magic as powerful as that. Those Fairy Wisps could destroy an entire city if you gave it the right pony.”

“I don't care about that!” Twilight suddenly shouted, “I don't care who's better! Silver tell me, what happened?” She walked forward took the wolf by his paw, dragging him over to the couch and forced him to sit.

“Um, sorry,” he apologized, “I got caught after I found the book, and me and the owner fought. His magic was from the grimoire, so he got in some good hits. I still won but...” Silver went silent and looked to the floor.

“But?” Twilight asked quietly. She was trying to keep Luna from over hearing, not that she needed to. The midnight alicorn had begun flipping through the grimoire. It wasn't that she didn't care about Silver, and was actually quite worried about him. But she trusted him and his strength, so she could afford to look away for a little while.

Silvers ears folded back against his head, and his voice dropped to an even quieter level, “I...I had to kill him...”

"Please...don't hate me...."

“He didn't just have powerful magic, but he knew who I was. He connected me to the princesses. I don't know what he would have done with that knowledge.”

The mare was silent. Her head had dropped and she remained still for while. Eventually, she moved away from the wolf, across the room and out of his sight. Silver could bring himself to look her in the eye, though he continued to explain.

“She...she hates me...”

Luna never took notice of the sudden silence in the room, or as the other alicorn walked away, though not to the door. She went down the hall to the bathroom, flicked the light on for a moment, and then shut it off, stepping out with a white kit held in her magic.

She walked back over to the wolf on the couch, who had not lifted his head since she left. She dropped the case on the cushion and sat for a moment in front of him, neither of them looking or saying anything to the other.

Twilight was the first to move. She lifted her hooves and slid them around the neck of the wolf.

“It's okay...” she whispered ever so softly into his ear, her voice trembling and on the verge of breaking, “I forgive you...”

“Wha...”

She pulled away, finally looking into his eyes, revealing the tears her own held. She levitated the med kit open and pull out the disinfectant and a gauze pad, wetting it with the liquid.

She carefully dabbed at the wound on Silver side while she spoke, “If some pony could do this to you, then I suppose it's understandable that you would have to take a life. And you said he tied you to us, which was what Star Shine was worried about. I understand...”

The cleaning was done, but Silver remained silent; shocked with her response.

“You're...you're not mad?” he questioned after a while, “You don't hate me?”

Twilight pulled out a large pad and some gauze tape, starting the patch up to the wound, “Silver, I've told you before. I don't hate you.” this was where she became even quieter, “If anything, I'd say I feel quite opposite of that...”

Silver couldn't believe it. The entire flight home, he was terrified of having to tell her. And she forgave him....

The wolf could feel the tears swell, and he had to bite his lips to keep from crying. How could this mare be so kind? How could she overlook his sins? How is it possible she broke his heart with a kindness he thought he wasn't worthy of?

Luckily for Twilight, Silver was still recovering from his pardon by the mare, so he didn't quite catch what she whispered. On the other hoof, the other mare in the room had abandon her reading and listened in just in time to catch the confession.

“Oh?” Luna said as she came up behind the couch, draping her hooves over Silvers neck, “By the way you're talking, I'd almost assume you were trying to steal him away from me.” Her voice was playful and her smile coy, but even so Twilights cheeks exploded in blush.

“Wha-what!?” she exclaimed, her sudden embarrassment causing her to loose control of her magic, and the bandages tightened around Silvers waist. The wolf yelped and pulled away.

“Oh, I'm sorry!” she excused and made the wrappings looser once more. She noticed a wet cloth floating around in a blue aura as it began cleaning the blood off of his wing.

“Now, please don't go and damage him anymore than he already is. It will make sleeping with him quite difficult if he's always tossing and turning with uncomfortable bandages.”

“Sleeping with him!?” Twilight exclaimed. Her eyes flicked between the two, Silver doing the same but between Twilight and Luna. The lavender alicorn knew the two had been doing it, but she didn't expect Luna to so brazenly blurt it out. “What makes you think you're the one sleeping with him tonight?!”

“....WHAT IN CELESTIAS GLORIOUS FLANK AM I SAYING!?!”

“Simple,” Luna responded, “I wish to. That's all. But really, what are you so upset about? You'll be joining us.”

It was Silvers turn for an exclamation, “What!?” His eyes stopped flicking and stopped on Luna, “What the hell are you saying?!”

“Oh, you don't want her to? That's harsh, Silver. Really.” At this point she was just teasing, though she was serious about Twilight joining them. What harm could it do?

“It's not that! I just--” Silver fumbled on his words, breaking eye contact with the mare around his shoulders and making it with the one in front of him. Even through his thick fur, Twilight could clearly see his blush.

Not that she wasn't doing the same.

After a minute of stammering and stuttering, Silver finally sighed, “You know what? Screw it, I don't care. Do what you want, I'm going to bed.”

The patch work was done, as well as the cleaning, and while there were still a few aches and pains, the wolf didn't feel like he had the energy to keep going. So he rose from the couch and trotted around to the hall, his door opening and then closing.

Luna watched with a proud smile. It was fun making Silver flustered.

“Well, I suppose that leaves us with the clean up,” she said, levitating the wrappers and putting them in the trash.

Twilight simply sat there, her muzzle still bright pink and eyes wide, “Luna...did...did you really mean what you said? Did you really want me to...you know?”

“Hmm,” she hummed, “I wouldn't so much say that I 'wanted' it, but rather I expected you to. If I were not here tonight, do you deny that you wouldn't have joined Silver in his bed?”

The blush increased, which honestly, shouldn't have been possible. She was pinker than Pinkie Pie.

“Um-well-I..it's just-” the stammering mess that was an attempted sentence was a Luna needed to know, not that she didn't figure it out already.

She floated the lid of the box closed and set it on the counter in the kitchen along with the rag, “Well, when you finish that sentence of yours, you know where to find me,” she said as she turned and headed to the hall, “But if you don't join us, you'll fall behind me.”

Twilights blush faded, and a small amount of panic took over. Fall behind her? Did she mean...?

Shaking her embarrassment from her, the mare made a resolve. She wouldn't allow Luna to be left alone with Silver. Not so long as she could do something about it.

She quickly trotted to the room, slowing and quieting her steps as she entered. Silver was already asleep, and Luna had only just crawled onto the bed. She just settled down in front of the wolf, careful to keep herself from knocking against his side. When she saw Twilight poke her head through the door, she nodded her head to the other side of Silver, motioning for the mare to lay behind him.

Twilight stepped around and onto the bed, making sure not to wake the wolf. She slowly lowered herself to lay behind him, though her front hooves and chest were across his back. She wrapped him in a gentle hug, her hooves making their way around his neck and chest.

The blush Twilight wore earlier had come back, as she found that after settling herself, Luna was staring at her, a small smile on her muzzle. She couldn't tell if it was cocky or genuine, but she couldn't look at her for long.

Twilight rested her head on his neck, giving a gentle nuzzle and earning a content sigh from the wolf. The midnight mare in front gave a small giggle, and slipped her own head under Silvers paws and placed herself below his chin. His head shifted down and rested atop of it, and the three found themselves in a comforting position.

Twilight was, surprisingly, okay with this. She was still with Silver, and Luna didn't seem like she wanted to steal him away. If anything, it seemed like she wanted to share him.

The thought caused Twilight to go back to Star Shines suggestion about a herd. It wasn't so unpleasant this time around, and actually seemed doable. Potentially even enticing.

“Would...would it really work? I mean, I don't think I like Luna in that way, but I'll admit she is very pretty. And maybe there's more to her than I thought. After all, I don't know her very well. Maybe I could like Luna too...

Maybe we could all be happy together.”

> A Second Voice and Making a Choice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Ow....Ooooooowwwww....”

The pain throughout Silvers body slowly stirred him from his slumber. He could feel pricks in-bedded into his skin, the splinters from last nights fight reminding him that he neglected to fish them out before going to bed.

Luckily though, the mares sleeping with him kept him from tossing and turning too much, so they weren't pushed in any further.

...Wait...mares....plural

The wolf crack an eye open. Below him was a wavy, star spangled mane. And pressed in between that mane and his chest was a bundle of lavender fluff. It would seem that at some point last night, Twilight had rolled off of his back and to the front, nestling herself between a warm wolf and a chilled alicorn.

Yep...mares....plural...

Silver sighed. While he did like the thought of being with the two of them, he knew only trouble laid ahead. He'd have to pick one or the other eventually. Or maybe one of them would pick for him? After all, it wasn't solely his decision. The mares had a say too.

Of course the problems wouldn't stop there. He wasn't sure how Celestia would react to him dating Twilight or Luna. And breaking the heart of the one not picked would certainly set her off, regardless of who it was. And a pissed off alicorn was not something he wanted to see.

“Mmmh...mmh,” the dark coated mare separated from him began to moan as her eyes fluttered open and her head slowly rose. She turned to look his way, her eyelids blinking open as she took notice of the distance between the two of them.

“Oh my, it seems we've grown apart,” she said coyly and adding a giggle. Silver chuckled lightly in response as well, looking down and stroking Twilights mane while giving a small smile that was....wrong.

Why? Why did his smile look like that? Like it was bittersweet? His joy was genuine, but at the same time, it was causing him pain. Just what was it?

Was something wrong? Should she not have invited Twilight to join them? Was there a line she crossed? Why was her wolf hurting so?

The questions flooded her mind, prompting her to ask,“Is something the matter?”  her voice gentle and soothing. In the back of her mind, however, she was a more than worried. She honestly wasn't sure if she'd done something wrong.

Silvers eyes flicked up to meet the mare, “Huh? Oh, it's...it's nothing.”

Like she was going to believe that, “Silver, please. If something is bothering you, tell me. You said you would answer me so long as I asked.”

His ears twitched at the mention of his promise. Luna had him now. The wolf sighed, “It's just...I don't think things are gonna stay like this.”

“Well, you will have to get up and leave eventually, and Twilight and myself have our own things to--”

“I didn't mean like that,” he cut in, “I meant...I don't think I can see a way for all three of us to be happy...together.” The wolf sighed yet again, this time not bothering to hide a frown. He lowered his head to the pillow as his ears fell flat.

Luna watched the wolf as he mulled over the problem. But instead of showing him pity, Luna simple giggled, “What ever do you mean?” she said, rolling over to face him, “We can stay just like this for as long as we wish.” She brought a hoof up to his cheeks, slowly brushing back the tufts of fur on his face as he spoke.

“How?” he questioned, “This is only going to end with some ponys heart getting broken...” another long sigh escaped him. He hated the thought of either of them being hurt because of one of his decisions. But he'd gotten himself into too deep, and now couldn't find a way out. If he picked one, the other would be hurt. And if he didn't pick either, both of them would end up falling away from him.

Luna giggled once more, booping the nose of wolf, “Silly little pup. Do you not know of Equestrian herds?”

Silvers ears flickered and he lifted his head, “I've heard of them, but I never really understood what they were. Isn't it just like polygamy?”

The mare waved her hoof in a so-so fashion, “Something like that, I suppose,” she agreed before  beginning her explanation, “Polygamy is one pony in a relationship with many others. The ones they date aren't there for each other, just the main one. But herds are different. We would all date each other, not just one of us.”

Silver cocked a brow in confusion.

Luna rolled her eyes playfully, “If it were the three of us, I would be in a relationship with both you and Twilight. You would be in a relationship with me and Twilight, and she would be with the two of us. In polygamy, I would only be with one of you, the other wouldn't be considered a partner.”

The puzzled look remained, despite the words that followed, “I think I get it, but would it really work? I mean, wouldn't Twilight would have to feel the same way for both of us?”

Luna looked down in somber, “Yes...she would.” While starting a herd would certainly bring her joy, there would also be a few things that needed explaining to the younger alicorn. Things she wished she could keep buried.

But maybe this could be for the best. Even if Twilight doesn't react in the best of ways, Luna will finally have the weight lifted off her shoulders.

“Well don't be too upset about it,” Silver said a little harshly. Why would she bothered by Twilight liking her? Does she think she'd only be in the way? If so, then why even bother offering to start a herd in the first place?

Luna reeled back slightly at the comment, “No, I didn't mean it like that...it's just...” the mare sighed, “It's a little complicated for me. But if you want, then...maybe we could try. I know I'm at least willing to.”

Silver hesitated for a moment, his eyes flicking back and forth between Luna and the other mare on the bed. Would it really work? Could they really be together? “Really? Do...do you really think we could?”

Luna nodded, “I'll talk with Twilight. It seems she isn't too bothered by the thought. I just really want us all to be happy, Silver.”

Happy...they could all be happy. It was all he wanted too.

The wolfs eyes seemed to light up and dance with joy, “I...I think I'd like to try it. But I think you should clear things up with Twilight first. I don't want to make her feel awkward or anything.”

Lunas face lit up with a bright smile, “Of course. Meanwhile, I think you should get back to that grimoire hunting. And that vixen from Caneighdia is coming by soon too.”

“Huh?” Silver asked with a cock of his head, “Radiance is coming?”

“Uh-huh. I told you last night I got a letter from her saying she was coming to see you. Didn't say why though.”

“Hmm, I guess she wants her collar off,” Silver hummed and thought for a moment, “I suppose I should get going then. There are a few other things I need to do too.”

“Awww, can't you stay and cuddle for a little longer?” she pleaded, using her puppy dog eyes to charm the wolf.

Those big blue sapphires staring up at him almost made him falter, “I'm sorry, but I can't,” he said, leaning over and giving the mare a quick nuzzle, “But I promise I'll get all this done soon. Also, it seems I have splinters, and they really hurt, so I don't think laying in bed would be very comfortable anyway. You can stay and keep Twilight company while I'm gone though. I'm sure you two could use the time together to umm....work things out.”

Luna sighed, “Fine. But when you come back, I'll be expecting frozen treats,” she demanded.

Silver chuckled, leaning down to nuzzle the sleeping mare beside him, “Alright then. I'll get something for both of you.”

He slowly rose from the bed, allowing for the lavender hooves draped around him to fall off. Twilight murmured and rolled over to the cool, comforting fur of Luna. Surprisingly, she managed to make the princess of the night blush, and what an adorable sight it was.

“Have fun you too,” Silver said with a coy smile and slipping out the door before Luna could shoot him a deadly glare.

The mare sighed and looked to the snoozing pony below her, “This will be anything but fun...”





There have been many things Silver has seen sitting on his couch after walking into the living room. There have been ponies of all races, wolfs, griffons, felines, and even a few demons.

One of the things he'd never seen before was a pissed off Star Shine, scowling at him as if she were trying to tunnel through him with only the power of her eyes.

Silver froze upon making eye contact with the angry wolf, “Sooo...um, I guess I did something huh?” he said meekly.

“Something?” she repeated, “That's a rather mild way to put it.” She moved a paw over and picked up the remote to the T.V., clicking it on.

“In today's morning news, a strange tornado formed out of no where in the middle of the night last night, destroying the manor of a local Canterlot pony. Luckily, no other houses were destroyed in during the event, however, the owner of the house, Light Screen,  was killed tragically. The authorities are still trying to figure out where the tornado came from, but are coming up empty hoofed.....”

The T.V. clicked back off, and Star Shines glared only intensified, “Care to explain?”

Silver sighed, “I went to steal the book, got caught and had it out with that Light Screen guy. Turns out, he read from the grimoire, so he had some power in him. He also knew about me serving the princesses, so...I had to kill him. I couldn't risk him pulling something and putting them in danger.”

“You're the only one putting them in danger!” she shouted.

Silver reeled back, not so much out of fear of her, he just really didn't want Twilight and Luna to come stumbling out of his room and only add gasoline to the already raging fire.

“If you had just kept out of sight like we're supposed to, none of this would've happened!” she continued, “One of the reason we keep out of sight is because we stick out too much. If every pony will knows that the wolves serve the princesses and we end up doing something that the rest of Equestria doesn't agree with, then the blame falls on the princesses as well. So pulling stupid shit like this is only going to cause them trouble, Silver!”

At this point, the wolf had broken eye contact with his screaming counter part, looking only at the floor with his head down and ears flat.

“You think I don't know that?” he said softly, “You think I couldn't understand that everything I did put them at risk? I know why we're supposed to keep ourselves hidden! I know what happens when I cause them trouble! But damn it Star, it's not like I wanted this to happen!”

The wolf had brought his head up with a scowl to match Star Shines, “If I could do it over, yes I would make damn sure that I wasn't found out. That I wouldn't have had to kill that pony. But I can't! So I did what I had to to make sure that none of this would blow back on the princesses! And yeah, that might not be the best of ways to handle things, but I didn't see much else for me to do. So yeah, I caused some trouble, but hell, you know what? I made sure it didn't hurt them!

“The princesses are fine and every pony is none the wiser about the book, so if you don't mind, I still need to get two others. Now if you don't intend on helping me, then at least do me the favor and leave! I still have things to do other than sit on my ass all day and argue with you!”

The wolf huffed as his voice died, and the two sat glaring in silence at each other for a while. Finally Star Shine sighed.

“I swear, I don't know what I'm going to do with you...” Both of their scowls had died down and become more of an annoyed glare.

“Well you could start by helping me get rid of all these damn splinters,” he said moving across the room and down the hall.  He went into the bathroom and came back out with the med kit from the night before. He went and sat onto the couch, popping open the lid and pulling out the tweezers, only to have them plucked away from them in a near black aura.

“Huh?” he mumbled, looking up to the hall way. There he saw a disheveled Onyx standing in the hall, dressed in a baggy T-shirt with what he assumed to be drool spots on it.

“Are mommy and daddy done arguing now?” she asked. She didn't express any sarcasm, though she often didn't express anything, especially in the morning.

Star Shine simply rolled her eyes, while Silver chuckled at the joke, “Sorry. We didn't mean to wake you.”

The mare trotted over and sat down on the couch next to Silver. She stopped and stared at him for a minute, the raised her hoof to pop him on  the nose.

“Hey! What was that for?” he asked, wrinkling his nose.

“You made me and Ruppy clean up after you last night,” she said as she began shuffling her hooves through his fur. It was really soft and fluffy! The only other time she'd felt his coat was their first day of training when Ruppy had snapped and Silver had to carry them back, but even then, she was too tired to really notice it.

“Oh, right...I guess I didn't really bother cleaning up last night. Now that I think about it, I didn't even bother to shower.”

Onyx nodded. Having heard earlier that Silver needed help, she began  plucking a few of the wood splinters out, “We were worried when we saw the bloody rag and med kit. But when we peeked into your room, we knew you were fine.”

Silver blushed at the mention of it, “Oh. You, uh...you saw that, huh?”

He could feel the glare of the female wolf behind him. He didn't know how, but Star Shine could always tell when he broke one of her rules.

“Silver...” she growled, “Twilight also never came home last night. I assumed she stayed here with you, am I correct?”

Silver gulped, “Um...yes?”

“And she wouldn't happen to be sleeping in your bed, now would she?”

“I prefer the term resting, cause you see--” he was cut off by the sudden tackle of an extremely upset Star Shine, trying to viciously choke the life out of him.

“How many times do I have to tell you!?” she said, shaking him back and forth by his neck, “Keep your paws off the princesses!!”

“Ack!! Can't—Breathe!!”

“I know! That's why I'm choking you!”

In the midst of her strangling, Star Shine found her paws enveloped in a black aura, and were lifted off of the wolfs neck. Silver quickly used this chance to scamper away and hide behind the mare.

“Onyx! I knew you wouldn't abandon me!” he cried, throwing his paws around her and bringing her into a hug.

“I'll have to ask you not to kill my patient,” the coal colored mare said as she floated up the tweezers and some bandages, “It'll be difficult to train us if he's dead.”

Onyx turned to face the wolf, gently pushing him back onto the couch while she plucked a few more splinters out. At the same time, she was removing the bandages from his side, which had become rather bloodied, and began to clean the wound.

“Oh, don't bother putting on the new ones yet,” Silver said as he pushed away the clean floating ones, “I'm gonna shower soon, so there's not much point in it.” Onyx nodded and set the bandages back down.

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot,” Star Shine chimed in, “Just what did happen to you?”

Silver sighed, “That damn grimoire. It's magic was tricky to say the least, and I wasn't really expecting a fight. Honestly, the unicorn using it wasn't all that great, but I forgot just how powerful grimoires could be.”

Onyx examined the pierced side of Silver. In the time she's known him, she's only seen him take a hit once, and that was by Ruppy's not so pleasant side. So if it wasn't the pony that was powerful, then it was the book.  And to corner him well enough to deal a blow like this, the book must have had something pretty unique.

“Well, where's your spoils then? I know you didn't cause all of that trouble just to come home empty pawed.” Star Shine commented.

“I...” Silver paused to look around, “I actually don't know. Onyx, did you or Ruppy move it?”

“Library,” she said simply. Just a few more splinters and she would be done. The moment almost made Onyx chuckle and smile, the thought of having to take care of her trainer was amusing in someways. Like the big, bad wolf had finally been taken down a peg.

“And now that I think about it,” Silver added, “What did you do with my booze? I know I snagged some too.”

“Cabinet,” Onyx pointed to the kitchen, “But I think Ruppy may have taken a bottle for herself. I wasn't paying much attention.”

Silver pouted. Not only was it really good alcohol, but he had to shed blood to get it. Not that it was the sole reason he was there, but it was still part of his spoils and dammit, he wanted a taste!

Star Shine, at the mention of the books location, immediately strolled off down the hall, the stairs and to the room of books. A minute or two later, she reemerged with a fairly hefty tome in her mouth.

“Shis sha one?” she asked. Both the patient and his doctor nodded. Star spit it out onto the coffee table and flipped it open.

“He said the magic was called Fairy Wisps, and from what I could tell, it was some kind of fire magic,” Silver informed. Star Shine quickly flipped through the pages, reading one page every few seconds.

“Hmm, well you're not wrong. Tell me, what did his flames look like?” she asked looking up from her studying.

“They were bright pink,” he recalled, “and released a gas that, when ignited, exploded and resulted in more pink flames. They also didn't have heat.”

Star Shine looked back to her book, “Well I guess you were right. This book is about the only reason you got hurt, and that unicorns own ineptness is the only reason you're still alive.”

“What do you mean?” he asked. In truth, he wasn't offended or even surprised really. He was dealing with a pony that read through a grimoire, and he knew that a grimoire was like the pony who wrote it. Filled with secrets and tricks unique to them.

“These Fairy Wisps are flames that have different attributes. They're defined by their color. You only saw one of them, called the Party Poppers. There's green Dragons Flames, orange Scent Flames, and pretty much the whole rainbow.”

Silvers eyes were wide with surprise. Now that wasn't something he was expecting, and nor was the mare working on repairing him. She stopped mid pluck as she tuned into the explanation. Apparently, it took only a fraction of a grimoires power to push Silver into a corner. Whether it was because it was this one book, or if could be any other like it, Onyx was certain that the power of a grimoire was not to be underestimated.

“Well, then again,” Star Shine added, “You are pretty out of shape. So that might have had an effect.”

Silver poked at his belly, “I knew I was getting pudgy...”

“...Pudgy? This is Silver when he's pudgy?”

Onyx had trouble believing it. She'd been running her hooves all across Silver for at least fifteen minutes now, and all she felt beneath that fur was muscle. It was relaxed, but even so she could tell it's quality was second to none.

And here they were saying he was out of shape....

“If this is him out of shape, then what was he like in peak condition?”

“Now that I think about it,” Star Shine continued, “I'm suppose we're lucky you're out of shape. If you hadn't been, you might have done damage to more than just the estate.”

“Hmm, good point...”

“These two....I think they're just trying to scare me now...”

Yes...even Onyx gets scared....

“Oh well,” Star sighed, “I can't have you guarding the princesses if you're not in peak condition, so after this whole grimoire chase is over, you're going back to your old regiment.” 

The wolf in front of Onyx froze, “Uhh...beg pardon?”

His female counterpart grinned devilishly, “Oh yes Silver. Your ability to do your job depends on how good your health is. And you know I'm not one to take chances, so you're going to have to be in the very best condition if you're going to be a guard for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”

Silver gulped, “I don't wanna die....”

“Don't worry,” Star Shine pegged on, “I'll make sure Black Wing joins you too. I'm sure he's rusty after spending time here in Equestria.”

The wolf quickly turned to the bandaging mare, “I need to warn him! Fast!! Onyx can you teleport me to the Crystal Empire!?”

She could only look on in confusion as she shook her head no.

Silvers eyes went wide, then his ears dropped and he let out a long, defeated sigh, “Oh well...it was nice meeting you all before my death...”

“JUST WHAT THE HELL KIND OF WORKOUT DOES HE HAVE?!”

Star Shine giggled at the sight, “Oh come on, it's not that bad. Besides, I can't work you too hard. If you're exhausted after training, you can't guard the princesses properly.”

Silvers ears perked up, “Oh! This is true...Hmmm, maybe I won't die a slow, painful death after all.”

Stars giggles filled the room once more, “Okay well, I need to get going,” she said as she flipped the grimoire closed, “I'm taking this with me. I want to do some research with it.”

“Okay,” Silver replied, “Just give it back when you're done. I wanna copy the spells in it so I can make some new weapons.”

Star rolled her eyes as she stood, “It's always work with you.”

Silver retorted by sticking his tongue out, “Bleh!”

“Bye guys!” she called out as she opened the door.

“Bye,” Silver said with a wave. Onyx waved as well, though didn't say anything.

And now the two were left alone. Onyx looked to her teacher for a moment, and he stared back. She poked a hoof at his side after a while, examining the wound with each prod.

“You know, that kinda hurts,” Silver said, wincing slightly with each poke.

The mares jabs didn't stop though, “It's revenge for making me worry,” she replied calmly.

The wolf winced again, not at the pain, but rather the guilt of causing her distress. The wince was quickly displaced by wide-eyed surprise, however, when Silver found a set of hooves thrown around his neck.

“There was a lot of blood on the rag,” she said, her voice quivering slightly, “We weren't sure what happened.”

She was scared for him. Onyx was showing genuine, honest worry for the wolf. Sure, he knew she cared about him, but he was mostly surprised that she was showing it.

“Hey, hey,” Silver softly, returning the hug, “It's okay. A lot of that blood wasn't mine anyway. Don't worry, it'll take a lot more than this to kill me.”

Onyx sniffled and pulled back, only to catch a glimpse of a blonde mane creeping up behind the wolf and two tan hooves snaking their way across his neck.

“You know,” Ruppy purred in his ear, “After seeing you in bed with two alicorns, I figured my chances were shot. But if Onyx still has a chance, then maybe I do too.”

Blush....it shined brighter than Celestias sun. Not only was it coming from the wolf, but the black mare as well. It would seem she's vulnerable after tender moments.

“It wasn't like that!” she retorted, the pink hue on her muzzle still ever present.

Ruppy fell into a fit of laughter, “Oh man! The few times I can get you to blush are so worth it!”

“Shuddup! I'm not blushing!” she pouted. At this point, she had distanced herself away from the wolf and now sat on the other end of the couch. Silver simply sat dumbfounded. She was acting like...well like a normal mare!

Blushing and pouting and everything. Even showing her uneasiness when she's usually stoic to everything. It's actually pretty adorable. Luckily, she'd already finished removing the splinters, so she didn't really need to be so close any more.

Ruppy had finally managed to catch her breathe, and jump up on the couch next to Silver, “So! What was up with all that anyway? The princesses and blood, not the hug, by the way.”

Silver sighed. This story was beginning to get old, “I got hurt in a fight last night when I tried to steal the grimoire.”

“Oh, okay. And the princesses?” she questioned. Onyx had scooted a little closer too, wanting to listen to the story, though remained pouting. Just how did they end up like that anyway?

“I'm not explaining that....” Silver rejected.

“Oh come on!” Ruppy whined, “I'm curious, that's all! I won't say a word about it!”

“I couldn't explain it if even if I wanted too. All I know is, I went to bed with two alicorns in my house, and they woke up next to me the next morning. Not that I'm complaining.” Sure, leave out the part where one of them was inviting the other for a three way cuddle pile.

Ruppy rolled her eyes, “Slut...” Silver shrugged. Meh, he'd been called worse. “Anyway, we still gotta go check on Beats and his sister. He said he'd be with her until all of this crap blows over, so we should head out.”

The mention of the current war brought a thought to Silvers mind. One that would help put an end to it quickly.

“Wait, before you two go,” Silver said, stopping the mares from leaving, “I have a little surprise for you,” he shuffled off the couch and down the hall to the stairs.

Onyx and Ruppy exchanged confused glances, but remained waiting until he cam back with two cases balanced on his back. He set them down on the couch and motion for the two to come over. When they came, they eyes fell upon a glorious set of items.

In a long box was two swords, cased in a black sheath that seemed to have a galaxy-like design engraved and painted in them.

In a shorter case was pair of beautiful golden gauntlets. A leather strap cam from the side and around  to the back to hold them in place against the wearers legs.

Both mare gasped at their newest accessories, if one could call them that.

“I was going to give these to you after you completed your training,” the wolf explained, “but I'd really rather you two didn't get killed because I didn't give them to you earlier. So, here you go! They come with a few extra perks, but I'm sure you'll get the hang of them.”

“Extra perks?” Onyx inquired as she lifted one of the blades. She unsheathed a portion of it and looked at the sharpened sword. It was completely black, and gave reflected a deep purple light when held in the sun.

There was something about this blade. Like it wasn't just a well crafted weapon, but something else. It was humming with energy and power, enticing and alluring the wielder. She slid the blade back into the sheath.

“They're magic,” he said with a grin, “Onyx, you shouldn't have much trouble using yours since you're a unicorn, but I imagine Ruppy will need some adjusting.”

The mentioned pegasus had already slipped on her gauntlets, watching them gleam in the sun light. Much like Onyx, she too felt the power that flowed through them, and couldn't wait to crush skulls with them.

“Sweet! So I get to use magic too?! How do I do it?!” she exclaimed.

Silver nodded, “Don't worry about it, you'll learn soon enough. Just give it some time, and you'll both see what makes my weapons so unique.”

Both mares were busy admiring their new gifts when their objective dawned on Ruppy, “Oh shit! I forgot we had to go see Beats!”

She twirled around and pounced on the wolf, giving him a quick, but crushing hug, “Thanks! Gotta go! Bye!” she rushed out and bounded out the door. Onyx quickly wrapped the sash that was in the case around her waist, hugged the wolf as well and followed after the sandy pegasus.

“Hehe, I just hope they awaken before the fighting starts,” Silver said to himself, before making way to the shower.





Luna laid in the bed, looking down at the small fluff next to her. Twilight really was adorable when she slept. The way her breathing made the cute little wheeze, how her ears and nose twitch every so often and how--

“No! I must focus! I need to think about how I'm going to tell her....tell her I...”

She couldn't say it. She couldn't even think it, much less form the words. How could she? After all this time, after that one night, she'd barely had any contact with the mare. But that was all it took.

Just that one night...

Twilight murmured in her sleep, and the midnight mare froze. A purple pair of iris's showed themselves from under her eyelids, and a delightfully squeaky yawn escaped her lips. She raised her head and blinked a few times, taking in the surroundings but never actually looking at Luna.

It clearly wasn't her first time waking up in this room, and Luna didn't have to have seen them leaving it together one morning to know it. She looked at the room with familiarity rather than confusion.

“Mhmmm,” she moaned as she stretched her limbs, “Morning Silver.” She laid her head back down against the fluff next to her, “Hm, strange. You're not nearly as warm as you usually are. What's wrong? Did the blanket fall off last night?”

She ended her sentenced by looking up from her cuddle and finally taking notice that the one she was  nuzzling was not a wolf, but an alicorn mare.

“....Oh sweet Celestia...”

“I'm sorry to disappoint, but I'm neither a wolf, nor am I my sister,” Luna retorted.

“Um..Luna? Why are we...” as the words escaped her mouth, she recalled the night before. She didn't remember falling asleep next to Luna, but she did remember being in the same bed as her. But of course, there was also a wolf separating the two of them as well.

“Have you finally woken up enough to remember?” Luna asked, snapping Twilight out of her recollection. A blush found its way to her checks and proudly showed its bright colors.

“Um...I'm sorry,” she said meekly, “I didn't think we'd end up like this. I-I'll just go...” she attempted to bring herself up from the bed, only to find a wing pressed over her back, in a way, asking for her to stay. The request was soon formed into words when Luna spoke.

“Twilight, please. I wish to talk to you about something.”

The alicorn stopped lifting herself and looked down. Lunas eyes pleaded that she stay and listen, but Twilight would really rather she didn't have to stay and cuddle. It wasn't that she didn't like it, on the contrary, she found herself enjoying Lunas cool fur quite a lot. 

It was just a little awkward. After all, waking up nuzzling the Princess of the Night was something one could only dream of.

Not that Twilight ever dreamed of it.

No...never...

She lowered herself back onto the bed, putting a little distance between the two of them, “What is it?” she asked.

“It's...” Luna sighed, “Silver and I talked, and we have a suggestion. But before I ask you, there's something I must tell you first.”

Twilight nodded and Luna gulped. “Here we go...”

“Twilight, do you remember the first Nightmare Night after I returned?”

The mare nodded again, “Yes. You were upset because every pony was avoiding you.”

“Yes well,” Luna continued, “That wasn't exactly the only time I'd been shunned. There were other towns that didn't quite...accept my return, and there are still a few that don't.”

“Oh Luna, I'm so sorry. I had no idea.”

The midnight mare took a deep breathe, “Twilight, you were the first pony to show me any kindness or offer any form of friendship. You approached me without being scared, and actually cared about me. It...it really meant a lot to me. You mean a lot to me...” The words hung in the air for a moment before Twilight finally caught on to what Luna was trying to say.

“She..she has feelings for me?”

“Luna, are you saying--” she was cut off by a hoof pressed to her lips. Luna flashed a gentle smile, telling Twilight all she needed to know about the question she wanted to ask.

“She...”

Luna continued, “About the offer Silver and I have. We both decided, and we feel like we'd be okay with...starting a herd.”

Again, the words hung. A blush bright enough to light up the room emerged on Twilights cheeks as the sentence sunk in.

“It's not just something we find to be a solution to our romantic dilemma,” the mare explained, “but we both want this. We want for all of us to be together and happy.”

Happy...there that word was again. It seemed so pleasant, so inviting. And yet so difficult to obtain. Why? Why couldn't things just be easy? Why can't she just say yes?

“I...” Twilight began, “I...I need some time to think about this.”

Lunas smile seemed to falter a little, but she nodded anyway, “Please, take your time. I don't want to push you into this.”

Twilight smiled thankfully before teleporting out of the room. 





With a magic pop, the mare found herself somewhere in the back of the mountain.

“Ooooh, what do I do? What do I do?! This is all really sudden and-and I don't know what the hay is going on! Luna has feelings for me!? Since when!?

Well, I actually know that, but still! Why hasn't she said anything before!? She doesn't even know me all that well, so how can she say that?"

Twilight sighed and plopped onto the ground, rolling onto her back too view the skies through the trees.

“Why did this have to happen? I'm not good with romance, even if it's with just one pony. But a wolf and an alicorn at the same time? How am I supposed to handle that?

A second voice decided to voice it's opinion in her head.

'….Handle'? Why are you thinking that? There's nothing to 'handle', you just do it! You want to be with them don't you?”

“Well, Silver yeah...but Luna..”

“Oh don't act like you didn't enjoy waking up next to her.”

“Waking up next to her and dating her are two different things!”

“Not really...but still. Do you really think you couldn't learn to love her too?”

“Well, I mean...”

“Admit it. Lunas beautiful, smart, kind and fun. There's a long list of things you can use to describe her and they all point to the same thing. That she's some pony you could be with.”

“But I don't know how to be with some pony! And I never do something unless I know all the facts first, but I have little experience with things like this...”

“So then maybe it's time to make some. Think about it, what's the worst that could happen?”

“It could end up like Fla--”

“NO! DON'T YOU EVEN THINK HIS NAME!!”

“Sorry...But it's a real concern. I don't want that to happen again...”

“Let me ask, does Silver or Luna really seem like the type to do that to you?”

“Well no, but neither did Fl--...he..”

“Are they him?”

“No...”

“Then why are you thinking they are? Silver has already sworn to protect you with his life, and it seems you mean more to Luna that you ever knew! Yeah, there's a chance you might get hurt, but dammit, think of how happy you could be! Think about how happy you could make them! You could all be happy...together.”

The second voice sparked a memory in her head. A simple one. A recent one. One from just the night before.

Her final thoughts, as she drifted to sleep, and the feelings that accompanied them... The warm, tingly sensation she had in the pit of her tummy as she realized just where she was and what she was doing. There with the two of them, she'd never felt so...content.

What they could have, and how it would make her feel. Every day, waking up with that same stomach full of butterflies. Knowing that every time she'd see them, she'd feel the same thing again and again.

“Maybe we could all be happy together.”

“I...”





KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

A tan hoof pounded against a wooden door of a small home in Ponyville.

“Hey Beats! You still alive!?” Ruppy shouted through the door. Onyx had to fight back a face hoof at her friends actions, “Helloooo!?”

The door swung open, a small orange filly pegasus standing in it's arch with a curious look on her face, “Um, can I help you?”

“Hey, you must be Scootaloo, am I right?” Ruppy asked. The filly nodded in response, “Is your brother home? I'm here to check up on him.”

Scootaloo gave the mare a quizzical look, then to the mare behind her. Onyx was simply shaking her head in shame. This was why she didn't like taking Ruppy out in public. She could be such an embarrassment sometimes. Going from pounding on the door like a manic to sweet talking a filly in a matter of seconds.

“Hey bro! Some mares are here to see you!” She called over her shoulder. A few moments later, a set of hoof beats approached the door, and Beats popped his head from around the wall, “Oh, it's you two.”

Just as he came to the door, his little sister had turned and began to walk away, and that was when Ruppy had a devilish thought, “'Oh, it's you two'? Is that really how you great the two mares carrying your children?” she said with more than enough snark and sass.

Onyx immediately looked up in attention. Did she really look pregnant? If anything, she'd lost weight from her training, so she shouldn't—NO WAIT! THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE HERE!

But the reaction Ruppy was looking for wasn't from the coal black unicorn behind her, but the small filly in front who froze mid step as the words reached her.

But before Scootaloo could even ask what she meant, Beats simply rolled his eyes and turned to her, “She's kidding. I don't how she finds that to be a joke, but I can assure you she nor the other one is pregnant, at least not with my child.”

Scootaloo simply shook her head, “I really hope so, cause I'm way too young to be an aunt,” she continued her trot to the back end of the house, wishing to not hear the rest of the jokes Ruppy may have to offer.

“Seriously? Pregnant?” he deadpanned, turning back to them.

“What?” Ruppy asked near innocently (the key word being 'near') “I was just having fun.”

Beats rolled his eyes, stepping aside to allow the two mares to come in, “So what's up? Come to pummel me again?” he asked, almost too seriously. He didn't quite trust these two. Their reputation made them feared by any pony who knew Manehatten well enough. And unfortunately for Beats, he knew it all to well.

“I did say we were here to check up on you. Didn't you hear me screaming through your door?”

Beats shook his head, “I was cleaning, so I guess not.”

Ruppy snickered, “You clean?”

The stallions rolled his eyes for the third time that morning, “Yeah, yeah, whatever. As you can see I'm fine, so you can go ahead an leave now.”

“Aww, but we just got here,” Ruppy pouted, “At least introduce us to that little sis of yours.”

“You already met her though.”

“Yeah but I get the feeling she didn't like my first impression,” Ruppy excused. In truth, she just wanted to bug Beats. He was about to reject her when Scootaloo came back through the hall way with a screwdriver in her mouth.

“I gotta go tune my scooter,” she muffled through. She began to trot to the door, only to pause when she stepped past the two mares. She examined the blades attached to Onyx's side, her eyes sparkling with fascination, “Whoa! Are those real swords?” she asked.

Onyx looked down at the blades, then to the filly to give a nod, “I just got them today.”

“Wow, I've never seen real swords before! Where did you get them?!” at this point she had dropped the screwdriver and stepped closer to examine the sheaths. Onyx was kind enough to sit down and remove them from the belt they were attached to, setting them on the floor for her to look at, ““They're really pretty! They remind me of you!!” Onyx couldn't help but blush a little at the compliment. Foals were her weak points.

“I got them from my teacher,” Onyx explained, “He's going to show me how to use them.”

“Cool! Can I learn too? Oh! Maybe I'll get my cutie mark in sword fighting!!” she exclaimed.

Onyx only looked up to Beats for a response.

“I don't know about learning to fight,” he said, causing Scootaloo to cease her joyful bouncing and look up in disappointment.

“Oh, come on! Please!!” she begged, “I promise I won't hurt some pony!”

Beats simply chuckled, “I don't want you to hold up their lessons, but if the wolf will let you, then you can stop by every so often to watch them train.”

Scootaloo beamed, “Yess!” she cried out joyfully, before jumping to hug her brother, “Thanks! You're awesome!!....wait wolf? You mean that wolf with wings I saw wondering around town the other day?”

Beats nodded, “So you've seen him around?”

“Yeah,” she said letting go, “So you're learning to use swords from him?” she asked Onyx.

The mare nodded, “He's even the one that made these.”

“Hm...Cool!” she exclaimed once more, “I've never met a wolf before! Is he cool too?!”

Onyx waved her hoof in a so-so fashion, “He's can be cool. Sometimes he does really stupid things, but he's also really nice.”

“I wanna meet him!”

“You can meet him later Scoots,” Beats said, stepping into the conversation, “right now, you need to go get ready for school.”

The filly turned and looked at the clock on the wall, “Oh crap!” and bolted off down the hall.

Beats chuckled as he watched her scramble away, and Onyx slipped the blades back into the belt.

“Well, this has been nice,” Ruppy said turning to the door, “But we should go. We still need to finish things up in Manehatten.” Onyx nodded in agreement and stepped to the exit.

“Hey, you two,” Beats called after them, “Look, I'm sorry if I seemed like a bit of a dick a moment ago. I'm glad you two are putting yourselves on the line while I stay here and look after Scoots. So, thank you. Both of you. And if there's anything I can do in return, please just ask.”

Both of the mares were surprised. While they barely knew Beats, they didn't think he was as kind as he coming off as at the moment. Sure, the brotherly atmosphere he had when he was around Scootaloo may have been the cause of what they were seeing, but since she wasn't in the room at the moment, it seemed like this was a genuine side of him.

Beats was a kind stallion. Who'd have thunk?

“If you want to help us out, then do us a favor and sign up for Princess Twilights guard,” Ruppy said, opening the door, “Right now, we're the only ones that have been enlisted.”

Beats nodded, “Sure, I'm looking for a new job anyway. One that's a little more legal, that is.”

Ruppy giggled, then stepped out of the door, “Be sure to go see Silver later, I'm sure he wants to scope you out before hoof.”

Beats shrugged. He needed to talk with him about Scoots wanting to watch the training anyway.

“Bye!” Ruppy called and Onyx waved. Beats waved back and watched the two walk away.

“Huh...they're not nearly as scary as the rumors made them out to be.”





“Soo, you spoke an awful lot today,” Ruppy said with a smirk as the two of them trotted through town, headed for the train station.

“That filly kept asking questions, what was I supposed to do?” Onyx replied. 

The pegasus giggled, “Is that really it? Cause I was thinking you were having fun playing big sister for a moment there.”

Onyx cocked a brow, “Big sister? Is that what that was?”

“Well it's that, or you were trying to get friendly with her so you can get closer to Beats.”

“And why would I do that?” the unicorn asked.

“Cause you like him!”

The unicorn stopped dead in her tracks, “What the hell gave you that impression?”

“Well nothing really, I thought you two would make a cute couple is all.”

Onyx blew raspberries, “What's with you and the romance comments today?”

“Oh come on!” Ruppy exclaimed, “When was the last time you had a colt friend?”

“I've never had one...”

“Exactly! It's always been one night stands with you. Maybe you should try getting with Beats? He's actually pretty hot when his face isn't swollen from being beaten, and he seems like a nice guy.”

Onyx simply rolled her eyes and trotted ahead, “I'm not taking dating advice from you.”

Ruppy laughed, “Well, can't blame you for that.”

The two arrived at the station, trotting up the stairs just as the train for Manehatten pulled in.

“Well we can pick this up later," Ruppy said, stepping onto the train, "let's go finish what we started,” 

It was time to end the war.
> King of Lost Magic and Mares Wreaking Havoc
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The train chugged along the tracks, the familiar landscape rolling by once more. Onyx found herself living a moment of dejavu, as she and Ruppy made their way to Manehatten, intent on ending a war they'd started.

Ruppy was, once again, sleeping. Snoring away the afternoon train ride peacefully. How could she do it? How could she be so calm and relaxed when she knew they were about to stroll right into the biggest brawl of their lives?

The two of them were certainly not strangers to violence, but still; to be so at ease with such a situation laying ahead of them was almost unnatural.

Then again, these two were anything but natural. The violent streets of the Manehatten slums made certain of that. Hell, for Ruppy, it was before she was even on the streets. Back when she was still getting beaten daily, she was already fortified into a mare with nerves of steel. Onyx was, in a way, similar.

Maybe that's why she took a liking to the pegasus when they first met. They were both molded into the street mares at such a young age in order to survive. For Ruppy, it was through beatings by every pony around her. For Onyx, it was the world she was born into.

The brakes of the train screeched against the tracks, and the machine slowly came to a halt. The squeal of the brakes acted as an alarm clock for Ruppy, causing her eyes to shoot open and dart around wildly. 

There it was, the instincts pounded into her from her childhood. When alarmed, be ready to strike.

“We're here,” Onyx informed.

Ruppys wild eyes died down as a yawn escaped her, “Oh, okay. Let's go then,” she said, sliding out of her seat. 

Today was going to be a long day...





Silver stepped out of the bathroom, the steam from the shower flooding the hall as he exited. He trotted to the living room where the medical kit and bandages from before sat. Carefully, he applied the disinfectant and pad onto his wound before wrapping it up.

It took a good ten or fifteen minutes, but was to be expected without the help of levitation.

Once the wrapping was done and the kit put back away, Silver strolled back into the living room but paused and found himself staring at the hall that led to the bedroom, and the two mares that were in it. His mind screamed at him to go look, but thinking that if they were in the middle of their talk, he wouldn't want to just pop in.

So he sighed, turning to the counter to write a note to the two, saying that he would be in Canterlot Castle for a while, then probably out getting one of the other two books.

Wait...Luna never did tell him if she found the location of the other two. Damn...

Oh well, Silver figured he could just ask later, or maybe one of her guards knew. He doubted she did the searching herself, though it might seem like something she might do if she had enough time on her hooves.

But that will have to come later. After all, he needed to go see a certain vixen about a collar. Or at least, that's what he hoped it was about.

Silver trotted out the door, using his key to unlock it and step out into the castle halls once more. Much to his surprise, a guard was waiting for him just outside.

“A fox from Caneighdia is here to see you, sir. She's waiting in the Conference hall with Princess Celestia,” he informed, then bowed his head and trotted off.

Well that was fast. Silver hoped he didn't keep her waiting too long.

The wolf strolled down the halls, casually making his way through the castle and to his destination. If one didn't know any better, they might think he was the one who owned the castle and not the alicorn sisters. His strut seemed to say that he was the ruler, though it wasn't exactly voluntary. Not even the wolf himself seemed to realize he was walking with such a stature.

Silver pushed the doors open, finding the fox and the tall alicorn...chatting and having tea...

Well this was a bit of an odd sight. Sure, Tia was friendly, but this seemed a little...strange.

“Hey!” Silver greeted, causing Radiance and Celestia to look up from their conversation, “Sorry if I kept you waiting. I got home late last night and didn't get the message that you were coming until after I woke up.”

“Oh, it's fine,” Radiance replied.

“It most certainly is not,” Celestia chirped in with a grin, “I thought I'd taught this wolf better than to keep a lady waiting. Honestly, I've tried to teach him manners, but he simply won't listen.”

“Taught?” Silver questioned, “Manners? What alternate universe did I step into when I came through those doors? Cause last I checked, you've never once taught me anything, other than you're a complete pervert. And I have manners, thank you!”

The mare giggled while the vixen turned and looked at her with confusion, “Pervert? You?”

“Oh Radiance, my dear, you have so much to learn about me,” Celestia said with a flutter of her eyes, “And I can't wait to learn everything about you,” her voice dipped into a sultry tone and a bright blush found its way to Radiance's cheeks.

Silver simply rolled his eyes, “I forgot to mention. She has a thing for exotic races. You should have seen how she reacted to meeting me.”

“Ohh, now that's a conversation worth treasuring,” Celestia recalled, “Silver has a smooth tongue when he's using his words, so I can only imagine what it's like when he uses it for something else.”

Radiance's entire face was now brimming with blush, and she had to resort to hiding her muzzle behind her tail.

“Okay, enough teasing Tia,” Silver said as he sat down with the mare and fox, “So Radiance, what can I help you with.”

The blush quickly faded from the her face and she dropped her tail, “Oh right,” she lifted the fur around her neck to reveal her collar, “I was hoping you could remove this for me. Mast—Sir Little Horn sent me here to deliver a new contract to Princess Luna and I want to take the opportunity to have it removed.”

Silver nodded with a smile, “I was hoping that was the case. I'm not sure how long it will take to have the collar removed, but I know my friend with certainly be able to.”

“Just who is your friend?” Celestia asked.

“Tia, you've already met him. He's guarding your niece after all.”

“You mean--,” she began, only to have Silver cut in.

“Yep, Black Wing's coming for a visit.”





The wolf had left the room temporarily to go back home and fetch an item, leaving the fox and alicorn alone in the room again.

“So, just who is this Black Wing?” Radiance asked as she sipped at her tea. She was a little worried about the one coming to remove her collar, even if it was a friend of Silvers.

“He's one of the Houndland guards sent to protect us, and is currently looking after Princess Cadance in the Crystal Empire,” Celestia explained.

“I see,” Radiance nodded, “And do you really think he can remove my collar? I've tried many times before, and I couldn't do it myself, nor could I find someone else to do it.”

Celestia set her tea down before she spoke, “Radiance, tell me. On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate Silvers magic power?”

Though she was confused by the question, the fox answered anyway, “I would say about an eight. He's certainly powerful, but I've met stronger creatures in my life. None of them were willing to help me, of course. Other wise I wouldn't be asking him.”

Celestia nodded, “Well going off you're score, Black Wing is about a fourteen,” Though the statement may have been sounded like a joke, the look on the alicorns face was completely serious, “I've come to understand that the wolves inhabiting Equestria are without a doubt some of the most powerful creatures this country has ever seen. Black Wing is a prime example. His magic is rivaled by none, not even his fellow wolves.”

“So then, he's stronger than Silver?” the fox asked.

Celestia shook her head, “No, I don't believe so. From what I can tell, each of them has their own unique attributes. For Black Wing, it's his overwhelming magic. For another wolf, it's her intelligence. And for Silver...well I actually have no idea. But I do know that they've all fought and almost killed each other, so to say who's stronger is difficult to answer.”

Radiance pondered in thought. She misjudged Silver. She misjudge the entire wolf race. Sure, he was strong, but the praise Celestia was giving his companion was a little off setting. And apparently, Silver was as power as Black Wing.

This might cause problems in her plans...

“I'm back!” Silver said, strolling through the door. He had a small bag tied around his paw that made a clacking noise with each step, “It took a little longer than I thought. I had to stop and ask one of Lunas guard for something.”

“Are you ready to begin?” Radiance asked.

Silver nodded and pulled the bag open, shuffling around until he pulled out a small white crystal. He put it between his teeth and bit down, shattering the rock into dust. A white puff of smoke came from the crumbling remains, swirling into the air and gathering above their heads. It condensed more and more until it made a loud POP, then vanished altogether.

“Um, what was that?” Radiance asked. Silver simply held up a paw, silently telling her to wait.

It only took a few moments for her to understand why, when another loud POP came from the balcony of the conference room. A few seconds later, another wolf strolled in.

He was about Silvers height, though a little shorter, and black all over, from nose to wing to tail. He wore a white bandanna around his neck and left leg.

“You called?” he said, stepping in through the glass doors.

“Yo! Long time, no see Blackie!” Silver greeted. Black Wing trotted over to greet his friend with a hug.

“It's great to see you again to Silver!” he said back. He turned and saw Celestia sitting in the room, and quickly bowed his head, “Princess.”

Celestia nodded in acknowledgment, “Raise your head, Black Wing. You're not here for me today.”

The wolf looked up and noticed the fox sitting in the room. She gave a shy smile and small wave, “Hello...” she said quietly.

Black Wing froze and stared.

Then in a quick blur he was standing right in front of her, his muzzle a mere inch away from hers.

“...She's...she's beautiful....” he whispered. Radiance, while at first shocked by the sudden movement, immediately blushed as hard as she could when her mind caught up with his words.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you,” Silver casually interjected, “This one has a taste for exotic creatures too. He's just more forward about it. He tried hitting on Tia when he first met her, before he realized he was supposed to be guarding her.” 

“And it seems he's only gotten worse,” the alicorn sighed. Honestly, that wolf had little class. Sure, Celestia had her flirty side, but at least she tried to make it charming. He just comes outright with his thoughts and acts like a total, blunt perv. It really takes all the fun out of it.

“Well what did you expect?” Silver retorted, “You stuck him with the only princess that was in a relationship who then got married. You may as well have been starving him.” 

“It's true...” Black Wing answered with a sniffle, “It's terrible. I can't play with Princess Cadence because of Shinning, and I'm not supposed to go out in public....” A few tears welled in his eyes, “Silver-er-ererrrrr!” he wailed, gripping his friend by the shoulders,  “It's so lonely!!!”

His friend simply patted him on the back, “There, there. You know, wolves have already been revealed in Equestria thanks to me and Tia, so you can go flirt with all the pretty crystal mares you'd like.”

The words made Black Wings head shoot up and gasp with excitement, “That's right! How could I be so dumb!?” he turned to Silver and squeezed him in a hug, “Thank you for finally releasing me from this never ending nightmare!!”

Silver rolled his eyes at the wolfs antics, but returned the gesture. Black Wing was a little dramatic when it came to limiting his social interaction. One more than one occasion, their pack had to exclude him from one of their journeys to foreign countries, in fear of his...direct affection. Needless to say, he didn't take the news well.

But he wasn't all bad. When he wasn't groping some poor girl, he was actually quite normal. His intelligence was above average in most categories, but he excelled at magic studies. His personality was calm and collected as well, and if it weren't for his forwardness, one might even be able to call him charming.

“Okay!” Black Wing said, pulling out from the hug and facing back to the fox, “What exactly did you call me here for again?”

Silver motioned a paw for Radiance to come forward, and not so surprisingly, she hesitantly stepped closer, “She has a collar she wants off. I don't think I can cut it off without taking her head off too, so we called you.”

Black Wing stepped closer, bringing up a paw and running it across the ring around her neck, “Hmmm,” he hummed, “Well, it's certainly powerful. Whoever made it had serious skill. You were right to not try and cut it off. I doubt you could do it and not kill her in the process.”

Well...dodged one there.

“Can you get it off?” Radiance asked.

Black Wing now moved his other paw around her neck, closing his eyes as he read the magic emanating from it, “I can.” he answered after a little while.

Radiance's face lit up (pun intended) “Really!?”

Black Wing moved his paws down, “I already did,” in this grasp was the collar, torn in two. The fox gasped, and Celestia looked over for a closer look.

“Skilled as always I see,” she commented.

Black Wing tossed the ripped bits aside, “Meh. It wasn't too hard. I just had to overload the collar with magic. It was already broken after I first put my paw on it. I just want to feel her soft fur a little more.”

Radiance quickly shuffled back, hiding behind Celestia, “He scares me...” she whimpered.

“He should...” the alicorn said back, “He is one of the Royals of Houndland after all.”

Radiance stared in disbelief, sitting in silence for a moment as her mind began to shatter bit by bit, “No....This-this perverted wolf is one of the Royal Guards of the Emperors?!” While she wasn't an expert in Houndland society, she had visited the country enough to a least known about the Royals.

Black Wing straightened himself out, before giving a bow, “It's an pleasure to meet you. I was selected as Emperor Nycrims right paw, and given the title as King of Lost Magic.”

The vixens eye twitched in confusion. Upon closer inspection, she realized he was telling the truth. She could sense his magic, and recalled what Celestia had said earlier about his magic. 

He was off the charts. It was amazing she hadn't sensed it before hoof. He easily surpassed Silver in terms of magic, though she still couldn't see how Black Wing could have trouble with taking on an opponent like Silver. Celestia said they were equals, but the magic he was radiating said otherwise.

“King of Lost Magic?” she questioned, finally breaking out of her confused stupor, “What's that supposed to mean?”

“Well, it's kind of a secret,” he said with a shy paw rubbing behind his head, “But, if you stick around long enough, I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually.”

Radiance gave him a quizzical look, but before she could ask what he meant by “figure it out eventually”, Silver asked her a question that caught her attention. One that she had asked herself before, but dared answered in truth.

“Speaking of sticking around, what are you gonna do now that you have your collar off?” he asked.

Well...that was none of his business. Still, she'd better play the part.

“I'm not sure,” she said, “Before Little Horn, I just kind of wondered around, going from town to town. I don't want to go back home, but I don't want to end up just wondering again,” she looked to Black Wing and Silver for a moment, a shine of gratitude filling her eyes, “But I have you two to thank for my freedom. If there is any way I can repay you, please let me know.”

Black Wing immediately grew a devilish grin, but before he could even let slip a syllable of perversion, Silver jammed his paw into his mouth, “Actually, there may be something you can help me with. I need to find the owners of two grimoires. Unfortunately, Luna was unable to find them, but I figure you might have an idea of where they might be.”

Radiance nodded, “Who are you looking for?” she asked.

Silver reached into the bag around his paw and pulled out the other two cards from it, giving to the fox. She looked at them for a moment before giving one back.

“This one doesn't have a grimoire,” she informed, referring to the one given back, “If he did, I'd know it. He works for Little Horn to deal in spells and rituals. This one, on the other paw, most certainly does. He broadcasted to every buyer in Equestria that he had a grimoire called The Zodiac Tome a while ago. I didn't really believe him, so I just ignored him. But if you really think he has it then, I guess it was true.”

Confusion found it's way to Black Wings face, “The Zodiac Tome? Are you sure?”

“Well that's what he said. He might be lying, or have the wrong book,” Radiance excused.

He turned back to Silver, “I've never heard of a grimoire that goes by that name. You should find it quickly. We don't know what it can do.”

Silver nodded, then faced back to Radiance, “The address?”

“He lives in some where in the Macintosh Hills. But if you really need it, I could just get it for you,” the vixen offered.

“Huh?” all three questioned at once.

“Well if you think about it, getting the book really isn't all that hard. You just need to buy it from the guy,” Radiance answered.

And then it hit them all like a train...

THE BOOKS WERE FOR SALE!!! They could have just bought them instead of stealing them!!

Silver hung his head in disappointment, “So I got stabbed for nothing?”

Celestia nodded solemnly, “Looks like. And a pony lost his life. Honestly, I feel foolish.”

“Wow, you guys really screwed up, huh?” Black Wing commented, only adding to their despair.

“You're not helping,” Silver mumbled. The worst part was he knew he would have to tell Twilight. Her potential reactions were what scared him the most. And things were going to well with them too...

“Okay so,” Radiance interjected, breaking their moping spree, “I'll go buy the book, so long as you provide the funds, since I'm broke, and then bring it back. Sound good?”

Everyone nodded, some less enthusiastically than others.

“I'll give you the money,” Silver offered, “I don't think the citzens would like it if they found out Tia was spending the nations money on the black market. I'll have it to you in a day or two.”

“That's fine. I need to arrange transportation anyway and get everything ready. Navigating the Hills is difficult without a guide or the proper equipment,” she explained before heading towards the door, “I really can't thank you all enough for this. And if there is anything else I can do, please let me know.”

Silver and Celestia waved bye, while Black Wing became teary-eyed and whimpered. But before he could beg her to stay, Radiance had already left the room.

“I'm gonna miss her,” he said with a sigh.

“She's not dying, you know,”  Silver retorted, “You can go visit her anytime you want.”

“Yeah, but I'm busy with guarding Princess Cadence. I can't just up and leave whenever I feel like.”

“Well then invite her to the empire,” Silver proposed, “She said she didn't have anywhere else to go, and you could even put her on the guard. She's strong enough to be captain.”

“Well, I suppose I could...Screw it, it's worth a shot. I'll ask her when she gets back.”

“Yay!! Blackie won't be lonely anymore!” Silver cheered, mocking him in a way. His friend rolled his eyes and smirked.

“At least I'm not a eunuch like you,” he shot back.

“I am not a eunuch!!” Silver growled, “I'll have you know I was offered to join a herd today, by two princess none the less,” the wolf stated with a proud smile shinning on his muzzle.

That was until he realized the room had gone silent and recalled what he just said.

While the sight of a slack-jawed Black Wing was enjoyable, Silver was more focused on the sudden raise in temperature coming from behind him.

“Silver...” the white alicorn growled, “what was that you said about a herd with two princesses?”

“Uhhh...”

“Because it sounds to me like you were implying you were going to start one with my little sister and previous pupil. I know I certainly didn't offer you into one, and Cadence has never met you. So the only two left are Twilight and Luna.”

Silver slowly turned his head, his eyes falling to the raging alicorn behind him. Her eyes had become bright orange, and her mane and tail were now becoming brighter and whiter.

“Um, T-Tia. Le-lets not over-react here,” he stammered, trying to keep the princess from roasting him, “After all, I said I was invited to start a herd. I haven't done so y-yet.”

The alicorn stepped forward, glaring down at the wolf. He could literally feel her eyes burning into him. It didn't hurt, but felt like he had just opened up the oven door. But after a full minute of staring, Celestia finally closed her eyes and sighed.

“Well, I suppose it's none of my business anyways,” she said, taking a step back. Her mane and tail went back to their normal colors, as well as her eyes, “Both Twilight and Luna are old enough to date whom ever they feel like. I have no right sticking my nose in their affairs.”

“Whew...” Silver breathed a sigh of relief as the temperature in the room feel back to normal.

“However,” she pegged on, “should I find that you mistreated either of them in anyway, I'll find a way to bestow upon you that immortality you so desperately wanted all those years ago, and then banish you to the sun.”

Silver gulped. Celestia could be down right terrifying when she wanted.

“Well like I said,” Silver continued for reasons unknown to him, “it was only an offer. Twilight still hasn't made up her mind, so it might just be me and Luna.”

Celestia gave a small smile, “Well, I hope you all do end up in a nice herd. Just so long as you make them happy.”

Well that was an easy enough request, “I will.”





24th and James.

It was the address the goon from the first assault had given Ruppy. When she heard it, she thought she would have to wonder up and down the street until she found the right building. That wasn't the case...

The entire street was the base.

Perched atop a cloud, she could see dozens of thugs scouring the streets. They'd set up barricades, posted guards and even ensured every one of them was armed in some way. Some had bats, others had knives, some earth ponies even had brass hooves on.

It seems they took her message to heart.

“Well...this just got a little harder,”

“Scared are we?”

“Who's there?” she snarled, quickly scanning around to see who else might be occupying the sky with her.

But there was no pony. She sat on the highest cloud in the sky, and there wasn't any pony one the ones below her.

“My imagination?” she thought as she turned her attention back to the thugs below. This would certainly be one hell of a fight; her biggest one yet. And it was thrilling!

She loved the feeling just before a fight, though this might cause some confusion in those that knew her well enough. After all, she often said she hated the underworld, which was known for it's violence, but the hate was because of the dirty deals and disgusting manners in which they operated. Terrorizing weaker ponies for her own profit wasn't her style in the least, so she resented everything.

But violence...well that was another story. Sure, the two went hoof in hoof, but you could have violence without being in the underworld. But you couldn't be in the underworld and not have violence.

The thrill of battling was what drew her. Somewhere along the course of her life, she'd finally understood why some many ponies beat her. They loved the power that it gave them. She too soon fell under that spell, but she wanted to be different.

The pain she had to live through was something the others didn't understand. It was the one thing they lacked that allowed them to act so violently towards a pony that didn't deserve it. But Ruppy was different. She lived through that pain, and learned what it meant to be on the receiving end of a blow.

She wouldn't harm some pony who didn't deserve it. It wouldn't be right to them, just like it wasn't right to her. But these assholes on the other hoof; they had earned their ass-kicking. This was her way of justifying her blood-lust. 

Ruppy dove off the cloud, a new found motivation sparked inside her. She landed on a street a few blocks away from the army of thugs where Onyx waited.

“Whats it look like?” the black unicorn asked as Ruppy landed.

“There's a fuck-ton of them. They're not in a building, just spread out across the street. But I'm pretty sure the heads of the Kings are hold up in one of the buildings. Just need to find out which.”

Onyx showed her understanding with her signature nod. She was actually a little excited. She wanted to test out what her blades could do. After all, Silver said they were unique, and she'd been dying to figure out what he meant.

“Do we have a plan?” Onyx asked.

“Hmm...” Ruppy hummed in thought, “...Nope! We're gonna just bust in again. There are so many of them in the streets, so it's kinda hard to make a plan.”

Onyx shrugged. Oh well. Worse case, they can just bail and try again tomorrow. 

“Come on. Let's get this party started,” Ruppy said, a blood thirsty smile growing on her face, and the unicorn nodded.

A few blocks later, they found themselves peaking around a corner of 24th and James. Damn, there really were a lot of them. Of course, in Ruppys mind that meant little to nothing...

She casually strolled out from around the corner, planting herself in front of every pony, right in the middle of the street. The clanking of her gauntlets echoed through the streets, catching the attention of every thug on it.

“Ohh, don't look at me like that,” she purred, “You're gonna get me all excited.” 

Then the first stallion stepped forward, a wide smirk on his face. He brought a brass-covered hoof up, and pounded down with a blow strong enough to break the ground and kick up dust into the air.

Of course when that dust settle, he found out just how little affect he had.

There was Ruppy, leaning to the side a bit with his legs just inches away from her, “Ya know, you're a lot slower than a certain wolf I know.”

In a flash, she spun around on her front hooves and kick him in the face. A crack came from the stallion that every pony could hear, though they weren't sure if it came from his jaw or his neck. His body lifted off the ground and landed with a heavy thud.

“Whose next?” she asked with a smirk.

No pony moved for a moment, only staring at the unconscious (or possibly dead) body that laid a feet from her.

And they grinned...

All at once, the street was filled with a blood hungry smile as they all picked up their weapons and marched forward. They all had the desire to see the same thing...

...Blood....

However, the same could be said for the mare they all marched towards. Their smiles only made her earlier statement come true. 

She was beyond excited! She was absolutely thrilled!! Most ponies panic in the face of her strength, but no, not these guys. They had a mind like hers, one dead-set on beating the living shit out of the strongest opponent they could find.

“You've got a pair on you, I'll give you that,”

There it was again! A voice in her head that wasn't her own! Ruppy looked around to find whatever unicorn maybe casting it, but unfortunately, her search only lead to her distraction as she never heard the three loud pops next to her.

“Where you looking, little lady?” a voice growled from behind her turned head. Ruppy looked back to find three thugs had approached, probably teleported since they were all levitating bats that were about to be brought down on her head.

That was, until a black blur shot out in front of her. A swift movement followed and suddenly the assault stopped. Then all three dropped, their bats cleanly cut in two and long gashes were made across their chests.

In front of them stood Onyx, her blades drawn and now bloodied, “Hmm. These are really nice. Their cuts are so clean and smooth.”

Ruppy shook herself out of her stupor. Strange voices in her head would have to come later. For now, she had to focus on the fight.

“Thanks,” she said stepping forward and standing next to the unicorn. Looking ahead, the crowd of blood thirsty thugs was still marching forward, taking their time to savor the sensations of battle.

Onyx and Ruppy, however, did not have that kind of patience.

That was until the voice came back.

“Oh my, it seems you've incurred the wrath of a small army”

Oh for the love of Celestia...

“Who the hell are you!?!”

“A friend of sorts. I don't think he ever gave me a name, but I can assure you, I'm no enemy.”

“Who's 'he'?”

“My creator. The one who gave me to you.”

“Gave you to me?”

No...it couldn't be...

Ruppy looked down  and her gauntlets gave a shimmer in the sunlight.

“Hello.”

“You're my gauntlets?”

“Yes, and we can save the introductions for later. Right now, you need to focus on the mass of psychotic ponies heading towards you. Now, I'm going to give you some special instructions. If you want to use my power, you'll need to follow them.”

With that statement, all questions ceased as Ruppy listened to the voice in her head. From another perspective, that might not sound like the most sane of statements, but for Ruppy, it was her reality.

She was having a conversation with a conscious object. That was that.

She suddenly stepped forward, “Let me try something,” she said to Onyx. The unicorn was about to protest when she sensed something coming from the pegasus.

Magic.

It was true that all ponies, regardless of race, had their own form of magic. But this kind felt different. It wasn't something she'd sensed before, but still felt familiar somehow.

Ruppy walked forward, and the crowd drew nearer. When she got close enough, they all suddenly broke out into a dash, running head-on towards the mare. It was seconds before they were just a few feet away, but that only lasted for a moment.

Ruppy raised her front hooves, then slammed them down into the ground. The street rippled like a wave in the ocean, tossing the charging ponies into the and ripping chunks of concrete. It that single moment, half of their army was demolished, along with many of the buildings on the side.

“This...this is your magic?”

“This is now your power and I am your tool. You're powerful Rupture, and that is why I have chosen to accept you as my owner. I hereby give you the gift of the earth.”

Ruppy couldn't help but grin like a mad-mare. The power rush was unbelievable! Was this was powerful unicorns felt?! Is this what it meant to be drunk on power?! If so, then she hated being sober. She could finish this herself if she wanted. She could end it all and take over Equestrias underworld.

It was then that a memory came back to her. When she first agreed to become Silvers trainee, she'd met Princess Celestia and found a certain revelation about the wolf.

He would kill her if she caused too much trouble...

The power trip ended abruptly. Even with this new magic, Silver would end her in a heartbeat.

“Such wisdom from such a young mare. You're right. He would kill you.”

“How do you know?”

“We're linked. I know everything you think, and even the memories you recall. When the wolf built me, he gave me life. And it was through that process that I also know what he is capable of. Trust me when I say, humility is key if you wish to stay on his good side.”

“That might be a little hard, but whatever. So long as I don't fuck around too much, I'll be fine.”

“Ruppy, what was that?” Onyx asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

The pegasus look up at the destruction, then proudly showed off her new gauntlets, “It was these bad boys. Turns out they give me some kind of earth magic. Pretty sweet, huh?” 

Yep. Humility was not her strong point.

Onyx simply examined her friends golden accessories. Then she heard a voice in her own head.

“If you keep staring at them like that, I'm gonna get jealous.”

Now, in truth, Onyx isn't used to having unknown voices in her head. Which is why it's perfectly natural for her to--

“KYAH!!!” she squealed and began frantically swinging her swords. While they may have been blind swings, they were still strong enough to cut through the debris on the street, slicing clean through rubble and metal from the buildings.

“Onyx, chill!!” Ruppy hollered, “What's going on!?”

“Voices in my head that aren't mine!!” she frantically exclaimed. Not many knew that she had a fear of mind control, though in her defense, it was for a very good reason.

“Oh. That's just your blades. Apparently that's what Silver meant when he said his weapons were 'unique'. They have a consciousness of their own along with magic.”

“Huh?”

“Surprise! Looks like you've made a new friend!”

“Um..what?” the unicorn question, staring at the blades.

“You can just think your thoughts to me, ya know. You don't have to say them out loud”

“Oh...”

“*sigh* Ya know, for a unicorn, you're not very educated in the field of magic.”

“Shuddup!!”

“Okay, if you say so. But then I won't be able to tell how to use me.”

“....continue...”

“Hehe! Okay! So here's what you're gonna wanna do!”

It was Onyx's turn to step forward. The other half of the barrage of thugs had finally recovered enough to begin their march again. Only this time, they didn't get the chance to rush forward.

Onyx raised her blades and crossed then in front of her. She swiped forward and a blade mass of energy shot out, shooting down the street and wiping out what remained of the gang members.

“Yay! Ya did it!!”

“What was that?”

“Oh just little 'ol me. I guess you're good enough to use me, so I suppose I could call you boss or something. Anyway, you can use my shadow magic now!”

Onyx stared at her blades quizzically. They had the voice of a sugar hyped teenage filly. And it was honestly a little annoying. But still, she found them to be...enjoyable company.

“Sweet! Onyx that was awesome!” the pegasus exclaimed, “Now we're both total badasses!!”

The unicorn smiled bashfully. While she was use to those kind of complements from Ruppy, after doing what she just did, Onyx couldn't help but to agree. She and Ruppy were and indeed, badass.

As the street lay in ruins and quiet groans filled the air, the two mares strolled down the road with new found confidence.

Today, this war would end.
> Bloody Delights and Sleepless Nights
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

2145 James street.

The building was wide, standing five stories tall. It was actually in better condition than most of the other building in slums. It made sense that this was where the Fallen Kings would reside.

“You sure this is the one?” Ruppy asked, dragging the stallion she had by the mane up to confirm the building.

“Y-yeah, that's it,” his voice quivered with fear before she dropped him, giving him one last blow to the skull to render him unconscious. Onyx strolled up from behind, her new thieving habit in full effect as she walked around and collected the few items off of the defeated thugs.

“You good?” The pegasus asked.

Onyx responded by giving her bag a jingle. The salary of a captain was by no means small, but Silver had taught her to be an opportunist/capitalist, taking every chance she had to make some extra cash. She took to the lessons quite well.

“Come on, let's go” Ruppy said, walking to the the front steps. Normally, she might have a plan, but she given the size of the building, it wouldn't do much good. Besides, she didn't know it's lay out either, so there wasn't much to plan with.

Onyx did her normal thing and disappeared into the shadows of the side of the building. How she got in was a mystery to Ruppy, but she didn't think much of it.

With a hefty kick, the door splintered and flew open, and the pegasus strolled in, eager for a fight. But when she entered, she noticed something was off. Well actually, it wasn't off, but familiar. The faces that stood before her...she knew them.

“What the fuck?”

But now wasn't the time to to go flipping through memories, as the familiar faces quickly charged. Ruppy lifted her hoof to stomp when,

“Don't! If you use you're magic in here, the whole building will come down on top of you!”

“Damn...” hoof to hoof it was. Oh well, it was more fun this way.

Ruppy flew forward, kicking the first opponent in the face with her hind leg and sending him falling onto his back. She landed with her hoof still on his face, crushing him under her weight. She pushed off  and grabbed another one by the throat, slamming his head into a wall and sending cracks up it.

One came up behind her and grabbed her in a hold, locking her arms above her head. She jumped and pushed off the wall with her hind legs, flying back and crashing through the wall on the other side. Thugs gathered around to see what came through the dust, only to find a tan hoof swinging out and cracking the closest skull.

More gathered around her, surrounding her and blocking her into the room she broke into. That was until a body came tumbling down the stairs.

All heads turned and looked, expecting to find the one responsible to follow. All they saw was a black blur, then half of them collapsed. Onyx stood over the bodies, her blades dripping with blood.

The sudden slaughter startled the rest, giving Ruppy the chance to strike. In one quick blow, she ended all of them, the force of the punch breaking the ground and surrounding walls, sending them flying into and through the interior of the building.

“Never mind using magic, you're going to bring this place down yourself.”

“Did you find them?” Ruppy asked, ignoring her equipment's comment. Onyx replied with a shake of her head, “Well I guess it's the third floor then.”





“I should get back,” Black Wing said, moving to the balcony, “Princess Cadence wasn't expecting me to leave, so I shouldn't be gone for long. I'll see you later though Silver!”

“Bye!” the wind wolf called back, waving to his friend. Black Wing stepped out onto the balcony, then a flash erupted and he was gone, “It's good seeing old friends.”

“I'm sure it is,” Celestia agreed, craning and cracking her neck, “Oof...” she groaned.

“You okay there?” Silver asked.

“I'm fine,” she assured, though the pained expression on her muzzle said otherwise, “I've just been a little stiff from Day court and doing all of that paper work.”

“I was under the assumption you were a mare,” Silver commented. It took the alicorn a second to catch onto what he was implying, but when she did, she quickly scowled at him.

“Silver, you know full and well that I have no such appendage,” she bit back, “after all, you've spent so much time staring at my butt to know that nothing extra is between my legs.”

“Yeah that's true,” the wolf admitted all to carelessly. Celestia couldn't help but giggle at his bluntness. The small laughter caused yet another kink in her neck to shot down, causing her to flinch a little.

“I thought you were in a relationship with Luna and Twilight now,” she pointed out, trying to work out the pain in head rolls

“I said I might be. I haven't checked on Luna and Twilight yet.”

“Well do try to figure it out soon. Luna doesn't have many friends, much less a special some pony. And I'm afraid Twilight doesn't date...at all. I'd rather they didn't get strung along by your charm as so many other females have.” Jeez, the neck pains were killing her!

Silver sighed, “I don't do it on purpose, you know. I'll admit, I'm a bit affectionate towards the girls I meet, but I never intend for them to develop feelings. It just kinda...happens.”

“Is that what's happening with Luna and Twilight?” she asked, with almost a growl, “You just feel bad for making them feel this way, and so you've decided to humor them out of pity?” Her eyes lighten a little, the orange from before making itself present.

“No,” Silver shot back with a growl of his own. The suggestion genuinely offended him, and all powerful alicorn or not, he wouldn't dare be branded as such a jerk, “When I say I've fallen for them, I mean it. It's a bit strange, wanting for two mares at once, but I would never 'humor them out of pity'. I'd sooner let you burn me.”

Celestias glare died down and she hung her head, releasing a sigh, “I'm sorry for getting work up. It's these damned pains, they're driving me crazy. They won't go away and having to look down to speak to every pony certainly isn't helping.”

“Don't like being tall anymore?” he asked with a smirk.

“No, I don't,” she whined, “Sometimes I think it's because of my height that stallions don't try to court me either. Well that, and because I'm a princess.”

“Well it certainly didn't stop me.”

The mare rolled her eyes, “Perversion and flirting are two different things. You attempted the former.”

Silver chuckled, “True, true.”

Celestia gave her neck one last crack, before groaning in pain, “Ugh! This pain will never end!”

The wolf laughed once more before moving behind her, “Here, sit.” he said, patting the ground. Celestia listened and plopped down in front of him.

He took his paws and slowly kneaded them into the base of her neck, controlling the way her head moved so that it turned in a smooth, circular motion.

“Ohh,” she moaned. The alicorn lowered herself so that she was laying on the floor on her stomach, Silvers paws still massaging her neck, “I'd forgotten about all of you little tricks.”

Silver chuckled, “They're not tricks. Just little things I picked up throughout life.”

“Mhmm...I don't suppose it would be too much to ask for a massage?”

The wolf rolled his eyes, “Why not?” He took his paws from around her neck and to the center of her back, slowly kneading up and down between her shoulder blades. Her wings flutter a bit every once in a while, but that was to be expected as the spots he was hitting were very sensitive, especially on the winged races.

Celestia hummed happily, loosing herself in the release of the pressure. She recalled the days when she visited Houndland, ones that she missed. For her, it was always a bit of a vacation, especially with Silver there.

“Hmm, how long has it been since we've done this? Just spent time together?” she asked, her mind wondering to and fro from consciousness to a half sleep.

“Well I haven't seen you in years, so too long for you I guess.” he said, moving his paws down lower to massage her waist.

“How is Houndland and your pack, by the way? I never did get the chance to ask. Since you've arrived, it's been nothing but business and duty. We haven't had much time to see each other.”

“Sorry about that,” he excused, putting a little more effort into his rubbing, “This whole grimoire chase is a bit time consuming. The pack is great though. I think they're supposed to be helping with the Winter Festival this year.”

“Oh yes, I'd forgotten about that. I'm sorry for having to pull you away just before the festival started.”

“It's fine. I never really liked winter anyway.”

“Now that I think about it though, isn't it a bit odd to be asking the largest criminal empire in Houndland to organize the festival?”

“The pack itself isn't a criminal empire, since that's technically not an occupation. It's just run like one. And besides, aren't you the one who's employing an ex-Rank 5 criminal as a body guard?”

Celestia let out a slurred giggle, her eyelids feeling heavier by the second, “'S true...”

“Don't fall asleep now. I might have the day off, but you don't.”

The words immediately pulled her back from the grasps of sleep, “Damn it...” she mumbled. Oh well, she figured she better get up before she gets too comfy. Besides, if Silver goes any lower, this massage might end up leading to something else.

She slowly rose from the floor, her hooves and legs a little loose from being too relaxed and causing her to wobble while she stood. She arched her back and let out a yawn, “I might just cancel Day court and go take a long, hot bath and a nap.”

“Do it,” he tempted, “I'll go get the bath started.”

Celestia sighed. She knew he would too, “No. Unlike you, I can't do whatever I want. I envy you in that way.”

“Meh, most do. But it's not as easy as one might think.”

Well that's odd. Being able to do whatever you sounds rather simple. How could it possibly be hard? “Oh, and why's that?”

“Before you can do what you want, you have to know what you want to do,” Silver explained with a sigh, “It's easy to get lost when you don't have a path to follow. Like you, for example. You might not want to go to Day court, but you have to anyway. You have a path to follow, even if that path will end this evening. While I, with all of my freedom, am stuck sitting in a field with no destination in mind. Sure I can go where I want and do as I please, but I don't know where to go or what to do. I'm lost in the possibilities, and therefore cannot move until I find one I want. ”

“So while your freedom gives you possibilities, it also strips away your direction and desire,” Huh...it was poetic in a way, “Do you not like it?”

Silver shook his head, giving the mare a smile that warmed her heart. One that she'd seen only a few times before, but it was only when Silver was absolutely sure about his decision. One that said he was content.

“I love it. I wouldn't trade my freedom for anything. While it's true I may sometimes feel lost, I often find myself feeling something else. It's not just that I don't have a destination, but that I don't have anywhere to be. I don't have to keep moving. The chains that bind me to a path have been broken, and the weight lifted off of me. Now, I'm here and I will enjoy my time for as long as I am.”

The more Silver spoke, the more the alicorn remembered why she'd taken such a liking to him in the first place. Sure, the foalish nature of their conversations was certainly enjoyable, but that wasn't all.

It was that he was content where he was. The thought made her recall the day she met him....





Celestia was strolling through a castle garden in Houndland during one of her visits on a political issue the two countries had been having with a third one.

During her walk she happened to catch a glimpse of a netting tied between two trees. She always did love laying a hammock, especially on a day as fine as that one.

But when she approached the spot, she found the outdoor furniture had already been occupied. There was wolf, Silver, laying on the net. His head held up, nose pointed into the air and eyes closed as a breeze blew by, rocking the hammock.

Perhaps it was the garden, or maybe the sunny yet cool weather that spring day, but something made the smile on the wolfs muzzle so satisfying and infectious. She found her heart beating to a familiar rhythm and a gentle tingling feeling in her chest. One that was familiar, yet that she wasn't expecting.

She was content.

It was strange, an alicorn being so comfortable in a foreign land, but yet here she was. For some unknown reason, seeing the grin on the wolfs face made her as happy as could be. It was there that their friendship bloomed.

All thanks, to a simple smile.





“It's been lovely talking with you again Silver,” Celestia said, her voice reflecting the reminiscent feeling she had moments ago, “We should make some time to do it again soon.”

“I'd like that, sunbutt,” the wolf replied with a grin and a chuckle. The alicorn simply rolled her eyes and giggle along.

“So, what do you plan to do with your sudden day off?” she asked.

“Well, I've been meaning to go see a certain rainbow pegasus,” Silver said with a sigh, “I've been worried about her but I can't seem to find the time to go see her.”

“Oh. And how was she the last time you talked to her?” Celestia asked. She was more than worried about the little pegasus. After hearing what she lived through from Star Shine, she couldn't imagine the damage that had been done.

“She was...well, broken. I managed to help her a little, but honestly, I feel horrible that I've left her alone for as long as I have. She shouldn't have to go through this alone.”

“And she won't,” the alicorn said, placing a reassuring hoof on his shoulder, “because you will be there to help her through it all. Now go, your next visit is far more important than mine.”

Silver smiled gratefully, bowed his head and left.

“I do hope she is alright...” the ivory mare worried to herself, “Death is unforgiving, especially when it haunts those that escapes it's hold.”





The stroll to the third floor of the building was pleasant, in a violent an bloody way. After breaking three walls, cutting through 2 dozen ponies and blasting a couple holes in the floor, the two monstrous mares found their way up the next flight of steps.

“Huh, this isn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be,” Ruppy said aloud as she reached the top step, casually stepping aside as another underling stepped out and swung at her. Grabbing his hoof, she twisted and flipped him down the steps, tumbling right down to the unicorn behind her. Onyx waved her sword, cutting him and pushing him off to side.

“We didn't have much trouble before. I don't see why they would be a problem now,” she said back.

“Hmm, true.”

When they reached the top floor, they were surprised to find that there was only one door along its wall.

“Um, did we take a wrong turn?” Ruppy asked. Surely this wasn't the entire third floor. Her unicorn friend didn't care however, and simply walked past and pressed against the wall next to the door. Ruppy quickly followed after, and Onyx twisted the knob with her magic before slowly opening it.

For the first few seconds, nothing happened, so they peeked their heads to look into the room. The room was incredibly large, spanning the entire floor of the building, and had a dull gray wall paint and tile. The lighting, while bright, only seemed to bring out the dullness of the colors. In the center of the room was a large, round table with four ponies standing around it, and one large chair turned away.

“Come on in,” a voice called, “We've missed you.”

The chair slowly turned in it's cliché manner, and revealed a familiar face. Now that they looked closer, all of the ponies in the room were familiar. These faces that brought back memories of violence and struggle, of the world they'd just so recently escaped and were now dragged back to thanks to them. 

They were the ponies Onyx and Ruppy used to run with. This explained the pegasus' familiarity with the grunts below. Unfortunately, they never had a real name for their little group, so this was the only way they could be referred to. But the ponies at that table were, without a doubt, their old “friends”, if one could even call them that.

“I see neither of you have changed much, except for those little toys yours,” the stallion said. He was a pegasus, his coat was a light gray and his mane and tail near white. His eyes were a cold blue that made even the icy arctic north feel like it was a volcano.

“What the fuck are you doing here Steel?” Ruppy asked stepping into the room as Onyx followed behind. The other four members around the table came forward as well.

“What do you think?” he asked with a smirk and waving a paw around the room, “Every empire needs a king, and after you two came and tore it down, I figured 'hey, why the hell not?'. So I built from what was left, and took over this damn city like we were supposed to.”

“And where the hell does killing the two of us come in at?” she growled back, “We didn't even know about this until you sent your little bitches after us.”

“Oh that? That was personal,” he said with a growl of his own, “You abandon us. Left us for that little dog that kicked in our door and shit on everything we built!”

Ruppy scowled harder, her eyes trying to tunnel through the pegasus on the other side of the table. That was, until she heard a giggle. Looking to her left, she found a sight that terrified her. Onyx had a hoof over her mouth, hiding a smile.

To most, that would seem insignificant, and to a few, strange given the situation. But to Ruppy, it was downright petrifying. Onyx was pissed....

Ruppy had her inner demon that popped out when she got her flank kicked too much, but Onyx had something too. A sweet simple smile...that accompanied a blood-lust that surpassed her own.

“Hehehe,” she giggled, “You're upset because we left you? Killing two mares over such a foalish reason? Even going so far as to kill a filly should some pony disobey you?” Onyx paused to giggle once more, then put her hoof down and revealed her smile. It was one that you would see everyday on a pony you walk by on the street. One that was make you want to smile back and say hello to the young mare passing you by, “I can't help but wonder. Will you cry like a foal too, when I butcher your friends in front of you?”

The sheer amount of rage that radiated off of her would cause any pony to shit bricks. 

“What is this....this nightmare?....”

All four stepped back, but Onyx only stepped forward. Then another step, and another. She took her time as she approached the table, with each step echoing in the room  like the ticks of a timer counting down to their slaughter. Her smile never faded. That warm, friendly grin, that spelled death for all who would dare bring it out.

“Fuck this shit!” one of them screamed. She was a unicorn with a creamy white coat and white mane and tail, “It's just one mare!”

She floated out two knives strapped to her sides by a belt and launched them at the approaching black unicorn. Onyx easily weaved through the blades and in a single movement, swung her sword.

“AHHHH!” the cream coated mare wailed as her horn fell to the ground with a light clatter. She fell over in pain, clutching her broken appendage while still screaming, only to have her voice silenced by a blow to the throat, catching her jaw as well, cracking and dislocating it. Hoof to hoof wasn't her forte after all, so she didn't have the control Ruppy did.

“Hush now,” Onyx eerily cooed, continuing to hold her hoof over the broken mouth of her victim, but her muffled cries still loud enough to hear, “it's not your screams I want to hear.”

“Fucking bitch!!” one of the remaining three shouted as he bolted towards the mare. He leaped at Onyx, only to have a golden hoof come down onto his head and smash him into the floor. His head cracked and deformed as his skull was crushed under the power of Ruppys blow, blood spurting across the ground with a wet splat.

“Onyx, stop playing with her,” The sandy pegasus commanded as she lifted her hoof out of the mashed pile of blood and bones, “We came here to kill, not torture.” 

Onyx rolled her eyes, “Fine...” then in a quick slash, severed the head of the muffled mare, “You always get so serious when I start to have fun.”

“That's because your definition of fun is twisted,” she snapped back, “When we get home, we're gonna have to talk about this. With Silver too.”

The unicorn rolled her eyes once again and approached the last two of the four. Both were quivering, and rightfully so. Two of their members were just slaughter in front of them, and the killers seemed unfazed by it, and one of them enjoying it.

“You two really haven't changed, have you?” Steel said, all too calm as he rose from his chair. He rounded the table, his hoof steps were heavy and resounded with a deep boom, “Only ever seeing red, never the other colors of the world. Of course, that's what made you so dangerous. You cared for nothing more than each other, and violence was the only thing you knew and needed to protect what little you had. So a world filled with blood was one you were comfortable with. It was a world where you knew you would always come out on top. A world where monsters could thrive.”

“So what's your point?” Ruppy spat, “You call us monsters but remember we used to be partners. You might as well be one yourself.”

“My point is that unlike you, I can see more than red,” he stopped in front of the two mares, while still keeping a large distance between them, “I see the full spectrum and understand things you two couldn't possibly comprehend. And that's what makes me better than a monster. It makes me a king. I've seen what it takes to conquer this underworld of ours, and I've taken it all for myself. You see, I've learned why those ancient beasts were called the Fallen Kings. They took the underside of their homes and turned it into an empire! And now I've done the same. So no, I am not like the simplistic monsters you two are. I am a true Fallen King, not like those pathetic excuses from before who didn't even know the proper stories.”

“Ha! That's a load of--” Ruppy was cut off by a sudden knock to the side of her head, the only thing she could make out was the color of grey.

“Did you forget how I am!?” Steel bellowed as the pegasus was sent flying back and crashing to the wall. Onyx bolted forward and swung, only to watch Steel vanish and get knock away by a kick to the stomach. She went tumbling to the opposite side of the room, landing as she gasped and coughed for air.

“You two, get her!” Steel commanded as he directed a hoof to Onyx. The two quickly obeyed and ran over to prepare for a fight as the unicorn got to her hooves.

Steel walked over to Ruppy, who laid against the wall, “If you honestly thought you could bring down this empire--”

“Hehe...”

“Huh?”

“Hehehe...hahahaha-HAHAHA!”

“What do you find so amusing?”

“You actually think you're like one of the Fallen Kings!?” Ruppy snickered as she lifted her head to look at Steel.

“I AM!” he snapped, but Ruppys grin only grew. Before he knew it, his head jerked up with a massive amount of force, and the world had taken a spin. He lost his balance and fell to the ground, taking notice of Ruppys hind leg sticking up in the air and the taste of blood from where his teeth bit into his tongue.

“You think they were called Fallen Kings because they ruled the underworld? You think you're capable of matching their legends? Hahaha! Oh buddy, you couldn't be more wrong,” Ruppy chuckled as she rose from the rubble of the wall.

“They were beasts that killed for glory and pride. They butchered thousands for the sake of entertainment. They were depraved animals driven by an insane logic that only they could understand. The underworld? Pfft. They didn't give a shit. All they wanted was to see what the hell they could do with their power, to fight for the sake of fighting; to kill for the sake of spilling blood. All they wanted was to push their limits until they got killed.

“They weren't Fallen Kings because they fell from society and ended up in the underbelly of the world. They were Fallen Kings because they'd burn their own empire for shits and giggles. They fell from sanity and order and landed in depravity, wickedness and chaos.

“You can't see the full spectrum and become like them, because the only thing they cared about was killing what needed to be killed. They were monster like us, that could only see in red. You're not a Fallen King. You're just a dog that got out of it's kennel.”

“Oh?” he questioned as he spat out the blood in his mouth, “And how you know that?”

“Because I live with one of them.”

The sound of two heavy thuds came from across the room, catching Steels attention just in time to see his companions headless bodies fall to the ground behind their severed heads. Onyx flicked her swords to fling the blood off and stalked forward towards the pegasi.

“Not only do you lack the mentality of a Fallen King,” Onyx interjected into the conversation once she a few feet away, “You lack their power. The wolf we live with is a monster both in body and mind. Compared to him, you're the equivalent of stubbing a hoof. Annoying and painful, but it's hardly a problem.”

Steel chuckled as he rose from the floor, “I'll show you a problem,” he snarled before darting forward once more.

There were quick blurs of gray and black that crossed each other before the two of them reappeared on the side opposite of where they were standing. No pony moved for a moment until a heavy thud came from one side.

“The only problem I see,” Ruppy announced, “is your lack of composure.”

On the floor was the body of the gray pegasus, split down his shoulder and through his chest. Once more, Onyx flicked her blades back and this time, sheathed them away. She turned to Ruppy, donning her normal, expressionless face.

“Can we go home now?”

Ruppy giggled, “Sure lets go. But I think we should torch the place first. You know, get rid of any evidence.”

“But what about all the stuff left on the bodies?”

The pegasus sighed, “Ugh! Fine. Go on your body raids, I'll wait. But be fast. The guard should be here soon.”

Onyx mocked a salute then trotted off to the halls to begin her plundering. This would also have to be discussed during their talk with Silver.  Oh boy, today's gonna be a looong day....





Silver stood outside of the cloud home as he did once before. The clouds were fluffy and white this time, just like they should be and the rainbows ran freely down the sides. He lifted a paw and knocked on the door.

“Dash! It's Silver!” he called through.

The was a pause for a moment before a voice yelled back, “Come in!”

Silver pushed the door open and strolled through the house to the living room where he found the cyan pegasus laying on the couch, her hooves tucked under a cushion and her head laying on top of it as she watched the TV.

“Hey Dash,” he greeted as he sat down next to her on the couch, the mare pulling her hind legs closer to make room.

“Hey, what's up?” she asked, lifting her head off the pillow. She had a small smile on her face, but something was off. She seemed...weary.

“Nothing much,” he said back, still eyeing her expression, “Just figured I'd drop by and see how you were doing.”

A near invisible frown that caused her smile to falter for a moment told the wolf everything, despite what she said next, “I'm good. My little breakdown from before helped a little.”

“Dash...” he said with the greatest amount of care possible.

Her eyes flicked up and met his for a moment, before going back down to the floor, “Silver, I said I'm okay.”

The wolf slid off the couch and sat in front of her on the floor. Cupping her cheek with a paw, he lifted her head and looked into her eyes, “Dash, please...” he begged.

The pegasus let out a sigh and sat silent for a minute, then allowed her head to fall forward against his chest, “I...I've been having trouble sleeping again.”

“For how long?”

“Only a few days, but I keep waking up in the middle of the night and I can't fall back asleep. So I just lay there for the rest of the night until I have to get up.”

“Is it nightmares that keep waking you?” The mare simply nodded in response. That would explain her tired look. She wasn't just physically exhausted, be mentally as well. She needed help, and Silver wouldn't be able to provide it all on his own.

“Ya know I used to like seeing the sun rise. I rarely ever saw it, and it was pretty and reminded me that today was a new day. But now? I can't stand it. This sickening feeling just creeps into my stomach. It's like high school, when they made us get up before the crack of dawn. I hated the sunrise then too.”

A long, heavy sigh escaped her, “I just want to sleep. I miss it.”

So she felt it too. That feeling in the pit of her stomach when she saw the sunrise. It was a beautiful sight, without a doubt. But still...something about seeing it after staying up throughout the night just made it wrong. Like the tiredness stripped the joy out of seeing it, and replaced it with a mocking feeling that told you were going to be miserable for as long as you were awake. You were tired and irritable and just want to rest, but you can't because the world keeps moving. It wasn't painful, but you just didn't have the energy to do anything. It was...exhausting.

“Hey, I have some ideas that might help, but only if you're up for it,” he offered, “I know what going days without sleep can do to some one, so if you want to stay here and try to rest, you can.”

“What are you gonna do?” she asked, pulling her head up from his chest.

“Star Shine has a ton of medicines and potions, so I'm pretty sure she has something to help you sleep. And...well I was going to ask Luna if she could help keep the nightmares away.” He was hesitant about asking the alicorn for help. He wasn't sure if Rainbow would want to expose herself like that.

“Oh...that's sounds good,” the mare sighed and dropped her head forward again. His fur was so soft and comforting, luring the drowsiness that evaded her these past nights back to her. Her hoof subconsciously snaked their way around his body as her eyes felt heavier and heavier.

“Mmmh...I think...I can nap now...” she mumbled.

Slowly, her breathing began lighter and her hooves lost their hold. Silver pulled her away and laid her down on to the couch, gently resting her head on the pillow it was on before.

“I'm sorry, Rainbow. You shouldn't have to suffer for something I lived through. I promise, I'll fix this.” He made his was up the stairs of her home and to her bed, pulled the blanket off and walked back down to the sleeping mare. He tossed it over her, using his wing to make sure it softly fell over her body. Her hooves shuffled a bit and grasped the comforter, pulling it snugly into her chest.

The sight was beyond adorable, and Silver couldn't help but chuckle. He leaned over and gave her a light nuzzle, then headed to the door. Now to go see two other mares.

Hopefully, ones with better news.





Luna laid on the couch of Silvers home with a pillow pulled over her head, concealing her from the embarrassment of showing her face to the world outside.

“I can't believe I actually told her that! What if she's doesn't feel the same!? What if she thinks I'm weird?! WHAT IF SHE HATES FILLY-FOOLERS!?”

The sound of the front door opening and closing made the alicorn tense and stiff. She could hear noises hitting the floor, but couldn't tell what was making it.

A gentle touch on her back and a warm voice that called her name told her who it was, “Luna?”

“Silver?” she asked, never removing her head out from under the pillow.

“Luna, what happened?” he asked as he made his way around the couch, sitting down in front of the mare.

“I—I talked to Twilight.”

“And?”

“And I told her how I felt and how we wanted to start a herd.”

“Aaand?”

“She said she wanted some time to think about it...” Luna clutched the pillow tighter to drown out the world, despite it not making any noise. She really wished she could just pull a Silver and evaporate into thin air.

“Oh...” if only she knew...

“Silver...do you really think she'll want to be together?”

“Luna--” he started, only to be cut off by her worrisome ramblings.

“I mean, with you, I can understand. You're a male, charming, attractive, and a number of other things.”

“Lun--”

“But I'm...I'm just the princess that every pony is either afraid of or pities. I've barely even spoken with Twilight, and even then it was usually only for official duties.”

“Lu-”

“Why would she ever want to be with me?! I'm- I'm no pony to her! I'm just a figure head that rules with Tia! And- and....”

Her exclamations died off as she began sniffling. A small shudder went down her back and Silver could here her sob once or twice. It was then she felt something touch her back again. Two somethings actually. Then a weight crawled onto her back softly, nuzzling her neck affectionately. 

“Silver please...” she cried, “Not now.”

“Luna, that's not me.”

The alicorn froze. Slowly, she removed the pillow from her head and turned to look back.

She was met with a lavender alicorn on her back, it's hooves wrapped around her waist and violet eyes looking into hers.

The midnight mare attempted to speak, but could only manage softer squeaks.

“Luna,” Twilight said warmly. Sweet heavens, that voice could melt ice, “I'm sorry I took so long. It took a little longer to get back than I thought it would.”

“D-did you hear--” Luna was silenced by a hoof covering her mouth.

“I spent sometime thinking, and after a weird conversation with myself, I decided. I...I want to be with you,” She turned and looked up at Silver, “Both of you.”

“You mean--”

“I don't know why you would think I thought of you as no pony, but Luna trust me when I say I don't,” she removed her hoof and cupped the mares cheek, “I'm not sure what I'm feeling, but I know it's not just for Silver. I want you too. Last night, when we feel asleep, it felt...right. And it was the same this morning. Luna, being with the two of you would make me happiest mare in Equestria. So please, will you let me join your herd?”

“I-I-I--”

“I think the word you're looking for beings with a 'y'” the wolf chimed in.

Luna stopped and took in a deep breath. This was happening. She could be with them both. No more lonely nights. No more empty beds. No more feeling like an outcast. She would be loved.

She could be happy. They could be happy. 

“Yes...”



> The Tale of Lily and Silvers Sweet Fillies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

This damn train...

The two mares ridding on it had gotten sick of the damned thing. The chugging and rumbling became droll and annoying the fourth time around. The seats were no longer comfortable and now felt noticeably lumpy and hard.

Both of them sat in discomfort, the pegasus leaning her head back and staring at the roof of the cart, letting out the occasional grunt or sigh as she tossed and turned, and the unicorn staring idly out the window. She'd seen the view too many times now to call it appealing, though the vibrant purples, pinks and oranges of the sunset sky seemed to provide it with a little variety, but not enough.

Ruppy sighed, this time not out of discomfort, but sadness, “Hey, Onyx. What happened back there?” she asked. The unicorn sat silent, but shrugged without looking to her friend.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” she retorted. Her voice wasn't angry, but seemed...tired. Like she didn't have the energy to be angry. Or was it that she simply disheartened by today's earlier display?

Once again, Onyx only shrugged. Ruppy let out another sigh, this one the same as the one before; sad and dejected, “When we get home, you will talk to me and Silver,” she warned, “And neither of us will take a shrug for an answer.”

That...caused the unicorn to worry a bit. Sure, Silver had done worse in his life and he probably wouldn't be able to judge her for her actions, but still...

She knew he'd be disappointed, upset even. He hadn't given her those blades to slaughter, but to become stronger. She felt that she wronged him in a way, like she'd let him down.

It was the unicorns turn to sigh this time. What would he do now? He said that if they caused too much trouble, he'd have to “take care” of them, but what did he mean by that? Would he kill them? Arrest them? Or...

Would he abandon them? Toss them back out onto the streets to fight again. To live day to day barely able to survive on their own. Would that be their punishment?

It would seem fitting, in a way. Going right back to where they came from. Just a couple of trashy mares dumped onto the street again. Of course that's how it would end. That's how it always ended.

She let out a weary chuckle. She knew better than to get comfortable, knew better than to think some pony could actually give a damn about them. Silver didn't care. He never did in the first place, just like every pony else. They were just a pet project he picked up. Something to kill time and appease the princesses. Everything was just temporary. 

Ha, like they would ever find a home...





The newly formed herd had moved from their spot in the living room to the library of Silvers home. Little did most know that he had a fireplace in the room.

Well, not an actual fireplace. After all, flames and a room full of paper books didn't exactly sound like a smart idea. No, his “fireplace” was a chunk of magic crystals that had been endowed with fire magic, and while they didn't produce flames, they most certainly provided a toasty atmosphere.

“Mhmm,” Twilight hummed as she snuggled into Silvers chest a little more. She was laying in front of him, on top of his paws and under his neck. Her smaller frame allowed for her to lay with the majority of her upper chest and lower neck to be covered by Silver. The wolf himself had laid on his stomach, with Luna laying beside him, just as cuddled up to the fluffy canine as her new marefriend.

The only reason Twilight wasn't on the other side was because she didn't want to hit Silvers wound by accident.

She finished readjusting herself and focused back on the book in front of her. It was one from one of Silvers collections about Elemental Magic, and the development of it based on the philosophies of its users.

Luna and Silver were chatting away, though she didn't mind much. Luna was telling him about the more embarrassing dreams she'd wondered into, while Silver seemed to be unsure if she should be sharing the information.

“Um, isn't this kind of like a breach of confidentiality?” he asked.

“Hmm, not really. All I'm telling you is what I saw, not whose dream it was. So no harm done really,” she excused.

“Meh, I suppose that's a valid argument. Oh, speaking of dreams and secrets, I kinda need your help,” he said, his voice sounding a bit uneasy. 

Twilight had caught the tone of the statement and looked up from her book,  “Silver, what is it?” she asked.

“It's about Rainbow,” he began with a heavy sigh, “She wasn't quite as healed as I thought she was, and it turns out she hasn't been sleeping much...if at all.”

“What's wrong with her?” Luna asked, “Is it what she saw from your memories?”

Silver gave a solemn nod, “She's been having nightmares and wakes up in the middle of the night and can't fall back asleep. I was hoping that you might be able to help her.” 

Luna gave a firm nod, “I most certainly will. It's partly my fault that she ended up seeing what she did after all.”

“Hey,” he said softly, cupping her cheek with a paw he slid out from under Twilight, “Don't blame yourself. You were just trying to help me,” he then leaned back and gave her a peck on the muzzle.

Her ears folded back and her cheeks exploded with pink. But it took only a moment for her loose the embarrassment and switch it for a bright smile, though the blush insisted on remaining. She simply leaned her head over and nuzzled into the wolfs side, relishing in his fur.

Twilight couldn't help but grin at the moment. It was pretty adorable after all, even though she herself wasn't getting the attention. But that was fine. Silver was still hers, and Luna was as well. They were all finally with each other and happy as could be. Now if only Rainbow could be the same.

The thought dragged the smile off her face and into a small frown. She felt a paw lift her head up and she found herself staring into the honey hazel eyes of her new wolf-friend...boyfriend? Meh, screw it, wolf-friend.

“Feeling left out?” he asked.

Twilight put on a smile for a moment and shook her head before giving him a quick peck on the lips as well. Sure, she blushed a little, but it was still nice to be able to finally do it without fear of rejection, “No, never. It's just...why didn't Rainbow Dash come talk to her friends? I would have helped if I knew she was still having trouble coping.”

“Well she is a proud mare,”  he suggested, “so maybe she just didn't want her friends to see her look weak?”

Twilight sighed and shook her head, “I don't know. I'm going to go over there and talking to her tomorrow. Some pony else should be there for her. Not that you're incapable of providing comfort for her, it's just...”

“You feel like having some pony more familiar to her might help her get through it,” he finished. 

Twilight nodded and gave a sheepish smile, “I didn't mean to sound rude.”

The wolf leaned down and gave her forehead a gentle kiss, “Don't worry, I understand. But I never did ask you how you felt after seeing my memories, did I?”

“I don't think you needed to,” she said with a soft giggle, “You found me in a bar, drinking alone. That should tell you everything.”

“Well yeah, but have there been any lingering feelings though?” he asked.

Twilights head dropped a little, “Well for a little while, all I could think about was what happened to her. But after you told me...I decided not to think about it anymore...”

After a long pause, he asked,  “Do you still want to know?”

“Kind of. But I don't want to make you retell something like that. Not when I know how much it hurts you...” she dropped her head completely, and it now laid on top of her book. She let it sit there for a moment and then felt a weight fall across her neck.

She could see a wavy, star spangled mane come into view and could feel the slight chill of Lunas fur sink into her neck before hearing her voice, “But not knowing only hurts you, Twilight. I might not know what memory you two are discussing, but that much is clear.” There was another long moment of silence before the wolf spoke again.

“Her name was Lily,” Silver began, “and I met her when I was 27, so about a hundred years ago. It was towards the end of the Territory wars, and after the Battle of Shepherds Field. It was a strange meeting, not gonna lie. She just showed up one day and followed me around. Kept saying she was curious about me.

At first she was just annoying, but after a while, she kind of grew on me. Kind of like Pinkie Pie, but not so insane. She was always happy and smiling, and was actually the reason I ended up befriending the other Alphas of the Black Moon Pack.  Over the course of two years, we bonded and became closer. Not just with each other, but Black Wing, Star Shine and the others as well. We were all so happy...or so I thought.”

It was here where his tone changed. The joyful, reminiscent voice he spoke with had all but vanished, and was replaced with nothing more than depression.

“Do you think it's true that it's often those whose smiles are the brightest have been hurt the most? To this day, I can't tell if it is or not, but I know those smiles when I see them. I just wish I could have recognized them back then too.

Lily, with all her joyous smiles, was being broken and beaten everyday by some damn skank she owed a debt to. It got to the point where she thought she was worthless and expendable, and was essentially a slave. We, or at least I, never noticed, but she was hurting so much and she kept it all to herself. Unfortunately...that's not what led to her death.”

Both mares could feel a quiver run through his body, and Twilight could feel his paw underneath her dig into the floor. Once again, just the same as the night she'd gotten drunk, his body was oddly cold.

“She...she was assaulted...sexually...” the words almost caught in his throat and his breathes became shudders. He dare not use the other word, for fear of loosing himself in a rage.

Too many memories...too much hate....

The mares, on the other hoof, sat silent and wide eyed. And what else could they do? There wasn't much to be said other than the usual condolences, but even then, those fell far short of what needed to be said. What could one even say to something like this?

“I found a letter in my home that day,” he continued, “It was from Lily, and told me everything that she'd been going through. The abuse and the...but by the time I found her...she was already...” Silver trailed off once more, but this time a choking cough followed his silence. His eyes squeezed shut and he buried his muzzle into Twilights back.

She could feel a few tears fall onto her fur and wings, as well as the shaking breathes he let out. Oh dear Celestia, what had she done? It was then she decided that this subject was taboo from here on. No pony will ever bring it up unless Silver does so first.

Luna had a similar thought as well, though it involved throwing the pony who mentioned it out the nearest window. She wrapped her hooves around the neck of her wolf, nuzzling his cheek gently and whispering soft comforts to him.

“Shh,” she cooed, “You don't need to say anymore.”

Twilight, being in the position she was in, could only nuzzle his neck and chest, but found herself whispering the same thing.

“I'm so sorry. I knew it hurt you, but I--” she was cut off when she felt a paw wrap around her pull her tighter against his chest.

“You don't need to apologize,” he sniffled, as he picked his head up, “I'm just being a bit of a cry-puppy. I should be the one saying sorry. I, uh, guess I  kinda ruined our special night, huh?” he said with a small, sniffling chuckle.

Twilight shook her head, “No,” she said simply, then leaned back and gave him a kiss, “This is still the best night of my life.”

The wolf gave one last small laugh before wiping his eyes with a paw and taking a deep breath in and out.

“Feeling a little better?” Luna asked, pulling herself away from the hug to look Silver in the eyes. He nodded and pecked her cheek.

“Thank you. Both of you.”

And all was silent...for about ten seconds anyway.

“ONYX, KNOCK IT OFF!” a muffled shout came from the floors above. Twilight and Luna could only hear shouting, but couldn't make out the words. Silver, on the other paw, heard it loud and clear.

“I'd better go check on that,” he said as he rose from his spot. The two mares could only look in confusion as the wolf left.





Onyx and Ruppy walked up to the door in the castle they always used and entered the home. Both made their ways directly to their rooms, though the unicorn had a bit more pace in her step. Ruppy had intended to grab her towel and go shower. That was until she heard a strange zipping noise coming from the other side of the hall.

She wandered out of her room and to Onyx's on the other side, taking notice of an empty bag laying on the floor. It wasn't until the unicorn started cramming her belongings into the bag Ruppy had begun to worry.

“Onyx? What are you doing?” she called, but the mare kept packing.

“Onyx, stop it!” she tried again, this time stepping into the room. Her friend had stopped for a moment to glare at her, but then continued.

Finally fed up with being ignored, Ruppy snapped, “ONYX, KNOCK IT OFF!”

“Why?! Huh!?” Onyx finally responded, “Tell me, why should I stop?! You and I both know what's going to happen when we talk with Silver, so I might as well get it over with now!”

“And just what the hell do you think is going to happen?!” Ruppy retorted.

“He's going to kick us out! He doesn't care about us! He's just using us as a project to keep the princesses happy! And with the shit we just pulled, we're not going to be staying here much longer!”

“He's not going to kick us out! He wouldn't do that!”

“That's the same thing we thought about the last three ponies that tried to help us! You remember how all of those turned out! We were kicked out on our asses! Because that's the way it is...that's the way it's always been...” her shouting had ceased and now she merely grumbled, “It's always been just you and me, just like Steel said. We've always looked out for each other, because no pony else wants us, Ruppy. We're a couple of freaks. It was like that then and it's like that now...”

“Like what now?” Silvers voice came from the hall. Ruppys head snapped up and she quickly trotted out of the room and stood in front of him, “What's all the shouting about?” he asked.

“Onyx thinks you're going to kick us out,” Ruppy explained as the unicorn trotted out behind her. She wore a scowl on her face, but directed it to the ground and refused to look Silver in the eye.

“Kick you out? Why would you think that?” he asked as he stepped a bit closer.

It was Onyx's turn to speak, “Because you said you would! You said that if we ever caused too much trouble, you'd take care of us yourself!”

It was then that Ruppy recalled the day they'd first came to Canterlot. He did say that, didn't he? Suddenly, the possibility of being evicted became very real in her mind. But he...he wouldn't, would he?

He cared about them...right?

“...Onyx, Ruppy...what did you two do?” he calmly asked.

The pegasus froze with fear as the words hit her, “No...nononono...Onyx was right....he's...gonna put us back out on the street, if he doesn't kill us first....please...no”

Onyx trotted forward and planted herself in front of the wolf. Her eyes glared into his as she spoke, “We slaughtered the Fallen Kings. There, happy? We're even bigger monsters and freaks than you thought possible.”

Silvers eyes widened as he looked at the two of them. Onyx was sporting a fierce glare while Ruppy dejectedly stared at the floor. Finally, after his seemingly never ending moment of silence, he spoke,

“That...was expected....” he said, “I gave you your equipment for a reason after all.”

“He...he what?”

It was then that the realization had dawned on them. Silver gave them the tools for war. Whether or not he wanted a slaughter to occur was unknown, but that didn't change the fact that he knew it would happen. Hell, he didn't even bat an eye when they said they were going to war.

“Girls, look. I'll admit, I'm not too happy about you two killing numerous ponies,” both mares flinched a bit but Silver continued, “but that's because I don't want to cause the Princesses any trouble. But it was a war, and that's what happens in wars. They were gang members and probably would have been dealt with some where down the line.

"I imagine Celestia might be a bit upset, but I think she'll understand. And I know it might seem like I manipulated you into doing it, but I swear I didn't. But, I can't promise that something like this won't happen again in the future. So if this upsets you, then you two can leave if you want. I won't stop you. But first, let me ask you; Ruppy, did you enjoy your stay here?”

The mare nodded with her head still low and biting her bottom lip, barely managing to squeak out, “Uh-huh...” 

“Onyx?” The scowl she wore had dropped, and her eyes began to swell with tears as she nodded.

Silver gave a warm, tender smile that seemed to light up the hall, “Then welcome home.”

Before the wolf could speak again, Onyx buried her face into his chest, “Please...please don't make us go...” she whimpered.

Silver felt something else bump into him as Ruppy had wandered down the hall and rested her head against him as well, “Please...we'll be good, we promise. We'll do dishes and make dinner, we won't complain about training. We'll guard the princesses whenever you ask us...just please...don't make us go back... We like it here...we're happy here...”

Oh...oh dear...were they that scared of being kicked out? Silver knew they didn't want to be back on the streets again, but were they lives really so horrid out there that they feared it this much? Or was it that...oh no...

This wasn't the first time this had happened, was it? They'd been taken in and put back out before. The hope and joy of finally having a place to rest and then being thrown out again. Oh, these poor mares...

“Shh,” he shushed as he brought them into a hug, “It's okay. You're not going anywhere other than to bed. I'm not putting you two out. You're home now. This will always be your home.”

“A...a home?”

The thought was simultaneous in the mares. How long had it been since they had a place they could call home? Have they ever really had one in the first place? Somewhere they could go to rest and relax, where they would be loved and cared for?

No...neither one could say they ever really did...

The dams broke and the two bawled into his fur. Relief washed over them like a tsunami crashing down on the beach. Not just because they weren't being thrown out, but because they'd finally found a home. The fear of being back on the streets that had built up for years was finally let go, and they could let themselves rest.

They had a home now.

It didn't take long for the two already exhausted mares to tucker themselves out, now too tired to even cry anymore. They didn't quite fall asleep against Silver, but they were certainly on the verge of it.

The wolf gave a soft smile and slipped under them to put them on his back then strolled into Onyxs room. Gently, he slid them down onto the bed, figuring they might rather spend the night together than alone.

Leaning over, the removed their bags and weapons, setting them by the bed for easy finding in the morning. He watched the two as they quickly fell to sleep, snuggling up to each others embrace.

“My girls... You've been carrying each other for so long, and this rest is long over due. Sweet dreams, my little fillies."
As he finished tucking them in, he turned and looked around the room. It was only then that he took notice of it's appearance. 

Empty...no decorations or customization at all.

She didn't want to be attached. She wanted to be able to up and leave at a moments notice, so she never made herself comfortable. She'd been thinking the home was only temporary since the day she stepped hoof through the door.

“Oh Onyx...you've been terrified this entire time and I never heard one of your pleas...I'm so sorry.”

After leaning over and giving each a quick, gentle nuzzle, the wolf made a silent exit, then went back down to the library.

Luna and Twilight hadn't moved much, Luna taking the place Silver had once before and Twilight laying over her hooves in front of her.

“Is everything alright?” Twilight asked, looking up from her book.

He laid down next to Luna, wrapping a wing around her and laying his head on Twilights back, “Everything is fine now.”

“Yes...everything's going to be fine...”





Silver stirred from his slumber to the wonderful aroma of food wafting into his room. At first, he thought it was part of his dream. But the smell persisted, and even grew stronger as newer scents were added. Eventually, he awoke completely, lifting his head to look around his room.

The three of them had moved back to his room late in the night after Twilight had fallen asleep reading. It was the most adorable sight either Luna or Silver had seen, but knew she'd be cranky if they left her to sleep on the hard floor. So the snoozing alicorn was floated onto the back of the wolf and carried to the bed, where she spent the rest of the night snugly tucked in the blankets and laid between her wolf-friend and marefriend.

But that changed as the wolf rose from the bed, following the scent of food out to the kitchen. There, on the counter, he found a full breakfast of eggs, french toast, waffles and juice sitting on the counter. Behind said counter and in front of the stove was a coal black unicorn, humming a tune as she flipped the omelet onto a plate.

“Uh, Onyx?” he called as he sat down at the counter, “Don't take this the wrong way, but what is all this?”

The mare turned around with a small but bright smile on her muzzle, “I just kind of felt like making breakfast this morning,” she said, levitating the last plate over, making five plates sitting on the counter, “I figured the princesses might want some as well,” she moved to the other side and sat in a stool next to the wolf and began eating.

“Onyx, I...thank you,” he said before he began dining on the wondrous meal. And what a meal it was! He had no idea the mare could cook! Sure, they had to cook for themselves every once in a while, but they usually just ordered pizza. But this! This was amazing! It was a simple meal and yet it tasted like it came from the heavens!

He happily scarfed down his food while the sound of two stumbling mares came out of the hall. Shuffling like zombies, Luna and Twilight slowly made their way over to the counter where Silver and Onyx sat. Since there were only two seats at the counter, they had to float their food over to the table. It was then that Ruppy emerged from her own slumber, just as disheveled as the other two.

“Fooooood....” she groaned. Her eyes were barely opened and her mane was in a frenzy. Onyx simply giggled and levitated a plate in front of her, luring her over to a seat at the table. She plopped down into the seat and began eating, “Nom, nom nom....”

Onyx giggled once more at her friends noises before speaking, “So Silver, what are you doing today?”

...Huh...Onyx was...different today...chatty....

“Um, I'm not sure actually. I didn't check with Tia about her schedule for today. Hey Luna, do we have anything to do?” he asked, turning back to look.

“Dunno. Haven't checked,” she muffled through with a mouthful of food, having finally woken up. Honestly, one would think she'd at least eat like a princess.

“Well, there you have it. What about you?” he asked.

Onyx shrugged, “I'll train and probably go trade in the stuff I got yesterday. Then maybe shopping?” she paused and turned to Ruppy, who seemed to be more awake now and shoveling food into her mouth, “Wanna come?”

The pegasus nodded enthusiastically. Oh sweet Celestia, how long had it been since she'd eaten some of Onyxs cooking? She used to cook when they could afford it, but stopped for a while now when they moved in with Silver. It seems she's gotten back into it though.

“Cool, shopping it is then,” she finished, “I might go see Beats and Scootaloo a little later too. I want to see if they're okay.”

They continued to eat in peace for a few more minutes until a knock interrupted their meal. Silver rose from his spot and went to the door. When he opened it, he was met with the face of a saluting guard.

“Sir, is Princess Luna with you, sir?” he asked.

Silver nodded, “Yes, is she needed for something sergeant?”

“Noble Little Horn from Caneighdia is asking...no, demanding to speak with her and Princess Celestia, sir. They are both waiting in the conference room,” he informed.

Silver let out a sigh, “Very well. It seems breakfast will be cut short. We'll be out in a few minutes. Dismissed.”

“Sir, yes sir!” he saluted once more and left.

“Luna!” he called as he shut the door and turned back, “It seems that over grown rat with horns is back and he wants to talk. He's a bit grumpy as well.”

The alicorn groaned, “I do not wish to deal with more of his bragging. Can't I just hide out here?”

“Sorry, but I think Tia would come and blast the door down if you did.  She's waiting for us too,” he informed.

Luna sighed, “Fine. Let's go then,” she stood from her seat and leaned over, placing a peck on Twilights cheek, “Tia hates being kept waiting.”

Twilight exploded with a bright pink blush as the other two mares in the kitchen sat and stared.

“Uh...” Ruppy began.

“Don't...” Twilight said, cutting her off, “It's a thing now. Accept it and move on.”

“But is Silver...?” she began again, only to be silenced by a nod from the lavender alicorn, “Wow....we missed a lot, huh?”





The duo of the wolf and alicorn made their way down the halls of the castle and to the conference room where they had met with the moose before. Pushing the doors open and stepping inside, they found the two creatures who were waiting on them. One was a nervous looking alicorn, and the other was an impatient and glaring moose.

“Luna! Silver! You're finally here!” Celestia exclaimed as she moved over to greet them. She bent down and lowered her voice to a whisper, “I think he's angry about something.”

No...you don't say...

“Noble Little Horn, it's nice to see you again,” Luna greeted, approaching the moose cautiously due to her sisters warning.

“I am not here for pleasantries,” he spat, “I want my fox back!”

“I'm not sure what you mean?” Luna lied, “I've done nothing with your fox.” It was, in a way, true actually. Technically, it was Silver that had done something, not her.

“That's a lie! I sent her here to deliver an outline for the contract, and she never returned. Her tracking collar said she disappeared inside the castle! Now tell me where she is!”

“Please remain calm, Noble Little Horn,” Celestia stepped in, “We've done nothing with her. It is true that we received a fox with a document, but she left soon after arriving. If something did happen, it wasn't here.” Oh great, now they're both lying.

Little Horns glare grew harsher, “You're lying! I swear, if you do not return my property to me, you'll both--”

WHOOSH!

The moose was cut off by a sudden gust rushing past him and a weight on his back. But the main cause of  his pause was the sudden feeling of something cold and sharp pressing against the side of his neck.

“Do it,” Silver hissed as he stood a top Little Horns back, his wing blade set against the moose's flesh, “Finish your sentence and threaten my princesses. Give me reason to remove your head.”

“Y-you cannot treat me like this! I am a N-noble!” he stammered, “You two! Command your dog to release me!”

Both alicorns stood unfazed by the wolfs actions.

“I'm afraid we can't do that,” Celestia clarified, “He's not one to follow orders, so telling him not to is useless. More importantly, he's only doing his job, and that is protecting us.”

“Y-you'll start a war with this!” he threatened, “Caneighdia is go to war with both Houndland and Equestria! Surely neither of you want that!”

“A war?” Silver echoed, “You think that scares me?  Do it then. Raise your armies and sharpen your blades. I'll slaughter them all, and leave a mountain of your soldiers in my wake. I'm an Army Slayer, and the likes of your ranks would do little against something like me.”

The moose could feel it. The blood-lust radiating from the canine on his back, like a floodgate that had been opened in the middle of a storm.

“Y-you're a monster! A filthy creature of blood and death!” he spat.

“True,” Celestia agreed, “But he's our monster. And he will remove any threat to our lives. So, Noble Little Horn, you were saying something about a fox?”

Little Horns eyes twitched at the insanity in the room. The wolf that practically breathed blood-lust, and the two alicorns who weren't afraid to use him.

“I will have my fox back,” he reassured as Silver jumped off his back, landing next to Celestia. Little Horn made a swift exit from the room.

All was silent for a moment until, “'My princesses'? Really?” Celestia asked.

“Yep. I own you both now,” Silver replied, “And besides, you agreed that I was a monster, so we're even.”

The ivory alicorn rolled her eyes, “Silly wolf. But what do you suppose he'll do now? He wouldn't really go to war with two countries at once, would he?”

“Pfft,” Silver blew raspberries with a wave of his paw, “Please. Everyone knows you don't go war with wolves. Even if they're not in their homeland. Besides, he's just a noble. He can't wage war all on his own.”

“True enough, but still...” Celestia said with a bit of worry in her tone, “I have the feeling this won't end well.”
> The Warrior Gene and Ancient Black Lightning
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Onyx stood outside of the small home that Beats and his sister occupied. Lifting a hoof, she knocked three times and then waited. It wasn't until a few moments after that the door opened to Beats face.

“Oh hey,” he greeted with a smile, “I was just on my way to go find that wolf guy. What's up?”

“Nothing much,” Onyx said with a shrug, returning the smile, “We just wanted to make sure you and your sister were okay.”

“We?” he asked, not seeing a sign of the sandy pegasus around.

That was until he heard a loud grunt and something fall. Sticking his head out of the door, he looked past Onyx to find Ruppy collapsed on the ground with numerous bags on her back.

“Learn...to carry...your own shit!” she huffed out.

“I only bought a few things. You were the one that insisted on buying everything with a price tag on it,” Onyx retorted. Ruppy simply responded with a huff and glare.

Beats only looked in confusion before the unicorn explained, “We went shopping as a little celebration for ending the Fallen Kings.”

Beats eyes had widened a bit, “You did it!? That's great!” he exclaimed, “But, uh...well, I think it'd be easier to show you,” he cryptically explained before nodding over to the side of the house.

Onyx followed behind while Ruppy struggled and lifted herself off of the ground, wobbling over to where the two were.

He led them to a thick bush where he pushed aside some of the branches to reveal the problem he spoke of. And what a problem it was.

Under the branches, there was the body of one of the Fallen Kings thugs. His neck had been snapped clean in one swift movement.

“He was lurking around the house yesterday,” he explained, “When I dropped Scootaloo off at school that morning, I noticed him on the way back and took care of it, but I haven't been able to do much. It's kind of hard to move a body, but if I leave him out here any longer, he's gonna start to smell, and I really don't need Scoots and her friends to find him.”

“Don't worry,” Onyx reassured, “We'll help you move him tonight. I'm sure Silver could get rid of it if he has to.”

Beats nodded and covered the body back up with the bush branches, “Speaking of which,” he began as he and the mares stepped out from beside the house, “Where can I find him? I've been meaning to ask him about Scoots watching you guys train.”

“You can just go talk to Princess Twilight,” Ruppy informed, “She should usually know where he is. Just go to the library.”

“Cool, two birds with one stone. I was going to submit an application as well for her guard,” he said as he went to the front door and locked it. He began trotting to the Golden Oaks afterwards. From where he lived, the walk would only take about ten minutes.

“So you're really signing up, huh?” Ruppy inquired.

“Yeah. After all, I owe you two,” he reminded, “and you said this was how you wanted me to repay you. Besides, I still haven't found a job yet, and if the Princesses are willing to approve of you two, then I don't see why they wouldn't do the same for me.”

“Hmm, well I suppose we could put in a good word for you,” the pegasus teased. Beats simply rolled his eyes.

“I don't think it will work like that,” Onyx commented, causing both to stop and turn to face her with confusion on their muzzles.

“It wasn't Princess Twilight that picked us,” Onyx began to explain, “It was Silver, remember? I don't think she really had a say in it before. But now that she's accepting applications, she's going to be judging you by her own standards. So while Silver might approve of you, it doesn't mean the Princess will.”

Well...that threw a wrench in their plans.

“Oh well,” Beats said with a shrug as he continued his trot, “Won't know until I try.”





A set of purple hooves paced back and forth across the wooden floor of the Golden Oaks Library. Twilight had been wandering in circles since she got back from Silvers, wondering what she could say to Rainbow Dash to help comfort her.

Should she go by herself, or should she bring the others with her? Oh, but they might be busy! But this is also one of their best friends who's suffering from a traumatic experience!

Should she bring a gift, or should she just go give her support? Ohh, what to do? What to do?

Her internal conflict had ceased for a moment when she heard a knock on the door.

“Come in! It's open!” she called through. Honestly, when were ponies going to remember this is a library, and anyone could come in.

The door opened and Beats, Ruppy and Onyx strolled in.

“Yo!” Ruppy greeted wearily, a mountain of bags slung over her back. Onyx and Beats simply bowed in respect, before the latter spoke up.

“Hello Princess Twilight, I was hoping I could speak with you. I understand you're trying to put together your own royal guard.” The way he spoke seemed...odd. He was polite and mannerly, and had a tone of complete respect. While he wasn't necessarily rude most times, he certainly didn't speak with such regard. 

“Yes,” Twilight said with a sigh, “Though it's been a bit of a slow process. I haven't had many request to join, and Luna and Celestia can only send over so many of their own. On top of which, Silver says I should think about how I want my guards to operate, which has only made it harder to pick who I want to join. And then there's this grimoire mess and...” The alicorn trailed into another tired sigh. The problems just seem to keep piling up.

“Well, if I may request,” the stallion began, “I'd like a form to join your guard, ma'am.”

“Oh, you would!” She said in a chipper voice, a sudden turn around from her previous tone. She trotted over to a small packet of papers on the center piece of the library. After shuffling through to make sure they were the right forms, she floated them over to the hooves of Beats, “Here you are! Please make sure to fill out all of them and come see me tomorrow for an interview.”

Beats nodded and placed the papers into his saddle bag before turning back to Twilight, “One last thing ma'm. I was wondering where Silver might be.”

“Silver?” she pondered for a moment, “Hmm, he came back with Luna shortly after leaving and then...Oh I know!”

Twilight quickly trotted over to a small desk on the side of the couch. A flash came from her horn and the desk illuminated for a moment, the stopped. She pulled out one of the draws and lifted a key out.

Ruppy and Onyx had recognized it. It looked like one of Silvers Dimension Keys that he'd given them, but this one was a vibrant purple and not blue.

The alicorn trotted over to the hall and stopped at the door she always used, “I think he's at Star Shines.  She came by later when he and Luna came back, then he said something about being pudgy before she dragged him off,” She put the key in and turned it. A violet light came through the cracks of the door and died out, just like it would with Silvers. She pushed the door open and stepped in, followed by the three ponies behind.

The room was dark and smelled horribly. With what little they could see, they could tell the floor was cluttered and barely visible, even if the lights were on. Twilight, for some reason, had no issue with maneuvering around in the dark mess. She made her way over to the wall and flipped on a switch, revealing the inside of the room.

In all honesty though, it was more of a lab than a room. Sure, there was a bed tucked away in the corner, but every other space had been occupied with some kind of scientific machinery.

Twilight sighed, “I keep telling her she should keep her house cleaner. Oh well,” She turned and walked over to a machine with a number of monitors showing numerous rooms. A few of them were recognizable, as they were part of the Canterlot Palace.

After a moment of looking, Twilight had found the room where the wolves had ran off to...and found a third in there with them. “Found him,” she informed, then trotted off to the opposite side of the room where they had entered and down a hall. Ruppy, Onyx and Beats followed, more than glad to get away from the pigsty of a room.

It took a good three minutes of walking through the hall until they finally heard the voices of two familiar wolves chatting away.

“I still don't see why this is necessary,” Silvers voice carried through the hall.

“It's necessary because it affects your ability to protect the princesses,” Star Shine shot back.

“Oh please!” Silver dismissed, “The only ones in Equestria capable of matching our power are the princesses, Discord and dragons. And even then, Discord has been reformed and dragons haven't made trouble in Equestria for centuries. What's the point?”

“He's kinda right, Star,” another voice chimed in. One that none of the ponies recognized, “If we actually put in even a little effort, then I seriously doubt that there's a pony in this country that could stand up to us.”

The four ponies rounded a corner and finally an exit could be seen. They wandered into a large room.

An incredibly large room.

It was easily the length of four hoofball fields combined and as wide as two. It's height was some three stories tall. When they exited the hall, they came out on a balcony of sorts, that connected to the floor below by a staircase on the far side.

It seemed the wolves down below hadn't noticed them yet. Among them was one Twilight nor the others recognized. He was completely black with two white bandannas attached to him, one around his neck and the other just above his paw.

“Even if we are the second most powerful creatures in the land, we still need to be in peak condition. That wound on your side is more than enough proof that I'm right,” the female of the canine trio fired back.

“I got hurt because I was trying to get away without having to kill that pony,” Silver retorted, “When it actually came down to fighting, that pony was barely stronger than a timberwolf. Though, I'll admit. His little Fairy Wisps caught me off guard.”

“Exactly!” Star Shine exclaimed, “If you were in top shape, you wouldn't have been so much as scratched. And that lack of strength makes you a liability. And you know how I handle liabilities.”

Silver simply rolled his eyes while she continued, “Besides, we don't need you twos other issues getting out of control. Training is a good way to make sure that doesn't happen.”

Both of the male wolves ears feel flat, “Fine...” they mumbled together.

“Star Shine! Silver!” Twilight called from the staircase, grabbing the attention of all three wolves  who turned to see her and the other three approaching, “Hey, we were looking for you two.” The black wolf had smiled at her and bowed respectively, but...something bothered about him bothered her. 

“What for?” Silver asked.

Twilight ignored her uneasiness and sauntered over to peck the wolf on the cheek, “Well I just wanted to see my wolf-friend, but Beats said he wants to talk with you.”

“Hell--” the stallion began, only to be cut off by a growl.

“Silver....” Star Shine hissed with a deadly glare, “What was that?”

….Well she was going to find out eventually, so might as well get the ass kicking over with now.

“Um....” the wolf attempted, but was silenced by a lavender hoof over his mouth.

Twilight stepped forward between Silver and Star Shine, “Star Shine, I understand that you're upset, but I will date who I please, even if it is one of my bodyguards. I will have to ask you not to intervene in my relationship or reprimand Silver, as he has done nothing wrong.”

The female wolf's anger deflated into a pout, “Yes princess...” but she will get the details sooner or later.

Twilight nodded happily, “Now Beats, you had something to say?”

Said pegasus strolled toward Silver, “H-hello, sir,” he nervously squeaked out, sticking his hoof out to shake.

Silver took his offer and shook, “Drop the sir, I look to young for that,” he corrected. Sure. The wolf looked too young.

“Right, sorry. So, I was wondering, um...My little sister asked if she could come watch Ruppy and Onyx train. She's really into fitness and exercise so I figure it's something like a hobby for her. A-and I promise she won't get in the way.”

Silver quirked a brow. He hadn't heard of anyone coming to watch some pony else train before. It was...well it was a little creepy to be honest. But hey, what's the worst that could happen?

“Well I'm fine with it, but are you sure you want her seeing stuff like that?” Silver questioned.

It was the stallions turn to be confused, “What do you mean? You're not making them do unlawful things or something, are you?”

The silver wolf shook his head, “Well not for training, but...well I think it's best if you just sit and watch what I mean,” Silver gestured a paw to the raised path they used to enter, indicating to a black piece of glass and the door that led to the room behind it.

Now all the ponies were confused. What was there to watch?

Star Shine clapped her paws togther, “Chop-chop boys! I need some data to work with!” then turned to the group of ponies, “Come on,” she said with a nodded and began heading to the staircase, “we don't want to be down here when they start.”

“Start what?” Twilight asked, falling in line behind her.

“Sparring,” she replied.

While still confused, the group headed back up the stairs and to the indicated door, leaving only the two male wolves behind. Upon entering, they found it was much like Star Shines room, only less of a mess. All of the walls were occupied by screens and machines that monitored the floor below.

They all move to look out of the glass window and below to the two wolves on the floor. Star Shine held down a button on the panel in front of them, then spoke into a microphone.

“Alright guys, start when you're ready,” She said, her voice amplified by the speaker.

Silver put a distance between the two of them, not quite going to the other side of the room, but still a good ways away.

The other wolf had simply removed his bandannas, revealing white, archaic marks under them.

“Star Shine, I've been meaning to ask. Who is that wolf?” Twilight inquired.

“That's Black Wing. He guards Princess Cadence,” she informed while flipping some switches and turning some knobs. A few of the monitors flicked on and displayed numerous charts and graphs, along with two images of wolves.

“That's Black Wing?” The alicorn looked back over to the floor and examined him, “He's a King, right?”

Star Shine nodded, “Yep. A bonafide bad-ass.”

Twilight continued to stare. She was still unable to shake the feeling he gave her. Like she was overwhelmed by some unknown force, “He kinda makes me uneasy for some reason.”

“Yeah, he does that to everything,” Star Shine casually explained.

“What do you mean?” The alicorn asked.

“He has an immeasurable amount of magic power, and I'm not exaggerating,” she pointed a paw over to one of the screens that turned on, which showed a bar on a graph suddenly spiking, presumably measuring his magic output, “He easily surpasses both Silver and me combined, in terms of magic. It's what makes you so uncomfortable. His presence is too overwhelming.”

Twilight had heard of it happening before, though she never experienced it herself. In some cases, if the pony was too strong, they would actually knock other ponies unconscious simply by walking in front of them.

“So he's stronger than Silver?” Ruppy asked from the back, finally having a moment to drop her bags.

Star Shine shook her head, “No. While his magic is his greatest attribute, it's also his greatest weakness. The sheer amount of it puts a strain on his body, and it becomes weaker. That's what the bandannas are for. They seal off part of it so he can move efficiently. So while he has Silver beat in terms of magic, Silvers body is stronger.”

“So of your pack, Silver's the physical power house, while Black Wings the magic master?” Twilight pondered.

Again, Star Shine shook her head, “Not quite. Silver's...a little difficult to explain. Maybe you'll understand if you see him fight.”

The alicorn nodded and turned her attention to the wolves below, who were just about to start.





“How long has it been since we've done this?” Silver asked to his friend on the other side of the room.

“Probably....I have no idea. Too long though,” he replied.

Silver chuckled, “Well said. Now, it's been a while,” he said with a crack of his neck, “But I guess I could flip my switch.”

In a moments notice, his normal grin became maniacal and blood thirsty. The air around him shook and the floor was crushed by his paws. His wings shot out as he activated his Steel Wing spell.

Black Wing went through the same experience. Both seemed to go into a battle crazed state in seconds.

Both of them disappeared a second after, a loud boom resounding in the room after they vanished, and the floor beneath where they were previously standing had become craters. They reappeared in mid air, their wings clashing and sending out a shock wave that shook the room before disappearing again. 

Again and again they clashed, their wing blades striking with more force than a lighting bolt, and just as fast too. It eventually sped up to the point where no pony could follow their movements, and could only see the various sparks erupting throughout the room where their wings made contact.

“Holy shit!” Ruppy exclaimed, “What the fuck is going on!?”

Before someone could answer, the clashing died down and both wolves went skidding across the ground on their paws, their claws digging in and tearing into the floor.

“Strike him down” Black Wing muttered as he shot out...black lightning? Was that really black lightning?

“Split.” Silver muttered back, as a vortex of wind quickly wrapped around him, then fired off a blade of wind.

The two magics collided and exploded, the shock wave causing the glass to wobble and flex.

Again, the two of them disappeared at a blinding speed, only their attacks thrown at each other were able to be seen as they danced across the room.

“What's going on? They're going to kill each other!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Of course, that's what they're trying to do after all,” Star Shine calmly explained.

The alicorn turned to the wolf with wide eyes, “They're what?!”

The battle continued to rage on as both wolves appeared again. Silver flew into the air, then bolted down towards Black Wing with a tunnel of wind surrounding his body, forming a point like a spear.

Black Wings body erupted with lightning and he bolted up towards Silver as well. They connected and the following explosion rocked the room harder than any of the previous ones.

When they finally landed, Twilight and the others had noticed something odd.

They were smiling.

Not a happy, everyday smile. Not a smile you make while you laugh. 

But a psychotic one. One that only a madwolf would wear, and at the moment, they indeed seemed like madwolves.

“There's something we should have told you, Princess,” Star Shine began, “About the wolves of Houndland. I'm sure you can tell that Silver is behaving in a way like you've never seen before.”

Twilight nodded.

“It's called the warrior gene,” she continued, “It causes high level of aggression in whoever is born with it. Unfortunately, all wolves have this gene. It's why we're all so adept in violence. But, there are some...exceptions, I suppose you should call them. You see, while all wolves are born with the gene, the females don't necessarily express it. It lays dormant until we're put under extreme duress or if our hormones get out of control, like when we're pregnant.

“But for the males, it's always present. Most learn to control their aggression though. Do you remember when we went into Silvers memories and stood on the water?”

Twilight again, nodded.

“That was his suppression. It was the barrier he used to keep himself from going out of control. But...every once in a while, they need to blow off some steam. If they don't, they become violent and burn everything around them. That's...what made Saber. He was out of control and fell prey to his instincts. It was the same with Black Wing.”

“Wait...do you mean that Black Wing's one of the Fallen Kings?” Twilight asked. It was a bit of a leap, but the way Star Shine phrased it made it seem like he was.

And she was right. The wolf nodded, “He was called Lancer at the time. And like Saber, he was one of the ones who ended the Territory Wars, at a price though. Anyway, my point is that the warrior genes aggression must be wrung out from time to time, otherwise they'll fall back into their old ways, and I don't think Equestria or any other country could survive that.”

“So they try to kill each other?” Ruppy flatly asked.

“It's the only way,” the wolf fired back, “There's no other creature that can take them on except for each other, and violence is the only way for them to work it all out.”

There was another earth shaking explosion and the two wolves flew across the room once more.

“Well by the looks of it, they have a lot of pent up aggression...” Twilight commented.

Silver bolted forward once more and Black Wing launched another bolt of black lighting. Silver weaved around it and got into his face, bringing his hind leg up and kicking the black wolf under the chin.

Black Wing was knocked back into a wall, but dug himself out seconds after. Six black balls of electricity formed around his body, then connected to each other in a chain. They all fired out six individual shots, all aimed for Silver.

The wolf of the wind took to the air, the lightning following after him as he flew around the room. He managed to dodge four of them, but was struck down by the last two and landed on the ground shortly after.

They were even now...

“What is that?” Twilight asked, “I've never heard of black lightning before.”

“Oh that? It's called a Lost Element,” Star Shine informed while punching in some data on the panel, “They're part of elemental magic but are thought to be long forgotten and lost in time. I've heard of a few creatures in the world that revive them by studying certain forms of the elements, but it's rare and I'm not sure if that's how Black Wing learned it. He won't tell anybody, not even Silver.”

“Hmm...” Twilight may have just found a new research project. If he won't tell, then she'll just have to experiment, “But then...what makes Silver so strong?”

Before she could get an answer out of the wolf in the room, Star Shine had turned to look at the room below.

Finally the violence below had died down, and the two wolves stood there huffing and grinning at one another from opposite sides of the room.

“Alright, I think they're done,” She clicked the button for the microphone once more, “Hey guys! You done?”

Both grinned up at the room, then fell over and collapsed on their sides.

“Silver!” Twilight called, then teleported out of the room and was by his side in milliseconds, “Silver, are you okay?!” she exclaimed.

The wolf nodded and rolled onto his stomach, picking his head up as he went to speak, “Yeah, I'm good. Never felt better, actually.”

The alicorn let out a sigh of relief, before sitting down and running a hoof over his back. The fur was slightly singed and a little bruised, but that was to be expected after all, “You know, I was going to ask you if you wanted to come with me to see Rainbow, but I think it's best if you rest for a little while.”

“No,” he grunted as he went to stand, “I want to see her too.”

“Are you sure you're okay to? You did just go a little crazy after all,” Twilight reminded, gesturing a hoof to the wrecked room. There were several dozen holes and craters punched into the walls, roof and floor where they magic and blows had missed or been reflected. How the room had not collapsed yet was still a mystery.

“Don't worry, I'll be okay,” he said as he brushed off some dust from his coat, “And I need to get the medicine for her from Star anyway.”

“You're giving her medicine?” the mare inquired.

“It's just something to help her sleep,” he informed, then began walking over to where Star Shine and the others were. Black Wing had raised himself at some point as well, and had already began talking with her.

“So how's it looking?” Silver asked as the two of them approached,  “Do you have an idea of what you want to do yet?”

Star Shine hummed as she looked over the numbers she had scribbled down on a clipboard before leaving the room, “Well, you're not in the worst of shapes,but you're definitely lacking. Compared to your peak conditions, you're both at about 60% strength.”

Silver winced, “Oh, that bad huh?”

“Afraid so. But don't worry, I'll come up with something. In the mean time, you two get back to your jobs,” she said, shooing them away with a paw.

“Okay then. But first, do you have that medicine I asked for?” the wind wolf inquired.

Star Shine paused and hummed for a moment, “Hmm...Oh yeah! It should be on your couch. I forgot about it when I grabbed you earlier.”

Silver sighed, “Alright then. First we can make a stop at my place, then we'll go see Rainbow. Ruppy and Onyx can put their stuff away too,” he noted, pointing out the pegasus mares exhaustion.

“Finally!” said mare groaned, “Now lets go home!”





The group had left the home of one wolf and traded it for the home of another. Everyone but Beats piled through the door, the stallion having left to go pick up his little sister.

And a few shovels...

Luckily for him though, since he didn't walk into the sight of a very angry earth pony mare sitting in Silvers living room. Honestly, the majority of his female guests have been found sitting on his couch with a wrathful look in their eyes at some point or another. But, fortunately for the wolf, he wasn't the main target of the wrath this time. No, that honor went to Ruppy.

Aerial turned from her position on the sofa, her glare causing every pony walking through the door freeze instantly.

“Hello...” she spoke with a low tone. She rose from her spot and marched over to the sandy pegasus, “You have some explaining to do...”

“Uh...I do?” Ruppy replied. She honestly hadn't known what she did wrong.

Aerial held her glare, her silence only adding to it's frightening appearance, “Do you know what I learned this morning?”

Ruppy shook her head.

“Well, I learned that a certain building was burned down last night in Manehatten,” she calmly informed, though her stare never ceased, “and over two dozen ponies were killed in it. The reports showed that they were already dead when the building collapsed, and from the looks of the bodies, the guard assumed it was the work of a rival gang.”

“Uh...” the pegasus uttered, unsure of where this was going. Sure, she could be upset about the killings, but then why was her anger directed only at Ruppy? Onyx was just as guilty, so why wasn't she on the receiving end as well?

Aerial let her sentence hang in the air for a moment before speaking again, “The Fallen Kings, Ruppy!” she shouted, her voice starling the others in the room, “I know you and Onyx had troubles with them in the past, and I also know you two went to Manehatten yesterday! Now tell me, was it the two of you!?”

Silver and Twilight had taken a step back, whispering to each other.

“They killed over two dozen ponies?” Twilight said in a hushed voice, though the tone she carried with it indicated her grieve and a slight anger.

“I meant to tell you about it, but I kept forgetting. Sorry...” he whispered back, his voice showing his own guilt.

The alicorn sighed. Well, in a way, he hadn't done anything wrong. After all, his promise not to kill unnecessarily only applied to him, not his protegees. Of course, if they were going to remain a part of her guard, that would have to change.

“Okay yes,” Ruppy stated calmly, “Onyx and I went to Manehatten and finished off what was left of the Fallen Kings. I can understand why you would be mad about that, but in our defense, they tried to kill us first.”

Aerials eyes went wide. Fear washed over her face as some of the color drained out of her, “You...you were what?”

“They attacked us on the way back from Las Pegasus two days ago,” Onyx informed, stepping into the conversation, “The new leaders were the old ponies we used to run with, and I guess they didn't like us leaving them for Silver, so they tried to have us killed.”

Aerial fell onto her haunches, slumping over with her head down, “You...you could have been...” she trailed off as she covered her mouth with a hoof, now only making shudders and gasps as she tried to fight back the worry building in her heart.

“Hey, hey,” the sandy pegasus comforted, pulling her into a hug with her wing “It's okay. You couldn't have known, and it's perfectly normal that you would get mad over us....killing so much...”

The words she spoke seemed to hold a different feel this time. Ruppy never had any trouble before with speaking about the ponies she's killed, save for those she killed when she went berserk. But now...it was like she'd crossed a line that was never there before. Like they'd done too much.

Aerial sniffled and shook her head, “It wasn't the killing I was upset about. I know the two of you have done it before and probably will again. It's just...it was just the two of you against a small army. You could have been killed and...I-I--” she choked on her words as a tear ran down her cheek, “I don't want to loose anymore of my friends....”

“Anymore?” Well that was something knew. Aerial had never talked much about herself, but they always figured that was because there wasn't much to talk about. She seemed like she'd had a normal life before she met Silver. Were they wrong?

But that would have to be answered later. Right now, Aerial needed comfort.

A brief gasp escaped from the crying mare as her chin was lifted by a sandy hoof, “Aerial...I'm sorry we made you worry, but this is what we do. This is going to be our life from now on. We'll finish our training an become guards for Princess Twilight. We'll have to put our lives on the line time after time.”

Aerials pained expression only grew as more tears found their way down her face.

That was, until she heard the next words spoken.

“But I promise you, that no matter what, we'll always come back. I don't care if we half to break through mountain, I swear to you, we will always come back home.”

The earth pony suddenly found herself wrapped in a hug from both sides as Onyx had joined in, “We promise.”

Aerial returned the hugs with as much strength as she could, “You better...” she whispered.

Twilight and Silver sat to the side, watching the moment unfold.

“I think our little family just grew by one more.”

Silver nudged the alicorn with a wing, “Come on,” he whispered, “Let's give them some time. Besides, we still need to go see Dash.”

Twilight nodded, leaning over to see the small bag of medicine on the couch and floated it over before silently making her way over to the door in Silvers paw-steps.

Now to go find a traumatized pegasus... Perhaps maybe her heart could be healed today as well, even if  it's only a little.
> Breaking Hearts and Lost Magic Arts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The flaps of Silvers wings filled Twilights ears along with the whistles of the air. She flew along side him as they headed towards Rainbows house, giving the occasional glance over to her wolf-friend. She could still see some of the bruises and scratches left on him from the earlier sparring, if that's what she could even call it.

After all, when two ponies, or in this case wolves, spar, they're supposed to pull their punches. Black Wing and Silver seemed to have forgotten that concept as they tried to kill each other. Their little exercise was supposed to do them some good, and while Twilight wasn't sure if it did work, she did know that it caused her to worry. Not only because she didn't want Silver to get into fights like that on a regular basis, but it was also the way he behaved while he fought.

Sure, Star Shine said that the warrior gene caused aggression, but was that really what she had seen when they fought? The look on their faces wasn't just hostility, it was...insanity.

“You okay?” Silver asked, having taken notice of the disheartened look on Twilight face.

“Huh?” the mare snapped out of her thoughts and looked to meet his gaze, “Oh, yeah. I'm fine.”

Silver slowed his flight and replied silently with an unconvinced look.

Twilight sighed and hung her head, “It's just...I'm just a little worried about you, okay? But we can talk about it later with Luna. She's a part of our herd too, so I think she should be there. For now, we need to get to Dash.”

The wolfs look remained unchanged before he nodded and resumed his previous pace. It took only another few minutes to reach the cloud house.

The couple landed on the front step and Silver knocked, “Rainbow!” He called, “Wakey-wakey!”

For once since he'd been to her house, she actually opened the door for him, “Silver?” she greeted with bright smile on her face, then turned to see the lavender alicorn at his side, “And Twilight?”

The second name was spoken with less joy and more confusion. It wasn't bad, and was actually expected by Twilight, but it still stung a little.

“Hey Rainbow. Sorry to drop by unannounced, I just wanted to see how you were doing,” The alicorn excused.

“Oh no, that's totally cool,” the pegasus replied, stepping the side and opening the door wider, “Come on in guys.”

The two entered and followed Rainbow to the living room where they all plopped down onto the couch, the pegasus of the three sitting in the middle.

“So Twilight, what do ya need?” She asked. She seemed bright and cheery, just as normal and confident as always.

“Oh, well I was wondering how you were feeling after...you know. What you saw,” Twilight couldn't form the words. It was just too hard to ask how some one was feeling after experiencing death.

The pegasus's eyes went wide for a moment, then turned she around to face Silver, “You...you told her?”

Silver shook his head, “She already knew that you were hurt, she just didn't know how badly.”

“It's true Rainbow,” the alicorn interjected, “Silver only told me you were having nightmares and trouble sleeping. I thought you were a little better after that first day, but...I was wrong.”

The mare in the middle huffed, “You got that right.”

“Come on Dash, don't be like that,” Silver said as he leaned over and cupped her cheek with a paw, “Twilight was worried about you, honestly. You and I both know she cares about you, just like every pony else does.”

The pegasus sighed and leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder, “I know...I'm sorry Twilight.”

Twilight sat and watched as Rainbow fell onto her wolf-friend. Had they always been so...close? She couldn't deny the twinge of jealousy that snaked its way into her heart when they came into contact. Knowing Silvers....habits, the second thing that sprung to her mind was just how close he'd gotten with  her, physically and emotionally.

“NO! NOT NOW! I need to be Rainbows friend, not a jealous marefriend...”

After a few moments of sitting like that, the wolfs head perked up, “Oh yeah,” Silver said as he leaned out of the pegasus's reach and grabbed the bag with the medicine, “I got Star Shine to make you something to help you sleep. Let's see...,” he trailed off as he began digging through the small bag. He pulled out four little pots, two blue and the other two read, along with a note.


For Rainbow Dash,
The medicine in the blue bottles will help you sleep and the supply should last about a month. Just simply mix in two teaspoons of the powder into a glass of water about ten minutes before you go to bed.

However, due to the herbs I used in the medicine, I'm not sure how effective these will be on a pony. Therefore, I cut back the dosage and supplied you with another medicine. The red bottles contain a powder that should give you an energy boost, and that I know will work on ponies.

I hope you feel better soon!



-Star Shine


Silver finished reading the letter out loud and set it back on the table before picking up the bottles. He popped off the cap of the blue one, then gave it a small sniff.

“Whoa...okay,” he announced with wide eyes, “Yeah, I remember this stuff. It'll work, no problems.”

“You've taken this before?” Twilight inquired.

Silver nodded, “Back in Houndland, before Star Shine and Black Wing were here, she used to slip these into our drinks when we got too rowdy. It's what made me start sniffing everything before I ate it.”

Both mares sat in surprise. Star Shine would drug her friends when they got a little crazy? That was....well crazy.

“Um...I think you need some new friends,” the rainbow pegasus advised.

Silver waved a dismissive paw, “Meh, it never hurt anything. And I do have new friends. You guys!” he reached over and wrapped them both in a hug, Rainbow groaning as she was the one stuck in the middle, “Besides, she's always tested her potions and stuff on us,” he said as he let them go, “A little sleeping powder is nothing to fret about.”

Again, both mares simply sat in shock...and maybe a little worry.

“Seriously, you need to stop hanging around her. She's going to kill you one of these days,” Rainbow added. Silver just rolled his eyes and looked at the red bottle.

Before he could grab it, Twilights magic had encased it and floated it over to the bag, “That's enough of that Silver. These are for Rainbow, not you,” she scolded.

“It's not like I was going to use them. I just wanted to see what they were made from,” the wolf clarified.

“It's still not yours. Now leave it alone,” the alicorn finished. Silver simply stuck out his bottom lip and pouted.

The pegasus in between couldn't help but giggle, “Honestly, you're like a couple.”

Both paused and looked at the mare, then to each other, then to the mare again. Rainbow caught the glances and began looking between the two of them, the pieces falling into place.

“You...you guys are...?” she began but trailed off.

Twilight chuckled nervously, “Umm...yeah. We started a herd  just yesterday actually. With Luna too.”

Rainbow kept looking back and forth between the wolf and the alicorn, silent as her jaw hung wide open. Twilight continued her bashful expression, and Silvers expression soon came to match it. But something was a little different about his. It was more pained than it was shy.

“So...I guess I was a little slow, huh? Never thought I'd see the day when I admit that.”

Rainbow hopped off the couch and turned to face the couple, “That's cool, I guess. Honestly, I wasn't really seeing it, but I haven't seen much of any pony these past few days. Oh well, I hope you guys are happy,”  She reached over and grabbed the bag on the stand next to the couch, “Thanks for this and for coming to see me. I feel a lot better already now that I got some good sleep, but I got to get going soon. I have work in about thirty minutes.”

“Oh, okay. Well, we'll see you later Rainbow,” Twilight replied and removed herself from the couch, stepping forward to hug the pegasus. Silver followed after and moved to do the same once Twilight let go.

“It'll get better, I promise,” he whispered to her.

“I know, that's what the medicines for,” she retorted.

Silver stepped back and shook his head, “That wasn't what I meant.”

“Come on Silver. We should go, Rainbow needs to get ready for work,” the alicorn reminded, not catching a word of their whispers.

“Coming,” he said, the followed her to the door. It open and then shut, leaving Rainbow alone with herself. After sitting for a moment, she left the living room and went up to the second floor to shower.

She turned the knobs and the water ran, filling the bathroom with the sound of running water as she put the medicine away in the cabinets to find later. She paused and sat on the floor, waiting for the water to get hot.

“So...Twilight and Silver huh? I'll admit, I didn't see it coming. And there's Princess Luna too. I wonder how he manged to make that happen...I'm sure they're all happy, though. 

...Well, this kinda sucks...

It doesn't hurt as much as I've heard it does though. All of those sappy break-up songs are kinda over exaggerating, I guess...

Huh? Why are my cheeks wet? I haven't gotten in the shower yet.”

Rainbow moved a hoof up to her cheeks, wiping the liquid off and looking at it as it ran off her hoof. She sniffled and wiped her cheeks again, and again and again. 

Why? Why won't they just stay dry?

Eventually, she gave up and allowed for the tears to run freely as she sat on the bathroom floor with her head down, her only company being the sound of the running water.

“It hurts...Celestia dammit, it hurts...”





The flight back to the library was silent. Both the wolf and alicorn had terrible thoughts plaguing their minds.

Silvers was warped with the guilt of having to break Rainbows heart. On top of the stress of the nightmares, he was worried about how she might cope. But trying to be there for her would only cause her more pain, and that applied to Twilight as well. He would need to have some pony else go in their place, at least until she felt better. Honestly, he hated having to do it that way, but he refused to leave her alone while she was hurting.

The worried thoughts running through Twilights mind were concerning the same mare, though the issue was vastly different. She couldn't help but think about the relationship between the wolf and the pegasus. While it wasn't full blown jealousy, there was a small twinge of insecurity.

“NO! I WON'T THINK LIKE THAT! It's just...Silver after all. He's always sweet to mares. I don't have anything to be worried about. And I doubt Rainbow would be attracted to him. She's never really been one for romance.”

Her insecurities now shallowly buried, she came out of her thoughts and turned her attention to the wolf flying beside her. His pondering expression only served to make her worry once more.

“Silver, what's wrong?” she asked.

Her wolf-friend shook himself from his thoughts, “Huh? Oh, it's nothing...” he lied. And Twilight knew it too.

Amid their flight, Twilight suddenly grabbed the wolf by the paw and dragged him over to a cloud big enough for the two to land on. Forcing him to sit, she turned and face him.

“Now talk,” she demanded.

Silver let out a sigh, “It's...it's Rainbow. I'm worried about her.”

Twilight stepped forward and took both of his cheeks in her hooves, “Silver, I'm worried too. But we can't keep suffocating her. She said she's feeling better and it seems Luna helped her last night. Now that she has her medicine, she'll be back to her old self in a few days. We just need to give her a little time.”

Silver shook his head, “It's not just the nightmares I'm worried about anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

The wolf looked at her with guilty eyes, then down to the cloud they sat on, “You couldn't tell? I think Rainbow...may have had feelings for me...”

The alicorns eyes went wide for a moment, before she ended up making an face similar to Silvers, “I...I knew...” she said as she moved her hooves down from his cheeks and around his neck, wrapping her arms around him in a hug while she buried her muzzle into his fur, “I was...jealous at first. I thought you might have had some...special moments with her. But I pushed them aside because I wanted to be there for her when she needed me. But when she found out about us...”

It was here that she shuddered and let out a hard breath, “Silver...I was happy. I was glad because I knew it would keep her away from you...I w-was happy to b-break her h-heart....”

Twilights grip tightened considerably as her shudders became chokes and cries, “I'm a terrible friend...I don't deserve to have friends or even be with you...I can't call myself the Princess of friendship anymore...”

“Twilight, that's not true,” Silver cooed as he wrapped his paws around her, “It's okay that you were little jealous, any pony would be. But that doesn't make you a bad friend, that just means you want me for yourself. And in a relationship, that's the way it's supposed to be. I'd feel the same if it were you and Black Wing. Hell, I would have tried to kill him by now.”

“But Silver, I was happy!” she exclaimed, “I was glad to know that I hurt her! I...”

“I know...but there's nothing you can do now. Rainbow will get over this, I know it. So don't worry, and just keep being her friend. That's about all you can do...”

“But how? How can I still keep being her friend after...”

“Because Twilight, I know you. You're one of sweetest mares in Equestria and the best friend any pony could ask for. Sure, she might hurt for a little while, but she'll get over it. She'll get over me and learn to move on. I know you'll find a way to make it up to Rainbow somehow, and when you do you'll make her smile brighter than ever, because that's what you do.”

Twilight remained silent, giving the occasional sniffle every once in a while. After a long moment, she finally looked up to her wolf, “Do..do you really think I can make it up to her?”

Silver smiled gently, “I know you can.  You're the Princess of Friendship, after all,” he leaned down and gave her a gentle peck on the head.

The alicorn nodded and wiped her eyes, “I'll find a way,” she promised to herself.

“That's my girl,” he said as he slipped under her and lifted her onto his back, “Now let's go back home. I still need to get somethings done.”

Twilight shuffled and shifted until she was comfortable on his back, “That reminds me, I still want to have that talk with you and Luna later,” she added after they began their flight, only an occasional sniffle recurring from her bout.

“Oh, yeah. What do you wanna talk about, by the way?” he asked.

“It's about that warrior gene Star Shine mentioned. I'm a little worried about how it may affect you.”

Silver chuckled lightly, “Oh, that's all?”

“Silver, it's a problem! The way it makes you act, it's--”

“Barbaric?” he finished.

“Well...yes.”

The wolf chuckled once more, “Well, we can finish this later. And don't worry Twilight. I'll explain everything to both of you.”





The rest of the flight home was simple chatter, save for when Silver made a stop by Sugar Cube Corner and picked up an abundance of ice cream. Twilight couldn't help but wonder what the occasion was, but hey, she was getting free frozen treats, so who was she to argue?

Once they reached the library, Silver went back to his home first while Twilight went to go wash her face. Tears don't exactly leave your cheeks feeling clean after all.

When the wolf entered his home, he found a cuddle pile of Ruppy, Onyx and Aerial on the couch watching T.V. The pegasus sat in the corner of the L-shaped couch, while the earth mare laid against her side and the unicorn against the other.

“Enjoying yourselves?” he asked as he leaned over the back of the couch. All three looked up to see him simultaneously, while Onyx raised a hoof and booped his nose.

“Boop,” she added with the notion. Silver wiggled his nose as her hoof tickled it.

After fighting off a sneeze, he brought up the bag of goodies from behind the couch, “Hey, so I picked up a ton of ice cream a minute ago, so you girls can help yourselves. Just make sure to leave at least three tubs of different flavors. Otherwise, Luna might kill all of us.”

“Three? Just how much ice cream did you get?” Ruppy questioned.

Silver shrugged nonchalantly, “Eight tubs. It was on sale, so I figured why not?”

All three mare burst out into giggles, “Honestly, you're going to make us fat,” Aerial added.

“Only cause I know I'm going to make you burn it off later in training,” he replied.

“Chocolate please,” Onyx requested while floating over three spoons from the kitchen. Silver fished out the tub and giving it over while the other two pondered for a moment as to what they wanted.

“Strawberry,” Aerial said after a short while.

“Hmm, I'm feeling” the pegasus hummed, “....OH! Do you have pineapple?!”

“Only because Twilight made me get it,” he informed, but gave it to her anyway. Really, the only reason she made him get it was to make sure they covered all the flavors. Neither of them were sure what Lunas favorite flavor was, so they figured why not get them all? “Alright, I'm going to put the rest of these in the fridge. If you need me, I'll be on the second floor. Just call for me.”

“Kay,” the all answered at once, turning their attention back to the screen.

Silver tucked the treats into the fridge and made his way down the hall and to the second floor. He strolled forward and stopped at the end of the hall, opening the door on the right.

It was shortly after that when Twilight came into the home. Noticing the mares on the couch but no wolf, she moved over to ask them.

“Hey girls,” she greeted, causing all three to look up once more, only this time with spoons in their mouths, “I'm guessing you saw Silver?”

All three nodded, “He's downstairs on the next floor. Just yell for him,” Ruppy informed. Twilight went  down the stairs and paused at the end  of the staircase, noticing the empty hall with no open doors.

“Umm, Silver?!” she called. After a moment or two of waiting, the door on the far right end opened and the wolf stuck his head out.

“Oh, Twilight. I'll be out in a minute,” he called back before pulling his head back in before she could ask what he was doing. The mare couldn't help but wonder what he was up to, but since there was no way for her to open the doors once they were shut, there wasn't much else she could do but wonder.

“I'll be in your library!” she informed to the wolf, not bothering to check to see if he heard her. Chances were he did. He had impeccable hearing after all.

Trotting down the staircase once more, she swiftly made her way to her favorite room in the home. Strolling over to the pillow pile she normal laid in, she plucked a few books off the shelves along the way before making herself comfy to begin reading.

Today's material was on Elemental Magic once more, though Twilight decided to focus on the Lost Elements. Black Wings lightning intrigued her and sparked her curiosity.

What was it? Where did it come from? Why was it “lost”? What made it different from normal lightning magic?

Oh, the questions that teased her only made her hunger for answers more.

It was only when she was finished with the first page of her reading that Silver had finally strolled into the room.

“Hey, whatcha reading?” he asked as he set down a hefty bag of something on the floor and took a spot next to her.

“Just some research on Lost Elements,” she informed, “I was curious after seeing Black Wings lightning, but I haven't gotten very far into it,” it was then that she saw the bag sitting in front of them, “What's that?”

Silver lifted the bag and made it jingle, the sounds revealing that it was filled with bits, “I intend on making a hefty purchase today.”

“So that room you were in was where you keep all of your money?” she inquired.

“I don't trust banks,” the wolf retorted with a nod.

Twilight was about to ask why before remembering his...“profession”. It made sense, seeing as how he would know how difficult (or in his case, easy) it would be to break into one.

“So what are you going to buy?” she asked.

“A grimoire. It's the last one we need, since apparently one of the other sellers didn't have it.”

It was then that Twilight paused and closed her book. Calmly, she looked up and asked, “You could have bought the books?”

Silver froze with fear. He'd completely forgotten to tell her about it. That he ended up killing the pony who owned the Fairy Wisps grimoire needlessly.

A frown quickly formed on his face as his ears and head dropped, “I'm..I'm sorry. I meant to tell you earlier, but I just kept forgetting. I didn't think about just buying the books, and...because of that...I...”

His voice trailed off as his head touched the floor. He crossed his paws over his muzzle to shield himself from Twilights stare. The silly wolf didn't even realize there was nothing to hide from.

Twilight gently wrapped her hooves around his neck for the second time that day, “Silver, it's okay. I'm just as responsible as you are. After all, I knew you were going to steal the book, and didn't think of another way to get it. So if you think I'm upset, then I'll tell you now that I'm not.”

She leaned her head over and placed a gentle kiss on his head, “It's okay. We made a mistake. Let's just be glad we didn't do it twice.”

Silver nodded and lifted his head, turning to face his mare friend, “You're right. It could have been worse.”

Twilight smiled and peck his lips, “There's my wolf. Now help me understand this Lost Magic thing,” she requested.

“Hmm,” the wolf hummed as he looked over the books, “I feel like it'd be better just to have you ask Black Wing himself,” he pointed out.

“How though? Isn't he all the way in the Crystal Empire already?”

Silver smirked, “He hasn't left yet. There's also some pony else I think you'd like to meet.”

Twilight beamed, “You mean I can actually ask him myself?!” While researching from a book is always a good source of information, finding out first hoof is always the best.

“Yeah, I'm sure he won't mind.”

Twilights grin only grew, “Yay!! But, whose the other pony you want me to meet?”

“It's a surprise.”





As it turned out, they only had to wait an hour or so until Ruppy bounded into the library.

“Hey Silver, one of the guards said Princess Celestias waiting on you,” she informed, before turning right back around.

Both the wolf and the alicorn raised from the pile of pillows and left, making their way straight to the conference hall. It was where they'd all met before, so it was obvious where they were.

“We're here!” Silver exclaimed as the entered the hall. Black Wing, Celestia and Radiance all turned to see the pair walk in.

“Twilight,” Celestia greeted, “I wasn't expecting you too.”

The smaller alicorn rubbed a hoof behind her head, “Honestly, I wasn't exactly expecting to come either. I was just hoping for a chance to speak with Black Wing.”

The mentioned wolfs head perked up before he came over to talk, “What can I help you with?” he asked.

“I was hoping you could tell me more about Lost Elements,” she requested, “I understand the story of how you obtained yours is a secret, so I won't ask you to tell. I was more hoping for a general explanation as too what they were.”

The black wolf nodded, “Certainly. Though, could we first settle the other issue here,” he said while gesturing a paw to the fox behind him.

“Hello,” Radiance said with a smile and a wave.

Twilight stared in fascination, “A vixen?” she awed as she brushed past Black Wing and to the fox, “I've never met a vixen face to face before. Were you born in Equestria, or the Foxan Islands? Or was it somewhere else? If you were born in Foxan, then what's it like there? How different are foxes from ponies? What about wolves? And grif--?”

The rambling alicorn was silenced by a paw over her lips, “Twilight, you're being pushy,” Silver scolded.

The shushed mare stepped back and gave a sheepish smile, “Sorry. I'm just a little excited.”

Radiance giggled, “It's alright. It's nothing worse than what Black Wing has put me through.”

“Oh, was little Blackie being naughty again?” Silver wondered aloud.

The black wolf had just then stepped forward to the group with Celestia behind him, “Of course I was. I'm always naughty.”

Silver chuckled at the confession, “True. I can't even begin to imagine the effect you're going to have of on the Crystal Empire now that wolves have been made public.”

“14” he replied simply.

His friend face-pawed, “Sweet fucking Empress. You're off your leash for one day, ONE DAY! How do you even have sex that many times in one afternoon!?”

All three females in the room blushed. They could feel the heat radiating off each others cheeks as they realized what the number meant.

“Well for one,” Black wing began, “I never said it was one by one. And two, it wasn't in one afternoon. More like the afternoon, and through out the night until dawn.”

“What did you have, an orgy!?” the wind wolf exclaimed.

His friend shrugged, “Pretty much.”

Silver stared dully, “You're a whore,” he replied flatly, “A cheap, dirty whore.”

Black Wing simply nodded in agreement, “You sound like the mares from yesterday.”

*Face-paw*

Finally, the other three managed to get their cheeks back under control and decided it would be best to move the meeting along.

“Silver, do you have the money?” Radiance asked, in a somewhat rushed manner.

The wolf raised and  jingled the bag, “Yep. I hope this is enough.”

The fox took the sack of bits into her grasp, “Yeah, that should do it. Alright, I'll go get the book and be back in a few days.”

“Before you go,” Celesta said stepping forward, “I think you should know that Duke Little Horn is looking for you. He came by the other day asking where you went, and insists he'll find you.”

The fox gave pause as the words hit her. Would she ever be rid of him? “Thank you, Princess Celestia. I'll be able to avoid him now,” she finished before heading to the door.

“Don't forget about my offer!” Black Wing called back to her. She paused for another moment, but didn't say anything and continued to leave.

“Awe, I didn't get any answers...” Twilight pouted, before remembering the wolf of her initial interest had still been in the room, “But you're still here!” she exclaimed while zipping over to Black Wing. With a flash of her horn, a pad and pencil appeared before her while sh eagerly waited.

The wolf chuckled and turned to face the mare, “Alright. What do you want to know first?”

“What are Lost Elements?” she asked.

“Lost Elements are forms of Elemental magic from long ago. Some are in the form of elements that don't naturally occur in the world, like Sky Magic. Others, like mine, are a variation of the normal elements. My Black Lightning is a more powerful form of normal Lightning magic.”

“So are all the Lost Elements more powerful than the normal?”

Black Wing waved a hoof in a so-so fashion, “Yes and no. It also depends on the user. If a newbie tried to use my magic and went against an expert Lightning magic user, then the normal would certainly win. But if some one of my level went against me with normal Lightning, then yes, I would win. So I suppose in a way, yes, the Lost Elements are more powerful if put into the right paws.”

Twilights pencil scribbled down the information as fast as she could, “Okay, now why are they called Lost Elements?”

“They called that because they were lost to time. Over the centuries, they were no longer used, due to many different reasons such as  being outlawed or they were too hard to control. In any case, they weren't practiced anymore and therefore, lost. We still have documentation about them though, so we know what some of the Lost Elements were, and are trying to recreate them.”

“Recreate them? How?” she asked.

“Well, I can't tell you my story, but the other Elements we know of seemed to be pure, in a way. They were perfected forms of the basic elements. We have our mages study and train in one specific element their entire lives, learning to use them in all fashions of manner. The only hard part is figuring what it takes to master it.”

Twilight paused for a moment and hummed while chewing on the eraser of her pencil, “I don't suppose I could take a look at some of your data?”

Black Wing shrugged, “Well I'm not the one running the test, Star Shine is, so you'll have to ask her. But if she does agree, then your more than welcome to look at my personal data. I'm sure she has plenty of research material around her place as well.”

The lavender alicorn beamed, “Thank you!” she exclaimed, squeezing the wolf in a tight, quick hug before dashing out of the room.

The remaining three in the room all chuckled at the little mares antics.

“Honestly, that filly will never change,” Celestia giggled.

Silver smiled and nodded, “And I hope she never does.”
> Debauchery Begins and Onyxs Sin
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luna shuffle and straightened the papers on her desk, setting them in a neat pile to be filed away later. Unfortunately, ever since Silver had arrived, she had been sleeping through the nights instead of staying awake as she normally would and do all the paper work she had.

It was true that she could still perform most of her duties as Princess of the Night even while sleeping, but that didn't include the papers that came with it.

The alicorn let out a tired sigh as she got up from behind her desk and trotted over to the door, pulling it open with her magic and stepping out into the hall. Sadly, even alicorns had to answer natures call.

To add on to the annoyance of the paperwork and discomfort of having to pee, as soon as she stepped out, she was knocked over by a strange purple blob.

Wham!

The two forms collided and smacked into the ground just as hard as they had into each other.

“Oof!” Luna coughed as she hit the floor, “Who the hell is run-!” she began, only to see that the pony in trouble is none other than her lover, “Twilight?”

The lavender mare shook her head, “Huh? Oh, Luna!” she exclaimed, still laying a top of her, “I was wondering where you'd went,” she leaned over and peck the midnight mare before climbing off her, “Sorry about that. I was in such a rush to go see Star Shine I must have not been paying attention.”

“It's alright Twilight dear,” Luna forgave, planting a small kiss of her own onto the younger alicorns cheek, “Why are you in a rush though? Has Silver gotten into trouble again?”

Twilight giggled and waved a hoof, “No, I just learned a few things and I wanted to go talk with Star Shine about them. Although, I was hoping to talk with you and Silver about something later. Do you think you have the time?”

The question made Luna begin to worry a little. Was something wrong? Had one of them done something that upset the lovely little lavender mare? Then again, they'd only been together a day, so it was natural that there were things that needed to be discussed. But being anxious now wouldn't help anything.

So Luna stepped forward and gave Twilight another quick kiss, this time on the lips, “For the two of you, I have all the time in the world.”

The lavender mares cheeks warmed and turned pink. She wasn't quite used to talk like that, although was more than welcomed. She gladly returned the gesture with a kiss of her own, this one longer and deeper than her marefriends.

Once the kiss broke, she leaned forward and whispered in Lunas ear, “Thank you. I'll see you later tonight.”

With one final peck on the cheek, she turned went down the hall once more, leaving an all too giddy Luna standing by herself.

The alicorn moved her hoof up to her mouth, remembering the taste of Twilights lusciously soft lips that were were pressed against her own not ten seconds ago.

“She...I...I can't believe it. We're really together. We're all finally together. I can honestly call them mine, and I'm theirs.

I'm...I've never been so...”

It was this moment when Luna realized just what exactly she had in her life. Sure, she and Twilight exchanged the gesture the night before, but she was still high on the excitement of creating her herd.

But now things had slowed down, at least a little. What had started off as a boring day at work quickly became one of the most memorable days of her life within the few minutes that had just passed and the realization that came with it.

She was loved.

Oh, what a wondrous feeling it was! Her tummy danced with delightful butterflies and her smile was brighter than the sun her sister controlled. The paperwork on her desk suddenly seemed far less tedious and much more like an activity which would allow her to pass the time until she got to see her two favorites once more.

Even the sunlight filtering through the windows looked far more vibrant than it did before mere seconds ago. Every little thing seemed to be better simply because Luna knew she had mare and a wolf who loved her, and were waiting to see her at the end of the day.

Sure, their talk might put a bit of a damper on her mood later on, but Luna had a feeling that it wasn't a big a deal as Twilight was making it out to be. After all, she didn't seem all that worried, but there was one way to be sure.

Time to go ask the wolf.





A quick trot down the hall and stop to the bathroom saw to solve Lunas discomfort, and now she was tasked with finding her wolf-friend. Going based off of where Twilight was coming from earlier, she assumed he must have been in the Conference hall.

Another trot later and she found the wolf sitting in the hall with her sister and Black Wing.

“Hello all,” she greeted as she stepped in. All heads turned and their eyes fell to the mare.

“Oh, Luna! I wasn't expecting to see you this early,” Silver greeted as she came closer and sat next to him. He wrapped a wing around her and pecked her cheek,“But I'm not really complaining either.”

“Um Silver,” Luna said as a fierce blush took control of her cheeks, “Not that this isn't unwelcome, but...” she trailed off as she pointed a hoof to Celestia and Black Wing. The alicorn of the two simply watching with a raised brow, and the wolf with goofy grin shamelessly plastered on his muzzle.

“Huh?” Silver followed the hoof and noticed the other two in the room, “Oh, they know already. Sorry, I kinda let it slip when you first asked to make a herd.”

Luna was quickly overcome with a sudden fright before her sister spoke up.

“Luna, it's fine. I've already given my blessing. Not that it was really necessary. Silver would have done it with or without my permission,” Celestia explained with a sigh. She stepped forward and gave her little sister a hug, “I'm just glad you're happy.”

The smaller alicorn quickly returned the gesture, “Oh, thank you so much sister! I've never been happier!” she exclaimed.

Meanwhile, the black wolf in the room exploded with excitement, quickly tackling Silver in a bone-crushing hug, “FINALLY!”  he squealed while Silver gasped for air, “YOU FINALLY MOVED ON!!”

“Black....can't....breathe!!!” the crushed wolf wheezed out.

Black Wing quickly let go of Silver when he finally saw that he was turning blue, “Oops...sorry. But I'm just so happy! You haven't gone on a single date since Aurora, or even had sex at that! And now this! A herd with two wonderful alicorn princesses!”

Just as Silver managed to regain his breathe, he was wrapped in yet another hug, this one not as suffocating as the one before, but still tight, “I'm so happy for you!”

Silver chuckled and hugged him back, “Thanks Blackie.”

Another pair of giggles came from the two alicorns, “Honestly, that might be the sweetest thing I've seen all month,” Celestia said, not bothering to hide the rest of her light laughter.

“Oh sister,” Luna half-chided, “You shouldn't tease,” the alicorn wrapped Silver in a blue aura and pulled him to her, snaked her hooves around his waist and nuzzled herself into his chest, “He's mine after all, and it won't do to have you make fun.”

The ivory alicorn giggled, “Fine, fine. Spoil my fun, why don't you.”

“So Luna, what made you stop by?” Silver asked, looking down at the mare and causing her to look up from her nuzzling.

“Oh that's right, Twilight said she wanted to talk with us about something. I was a little worried, so I figured you might know,” she explained.

The wolf in her arms sighed, “She's worried about the warrior gene. She's afraid of the way it makes me act.”

Luna cocked her head to the side, “The warrior gene? I thought you could control that?”

“We can, it's just that she saw me and Black Wing work off some of the aggression today so she's concerned.”

“Oh, I see,” she hummed and resumed her nuzzling, “Oh well. I suppose everything will be cleared up later tonight then? She wants me to stop by later.”

Silver shrugged, “My place?”

“As always. But like I said, that will be later tonight,” Luna sighed as she let go, “Unfortunately, my nights spent with you have allowed my paperwork to pile up, and I'm going to need the rest of the day before I can actually make some progress with it. So I'm going to have to go now,” she finished her final nuzzle and gave him a smooch, “Mwah.”

Silver gladly kissed back before she let go, “I'll see you later then,” he said as her arms fell loose. She simply nodded and headed out the door.

“Bye Black Wing. It was nice seeing you again,” she called over her shoulder and gave a little wave. The wolf waved back with the same goofy grin he had before.

“Bye-bye!” he exclaimed before the door finally shut. He turned to face his best friend, the smile never fading.

“Okay, now you're just being creepy,” Silver said flatly.

Black Wing chuckled and shook his head, some how managing to make his grin less unsettling, “Sorry, can't help it.”

“I can understand why,” The alicorn in the room spoke up, “Luna seems absolutely smitten with you and Twilight. Honestly, how can one not smile?”

Silver rolled his eyes, “Don't you have a country to run?” he fired back.

For the umpteenth time that day, Celestia giggled at Silvers expense, “Very well, I'll stop. But I do need to get back to my study. I have papers to go over as well. Good day you two,” Celestia said before heading to the door.

Both wolves waved and said farewell, before being left with each other. A moment of silence rung out before Black Wing spoke up.

“Come on, let's go to the library. I've got some time to kill before I have to go back,” he suggested.

Silver shrugged and followed the wolf out of the room and down the halls until they came to their destination. Trotting inside, Black Wing made his way over to a table next to a window and pulled out a small box.

“Game of Chess?” he offered.

“Sure, why not?”

A quick set up later and the game begun.

“You know,” Black Wing began after setting his piece, “I don't think I've bothered to ask yet, but how do you feel about all this?”

The way he spoke seemed different. It wasn't the normal way he talked, with vigor, excitement and perversion, but instead with the voice of a wise old wolf. In a way, he was.

After all, he and Silver were about the same age, so he had over a century of knowledge tucked away in that head of his.

“You can't tell?” Silver quirked. Of course he knew Black Wing could. It was what made his special after all.

“I don't like always relying on my Soul Sight to tell what you're feeling. Besides, just because I can see auras doesn't mean I can't ask. It's so much more fun to get you to tell me.”

Silver moved his piece, “Honestly...I have no idea what I'm feeling,” he began. His eyes seemed to stay glued to the board, and yet he looked as if he were staring right through it, “I have this amazing feeling bubbling in my stomach, and my heart just seems so light. Every little thing in the world seems to be a little better now that I have Twilight and Luna, but I feel like I can't explain it properly.”

Black chuckled, “I think Equestria has done you some good, and I don't just mean getting back to dating.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Silver began after his opponent moved, “I'll admit, back in Houndland, I was carefree. I had friends and love and everything a wolf could ask for. But here...it's a different kind of happiness. I'm not just cheery, I'm...content. I don't want for anything else other than those two and to look after the girls.”

“Careful there, you're starting to sound like an elder,” Black joked, “But...I think that's good. Maybe you should think about becoming one.”

Silver paused in the middle of moving his piece, “Are you saying I should step down as Alpha?” he wasn't angry, but just surprised. He wasn't expecting his life long friend, one of the wolves who helped him build the pack, suggest that he step down.

It was here that Black Wing let out a sigh, “Look Silver, you've done more than enough for the Black Moon Pack.  You helped bring it together and keep it that way even when half of the Alphas are too busy with other responsibilities. Hell, you've died for us! You've done your part. Now it's time you take a rest.”

Silver set down his piece and a small smile formed on his muzzle. It was bittersweet, just like so many of his smiles had been over the years.

“A rest, huh? You know what? That actually sounds pretty nice,” his voice and his smile matched perfectly, and Black Wing could hear not only the hurt in his words as he spoke, but also the relief that came with it, “Truth is Black, I'm tired. I have been for a long time now. I've been around the world a dozen times, and while I loved every second of it, I've also grown weary. My legs have shook and my will faltered. I've thought about retiring, to be honest; and not just one time. Picking one of the Betas to fill my spot, and maybe settling down somewhere. I figured I'd open a little cafe or something. Maybe a bakery.

...But not right now, I'm afraid. I need to stick with it a little longer. But don't worry, I won't let the job be the death of me.”

His friend looked across the board in amazement as his piece slipped out of his paw. In a flash, Silver soon found himself in another one of Black Wings hugs.

“Thank you,” he whimpered, “You have no idea how worried we were. Everyone in the pack could see it, but we were afraid you wouldn't listen to us and end up running yourself ragged. But now,” he sniffled as he pulled back, looking Silver in the face with the brightest grin, “We don't have to worry.”

The wind wolf chuckled, “Sorry about that. I didn't mean to scare you. But like I said, I'll stick with it for a little longer. There's still some things I need to get done.”

“Of course,” he said before looking down at the table, “Oops, I messed up the game.”

Silver waved a paw, “Meh, it's fine. You should be getting back to the Crystal Empire anyway. You do have a job to do.”

Black Wing glanced over at the clock, “Oh crap, you're right! Later, bye!” he rushed out before bolting out the door, leaving a chuckling wolf behind.

“I'll step down....Some day.”





Silver spent the rest of his day in his smith room, banging away at the metal bars and shaping them into the desired form.

He lost track of just how long he'd spent in there, until a knock came from the door and a familiar voice followed.

“Silver,” Luna called through the wood, “Are you in here?”

The wolf set the hammer down and moved to open the door, “Luna? What are you doing here? I thought you had paperwork?”

The alicorn stared with a confused look, “I did, but I finished about twenty minutes ago.”

“Really? That was fast. It only took you and hour and a half to do it.”

It was then that Luna raised a brow, “Silver, it's night. I just raised the moon. What do you mean it only took an hour and a half?”

Silver stopped and shook his head, looking to the clock on the wall, “9:00? It's been six hours?”

Luna stepped into the room and placed a hoof on his head, “Are you feeling alright? You seem a little out of it.”

Silver waved the hoof off, “I'm good, I just got distracted in here. I can't see the sky, so I can't tell time without looking at the clock.”

“Hmm. If you say so,” she backed down, “But you need to wash up. Twilight will be here soon and I'd rather you didn't stay covered in filth.”

The wolf looked down at his fur, which was now covered in soot and filings. While the apron had caught most of it, much of his body was still discolored.

Admiring to his uncanny appearance, Silver removed his apron and walked across the hall to the bathroom.

“I'll only be about ten minutes,” he informed Luna, who'd already began heading to the library.

“Okay, I'll be waiting, “ she called back.

And so began the shower. It was difficult getting his fur back to it's normal color, but with some time, a   ton of shampoo and lots of scrubbing, he was back to his normal shine.

A quick dry off with a towel and spell and Silver soon reemerged from the steamy bathroom, spic and span and smelling fresh.

He trotted down the hall and entered the library, and instead of only finding Luna, he found her along with Twilight and two tubs of ice cream.

Both were snuggled together and happily eating away at their treats while sitting in front of the heat crystals he kept in the room. It was November, and winter was coming so it got a lot colder in the home than normal.

“I see you two are enjoying yourselves,” he said with a slight chuckle before laying down and taking a spot beside Twilight.

“Nom—Naturally, nom nom—What else is one to do when they have ice cream and a marefriend,” Luna retorted.

The lavender alicorn next to him floated up a spoonful of vanilla and chocolate swirl, “Care to join us?”

Silver happily chomped down onto the spoon, “Nothing would make me happier,” he said after swallowing and then laid his head down onto the mare. He sighed contentedly and nuzzle the fur on the side of her neck, eliciting a giggle from Twilight. 

“Long day?” she asked.

The wolf shook his head, “No. I'm just...tired is all.”

“Awe,” she cooed, lifting a hoof to gently stroke his head, “There, there. Just a little longer and you can relax all you want.”

It took a moment for him to remember, but he finally caught on, “Oh right. The warrior gene thing,” he said as he raised his head, “What is it you wanted to know about?”

Twilight and Luna both set their tubs down before the former spoke, “Silver, I'm worried about you. This gene makes you act insane and it seems you can't control it. You can keep it suppressed for a while, but it'll build up and eventually break free. I don't want to see you loose control like that.”

“Twilight, I'm telling you it's nothing to worry about,” he said in a soothing tone, “It's true that the warrior gene causes aggression but it won't get out of control.”

“But it will,” Twilight fired back, “Star Shine said that when it builds up too much, you'll snap. It's what made you act the way you did when you still went by Saber. And if it happens again, then you might end up like that again.”

“My actions back then weren't caused by my genes. I won't chalk it up something like that. Star Shine might be willing to but I refuse to. She always tries to find a way to blame it on something else instead of admitting that I was a monster back then. The gene didn't make act the way I did. It was all me. Not some sequence in my DNA.”

“Twilight, I think Silver may be right,” Luna spoke up, “It's true that there are somethings in our genetics that can influence our behavior, but that doesn't mean it has full control. The things Silver did were not done by his blood, but his will. His genes are not responsible for that.”

Twilight sighed and hung her head, “It's just...I'm afraid of what you might do. That maybe you'll get mad at us one day and--”

The lavender alicorn was cut off when she her lips lock with the wolf on her side. After a moment, the kiss broke and Silver looked her in the eyes.

“Twilight, the day I hurt either of you will be the day I take my own life,” he swore.

The mare shook her head and leaned it against his neck, “Don't make that promise. I don't want to think about you doing something like that...”

“Sorry. But Twilight you need to understand that while the gene does create aggression, it doesn't mean I can't control it. What you saw earlier today was just me and Black blowing off steam so Star could get the data. Nothing more. So try not to think about it.”

Twilight nodded and mumbled, “Okay then.”

“If you want something else to think about,” Luna offered, “Then how about what Silver looked like when he was in the shower.”

The mare of her herd mates head shot up in a bright pink blur, “What?!” she exclaimed.

“Silver, you know. In the shower,” she repeated ever so nonchalantly. In truth, she really just wanted a change of topic. The warrior gene was clearly of little concern to Silver, and if he said he could control it, then who was she to say otherwise. Twilight may have been worried, but with what Luna had in mind, she wouldn't be for much longer.

The mentioned wolf simply chuckled and rolled his eyes, “Luna, you shouldn't tease. Twilight's innocent in the ways of love,” he quipped.

“Well then let's teach her all we know~,” The midnight alicorn with in a sultry voice and lustful eyes. She leaned over and nipped Twilights ears, causing her to let out a small “meep”. Stuck between the two of them, there wasn't much else Twilight could do. Lunas nips continued down the back of her neck while the mare she was “eating” was letting out small whines of pleasure. 

It was then that a pair of lavender wings slowly rose into Silvers view.

“Oh? It seems you're really enjoying yourselves now,” he quirked.

Luna paused from her teases, “To quote Twilight, 'Care to join us?'”

(Clop chapter here.)





Silver exited the bathroom after having showered for the second time that day. After the activities in the library, he figured it'd be best if he used the one upstairs by himself while Luna and Twilight used the one below, to make sure they actually got clean instead of making themselves even dirtier.

He strolled out of the halls and into the living room, thinking he would find the mares if they'd finished showering already. Instead of finding his herd mates, he found an empty couch, but noticed a figure out on the porch.

The wolf stepped out, causing the mare to turn around. He found Onyx's sapphire blue eyes staring back at him, before she turned back and stared at the sky.

“Hey,” he greeted as he took a seat next to her, “What are you doing out here so late?”

“Couldn't sleep,” she admitted, “What about you?”

“Uh...” he fumbled.

Onyx whiffed the air for a moment before shaking her head, “Never mind. You smell like sex.”

Silver reared back in surprise, “You can smell that?”

The unicorn rolled her eyes, “Well that, and I could hear you when I came out of my room.”

The wolf blushed and thunked his head on the wood railing of the porch, “Just forget everything you heard. Never let Luna or Twilight know that you know.”

“Gee, I don't know. I think 'cum-dump' is a fitting nickname for the Princess of Friendship,” Onyx teased.

Silver shot his head up and glared while the mare laughed. It was a rare occasion for her to do so, but every time she did her smile seemed so bright.

Opting to ignore the previous discussion, Silver moved to change the topics, “So, you're just out here because you couldn't sleep?”

Onyx nodded as she wiped away a joyful tear before turning back to look out over the mountain side.

All was silent for a long moment before she spoke up once more, “Silver, there's something I've been meaning to tell you since I got back from Manehatten,” She spoke with a grave tone, one that Silver wished he never had to hear.

“What happened?” he asked.

“You know how me and Ruppy killed the Fallen Kings?”

Silver nodded.

“Well...I kinda lost it when we did. I acted...well, insane. The truth is I was going to make the leader watch while I...” she trailed off as she held her head down. A silence rang out before,

“Killed his friends?” the wolf finished.

The unicorn only shrunk further down as a small whimper escaped her. She wasn't afraid of being kicked out anymore. No, now it was a fear of being hated.

By him.

“It's not just that...” she squeaked out, “I've done it before you know. Made ponies watch while I...”

“Why am I still talking?”

“I don't know why I do it...”

“I know he's going to hate me, so why....?”

“But...I like it....”

“Why am I such a monster?”

The mare broke down into sobs. Why? Why did she care so much? Why did it matter if he hated her? Why did it matter if she was a monster?

“Onyx, it's okay...”

The soothing words rushed over her like a warm blanket on a cold night. She turned her head and looked up, only to find the wolf staring off into the night sky. In that moment, something seemed different about him.

His eyes... In the pass of a moment, his eyes suddenly looked so very old.  They changed from their normal, bright and cheery glint; so young and full of energy...and they had become ancient, weary and tired. Those eyes that told a thousand tales; and oh what grand stories they were.

The adventures and journeys he'd had over the years. The new friends he'd made and places he'd seen. The beauties of the world and the underbelly that came with it. Every step he took, cherished and held on to.

But among those was also the crimes he'd committed. The creatures he'd hurt and damaged he'd done. The lives taken and the lives he simply couldn't save. The king of Tartarus himself couldn't count his sins.

“I can't judge you for something I've done myself after all,” he said after a while.

“He...he what?”

“The things I've done throughout the century and a quarter make your actions seem like misdemeanors. I've slaughtered dozens out of jealousy and flattened villages on a whim. I have no right to judge you whatsoever. Not with the blood on my paws."

“Onyx, I'm not going to say that what you did is acceptable to everyone else. It's unsettling and I'd rather you refrain from doing it again. But I do understand. There are some parts of ourselves that we don't fully comprehend, and yet they continue to exist. We can't lock them out, and yet we can't control them either. So they sit there, waiting for their chance to strike when our emotions are out of our control and our thoughts clouded. All we can do is avoid giving them those opportunities.”

“So...I'm still just a freak huh?” she moped.

“No,” Silver replied in a hushed tone, wrapping an arm around her in an embrace, “You're not just a freak. You're a freak with a family and you're not alone in this. You have Ruppy and Beats as well. Twilight and Aerial care for you too, though they can't quiet be lumped in with us, but I swear you will never be just a freak. 

He pulled back and brushed the hair out of her eyes, then cupped her cheeks with his paws, “And as for me, you'll always be my precious little gem, no matter what you do. My little Onyx that shines with a radiant black beauty; flawless and stunning even in the dark of the night.”

The words resounded through her mind and settled in her heart, and the mare suddenly found the answers to the questions she asked before.

Why did she care?

Why did it matter if she was a monster?

Why did it matter if he hated her?

“Goodnight Onyx,” The wolf said as he leaned forward, placing a kiss on her head before turning and heading to the door.

The answer was so clear  and simple as the moment passed; as she watched the wolf walk away. Time slowed and seemingly paused as thoughts raced through her mind. Only one actually made past her lips, though her voice could not carry it far enough for him to hear.

“I love you...”
> Onyx the Bard and The Eventide Guard 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luna pulled the shower curtain back with a hoof while using her magic to float a towel over to her. She stepped out onto the rug, her mane soaking wet and clinging to her neck and cheeks, her dripping coat outlining the already curvaceous body to show it off even more.

Twilight watched as the mare dried off, entranced by her hypnotic figure as the towel draped and ran over her body.

“Now Twilight, if you keep staring so hard, you're going to make me embarrassed,” Luna commented, picking up on her marefriends gaze. 

Twilight quickly shook her head and slowly sunk it down under the water, her own blush still clearly visible through the water and bubbles.

“Blub-blub-blub-blub,” she bubbled from under.

Luna simply giggled and trotted over, dipping her hooves under the water to raise the younger alicorns head, “Care to repeat that?”

The mares blush reddened and she couldn't make eye contact, choosing staring at the bubbles instead while she spoke, “Sorry...you're just really beautiful...”

Luna was actually surprised at the compliment, her eyes widening a bit at the statement as it hit her before a gracious smile appeared. She leaned over the edge of the tub and pushed a loving kiss onto Twilight, both of them melting into their affections for one another.

A familiar heat built up in their chest and lustful desires were sparked once more. As they broke apart, both found themselves panting heavily with a half lidded gaze, “Perhaps we should stop here,” Luna admitted, “We've had enough activities to last us for the night, and I for one am rather tired,” 

Twilights head sunk back down, though not fully submerged. The mare leaning over the edge of the tub simply rolled her eyes and pecked her on the horn, “Sometime later, dear. But there's actually something I've been meaning to ask you about that.”

Twilight allowed her head to resurface once more, “What is it?”

Luna pulled back from the edge of the tub and began fidgeting with her hooves, “Well...it's a little silly to ask now...but can we, um, you know...get pregnant from Silver?”

The mare in the tub sat stunned, “You mean you let him...without knowing first?” she asked in near disbelief.

“It was a spur of the moment thing!” Luna defended, “I know it's hard for alicorns to get pregnant from stallions which is why there are so few of us, but I'm not sure if that applies to wolves as well. It's an entirely different species, so...”

Twilight closed her awe-struck mouth and giggled before stepping out of the tub, “Yes, we can get pregnant from him, but the chance is very slim. We're too very different races after all.  Besides, Zecora has some morning after potions. I'll go get some from her tomorrow just to be safe.”

It was Lunas turn to stare in amazement. Twilights body was smaller, but had more plump to it. She wasn't chubby by any means, but what little extra weight she did have showed itself in all the best ways. Especially in that flank of hers~

“Luna?” Twilight called, snapping the alicorn out of her day dreams.

“Huh?” she asked with shake of her head.

“I asked if you wanted to come with me tomorrow,” the mare repeated, floating over a towel of her own, “You know, to Zecoras. She's one of the ones who helped me during Nightmare Night. The zebra witch doctor. Do you remember her?”

“Oh! I'm sorry Twilight, but I'm afraid I'll be busy tomorrow,” she excused, floating over her shoes, tiara and necklace but not bothering to put them on, “I still have paperwork to finish.”

Twilight waved a hoof, “It's fine. I'll drop it off here so you can come by and get it. I still need to interview Beats, so I won't be able to give it to you myself. I just hope Ruppy or Onyx don't see it.”

Luna raised a brow, “Oh, why's that?”

“They'll tease Silver until he tries to kill one of them,” she joked....mostly, receiving a light laugh from her marefriend.

“Speaking of our wolf, don't you think we've kept him waiting long enough?” Luna said as she hung the towels over the rack.

Twilight replied with a giggle, “Yes, I believe he's suffered from our absence long enough.”

Both mares trotted out of the bathroom, their bodies only slightly damp and manes still flat. As they reached the top floor, they noticed the absence of the wolf they were looking for. Their first place to check was the bedroom, but finding it empty left them wondering where else he could be.

Twilight suggested asking Ruppy or Onyx, but figuring that waking either of them would lead to their deaths, they quickly decided to just search the third floor. A quick trot later and they realized just where the wolf was, as they heard a piano playing as they came down the staircase.

Doing as they did before, both mares quietly stalked down the hall and cracked the door to the music room open...only to find the one at the keys was not Silver. The room was dark, illuminated only by the moonlight shinning through the circle window above.

The light shown on the figure on the bench, revealing a coal black coat that shimmered in it's graceful silver gleam.

It was Onyx. Her mane was let down out of it's normal braided pony tail, now flowing freely in luscious waves.

Her black hooves gently danced across the piano in a simple, yet soothing tune. Her lips parted, and she  a silky voice flowed free.

♪♫There are loved ones in the glory
Whose dear forms you often miss.
When you close your earthly stories,
Will you join them in their bliss?♪♫

Oh sweet heavens, could every being living in that home sing with a voice that put angels to shame? Every word, syllable and letter sung with a flood of emotions.

And yet, they couldn't pinpoint what emotion it was. Was it grief, or peace? Pain, or joy? It was so enticing, the feeling that the song provoked. Both mares were so enraptured by the performance, neither of them noticed the figure coming from behind.

“Beautiful,” a voice whispered. Both mares turned around to find the wolf they'd been searching for standing behind them, a small smile on his muzzle, “I've always known she'd had an amazing voice,  but I wasn't sure if she knew it herself. It seems she does though.”

The mares turned their attention back to the one mare show,

♪♫Will the circle be unbroken? 
by and by, ohhh, by and by.
Is a better home awaiting,
In the sky,ohh, in the sky?

In the sky, in the sky...♪♫

Her hooves stopped moving and the room fell silent. Her eyes slowly lifted and their sapphire hue were irresistible to look at in the dark. All was still for a moment.

Until the unicorn leaned forward, resting her head on the piano. The three in the hall continued to sit for another few minutes, no one daring to speak until they heard a small snoozing sound coming from the room.

Silver stepped forward, pushing the door open the rest of the way and walked over to the sleeping mare while the other two followed behind.

“I had no idea she could sing like that,” Twilight commented in amazement, “It makes me wonder what her life would have been like if she didn't live on the streets. She could have had a great career as a singer.”

“Indeed,” Luna agreed, “I dare say she gives you a run for your money Silver. Her voice is simply astounding.”

The wolf chuckled, “I wish she would pursue it instead of this life. Honestly, the more time I spend with these two, the less I want them to become soldiers,” he lifted a paw and ran it through her mane, earning a gentle moan from the mare while she shifted. 

“Her voice is without a doubt beautiful, but this moment feels so melancholy. One could even say tragic. After all, when was the last time you heard of a mare so unwanted she had to sing her own lullaby to fall asleep...”

Silver gently slipped under her and lifted her onto his back, “Come on. We should all get to bed now,” he whispered and headed to the door. All three left the room with silent steps. When they got to the first floor, Silver turned to Luna and Twilight, “You two go ahead. I'll tuck her in.”

The mares nodded and shuffled off to the bedroom while Silver went to Onyx's. He pulled the covers back and gently slipped her onto the bed, tucking the blankets around her to keep her nice and snug.

“She was at the piano, wasn't she?” a voice came from behind. Silver turned to find Ruppy standing in the doorway, her mane slightly out of place from what he thought was her having laid in her bed.

“Ruppy, what are you doing up?” he asked.

The pegasus walked into the room, taking a seat at the bedside of the unicorn and next to Silver, “Do you have any idea how long it's been since she's sang?” she questioned, ignoring his own. In truth, she'd rather not tell him that she was helping Beats bury a body.

Silver looked at her in confusion and before he could say anything, she continued.

“Years, Silver. It's been years since I've heard her voice. And I don't mean the one she used back when you first met her. I mean the one she's been using lately, the one she can sing with. The one where she sounds happy,” a single tear rolled down Ruppys cheek, “First she starts cooking and now this? There's no way I could sleep knowing she was singing again.”

She turned to face the wolf a her side, then threw her arms around him in a bone crushing hug, “Thank you. You've given her something I haven't been able to in such a long time.”

She gave him one last tight squeeze before letting him go and wiped the tears away. She crawled into the bed with the unicorn, “Go ahead and go to bed. You've got two mares waiting for you after all. I'll stay and keep her company.”

Silver smiled softly, then leaned down and pecked them both on the head, “Goodnight girls. Sweet dreams.”

He turned and left the room, looking back just as Ruppy snuggled up to Onyx.

“I love you both so much.” Click

A quick trot across the house and he was back in his room. Upon walking in, Silver found Twilight and Luna already cuddling in bed, the lavender of the two begin to drift into sleep.

“Finally coming to bed?” Luna asked as she stroked the mane of the mare in front of her. The wolf crawled under the sheets and placed himself behind Luna, squeezing her gently against him with a wing.

“Silver, be careful!” she exclaimed in a hushed tone, “What about your...wound?” Upon looking down at his side, she noticed a lack of bandages around his hip, “Where's your wound?”

Silver looked down to his waist, “Huh? Oh right, Star Shine healed me up with one of her potions before Black Wing and I started sparring. Did you really not notice until just now?”

“Well I was...erm, distracted! Yes, that's it,” Luna excused.

The wolf flashed a coy smile, “Oh don't worry. I know all about what was on your mind lately~”

Luna blushed and turned away, “Still, that's awfully convenient. If she had such a potion, why did she not use it earlier?”

“The potion forces the body to heal rapidly but it's potency is dangerous,” Silver explained, “If I drink too much of it within a certain time period, it'll more than likely kill me. She prefers to keep them on stand by just in case of an emergency, but she figured it would be acceptable to break her rule this one time. But now I won't be able to take the potion for another month.”

“Oh I see. It makes sense that a potion like that would have some limitations. But on another note, just where you you earlier?” she asked, still trying to fight off the blush from earlier while the wolf simply chuckled.

“Yeah, sorry. It took longer to clean up the library than I thought it would,” he explained pecking her on the cheek.

“So that's where you were,” Twilight mumbled. Silver leaned down and pecked her head too.

“Yeah. But now it's time to sleep,” he laid his head across Lunas neck and nuzzled into her chilled fur, its coolness blowing away every bit of stress he'd  built up like a breeze in the night. A breath inward told him that even after her shower, she still smelled like ice cream.  Everything about this mare was so...relieving.

It was then he'd heard something familiar. A hum coming from the chest of the mare he laid with.

It soft and gentle, soothing and entrancing as it slowly swayed him to sleep. He couldn't for the life of him figure out what the lullaby was, but he found himself dreaming of a place where the ocean meets the sky, his mares by his side as they watched the sun set over the horizon, and Luna raised a moon made of gold.

And as the clouds rolled by, she sang a song of the sea.





Onyx was woken by Celestia rays of sunlight piercing her eyes. She quickly lifted a hoof to shield herself from being blinded, and noticed an extra weight that came with it.

Once she could finally see again, the groggy unicorn saw a familiar tan hoof draped across her, though for some reason it had dirt on it. 

After her mind began fully functioning, she realized the reason why the tan hoof was so dirty.

...The body they were supposed to help Beats bury. She'd completely forgotten about it after her solo the night before, but it seemed that at least Ruppy remember and went to help. Oh well, she'd make it up to him later.

Onyx flopped over and face the invader of her bed, accidentally waking her as well.

“Hmm,” Ruppy moaned as she woke. Her eyes slowly cracked open and blinked a few times until she finally registered that Onyx was staring back at her, “Hey buddy. How'd ya sleep?”

Onyx shrugged, “Pretty good. Was it you that brought me up to my bed?” she asked.

“No, that was Silver. How did you know some pony brought you up?”

“For one, I don't remember falling asleep in my bed last night. And two, “Onyx used her magic and closed the drapes of the window, “I never go to sleep with the curtains open.”

“Oh...”

The two laid in bed for a moment in silence. One waiting for a question to be asked, the other trying not to make asking it awkward.

“Sooo,” Ruppy began, failing at being casual, “You were...um, singing...last night.”

The unicorn mare nodded, “I haven't felt like it in a while, but I did last night. I've been wanting to play that piano since the day we first saw it, so I figured why not?”

Ruppy beamed and let out a small squeal, “You're actually playing again!” she quickly threw her arms around Onyx and hugged her tightly.

The one being hugged couldn't quite figure out what the deal was though. Yeah, she sang. So what? Sure, it'd been a long time since the last time she did it, but that was because she just wasn't feeling up to it. What's the big deal about her doing it now?

The twos joyous moment was interrupted by a knock on the door, “Ruppy, Onyx! Time to get up!” the familiar voice of Aerial yelled through. They could hear her banging on Ruppys door as well since she didn't know they were in the same room.

Both of the mares looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was almost 9:00 and time to get the day started, and by that, they meant training.

The two groaned and dragged themselves out of the bed, “We're in here!” Ruppy called while Onyx stumbled over to her dresser and floated out a brush.

The door open and a confused earth pony walked in, “Huh? Why are you both in here?” she asked.

“I had a sleepover and you weren't invited,” Onyx quirked while she twisted her hair into its usual braid.

Ruppy yawned and stretched, “Yep. We even had a sexy pillow fight. You should have been there, it was awesome.”

Aerial simply rolled her eyes, “Haha,” she laughed dryly, “Come on you two. We need to eat breakfast and start training.”

Onyx and Ruppy followed the mare out of the room and into the kitchen where they found a wolf and two alicorns sitting at the table eating.

“Morning girls,” Silver greeted.

“Morning,” Onyx replied replied with a smile, floating her food over to the table.

Ruppy let out another yawn, “Yo,” then sat at the counter to eat. The table was too far away.

“Hey Silver, what's our regiment for the week?” Aerial asked, taking a seat at the counter as well.

“Well, Tia will actually be in her office the majority of this week, so I'll be able to train you myself. I'll meet you girls down at the usual spot a little after 10:30 today. Until then, just do what you've been doing. And I want you two to bring your weapons from now on as well,” Silver instructed to Onyx and Ruppy. Both gave a simple nod before going back to eating.

“You know, for a bodyguard, you don't do very much guarding,” Luna commented.

“Well you and your sister have been doing a lot of paperwork lately, so there's not much point in me being around,” Silver defended, “The Royal Guard can do that themselves. And Twilight has Star Shine so she's covered. There's not really any pony left for me to guard.”

Luna hummed as she chewed, “Hmm, you do have a point. I suppose it is better for you to train them than to sit around and watch me and Tia do paper work all day.”

“Yep,” Silver said with a nod, “Speaking of your sister, she's starting a meeting soon and I need to get going,” The wolf quickly gobbled up the remaining food on his plate and drank the rest of his tea before setting the dishes in the sink. He trotted over to his mares at the table, pecking their cheeks and saying a quick good-bye before strolling out the door.

The earth pony at the counter gave a quizzical look to the pegasus beside her.

“They're in a herd, don't ask how,” Ruppy replied. Aerial just sighed and shrugged before continuing her meal.





Breakfast was over and the alicorns had gone to do their own work while the normal mares went to their training. Out the back and down the side of the mountain, they finally came to the little clearing they'd always used.

Ruppy began punching at the sheets of paper once more, this time punch a stack of ten sheets instead of the one and with her new gauntlets.

Aerial continued with holding a vortex, slowly changing it's pace and size to help perfect her control.

Onyx was swinging away like she'd always did. Her new swords drained her just as much as the Corax Stone rods and she began to understand why he had her use them in the first place. Sure, her magic hadn't improved all that much in the time she'd started training, but at least now she was able to cope with the effects of the draining.

Time flew by as the three continued their respective practices. Until the unicorn was interrupted by a voice in her head.

“Ugh! I'm bored! Can't you do anything other than swing me around?”

“This is my training. Silver said I need to do it to get stronger, so I am.”

“And you just do every little thing the wolf says, huh?”

“Of course. He's the strongest thing I've ever seen, and if this is the way he says I can get power, then I'm more than willing listen.”

“But it's so...boring! Can't we spar or something!? I'm getting dull over here!”

“Oh hush you. Silver will be here soon. I'm sure he'll give us something to do.”

“Fine...”

As if he'd overheard their conversation, the wolf appeared in the clearing.

“Sorry to make you wait,” he announced, catching the trainees attention, “Tia made me stay and help clean up her study. Honestly, the mess that mare makes... Anyway, how goes the training?”

Ruppy held up two of her stacks of paper, one in each hoof with holes punched clean through. The wind then picked up and blew them out of her grasp, before being sliced and shredded by Aerials doing.

“Oooh, pretty,” Onyx awed as the watched the torn pieces dance in the air before fluttering to the ground, “My blades have just been annoying me. She keeps saying she's bored.”

Silver chuckled, “Yeah, she's a lively weapon. But your next exercise should help with that,” he explained before walking over to a tree. His wings shimmered and became blades before he kicked the trunk. The whole thing shook and the leaves fell by the dozens. In a flash, Silvers wing slashed around him, slicing the falling leaves clean in half.

“This is your next step Onyx,” Silver informed, “You're already strong enough to wield your swords in battle, so next you'll be learning how to properly use them. I want you to be able to cut every leaf that falls from this tree every time you kick it. Do that, and we'll move onto the next phase. But be careful. Your blades are still draining you.”

The unicorn nodded and stepped forward under the tree, giving the first kick of many more to come. Once she was started, Silver moved on to Ruppy while motioning for Aerial to join them.

“So, how do you like them?” he asked the tan mare.

The pegasus held up her hoofs to examine the golden gauntlets, “They're pretty sweet. I've never used Earth magic before, but it was kickass.”

“Good, cause you're going to need to learn how to use that in combination with your punches. Aerial, what about you?”

“Meh,” she said with a shrug, “I can hold a strong vortex for a while and launch accurate and sharp wind blades pretty easily. I'd say I'm ready to move on.”

“Good, cause you're going to be helping each other train. Follow me,” he instructed.

He took them to a side path that led to a steep slope in the mountain.

“Ruppy, you see that crushed path on the slope there?” he asked, pointing a paw to a noticeably flattened line of the mountain side.

The pegasus nodded, “Why do I get the feeling I won't be liking what you have in mind?”

Silver chuckled, “Oh relax. I did the same training when I was first learning Wind magic, and I survived. Now Aerial, you see that ledge up there?” he asked the earth pony. She nodded as well, “Good, now follow me up there. Ruppy, go stand on the crushed path.”

The mares both gave him an uneasy look, but did as they were told. Ruppy stepped out on the mountain side, barely able to maintain her proper balance, while Aerial followed Silver up onto the ledge. When they reached the top, she noticed a large number of boulders of varying sizes sitting in front of her.

“Now, what I want you to do Aerial is use only your wind magic to push these boulders over the edge, sending them rolling down to to Ruppy,” he explained before walking over the slope and look down to the pegasus below, “She's going to be rolling boulders down at you! I want you to punch through them!” he called down below.

Even from atop the ledge, both the wolf and the earth pony could see Ruppys eyes go wide, “ARE YOU INSANE!?” she screamed back.

“Well, that's still up for debate!” he answered, “Don't worry! The first ones are going to be small! She can't push the bigger ones yet!”

“THAT DOESN'T CHANGE A DAMN THING!”

Silver simply turned away and ignored her pleas, “Are you ready?” he asked Aerial. She nodded and began using her magic to roll one of the boulders over to the side. It wasn't too large, a little more than half her height, but since her wind magic wasn't that strong yet, she still had difficulties moving it.

However, she eventually pushed over the edge, sending it rolling down towards Ruppy.

“WHAT THE FUCK!?” She yelled before jumping out of the way.

“No, no no! You're supposed to hit the boulders, not dodge them! Try again!” Silver called down.

“FUCK YOU!”

Aerial had already begun pushing the next boulder, this one just as big as the last. It toppled over the edge and came rumbling down.

“OHSHITOSHITOSHIT!”

“Calm down, and focus. You've destroyed an entire street, you can manage one mere little boulder. Just focus your power on your hoof, and strike at it's center.”

“Easier said than done!”

At this point, Ruppy had no choice. The boulder was now to close to dodge. So she reared back her hoof, and just when the tumbling rock came into reach, she struck with all she had.

The rock itself shattered, but thanks to the slope, Ruppy had little to no hold and went sliding down the mountain.

“Perfect!” Silver congratulated, “Keep doing it just like that! I'll go check up on Onyx!”

“I swear, if I'm not dead by the end of the day, he will be...”





Twilight sat on her couch, idly reading through the papers of other possible recruits that had requested to join the guard. Many were locals looking for better work, though they didn't quiet meet the standards she was looking for.

In the section where she asked them to describe themselves, many had simply spoke of how strong they were, and how they'd follow orders without question. While this may have been acceptable for Celestias and Lunas guard, it wasn't exactly what Twilight was looking for.

Sure, she wanted soldiers that could follow orders, but she didn't want some stoic statues that intimidated every pony that walked by. She wanted guards that smiled and greeted ponies as they walked down the streets on patrols. She wanted guards that were friendly, not frightening. And these current profiles were certainly not living up to her expectations.

The alicorns thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Setting the papers aside, she got up and answered, finding Beats on the other side.

“Beats! You're right on time!” she exclaimed. He's already gotten points for punctuality, “Come on in and we can get this interview started.”

“Certainly ma'am,” he answered as he stepped inside. He followed her over to the main room where she had a chair sitting in front of the couch, the table between the two piled with papers.

“Sorry about the mess,” Twilight excused as she began shuffling all the papers into neat stacks and setting them aside, “There are a lot of applicants and only one of me.”

“It's perfectly understandable. Beside, it's no worse than the mess my sister can make, especially when she brings her friends over. Oh, this reminds me,” he said as he dug into his saddle bag, before pulling out the papers Twilight had gave him before, “Would you like these now?”

“Yes, please. These should definitely help move the interview along quicker,” she replied, taking them into her magic and flipping through them. After a moment, she sat down on the couch while Beats sat in the chair. 

She floated over a notepad and pen before looking up from the papers, “Alright, first question. What made you want to become a guard?”

“Well,” he began as he fidgeted with his hooves, “It's not really that I want to become one, but I kind of owe Ruppy, Onyx and Silver a favor. Ruppy said that the best way to pay them back would be to join your guard, so here I am. I also needed a new job too since my last one ended rather abruptly.”

Twilights pen scribbled down some notes, “Okay. Now, you said something about your last job. What was it exactly?”

In truth, she'd already known that Beats was an ex-member of the Fallen Kings, and she understood his situation. But he didn't know that and if he wasn't willing to come clean about his past, then he would definitely have a had time convincing her to let him join.

The stallion let out a sigh, “Truthfully, I was a member of a recently disbanded gang, the Fallen Kings. As a member, I ran a club as a DJ, peddling drugs and other illegal products through it. I only really did it because I needed to make sure they didn't come after my little sister here in Ponyville. Well, that and to make money.”

“So you admit to being part of a criminal organization?” she asked.

Beats gave a nod, “Yes, I was. Though it was not by my own choice.”

“Please explain,” Twilight requested, “Even before the new leaders came in, you were already a member of the Fallen Kings. How was it that they managed to ensnare you into doing what it was they wanted?”

“The old leaders did it the same way the new ones did. They threatened Scootaloo, though at first I was there out of sheer naivety. Before I was a member, I was a local DJ for Manehatten. I got a steady job at the club I'd mentioned earlier, and after two years of working there I was finally informed of the...back room business that went on. Of course by that time, they'd already found out about my sister, and after my first rejection of their offer, Scoots was almost attacked. I sent her here to live Ponyville while I stayed in Manehatten and tried to find a way out.  I was trying to get away in the confusion after the gang first fell, but somehow they found out and I was stuck there again.”

“So for the most part, you were unaware of the illegalities that went on in the club?”

“Well, I knew that something was a little off about it, but I was in need of money, so I didn't bother asking questions. The job paid well enough to support me and Scoots nicely so I figured I should leave well enough alone. And at the time, I wasn't the owner either, so it would have been rude of me to judge how the place was run.”

“Okay,” Twilight mumbled, as she continued taking some notes. Well, he gets points for honesty. But there were still a few things she wanted to check.

“Well, moving on from your past, well focus on your current life. What exactly is your life like at the moment? If I may ask, that is.”

“My life? Well, right now it's pretty great,” he replied with an honest and cheery smile, “I'm finally out from under the hooves of the Fallen Kings, and while my bank account isn't quite wealthy, it should last long enough for me to find a job. I'm also finally living with Scoots again. It's been hell having to live apart from her.”

“Hmm,” Twilight hummed as she stared at her notes. All that she'd written pointed to Scootaloo living alone here in Ponyville. She was half tempted to ask about their parents, but that seemed a little too personal for a job interview, so she decided to leave it alone, “Well that answered that. Alright next question; What makes you think you'd be a good addition to my guard?”

“Well I'm honestly not sure,” he admitted as he rubbed a shy hoof behind his head, “I mean, I'm strong and a good fighter, but here in Ponyville I feel like those skills wouldn't be all that necessary. Sure, I've heard stories of how whacked out this place is, but nothing ever really calls for violence. Or at least, not pony versus pony kind anyway.”

“So you're saying that your not qualified to be a guard?”

“No. I can be a guard, I'm just not sure if I can be your guard. Honestly it's really up to the way you want me to act that's going to determine if I can meet your standards.”

“Hmm,” she hummed once more. This one was...passive actually. He never once gloated about his own prowess, despite being stronger than many of the stallions in the town. He even admitted that he might not be able to meet her behavioral requirements. He seemed calm and collected, able to talk his way out of a situation and even diffuse a tense one with no need for violence, which was more than she could say for Ruppy and Onyx.

“One last question,” she said, looking up from her notepad, “Why should I hire you?”

“Because I have intricate knowledge of how criminals work, even if there are few to none in Ponyville. I have actual combat experience and can spot some pony with ill intentions from a mile away. Also, because your lacking in pony power for your guard. And I come with recommendations from Ruppy and Onyx.”

Well now he was bragging.

But he did have a number of points. His time in the Fallen Kings would have definitely given him a fair amount of knowledge on criminals, and that was what Twilight was really after.

All of her other concerns were more or less covered. Combat efficiency was always a factor, regardless of where they may live, and his personality seemed to fit her criteria for the guard she wanted to make. Now there was only one thing left to do.

“Beats,” she said as she rose from her spot, “I'd like to be the first to welcome you to the Eventide Guard.”
> Trainings After Affects and Letters From an Ex
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few days had passed since Radiance left, and everyone was busy. Silvers protegees began their new training, Luna had been swamped with paper work and meetings, along with her sister. Twilight had a number of portfolios and interviews to conduct, many of which turned up no results.

Honestly, was it really this hard to find some decent ponies to fill the Eventide guard? She figured of all the places to find a nice, normal and friendly pony, it would be in Ponyville. But no...

But alas, the universe had cut her a break with Beats, and while he was the only guard she approved of, he was still better than nothing. Today though, she'd finally finished with her profiles early, and Silver and Luna would be back in the evening, if nothing holds them up.

For the first time in the last couple of days, they could actually spend time together. In the beginning of their relationship, they'd had some free time and slept with each other through the nights, but lately she'd been staying home, often falling asleep on her couch with a manila folder resting on her muzzle.

And now she has a kink in her neck....

Twilight sighed to herself. She missed her wolf and mare, and with Radiance coming back soon she had a feeling things would only get busier as the mystery behind the grimoires thickened.

The lavender alicorn sat idly on Silvers couch, a tub of ice cream floating in her magic while her eyes were glued to the T.V. 

She was watching reruns of some old cartoons. Some fillies had been transported to a digital world where they had to fight with their new found partners against the evil in the land. Re-watching the show had brought back many fond memories of her foalhood, filling her with a sweet sensation of nostalgia. 

As a filly, she often had her nose in a book, though she would occasionally cut the T.V. on and listen to the shows while she read. It was a strange habit of hers, but she didn't mind the background noise. In fact, she quite welcomed it.

Of course when her brother started shouting at the screen trying to warn the characters, she lost her patience and had to move to somewhere a little quieter.

But still, they were fond memories nonetheless. Simpler days when she could laze around and read all she wanted. Now she had responsibilities and bills and a life.....

Being an adult was hard.

It was amid her mental grumblings that she heard something smack into the glass door. Twilight snapped her head and found Onyxs face pressed against the back door, slowly sliding down the glass making a squeaking noise as a figure walked up behind it.

“You know, there's a handle you pull to open it,” Silver said as he approached with Ruppy and Aerial tossed over his back, “You don't have to smash the window with your face,”  He slid the door open and the unicorns face fell free from the glass, only to smack into the tile of the house.

“Long day?” Twilight asked as she floated the mare up from the floor and set her on the couch, her swords clattering as they dangled from her hip.

“THAT DOESN'T BEGIN TO DESCRIBE IT!” Ruppy shouted in anger from the wolves back. The strange thing was that she didn't even bother lifting her head to yell. In fact, her entire body seemed to be in a rag-doll like state, simply flopping around with each step Silver took.

“Kill...me...” Aerial huffed in raspy voice.

Twilight got up to make room for the other two to be laid down. They were in no condition to move by themselves.

The lavender mare looked to the wolf in a mixture of fear and amazement, “Silver, just what have you been doing to these poor girls?” she asked, looking over their exhausted bodies. She knew Silvers training regiment must have been hard, but this was down right ridiculous. Ruppys body was battered and beaten despite it's sturdy capabilities, and Twilight could sense the magic fatigue Aerial and Onyx were experiencing along with the physical exhaustion as well. 

“The only proper thing to call it is 'Attempted Murder',” Ruppy snarked from the couch, “An act which will be eagerly attempted by me as soon as I can move my limbs again.”

“I help bury the body,” Onyx pitched in, “If there's anything left of it.”

“Hmm,” Silver hummed, “I need to think of a way to keep these two from killing me in my sleep. Aerial doesn't live here so I'm not too worried about her. It's the other two....Oh!” his eyes flickered over to the tub Twilight was eating from, “What if I got you guys more ice cream?” he offered. 

Honestly, with negotiation tactics like these, it's a miracle he's managed to live this long.

“YOU'D BETTER BUY THE WHOLE DAMN STORE!” The sandy pegasus demanded.

Silver brushed off the task, “Meh, I can do that,” he said before heading to the kitchen and pulling out the last tub of ice cream, “Alright, last one so you girls need to share. I suggest you all go shower and clean up while it thaws. I'll go out and buy more while you do.”

“I call bath!” Ruppy announced, just as the other two opened their mouths. Both let out awws of disappointment as they accepted they'd have to shower.

It wasn't a bad thing, just not nearly as relaxing. At least they got clean, and maybe they could sit down in the shower.

Twilight couldn't help but giggle at their antics, “You know, I think I'll join you Silver. Spike ate all of our ice cream at the library so I need to get some more anyway. Would you girls like any special flavors while we're out?”

“Anything and everything,” Ruppy informed. At this point all she really wanted was food, but it took too much energy to actually make something, so an ice cream run sounded pretty good. Although, ice cream had never really been very filling for her, so... “With hayburgers and fries.”

“Chocolate ice cream and pizza for me,” Onyx chimed in, “I won't forgive either of you if you don't bring me back pizza.”

“Aerial?” Silver asked, “What about you?”

“Strawberries,” she informed, “Just get strawberry ice cream and actual strawberries and I might forgive you.”

“Alright, junk food it is then. Sugar Cube Corner should still be open, so we'll be back soon. Just hang on a little longer,” Silver replied, taking note of their orders, “Also, see if you can at least try walking to the bathrooms yourselves. Onyx walked up the mountain after her training, so you two should be fine too.”

“Onyx didn't get hit by boulders,” Ruppy grunted as she lifted herself, wobbling as she slid off the couch and landed on her hooves.

Aerial lifted a hoof and tapped the pegasus's shoulder, “Carry me?” she pleaded.

“Ha! I can barely carry myself. Sorry Aerial, but you'll have to find your own way there.”

The mare groaned and whined as she flopped over onto her stomach, then pushed herself off the couch and landed with a thud on her flank.

“It seems my hind legs have decided to quit their jobs and become noodles,” she looked up to Ruppy once more, “Could you at least drag me?”

“Nope. Now start moving before I decide to use all the hot water,” she warned and walked/wobbled over to the hallway. Silver and Twilight had already wandered out of the house at some point during the discussion, and now it would only be a matter of time before they got back.

Onyx had also dragged herself from the comfort of the sofa and shuffled off to the hall. Noticing the bathroom one the first floor was empty, she realized Aerial and Ruppy must be down stairs.

The exhausted mare wobbled over to the shower, cutting on the water and letting it get hot while plopped her rump on to the floor in front of the mirror. She untied her braid and shook her mane loose, watching as a few bits of leaves fell from it as well. She unlatched her belt and set the blades aside, rubbing a hoof over the marks the strap left on her hips.

She looked back to the mirror, this time actually looking at her appearance. Thanks to her coat color, it was hard to see the dirt that had stained her, but she did notice that it lacked it's usual luster.

It was then she saw the steam pouring out over the shower in the reflection. She got up and stepped into the wonderful warmth and immediately sat back down, allowing for the water to just wash over her. It soothed her every ache and pain that the training had brought over the past few days. Every day, for ten hours, she stood under a tree, kicking and swinging her blades.  Honestly, it was a miracle she was still able to move. Even if it were simple training like she was doing before, the magic drain from her swords was taxing.

She watched the tile below as it became murky brown from the dirt. She felt the tension in her body slowly drain away as she relaxed more and more. Eventually, Onyx found herself slowly leaning back until she laid entirely on the floor, the shower nozzle giving her body a pelting massage.

“Sweet fucking Celestia, I feel like I'm dying, if not already dead. Who the hell assigns something like that anyway? Cutting up falling leaves? Honestly, I'd kick his ass if I knew I could.”

Onyx laid on the floor for a while longer, loosing track of the time she'd been in there. It wasn't until she felt her eye's drop that she sat up.

“I need to hurry and get out before I fall asleep in here. Hehe, I wonder if the other two did the same.”

In the bathroom one floor down, a pegasus and earth pony let out a loud sneeze, sending bubbles and water flying across the room and water splashing across the walls.

Onyx quickly washed her coat and mane before stepping out. She dried herself as best as her tired limbs would allow then put her hair in a braid and grabbed her swords before leaving.

She stopped in her room to put the swords away then went to the living room where she found Ruppy and Aerial on the couch.

“Yo, what took you so long? Did you fall asleep in there?” Ruppy asked.

Onyx shook her head as she made her way to the kitchen, “I'm too hungry to sleep right now. I will after I get my pizza and ice cream,” she pulled out the pitcher of tea and a glass from the cabinet, poured herself some and chugged it all down before refilling it once more. After filling her glass the second time, she put the pitcher back and floated out a spoon from a drawer then went to the couch. Setting her tea on the coffee table, she ungracefully flopped onto the sofa, practically melting into it's cushions while stealing a scoop of ice cream from the tub.

All three sat and relished in the moment of relaxation that they'd all been dying for. The long day of hellish physical and magical instructing that left them feeling like they're on the brink death had finally come to an end.

And then a knock on the door came.

The mares turned and looked at each other. It was times like these where the bonds of friendship would be tested, for who would be the selfless one and get up to make the treacherous journey to the door.

The knocks came again, and the looks intensified. The call of the couch was indeed powerful, all three mares not wanting to give it up.

“Onyx, you have magic,” Ruppy reminded, “Just open it from here.”

Oh...right.

The unicorn looked over from behind the couch, the opened the door to allow the pony in.

“Hello?” came the voice of Beats as he poked his head in, “Silver?”

“He's not here,” Onyx replied. The stallions quickly caught notice of the two eyes that poked over the edge of the couch, though the glare they were giving him made him think about stepping back out of the door.

“Oh. Do you know when he'll be back?” he asked, “I was hoping I could ask him about the Eventide Guard training.”

“The fuck is the Eventide Guard?” Ruppy called, not bothering to actually look back to ask her question.

“It's Princess Twilights guard. I got approved, by the way,” he informed.

“Is that what we're calling ourselves?” the pegasus questioned, “Congrats by the way. Although, you could have picked a better time. Silver seems intent on killing us with his training.”

The stallion brazenly waltzed into the home, “Well I'm not training under him, so I won't have to suffer it.”

“Ha!” Ruppy mocked, “Do you really think Silver would let you guard Twilight without him training you? The guard's not very large right now, so he's focusing on quality instead of quantity.”

Beats wandered around to the front of the couch, “Well then I'll just have to let him train me. It can't be all bad.”

All three mares gave him a flat stare.

“I give it three hours of training before he changes his mind,” Aerial bet.

“Changes his mind? I'm betting he'll quit the guard entirely,” Ruppy countered.

The stallion rolled his eyes, “Thanks for the support,” he deadpanned, “Besides, I can't quit. My little sister will be watching and I do have an image to keep up. At least in front of her.”

Both mares giggled, “Well ain't that sweet?” Aerial laughed.

Beats opted to simply ignore them, taking interest in the T.V. instead. They all sat idly on the couch and watched as they waited for the home owner to return.

As they watched, a thought occurred to Onyx.

“Beats, just how did you knock on the front door?” she asked, “The only doors connected are in the Golden Oaks library and Canterlot Castle.”

“Oh, the little dragon Spike let me in,” he answered, “That was kinda the whole reason I came by. I figured if Scootaloo would be coming by, then she'd need a way in. I was going to ask if one of you could pick her up, but since I'm going to be joining you guys, then I'll just bring her along.”

“Cool, we'll make you a key,” Ruppy chimed in, “Well, Silver will. I don't know how these damn things work.”

“It's simple,” Aerial started, “It's just an application of--”

FLASH! POOF!

The mare was cut off by a sudden burst of light erupting in the middle of the room, just above the table. The four ponies in the room jumped and retreated behind the couch, watching and waiting for the smoke to dissipate.

When it did, they saw just what it was that had caused them to panic.

It was an envelope. It had no wax crest sealing it, or address. Just the name Silver scribbled across the front.

“Huh,” Ruppy hummed, “Well that's a first.”





Twilight glided through the evening sky, the vibrant oranges, purples and pinks painting the horizon like a mural the size of the heavens.

Silver watched her from the side, entranced as her figure danced with the colors behind her. Oh, what a beauty she was.

“Careful,” she said, noticing his gaze “You might hit something.”

The wolf chuckled, “The only reason I would crash,” he cooed as he flew under her, belly up and snagging her in his arms, “Would be because I'm blinded by your beauty.”

Twilight ceased her flapping and let her body rest atop Silvers. She quickly wrapped her hooves around him and buried her muzzle into his chest in an attempt to hide her scarlet cheeks.

Once again, Silver lightly laughed and pecked the top of her head, “I missed you, you know,” he admitted as they continued to fly, “I haven't seen you in the past couple of days. Luna came by at night though, so I wasn't completely alone. But we were both worried about you.

Twilight lifted her head, the blush in her cheeks still present but not quite as much as before, “Sorry. These profiles and interviews are taking up a lot of my time. Which reminds me, I hired Beats by the way. And yes, I know he used to be a member of the Fallen Kings, but he seems trust worthy and he wasn't there because he wanted to be.”

Silver chuckled, “Don't worry. I knew he was a good kid. Otherwise, Ruppy would have just left him tied up in the basement...or a shallow grave. But we're both still worried Twilight. We don't want you running yourself ragged trying to put this guard together. These things take time.”

“Yeah, I know,” she conceded. Honestly, the Eventide Guard was the last thing she wanted to talk about. She just wanted Silver and Luna right now. Her mare and her wolf; the three of them together again. Relaxing and cuddling.

Twilight let out a muffled sigh of content as she let her eyes fall shut. 

“Don't go falling asleep just yet. We still have food to get,” Silver reminded. With that said, the alicorn on top lifted her with a pouting bottom lip.

“Fine,” she moaned, then lifted herself off, “I'll go get the pizza, burgers and strawberries. You get the ice cream.”

“'Kay,” he answered, “Hey, what kind did Spike want?”

“Just tell Pinkie Pie it's for him and she'll know what to get. As for me,” she said before flying in closer to press a deep kiss onto the wolf, “I think I'll have my dessert a little later. I'll come find you when I get everything.”

And with that, the mare took off. Silver watched as her plump, purple plot flew away, her tail flicking aside for the briefest moment to allow him a glimpse.

“Dessert? I'm thinking something with a little more meat to it.”





Luna bounded through the halls of the castle. Having raised the moon and taken her bath, it was time to go see Silver and the thought of seeing him again put a little skip in her step.

To an outside observer, one could almost say she was acting like a school filly with a crush. And in a way she was.

Luna approached the door in the hall she always used. Instead of knocking, the alicorn simply pushed it open and strolled on in.

“Silver!” she called as she entered, “Your marefriend requires cuddles!”

She paused and looked around, not seeing the wolf she was seeking but instead the mares he was training.

A pair of emerald eyes and a blonde mane poked over the back of the couch, “I don't know about getting Silver, but I can still cuddle with you if you'd like,” Ruppy responded.

An immediate smack of a face-hoof quickly followed the statement, and a short moment after that, Onyx's groan came as well.

“You're quite daring,” Luna admitted to the sandy pegasus, “I rather like it. But you're not the one I want. Now, can you tell me where my wolf has wandered off to?”

“He's on a food run,” Onyx chimed in, “He should be back soon.”

“Okay then. I'll simply wait for him here,” Luna said as she moved to sit on the couch. Thank the heavens it was so big. A normal couch wouldn't be able to accommodate for five ponies. She noticed Beats sitting with the mares as well, “And who might you be?” she asked.

“Oh, my name is Beats, your highness,” he introduced with a bow of his head, “I'm the newest addition to Princess Twilights Eventide Guard.”

“Ah, so she's began selecting the recruits,”she said  as she trotted around the sofa, noticing the letter sitting on the table, “Huh. I didn't realize Silver got mail here.” Sure, she knew he must have gotten mail, but she figured it would have been delivered to some one else. She'd never seen some pony deliver it before.

“Oh yeah,” Ruppy said as she picked up the envelope, “It wasn't delivered by a pony though. It just kinda poofed itself in here. Not really sure how.”

“Hmm,” Luna hummed as she floated the letter over. Well that would certainly explain the lack of mail carriers. Perhaps maybe it was a system like what Spike used.

She examined it with a curious eye, holding it up to the light only to find she couldn't see what was in it. Naturally, she just assumed it was a letter, but the way it was supposedly delivered made her want to see what was inside, “You say it 'poofed' into the room?”

“Yep,” the pegasus mare agreed, “Literally, there was a flash and a poof and then it came floating down onto the table.”

“I don't suppose you've opened it yet,” Luna inquired.

Every other pony in the room shook their heads.

“Hmm,” the alicorn hummed once more. Tempting....

It was then when the letter was wrapped in a black aura, “I don't think we should start sniffing through Silvers mail, especially you Princess Luna. He might just scold us, but with you it might be a little more personal.”

The mare accused simply huffed, “I wasn't going to open it. I was just curious to see who sent it.”

“Well then why don't you just ask?” a voice came from behind. Every pony on the couch jumped and scrabbled, Onyx quickly trying to put the letter back on the table.

The rustle of bags was heard next as Twilight walked into the home, “We're back!” she called, “And we come bearing treats!”

The ponies huffed and puffed as they tried to get their hearts back under control while the lavender alicorn made her way around the couch.

“What's gotten into all of you?” she asked.

“I don't know about something getting into me, but I know I just got the shit scared out!” Ruppy exclaimed, “We're putting a collar with a little bell on you,” she said, pointing a hoof to the wolf.

“Hey now, is that any way to treat the wolf who just bought twelve tubs of ice cream for you?” he countered, giving the bag behind the couch a jostle.

The glare the sandy pegasus made slowly soften to light scowl, “....Fine. I will over look this little incident,” the mare conceded as she crawled over the back of the couch and dug through the bags. She eventually re-emerged with three tubs of ice cream, one chocolate, one strawberry and the other mint and Oreo.

“Don't forget about these,” Twilight reminded as she set down the other portion of their dinner.

“PIZZA!” Onyx exclaimed before snagging up the box of cheesy goodness and greedily hogging it all for herself.

“Note to self,” Beats began, “Never get between Onyx and her food. Might lose an arm...or life.”

Silver chuckled as he began picking up the remaining bags and headed over to the kitchen, “So what are you doing here Beats? I heard you made it on the guard, by the way. Congrats. But don't think you won't have to train with those three. I won't allow you to guard my marefriend unless I teach how to.”

“Yes, so I've been told.”

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

“Marefriend?” he asked.

“Well it took him long enough,” Ruppy said between bites of her burger, “Honestly, I don't even think he caught on that you're with Princess Luna too.”

The stallion stopped and thought for a moment.

And then it hit him. She waltzed into Silvers house and demanded cuddles. Silver was dating an alicorn...no, wait...two alicorns.

“I officially feel like an idiot,” Beats admitted, “Also slightly inferior as a male.”

“That would be because you are,” Ruppy chimed in.

Both pegasi stuck their tongues out in a foalish fashion causing Twilight to step in.

“Now, now you two,” the alicorn playfully scolded, “You're going to be working together so I'd rather you didn't fight. Besides Ruppy, you shouldn't stick your tongue out at others, or at the least when you're eating.”

“Yes, mom,” the sandy pegasus mocked and decided to turn her attention back to the food.

Well now there's an interesting choice of words.

“If she's the mom, does that make me the dad?” Silver asked as he came around to the couch, having finally put the rest of the ice cream away.

“I guess,” Ruppy said with a shrug, “But then what does that make Princess Luna?”

“I think I would just be another mom,” the midnight mare informed, “That's the way herds used to work. I don't see why we should changed tradition.”

“Yay! Mama Twilight and Mama Luna!” Ruppy exclaimed in a foalish voice, “Oh! I'm going to start calling you daddy, Silver!”

The wolf shrugged, “Well, it's not like you'd be the first girl to call me that.”

His marefriends both went wide eyed and blushed with great intensity. All other eyes turned to the two alicorns in the room.

Both remained silent until Luna spoke up, “W-well, even if one of us did call him d-daddy, it would be no business yours.”

Silver simply sat in the center of the room, grinning at the chaos he caused. Sure, he'd have hell to pay later, but it was worth it.

“But while on the topic of those you knew before us,” Luna continued as she fought to get her cheeks under control. Twilight had simply given up and stared at the floor, “You received a letter today. According to your newest daughters, it poofed into the middle of the living room.”

The alicorn floated the envelope to the wolf.

“Hmm,” he hummed as he stared at the writing on the front. He tore open the paper and pulled out the letter inside, his eyes scanning over the words causing his expression changed from one of curiosity to a tired glare.

“Whose it from?” Ruppy asked.

Silver simply tossed the paper down onto the table, “Aurora,” he said with a sigh, “My ex.”
> Twilights Compliance and To Be Silenced
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Dear Silver,

Hey, it's been a while huh? I know it's been a long time since we last spoke, but I was hoping I could talk with you again. There are a few things we need to discuss. Most of them are business, but we do need to clear up some remaining personal issues between us.

As for the business part of this letter, I should tell you now that I've been hired by Duke Little Horn of Caneighdia. I've been told he isn't very fond of you, or the Princesses of Equestria. He's asked me to find the fox called Radiance and firmly believes that you know where she is, so I'll be coming by soon to speak with you. I look forward to seeing you again.

~Love Aurora”

The ponies and wolf in the room sat silent, the last echo of Silvers sigh ringing out. All but he stared at the parchment on the table, the name “Aurora” signed at the bottom.

“Your ex?” Twilight asked after a while, “You mean like-”

“Yes, ex-mate. Or girlfriend, whatever you want to call her,” he answered with another sigh, this time rubbing the bridge of his nose with a paw out of stress.

This visit would not end well. Sure, Silver himself could handle being around her, but Star Shine on the other paw was not known for being affectionate towards her. And on top of which, he had two new marefriends. Silver knew he would never dare to stray from them, but that wouldn't keep Luna or Twilight from being uneasy around his ex.

...Maybe he should go dig a grave just in case

Luna floated the paper over for a closer look, “But why is she coming now?” she asked as she began to skim it.

“Apparently the Duke of Caneighdia thought it would be a good idea to hire her to find Radiance,” he explained, letting out yet another sigh. By the end of the night, he'll have passed out from lack of oxygen, “I don't know if he knew that Aurora and I know each other, but if he did, then I certainly give him props for being crafty.”

“Does it bother you?” the midnight mare asked, still scanning the paper, particularly the last line.

“Love Aurora? Is it possible she still has feelings for him? And what does Silver feel for her? He said he could handle her, but what does he mean by that? And what are these 'personal issues' between the two of them?”

The more she thought about it, the more questions crept into her head, bringing with them unwanted and pointless worries. Opting to avoid the headache, Luna simply set the paper back on the table.

“I wouldn't say it bothers me, but Aurora and I didn't exactly end on the best of notes,” he said dismally, “Harsh things were said and then we just went our separate ways. Of course that was...well, decades ago. I'm not sure how she feels about me now though, especially with all the time that's passed.”

“Decades?” Ruppy spoke up, “Geez, she must be granny now.”

“Uh...about that,” Silver said with a shy paw rubbing the back of his head, “I...um..kinda have this thing where I'm attracted to others stronger than myself. So, at the time, Aurora was more powerful than me and since Houndish Magic can alter your life span with the more of it you accumulate, she probably hasn't aged much, if at all.”

“Oh?” Luna said with feigned hurt, “So you only love us for our alicorn power, is that it?”

“No! It's just that I...I don't know,” Silvers head dropped in defeat, his ears folded back against his head, “I find it appealing for some reason. Never really knew why though,” 

He felt a small hoof lift his head and looked to find a pair of violet eyes staring back at him. A quick peck on the muzzle brought a small smile to his face.

“Don't worry,” Twilight giggled before turning her back to him and leaning into his chest, “We know you love us, and not just for our power.”

After a sudden pop and flash, and Silver found a new weight being added onto his back as a set of dark blue hooves snaked their way around his neck.

“Sorry for teasing,” Luna apologized from her spot, then gave him a brief kiss on the cheek.

“You're forgiven,” he smiled back.

“So what are we going to do about this Aurora?” Beats pitched in, “You said she was looking for a mare named Radiance?”

“Not a mare,” Silver corrected, “A fox. And if she arrives before Aurora, then I'll stall her until we can get the grimoire and her to safety. If she arrives after, we tell her the truth, that we have no idea where she's gone.”

“Why not just lie?” the stallion asked.

“Aurora can see Auras. She knows when you're lying. The best thing to do is distract her until we can contact Radiance and get her to somewhere safe.”

“I could have Spike send a message,” Twilight offered, “He can send one to just about anypony. We can send one and tell her that Aurora is coming and to hide somewhere until we can throw her off. When is she supposed to arrive?”

“That's the thing, the letter didn't say when she'd get here,” Silver explained as he looked back over the paper, “She could get her tomorrow morning or a week from now.”

“Hm...” Twilight hummed, “I have an idea,” she said before turning and heading to the door.

“Um, wanna let us in on that?” Ruppy called after her.

Twilight giggled and turned around, “I can't. If Aurora can tell when some pony is lying, then telling all of you the plan would make it harder to keep it a secret. So, I'll keep the plan to myself and just avoid our guest until she leaves.”

“Oh...right,” Ruppy said after, feeling slightly embarrassed.

“Are you going to be coming back?” Luna asked, still perched atop Silvers back as Twilight opened the door, “We've missed you,” She made sure to put on her puppy dog face as she spoke.

“Yes, don't worry. I'll be back in a few minutes,” the lavender mare reassured before leaving and closing the door behind her.

“Well, as long as I know that,” Luna said to herself, sliding down off of Silver and standing beside him,  “Then I no longer care about this little letter your ex sent. I'm quite tired and as soon as Twilight comes back, I'd like to sleep please.”

Silver chuckled and wrapped her in a wing, “Well, you'll have to wait a minute. I haven't showered yet and neither has Twilight. Unless of course, you want to cuddle with a sweaty, filthy wolf and slightly less sweaty and filthy mare,” he ended his sentence by holding Luna a little tighter against his side, knowing she'd struggle in an attempt to escape.

“No—thanks!” she grunted and wiggled herself free, “You two can go shower and I'll wait.”

The wolf simply chuckled and pecked her cheek, “Love ya.”

The alicorn merely rolled her eyes, “Yes, yes. But in case you haven't noticed, there is a stallion in the room who needs your attention as much as I,” Luna gestured a hoof to Beats on the couch.

“Oh, me?” he asked as his head snapped up, “Oh yeah, I wanted to ask you about Scootaloo coming to watch the training. Since I'll be joining, I'll just bring her along but I don't have anyway of getting in here.”

“Oh, right. Hmm,” Silver hummed, “I suppose you could just go to the library until I can get a new key made. It should only take a day or two, and I'm sure Twilight won't mind.”

“Very well,” Beats said with a shrug and rising from his spot on the couch, “I look forward to working with you all tomorrow, but I need to get home now. Scoots worries if I'm out too late.”

“Bye!” the trainees called with a wave of their hooves.

Just as Beats reached the door, Twilight had opened it again and came in, narrowly avoiding whacking his muzzle with it.

“Oh, Beats! I'm sorry,” she apologized, “I didn't hit you did I?” 

“No, no. I'm fine. Just on my way out,” he said as he stepped aside for her to come in.

“Oh, okay. Have a safe trip home!” she replied then went to the others.

“Did you get everything sorted out?” Silver asked as the door shut behind Twilight.

“More or less,” the lavender mare said as Luna stepped over to nuzzle her.

“Good, because I want my wolf and mare for the whole night,” Luna paused and sniffed the purple mane, “That is, after you've showered. Both of you stink.”

Twilight raised a hoof and whiffed herself, reeling her head back at the stench. Was she really that dirty?

“Hmm, good point,” Twilight admitted, “Alright Silver, let's go shower. I think Luna will be grumpy if we keep her from her cuddles any longer.”

Silver chuckled as he followed the lavender mare to the hall, leaving a puffy cheeked Luna behind.

“Yes, I will!” she huffed after them.

After a moment, the ponies in the room could hear the shower cut on. Luna simply sat back on the couch and went back to watching T.V. with the rest of the mares.

That was, until Ruppy spoke up.

“Ya know they're fucking in there right?”

A series of slaps from face-hooves rang throughout the house. Oh Ruppy, your blunt comments are as charming as ever.

The sly grin Luna had on told the pegasus she already knew. And she didn't plan on being left out~





After their “bath”, if one could call it that, the herd of three strolled out of the hall; clean and a little more tired than they were when they'd went in.

The mares in the living room had all already retired, but a note on the counter caught Silvers eye.


Aerial's staying the night.



	-Ruppy



The wolf didn't care much. Aerial was welcome to stay any time she liked, though her absence on the couch made him wonder whose room she was staying in.

He'd assumed she was with Ruppy, but with her having a cloud bed, he realized it might be difficult. Silver had taught the earth pony how to walk on clouds, but he wasn't sure if she could do it in her sleep.

After a yawn escaped him, the wolf quickly found himself caring less about Aerials sleeping arrangements and more about his own. Shuffling off to the hall on the other side of the house, Silver made his way to his room.

There, he found his mares waiting not so patiently for him.

“Get over here,” Twilight demanded, pointing to a spot between herself and Luna, “We're cold and tired.”

Silver complied and collapsed onto the bed, rolling onto his back so he could hold each mare in an arm. Both contently nuzzled into his fur, letting sighs of comfort and relief as his warmth rushed over them.

“Mhmm...I missed this...” Twilight sleepy mumbled. In the short few days they'd been apart, she'd all but forgotten the coziness of her wolf's fur. The unbelievably fluffy coat and it's snugness was like laying a cloud made out of silk on a warm summer day. The mare could swear she felt the sun's heat falling over her body.

But it wasn't just the warmth she craved. No, it was the tingling feeling her stomach got when she did. Those little butterflies dancing in her tummy were the best feeling in the world. Every time she got them, she couldn't help but smile, and every time it was because of these two.

This wolf. This mare.

Silver chuckled, “And we missed you,” he said back, leaning down and pecking her head. 

His voice vibrated through his chest, giving an amazing sensation to the ears of the mares laying atop them. In that short moment, Luna had a thought.

“Silver?” she asked, looking up at him with a bit of blush on her cheeks, “C-could you...um...sing for us?”

The wolf looked down with a curious look on his muzzle, before a small grin found it's across his lips, “If you want.”

Luna giggled and nuzzled back into his chest.

The girls heard a small humming coming from his chest in a somewhat simple tone, and a few moments later...

 ♪♫I've been beaten down,
I've been kicked around,
But she takes it all for me.

And I lost my faith, in my darkest days,
But she makes me want to believe.

They call her love, love, love, love, love...
They call her love, love, love, love, love...

She is love
And she is all I need. ♪♫

“Oh thank you Luna!”

Twilight relished in the wonderful sounds of his voice as it echoed through her heart. She'd only heard him sing twice, but both made her want to cry with a broken heart. But this time was different.

His voice was sweet, filled with love, compassion and what's more, JOY!

For the first time, they'd heard him sing with honest happiness and it was all because of them. They were the joy in his life, and nothing could have made them happier in return. To know that they were loved and precious to another made their hearts soar.

“And you're all we need too...”

Finally, they're eyes felt heavy. The struggle to keep them open had finally given out, and the two mares found themselves snoozing peacefully, their wolf following shortly after.





Twilight had awoke to the same fluff she'd missed for the last few days. The hairs tickled her nose a bit, causing her scrunch up her muzzle and turn her head so that the fur didn't bother her.

Now a little less than half awake, she could feel that Silver had, at some point last night, flipped onto his stomach and wrapped his wings around his mares. She scooted up a bit and pushed her head under his arm, nuzzling into his neck a little.

“Silver,” she mumbled, “Cuddles...”

The wolf didn't quite wake, but moved his arm down her side and pulled her closer.

Unfortunately, when he went to do the same with Luna, he found her spot empty. It was this that caused him to crack an eye open.

Sure enough, the midnight mare was gone.

“Where's Luna?” he asked.

“Dunno,” was all he got back before he heard Twilights sleeping noises come back. They were cute little snores that she made every once in a while.

Lifting his head and looking at the clock, he saw that it was a little past 7:00. They could still sleep for about another hour or so until they had to get up.

Or so he thought...

BOOM!

A muffled, thundering noise came crashing through the home, causing both Silver and Twilight to snap to attention.

“What was that?” Twilight drowsily asked, but before she could get an answer, Silver was already out of the room.

“Stay here!” he called back.

Upon reaching the living room, he noticed his house was still in order....but his front door wasn't.

The main entrance had been blown open, and Silver knew the culprit by the small tree roots that were slowly invading his home.

“Damn, she came faster than I thought.”

Silver quickly bolted out of the home and through the halls of Canterlot Castle. The roots had invaded the halls, covering every inch of every surface and slowly getting thicker in width as he traced them back to their source.

He eventually reached the conference hall where the roots were coming from, their thickness now roughly 7 inches. The plants had completely broken the double doors and, just like the rest of the castle, covered the walls, floors and roof.

“FUCKING BITCH!” Came an all too familiar voice from the room. Another root came bolting out from the door way, shooting down the hall.

“This is what I was afraid of.”

Silver walked into the room and saw the sight he fully expected to be there.

In the center of the room was Star Shine and Aurora along with two other wolves accompanying her, the former of the two known canines controlling the invasive plants. Behind his friend was his mare, confused and distraught about what to do.

Just as he walked in, Star had raised another root and was about to send it hurling at Aurora until Silver spoke up.

“STAR SHINE! KNOCK IT OFF!” he barked at her. She turned her head and was about to kill the fool who dare speak to her in such a way, but when she caught sight of his unamused  glare, she lowered her plant.

“What the hell do you think you're doing?” he hissed as he came closer, “Did you forget where you are? Did you forget WHO THE HELL IS STANDING BEHIND YOU?!”

Silver was now towering over the female wolf, who shrank back in shame.

“'M sorry...” she meekly excused.

“Don't apologize to me!” he shouted and pointed to Luna.

Star Shine quickly scampered around and turned to face the alicorn in the room, “I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused! I let my emotions get out of control and I ended up not only damaging your home but also putting you in danger! I'm so, so sorry!” she punctuated her apology by bowing her head to the floor.

“It's...um....well it's certainly not okay,” Luna admitted stepping forward, “You've made a mess of the castle and Tia will most certainly be upset with this. That is, if she can even get here to see what happened.”

“Star, clean up your mess,” Silver demanded.

The wolf snapped her head up, “Of course!”

A bright green glow surrounded Star Shine, and then the roots quickly crawled back to her, disappearing under her spot where she sat. In a few moments, every plant in the castle that she'd made was gone.

“All done, although I think there may be a few wounds on the castle...and maybe a few guards...” she confessed.

Silver simply sighed, “Honestly...Now go check on the castle. Fix everything you broke.”

Star Shine nodded in compliance and shuffled off through the...well, where the door used to be. As she passed Aurora, she snarled and snapped her teeth.

“If I see you again, I'll kill you,” Star warned. The ex simply put on a fake smile and waved her out of the room.

Silver trotted over to Luna, “I'm sorry you had to see that,” he said as lifted her hoof to inspect her for injuries.

“Well, what exactly was it?” she asked as she pulled her hoof away, “All I was aware of was that Aurora had come by the castle when Ruppy came and knocked on the door, saying that a guard was asked to come find me. Then when I came here, I found the two of them staring down one another, but before I could say anything, Star Shine attacked.”

“Yeah,” Silver sighed, “Star kinda hates her...well I think that might actually be an understatement. I don't think there's a word to describe what she feels for Aurora.”

The alicorn cocked her head, “And why's that?”

“Because I broke her best friends heart,” a voice chimed in. Luna looked behind Silver to find one of the three wolf visitors approaching, and she assumed it was Aurora, “That'll kinda piss of just about any one. Although I don't think it warrants a death sentence.”

The female canine had black fur all over that became bright blue at her paws and tail, with the tips of her hair vibrant purple. She might as well have been a walking neon sign.

“I agree,” Silver said as he turned to face her, “Hello again Aurora.”

“Hiya,” she greeted with a wave of her paw and a friendly smile.

Luna sat with an odd look on her muzzle. She seemed like a nice girl. Sure, according to Silver, they'd had a bad break up, but that doesn't mean that she's a bad wolf. So why does Star Shine hate her so much? Was there something else she was missing?

It was then that a voice called from down the hall.

“Silver!” Twilight yelled, “Is everything okay?!”

“It's fine!” he called back, just as Twilight walked past the room, “Star Shine just had a bit of a fit.”

The lavender mare strolled in, Ruppy and Onyx right behind her with their weapons strapped on, “Is that where all the roots came from? They started disappearing right after we left the house,” she walked right past the three guests and straight to Silver, never even seeming to notice their presence.

“Yeah, Star can control plants and nature; it's her element. It's also how she makes all those little potions and powders of hers,” Silver explained.

“And the reason why she decided to turn Canterlot Castle into a botanical garden?” Twilight continued.

Silver simply gestured a paw behind her. The alicorn turned and finally took notice of Aurora and the other two.

“Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. Who might you be?” she asked.

“I'm Aurora,” the wolf introduced, “These two are my betas. Willow and Over Look,” The two mentioned wolves bowed their heads in respect.

Twilight on the other hoof sat and tried to reel in her surprise. She wasn't expecting Silvers ex to show up the day after she sent the letter.

Shaking herself out of her stupor, Twilight continued speaking, “Oh right! Silver said you'd be coming some time soon. You're here to find Radiance, right?”

Aurora nodded, “Yes, and perhaps maybe settle some other issues as well,” she supplemented her sentence by eyeing Silver, who looked away in...anger?

Well that was certainly odd. Sure, he said they had a bad break up, but was it really that bad?

“Well I certainly hope that you don't have any trouble with either,” Twilight said before moving to the doorway, “I'm afraid I need to get going. I do have a schedule to keep today, so I won't be able to assist you in--”

“No, I must insist that you be present for the next conversation,” The colorful wolf interrupted, “Both you and Princess Luna need to answer my questions.”

Her demand was reinforced with Willow and Over Look stepping in front of Twilight, blocking her path from the exit.

In a fraction of a moment however, Ruppy and Onyx disappeared and reappeared next to the wolves. In one swift movement, both canines had been brought to the floor, Ruppy's gauntlet pressing Willows head into the tile while Onyx was standing over Over Looks back with her blades pressed at her throat.

“Get off of me,” Willow warned, “Or I will kill you...” The glare in his eyes made certain that his threat was not just words, but Ruppys hoof continued to press.

“Kid, if someone like you could kill me, I'd have died a long time ago,” the pegasus retorted.

Silver stepped forward a moment later however, before the killings could actually begin, “Alright you two,” he said lifting Ruppy off of the wolf, then Onyx, “Let's not shed any blood. It's too early for violence,” He carried them a few steps away before setting them down next to Twilight.

“Think you could spare a few minutes?” Silver asked the lavender mare. She really didn't want to, at the risk of being caught lying, but Twilight didn't have much choice. It was that, or punch their way through, and while she was sure Silver could at least handle the Betas, she wasn't sure about Aurora. He did say she was once stronger than he was.

Twilight let out a sigh, “Very well. I'll stay.”

Aurora beamed while her Betas got to their paws, “Great! Now, first things first. Do you know where Radiance is?”

Silver, Twilight and Luna all answered no. In a way, they weren't lying. None of them got a look at the address that was on the card given to Ruppy, so they really had no idea where she could have been.

Aurora focused her eyes, studying the aura of each individual in the room, “Hmm,” she hummed, but then shrugged, “Alright then. Next, do you know why she was here?”

Luna stepped forward, “Do you mean the last time she came to the castle?” she asked. Aurora simply nodded, “Well then it was to deliver a message from the Duke of Caneighdia.”

Once again, Luna wasn't lying. Radiance was originally tasked with coming to deliver a letter.

And again, Aurora studied the beings, “Hmm, either you're telling the truth, or you're all incredible liars, which for Silver I happen to know for a fact that he is.”

Silver cocked his head, “That I'm telling the truth, or am an incredible liar?”

“Knowing you, both,” the female canine answered simply, “Do you know why she didn't return to Caneighdia?”

Silver spoke this time, “Well, I'm assuming it had to do with that little shock collar your employer stuck on her. It'd make sense for her not to return if she managed to get it off.”

“And were you the one who helped her with that?” Aurora asked, now focusing solely on Silver.

There was a pause in the room, and the alicorns present tried their best to mask their panic.

After a long moment, the silver wolf spoke again, “Yep.”

Everyone in the room went wide eyed, save for Silver who simply continued talking, “Well, technically it wasn't me, it was Black Wing that actually got the collar off, but I'm the one that offered her to have it removed.”

“So you do admit to stealing the fox?” Aurora prodded, stepping closer to examine him. His aura had no changes in color or wavelength. It was as calm and collected as always.

“No, I don't,” Silver said back, “I didn't steal Radiance.”

“But you are hiding her,” the neon canine stated, rather than asked.

The male wolf shook his head, “Nope. I still have no idea where she is. It's true I helped removed the collar, but I never kept her around or anything. When our deal was done, she left. That was all.”

Aurora grunted in frustration, “That's still stealing her Silver! I know you have this whole 'absolute freedom' outlook on life, but that doesn't change the fact that you still took something that doesn't belong to you.”

The accused wolfs eyes narrowed dangerously as her stepped forward, “First of all, I'm the worlds greatest thief. You shouldn't be surprised to see me steal something. Second, stealing implies that I have in my possession, something that I took from another; which I don't. Radiance is no where to be found in my home or this castle. And third,” he growled and leaned forward, a mere inch away from Auroras muzzle, “the life of a creature is not property for someone to own. I will not stand by and watch as someone is enslaved,” The last sentence rang out with enough spite to make a pony sweat bullets, which was exactly what Twilight was doing.

Silver glared at Aurora for a moment longer before pulling his head away, “Besides, what I did doesn't classify as stealing. I liberated her from her servitude.” 

Aurora rolled her eyes, “Oh, of course. How could I be so foolish?” she spat, “You know, your aura hasn't changed a bit. It's still the same bleak and dull gray it's always been. You always put a spin on things so that even when you do something wrong, you explain it like there was nothing bad about what you did. It's just like the Battle of Shepard's Hill.”

Silvers eyes snapped towards her, “Shepard's Hill? And just what the hell makes you think you know a damn thing about what happened there?!”

At this point, the discussion of Radiance had died, and now the two were, as Aurora put it earlier, “settling other issues.”. Twilight and Luna watched as the argument unfolded, the uneasiness settling in the pits of their stomachs as the shouting continued.

“I know what happened there!” Aurora fired back, “I did plenty of research and even asked you about it! And do you know what I saw when I did!? Pride! I saw pride in your aura, Silver! Of all the atrocities you've done, that was the one thing I'd hoped you regretted, but no! You're just a monster who can't see beyond the mountains of corpses he's created!”

The words rang clear through the room, particularly through Twilight. Was that how she'd sounded? Was that the look she had on her face when she argued with the wolf? Even for her, the word “monster” seemed to cut deep.

Silver stood silent, his hazel eyes were now little specks in a white void, “This discussion is over,” he stated coldly before heading to the exit.

Aurora snorted, “Of course! When you get called out on your bullshit, what do you do? You pout. But hey, at least I'm seeing a new color! The only time I could see your aura turn blue is when you kept crying on about that dumb bitch Lily.”

….

….

Silver froze...

Time froze...

With that one sentence, the world had stopped. The wolf didn't even bother turning back to look at Aurora. He just stood, completely still.

“I mean really,” the colorful canine continued, “You'd think after 25 years, you'd get over it. You were completely obsessed with that dead girl. You were so weak-hearted  back then and you still are now!”

“Sile--” 

Silver's words were cut off by a loud boom erupting in the room, followed by a flash of light and a black paw over his mouth.

“You don't want to do that friend,” Black Wing said, now standing in front of him, “You've done well to not do such a thing for a long time now. Let's not add to your list of sins.”

Silver remained silent. He stood perfectly still, not even his chest moved from his breathes, if he was still using his lungs that is.

“Princess Twilight,” Black Wing called over, “Could you please take Silver elsewhere while I finish up here?”

Twilight, for her part, had finally recovered from the shock of the argument. She quickly shuffled over, but slowed down once she reached her wolf. Warily stepping around his side, she sat in front of him and got a full look at the expression on his face.

What is was, she could not identify. It was a mix between hatred, fear, shock and intense murderous intent.

“Silver?” she asked, her tone as caring as she could make it.

There was no response whatsoever. His eyes, his ears, his nose; not a single hair on his body moved at the sound of her voice.

“Silver?” she tried again, this time slowly raising a hoof to brush the fur on his cheek.

“Oh dear Celestia, no...”

All warmth that his body held vanished. His fur was ice, numbing her hoof to the touch. It was nothing like it was before when she noticed his change in temperature. This was Silver when he was completely devoured by his darker half.

And it was so wrong...

The warm coat which she fell asleep with and even woke up to might as well have been a hallucination, and it was that that was so off putting. Twilight had realized that his body temperature reflected his emotional state. And if his body was as cold as his heart was...

“Come on, Silver. Let's go somewhere else,” she moved her hoof down and took hold of his paw. She lightly pulled on it, and thankfully, it moved up with her hoof, “Anywhere you want to, just you and me.”

Slowly, she lifted the paw from the ground, making Silver take a step forward. Then another, and another. Soon, they were out of the room.

Black Wing turned and faced the rest of the group when he knew Twilight and Silver had left, “So, where were you in the discussion?” he asked as he walked forward.

Aurora huffed, “You mean about Radiance, or how pathetic Silver is?”

“I meant Radiance,” Black Wing clarified, “I need to get you out of here as soon as possible, if you don't mind.”

Aurora rolled her eyes, “Why? Afraid one of those two might come back?”

“Yes, quite,” the black wolf said with a nod, “I'm lucky Star Shine even considered bringing me here. If  she hadn't, you'd have been a corpse by now. Although, I'm now officially the only Alpha of the Black Moon Pack that won't try to kill you on sight, but be warned,” he said gravely, “My patience can only hold out for so long.”

Another eye roll, “Please. Like he'd have it in him to kill me. He can kill a soldier because he believes he's honoring them, but I'm no such thing. Besides, he wouldn't dare with the alicorns in the room.”

“Oh? And why do you think that?” Black Wing asked.

“He's completely smitten with the two of them. He wouldn't kill in front of them,” Aurora answer before turning to face Luna, “You should really put him down gently, I don't think his frail little heart can take much more,” she mocked.

Only to regret it moments later.

“Shut your mouth, you impudent little whelp...” Luna hissed as she strode by. She used her magic to summon a notepad and pencil, then scribbled something down on the paper before tearing it off and floating it to Aurora, “We asked Radiance to retrieve a grimoire from a seller in the Macintosh Hills. I don't know his specific address but this is the club that we got it from. You have your information, now leave.”

Aurora took the note in her paw and examined it, “Why didn't you say anything before?”

“Because before I saw you simply as a nuisance to be deceived. Now, you've completely disgusted me and if you don't leave my home in the next five minutes, I will let Ruppy and Onyx kill you.”

The said mares had scowls on their face that would make even Celestias sun freeze in an instant. Onyx's blades were trembling and Ruppys hooves were cracking the tile. If Luna weren't in the room, they'd have cut loose by now.

And oh, what a glorious blood bath it would be...

“There's no need to be so hostile, Princess Luna. I didn't insult you after all,” Aurora said, completely ignoring the threat.

Luna walked forward, her steps slow and steady. As she came closer, her eyes slowly changed from their normal sapphire blue to a crisp, cold silver. Her mane lightened and became a stunning white.

“Insulted? Is that what you think you were doing? No, you did not insult me. You didn't insult Silver either. You hurt him...You hurt the wolf I love,” Her eyes bore down into the very soul of Aurora, and the temperature in the room dropped. Ice formed on walls and floor, quickly turning the conference room into a industrial sized freezer, “The only reason you're still breathing is because I wish to avoid starting a war. And even then, that's only because I know my sister would be very upset about it. Now leave, before I loose what little self-control I have left, and do not come back.”

Aurora shrank back, her paws slipping on the ice and causing her to fall to the floor. She quickly got back up and trotted out the door in a quick pace, her Betas following close behind.

After a moment, Luna managed to collect herself, the ice on the walls disappearing and the heat coming back to the room.

“Are you sure you should have given her the address? Radiance might wind up getting captured,” Black Wing said as he stood next to the alicorn.

“Yes, I know,” Luna said with a sigh, “But if she remained in my presence for much longer, I would have killed her,” She turned and faced Black Wing, “Just what are you doing here anyway?”

“Star summoned me,” he repeated from earlier, “She figured Aurora might do something stupid and piss Silver off, so she called me up. I'm the only one that can talk him down. Well, the only wolf. It seems yourself and Princess Twilight can manage him now.”

“Barely,” Luna said with a sigh, “I honestly thought he might kill her for a moment.”

“Oh he was going to,” Black Wing assured, “In all the time I've known Silver, he's only ever made that face once before. And when he did, he created a spell he shouldn't have.”

“A spell?” she asked.

Black Wing nodded, “He was going to Silence her. Not that I'd blame him.”

“Silence her?”

“In truth, I don't know what caused Silver to loose it at the time,” Black Wing began, “But when I found him, the remains of the ones who pissed him off were splattered across the land.  A large patch of the forest was crimson red, with little bits of meat and bone splintering the trees. And there in the center of the slaughter was Silver, with the exact same look on his face.”

“But what did he do?” She asked.

“No idea. When I asked, he just said he Silenced them, then turned and left. I'm not even sure if he remembers doing it,” the wolf admitted.

Luna sighed. This was not how she wanted her morning to go, “Well, if you have no further business with me then I'm going to check on those two.”

Black Wing nodded, “Okay. But Princess, please be careful. I doubt Silver would hurt you, but like I said, I've only seen him like this once before, so I can't be sure.”

Luna looked back at him, “Worry not, Black Wing. We'll bring your friend back, and the smile we all love to see him with.”

“I hope...”
> One More Meeting And Beats Takes A Beating
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luna roamed the halls of the castle, trying to find her wolf and mare. She checked Silvers home, but upon finding it empty, she assumed they must be elsewhere. Unless they were in the back of the mountain side, in which case searching for them would be pointless. No need to get lost out there, after all.

So she opted to search a more familiar area that they might be in; Canterlot Castle. However, the past ten minutes have proved to be rather unfruitful.

After so long of wandering, Luna eventually found herself back where she started; in front of the conference hall. Pausing in her search to let out a sigh, she considered just going back to Silvers home and waiting for them to return. That is until she noticed the guards standing watch.

“You,” she called, getting the stallions attention.

He straightened up more than he already was and saluted, “Ma'am?”

“Have you seen Princess Twilight and a wolf pass by recently?” she asked, “They would have been together.”

“Yes, Ma'am. They went down the hall and out of the window,” he answered, pointing a hoof to an opened one, “After that Ma'am, I'm not sure.”

Luna nodded her head, “Thank you. You've been very helpful.” With that, she turned and left, heading towards the spot where her herd had exited. When she reached the window, she flapped her wings and took off, hovering around the castle for a minute to search.

It wasn't until she turned around and saw two figures laying together on the roof of the home that she realized where they went. Swiftly, she dived down and landed on the roofing lightly, careful not to disturb the already upset wolf.

“Twilight?” she called out lightly.

Two lavender ears perked up and the head full of purple mane turned to face her. Twilight then looked back at the wolf for a moment, gently nuzzling his neck.

“Silver?” she said softly in his ear, “Wait right here, I'll be back in a moment. And maybe with a little surprise for you.”

The wolf didn't move. Just the same as before, his body showed no signs of response. Twilight let out a disheartened sigh before standing and walking back to Luna.

“How is he?” the midnight mare asked in a hushed tone.

Twilight shook her head, “He won't do or say anything. The only thing I could do was lead him out of the room, which even then I don't think he was actually following me. When I stopped to ask him where he wanted to go, he just kept walking and came up here. It's like he doesn't even know I exist,” another sad sigh escaped her as she hung her head, “I'm a terrible marefriend. I can't even cheer up my boyfriend when his ex decides to show her face.”

The upset alicorn then felt something lift her chin, making her look up to see Lunas smiling face, “No dear, you're not. You've stuck with him this whole time while I decided to stay behind and deal with...” Luna had to pause and force a quiver of anger down before continuing, “and even after that, I wasted time running around the castle. You're not a terrible marefriend, you're the best,” she sealed her reassurance with a deep, passionate kiss.

After it broke, Twilight simply looked down with scarlet cheeks and fiddling hooves, “Um..thank you...you're the best marefriend too...”

Luna couldn't help but giggle. A flustered Twilight was the most adorable Twilight. The older alicorn wrapped a wing around her, “Come on. Let's see if we can't cheer up our wolf.”

Together they trotted over to Silver, who still laid with his paws crossed and his head resting atop with his eyes closed. Twilight took up her spot on the right, while Luna laid on his left.

“Silver?” the lavender mare said, “Silver, Luna's here. She's worried about you; we both are.”

After a moment of silence, she looked over to Luna and shook her head. It was the lunar alicorns turn now.

“Silver,” she cooed in his ear, “Please say something...”

Another lack of response.

“Silver...I'm begging you...”

Silence...

“Something, anything...please, just let us know that you're okay...you're scarring us..”

….

Twitch

It was small. Just a simple flicker of the tip of his ear. In all honesty, neither mare even noticed it. But then....

Twitch, Twitch

Out of the corner of her eye, Twilight barely caught the motion. At first, she thought it was just her imagination, until the wolfs ears folded back.

Slowly, Silver lifted his head. His eyes opened once more, though they were directed towards the ground.

“Silver?” Luna asked hopefully.

Her wolf-friend looked down in shame, “'m sorry...I didn't mean to worry you...” he mumbled.

Both mares sat still for a moment, but then, in a flash, Luna and Twilight threw their hooves around his neck, squeezing him like he might just disappear out of nowhere.

“You idiot!” Twilight yelled into his fur, “Of course we were worried about you!”

Silver could feel her body shudder and her choking breathes as she fought back her tears. He leaned over and nuzzled her cheek, “I know, and I'm so sorry. I didn't want you to see me like that. It's...well, it's just not a side of me I like others to see. I just...” he trailed off as sigh was let out.

Luna lifted her head and turned Silvers to face her, “It's understandable why you were upset. What she said...it was beyond rude and horrible. I should have gotten rid of her sooner,” she finished and leaned in to kiss him.

After it broke, Silver let out another tired sigh and rested his head against her. He let it lay there for a long time, simply taking in the comfort of his mare-friends and the temperature outside. Winter was well on it's way, but the last few days of fall were still hanging on, allowing for the occasional cool day outside. It wasn't hot, but it wasn't cold either. The day was wonderful getting rid of stress and anger.

“She was the first to say it to me,” he admitted after a while. His voice carried with his words a certain degree of heart break. 

Luna looked down at him, “You mean about Lily?”

Silver shook his head, “Not just that. She was the first to call me a monster.”

As the words hit her, Twilight slowly pulled her head out of his neck. She still didn't forgive herself for calling him that. Chances were that she might never. It wasn't that it was just an insult, but that it was reinforcing something he already believed himself to be. It's like if someone calls themselves unwanted, you don't agree. You tell them the opposite.

But Twilight didn't. Hell, she'd made a damn lecture out of it.

“Well, I suppose that's wrong too,” he continued, “I'd been called it before. It was only natural considering the things I've done, but it was never from someone I cared about. Someone I called a friend. Someone I loved. After she found out, she hated me. We argued, and then split up. But it wasn't until after that that I actually started believing I'm a monster. I guess--”

Silver was cut off by a sniffle. He looked over and saw Twilight with her head once again buried into his neck.

“Twilight?” he asked. The mare simply shook her head, prompting him to try again “Twilight?”

“I'm terrible....” she squeaked out.

“What are you talking about?”

Twilight no longer could hold back her tears, and was now fully crying, “I c-can't cheer you up, I c-can't put together m-my own guard and to make things worse I'm j-just as much as bitch as Aurora. I c-called you the same thing for the same reason and w-w-when I thought you might die, I was so scared t-that I would never get the c-chance to say I'm s-sorry, but even after you got better I n-never apologized. I'm a-- I'm a...”

Her ramblings were cut off by a kiss pressed against her muzzle. After a long moment, it broke,  and Twilight found a pair of honey hazel eyes staring into hers, “You're a wonderful mare-friend,” Silver cooed, “And forget about what you said to me before. I know you were upset at the time, but unlike Aurora you actually listened after, and even more, you regret it. I don't think that's something she understands. You're nothing like Aurora, and don't think even for a second that I would ever hold what you said against me.”

Twilight sniffled, “But I--” she was silenced by yet another kiss.

“No buts,” he instructed before kissing her again, “No more tears,” another kiss, “And no more feeling guilty,” he finished with one longer than either before. Once it finally broke, Twilight let out a long sigh and nodded.

“Can we just forget today? I wanna go home,” Twilight pleaded.

Luna giggled, “Normally, I would happily agree, but I'm afraid the day has only just gotten started. Silver still has training to lead and you and I have our own tasks.”

Twilight sighed once more, “This sucks.”

It was then that a guard had flown out of the window. He paused and looked around, before finally spotting the three on the roof.

Flying down and landing behind them, he made himself known.

“Princess Luna, Princess Twilight,” he said, getting them to turn their heads, “Miss Radiance has just arrived. She's waiting in the conference hall.”

Luna nodded, “Thank you. You're dismissed,” and the guard flew off. She turned back to her wolf and mare, “Well, shall we?”

Both nodded and stood, flying back across the castle roof and in through the window.

“I suppose it's a bit of luck,” Luna said as they walked, “Had she showed up earlier, things would have been much more difficult.”

“True,” Twilight agreed, “It'd be hard to hide her in the castle and have Bitch Face here too.”

Both Silver and Luna stopped in their tracks and looked the lavender mare with shock and confusion. When she finally noticed they were behind her rather than at her side, Twilight turned and look in equal perplexity.

“What?” she asked.

“It's just...that was kinda mean,” Luna admitted, “We weren't really expecting it.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, “If you really expect me to refer to her by her name, then you're crazy. She's lost any respect from me the moment she made Silver mad.”

It was then she felt a peck on her cheek. She looked over to find the mentioned wolf pulling away.

“Have I ever told you how adorable you are when you stick up for me?” he teased, causing the mare to blush.

“Silver,” she scolded while looking away, “Not in front of others. The public doesn't know about us.”

Luna trotted up beside them giggling, “Don't worry. The guards and staff know better than to say anything about that they see in the castle. Now come along, we don't want to keep our guest waiting.”

A short walk later, and the three found themselves in the room with the fox....and a white alicorn.

...With a very angry scowl. That damned guard from earlier didn't mention this.

The moment the three of them stepped in, Celestias eye snapped to them.

“Luna. Twilight. Silver,” she addressed, not actually greeting them, “Do you mind explaining to me why my castle is riddled with cracks and ice?”

They all paused, Luna suddenly taking in interest in anything that wasn't her sister. You know, those were some really nice drapes.

“Um...STAR SHINE!” Silver called. Suddenly, the female wolf appeared beside the trio.

“What is it?” she asked, “I still have to fix the...rest...of....” Slowly, she turned her head, noticing the fierce glare Celestia was giving her.

“Star Shine...” the white alicorn growled, “Were you responsible for the damage done to the castle?”

The wolf could only squeak in terror. It reminded Twilight of when ponies would try to question Flutter Shy. It was actually kinda cute.

Celestia stalked forward towards the group, “And the ice?”

It was then that Luna stepped between the other three and her sister, “That was me,” she admitted, “I was the one who froze over the room. Yes, I know it was foalish and stupid. No, I cannot guarantee that it won't happen again. But sister, that wolf was being, pardon my language Silver, a bitch. So if you intend on punishing Star Shine then you must punish me as well for doing the same thing for the same reason.”

Celestia, for her part, was actually surprised. She was certainly upset, but she didn't expect Luna to defend Star Shine in such a way. Yes, Luna was kind, but an act such as this was unforeseen.

The ivory mare paused and cocked a brow, “You say she was behaving inappropriately?”

“She made a remark about a part of Silvers personal life that neither of us could let pass. And so...we intimidated her,” Luna explained.

“And this remark was?”

It was here where Luna turned back at Silver, looking for his approval. Instead of receiving it, the wolf explained it himself.

“She insulted Lily,” he said in a cold tone.

Celestias curious expression was wiped away immediately, and was instead replaced with sympathy.

“Oh...I see. A foolish mistake indeed,” she concluded. The white mare then walked over to the crack in the walls made by Star Shines roots, “Star Shine. I would appreciate it if you could repair these damages.”

The wolf quickly perked up and scampered away, “Yes, Princess!”

After she'd left, all attention was turned to Celestia once more, who was moving back over to Radiance.

“Well everyone, with that out of the way” she began, “I believe this fox has gone a long way to get something for us, and I think it's about time her journey end.”





The Zodiac Tome.

It's cover was simple. Black with stars painted on it. Despite it's simplicity however, it still gave the beings in the room an unnerving sensation, Luna in particular.

This was perhaps due to it's realistic appearance. The starry sky on the book look real, as if they were staring into the night sky itself.

“Sister, I don't like this grimoire,” Luna stated, “I think we should just bury it.”

“We can't,” Celestia denied, “We still don't know what's inside. Until we do, we can't risk someone else finding, especially the one that's been hunting these books.”

The little sister sighed, “Fine. But how can we even be sure this is the same book that Daring Do had in the cave?”

It was then that Radiance stepped forward. She dug into her bag and pulled out a dirty safari hat, tossing it on the table next to the grimoire, “I think this belongs to the mare you're referring to. She's not dead, so she might come back for it, but she was still guarding the book when I went to get it.”

Silver raised a brow, “I thought you were only going to buy the book. The whole reason we sent you was to avoid another fight.”

The vixen sighed, “Well, for some reason, she was pretty intent on keeping it. I didn't argue, I just got the damn thing and left. I'm assuming it was a scheme, since she attacked me on my way back. I think her and the seller had system going where the buyer pays for the book, tries to leave the mountain and Daring mugs them and steals it back.”

Silver shrugged. It sounded like a good idea. He lifted a paw, flipping the book open, but noticed something off about it. When he examined the first few pages, he noticed the remains of previous ones that had been removed.

“Great,” he sighed, “There are pages missing. Did Daring happen to tear out a couple during your scuffle?”

Radiance shook her head, “No. The book never left my bag.”

“She could have torn the pages out before you got there,” Twilight suggested.

Silver hummed, “Yeah that's possible. But why? Daring doesn't care about grimoire magic, just the prices they sell for. Maybe it was her employer and not her.”

“I don't know,” Radiance said, “The guy that sold it didn't seem like the kind of pony to be interested in using magic either. I don't think there would be much point looking into him either.”

Silver shrugged, “Meh, oh well. As long as we have the rest of the book, the pages should be useless.”

Radiance quirked a brow, “Really? Can't they still just read the pages?”

Silver shook his head, “Nope. Grimoires aren't just a collection of spells someone created. They're stories. They have the memories and experiences bond with them. The magic that binds the book and transfers the spells stays with the book, so until those pages are returned, all they're going to have is a story of someones life.”

The fox nodded, “Okay then. Since my job is done, I'm going to take my leave. You've all done me a great service by removing that collar, so if there's anything I can help you out with in the future, please let me know.”

Silver waved a paw as Radiance bowed her head, then left the room.

“I miss her already,” Silver joked. The mares simply rolled their eyes.

“But are you sure the pages can't be used without the rest of the book?” Twilight asked.

The wolf nodded, “Yeah. The magic is bound to the book. Removing them removes the magic. And without the first pages of the book, you can't read the full story and you'll wind up getting incomplete spells.”

“So,” Celestia began, “Until we can find the rest of the pages, we can't find out what the book is for?”

Silver shook his head, “No, we can still find out what the grimoire does, we just won't be able to use the spells in it. I think we should leave that up to Star though. She should have a better understanding of what the book is capable of.”

Celestia nodded, “Very well. I'll get this to her right away. The rest of you should get on with your day.”

The herd all nodded and agreed. It was almost 11:00 now, and they had tasks of their own to complete. So, Twilight went back to the library in Ponyville, Luna went to her office and Silver went home to start the training. Well, it should have started already, but Beats would be joining them today and he needed to get a feel for what the stallion could do before he could come up with a regiment.

So the wolf wandered through the home and down the mountain. He went to where Ruppy, Onyx and Aerial were training, and took notice of the sounds that echoed through the mountain side.

Crumbles and crushes were booming through one side, while the clean sound of swords slicing through the air filled the other. It made Silver happy knowing that his protegees were so diligent.

Figuring that Onyx was closer, Silver decided he would check on her first. So he trotted through the mountain paths until he reached the clearing, where he found the black mare under a tree, panting from exhaustion.

Sitting by a tree a couple of yards away was a small orange filly and Beats, the former of the two watching in awe as Onyx kicked the trunk once more, before rapidly swinging her blades.

Silver could see leaves being shredded in the blindingly fast movements of the mare, but failing to cut them all.

“You're getting better,” he complemented as he approached, the unicorn turning to face him. Her face was dripping with sweat and breathes were erratic. Looking closely, he could see the aura around the hilt of the blade dimming, a sign that she would probably pass out soon, “You should rest,” he said, taking the blades out of her telepathic grip and setting them against the tree. He then picked her up and set her down against the trunk as well.

Onyx made no moves to try and stop him. Even if she wanted to, she didn't have the energy to. Those damn blades drained everything out of her. She was surprised she could use them when she was against the Fallen Kings.

After setting Onyx down, Silver turned his attention to the two pegasi under the nearby tree, “Enjoying the show?” he asked.

The little filly excitedly nodded her head, “Yeah-huh! This is so cool! I had no idea some pony could move that fast!” she exclaimed. Her brother couldn't help but chuckle.

It was then that Scootaloo stood up and raced over to Silver, “Ya know, I never did get a good look at you,” she said as she wandered around in circles examining him, “You're really big. And why do you have wings?”

“Scoots...” Beats said in a warning tone, “It's not polite to do things like this.”

“Oh come on!” the little filly protested, “How many chances am I gonna get to talk to a wolf!? With wings!”

Her brother simply rolled his eyes, “Well could you at least be a little more polite about it?”

Scootaloo mimicked her brothers eye roll, causing Silver to let out a light laugh. Oh yeah, they were siblings.

“Well,” the wolf said, “Why do you have wings?”

“Uh, cause I'm a pegasus. Duh!” the filly said, “I was born with them.”

“Well so was I,” Silver explained, “I'm what's called an Aerial wolf. We're wolves with wings. Just like pegasi are ponies with wings.”

“So, does that mean there are wolves without wings too? What about ones with horns and magic?” she asked.

Silver lowered himself to the ground to meet the curious little fillies eyes, “Well, wolves without wings are called Prime wolves, and while we don't have wolves with horns, we do have wolves with magic. Actually, all wolves can use magic.”

“You can!?” she exclaimed, “I thought you had to have a horn to use magic, but you're telling me that you don't have to?!”

Silver chuckled once more, “Yep. There are plenty of types of magic that you can use without a horn. You just gotta find them.”

Scootaloos face lit up. She'd always been curious about magic. Sure, she still preferred having wings over a horn any day, but she could still wonder about it.

“That's so cool! Maybe I can learn a magic that can help me find my cutie mark!?” she gasped.

“I don't know about that,” Silver said, “Getting a cutie mark is something special, right? There are somethings that magic just can't do.”

The little pegasus seemed to deflate, prompting her brother to step forward, “Hey, don't worry Scoots. You'll get your cutie mark soon enough.”

“Yeah, I know,” she dejectedly responded, then shuffled off to go sit wit Onyx.

Silver raised his head and looked at the stallion sitting in front of him, “You ready to get started with your training?” the wolf asked.

Beats nodded, “Yep. Just tell me what I need to do.”

Silver pointed his head in direction leading away from the place where Onyx trains, “Follow me. You two can follow too if you wanna see him get his flank kicked. Actually, go tell Ruppy and Aerial too. I'm sure they'd find it funny.”

The words made Beats worry, while Onyx simply laughed, “Don't get started without us,” she said before standing. Scootaloo did the same and followed her to the path that lead to the cliff where the other two trained.

Silver continued to lead the stallion through the mountain side, eventually coming to a stop in a small, flat clearing surrounded by trees.

The sound of hooves on the ground and wings in the air told the two that their spectators had arrived. In a moment, Ruppy and Aerial had landed, while Onyx jumped out of the bushes with the little orange filly on her back.

“Sweet!” the pegasus mare said, “The show didn't start yet!”

“Show?” Beats asked, “Um, what's going on?”

“Allow me to explain,” Silver began, “Before I can come up with a way to improve your skills, I first need to know what you're capable of. In order to do that, combat simulation is required. So, you and I will be sparring, and if you don't manage to land a hit on me by the end of the day, I will make you sleep out here.”

Beats eyes went wide, “You can't do that!”

“Oh, but I can,” Silver said with a sly grin, “Now, if you don't want to spend the night here, I suggest you get into your stance. You only have about twelve and a half hours left until times up. It took Ruppy and Onyx about that long to hit me, so you should be fine.”

“This is insane,” Beats said with a shake of his head, but got into his stance anyway. His legs and wings spread and his body lowered to the ground. Silver did the same as he did with Ruppy and Onyx, and simply sat there.

No one moved, until...

In a flash, Beats pushed off from his spot, bolting at Silver. His planted his hind hooves in the ground and swung his left front one, the wolf leaning back and easily avoiding the blow. But then, the pegasus's body continued to turn, and his left hind leg was brought in a spinning kick.

“He's fast and surprisingly flexible.”

Silver ducked and avoided another blow, moving back to put space between them. Then he noticed something odd.

“He doesn't fight on all fours?”

The pegasus was standing on his hind legs, his wings still extended and his front hooves brought in front of him.

“I've never seen a pony fight as a bi-pedal before. I didn't think they had the balance. Unless that's what he's using his wings for.”

Once again, Beats propelled himself forward, a serious of lightning quick jabs following as soon as he reached Silver.

The wolf saw through each one of the swings, easily reading the pattern. He jumped and landed behind the pegasus, once again putting distance between the two of them.

“No wonder he couldn't beat Onyx or Ruppy. His attacks are so easy to read, I might as well be looking at a pop-up book. Something else is off though. He looks...awkward. Like he's uncomfortable.”

“Alright,” Silver said, “I've got a decent feel for offense. Now let's see how your defense is.”

“Whoo!” Scootaloo cheered, “Kick his butt!”

Onyx giggled at the little filly's antics, “You know he can't beat Silver right?”

“Yeah, I kinda figured,” she said with a grin, “Which I why I want Silver to beat him up. It'll make him tough!”

What a strange little filly...

Silver disappeared in a flash, reappearing behind the stallion with his wing pulled back. He swung it forward, knocking Beats off to the side and skidding across the ground. He only slid for a moment before he was got back to his hooves, the ran back at the wolf.

“He recovered?”

Silver had no time to think, Beats was already in his face. A hoof was being brought down at the wolfs head, and Silver swung a wing to knock his legs.

Beats crashed to the ground, hitting it so hard he bounced before Silver kicked him into the air.

The stallion went flying, but again, only for a moment until he recovered. Mid spin, Beats wings shot out and he bolted back down with incredible speed. He swung when he reached Silver, and the wolf side stepped, causing the hoof to drive into the ground.

The dirt cracked and kicked up dust.

“He's a lot stronger than he looks.”

Silver spun on his front paws, turning his backs legs to the stallion still in mid punch and bucked him across the clearing. Beats flew and almost crashed into a tree. Instead of hitting it, he managed to readjust his body, and planted his hooves on the trunk before pushing back off.

“He recovered again!? And from that position!?”

Just as the pegasus reached the wolf, Silver raised his paw and smacked away Beats hoof, “That's good enough,” he said, “I think I got it.”

Beats was caught off guard, and was sent tumbling across the grass. Once he pulled himself from the dirt, he turned and looked back Silver, “What? I thought I had a full twelve hours.”

“You did, but it's not necessary,” Silver said with a wave of a paw, “I can see what you can do, I just need to find out what's holding you back,” he wandered over and circled the stallion, examining his body.

He was in good physical condition, so that wasn't an issue. And while his strikes may have been bland and simple, they were by no means amateurish. Was it a mental thing?

“Beats,” the wolf said, “How do you feel during a fight?”

The pegasus shrugged, “I dunno. It was sparring, so I wasn't really feeling anything.”

Silver shook his head, “No,no. Not the sparring session, in any fight. Do you feel like something is off?”

Beats nodded, “Yeah. It just never feels...well, I want to say entertaining but that would just be weird. It's like it's missing something, and I just can't get into the rhythm.”

Silver cocked a brow.

“Rhythm? That's not something many say when describing fights. It's true that each one has a kind of pace to it, but not many ever notice it.”

Silver leaned over and look at the cutie mark on the stallions flank. It was...strange.

It was an audio visualizer, but the way it looked, you would think it was a series of explosions. Each peak was blindingly white and varying in terms of thickness.

“Wait a minute...no way...”

Silvers face broke out into huge grin, “This...is going to be...AWESOME!!” he exclaimed, “Okay! So I've got an idea! You just stay here and keep sparring with Onyx, and keep doing it for the next few training sessions. I gotta go!”

In a flash, the wolf disappeared, leaving behind the group of confused and stunned ponies. Onyx shook herself out of her bewilderment, then set Scootaloo on the ground before walking over to Beats.

“Well, you heard the wolf,” she said as she drew her swords, “Ready for round 2?”

Back in the home, Silver was on the second floor, rummaging through one of his closets.

“No. No. No,” he mumbled to himself as he tossed various items aside, “Aha! Found you!” he pulled a small back out of a chest and jostled it, checking to see how many of the contents were inside.

“Hmm,” he hummed, “Should be enough. Oh, I really hope this works!” he turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him and trotting back up to the first floor.

 “And now to go find that one mare. I don't think I ever actually caught her real name, but she had a white coat and bright blue mane, and some kick ass purple shades. Oh, wait! Her stage name! What was it again?

 DJ- Something?”
> Hiatus Ends and Making Amends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver strolled through the roads of Ponyville with his bags strapped around his waist. Inside it's pockets was a hefty amount of bits and another smaller pouch. Thankfully the town had already adjusted to him, so he could walk through town without being stared at, though he still did receive a glance or two every once in while. He just supposed that would never change.

“Where is she?” Silver murmured to himself as his eyes scoured the town, “Hmm. Maybe if I look from the sky.”

The wolf spread his wings and soared. The mare he was looking for had a very distinctive appearance, so picking her out on the streets shouldn't have been difficult. After all, who else had bright, electric blue mane and pearly whi--

“Silver!!” he heard someone call from down below. Silver looked down in the direction of the voice, finding his lavender marefriend waving a hoof up at him.

He dived down and landed in front of the mare, “Oh, hey Twilight. What are you doing out here?” he asked, “I thought you had interviews and things to do.”

Twilight nodded, “I do, but I didn't eat breakfast and got pretty hungry, so I stopped by a diner for some brunch,” she explained,  “What about you though? I thought you had to train the girls.”

“I did, but when I got done with Beats, I had an idea so I'm out looking for a certain mare,” he said as he turned his head around looking, “Actually, can you help me? I can't remember her name.”

Twilight raised a brow and sported a smirk, “Really? You're asking your marefriend to help you find another mare?”

Silver waved a dismissive paw, “Oh, it's not like that. I fully intend on paying her for her services,” he said with a grin.

Twilight sputtered, “Th—wha-I-tha-ha,” a small blush crept into her cheeks before she finally stopped her stuttering, “Just shut up and tell who you're looking for.”

The wolf laughed, “I said I don't know her name, but she is a DJ. She's got a white coat with an electric blue mane and purple shades.”

The mares head perked up, “Oh, you mean DJ-PON3,” she concluded, “Well, her real name is Vinyl Scratch. I'm not sure where she lives, but I know the club she works at,” Twilight turned and began leading the wolf in the direction of the building.

As he followed behind her, it was Silvers turn to raise a brow, “And just how would you know that?”

Twilight shook her head, and although he couldn't see her eyes, he knew she rolled them, “I don't go clubbing regularly, if that's what you're thinking,” she denied, “but Pinkie Pie and Rainbow have taken me there once or twice, though only to dance. I try to avoid drinking.”

The name caused Silvers steps to hesitate for a moment, “Have you...have you seen her yet?”

Twilight shook her head and sighed, “No. I've been meaning to ask Fluttershy to go check up on her. I don't think that seeing me or you would really help her feel better.”

“Yeah,” Silver agreed dismally, “I might still go see her anyway. Maybe we can get her to out to go do something. It might do her some good.”

Twilight rounded a corner, leading them to a vibrant building. It was bright red with large neon lights that said “The Drop,” though the letters were shut off. Silver assumed it was because it was the middle of the day, and no one party's until the suns down. There wasn't a bouncer at the door to greet them either, so they strolled into the building.

The inside was quite spacious, containing not only a large stage, dance floor and bar, but also a second floor that looked out over the first.

The pair wandered into the empty building, just as another pony walked in as well from a back room. She had a gray coat and jet black mane, and was sporting a bow tie around her neck. She certainly didn't have the appearance of a club owner.

“I'm sorry but we're--” she began, only to pause at the sight of Twilight, “Oh! Your highness! I didn't realize it was you. I'm terribly sorry, but I'm afraid we're not open at the moment. If you come back later after sunset, we'll be glad to welcome you though.”

Twilight shook her head, “Octavia please, I've asked you not to call me that. And besides, we're not here to party. The wolf here wants to speak with Vinyl.”

“The wolf?” the gray mare question, turning her head to look behind Twilight. Her eyes went wide with surprise as her sights fell upon the canine, “Oh yes. I've heard rumors about a wolf moving to Ponyville, but I've never actually seen you before.”

Octavia walked a closer, stopping just a few feet away from Silver, “Who are you and what is that you want with Vinyl?” she asked, eyeing him suspiciously. Her tone wasn't rude, but the sudden lack of finesse made her appear more distrusting than she really was. In truth, she was mostly curious. There was a hint of caution in the back of her mind though. It was only natural seeing as how a wolf just wandered into the establishment and asked for her best friend.

“My name is Silver Wind,” the canine introduced, “As for what I'm here for, it's kind of complicated,” he explained, rubbing a paw behind his head and choosing to ignore the mares glare, “I have an idea I want to test out, and if Vinyl is as good as they say, then I think she may be able to help me.”

“You still haven't told me much,” Octavia replied, her eyes never easing, “How am I to trust a stranger around one of my best friends?”

“It's fine Tavi,” a voice called from above. All three looked up to see a set of white hooves descending the steps that lead to the second floor, “If Twilight is willing to bring him here, then he's harmless.”

The mare Silver had been looking for was now standing in front of him. Even inside, she still wore her shades.

“Hey Twi,” she greeted once she reached the bottom floor, then turned to Silver, “So what's this idea you got?” she asked.

“Well, have you heard of enhancing the body through means of music?” Silver asked. Twilight had about leaving since the matter didn't concern her, but at the mention of the strange subject, she decided to stay.

“What? You mean like getting ponies hyped or something?” Vinyl asked with a tilt of her head.

Silver nodded, “Yeah something like that. You see, I figured that if I could find a way to weave a spell into something like a song, then maybe I could enhance the physical performance of a pony while it plays.”

“Hmm,” Vinyl hummed as she paced, “Well, I've never heard of some pony doing it, but I don't think it would really be all that difficult. I mean, a lot of high level spells have things like incantations or phrases that you have to say in order to activate it, so if you could re-write an incantation as a song, then it might work.”

“But re-writing the incantation would alter the spell,” Twilight interjected, taking a very sudden interest in the matter, “You might wind up with something different, or nothing at all. Not to mention the incantations have to be spoken by the caster, not heard. Otherwise they won't take effect.”

Silver turned the alicorn with a grin before reaching into his bag, “That's what these are for,” he said then pulled out the small pouch he grabbed before leaving the house. He pulled the little strings keeping it shut and revealed the contents inside.

Small stones, about two and a half dozen, filled the bag. Each one was black that reflected a rainbow shine from the lights hitting it.

“Are those...” Vinyl began.

“Resonance stones...” Twilight finished in awe.

Octavia simply looked with mild curiosity. So what? They were black stones with a pretty shine. Big deal.

“Yep,” Silver said with a nod, “Since these can record a magic sequence and use it at any time, I figured that maybe they could be used to weave a spell into music.”

Twilight pulled her attention away from the stones, “Well, yeah they might. But that still doesn't solve the issue that in order for a spell to be cast, it has to be spoken, not just heard.”

“But that's where Vinyl comes in,” Silver retorted, pointing a paw to the white unicorn, “If the spell can only be cast when spoken, then all we'd have to do is write the spell in the form of a song, then play it back. The magic I intended on having Beats use will be Enhancement Magic. So long as he hears it, it will take effect.”

It was Vinyls turn to look up, “Um...dude, maybe you didn't know but I don't right lyrics,” the mare clarified, “I make dubstep. No words, just beats.”

Silver shook his head, “Funny thing about incantations, you don't have to use words. So long as there is some form of catalyst or medium for the magic, the spell will still take effect.”

The white unicorn began to pace, humming to herself while she walked in a circle. It was doable, at least in theory. But there was still something bothering her. She suddenly stopped and looked at Silver, “Why me?” she asked suspiciously.

Even Twilight had to admit she found it a little odd that Silver would seek out Vinyl for this situation. There are a number of other ponies with greater magic and intelligence that would be able to give him results. Not that Vinyl isn't intelligent or powerful.

In fact, she was quite the opposite. While she didn't go to college like her earth pony friend, Vinyl Scratch was still very adept in magic studies, particularly the ones surrounding applications to music and sound.

“Well...,” Silver replied, rubbing the back of his head with a paw, “You're kinda the only local DJ, and the stallion who I'm doing this for needs beats and rhythm.”

“So you picked me out of convenience?” Vinyl retorted.

Silver chuckled nervously, “Hehe...yeah. And I also heard you're a pretty awesome DJ.”

The unicorn continued to eye the wolf, though it was hard for every pony else to tell due to her shades. After a moment though, she eventually just laughed and smirked, “Alright, I'll see what I can do.”

Silver pumped a paw into the air, “Yes!” then trotted over and pulled out a schematics paper, “I figured we could just use headphones. We could inlay the stones into it, which would allow for the spells and music to mix.”

“Sounds like it might work, but we still need to write the spells, right?” she asked as she looked over the paper.

Silver nodded, “Yeah. I'll run and grab some  scrolls for Enhancement spells for you to look over. It should help get the desired effect.”

“Thanks,” Vinyl, floating the paper out of Silvers grasp, “I already know how to infuse magic into music, so this actually shouldn't be all that hard. But there is one thing I've been meaning to bring up,” It was here where she stuck out a hoof, “I'll be expecting payment for this.”

Silver chuckled, “Of course! I never intended on asking you to do this for free,” he reached into his bag and pulled out the sack of bits, “I'll pay you half now, and half when you're done. Sound fair?”

The unicorn nodded, “Sounds great!” she exclaimed, looking at the hefty sack with a hidden glint of greed as it dropped into her grip.

“I'll be back soon,” Silver said, turning to the door, “Feel free to start without me.”

“Roger,” she said back with a mock salute.

Twilight followed the wolf out of the door, chatting as they made their way back to the library. It wasn't a long walk, but it still took some time. Time that was greatly enjoyed by Twilight of course.

While the talk was simple conversation, the mare couldn't help but feel a certain degree of contentedness as they spoke. The playful banter, the foalish jokes, and even the occasional complaints about their busy schedules offered a sense of normality to conversation. It made Silver seem...well, less like Silver.

While it was true she liked most of the sides she seen of him, she couldn't help but feel he was still, in some way, intimidating. At first, she thought it was because he was wolf, but she'd already moved past that long ago. Her next thought was that it had to do with his past, and while his actions during the Territory Wars of Houndland still bothered her somewhat, she felt that she'd moved past it as well.

She didn't understand why, despite all that's happened between herself and he, she was still intimidated until she finally saw Silver and Black Wing spar.  Then it finally hit her.

The wolf was incredibly powerful.

It was true that she'd already realized that a while ago, but knowing something and seeing it first hoof were two different things. She'd never seen Silver in combat before, and that demonstration showed her the real power the wolf wielded.

But in this moment, in spite of that great strength and borderline insanity that he displayed before, she couldn't help but see him as...normal.

He was walking through the town, having a regular conversation with his marefriend. And it was surprisingly relieving.

She no longer saw him as Silver, the terrifying solider with the power to flatten cities, but now just as Silver. The wolf she loved. Nice and normal.

Alas, the walk came to an end though. Twilight and Silver strolled into the library, finding a mare sitting on the couch waiting while Spike served her some tea.

“You're late,” he scolded, causing Twilight to sheepishly smile.

“I'm terribly sorry for my tardiness,” the alicorn excused, “I'm afraid I had another matter to attend to and it took up a bit more of my time than I expected.”

The mare on the couch simply waved a hoof, “It's not a problem at all, Princess. I wasn't waiting long,” her eyes then turned to Silver standing next to the lavender mare, “And if you mind my asking, who is this?”

Silver bowed his head, “I'm Silver Wind. I have a unique relationship with Princess Twilight, and also the reason why she was late. I apologize for inconveniencing you. I'm afraid that's all I'll be able to say, I need to get going.” He quickly turned and headed to the hall, then used the door to go to his home.

Twilight moved to the couch, floating over the clip board and papers, shuffling through them until she found the one for the mare sitting next to her, looking at the photo on the paper and back at the mare to make sure she had the right one.

Upon closer inspection, Twilight had finally taken notice of the mares appearance. She had a cream colored coat with a near white wavy mane. Freckles dotted her cheeks and ran across her muzzle, which the bridge of it was a lighter shade than her coat.

Unfortunately, that was all Twilight was able to see since the rest of her body was cloaked by a long black robe. Twilight couldn't see any other part of her, not even her tail showed. She'd also noticed a straw rice hat, dyed black just like her outfit.

Twilight would be lying to herself if she thought she didn't find this mare to be a little suspicious. But then again, she knew nothing about the mare...literally.

She didn't even know her name yet. Turning her attention back to the board, Twilight began the interview, a small amount of trepidation in the back of her mind, “Alright Miss Sicarius, let's begin.”





The morning went by rather simply for Silver. He'd gotten his scrolls for Vinyl to look at, and spent the next few hours going over them with her. He explained to her the purpose of each spell, and the origins from where it came, figuring that a unicorn might have some difficulty applying magic from a different land.

It wasn't until around three o'clock that Vinyl had reached a point where Silver's presence was no longer necessary, and so he decided to head back. Before he left, he told Octavia he could be reached if they left a message for him at the library.

With that matter settled, Silver once again headed back home. Upon reaching the library,  he was careful not to interrupt Twilight's current interview and dissipated into the air before reassembling in the hall. He strode in, quietly shutting the door behind him.

With nothing else to do that day, Silver opted to do some light reading in the library. He headed down the stairs and to the grand room of literature, strolling among the shelves and picking out some books. However, it wasn't until he sat down that someone had come bounding into his home calling his name.

“Silver!” the ever familiar voice of Star Shine rang through the halls, “Silver! Where are you!? I need to talk to you about the book!”

Silver sighed to himself and rolled his eyes, “Library!” he shouted back up. A moment later, the door to the room opened, and the black and violet wolf stood in front of him.

“Okay so,” she began, digging into her bag and pulling out the Zodiac Tome, along with another parchment of paper, “First things first. I went over your data, and determined your schedule to get you back in shape,” she gave the paper over to Silver, who simply looked over it for a moment and set it to the side, “ Second, in the short time I've had this, I've made some...interesting discoveries. The first being that this book is in some way or another related to the stars and constellations. I'm still not sure what it does, but I can at least tell that much based off of the title and spells in it, which brings me to my next point. In all, there are thirteen spells within this tome, one for each of the Zodiac signs.”

“Thirteen?” Silver questioned, “I thought there were only twelve.”

Star Shine shook her head, “Most don't know that there are thirteen. The last one, Ophiuchus, is often lost and not included. Anyway, that's not the problem.”

“Problem?” Silver responded with worry, “You never mentioned a problem. You only said discoveries.”

“Well why do you think I'm telling you now?” she snarked back. She flipped the book onto its back, reveling the inside of the back cover. On it was a mark both of them recognized, “Look familiar?”

It was a pale crescent moon, resting on a black splotch.

“Lunas cutiemark?” Silver questioned, “Why is Lunas cutiemark on the back of the grimiore?”

Star Shine shrugged, “I don't know. It does make sense though, she is the princess of the night. If anypony could create a magic like this, it would be her.”

“Just because Lunas cutiemark is on the book doesn't make it hers,” the male wolf pointed out, still studying the oddity,  “The original author could have just been an admirer, or maybe it's just a coincidence. It's not a very unique symbol after all.”

“But that's not the problem Silver.”

The wolf groaned, “Then would you please stop being cryptic and just tell me already?”

Star Shine rolled her eyes, “The problem is that when I was analyzing this thing, I realized it was created from alicorn magic.”

That made Silver pause for a moment, “...You're sure?”

“I can run more test, but so far it's all saying that this book was created by an alicorn. And that's not the only thing,” she continued pointing a paw at the bottom right side of the inside cover. There, written in black ink was a date, “This book was from 400 hundred years ago, at least.”

“That can't be right,” Silver said, taking the book into his own paws and squinting at the faded ink, “Luna was locked in the moon back then.”

“That's true,” Star Shine agreed, “The only thing I can think of is that either this date is fake, or that the book was created before she was imprisoned and then signed afterwards. I suppose there's also the chance that there could be another alicorn somewhere, but it's a bit doubtful.”

“I wouldn't say that,” Silver countered, his eyes never leaving the page, “Twilight and Cadence both ascended into alicornhood. It's possible that another pony could have done it as well, and not have been noticed. But like you said, it is unlikely. Can you determine how old the book is?” 

“Yeah. It might take a while, but I can get an accurate read on just how old it is with carbon dating.”

Silver nodded, then gave the book back, “Don't mention this to anyone else. I'll see if I can bring it up to Celestia or Luna later.”

“You're not going to tell Twilight?” Star asked as she tucked the book away.

“I probably will eventually,” he admitted, “There's no point in hiding it. But I'd rather have Luna know before Twilight. I don't want her having to keep a secret from her marefriend.”

“You're doing the same,” she pointed out, “Doesn't that bother you?”

Silver shook his head, “I won't be keeping this secret for long. I'll ask her the first chance I get.”

“Alright then,” she said with a shrug before turning around, “Oh, and Silver?” The mentioned wolf lifted his head, “I'm glad you're feeling better.”

Her words brought a smile to Silver, “Thanks.”





The day continued on for Twilight as normal. Go through some interviews, look at papers, blah blah. The mundane routine had begun to annoy the alicorn to some degree, although things were beginning to look up.

The mare that was waiting for her when she'd first came back was quite promising. True, she seemed a bit odd, but then again, all of her guard so far had been weird...and criminals. Hopefully, this one would turn out different.

It was now early in the evening, the interviews had come to a close and the last of the papers had be organized and put away. While there was still sunlight left, Twilight figured she should go out and speak with Fluttershy now about seeing Rainbow Dash, in hopes of possibly cheering her up.

So she left the house with a destination of the small cottage the pegasus owned.

“I really hope that Fluttershy will be able to at least cheer her up a little. Celestia knows Silver or I would only make matters worse.”

Her thoughts continued along such a track while she walked, but while her reasoning seemed sound, Twilight couldn't help but feel that it was wrong in some way. Sure, asking Fluttershy to go talk to Rainbow sounded like a good idea, but something kept bugging her. Something that made her stomach tighten feel slightly nauseous.

“Something's wrong about this...”

“You're damn right something's wrong with this.”

“What is it though? I'm just trying to make sure that Rainbow gets better.”

“No, you're avoiding her. You're afraid that if you try to talk with her again, you'll only cause her pain, but is pushing her off onto another friend really the best idea?”

“I'm not pushing her off!”

“Then why don't you handle this yourself? You said that you were going to find a way to make things up to Rainbow, and yet, here you are trying to find a way around it.”

“I'm not! I'm just trying to find a way to make her feel better!”

“You can keep using that excuse all you want, but it's not going to change the fact that you're too afraid to sort things out yourself.”

“....”

“If you don't see her yourself, then this matter will never be settled. Rainbow will still feel the pain of seeing you and Silver every time, even if Fluttershy does manage to cheer her up. You're the ones that hurt her, and you even promised to make it up to her. I suggest you be a good friend and keep your word. This is something only you can resolve.”

“....”

“I've said my two bits. It's time for you to make up your mind. And don't let that wolf slip by either, he's a part of this too.”

“....You're right...”





With a quick change of direction, Twilight found herself standing on the door step of the Rainbow's cloud house. While she'd made up her mind to go and see Rainbow herself, she'd had no idea what she was going to say to her.

Of course, that was only realized the moment she put her hoof down from knocking. Before a thought could even cross her mind, the door opened, revealing the rainbow mare inside.

“Oh, hey Twilight” she greeted, “What's up?”

“Uh...” she fumbled, “I, uh, just wanted to check on you. You know, see how you were doing.” From what Twilight could tell, nothing seemed wrong with her friend anymore. She didn't look tired, or distraught, and even seemed happy to see her. At the moment, she seemed like the normal, cheery Rainbow Dash she'd always known.

“Oh, I'm doing fine,” Rainbow answered, stepping aside to let her friend in. Twilight walked into the home, feeling slightly uneasy, though she had a fair idea why, “That stuff Star Shine gave me really helped me sleep, and Princess Lunas been keeping the nightmares away. I've slept like a foal these past few nights.”

“Oh, well that's good,” was all Twilight said, taking a seat on the couch. Rainbow did the same, and soon an awkward silence rang out. The alicorn couldn't help but fidget with her hooves while the seemingly eternal moments dragged on.

This of course did not go unnoticed by the pegasus sitting beside her, “Twilight?” she began, “Is everything alright?”

The pair of purple hooves stopped their messing, and Twilight froze. Well what the hell was she supposed to do now?

“Twili-”

“I'msorry!” she anxious alicorn blurted out, “Ididn'tmeantohurtyou!” Her entire body tensed and her eyes were snapped shut.

“I'm and idiot, I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot”

“What are you--?”

“Me! And Silver!” Twilight blurted out again, “I didn't know how you felt and I ended up hurting you and I'm so so so sorry!”

The silence become known once more. The worst part was that Rainbows house didn't exactly have ticking clocks or anything made that a subtle noise, so there was nothing for Twilight to focus on. Instead, the home was silent, only the ringing of their ears left to fill their minds.

Twilight mustered up something akin to courage and dared to sneak a peek. The sight she found was...not one she was expecting. This was mostly because it was one she wasn't use to seeing, or at least on Rainbow.

The cyan mares eyes were directed at the floor, a woeful glint in their core. The small smile that was drawn on her muzzle seemed to be one of melancholy, and Twilight couldn't help but wonder why?

Why is it that every time she saw someone in pain, they had that smile? It was always that same damned expression, one that seemed to show the wearers pained understanding of their situation. They clearly weren't happy about it, but resigned to simply accept it. She'd seen it on Silver more than once, heavens knows how many times on Celestia; and now she'd seen it on the mare she'd least expected it from.

And it killed her. That small gesture crushed Twilight with waves of guilt and pity.

“Was it really that obvious?” Rainbow asked, a small gloomy chuckle escaping her, “I thought I did pretty well at hiding it,” a small sniffle came from the mare, but no tears followed. She laid back and allowed her body to rest on the couch.

“Rainbow, I swear I never meant to hurt you,” Twilight said, placing a hoof on the mares shoulder. She didn't push it away, so she supposed that was a good sign, “When Silver and I came by that day, I had no idea how you felt. It wasn't until after we left that I realized how much we must have hurt you.”

The pegasus shook her head, “You didn't do anything wrong. All you did was get a boyfriend. My feelings about it shouldn't matter.”

Twilight leaned over and cupped her cheeks, “Yes they do!” she said firmly, “Especially after what you just went through. And if there is anyway to make it up to you, then please just tell me.”

Rainbow actually laughed a little, “Twi', you don't have to do anything. Like I said, you didn't do anything wrong.”

The alicorns hoofs sagged and were brought back down, “Really?” her voice was heavy with self-shame. She'd come here to make things right with her friend, but now said friend was insisting that nothing was ever wrong in the first place.

Once again, a small laugh came from the pegasus, “Yeah, really. Don't worry about Twilight, I'll be good in a day or so. Besides, this whole thing actually made me realize something.”

“What that?”

“The Elements of Harmony are cursed.”

Twilight froze. The way Rainbow said it seemed...cold. Not in the unforgiving way, but just unsettling, “Rainbow, what do you mean cursed?”

“Exactly that,” she replied, “We're cursed by our best aspects. Like me. I'm loyal to all my friends and loved ones...but that doesn't mean that they're loyal back. I know I've messed up a couple of times, but I've always found my way back to my friends because they matter the most to me. But that doesn't mean I matter the most to them.

“It's the same with all the others. Fluttershy's kind to every pony, but she's always getting walked on and pushed around. No one is ever kind to her. Rarity's generosity is always taken for granted, just like back in Manehatten with Suri Polomare. She got screwed over. Applejack lies to herself all the time, insisting that she can handle things when she can't. Pinkie Pie tries to make everypony laugh and smile, and then there are times where everypony finds her to be annoying and loud. Even you too, Twilight. How many times have you tried to fix a situation with magic, only to have it backfire and make things worse?

“It's actually ironic. The greatest parts of ourselves are the greatest problems in our lives.”

“Rainbow...” Twilight was genuinely scared at the moment. She'd never heard a view of the Elements in such a way. But she couldn't actually believe this, could she?

It was then that a smile emerged from the pegasus. Not one that was sad, but actually relieved, “But you proved me wrong.” Once again, the alicorn sat too shocked to move, “You're here. You came to me because you were worried, you were afraid you'd hurt me and wanted to make it up to me,” Rainbow slowly rose up from her reclined position. She wrapped her hooves around Twilights waist, pulling herself into a gentle embrace, “Thank you...I didn't want to have to believe it, but it seemed so real. But you-you...”

“Shh...” The alicorn cooed, gently stroking Rainbows mane, “It's okay. I'm happy I managed to change your mind, even if I didn't mean to.” In truth, it was all she could say at the moment. Everything that had been said might as well have been a game of leap frog in a mine field. Twilight was still trying to catch up while she soothed her friend.

A few quiet sobs and sniffles came from the cyan mare, accompanied by shivers and shakes. It was clear that, even if it was Rainbow herself that came up with the notion that the Elements of Harmony were all, as she put it cursed, that it was something she didn't want to believe. It was something that scared the life out of her, and honestly; who wouldn't be?

To think that with all the loyalty you've shown to your friends, only to come to a false realization that the loyalty wasn't returned. That you were taken for granted.

Twilight gently pulled Rainbow away, looking into her cerise eyes, “I'll say it for you to hear yourself. You were wrong Rainbow. We're not cursed. Even if we don't get back what we give, it doesn't mean that we're damned to some life of inequality. It just means that some ponies haven't learned the same lessons we have, and that's okay. They'll learn it some day, and when they do, they'll give what they have to offer too. We are not cursed, we are blessed with knowing how to treat our friends.”

The cyan mare sniffled once more, “...Thank you Twilight.”

“You're welcome, Rainbow.”
> Blood Stain, Eve and Legends of the BMP
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver was seated on the pile of plushy pillows in the library. Star Shine had left some time ago, and he decided to return to his original engagement of reading. That was, until he remembered the paper his friend had given him when she stopped by.

When he first looked at it before, it was simply to see if there were any workouts he didn't recognize. Seeing that there were none, he quickly turned his attention back to the conversation since it was of more importance. But now...

Now he was alone. Sure, the presence of the books kept him distracted for a while, long enough for the sun to begin to set, but as his reading materials grew thinner, the paper sitting next to him seemed to be more and more present.

The wolf eyed the slip, a hint of fear festering in his heart. The training regiments Star Shine could come up with were...extreme.

With a shaky paw, Silver took the paper and unfolded it. Carefully, his eyes went over the schedule.





Twilight pranced with a happy hum into her home. Her talk with Rainbow went well, or at least as well as she could have hoped for.

There was the moment of worry when Rainbow began talking about the Elements curse, but seeing how relieved the pegasus was when Twilight unintentionally proved her wrong was uplifting.

But that didn't stop the alicorn from pondering on what her friend said. While Twilight was against what Rainbow thought, she couldn't help but see some points to her statement, particularly the one referencing the lavender mare herself.

It was true that many of the problem she'd tried to fix with a spell had backfired, but would that really be considered cursed? Twilight had already learned that magic wasn't the solution to everything a long time ago, but in those situations, using magic was definitely a reasonable solution.

...Except for that time she enchanted Smarty Pants.

Shaking the darker thoughts from her mind, Twilight strode down the hall and into the Silvers home. The sun was nearly set, the light of the celestial body breaking through the glass back door and casting a beautiful array of oranges, reds and purples across the shimmering white tile. If Twilight didn't know any better, she'd swear she was walking on flames.

As the alicorn entered the house, she looked to the couch expecting to find one of the homes residents occupying it. Sadly, there were none.

Going left, Twilight went down the hall and poked her head into the wolfs room. Unfortunately, the bed was empty, once again disappointing her. As she went to pull her head back out though, her eye caught something in the room.

In the corner of the room on Silvers desk, there was a small, blue journal. Twilight had seen it before, but never paid much attention to it. The only reason why she'd noticed it now was because unlike all the other times before, the book was open.

Twilight took a few hoof steps into the room, her curiosity getting the best of her, only to pause for a moment.

“No! I can't do this. I shouldn't be snooping around in Silvers personal belongings.”

Her hooves moved a half step back before stopping again.

“Then again, he's never really gotten mad at me before for doing it. He'd didn't really care that I'd tried to get into his rooms on the second floor, but he also knows that I can't anyway, so there's nothing for him to worry about.”

Twilight remained in her spot for a moment longer, staring at the book from her position. Her curiosity was clawing at the back of her mind, and she couldn't for the life of her figure out why.

So what? There was a journal lying around in Silvers room. That was no reason to have such a strong desire to flip through it. But there was still something about it that bugged her. Something about it that made her intent on finding out it's contents.

“Maybe....maybe I'll just take a quick look. If it's something personal, I'll just walk away and never bring it up. But then again, what else could it be? If Silver keeps it in his room, then it's something he likes to keep close by, probably something about his past."

Another hoof step forward.

“Or perhaps it could be about his less legal activities. Maybe it's his ledger. Either way, if I get caught in here, I don't think it will end well. Alright....just a quick peek.”

The alicorn quickly shuffled over to the desk, careful to avoid disturbing anything on it. When she looked down at the page of the book, she found something she didn't recognize.

Well, “didn't recognize” is a bit confusing in this sense. She knew what was on the page, but at the same time she couldn't identify what the hell meant.

On the paper was Arcane circles and symbols, but each one was foreign to her. Perhaps maybe it was Houndish Magic? Or maybe some notes taken from the grimoire they'd gotten from Radiance?

As Twilight continued to study the marks on the page, she barely managed to keep herself from screaming when she'd heard the back door slide open.

A quick shuffle later and Twilight was away from the book and back in the bedroom door way, heading out into the hall. It was there that she saw Ruppy, Onyx and Aerial come in, the first of the three mentioned carrying a worn out Beats on her back. His little sister was on Onyxs.

“Oh, hey Twilight,” Ruppy greeted as she moved to the couch and began unbuckling her gauntlets, the little filly sliding off of her.

“Hello every pony,” Twilight said back, “I don't suppose Silvers coming behind you.”

The three mares all shook their heads, the stallion too tired to respond properly. Onyx could be a demon when she wanted.

“Hmm, I suppose I should go check the third floor then,” Twilight said as she made her way to the hall, only to pause and look turn back, “Oh and by the way, you may have another member joining soon. I haven't entirely made up my mind yet, but she does look promising.”

“Whoo!” Ruppy cheered, “See Aerial, I told you the next one was going to be a mare! You totally owe me five bits.”

The mare simply huffed and reclined on the couch. Twilight shuffled off down the steps and to the third floor, where she saw a light coming from under the door of the library. Entering the room, she noticed the wolf she was looking for sitting on the other end, looking at a piece of paper.

“Hey Silver,” she greeted as she strolled up to him, “What are you reading?”

The wolf didn't respond. He just kept staring at the sheet in his paws. At first, Twilight had almost panicked. She thought he had fallen back into his rage from earlier that day.

But when she lifted a hoof and poked him to get his attention, she noticed his body wasn't cold.

“Silver?” she asked warily, “Silver, what is it?”

“I'm..go..ie,” he mumbled.

The alicorn leaned a little closer, “Huh?”

“I'm gonna die...”

“...Again, Huh?”

Slowly, Silver lifter his head and presented the parchment to his marefriend. Twilight looked at him quizzically and floated the paper up, scanning over it.


Silvers Regiment



Marble Meditation: 2 hours


Boulders: 2 hours


Gravity Swings: 300 reps.


Split Seconds: 50 from 250ft.


Golems: 5


Triple Vortex: 2 hours


Target Practice: 150 targets


Gravity Simulator: Level 3


Wind Style Forms: 50 reps.


The words meant nothing to Twilight. She'd never heard of any of these exercises. But then again, she didn't exactly work out often. Sure, she'd occasional go for a run but that was it. She didn't know what any of these meant or what they entailed.

“Um Silver,” She began, giving the paper back, “Is this the training schedule Star Shine was supposed to come up with?”

The wolf slowly nodded, the fear on his face never fading.

“Is...is that what you think is going to kill you?” She asked. Again, a frightened nod was his response, “Silver, not to be presumptuous or anything, but these don't exactly sound like they could.”

“...Huh?”

Well that seemed to get a response out of him, although it was accompanied by a unnerving eye twitch.

“Well, it's just that something like 'Marble Meditation' doesn't really sound all that dangerous.”

“The marbles explode when dropped,” the wolf informed, “And I have to balance four in the middle of a forest high on a windy mountain.”

“...Oh...”

“The others are just as dangerous, if not then just as exhausting. I swear that she's trying to kill me.”

“Um, you don't have to do it, you know,” Twilight suggested, “Even if you are out of shape, I don't think there is any pony in Equestria that can match up to you.”

“If I don't, Star Shine will see me as a liability. She'll probably request that I get sent back to Houndland.”

Twilights eyes went wide at the statement, “She...she wouldn't actually do that, would she?” She couldn't deny the flare of anger in her heart. What else was she supposed to feel when she was told her boyfriend would be shipped away for not listening to someone else?

“Star Shine doesn't like taking chances. She'll eliminate any possibility of an oversight. It's what earned her the title of the Queen of Ancient Knowledge. She's not just smart, but thorough. She won't let anything slip by her.”

“But there must be things even she can't see coming.”

Silver simply shook his head, “She plans for literally every scenario, and then calculates the most likely events. Even then, she uses the plans for the ones that are less likely to occur. She can see it all and prepares for it. She has no loose ends or blind spots.”

Twilight sat in shock. From the way he described her, she almost sounded like she could see the future. Actually, he made it sound like she could see every future that could occur.

“But even if she did send you back, it's not like you'd have to leave. Wolves have already been exposed in Equestria, so you could just come back. Or maybe you wouldn't even have to. Luna and I still have our keys, so we could see you anytime we'd like. It's the same for the girls too.”

“I imagine she'd probably count on that,” Silver said with a sigh, “She knows that telling me to go back home won't work, so she'd probably figure that I would just stay here in Equestria and then request for another guard to come here. Then there would be four incredibly powerful wolves looking after the princesses, and even less of a chance for something to go wrong. What's more is that I wouldn't be an official guard, so I wouldn't be restricted by the rules of the princesses like the others. If something needed to be done that they couldn't do themselves, they'd just have me do it.”

Once again, Twilight sat stunned. Star Shine was...intimidating. If Silver was right and this was her plan, then she understood why Silver described her the way she did.

“Of course that's all speculation,” Silver sighed, “Truth is, I never know what she's planning.”

Well that certainly didn't ease the mares thoughts. But then again, thinking about this was pointless. It's not like Star Shine was plotting against them. She was just....plotting.

Shaking her head, Twilight folded up the paper and set it aside, then took a spot at Silvers side. She laid her head into his neck and nuzzled, “Hmm. Well there's no point in wondering what she would do if you did refuse. Let's just relax for now.”

The wolf couldn't help but chuckle as he wrapped a wing around his mare. Now all he was missing was  the other one.

At the same moment, Twilights thoughts had copied Silvers, “Hey, do you know when Lunas supposed to get here?”

The mare could feel him shrug, “I'm not sure. I think she has a fair amount of paper work to do so she'll probably come later.”

“Aww,” Twilight pouted, “Oh well. I suppose there's no helping it.”

The two continued to lay together for the evening, reading the stories that filled the pages of Silvers library.





Luna lazily shuffled down the halls of Canterlot. The mountain of paperwork that sat on her desk was ruthless. But alas, she defeated the beasts known as Tax forms, capital budget papers and investment appraisals. She had worked later into the night, only pausing to raise the moon before getting back to work. By the time she was done, it was already 10:30.

But now she was off to the home of a wolf. Trotting into the house, she found a tan mare sitting on the couch.

“Good evening Ruppy,” the alicorn greeted, “Where might Silver be?”

“Papa's in the library with Mama Twilight,” she informed.

Luna giggled, “You're actually going to call us that?”

“Yep. I figure it'll make one of guys feel really awkward....or really horny.”

The midnight mare laughed, “Very well,” she said before going over to the couch, “Thank you for telling me, my sweet wittle filly,” then leaned down and pecked Ruppys head and nuzzled her mane.

The mares ears fell flat and her face lit up with a bright blush, “Just go to your damn boyfriend already!”

Laughing as she made a quick retreat, Luna wandered down the stairs to the library where she found the other two.

“Hello~” she greeted in a cheery voice. Despite being tired, she simply couldn't frown when she saw the two of them.

“Hey Luna,” Silver said back, looking up from his book, “Work late?”

“Yes, the papers seem to get higher and higher with each passing day,” Luna replied as she came to a stop in front of them. Noticing Twilight still had her nose in a book, the midnight alicorn decided it was time for a proper hello.

Leaning down so that her face was hidden behind the book, Luna waited for a moment, then used her magic to pull the book up out of Twilights grip.

“Wha-hmph!” The lavender mare was cut off by a pair of lips pressing against her own. At first she pulled back, but upon realizing it was Luna, Twilight fell back into the kiss.

After a moment, Luna broke away, “Do I get a 'hello' now?”

Twilight couldn't help but blush a little and nodded, “Good evening, Luna.”

The mare giggled and nuzzled Twilights cheek, “Good evening, dear,” then  shuffled over to her side, sandwiching the smallest of the three in between the other two, “I do apologize for startling you though.”

Twilight shook her head and brushed her cheek into Lunas neck, “No, it's okay. I was just a little too caught up in the book.”

“What are you reading anyway?” Luna asked as she lifted the tome.

“Just some old fairy tales from Houndland,” Twilight replied, tugging the tome so that is sat between the two of them.

“Oh?” Luna hummed with a small smirk, “And I don't suppose our beloved wolf would happen to be the source of some of these legends, would he? You are quite infamous after all.”

Twilight paused for a moment and thought. It wasn't an entirely far fetched idea. After all, Silver was known as Saber, who was thought to be near mythic, so perhaps some more of his past actions had their stories carried on as well.

The wolf in question set his own book aside and took theirs into his grasp, humming while he flipped through the pages.

“Hmm. Yeah, I doubt it. I usually kill myths and legends, not make them,” he concluded as he flipped through some more pages, “However, the other Alphas of the Black Moon Pack have certainly left a mark on some folklore.”

After placing the book on the floor in front of them, Twilight and Luna looked to the page the wolf stopped on.

“The Beast of Black Skies?” Twilight read aloud, “Let me guess, it's Black Wings doing.”

Silver shook his head, “Nope. It's actually one of us you haven't met yet. His name is Blood Stain.”

Both mares couldn't help but quiver at the name. Neither of them had heard it before, but the words alone were unsettling enough. Of course, the passage describing his handy work certainly didn't help either.

Twilight read the words on the page aloud, “The Beast of Black Skies is said to be a powerful monster with unparalleled strength. It wanders the lands, slaughtering hundreds and scorching villages with it's hellfire. It's been said that there is no way to determine when the beast is approaching. It will simply appear and destroy. The only thing that can be concluded is the village it has attacked, for it will not be left standing. The only way to tell that something was even there is by the pillar of ash and smoke rising into the air, turning the sky black for all to see.”

The two mares sat in silence as their eyes scanned over the words once more. Silver, who was doing the same, muttered to himself while he read.

“Hm. Burned...smoke pillar...villages...” he mumbled, “Yep. That's Blood.”

Twilights eye twitched, “Silver...you do realize that your friend slaughtered innocents, right?”

The wolf...rolled his eyes? Were it not for her love of the wolf, she would have punched him in the nose for making such a notion.

“Funny thing about these legends, they never get the full story,” he said before standing and moving among the shelves. After about a minute of searching, Silver came back with another book. Taking his place next to the mare again, he set the book down and began flipping through the pages. Finally stopping, he slid the book over and placed on top of the one they'd read before.

“Those weren't your average towns,” Silver said as he pointed a paw to the heading on the page. Twilight and Luna both looked past the paw and read the title.

“Ghost Towns?” the lavender mare read aloud, “You mean like..”

“Like villages and towns infested with demons and ghosts, yes,” Silver finished for her, “The places Blood Stain visited weren't normal towns. They'd all been abandoned decades before, only to be inhabited again by hellish spirits. It was, and still is, Blood Stains job to go around and put an end to these Ghost Towns.”

“...So, he didn't kill innocents then?” Twilight asked, her guilt causing her voice to break for a moment.

Silver shook his head, “Despite popular belief, there is only one Alpha of my pack that has killed indiscriminately, but luckily we managed to get her to stop. We don't go around ending lives pointlessly.”

“And just who is this Alpha?” Luna asked.

Silver removed the second book and took the first one back. Once again, he began flipping through the pages until he found the one he wanted. Placing it down again, Twilight and Luna looked over the page. There wasn't much, just a poem and a title.

“The Nightmare Witch?” Luna questioned, “That's a terribly unimaginative name.”

“It's not the name you should be worried about,” Twilight chimed in before reading the passage.


Can you hear, can you hear?
The beast's raving laugh?

Can you see, can you see?
Something hiding in the black?

Can you feel, can you feel?
It's breath down your spine?

Can you smell, can you smell?
The souls on which it dines?

Can you taste, can you taste?
Your misty blood in the air?

If you can, if you can,
Then I'm afraid there's a tear.

In your chest, in your chest,
You'll notice something missing.

Your last breath, your last breath, 
It's your heart. It stopped beating.


“....Well what's that supposed to mean?” Luna asked. Sure, it was a creepy poem, but that's about it. As far as helpful information goes, poem was useless.

“It means nothing,” Silver replied, “It was just a poem that someone wrote.”

“Then what makes her so terrible?” Twilight inquired, “You said she's killed innocents, and that's horrible, but other than that, there's nothing that's really scary, other than her creeping up on you.”

Silver shook his head, “That poem isn't about her. It's about what she does.”

“....Huh?” the mares echoed, both tilting their heads to the side in confusion.

Silver took the book, “It never mentions the Nightmare Witch, only the entity the author refers to as 'the beast'. You see Eve, the Nightmare Witch, can conjure your greatest fears...and watch them devour you. The creatures she creates are not illusions. They cannot be vanquished with believing that they are not real. They are. And they will kill you.

“Unfortunately, her magic has an area of effect. It doesn't target one just one, but rather an area. Last time I check, she can cast her magic on a decent sized town, one roughly the size of Ponyville. So when she does, it's not just one pony's nightmare running rampant, it's every ones. All of them, killing everything.”

Twilights eyes went wide, “She can conjure out greatest fears and give them physical form? What if my fear was of heights?”

“Then a pit would form below you and you would fall to your death,” Silver answered, “To be entirely honest, I believe Eve is probably the most dangerous of the Alphas. We can't leave her alone, so one of us must always be with her.”

“You have to keep your own Alphas under watch?” Luna questioned.

“Eve is a unique case. She likes terrifying any one around her, and I don't mean in the playful, prankster way. She'll leave your mind broken and shattered while she laughs her tail off.”

“She sounds more like a basket case to me,” Twilight said as she closed the book.

“Oh yeah, she's entirely insane,” Silver agreed, “But once she actually befriends you, she's not that bad. Still crazy and tries to kill you every so often, but not that bad.”

Both mares sat and stared at the wolf, eyes his body. They couldn't help but wonder if some of his scars had come from his friend Eve. But then again, Twilight was sure that all of his friends had scarred or at least fought Silver at one point.

“I really think you need new friends Silver,” Luna advised as she got up, “But that's your choice. Now, it's late, I'm tired and I need to shower. Are either of you joining me?”

Twilight and Silver looked at each other, before the latter simply rolled his eyes, “Go on,” he said, “But don't have too much fun without me.”

Twilight giggled before pulling him into a kiss, “No promises~ But don't worry. You can have your fill of fun later. And maybe we can get a fill of something too~”

With a sudden pop and flash, Silver was left alone in the room.

“I can't help but wonder if she's always been like this.”





Needless to say, Silver went about his shower rather quickly, and now found himself waiting in the living room for his mares. He was idly watching T.V. when he noticed a black figure emerge from the hall.

“Hey Onyx,” he greeted, “What are you doing up?”

“Hungry,” she answered simply. Digging through the fridge, she pulled out some daisies, daffodils then laid out some bread. After throwing together her sandwich, she grab a glass and poured some tea before  heading over to the couch.

“Did you meet Twilights potential recruit yet?” She asked, munching on her late night snack.

“I think so,” Silver replied, “If it's the mare that was waiting for her when we got back from seeing Vinyl, then I saw her. She looks strong too.”

“Stronger than me?” the mare asked, a small grin on her face.

Silver chuckled, ruffling her mane with a paw, “I couldn't say. I only saw her the one time, but I could tell she had some kind of strength.”

Onyx reveled a little in the contact. It was something simple, yet so very satisfying, “Meh. Oh well,” she said before digging back into her sandwich, “You know, it's nice to see you're feeling better.”

Silver wore a sheepish smile, “Sorry. I didn't scare you, did I?”

Onyx shook her head, “No. I was just a little worried. I didn't know what she was talking about, but when you got upset...I kinda got angry too.”

A small blush formed on the mares cheeks, her black coat only making it more prominent. Of course, Silvers next actions only served to spread the pink from her cheeks to the rest of her head.

In one swift motion, Silver pulled the mare into a hug, “Aww, thanks! I love you too, Onyx.”

The embrace actually caused her magic to falter, making her put the sandwich down onto the table. She was too stunned to move, and could only sit while the wolf held her.

Not that she didn't like it of course. Hell, Onyx was wishing he wouldn't let go. The way his fur smelt and felt, the breathes and heart beats she could hear through his chest, the was his chin nuzzled her aaaaand he let go.

Onyx suddenly found herself out of Silvers arms and sitting in the cold.

Well, it wasn't that cold. Chilly certainly, but without Silvers fur she might as well have been in the arctic.

But that cold was short lived as she felt a wing wrap around her and pull her into his side, “Really though,” he said softly, “Thank you for caring.”

Onyx simply hummed with glee as she nestled herself into his side, “You're welcome...”

“...Papa”
> Introducing Sica and A Bit of a Hiccup
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver awoke with a groan and muffled mumble, attempting to bury his head further into the fluff he'd fallen asleep in.

At some point last night, Onyx had fallen asleep on the couch, still tucked up against Silvers side. It was after she began her snoozing that Twilight and Luna finally emerged from the shower and noticed the sight of the two of them on the couch. After some teasing and muffled giggles, Silver tucked Onyx into bed and went to join his mares.

Their activities from that night hadn't exactly been rough, but still having to satisfy two mares wasn't entirely easy.

And now, Silver had to get up. For whatever reason, his body seemed to remember that his training started today, even if his mind didn't. So here he was, waking up probably just as Celestias sun had cracked over the horizon, though since his room lacked windows, he couldn't be sure.

Lifting his head off the pillow and shaking the sleep from him, Silver looked over to see Lunas horn casting a faint glow. It was then that he realized that she must have been lowering the moon to make way for the sun.

“Huh. She took the phrase 'I can do it in my sleep' to heart.”

Looking past Luna and to the smaller mare on the other side of her, Silver gushed a little as he took in the sight of Twilight cuddled up and nuzzling into Lunas chest.

Her nose was scrunched up and twitching every so often as she let out little whistles of snores. Luna, for her part, had her hooves wrapped around her, holding the lavender alicorn close. Of course, her affection was also shown to Silver as she allowed his paws to wrap around her waist and pull her close against him.

In essence, Silver was the biggest spoon, Luna the big spoon and Twilight was the smallest, and also facing the wrong direction. But really, who cares? They were getting cuddles!

Unfortunately, said cuddles would have to be cut short as Silver had a workout to get to. His regiment was by no means short and sweet. No. It was long and brutal. It promised to push him to his limits and beyond. By the end of the day, he'd probably be broken and exhausted.

And because of that his ability to guard the princesses would drop. So now, it was time for the Eventide Guard to finally do it's job. Once again, Luna only had paperwork today, so they wouldn't have to guard her. Celestia on the other paw had day court, and day court meant annoying nobles. Unfortunately, three ponies from the streets of Manehatten didn't exactly sound like a fitting match.

Silver just really hoped Ruppy would be able to keep herself under control in front of the nobles. He felt the other two could keep themselves in check, she was the only one he worried about. While most nobles simply strolled by with their noses in the air, there was the occasional ass-hat that had something to say. The wolf just hoped that maybe they wouldn't be there today. For the rest of the week, Celestia wouldn't have much else to do, and by the weekend, Silver would have gotten used to his training so he can take over guarding her again. He pleaded in his mind that nothing go wrong, just for today.

All he could do was hope for the best. But now it was time for him to actually get up, instead of lying in bed dreading the near future.

Slowly extracting himself from Luna, Silver slipped his arm out from under her before sneaking out of the room.

Now away from the two mares and the risk of waking them, Silver trotted into the kitchen for a quick breakfast. Some eggs, toast and juice sounded good, so he got to work cooking.

After making his meal and setting it down at the table, the wolf realized that his thoughts about the time had indeed been correct. The sun had only just risen. The sky was still a pale blue, with a tinge of orange on the horizon.

In truth, he didn't much care for the sunrise. He never really liked it. It always made him feel uneasy for some reason. Perhaps maybe it was because he was a wolf, and naturally preferred the night.

In any case, Silver decided to ignore the sun and focus back on the food in front. As he continued eating, he heard a door open up from the right hall. A few moments later, he saw Onyx shuffle out, her baggy shirt stained with drool.

The mare didn't even notice him as she went into the kitchen to float out a bowl, cereal and milk. It wasn't until she turned around and put her bowl on the counter that she saw the wolf at the table.

“Oh...” she said, “You're up?”

Silver nodded before swallowing, “Yeah. Star finally gave me my regiment for training. I'm starting today.”

Onyx took a seat at the counter, “Do you always get up this early to train?” she asked.

Again Silver nodded, “I have to. If I don't I won't have time to make it through it all. What about you? You don't usually start until eightish.”

“Couldn't go back to sleep,” she said before munching on a spoonful.

“Ahh,” Silver hummed, “By the way, you, Ruppy and Beats will be guarding Celestia today, so you don't have to train.”

That actually got a lively reaction out of the sleepy mare, “Huh?!” she exclaimed, “You mean, just like that? We get to guard the princesses?”

Silver nodded, “Well yeah, that's kinda the whole reason why I recruited you, remember? I understand that you're supposed to be guarding Twilight, but she has Star Shine looking after her. So, I'll have you guard Celestia in day court today.”

“...Um...” Onyx said hesitantly, “I don't think that's the best of ideas.”

Silver paused in his eating, “Why's that?”

“Ruppy doesn't exactly get along with nobles....at all,” she explained, “There's a reason why we never go to the castle unless we have to. She despises the upper class as much, if not more, than they despise her.”

Silver sighed and hung his head, “Yeah, I was afraid of that. Just try to keep her in check, will you?”

The mare at the counter could only look on in confusion. She sat with the same face for a moment before finally speaking, “Did you not hear me? Ruppy despises the nobles. There is no keeping her in check. If one of them so much as looks at her wrong, she's gonna deck them.”

“...Seriously?” he questioned, “She hates them that much?” There was no doubt in his mind that she didn't like them, but he didn't think that just being around them would make her so upset.

“Silver maybe you don't understand since you're not from Equestria,” Onyx began, “There is a major social divide between what's called the commoners and the upper class. The upper class are the rich and nobility, while the commoners are literally everyone else. You can really see it in the cities like Canterlot...and Manehatten.

“The commoners are treated like lesser beings by the upper class. We all hate them, it's just Ruppy is the only one who acts on her hate.”

Silver sighed once more as he polished off the remaining breakfast, “So pretty much, she's not going to listen to anyone,” he said. Onyx simply nodded in response, “Alright then. I suppose I can't really blame her. I said she could use her power how she wanted after all. So I guess I'll have you all look after Twilight while Star Shine guards Celestia.”

The unicorn shrugged, “That's fine. I'll tell the others when I see them.”

“That would be appreciated,” he said, placing his dishes in the sink. He trotted over to Onyx and gave her a quick nuzzle, “I'll see you and the others later. Have fun on your first day!” and with that, he turned and left the home, heading to the back of the mountain.

He'd also left a mare sitting at the counter with cheeks full of pink and a half broken mind.





“Be still...”

“Be idle...”

“Be calm...”

“Be serene...”

Silver sat with absolute inertness. The only movement was his breathing, which even that was almost undetectable.

He sat on his haunches, his spread out and flat. Resting on his body were four marbles. One on the tip of each wing, one on his nose and the last balancing on the top of his tail.

Birds flew overhead, flies buzzed round and round, the wind rustled and tossed the leaves and yet, there was still no movement from the wolf. Not a flicker of his ears, not a twitch of his tail. Every fiber of his body remained perfectly still.

His mind was void of all distractions. He felt the presence of everything in the forest. Each piece of bark of the trees, every blade of grass across the ground. And even the hidden breathes of the pony hiding among the bushes.

They did their best to hide their presence. Their breathe was quiet and subtle. Their body was still and stiff. The entirety of their being was completely erased.

“I don't know how you got out here, much less how you found me, but I can assure you that if you're here to kill me it won't end well,” Silver said.

A minute after speaking, the pony in the bushes made to move and stepped out of the foliage while the wolf simply sat still. They just stood there, their eyes scanning and analyzing the canine in front.  Silver continued his meditation for next few minutes while he waited. If the pony wouldn't attack, then there was no reason for him to stop.

As the minutes rolled on, Silver began to notice something odd about this pony. They had two scents. One he didn't recognize, but the other was one he knew all too well.

“That's a very peculiar scent you have,” Silver spoke once more, “Smells a lot like jasmine. I know a mare that uses a similar soap. In fact, I've used it once or twice myself.”

The pony still didn't speak, and Silver still didn't move.

Then suddenly, a wave of blood-lust radiated from the pony behind him, like a water fall crashing down onto a still lake below.

The wolf reacted instantly, and before the pony could blink, a wing blade was at their throat.

“If that was your idea of a joke, then it was a very poor one,” Silver said.

“Well I was curious to see how you'd react,” the pony said, revealing she was a mare, “Though I do feel accomplished, I managed to make you drop your marble.”

Silver simply smirked. It was then that the mare realized Silvers paw had risen, on it sat a small, blue ball. In the flash that he moved his wing, the ball simply dropped down with no motion in any other direction. Silver raised his paw just as the ball left his wing, so it only dropped a fraction of an inch.

“I still managed to get you to move, so that's a bonus,” she said.

“Yes, I suppose,” Silver admitted.

Another silence still drew out between the two.

“Aren't you going to lower your wing?” she asked, the tip of his metal feather still aimed at her throat.

“Are you going to tell me how you managed to get out here?” he asked, never turning to mare and continuing his meditation, “I went to great lengths to ensure that no one could get into my home without my permission.”

“Princess Twilight let me in,” she answered, “I'm the newest addition to the Eventide Guard.”

“And you're here because?”

“Because I thought I should meet my new boss.”

“You've already met your boss. Twilight interviewed you, didn't she?”

“I assumed I would be answering to you.”

“No. I am not part of the guard, though I am training a few of it's members. Your employer will be the crown and no one else. Even if I was part of it, I'm guarding Princess Luna and Celestia at the moment. If anything, Star Shine would be your boss.”

“Ah...I see.”

Another silence rang out, and Silvers wing didn't flinch.

“Do you not trust me?” she asked after a minute.

“How am I to trust someone who doesn't even tell me their name after sneaking up on me?”

“First, I didn't sneak up on you. You knew I was there the entire time. You probably knew the moment I stepped off the back porch. Second, you never asked for my name.”

“I didn't think I'd need to. But if you insist, what is your name miss?”

“Sicarius Silentum,” she introduced, “Though you may call me Sica.”

Finally bring his wing back out to his side, Silver undid his Steel Wing and placed the marble back on the edge, “I don't suppose you'd happen to be the mare from Twilights library yesterday?”

“I am indeed,” she said, wandering around to the front of the wolf, “And might I get your name?”

“You already know my name. You assumed I would be your boss, so it's only natural that you'd know my name.”

“Hmm, yes but seeing as how I introduced myself, would it not a courtesy for you to do the same?”

“My name is Silver Wind.”

“It's very nice to meet you. And if you're not going to be my boss, then what are you going to be to me?”

“Nothing,” he said simply, “I am tasked with protecting the princesses, though I am not a part of their guards and will operate independently. Therefore, you do not need to concern yourself with me.”

“You seem to be quite cold towards me. Is it something I did?”

“Yes. You insist on lying to me.”

“I am not lying.”

“You are. You didn't come here to meet your new boss, other wise you wouldn't have hidden your presence.”

“Perhaps I didn't want to disturb you.”

“If you could tell I knew you were here the moment you came onto the mountain, then you'd know that even if you did interrupt me, it would mean very little since your presence was already known.”

“Hmm, I suppose you have me there,” she said with a small giggle,  “Alright. I confess. I simply wanted to see what the infamous Shining Fang did for training.”

Silvers eyes slowly crept open. They were glazed over with a dull tone that sucked the kindness from their warm, hazel color, “How do you know?”

“Do you not recognize this?” she asked stepping back to reveal her whole self in Silvers view. The wolf gave her a once over, taking notice of the mares appearance. Her cream coat and mane were simple, though her freckles and snout were a separated her from the average pony. Her height was also different as she was a fair bit taller than most mares, standing at around Lunas height.

But the strangest thing was her robes. Thick black robes covered her body, up to her neck. Her mane was tucked under it once it reached the hood, and even her tail was covered. On the back of her nape was a rice hat, tied around with a string. The sleeves were long enough that the dragged along the ground, so that when she walked, not even her lifted hoof would show.

Of course, this told Silver all he needed to know.

“The Remnants,” he sighed, “I didn't think they had any temples in Equestria.”

“They don't,” Sica informed, “Or at least, not officially. After all, how would the princesses feel if they knew that their country was being used to train assassins?”

Yes. The temple of the Remnants. Among the world, they are know as one of the worlds deadliest organizations. They take in strays and orphans and give them the knowledge and skills to kill. Some of their assassins have even been trained since birth.

“So you hide,” Silver concluded, “And yet, you still insist on wearing the black robes?”

“It's traditional,” she said, “Besides, Equestria is mostly peaceful. Very few ever ask for our services so not many know of our presence here.”

“So is that why you've decided to join the Eventide Guard? Business is slow?”

“It's one reason,” Sica began, “In truth, we actually do care about the princesses. Their presence influences the world greatly, so we'd much rather keep them alive for as long as possible. We have operatives in every guard, from Celestias here to Cadences in the Crystal Empire and now even Twilights.”

“And what makes you think telling me that would be a good idea?” he asked, “What if I find the Remnants to be a danger to the princesses? What would keep me from killing you all?”

The mare giggled again, “Because we're your best chance at keeping the princesses alive. We're the greatest assassins in the world, and we haven't tried to kill them before. Besides, would you really go and kill off your own entertainment? Your government bounties may have been receded, but we still do get request from private parties for your head.”

“So you are here for me?”

“I already said I was here for Princess Twilight,” Sicarius trotted around Silver in circles, “I heard all the stories about you. Your power, your greed, even that libido you had. And now when I look at you, I don't see where the stories came from.”

“Stories are from the past. As time goes on, the characters in them change with world.”

“Oh? Is that so? So you mean to tell me that there's no trace of the Shining Fang left in you?”

“Would you care to find out?” he responded coldly. This mare seemed tempted to bring out the worst of Silver.

Another giggle, “I'd much rather not. I'm not that foolish.”

Silver raised a paw and removed the marble from his nose, then the ones from his wings and tail. He put them in a small bag off to the side, “Good. It seems the younger generation won't die a horrible death.”

“Are you done now?” she asked.

Silver shook his head, “With meditating, yes. With training, no. I still have plenty to do.”

“That was meditating?” she asked with genuine surprise, “Those marbles had enough explosive energy to take out a home. The only reason I found you was because of the energy they gave off.”

“Yeah, that's Star Shines idea of motivation. She pretty much told me if I didn't want to loose a limb then I'd better concentrate. Unfortunately, most of her training is like this. If you'd like, you're free to join me. I doubt you can do my regiment, but you can practice your own.”

“Oh? Being friendly now?”

“All I wanted was to make sure you weren't hostile. There were a few moments when I couldn't quite tell, but I feel now that you won't pull anything stupid.”

“Well I'm glad you approve of me. In any case, I believe I will join you. Lead the way.”

Silver walked over and picked up a large bag before trotting back through the forest until he came to another clearing. This one didn't have trees surrounding it, but rather large boulders.

“A rather drab place to take a girl on the first date,” Sica joked.

Silver simply rolled his eyes, “Do you have anything particular for your practice?”

“Oh no, I never said I was going to practice. I only said I was joining you. I told you earlier, I'm here because I want to see what it takes for you to train.”

“Then watch closely,” Silver replied before walking towards a cluster of  boulders. Each one was easily twice his size and at least four times his weight.

In a swift motion, Silver swept out his wing, catching the bottom of one of the over-sized rocks and flinging it straight into the air.  He did it again, and again and again.

Just as he launched the fourth one in the air, the first one was half way to the ground. The wolf bolted into the sky, then kicked the rock with his back leg and sent it flying back up. Silver followed after it, catching the others as they fell too.

Soon, he fell into an act of juggling boulders in the air, kicking them and flicking them with his wings. He twisted and turned and flipped in the sky, never letting one of them slip past him.

“This is his training? He's juggling boulders in mid air? With only his body and no magic?!”

Sica sat stunned. She was glad he no longer found her suspicious. Otherwise, there would be no escaping him. She'd heard the stories of Saber, the Shining Fang and his skills, both on and off the battle field. They were legendary among the temples, and now she was beginning to understand why.

This wolf was insane. Not just in the head, but also in terms of his life. She didn't want to meet the one that came up with the idea to do this for his training.





Ruppy laid on her back on the floor of the Golden Oaks Library, a book in her hooves above her. Onyx was in a similar position, only laying on her stomach and not her back, her book sitting in front of her. Beats was in the kitchen with Spike making snacks.

In short, the three were bored. Twilight was in an interview with another applicant, one that they were all sure would fail. The stallion could barley lift his own body weight, was way too up tight and from what Ruppy could smell, a frequent visitor of the Tartarus Tavern.

After another half hour of sitting there reading, the mares finally caught wind of the farewell Twilight was delivering.

“Thank you so much for your time. I'll send a letter to you in a few days to tell you about the results,” she said as she walked the stallion to the door. He held his head high as he trotted across the library, giving an arrogant smirk to the mares on the floor as he strode by and out of the door.

Twilight watched him as he left, waving a hoof good bye before closing the door. The moment it clicked shut she fell to her haunches with a loud sigh.

“I second that motion,” Ruppy said, “That guy was an ass.”

“That's a rather rude way to put it, but yes,” Twilight agreed, “I still can't believe so many of the ponies in Ponyville are like that though. I've never seen this side of them.”

“I don't think they are from Ponyville,” Beats pitched in as he came into the room with a platter of salads and crackers with cheese balanced on his wings and back, “Before I came to Ponyville, there was already talk among the streets of your guard, Princess. From what I can tell, you've only been trying to hire the locals and I doubt any of them have any interest since they all have their own roles in a small town like this. So that means that the ponies from other cities and towns would have to come here, since you're only hiring in Ponyville.”

Twilight shuffled over and floated some crackers to munch on, “Well I'll admit, that certainly makes sense. The train station has been a little crowded lately. And I don't remember seeing many of the faces of the applicants in Ponyville until after I released the papers for sign ups. I suppose I should try posting in other places as well.”

“Speaking of applicants,” Ruppy chimed in, “How many more are left? Cause this is really boring.”

Twilight giggled, “Don't worry, he was the last one. But I still do have papers to go over.”

A choir of groans and whines came from the three guards.

“Oh yeah,” the mare pegasus began again, “Whatever happened to that other guard? The one you said might be joining us?”

“Oh, I sent her over to Silvers a while ago,” Twilight responded, “Although now that I think about it, Silver might have been in the middle of his training. Oh, I hope she didn't disrupt him.”

“Well then I'm lucky the mare has tact,” an all too familiar voice came from the hall. All four heads turned and looked to see Silvers popping out from around the corner, “Unlike some mares I know.” The wolf punctuated his sentence with a playful glare at the pegasus on her back.

“Silver!” Twilight exclaimed, trotting over to see him, “What are you doing here? I thought you'd still be training.”

“I am,” he said, “But I remembered I still needed to go see Vinyl and decided to pop by. And besides,” he said before dragging a mare out from behind him, “I couldn't let this one skip out on guard duty.”

“I thought you said you weren't my boss,” she huffed.

“I'm not, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to make you do your job.” He deposited her onto the floor and she walked into the main room where the others were.

“Hello all,” she said with a bow, “I'm your newest teammate, Sicarius Silentum. Please, call me Sica.”

“Onyx,” the unicorn said with a nod.

“My name is Beats,” the stallion introduced, “I look forward to working with you.”

Sica turned her attention to the last of the three. She was also the only one staring with a odd look on her muzzle.

“Is there something wrong?” Sica asked.

Ruppy continued to stare for a moment before shaking her head, “No. Names Rupture, but call me Ruppy.”

“Well it's a pleasure to meet you all,” she replied with a small smile, “I hope we get along well, or at least better than I did with the wolf.”

“Papa, were you being a dick again?” Ruppy called over.

“PAPA!?”

“First, being a dick is my default setting,” Silver retorted, “If you'd like to change that, please refer to the instruction manual. Second, why are you calling me Papa?”

“I thought I established this already,” Ruppy replied with a sigh, “You're Papa, then there's Mama Twilight and Mama Luna.”

Silver simply rolled his eyes, “Whatever helps you sleep at night, kid.”

The pegasus giggled, while Twilight became a mess of blush and embarrassment.

“S-so Silver, is that the only reason you came by?” Twilight asked, trying to quickly change the subject.

The wolf shrugged, “More or less. I wanted to see how far Vinyl had gotten in just a day.”

“I doubt she's gotten very far,” Twilight said, “This is a very unique project after all.”

Silver agreed, “Which is why I'd like to see it as it progresses. Anyway, I'd better hurry. I've already finished the Split Seconds and I need to get to Stars for the Golems. I'll see you later in the evening though, okay?”

Twilight nodded before pecking his cheek, “Later it is.”

Silver returned the gesture and then strode out the door while Twilight was moving back over to the piles of paper. Sica, for her part, was having trouble keeping her surprise under control.

“But you thought you'd never see that,” Ruppy snickered.

“I can't believe it,” Sica said as her jaw went a bit slack with shock, “And here I've been trying to flirt with him all morning while he's with a princess.”

Twilight steps stopped. Apparently, she'd said that a little louder than she wanted.

The alicorns head never turned to look at the robed mare, and just stood there for a moment. After it passed, Twilight simply shook her head and went to her papers.

“Ooooh~” Ruppy teased, “Don't feel too bad though. It could have been worse. It could have been Luna that heard you, and I doubt you would have walked away from that one.”

“Princess Luna too!?” Sica exclaimed, “Then are they all...”

“I'd appreciate it if you would all stop discussing my relationship, literally, behind my back,” Twilight said, not even turning around to face the group, “Yes Sicarius, I am in a herd with Silver and Luna.”

“Oh my...” Sica said, “I've never heard of some pony doing that, but I suppose it's none of my business.” In truth, all she wanted to do was dig more. She'd heard the stories of back when Silver slept around, and the notches on his bedpost were by no means a mere few. There were even rumors of a possible pup born from one of his flings.

But then again, those were just rumors. This was actually real. Silver had some how found a way to get two mares, princesses nonetheless, to agree to a herd.

Now if only she knew it wasn't his idea in the first place.





Silver wandered through the halls of Star Shines impossibly large home. He'd dropped by Vinyls for a moment to check on her progress, but found she was nose deep in working and was promptly sent away by Octavia.

To him, it was of little concern though. In fact, Silver actually was glad she was working so hard. He knew he was getting his moneys worth. Perhaps maybe he'd though in a bit extra for her dedication.

After minutes of walking, the wolf had finally arrived at the “Backyard”  as they called it, since Star Shines home lacks an actual one. Upon entering the room however, he noticed it was empty. Ducking into the observation room, he did not find her there either.

“Well if she's not here, then she's probably at her lab,” Silver concluded aloud.

Turning back and wandering once again through the halls, the wolf made his around the home. Out of all the houses he'd seen, Star Shines was by far the largest. Her home was actually less of a home and more of a base, with various sections and wings scattered throughout. How she manged to build all of this was completely beyond him. But then again, it was Star Shine.

After another few minutes of walking Silver came to the steel double doors that led into the lab. Not so foolish as to waltz right in, in fear of getting caught up in some insane experiment, the wolf raised a paw and knocked.

“Enter!” she shouted through. Silver opened the doors find Star Shine sitting at her desk.

Her lab was, like the rest of her home, incredibly large. It started off on a raised deck as an office space with filing cabinets and a large crescent shaped desk. The steps leading down from the platform opened  went to the rest of the dome shaped room. Various machines, tables, refrigerators and Empress knows what else were placed among the room. Silver could already hear Twilights squeals, assuming she hadn't seen it already.

“Hey,” Silver greeted, “ Tia's day court over already?”

“Yeah, there weren't many request today,” she answered, swiveling around in her chair to face him, “What about you?”

“Training,” he replied, “You wanna go get the Golems started?”

Star Shine sighed, “We might have to put that on hold. We got a problem.”

“Problem?” Silver echoed, “What problem? Is it about the Zodiac Tome?”

“Yes, unfortunately. It seems that the reason my original findings were so inconclusive was because this book can't be analyzed.”

Silver cocked his head, “What do you mean it can't be analyzed? You're Star Shine, you can analyze anything.”

“As happy as I am to hear you admit to my genius, I'm afraid I mean exactly what I say. This book cannot be analyzed or carbon dated or anything. I think it's made from a foreign material, one that the machines don't recognize. All you can do is read it, which even then, with out the first pages it's useless.”

“If you can't analyze it, then how did you detect alicorn magic before?”

“I used magic, not machines. Unfortunately, I don't know any spells for locating the origins of unknown materials, although I should probably make a spell for that. In any case, I can't figure out where this book came or who wrote it.”

“So what do we do then?” Silver asked, “We have no way of finding out where this thing came from, who wrote it or anything.”

“Well, I figured we should have Black Wing take a look at it. Maybe he can read the magic and get a least something. But our best bet is simply to ask the princesses. They're the only ones with any kind of a connection to this.”

“Valid point. Alright, we'll talk to them later,” Silver said with a sigh. Oh well, at least he won't have to interrogate his marefriend, “Come on, let's go to the Backyard. I need to blow off some steam.”

“Same.”
> Ponies Ponder About The One Who Wanders
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver and Star Shine laid huffing and puffing on the floor, the Golem training taking it's toll on their bodies. The room was butchered with cracks, dents, holes and piles of rubble and dust. 

Silver looked over to the exhausted girl to his left, letting out chuckles as he saw just how out of breathe she was.

“I guess Black Wing and I aren't the only ones out of shape,” he laughed.

Star Shine rolled her eyes, “You know...I feel like... you just called me fat,” she huffed out, adding a little glare to her words and finally catching her breathe, “Besides, I never had the same prowess you two do. Physical activity isn't my thing.” It was actually a bit strange. For a girl that didn't work out much, Star Shine had a body many females craved for.

“Oh so it's okay for you to be lazy, but not us?”

Star Shine rolled over onto her belly and stretched, “I'm not being lazy...well, maybe in terms of exercise but not in terms of ability. I practice my science and research every day. I'm still coming up with new brews, potions and powders to test out on you guys.”

It was Silvers turn to roll his eyes as he too got off the floor, “Right, whatever you say....fatty.”

Stars head slowly turned and stared down the foolish wolf.

“...Da fuck was that?”

Silver took a few steps forward and leaned into her ear, “Fat-as--” his words were cut off as a paw crushed into his chest and sent him flying across the room, crashing into a wall.

He simply laughed and rolled out of the rubble and dust, “See? You can be strong if you get angry enough,” he said as she stalked over to him, causing her to pause in her walk over upon hearing his words.

Realizing that he'd tricked her into getting angry, Star Shine huffed and turned her head, “You shouldn't do things like that to a girl,” she pouted, “We're very sensitive about our weight.”

Laughing once more, Silver lifted himself and trotted over to her, “Oh come on! How many times have you done things like that to me and Black Wing just to get a reaction?”

“Those times were different! I was trying to get you to go beyond your limits. It was for your own good, and I wasn't doing it for fun,” she excused. She was really only half lying. She was actually trying to help them reach new heights. Any amusement that may have come by her was simply an enjoyable side effect.

“Well then consider this payback for all those times you 'helped' us,” he said, adding the air quotes with his paws.

Star stuck her tongue out and trotted towards the stairs, “Speaking of helping you, I believe you still have training to complete. I suggest you get to the vortexes.”

“Oh yeah,” he whimpered dismally, “Forgot about that.”

“Before I go though,” she called over from the bottom of the stairs, “When are you going to speak with the princesses?”

“I figure I'll do it after I finish training.”

“Okay then, come get me when you do.”





Fortunately, the remaining tasks of Silvers regimen weren't too time consuming and could all be done in the Backyard. The vortexes were the longest part of it, but everything else had been finished in the next three and a half hours. By the time he was done though, it was almost 5 in the evening. However, this made sure that Celestia and Luna were mostly done with their work...hopefully. Honestly, the life of a princess was by no means the leisure the fairy-tales had made it out to be.

Now Silver was once again trotting through the halls of Star Shines home in search of its owner. Lucky for him, she was back in her lab so the search was short.

As always, he knocked and waited for her response before entering.

“Hey,” he said, poking his head in after hearing her call, “I'm finished. I'm gonna go shower first though, so meet me at the castle in thirty minutes.”

She responded with a simple nod and Silver turned and left. After returning home and washing up, the wolf decided to make a quick detour before heading to the castle. Popping by the library in Ponyville, Silver called out for Twilight.

“I'm in here,” she called back. Silver wandered into the main room where Twilight was sitting on the couch, floating papers in front of her. The four guards assigned to her were all reading in their own respective spots.

“Is there something you need?” she asked.

“Yeah, if you're not too busy. Star and I were about to go talk with Luna and Celestia about something. I wanted you to know too,” he explained.

Twilight quickly put the papers down, “Is this about the grimoire?” she asked, earning a nod from Silver. It wasn't hard to figure out, and aside from Duke Little Horn making another problem, it was their biggest concern. Even if it wasn't about the book specifically, then it was probably related to it. But it wasn't until the alicorn noticed the exchange of confused glances between the four in the room that something dawned on her.

None of them knew anything about the Zodiac Tome.

Seeking to correct that lack of information flow, Twilight turned and spoke to the other four ponies in the room, “All of you are coming with us. I'd like to keep all of us up to date on what's happening.”

All four nodded and set down their books. A quick trot into Silvers home, then back out into the castle before the group made their way to the conference hall where they found Star Shine waiting.

“Brought the whole town with you, huh?” she asked, eyeing the group.

“I originally only asked Twilight, but she told the others to come,” he explained as they trotted inside. There, they found Princesses Luna and Celestia sitting on the raised three step platform.

“Hello every pony,” Celestia greeted, “I'm glad to see our little project is coming along.”

In truth, it kind of irked Silver that she referred to them as a project. He'd grown very close to Ruppy, Onyx and was even fond of Beats and Sica. Referring to them as a “project” sent a twinge of anger through the wolf, but it wasn't the time to fight.

“Twilights guard aren't what we asked you here for,” Silver began, a bit of bite in his voice, “It's the Zodiac Tome that's the issue.”

Celestia immediately lost her normal friendly smile, her expression becoming much more serious, “An  issue, you say?”

Silver nodded while Star Shine pulled out the book and started explaining, “In the time that I've had this, I have only made a few discoveries. The first being that the books spells reference the Thirteen Zodiac constellations. How they're relevant to the spells, I'm not sure.

“The second thing is that the magic used to write this book is alicorn magic. Using a spell, I was able to read the sequence of the spells inside and traced it back to alicorns. Unfortunately the  magic is the only thing I've been able to analyze about the book. Everything else, from the date it was made to the materials it's made out of cannot be identified by my machines.”

“Last but not least, something odd about the books back,” she said, flipping over to the inside of the back cover, revealing Lunas cutiemark, “It seems that Princess Lunas mark has appeared in it, and the date at the bottom,” she tapped a paw to show where, “says that it was either discovered or created 4 centuries ago.”

Luna quickly stepped down from her spot, walking closer and taking the book into her magic. Her eyes flowed over the image on the back, “This...this can't be right,” she said. She flipped through the pages of the book, quickly looking over the spells.

“No, it can't,” Celestia added, now looking over her little sisters shoulder, “I don't believe there were many who still knew what your cutiemark was at the time. Other than myself and Star Swirl, I think most had forgotten.”

“So then how did it get in there?” Silver asked.

“Well it's not entirely impossible for some pony back then to have discovered what Lunas cutiemark was, but it's quite unlikely,” Celestia mused, “Is there anyway to tell whose magic made it?”

Star Shine shook her head, “Not that I know of. Like I said, all I could get from it was that it was created from alicorn magic. Given the grimoires subject and the image on the back, the only conclusion I could draw was that Princess Luna had made it.”

“I never made this book,” Luna objected, “My grimoire has been returned to me, and I don't recognize this one.”

“Well then unless there's another alicorn of the night walking around, I'm afraid I'm out of ideas,” Star sighed.

“Hey, can I see that?” Ruppy asked, now walking forward. Luna hoofed the book over to the mare, and Ruppy squinted at the writing. After staring for a moment, she flipped back a couple of pages and looked at the page there. Then flipped back again to the back cover and kept doing so another few times before finally stopping.

“They aren't the same,” she concluded, “The writing on the back and the writing in the book aren't from the same pony.”

“....What?” Star Shine uttered before rushing over and pulling the book out of the mares grasp. Doing the same as Ruppy had, she began flipping back and forth between the pages and the back cover, until finally stopping and staring at the page. Her eyes stayed locked on the words until...

“WAH!!” she cried, tears actually building in her eyes, “I'M AN IDIOT!!”

Ruppy just patted her gently but awkwardly on the back, “Umm, there there?” she tried, “It's not really that you're dumb, I just have some experience with copying hoof writing,” Onyx, who was standing behind her, nodded in agreement, “It's kind of a thing you pick up when you're writing checks from some ponies check book.”

Celestia turned and gave the mare a curious eyeing. She'd originally been a bit distrusting of Ruppy and Onyx. From their first meeting, wave after wave of hostility came from the former while an icy void of emotion came from the latter. While she still felt a few splashes of both, their wild nature seems to have dulled some what.

Ruppy caught the look Celestia was giving her, and rolled her eyes, “Hey, if you have a problem, it's a little to late to deal with it now. You gotta do what you gotta do.” Again, Onyx nodded behind her.

The ivory alicorn sighed. She'd heard that exact line from Silver so many times over the years, and she'd begun to wonder if he was teaching them about his own “profession” as well as combat.

“Are you sure it's not the same writing?” she asked eventually.

Star Shine looked back at the pages, her whines ceasing for the moment, “Now that I look, there's a difference between the two, but I can examine a little closer if you want.”

“I have a spell for checking hoof writing,” Twilight chimed in, “Cheerilee taught it to me when I helped her grade papers a few times.”

“Are you sure it will work?” Luna asked, “You said the book couldn't be analyzed.”

“Well the spell I used to check it's magic worked, so this might,” Star theorized, “Even if it doesn't, I'm sure I can find a spell that's applied to myself instead of the book that should allow me to tell the difference between the two.”

Twilight stepped forward and took the book in her magic before charging her spell. Once it was cast, the book opened and the pages began flipping through rapidly. After a few moments passed, the book came to it's end, then shut.

“Um, it's a bit fuzzy, but from what I can tell, they are two different writings,” Twilight announced, shaking her head as the magic dissipated, “What Star Shine said was right. I couldn't get a clear reading of it, but I can tell a difference. I think using a spell on ourselves would be better than using on the book though.”

“Perfect!” Star Shine exclaimed, “I'll just write a spell that enhances my ability to differentiate.”

“Wait a moment,” Luna cut in, “Why is it that magic will work but machines won't? It seems like it should be the other way around.”

“Hmm,” the female wolf hummed, “Well, I suppose it has to do less with the magic of the book and more with what it's made out of. You see, most grimoires are made with unique materials, like enchanted papers, inks and covers. That, coupled with the emotions, memories and intent poured into the writing creates the spells. So even if the materials it's made of aren't normally what one would use, it wouldn't really have an affect on the magic. It would still be traceable.”

“I...see...” Luna agreed slowly, having a bit of trouble following. Sure, she'd written her own grimoire, but the way was told to do it was to more or less pour her heart out into an enchanted book, “But...this still feels strange. It can't be as simple as two different hoof writings.”

“It's not,” Silver corrected, “Even if we can prove there two different ponies who wrote in it, we still can't tell who it was.”

“Not necessarily,” Twilight countered, “Even if we can't tell who wrote it, we know that at one point in time, some pony else used it. There may have been a record of the pony who used it. We even have a time frame to narrow it down a bit.”

“Yeah, but still,” Silver said, “Looking for a pony from four hundred years ago? Even if they stuck out like a sore paw, it'd be hard to find them. There have been a lot of great mages over the centuries.”

“It's still worth trying,” Twilight said, “Celestia, I'd like to look through the--”

“You have permission,” Celestia cut off, “I'll inform the guards that you have full access to the Archives.”

Twilight nodded “Thank you. We'll all get on this and begin researching immediately,” she said, earning a choir of groans before turning to leave, the rest of the group following after except for Celestia and Luna.

….And Onyx.

“Onyx, come on,” Ruppy called to her, “You're not skipping out on researching.”

The unicorn remain in her spot and responded flatly, “She was wrong.”

Ruppy stopped in her tracks. Any time Onyx bluntly said something that didn't make sense meant that they'd missed something she'd caught on to.

“There are two alicorns of the night,” Onyx continued, gesturing a hoof to Luna, “Nightmare Moon too.”

Star Shine turned and shook her head, “No, I considered that. Nightmare Moon was only actually present for a short time. Just before she was banished and just after she returned. There's no way she'd have had the time--”

“That's...not necessarily true,” Luna interjected hesitantly, “Before I was sealed, before my transformation; there were times when I would...black out, I suppose. I have memories of being in the middle of something, then it's all suddenly gone. I believe it was Nightmare Moon surfacing and taking over.”

“Are you certain?” Star Shine asked, “It could just be a lapse in memory. It was a thousand years ago after all.”

The midnight alicorn shook her head, “I've gone into my conscious, like we did with Silver.  If it were a lapse, then the memory would be blurry, not gone. But my memories completely cut off and pick up later, like jumping from the one chapter of a book to one three chapters ahead. I've seen it before with ponies who have dissociative identity disorder. The other personalities completely take over, and one conscious is consumed by another. Therefore, the consumed conscious has no memory of any event that transpired, despite the body being awake when it occurred.”

“Well then that changes things,” Star sighed, “I suppose I could run some more test and see if I can identify the magic signature more, but I doubt it. I may have to get Black Wing to do it.”

“Please do,” Luna requested, “A grimoire can only be destroyed by the one who made it.”

“Yes I know,” Star said, turning back to the door, “I'll see what I can do. In the mean time, the rest of you get to reading. I've been proved wrong twice today and I'd rather not let a third slip by me.”





On the third base floor of the castle was a large, dark room lit only by the dim candles. It contained rows upon rows of book shelves, each one holding a tome of ancient knowledge of Equestria. These writings were locked down here because they were originals. Pure, undoctored materials locked away below the world. Running down the center of the room was a long table with papers scattered on top. 

In the room, a group of four ponies, a wolf and an alicorn strolled in mere moments ago. (Sounds like the start of a bad joke.)

“Alright,” Twilight began, “Let's get started. Onyx, Ruppy, I want you two to bring me everything you can find on the mages who made a name for themselves. Don't worry about the time frame. Chances are that their magic probably allowed them to live longer than the average pony. Beats, Sicarius, I want you two to find everything you can on astronomy related magic. Silver, I want you to help me find books detailing major events what occurred four centuries ago.”

With all their tasks assigned, the group split. In pairs, they wandered among the shelves, reading spine and plucking down books. Silver had eventually found himself split from Twilight, and noticed another mare approach him.

“Ruppy?” he beckoned, “Is there something you need?”

The pegasus stepped out of the shadows and leaned in close to the wolf, “Silver, I need to talk to you about our newest recruit,” she whispered.

“Sica?” he asked, “What about her?”

“I think somethings...off about her,” she said, “I know what it means when some pony wears baggy clothes for no reason. She's hiding something up those sleeves.”

“Ruppy, just because you don't appreciate someones fashion isn't a reason to distrust them,” Silver chided playfully, plucking another book off the shelf. In truth, he knew exactly why she was so worried, but causing a ruckus and distrust among the four of them wouldn't exactly help anything. So, he had to find a way to calm Ruppy suspicions.

“Look, it's not just her clothes,” Ruppy continued, “For one, she doesn't make noise when she walks. And two, her name. Sicarius Silentum? It's Latin for 'Assassins Silence'. That's not a name you're born with, it's one you earn.”

Well she nailed that one on the head. It was true that wasn't Sicas real name, granted she probably never had a real one in the first place. Among the temple of the Remnants, the assassins would earn their titles for their achievements. For Sica, it'd probably be for her stealth skills. Even when she'd come onto the mountain earlier that day, her presence was almost undetectable. Her skills when it came to masking herself were seconded to no other pony, easily dwarfing Onyx own ability to erase herself. Now if only she could do something about her attire, then she might be able to blend into a crowd.

“Okay first, I don't make noise when I walk either unless I want to be heard. The only reason I stopped is because I figured you and Onyx wouldn't want me scarring the crap out of you ten times a day. Second, her name explains why she doesn't make noise. She's an assassin, clear as day. You don't need to speak Latin to know that. Third, if I really thought she was a threat, I'd have killed her by now,” Silver explained, “Now is not the time for in-fighting. We need to keep researching. If I find Sica making trouble, I'll put a stop to her, if one of you three don't before me.”

Ruppy looked him up and down, “You...you knew? And you didn't say anything?”

“Ruppy, Sica is a very unique pony who was taught at a very young age how to assassinate. If what she told me was true, and she means the princesses no harm, then she'll make for a strong ally. Unless she does something to lose what trust I do have for her, I'd rather allow her to continue looking out for Twilight.”

“And what about us?” she hissed, “Hasn't it occurred to you that she may turn on her team?”

“Ruppy, she's an assassin. She doesn't work in teams, and she doesn't kill if it's not her target. She'll operate independently from you three, and as long as you don't do anything to end up on the wrong end of her blade, you'll be fine. And besides, last I checked, you were a thug. Your reputation is just as bad as hers. Which reminds me, since when do you speak Latin?”

The pegasus opened her mouth to argue, only to realize the wolf had a point. If she was an assassin, she'd likely work alone. If she did care about the princesses, then ensuring they're guarded would come first. And as long as Ruppy didn't give her a reason to, Sica probably wouldn't pay her much attention.

Now that she thought about, the pegasus realized she was worried over nothing.

“My foster parents made me learn it for something or other,” Ruppy huffed eventually, “You're sure she's cool?”

Silver shrugged, “I believe that she won't harm the princesses or any of you.”

“Well...” she began hesitantly, “I'll...agree with you for now. But I'm keeping an eye on her.”

The wolf rolled his eyes, “Fine, just get back to work.”





With their research plucked out and set at the table, the group began their reading. Each took the subject they were assigned to find earlier and sat down to flip through the pages. As the hours ticked by, the pile of books to be read had grown smaller and smaller while the one of books that have been read grew higher and higher.

They cross-referenced time frames with names, magics with meanings and stars with events. Very few of the mages had potential of being linked with the book, but even that was a minimal connection at best. At best, they were grasping at straws, and at worst, merely swinging in the dark.

It was a grumble from the only stallion in the room that drew every ones undivided attention.

GURGLE

Beats blushed and rubbed a hoof behind his head, “Oops...I guess I'm a little peckish.”

Twilight simply giggled, “It's fine. We've been down here for a while now. Silver, why don't you get us something to eat? I'm sure the staff won't mind.”

Silver set his book and slipped out of his chair, pausing for a moment to stretch his limbs. As he trotted past the table, his eyes caught a sight that was strange.

“Ruppy,” He said, stopping behind her chair and looking over her shoulder, “What are you reading?”

“Hmm?” she answered, turning and looking to him, “Oh, it's a geography book.”

“Geography?” Twilight echoed, “You're supposed to be reading about famous mages.”

“Well, it wasn't really turning up much, so I figured maybe a change of pace would be good,” the pegasus defended.

“And how is geography supposed to help?” Silver asked.

“Well we did find the book hidden in a cave that no pony knew about except for Aerial,” She explained, “And I figured that if cross-referencing the names would work with events, then maybe we should look at ponies who were around the area at the time the book was signed.”

“That's...” Twilight began, “I didn't think of that. Very good Ruppy!” The pegasus actually blushed at the praise, “So have you found anything?”

“Not really. I've only been looking for the past half hour or so, but I do keep finding a reoccurring story.”

“Story?” she asked, “About who? There are plenty of myths and legends throughout Equestria.”

“Well, it's not so much a story, but rather a legend of some pony known as 'The One Who Wanders'. All it says about him is that, and I quote, 'he will walk the lands for all of time'.”

Sica sighed, “Hours of research and all we have is a cryptic fairy tale.”

“You shouldn't dismiss fairy tales so quickly Sica,” Silver cautioned, “All stories come from somewhere. And even this wandering fellow must have an origin.”

“All I can get from this is that he passed through that valley at some point, although I'm not sure when. I figure if I do a little more reading about him, then maybe I can find some--” GURGLE.  It was Ruppys turn to blush, “-thing.”

Silver laughed and ruffled her mane with a paw, “That's fine. You keep reading about The One Who Wanders and I'll go get food. The rest of you, keep to your original readings.”

Making a quick exit, the wolf left to get the snacks. Upon walking through the halls, Silver noticed a clock.

“12:43, huh? We've been at it for a while. We should probably go to bed soon.”

It was then that something occurred to him. Luna was sleeping all alone at the moment. He wasn't sure if she was in her own bed or his, but the wolfs heart still took a bit of a hit from it.

“I hope she's not lonely. We've been awfully busy, and I imagine we'll be the same tomorrow too. I suppose we should make it up to her some how.”

And then, something else hit Silver. It was something that many couples had already done well before they started dating, but was something he hadn't for a while now.

“I know! We'll take her on a date!”

> Tumbling With Timber and To Always Remember
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three days.

Three full days of those damn archives. For Twilight, it was just another study session and even opted to reschedule her meeting for interviews, something she hated doing dearly. For Silver, it mostly just exhausting. On top of having to keep to his regimen, he had to spend the rest of his hours in the archives.

And for the other four, it was hell.

So. Many. Paper cuts.

Page after page, book after book. Their eyes worked tirelessly as their brains attempted to connect events they read about to the ponies they'd discovered. Nothing seemed to stick though. No matter what they tried, the signer of the book remained elusive, and it's creator seemingly non-existent. The only connection they could find was The One Who Wanders, but even the fairy tale seemed to be lacking in information.

The wolf in the room sighed, “This is getting us nowhere,” he admitted in defeat.

“That's not true,” Twilight tried, “We've got....um, what have we got again?”

“Nothing,” Ruppy fired back, “None of these damn ponies can relate to the book and the only one that might is an incredibly far fetched story that might not even have anything to do with the book.”

“Okay then let's go with that,” Twilight proposed, “Far fetched though it may be, if we can't find any other leads then we might as well start with the little one we do have. So Ruppy, what have you found?”

Flipping her note book open, that Twilight had insisted she use, the pegasus went over her scribbles, “The tale of The One Who Wanders is about a pony who...well wanders. No one knows who, why or where he/she is headed. It appears to just show up through out history. The area near the valley was just one of many places it popped up in, but since it was also four hundred years ago, I figure maybe it had something to do with the book.”

“Wait a moment,” Twilight intervened, “Throughout history? Going how far back?”

“Um, farthest I've gotten is about nine hundred years, so almost an entire millennium. This story has been around for a while, which is why I find it weird and super annoying that there's no information.”

“Well if its been around that long, then I'm sure Celestia or Luna must know about it. We should ask them,” Twilight said, getting up from her chair to leave.

Silver raised himself as well, popping a few joints before heading out behind her, “You all stay here,” he called back over his shoulder, “We'll be back in a minute.”

Another choir of groans echoed from the room and down the hall, eliciting a laugh from both the alicorn and the wolf at her side. A few minutes later, they'd found themselves in front of Celestia's study.

Raising a hoof and knocking, Twilight waited for the voice on the other side to call.

“Come in.” Celestia answered, and the two outside pushed in.

“Oh, Twilight. Silver,” she greeted as they approached, “How is your research going?”

“Not too well,” Twilight responded, taking a seat on one of the cushions in front of the desk, “We've been looking for three days and haven't found anything.”

“Ah, so that's what that smell was,” Celestia mused aloud, causing the smaller alicorn to blush. Silver simply lifted a paw and whiffed....before reeling back.

Yeah, a thick coated wolf didn't smell like sunshine after three days of not showering, and coupled with the sweat from his workout...yeah, a whiff would kill a lesser pony.

“A-Anyway,” Twilight continued, “We did manage to find a small indication of a pony that may have come into contact with the book.”

Celestia set her work aside, now fully interested in what the two had discovered. “And who might that be?”

“Well, I say pony, but it's more a legend,” Twilight added on, “Have you ever heard of The One Who Wanders?”

The ivory alicorns violet eyes widened a bit in surprise, “My, I haven't heard that name in a while,” she contemplated, “What do you know of it?”

“Nothing really,” Silver answered with a sigh, “Everything we can find just says that he or she just walks around. Nothing else.”

“Hmm,” Celestia hummed, “Yes. In truth, that's about all I know as well. The One Who Wanders is just a pony who wanders Equestria. I believe I may have encountered it once, but I can't be sure. It was a very long time ago, and during a party nonetheless.”

“You met it?” Twilight asked with shock.

“I think. I was attending a ball for Hearths Warming Eve. Everything was normal and I went about greeting different ponies until a strange one came along. I remember I had stepped out into the garden for a moment for some fresh air, and a cloaked pony walked by. They turned, saw me, bowed their head and continued on their way.”

“Well why would you think that was The One Who Wanders?” Silver asked, “It could have just been a strange pony. Or an assassin.”

“Well yes, I suppose. But this was also seven centuries ago. Back then, one did not simply walk in front of a princess, bow their head and keep moving. It would have been considered audacious, even for the strangest of ponies.

“Besides, there was something off about them. Something that made my skin crawl the moment I saw them step out from the shadows. It was like the world ceased to exist the moment I laid eyes on them and then came crashing back once they left.”

“Sounds more like a school yard crush to me,” Silver teased, “But regardless, that doesn't help us. Maybe Luna knows more.”

“Probably,” Celestia confirmed, “Of the two of us, she was always more knowledgeable about legends, folklore and things that go bump in the night.”

“Well that's certainly helpful,” Silver said, getting up to leave, Twilight following behind him, “Thanks Tia. We'll see you later...maybe.”

Celestia giggled, “Of course. Oh! But if Luna can't help you, there may be some old books in the castle in the Everfree.”

“We'll give it a look,” Silver said as he closed the door behind them. A quick trot down the hall and the two found themselves at Lunas study.

Once again, Twilight knocked and waited.

...And didn't receive and answer.

“Princess Twilight?” the guard on watch called from behind, “Would you be looking for Princess Luna?”

“Yes,” Twilight nodded, “Could you tell us where she is?”

“She is in her bedroom Ma'am,” he informed, “It would seem she finished her work early.”

“Thank you for that,” Twilight said, turning and walking down the hall. Another trot later and they were at the bedroom of the midnight mare.

Not wanting to be intrusive, Twilight knocked and waited  before Luna called them in.

It was Twilights first time ever seeing Lunas bedroom. So naturally, her first impulse was to examine all of her surroundings. The bed was what popped out to her the most. It had an odd crescent moon shape, but then again, it was Lunas bed, so it made sense. The next thing she noticed was the dark shades of blue that filled the room, which was barely noticeable due to the fact that the thick curtains had been drawn over the window, blocking out the sunlight.

It didn't give it a gloomy appearance, but actually made it rather cozy. It felt like a room you would go to take a nap in, and would serve no other purpose than that. Yes...a nice little napping room.....mmmmhhh.

The last thing she noticed was the mare sitting on top of the bed. What she was doing though....was strange.

“OH COME ON!” the mare yelled, “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT LAG ABOUT!?”

She sat on the edge of her bed, a controller in her magic and a headset on her ears. The cord to the controller lead up a box on a dresser, and along with it was a large, flat screen TV. In her hooves was a a variety of snacks and a drink.

Both the wolf and the alicorn that had entered the room was unsure of what to make of this situation.

“Uh, Luna?” the little lavender mare called, “What are you--”

“OH FUCK OFF YOU LITTLE PRICK!” the older alicorn shouted at the screen, “WHAT?! YOU CAN'T FIGHT ME LIKE A STALLION AND GOTTA FIGHT LIKE A BITCH!?”

“Lun--” Twilight tried.

“OH, YOU MAD? FUCKING SAY SOMETHING!”

“Luna--”

“I'LL SEND YOUR ASS TO THE MO--”

“LUNA!” Twilight shouted, startling the gaming mare and getting her attention, “Would you please stop shouting?!”

“Oh, T-Twilight!I um...-T-this isn't--” she stammered, blushing profusely having been caught shouting in such an undignified manner. Sure, it wasn't the worst side Twilight had seen of her, but it was certainly still embarrassing.

“Oh it's exactly what it looks like,” Silver cut off, “You've found the sacred treasure that is video games.”

“I—this--...UGH!” she groaned, quickly using her magic to shut off the game console and floating the headset, controller and food over to the dresser. She turned her head away and folded her arms, “I have no reason to explain myself,” she pouted.

“Oh? Really?” Silver said, “And if I were to tell your sister you told one of the citizens to 'fuck off' and they 'fight like a bitch'? Over a video game, no less.”

The mare on the bed gasped and looked back at the wolf, “You wouldn't dare!”

“...Meh, you're right. I wouldn't,” He said with a shrug, “But it'd still be funny.”

“Silver!” Twilight swatted him with a hoof, before turning to scold the other alicorn, “Now Luna, I don't know what that was but you really shouldn't be behaving like that.”

“Why not?” Silver asked, “It's not like she's hurting any pony, and she's doing it in her own room she's not being disturbing either.”

“That's not the point. As I see it, there was another pony on the other end of the microphone, so she still shouldn't have acted so rudely, especially over a game,” the lavender mare finished, being sure to voice her disappointment.

Lunas ears fell flat against her head, “But that colt was--”

“No buts,” Twilight said firmly, “You're a princess. You shouldn't be acting like a foal.”

“I am not!” she refuted, “I admit I may have been a bit upset, but--”

“Upset?” Silver chimed in, “I thought you were about to use your Royal Canterlot Voice.”

“Ugh!” she groaned again, this time diving under the blankets, “Just go away!”

The two visitors couldn't help but laugh a little. Their marefriend, despite being the oldest of the three, seemed to behave with the least maturity.

“Luna,” Twilight cooed as she approached the lump of covers, her laughter relenting, “Look, we're sorry for teasing. We didn't mean to upset you. Although I really do think you reacted poorly to that game.”

The comfort the smaller mare brought convinced Luna to show her face, “Well I didn't have much choice. That colt was spouting the most illogical of insults and besides...I...” it was here that her voice trailed off into a mumble, a clear blush appearing on her muzzle as her dark coat made it all too clear.

“Huh?” Silver asked, taking up a spot on the other side of the bed, “What was that?”

“I said...'mi-...two...'” she mumbled once more.

“One more time,” Twilight asked.

“I said 'I missed you two!” Luna shouted before retracting her head back under the blankets. Despite her cover, she was sure her blush could still be seen through it, “You two have spent the past three days locked in the Archives and I've....I've been here....all by myself. I found your games and figured they might help pass the time and maybe distr--”

Luna was suddenly cut off by a pair of lips pressing against her own. She wasn't sure how, but Silver had somehow managed to get his head under the blankets and stop her disheartening rambling.

Once the kiss broke, the lavender alicorn lifted the blanket off of the two of them.

“Now, now,” Silver said, giving her nose a tiny peck, “None of that. I know we haven't been around lately, but you know it can't be helped. And you know we're not leaving you alone because we want to, right?”

“Well...yes. But I still feel a little forgotten,” she moped, “Again.”

“Luna, I promised you the first night we met,” he reassured her with a nuzzle on her cheek, “I'll never forget about you.”

The midnight mare let out a sigh, “I know...” In truth, she had no idea why she felt this way. She knew that Twilight and Silver still loved her. She knew that researching the Zodiac Tome and it's signer was far more important than her feeling of abandonment. And she knew that she was just wanting some attention from the two of them.

She actually kind of hated acting like this, as if she were some sort of foal whining for it's parents. She was a millenniums old alicorn, and knew better than to act in such a fashion.

But still...even if she did know better, it didn't change the fact that she still felt everything. In their absence, she felt unloved. In their priorities, she felt forgotten.

“Hey,” Twilight said to the wolf, a small but bright grin on her muzzle, “Should we ask her?”

Silver smiled and nodded, causing Luna to look up and between the two, “Ask me what?”

“Well, Princess Luna,” Twilight said in an official tone, that small smile never fading, it's glow seemingly everlasting, “Would you allow us the pleasure to accompany us on a date sometime soon?”

Luna was, for some reason, surprised. After all, it was what normal couples did. In fact, it hadn't struck her before that they actually hadn't gone on a date. Not with each other or all together.

“I...” she fumbled, “I would love to!” She threw her arms around the two of them with a squeal, nuzzling them in the embrace, “Oh! Where are we going!?” she asked, not letting them go for a second.

“Well that's a surprise,” Silver said, “It may take a little while to get everything in order though. After all, having two of Equestria's four princesses disappear might cause a few problems if it happened too suddenly.”

“Which is why,” Twilight picked up, “We should make time in our schedules. I'll be sure to leave time for the date, so you need to make sure you do too.”

“Of course!” Luna exclaimed, “I'll clear the whole month if I have to!”

“Hehe,” Twilight giggled, pecking her marefriend on the cheek, “There's the Luna we know.”

“Ah, yes,” the midnight mare said, letting them go, “I'm sorry for the way I behaved too. Twilight, you were right. As a princess, I shouldn't loose it like that, especially over something as silly as a video game. And Silver, I know you two won't forget me.”

She wrapped up her revelation by giving them both a brief but loving kiss.

Of course, it was then that she realized something...

A very stinky something....

Luna reeled back, “Oh sweet mother of Equestria,” she exclaimed, waving a hoof in front of her nose, “Have you two smelt like that this whole time?”

The two accused of the stink chuckled a little with embarrassment.

“Uh,” Twilight started, “We um, kinda haven't showered in a few days, sooo...”

“Oh for the love of--” Luna complained with a roll of her eyes, “Do I have to go down there throw all of you into a bath myself?”

“But Luna we're in the middle of researching!” Twilight whined, only to remember the whole reason why they came to the room, “Actually, speaking of researching, we came here to ask you about something.”

“Oh?” Luna said, stiff wafting the smell away from her nose, “What is it?”

“Have you ever heard of The One Who Wanders?” Twilight asked, lighting up her horn and casting an odor neutralizing spell.

...Well it wasn't the first time she'd spent three full days studying...without showering.

With the smell cleared, Luna focused on the name mentioned, “The Drifter? What on earth do you want with a pony like that?”

“We think it may have come into contact with the Zodiac Tome,” Silver explained, “We've been looking but we can't find anything in the Archives. We even asked Celestia, but she didn't know anything either.”

“Yes, the story of The Drifter has always been rather elusive” the lunar alicorn continued, “I'm afraid I don't know it's identity, but I do know it's a very...peculiar creature. Where it goes, something always seems to happen.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight inquired, “Is The One Who Wanders evil or something?”

Luna shook her head, “No, I don't believe so. From what I can tell, it's more of a....well I suppose the only accurate analogy would be to compare him to the stories you see in the video games,” she explained, gesturing the console behind her, “The Drifter is like the lore in the back-story of games. It's been there from the beginning, and while it may not seem to play an important role, it's presence is always known in the places where major events occur.”

“So wait,” Twilight interjected. For once in her life, she was having trouble keeping up with some pony that wasn't Pinkie Pie, “Everywhere The One Who Wanders goes turns out to be a place of importance?”

Luna nodded, “Yes. The Drifter is like a signal for major events, be it natural disasters, uprisings, or anything of great importance. If it has come into contact with that book, I imagine the Zodiac Tome will be a part of something much bigger than we thought.”

“Oh joy,” Silver groaned with an eye roll.

Luna couldn't help but giggle, “Yes, I imagine things will be quite difficult in the future. But I have faith in the two of you.”

“Well as helpful as that was, I'm afraid we still need more,” Twilight said, “If The Drifter, as you call it, really did sign the book then we need to find it.”

“And how will you do that?” Luna asked.

“We're going to your old castle in the Everfree,” the lavender mare explained, “Celestia suggested we go take a look at some of the books there and see if they have any other information. All the stuff in the Archives is mostly official documents, so things like fables and fairy tails aren't in there.”

“Hmm, try my old bedroom,” Luna suggested, “There may still be some of my old books in there. They're hidden but I'm sure Silver will have no issue finding them, seeing as how he found my grimoire with such ease.”

“Alright then,” Twilight sighed, not looking forward to going back to the castle, “We'll go get the others and head out. We should actually be home back later tonight too, so we'll see you then.” She leaned over and pecked Lunas lips while Silver did the same to her cheek.

Luna simply hummed with affection for a moment, “Mhmm, don't be gone too long,” she said after the kiss broke.

“We won't,” Silver said back, lifting himself from his spot and walking over to the door with Twilight.

“And don't go threatening to banish colts to the moon,” Twilight scolded playfully before the two made their exit.

Once the door shut, Luna waited for a moment until she could no longer hear hoof steps before shutting the console back on and floating over her things from the dresser.

“No promises~” she said back.





A group of five ponies and a wolf stood outside the forest line of the Everfree. Of the ponies, three of them look on with curiosity, one with an annoyed stare, and the last with great trepidation.

“Um,” the tan pegasus of them began, “Remind me again what it is we're doing?”

“We're going to the castle in the Everfree to look at some new books,” Twilight explained, already beginning her trot to the woods.

“Oh, so suicide you say,” Ruppy said back, “That's fine, I was planning on killing myself tomorrow anyway.”

“Well if you'd like, you can go back to the Archives,” Silver offered.

Ruppy quickly fell in line behind the alicorn, “Alright troops! Move out!” she commanded, pointing a hoof to the trees.

Yeah, she'd really rather die than go back there.

The rest followed the two into the forest, the shade of the thick canopy quickly darkening everything around them.

“Honestly though,” Beats began, “Is this place really that bad? I mean, I've heard a lot of stories about it, but Scoots has told me about the times she and her friends went crusading in here, and they've all come out alive.”

Ruppy turned and looked back at the other pegasus, “Then your sister and her friends have a pair of brass ones on them. This place isn't just creepy, but literally everything is trying to kill you.”

“Weren't you a thug at some point?” Beats asked rhetorically, “Being in life or death situations shouldn't bother you that much.”

“Okay, A: those times were all when I was going against another pony, and B: being in a life or death situation is always scary! I just happen to enjoy it!” Ruppy exclaimed.

“Well then why aren't you enjoying it now?” he asked.

“Because I don't know how to fight a damn manticore, or a pony eating plant, or a cockatrice!”

“Hey!” Silver hissed loudly, “If you two don't keep it down, you're going to attract those things you're so scared of.”

Ruppy gasped and quickly shoved a hoof in her mouth.

Beats blew raspberries, “It was her being loud anyway...”

The accused mare quickly dove backwards and onto the accusing stallion, jamming her hoof in his mouth,“Beats, I swear to Celestia, I will murder you if you open your mouth again.”

“Mmph mmphkn mmph mmh mhhm mh,” he muffled.

“Huh?”

Ruppy removed her hoof and allowed him to speak, despite her previously spoken words.

“I said 'You're still making more noise than me,” he repeated.

Another gasp came from her before she jumped up and ran back to her spot.

A quiet giggling could be heard coming from the back of the group, and it's source was none other than Onyx and Sica.

“Is she always like this?” Sica asked, making sure to keep her voice to a whisper, though it was mostly to keep Ruppy from hearing.

“Ruppy just doesn't like anything cursed, haunted, or things like that” Onyx explained, “She has always been superstitious in that way.”

“Ooh,” Sica awed.

The walk continued for another few minutes. Ruppy and Beats managed to maintain their silence, and Silver had slipped up the the front with Twilight. Behind them, the other four followed.

All was well for a while as they tread through the dark forest. Even though it was still in the afternoon, there was an uncannily small amount of light coming through the foliage. If they didn't know any better, they'd think it was night.

As they walked, Ruppys eyes continued to dart around. She would watch for anything she thought might be a threat, which in her mind was everything. Perhaps it was because of this, or maybe her natural talent for noticing small things, but when her eyes fell to the dirt, she noticed something strange.

“Uh, guys?” she called, “Do we know where we're going?”

“Of course,” Twilight said back, “I've been to the castle plenty of times. Why?”

“Because we've crossed over our own hoof tracks,” Ruppy explained, her eyes staring at the prints in the dirt even as they continued walking.

Twilight did the same. She looked down and noticed that there were hoof prints ahead, and since they were the ones in front, there was no way it could be some one from the groups. And it couldn't have been from another group since there was also wolf prints in the mix.

So for reasons unknown to Twilight, they had been walking in circles.

The alicorn trot slowed until she paused in her tracks, “Oh dear.”

“Don't stop,” Silver said as he continued to walk, “Keep moving.”

“But Silver, we're--” she tried.

“Just do it,” he commanded. Twilight quickly hurried back to his side while the others steps became hesitant.

“I've taken us in a circle,” he explained, loud enough for the others behind him to hear, “We're being hunted.”

“Hunted?!” Twilight shouted in a hushed tone, “By what?”

“My ever so distant cousins,” Silver explained. It took Twilight a moment to catch on, but she eventually realized what he was referencing.

“Timberwolves,” Twilight said aloud, mostly for the ones in the back who didn't understand. While Silver may have never told her, she didn't exactly need him to explain it. She figured out long ago that they were of the same genus, but not the same creatures.

Much like Ruppy, the alicorns violet eyes began scanning for the bushes for any sign of the hunters.

“Don't look for them,” Silver said, “They'll notice.”

“Why haven't you said anything?” Twilight asked, turning her eyes to the front.

“I was hoping they would realize the group is too big for them to take down, until more of them showed up. By that time there were too many, so I may have nudged you into going in circles.”

“That's why you kept brushing against me?” She'd originally thought he was trying to be discretely affectionate; something she thought to be adorable, “How long have they been following us?”

“Since a few dozen yards after we came in,” Silver said, “So pretty much the majority of the time.”

“And how do you plan on getting rid of them?”

“Well I was hoping I wouldn't have to. If their hunting party is this large, I'd rather not risk pissing off the whole pack,” he said.

“And just how many are there hunting us?”

Silvers words were hesitant, “About a dozen or so.” 

Twilight sighed, “Well we can't just keep going in circles, so we'll have to do something.”

“Well...” Silver began, “There is something I can do, but I don't think you'll like it.”

“Does it involve some pony getting hurt or killed?” She asked. Silver just shook his head, “Then you may do it.”

Silver suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, causing the ponies behind him to almost walk right into him. As they began to stumble around him, they felt something that caused they're bodies to go rigid.

It was a pure, animalistic ferocity that would make even the greatest of beast tremble. Its source was none other than the winged wolf that had just froze.

Said beast slowly turned his head to a bush, his eyes wide with what appeared to be rage. He stalked forward towards it, lowering his body like predator in the midst of a hunt. He growled and snarled, baring his fangs at the leaves. Even the fur on his neck stood on end, leading down his back and giving him an even more feral appearance.

From the bush he snarled at, a pair of sickly green-yellow eyes appeared. Soon after, a muzzle made bark and wood emerged from it's leaves, and following that, the entire head of a Timberwolf. It's whole body crept out, it's position mimicking Silvers.

The two snapped and snarled at one another, and soon the other dozen come from their hidding spots. Some came from bushes, others from trees and some seemed to come out of the shadows themselves. But not one attacked. While they were all in a crouch stance, ready to pounce in a flash, not one did. Instead, they seemed to circle the group, encasing them so that the ponies were in the back of the circle near the edge, while Silver and the other Timberwolf were more to the center.

“S-Silver...” Twilight called, “What ever your plan is, you'd better use it soon.”

Just as the words left her mouth, Silver lunged at the Timberwolf. The two collided and went tumbling across the dirt. After rolling around, Silver jumped up and off of it, only to have it jump back at him.

From there, the two fell into a blur of swipes and slashes, snarls and snaps. The two clawed and bit at each other, wrestling across the ground for dominance.

As they rolled around, Silver eventually pinned him down, and stood over the Timberwolf. He leaned down and placed his jaw over its neck. A sickening crack followed as it's body went limp and fell to a pile of wood, sticks and leaves.

Silvers wild eyes turned to the group surrounding them. He snarled and barked loudly, causing them all the cease their crouched stances and stand up. Another loud growl came from Silver, and they all back away, soon disappearing back into the forest.

Silver retained his beastly mode for a moment longer....then dropped it.

A loud sigh came from him as his appearance went back to normal, or at least as normal as it could be after wrestling with a Timberwolf, “Well, that was annoying.”

“Um...no...that was fucking weird...” Ruppy corrected, “In fact, what in the actual fuck was that?”

Silver sighed once more, cracking his neck and shaking himself to right his fur and get the dirt out, “It was a fight for dominance. That pile of sticks over there was the Alpha of the pack that was hunting us. I challenged him and won, so now I'm Alpha.”

“You're what!?” Twilight exclaimed.

“I told you you might not like my plan,” Silver reminded.

“So wait,” Ruppy interjected, “All that barking and growling; that was you communicating?”

“Well, did it sound like we were using words?” the wolf retorted, looking himself over for scratches. Twilight sighed and walked over to him.

“You know, I thought you said no pony was going to get hurt,” she said, helping him look.

“A: I'm not a pony. And B: I honestly thought that applied to everyone but myself,” he explained his reasoning.

For the second time that day, Twilight swatted her wolf with a hoof, “Of course it applies to you as well,” she scolded before turning back to look at a scratch on his shoulder, “Why didn't you just use magic? You could have avoided getting hurt.”

Silver shook his head, “Timberwolves don't recognize magic. They would have just thought I was attacking out of desperation, and the whole group would have attacked. They only understand brawling.”

Twilight sighed and stepped back, “Well, you're fine as far as I can tell, so if you're feeling okay we can keep going.”

“Yeah, I'm good,” He said, raising himself from his spot, “Let's go.”
> The Hallow Road and The Broken Abode
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the trek to the castle was relatively uneventful. The only real disturbances were Ruppy constantly pointing out anything that so much as twitched, thinking that it was deadly or evil in some way, shape or form.

Her antics were merely meet with a sigh and an eye roll each time, and once Onyx even popped her upside the head.

Alas though, their journey came to an end as they reached the decayed fortress. Its ruins seemed unchanged from the last time Silver was there, even if it was only from the outside.

Walking up to the castle first, Silver held a paw up, telling Twilight and the others to wait a moment. He poked his head inside the door and scanned the room. Using his wind magic, he did a brief sweep over the castle and its halls, looking to see if anypony was laying in wait.

Luckily, there was none, so he pulled his head back out and motioned for the rest of them to come forward.

“Alright,” Silver began as they all entered the main hall, “So, since I don't feel all that trusting of the forest anymore, two of you will actually be doing your jobs and standing guard. The rest of us will be helping with the research.”

“I CALL GUARDING!” Ruppy shouted immediately, which was shortly followed by Sica yelling the same.

The other two simply groaned and moped for a moment, making Twilight huff with a pout.

“It's not that bad,” she said with a cross of her hooves, “If you'd just give it a chance.”

“We did,” Onyx sighed, “For three straight days.”

Just as the alicorn was about to rebut, she was interrupted by Silver, “Oh it's fine. Besides, at least you won't have to walk around a thousand year old, abandon castle that is known to house the remnants of Nightmare Moons black magic.”

With each descriptive word the wolf used, Ruppy complexion became paler and paler to the point where one might mistake her for an actual ghost haunting the remains of the building.

“Um,” Ruppy squeaked, a noticeable shake in her voice, “O-on second thought, maybe I should go with Twilight?”

“Nope,” Onyx replied, a small but devious grin on her muzzle, “Now go on, shoo. Make sure no monsters and things try to kill us while we lay back and read some old bedtime stories.”

The tan pegasus whimpered while Sica snatched her tail in her mouth and began dragging her along.

“Come on, you big foal,” She mocked with a mouth full of hair, “I'm sure it's not that bad.”

The rest of the group couldn't help but laugh at the mares misfortune. If only she had waited another few seconds, then Beats or Onyx would have taken her spot. While she still would have been stuck in the castle, at least she wouldn't have had to wander it looking for signs of trouble. But, what's done is done, and now she must scourer the ruins, despite how unsettling, creepy, disturbing, curse-ridden, eerie, and--

“CELESTIA DAMMIT, GET ME OUT OF HERE!”





Twilight weaved through the halls of the castle, leading the three others to the library as none of them knew where it was.

“Silver,” she said, looking to the wolf at her side, “Do you really think something's going to come after us?”

The canine shrugged, “We were just attacked by Timberwolves, so yeah I'd definitely say it's a possibility. Why? Hasn't stuff like this happened before?”

The mare matched his shrug, “In all honesty, the Everfree forest has been...well, tame when the girls and I come here. Sure, we've had some creepy encounters and a couple of attacks, but nothing too serious...except for that time Spike was attacked by Timberwolves. And that time with the poison joke. And the Usra Minor.” As she listed off each event, raised a brow a little further each time, “Okay! So maybe the Everfree is a little dangerous...”

“A little?” Silver echoed, “The words 'Ursa Minor' just came from your mouth, did it not?”

“It was fine! No pony got hurt and I managed to get it back to its home before it's mother came.”

Silver actually stopped in his tracks and look at Twilight with disbelief, “You...you got rid of an Ursa Minor?”

“Well, all I did was put it to sleep and levitate it back to it's cave.”

Silver stood stock still for a while, his mind attempting to process the new information. Eventually, he shook himself out of his stupor and walked back to her side, muttering something about overpowered alicorns. Twilight simply chose to ignore his rambling and continue on. It was only another turn or two until the reached the library.

“Alrighty,” She said, walking down the isle and scanning the books, “We all know what to look for so lets get to it.”

Little did the couple know, a certain mare behind them was having a silent conversation of her own.

“Um, boss?”  Onyx's swords called as she roamed the shelves.

“Yes?”

“Now to be all whiny, but I think there may be something up with this place.”

“Well we are in the middle of the Everfree, so there probably is.”

“No, not that. It's like... I can feel that somethings moving, but not moving at the same time.”

“That doesn't make any sense. Are you sure you're not defective?”

“HEY! That wolf built me just fine! In case you hadn't noticed, I have a frickin conscious! I think he'd know if there was something wrong with me!”

“Alright, I was kidding! Jeez. So what's this thing you're feeling?”

“I don't know. I don't think it's even alive.”

“...Zombies?”

“I dunno! Maybe?! This thing's just freaking me out!”

“Alright, calm down. We'll keep an eye out.”

And with that, the study session resumed in the Castle of the Two Sisters, a pair of watchful deep blue eyes occasionally scanning the room.





Ruppy and Sica roamed the halls of the ruins, one of them looking as though they were taking a casual stroll and the other looking like they were holding in the urge to scream....which she was.

Every little shadow sent chills down the pegasus's spine. The halls would howl as the wind swept through them, and she could swear she heard Silver do it once just to screw with her. Nothing in this castle was, in anyway, pleasant.

But hey, at least she had Sica.

“Sooo,” the cloaked mare began, “I uh, couldn't help but over hear you and Silver the other day. You uh, don't really seem to trust me.”

“Well yeah, I mean just look at you,” Ruppy answered with little regard for manners or tact, “No offense, but you're creepy.”

Sica actually giggled, “Princess Twilight wasn't kidding, you are blunt.”

The pegasus raised a brow, “You talked with Mama Twilight about me?”

The assassin mare shrugged, not bothering to react to her reference to Twilight, “Yeah, a little. But it wasn't just you though, she told me a little about all of you guys when I was hired. Like how Onyx is super quiet and a little distant. She said you're loud, rude and flirty.”

“Okay, that I kinda take offense to.”

“Well she also said she knows you have a sweet side too.” Ruppy just blushed and turned her head back to the halls while Sica continued, “She said she didn't know much about Beats, other than he cares a lot about his little sister, and he's pretty laid back.”

“Huh,” Ruppy hummed, “I didn't think she paid all that much attention to us. I thought she was focused mostly on Silver. But now I wonder,” the pegasus pondered, “You know about us, so why don't you share a little?”

“Okay,” Sica agreed with a small laugh, “Let's see. I'm an orphan and have no idea who my parents are. I was raised in Blackberry Orphanage with about a dozen other kids. We weren't poor, but money wasn't exactly abundant. We had to share a lot of stuff, but luckily boys and girls slept and bathed separately. We did chores and a few odd jobs around for bits for ourselves.

“When I was 18, I graduated highschool and left the orphanage. After that I just kinda wandered around from town to town, doing whatever jobs came by for money. I think this job my actually be the only legitimate one I've had.”

Ruppy let out a hearty laugh as Sica finished her story, “I swear,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye, “That wolf has a talent for attracting the weirdest ponies.”

“Ah yes, Princess Twilight also told me about your...previous affiliation, shall we call it?”

Ruppy rolled her eyes, “It's fine. I was a gang leader, and now I'm not. I'm actually kind of surprised Mama Twilight didn't just up and reject us. I guess she just trusted Papa. What about you though? I still think you're an assassin, by the way.”

Sica just giggled, “Well wouldn't you like to know?”

“Uh, duh! That's why I asked.”

“Well, you wouldn't be wrong,” the mare admitted, “My skills do lie in the art of stealth kills, but I can't disclose where I picked them up.”

Ruppy eyed the mare up and down, “That doesn't really make me feel any better.”

“We all have our secrets. Mine are just more...cryptic than most.”

Ruppy continued staring at the mare for a moment, before sighing and dropping her head, “Yeah, he really does get the weirdest ponies possible.”

“Well, it was actually Princess Twilight that hired me,” Sica corrected, “Silver actually made it very clear that I don't report to him, but the Princess instead.”

The tan pegasus rolled her eyes, “Yeah, whatever you weirdo assassin. Come on, let's hurry and do these rounds.”





As the hours dragged on, the ponies kept to their tasks. Ruppy and Sica went around the castle about every hour, while the others kept reading. As they flipped and turned pages, they found that the castle held more about The One Who Wanders than they had originally hoped, albeit not much more.

“Hmm,” Twilight hummed, her eyes scanning over the words, “This is...odd.”

“You're going to need to be a little more specific Twilight,” Silver sighed, “Everything about this guy is odd.”

“Well it's just...I don't think it's only appeared in Equestria,” she clarified, “From what I can tell, it's been all over the world.”

“What?” Silver questioned, getting up to look at the book over her shoulder, “How did you find that out?”

“Well this story says that it's earned many names from the places its gone. The One Who Wanders is just one of them. Now that I think about it, Luna called it the Drifter, so that might also be from another land.”

“Well what names does it list?” The wolf asked, “Maybe we can find more on those.”

“Let's see, we have The Ghost of Virdan, The Lost One, one simply named Steps, The Hallow Road, Th—”

“What, wait?” Silver interjected, “The Hallow Road? They're the same?”

“Well, yeah. Why? Does it come from Houndland?”

Silver shook his head, “No, but it's an old legend I heard about when I was in the Feline Republic. It's  about a dirt road that leads to no where. It's not on any map, and appears out of no where. It says if you ever walk down it, you'll be forced to walk it for the rest of time, the road never ending.” 

“Hmm,” the mare hummed once more, “It doesn't sound quite like The One Who Wanders, but the similarities are there. Both involve walkin—huh?” Twilight snapped her up and stared at the door way that led to the hall.

“What is it?” Silver asked, looking as well.

She continued to stare at the door for a moment, waiting to see if anything changed, though nothing did. “Nothing, thought I saw something move. Must have been a spider.”

Silver shivered at the mention of the arachnid, “Ugh, hate those creepy little bastards. Anyway, you were saying?”

“Oh right!” she turned back to the book. After flipping a couple of pages, she stopped and scanned it, her hoof following along under the sentences,  “Well this story depicts it a little differently. Instead of the road cursing the one who walks it, it's about the one who was cursed. I...I think it's about the first one who went down it.”

“The first one?” Silver questioned, “There's no way. That story goes pretty far back, farther than we could find for The One Who Wanders. I'd say it's at least fifteen hundred years old.”

“Well it doesn't give a date, but says it's about the first one.”

“Well what's it say then?”

Twilight cleared her throat, “Ahem. 'As the-'” she ended as soon as she began, her sharp gasp cutting her off.

“What?” Silver questioned. He found her head now turned away from the book, and locked firmly onto the doorway.

There was nothing odd about it, but of course, that wasn't what Twilight was staring at. No, she was eyeballing the creeping shadows that had slowly crawled their way up the walls surrounding the exit.

With a shaky hoof, she slowly pointed and spoke, “Those....”

Silver finally noticed the oddity, his eyes going wide with unease.

“The Shade....” he muttered to himself, though he could tell something was off about it. He knew he killed the one in the castle before. Was this a new one? No, it couldn't be. The grimoire was gone, and there's nothing of significant power left in the castle. Even if that were the case, it still didn't put him at ease. These shadows, the way they were moving it was almost like... “Like it's coming from every shadow in the castle...”.

So that's what it was. The Shade wasn't dead. It had infected every other shadow cast in the structure. Every broken vase, pillar, torn tapestry. Every. Last. One.  But now wasn't the time for self-mumbling and analyzing. The wolf tapped his paw on the table and gained the attention of Beats and Onyx, “You two, slowly get out of your chairs and come to us.”

Both put their books down, and slid from out of their spots. They crept along the table until they were at Silvers side. During their movements, they had noticed the two staring at the wall, and picked up on The Shade.

“Our first priority is getting Twilight out. When we get her to the main hall, you two go find Ruppy and Sica, and get out any way you can. I don't care if you break through walls to do it,” Both nodded before he continued, “Twilight, get on my back and hold tight.”

Twilight slipped onto him, careful not to make too much noise or movement. With her hooves firmly locked on, she felt Silver lean forward in a running position.

“On three...” he informed, “One....Two...Three!”

In a blur, all three were darting to the door. The Shade picked up on their movement, and quickly sought to cut them to pieces as it moved it's shadows in front and lunged at them.

Onyx drew her blades and blocked the attacks, Beats bobbed and weaved through the strikes while Silver used his wing blades to deflect.

They came bursting into the hall, shooting down it with the Shade chasing after them on all sides of the hall behind them. It's shadows caught up rather quickly, and sent one onto the floor beneath the wolf. A single spike was formed and pierced his paw, causing Silver to stumble and fall, sending himself and the alicorn on his back tumbling.

Before either could get back up to run, it was already too late. The Shade had caught up, and now enveloped the two of them from every direction.

Just as the blades of black came down, there was a quick blur, followed by a harrowing scream.

Twilight laid in a ball on the floor, waiting for the pain of the shadows stabbing her body to come...but it never did.

To scared to look up, she felt a drop of something warm fall onto her cheek. From the corner of her eye, she could make out a color. It was...familiar. A crimson droplet fell again, and this time she saw where it came from.

Yet another familiar sight filled her eyes. It was fluff. A fluff she'd spent so many days with. A fluff she grown to love and yearn for.

Silvers fluff.

“No....”

She could hear the sounds of flesh being sliced and ripped as a dozen shadow spikes pulled themselves out of Silvers body. The putter-patter of the leaking blood hitting the floor increased ten-fold as they left him, like raindrops of a storm. She could feel the waterfall of fluid wash over her body in a sicking, thick wave of warmth. It crashed over her back and trickled down her chest, seeping into her fur and burning the sensation into skin.

His body went limp, his muzzle falling next to her ear.

“Run...” he could wheeze out and lifted his head, “Take her and keep running!”. Before Twilight could even refuse, she felt something grab at her from behind. Snapping her head around, she found Beats wrapping a hoof around her waist before he hoisted her up onto his back, then turned and bolted down the hall once more.

“NO! LET ME GO!” she shouted.

“I can't!” Beats replied, “He'll kill me if I leave you here!”

“HE'LL BE KILLED, NOW LET ME G—”

Her struggles were silenced by a sudden blow to the back of the head, knocking Twilight unconscious as Onyx raced past them. Sure, she'd have hell to pay for doing that to a princess, but there wasn't much choice.

No one wanted to leave him there, but like he said before. Twilights safety was their first priority. Besides, Silver was one of the most powerful creatures in Equestria. He couldn't be killed from something like this...right?

Swiftly making their retreat through the castle, they soon entered the main hall.

Onyx stopped for a moment and took in a deep breathe, “RUPPY!! " Not many knew but Onyx could be the loudest mare on the planet when she wanted to be.

The answer was almost instantaneous as a wall was shattered, sending dust and bricks flying through the room.

Before she or Sica could ask what was happening, Beats and Onyx were headed for the door. Figuring it's best to find out later, the two of them quickly followed behind and left the castle in a flash.





Silver laid in a pool of blood for a moment. The Shade had continued to chase the others, though from his wind magic, he could tell they managed to escape the castle safely.

“Hehe...” the wolf chuckled, rising to his paws with a bit of a wobble, “Well now. Looks like it's just you and me.”

As if it understood his words, the shadows that had pierced him moments ago gathered once more in the hall.

“Now that they're out of harms way,” he said, pausing to spit the blood from his mouth, “I can go a little crazy.”

The words seemed to echo through the halls as a sudden magic pressure rose from the wolf. The castle shook and trembled as Silver stood, his wounds still bleeding profuse amounts of blood but his power still surging. His wings suddenly snapped out to his sides, a gust of wind tearing through the halls, and not just the one he was standing in. The entire castle whistled and shrilled as the winds swept throughout, as if a dozen trains had come running through the halls.

This of course had no effect on the Shade as it was a shadow creature, and didn't have any physical form until ripped from the ground. But then again, that wasn't quite what Silver was aiming for.

With a single, powerful flap, the winds converged and wrapped into a vortex. In mere moments, an entire tornado had appeared, though this one was not your average one. Along side it's terrifying wind speed, it carried with it sharp wind blades, ripping and shredding every thing around them. It also had an odd shape as it wasn't nearly as wide as a normal one, but instead confined to about thirty feet.

The walls and roof collapsed instantly and were torn to bits and chunks before being lifted into the air by the tornado. They were flung and scattered across the forest seconds after being lifted, taking with them the Shade attached to it.

A mere half a minute after the tornado was formed, it vanished just as quickly as it appeared. The ponies outside the structure watch in awe as the whole event unfolded, easily deducing the one behind it all.

Just as the name crossed all their minds, the owner of it fell from the sky. With a heavy thud, his body pummeled into the ground, leaving a noticeable dent in the dirt. How he got up there was the biggest mystery, but one that would have to wait for a later time.

Without a second thought, Onyx wrapped the wolf in her magic and floated him by her side. He was heavy, and certainly slowed her down, but she refused to allow that to keep her from darting through the woods.

With Silver now with them, they continued sprinting through the forest, never stopping as they weren't sure if the Shade could follow. They ran until they were out of the Everfree, and continued until they were at the library. They bolted down the hall of the tree home, knocked over Spike in the process and flung open the door into Silvers home.

“STAR SHINE!” Onyx shouted, hoping that the wolf may answer her call. She gently placed the Silver onto the sofa, eyeing the room for the other canine to show. With no luck, she didn't appear, “Alright, go get the med kit and some towels. Try to slow the bleeding. I'm getting Star Shine.”

No one argued as they ran around the house to find the materials. Onyx ran to her room and floated over her key, the last door she used being the one in Canterlot. She bolted back out to the living room and ran to the door, quickly turning the key and rushing out into the castle.

As she ran down the halls she stopped by a guard on watch. 

“You! I need help! Silvers been hurt and I need Star Shine! Where is she?!” she requested/yelled.

“With Princess Celestia in her study, ma'am. Should we call for a medic?” he responded.

The unicorn immediately turned and bolted, “Yes! Do it now! Send them to Silvers home!” she yelled as she raced down the hall once more. Once she finally reached Celestias study, she didn't bother knocking and simply pushed in, the guards on watch trying to force her out.

“Star Shine!” she cried, her hooves flailing about as the guards pushed her back. Celestia snapped her head up from her desk while the wolf dropped in from hiding.

“Let her go,” Star commanded, and the guards released Onyx. She stepped over to meet the unicorn, “What happened?”

“We were attacked by something in the castle, and Silver's hurt really badly! H-He's loosing a lot of blood! He's at his home! Please, you have to--!” 

Before she could say another word, Star Shine had vanished, nothing but a gust of air rushing past to indicate she'd left the room.

Celestia on her part, barely managed to keep up with the situation. A few moments had passed before she finally stepped from around her desk and approached the young, coal black unicorn. In that time, things had slowed down a bit, the rush of the emergency seeming to stop.

With just a simple glance over, she could tell how distraught Onyx was. Her eyes were wide with panic and fear, her breathes were still sharp from sprinting all the way here, her hooves shook and trembled and the ivory alicorn could even hear the choke of a sob.

“Oh my dear little pony,” she cooed, bringing the mare into a gentle hug, “There there. Silver will be alright, I'm sure of it.”

Onyx shook her head and pulled away from the embrace, “How can you--?! You didn't see him! You didn't watch when he got--!” the mare had to stop and swallow to force the bile she felt rising in her stomach back down, “Do not tell me you know what will happen! You don't know a damn thing!”

“Onyx, Silver has literally come back from death itself,” she reassured, “He's powerful, cautious and far smarter than he let's other believe. I might not know what happened, but I do know Silver. And I know it will take no less than the Reaper himself to kill him.”

The scowl the little mare wore slowly softened and her eyes began to water. She clenched her eyes shut and let her face fall forward back into Celestias fur.

“I-I'm sorry...” she choked out, “I didn't mean to yell.”

“Shh,” she cooed once more, gently stroking Onyxs mane, “Don't worry about it. You're just wound up and scared, it's fine. It's all going to be just fine.”

Just as the words left her mouth, the sound of hooves trotting down the hall echoed into the room. Soon, an ethereal, starry mane appeared in the doorway.

“Sister?” Luna called as she came in, “Sister, what happened? I heard shouting.”

Well...maybe not everything would be fine.

Celestia sighed, giving her little sister a sympathetic look, “Luna, it's Silver. Somethings happened.”





The midnight mare stood in the room while her sister explained what happened. For her part, Luna reacted rather calmly to the situation....or at least, that's how she appeared.

Once the recap was over,  she began trotting down the halls of Canterlot Castle. One wouldn't be able to tell that Luna was panicking by her pace, which was only slightly faster than normal. Her expression did show a hint of worry, though it was rather hard to see it.

The reason why she was hiding her fear was completely unknown to the world. But to Luna, it made perfect sense.

“I can't allow myself to panic. Twilight is probably distressed enough as it is, and acting the same way would only make things worse for her.”

As Luna came to the door of Silvers home, she noticed it was closed. Summoning the key Silver had given her, she placed it in  the hole and turned then entered.

When she stepped in, she found a group of three ponies in the room. Ruppy was in the kitchen, a bottle of liquor sitting on the counter and a glass in one hoof. Sica sat in the stool across from her, her head in her hooves. Beats was over by the couch on his knees.

When the alicorn came in, his head popped up over the back of the sofa.

“Princess Luna,” he called, “What are you...oh, well never mind.”

“W-Where is Silver?” she asked, her worry showing causing her voice to tremble slightly.

“Star Shine just took him,” Ruppy informed, “She said she needs to operate on him and took him to her place. There's no point in trying to follow though, she won't let you in.”

Luna shook her head, “I had no intention of following. If he's with Star Shine, then he's in good care. What about Twilight? She was with you, wasn't she?.”

Ruppy simply pointed a hoof to the hall beside her, “When she woke up, she saw Silver was gone and just wandered into the hall.”

Luna raised a brow at the information, but instead of inquiring as to why they didn't follow or check on her, she just went to find the mare herself.

Since the hall on the first floor only had the two bedrooms and the bathroom, the bathroom being empty, she assumed Twilight must be down stairs.

Skipping the second floor since there were no doors that could be opened, she reached the third and upon stepping into the hall, Luna heard a sniffle come from one of the rooms.

She saw a light coming from the bathroom and quickly trotted over to look in.

There she saw Twilight sitting in front of the mirror, the water running in the sink and a scrub brushing roughly against her fur.

Luna immediately took notice of the blood staining Twilights fur and quickly ran over to her.

“Twilight!” She exclaimed, “Dear, are you alright?”

The lavender mare didn't answer and just kept scrubbing. It wasn't until Luna was as close as she was that she realized just how hard she was washing herself. She could see where the skin beneath her coat had become raw and red, some parts actually bleeding.

“Twilight,” Luna tried, but only received a sniffle. She reached a hoof up and grabbed the scrub while Twilights magic kept trying to make it move. “Twilight, stop it!” Luna said firmly. With that, the scrub fell free and the smaller alicorn broke down. She started with just a sniffle, then choke and finally into a continuous stream of tears and sobs.

Her loud wails filled the room, taking Luna by surprise. She closed the door with her magic and brought Twilight into her embrace.

“Shhh,” she cooed, “I'm right here.”

Looking into the mirror, she noticed Twilight was still covered in blood. Using her magic, she turned on the water for the shower and waited a moment until the it got hot. Once she saw the steam coming over the top, she walked Twilight over, gently sliding the glass door back and placing her under the water.

She removed her own belongings and set them aside before stepping into the shower as well. Twilight simply sat under the stream, still sobbing as the water ran over her. Luna grabbed a rag and soaped it up before gently washing Twilight.

The blood had gotten everywhere. It ran down her neck, back and chest. Much of her upper body had been dyed crimson, and there were even splotched of it in her mane and on her cheeks.

After about fifteen minutes of washing, Twilight was finally clean, though still crying.

Setting the rag down, Luna took her marefriend into a full embrace, peppering her with kisses and nuzzles.

“Shh, shh. It's okay. You're okay now,” she soothed, trying to calm the mare. Twilight simply wrapped her hooves around Luna and bawled into her chest, muffling her cries.

They sat like that for the next ten minutes under the shower, Twilights powerful sobs slowly becoming softer weepings.

As she slowly calmed down, Luna had an idea. Poking her head out of the shower and using her magic, she turned on the water to the bath and allowed it to fill. By the time Twilight was reduced to smaller cries, the tub was already full.

Luna lifted Twilights cheeks with her hooves to look her in the eyes, “Here, let's move to some place a little more comfortable.”

The smaller mare made no protest as Luna shut the water off and lead her out of the shower. They moved over to the bath, sitting in it so that Twilight sat between Lunas legs, leaning her back against the cool mares chest.

Luna wrapped her hooves around Twilights stomach, feeling her chest lurch and jump with each little cry that escaped her. While she had calmed down considerably, she was still crying. Hopefully, the warm water would help change that.

It took another few minutes, but it eventually did. Twilight had stopped crying now, though she was still sniffling and shuddering. It was the only sound filling the room aside from the occasional drop of water from one of the fossets, though neither could tell which. Not that they really cared.

After a few moments of sitting in silence, Twilight finally spoke.

“How is he?” she croaked out, her voice hoarse from crying.

“Ruppy said he was in surgery,” Luna informed, her voice softer than a butterflies whisper, “Star Shine's taking care of him.”

She could both hear and feel the mare on top of her let out a long, tired and shaky breath. Luna simply tightened her hold a little more and pecked the top of Twilights head with a kiss. She took notice of the raw patches of skin under her coat from earlier, giving them gentle kisses as well. Twilight, for the first time since getting back from the castle, actually welcomed the gesture as the cool lips of Luna soothed their burning. They continued to sit like that for another few minutes until the lavender mare spoke again.

“Everything just got out of control so fast,” Despite the warm water they laid in, Luna could feel her go cold in her grasp, “One minute we were researching, then that thing showed up. We ran, a-and when h-he fell...” another choked sob came out instead.

“So much b-blood, and i-it was h-hi..--” was all the little mare could get out before she lurched forward. Twilight felt a pressure rising in her stomach and burning in her throat. She quickly scuffled and pulled herself from Lunas hold and out of the tub, scampering over to the toilet before throwing up.

The sounds of retching made Luna cringe, and she felt more than a little guilty that she couldn't make her marefriend feel any better.

Once Twilight finally managed to get her stomach back under control, she walked over to the sink and rinsed out her mouth before going back to the tub.

This time, instead of laying with her back to Luna, she laid on her stomach, wrapping her hooves around the midnight mares mid-section and burying her face into her neck.

“I'm so sorry. If this is too hard for you, we can just lay here.” Luna apologized, giving her marefriend a peck on the head.

Twilight shook her head, “It's okay. I-I'm just shook up right now.”

Luna used a hoof to lift Twilight head. She quickly pressed her lips against the purple mares, ignoring the slight taste of bile as she put as much love and passion as she could into it.

Once they broke apart, Twilights muzzle went back to the lunar alicorns neck.

“Rest dear, “ Luna cooed, stroking the mares mane, “We'll go see Silver when we can.”

Twilight rested her head once more, allowing her eyes to close for a moment. That one turned into two, then three and soon she found her eye lids too heavy to open again.
> Silvers Reviving and Strange New Writings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver saw nothing; felt nothing. The realm around him was an abyss. He couldn't help but wonder, was there really simply nothing to observe, or was it that his senses were entirely cut off?  Either way, the situation didn't bode well for the wolf.

“Did I die again?”

It was a silly question, especially for him. After all, if he were dead, how could he question if he was? That being said, it was a perfectly natural first assumption. What else would one think in that moment?

Just as the thought rang through his mind though, a world came breaking through. The abyss he floated in vanished in a flash and bright light, and the wolf found himself laying on his back, looking up at an azure sky littered with the occasional fluffy, white cloud.

Turning his head, he noticed the floor he was laying on was not actually a floor, but a solid body of water.

“Oh joy.”

He knew exactly where he was. It was the place where he buried all of his secrets. Where he kept his deepest desires and oldest memories. The wolf now laid in his own conscious.

It wasn't the first time Silver had entered his own mind. He did it quite often actually, usually when he was meditating. It would also happen on occasion when he fell into deep sleeps. This time, it would be the latter reason for his mental visit.

Slowly, Silver flipped over onto his stomach and raised himself with a wobble and shake of pain. He might have been in his mind now, but that unfortunately also meant he could feel the hurt of his wounds. He had actually wished for the abyss to come back now. At least then he wouldn't have to deal with the aches.

With a grunt and a sigh, Silver began to wander his mind. It was still cluttered with doors, each one different from the next, symbolizing the particular memory behind it.

It was then that his eyes fell upon one door in particular. One he despised with every fiber of his being.

It was large and a cold, steel gray. Unlike the others, this one was actually a set of double doors, it's handles a deep red.

And also unlike other doors, this one had thick, heavy chains locking it tight. And for good reason too. There was no need for him or anyone else who may journey into his mind to visit that moment. Too much pain. Too much hate.

“Reminiscing, are we?” a voice came. One all too familiar. Silver looked down, staring at the reflection grinning back up at him.

“Hey laddy,” his mirror greeted, the sickening smile he wore never fading, “You know, I've missed you and the little talks we used to have.”

Silver just sighed and took a seat, “I suppose it has been a while. There hasn't really been much reason to bring you up.”

“Well gee, I dunno', laddy. That little bout you had with that shade got me fairly riled.”

“That was nothing. Just some shit luck.”

“Shite luck, you say?” It was here that that mirror crawled out of the water, taking on the full form of Silver. His image was exactly the same, though his colors were a bit darker, and he spoke with the old Houndish accent Silver had way back when, “In case you haven't noticed, we're close to dead. We've lost a lot o' blood, and for what? Some lit'le princess?”

It was here that Silver glared at his counter part, “You know full and well how we feel about Twilight. And it wasn't just her. If we'd gone all out, the others would have been caught in the crossfire, even if they weren't in the castle. Besides, it was just a Shade. No need to go crazy.”

“Yes, I know how we feel about the mare, laddy. And that's what bugs me. Since when do we bow down to anyone?”

“We don't bow down!” Silver growled, the water beneath him beginning to shake, “We're not! Everything we do, we do because we chose to. Not because someone else made us!”

“You say that and yet here we are, chasing a book that has nothing to do with us. Getting hurt for a country we don't even belong to. Tell me laddy, doesn't that sound an awful lot like submitting?”

“We chase that book because we don't want Twilight getting hurt trying to do it herself! We don't give a damn about the rest of Equestria! As long as the ones we like are okay, then the rest of the country could burn.”

“Now, you say that but if Twilight or Luna asked us to help save it, then would we?”

“Yes.”

“Then we're submitting!”

“No. We're doing it to make them happy. We don't submit to anyone.”

The counter part sighed, “Honestly laddy, I can't tell if we're confused or just stupid.”

“The latter. My mind is clear.”

“Oh really? Then why am I here?”

“Because I got hurt. We both know how this works.”

“Is that really all, or is there something you're forgetting? Afraid of even? Have you forgotten what's to come next? Our own little hell?”

Silver remained silent, turning his head away.

“You can sit in silence all you'd like laddy, but remember where we are,” the counter part said, pointing a paw behind his other half, “Even if you don't say a word, you can't hide the truth from yourself.”

He didn't want to look. He knew what was behind him. It was always there, lingering at the back of his mind. Most times, it's forgotten. Silver can live his life in peace and serenity without worry. That is, until winter comes along.

It's the snow that does it. He could still remember laying in it as his blood pooled around him, the dark crimson standing out like ink on paper, dying the white powder red as his life poured out of his body. The image was burned into his mind along with the same realization he had when he laid there.

He was going to die.

Despite every fiber of his being screaming at him not to, Silver turned his head and looked. There it was.

The heavy red door. It looked plain and simple. It was one you would pass by while on a stroll through town, innocent in it's appearance.

That is, until you look behind it. The world it holds would break the most strong willed of warriors. And it indeed broke Silver.

“Please....not again....” he begged, “It can be different this time. We have Twilight and Luna. We're happy.”

His counter part just shook his head, the smile he wore faded into a frown, “If this was something I could control, then I would do something. Sorry laddy. I'll see you again soon though. But before I go, I think you should know. It's because we've been slacking that we wound up in this mess. I suggest we fix it.” And with that, he disappeared, leaving Silver to stare at his impending, personal hell.

Silver knew exactly what his counter part was referring to, and it was something that they both agreed on. He'd been far too relaxed during his stay in Equestria, becoming complacent in the peaceful environment. He'd gotten lazy, his senses dulled. He was no longer the wolf he used to be.

But now he'd have to change that. Another fatal incident was a clear indicator that he'd taken things too lightly. It was time to step it up.

“Goodbye, Saber. And as always, thank you.”





The room was quiet, save for the rhythmic beeping of the machines attached to the wolf laying on the bed. To his side, there was a purple mane resting on the comforter and two small lavender hooves wrapped around his arm.

Twilight laid with her muzzle resting a top Silvers paw. She'd been allowed to see him when he was finally out of surgery, which took a full eight hours. Star Shine had explained that while the punctures were deep, they were clean cuts, which made them easier to repair. There were a few spots that were difficult to reach and fix, but at the end of it all there were no complications.

Now all they had to do was wait for him to wake up. After losing over a third of his body's blood, Star Shine had suspected he'd take a while to recover, even with blood transfusions. Which is currently why the youngest alicorn of Equestria has spent the last three days in the room with the wolf, in case he were to wake up or if there were some other issue with him.

Now Twilight laid with her head down, sleep threatening to take hold over her. Since she'd been allowed entry into the room, she'd slept very little, and with the previous exhaustion of the study session she'd had researching The One Who Wanders, her fatigue was beginning to show.

“Just a little longer. He'll wake up soon, and everything will be okay.”

Despite her constant efforts to remain awake, her eyelids continued to grow heavier and heavier. She felt her shoulders fall and her ears droop. Sound seem to vanish entirely, and the light of the room slowly grew dimmer and dimmer.

Just as sleep had grabbed a hold of her, the rattle of the door knob knocked it away.

“Twilight?” the familiar voice of Luna called gently as her head poked through the doorway, “Dear, are you still here?”

“I'm here Luna,” Twilight answered lifting her head, her voice a little hoarse, “Is there something you need?”

The midnight mare walked into the room, closing the door behind her, “No, I just wanted to come see you and Silver is all. I've finished everything for the day, but I'm afraid I have a Night court session to attend tonight, so I won't be able to stay with you for long. Sorry.” She pulled up a chair and placed it next to Twilight before sitting down.

“It's okay,” Twilight smiled and leaned over to peck Lunas cheek, “One of us has to keep with our jobs. I'm just glad Celestia hasn't given me many royal duties yet.”

Luna couldn't help but giggle, “Don't worry. I'm sure once your guard is built and you have a castle, she'll begin introducing you to running the country. Soon, you'll be meeting with diplomats and officials, striking deals and managing foreign affairs.”

Twilight could only groan, “Nooo...” While she would be more than happy that Celestia believes she can handle such important tasks, she has also gotten into the rhythm of spending her days doing simpler things, like reading, interviewing, or just staying with her herd.

Luna laughed lightly before nuzzling into Twilights neck, “There there. It won't be all bad. We'll all be here with you to help you along.”

“Thank you Luna---”

Twilight was cut off by a small groan coming from the only non equine in the room. 

“Ooooh...” Silver moaned. Both mares stopped and silently watched the wolfs face as his eyes flickered open, “Where...?”

“Shh..” Twilight hushed, “You're in Star Shine's medical room at her house. You were hurt, remember?”

Silver turned and found his mares staring at him, tears filling their eyes. He slowly nodded, “Yeah. Did everyone make it out?”

“Yes, we're all fine. Don't you worry,” The lavender mare assured before turning to her marefriend, “Luna, could you go get Star Shine and let her know he's awake?”

Luna quickly nodded and left the room, leaving the other two alone. Twilight turned her attention back to the wolf, leaning over and pecking his cheek.

“You scared us, you know,” she said, tears beginning to run once more, “We thought that you might not make it for a moment.”

Silver actually wheezed out a laugh, “Like a Shade could kill me.”

“It almost did,” Twilight retorted, a certain firmness in her voice, “Star Shine said you lost over three and a half pints of blood. Anymore and your heart would have stopped.”

The wolf simply sighed, “So I guess I'll be out of commission for a little while?”

It was then that the door opened and Star Shine walked in with a clipboard in paw and Luna following just behind her. Through the open door, Silver could see Onyx and Ruppy waiting outside, the former pacing around in circles.

“Yes, but not for long,” Star Shine said, answering his previous question and snapping the wolfs attention back to her, “While your wounds were serious, the stitches I've used are enchanted and have been soaked in healing herbs. It may not be as powerful as the Restorative potion, but it'll definitely speed up your recovery. Honestly though, I regret letting you take that the other day. If I hadn't, I could have given it to you now and be done with the whole thing.”

“When will I be good to leave?” he asked.

“Well, to leave the bed, it should take about a week. For a complete recovery, it should be about two and a half weeks total,”  She informed, “So as long as you don't do anything stupid between now and then, you'll heal fine and I can keep my floors clean of your blood.”

Silver rubbed a paw behind his head, “Hehe...sorry?”

Star Shine simply rolled her eyes, “It's fine. I've been meaning to clean them anyways. But for a change of topic, how about some visitors? Your pupils are waiting out in the hall, and Princess Celestia said she wanted to speak with you about what you found in the library.”

Silvers ears perked up, “Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Did you tell them what we found?” he asked, turning to Twilight.

The mare nodded, “Everything we found about the different versions of the The One Who Wanders. Celestia said she'd check the Archives for more information, but unless the legends had to something to do with Equestria, then we doubt there would be information.”

“That's fine,” Silver said, “If she doesn't turn up anything, I might be able to ask a friend a favor.”

This caused the female wolf in the room to tilt her head in confusion, “Why wait? Why not just go ahead and ask.”

“Because like I said, I'd be asking this friend for a favor,” Silver explained, “While this situation is certainly important, I'd like to save that favor until I'm sure we need it. He's very old and powerful, so there's a lot of things he can do and plenty he knows.”

Star Shine hummed suspiciously, “Hmmm....I get the feeling I won't like this guy.”

Silver rolled his eyes, “You don't like any of my friends outside of the pack.”

“Well that's because you have terrible taste in friends,” she retorted.

“Okay first, you're one of my friends so that's makes you terrible. Second, my marefriends are considered my friends as well, so you just insulted the Princesses. And third, maybe they're not terrible. Maybe you're just a bitch.”

Star Shine opened her mouth to respond, but paused and thought for a moment, “Hmmm...yeah, I guess you have a point there. But you really do need some more normal friends. The majority of us have tried to kill you at one point.”

“It's very special bonding experience. Almost a ritual really.”

The two mares in the room simply sat and watched the conversation. They'd never really seen the two interact for very long, so a discussion like this was pretty much a first time for them.

However, amid their talking, the door to the room resounded with three knocks, followed by a voice.

“Hello?” Ruppy called, “Can we come in yet?”

“Ruppy don't!” the voice of Onyx hissed, “They might be in the middle of something!”

The occupants of the room all paused for a moment, then laughed laughed lightly at the two mares ramblings before Star Shine called them in.

“It's fine. Silver's awake and he can see you.”

The door opened and instead of two mares walking in, three did. Ruppy, Onyx and Aerial.

“Oh, Aerial. I didn't know you were here too.” Silver said.

She nodded and trotted over to his bedside opposite of Twilight, giving him a gentle hug, “I've been worried about you.”

“Yeah, I'm sorry. I kinda messed up and got skewered like a kabab. But, the good doctor here says I should be able to leave in a week.”

Aerial released her hold on the wolf, “That's great!” she cheered before taking a step back.

It was now Ruppys turn to give hugs, though hers were not quite as gentle.

“Ruppy!” Silver gasped as his lungs were crushed, “Need....to...breathe!”

Finally, the mare loosened her hold and glared him in the eyes,, “Well that's what you get for scaring me!” she scolded, “Do you have any idea how hard it is to sleep when your Papa is in the hospital?”

“Well, I don't know my dad, so...no. Also, this isn't a hospital.”

“That was rhetorical! It's incredibly—wait a sec, you don't know your dad?” Silver simply shook his head.

“Huh...” the tan pegasus hummed for a moment before letting go, allowing Onyx to step forward.

Her hug, unlike the last, was gentle like Aerials. But also unlike the earth pony's, the coal black mare had a slight tremble in her arms.

“Hey,” Silver cooed, pulling back so he could cup her cheeks. Looking closer, he could see the tears forming in her eyes, “You okay?”

Onyx fell back into the hug, “I'm okay. Just scared.”

“Aww...” Silver said, giving her back a gentle stroke, “There there. I'm gonna be fine. It'll take a lot more than this to kill me.”

Onyx pulled back once more, wiping the tears away as a smile formed on her lips. Her ears then suddenly perked up as she remembered something.

“Also,” she added on, “I was wondering....would it be okay I messed around in your workshop a bit?”

“My workshop?” Silver asked, “What are you doing in there?”

“I bought some gems with the money I had and I kinda wanted to get back into jewelry making,” she explained before raising her flank to show her cutiemark, “It's my special talent.”

“I'd always wondered what yours meant,” Silver smiled, “Well if that's the case, then you most certainly can. There should be a few manuals laying around for the machines if you need to use them. Also, in the top right drawer of my dresser in my room, there should be a black journal in there. It has everything I learned about smithing.”

Onyx's smile widened and became giddy. She couldn't help but be excited, and couldn't wait to surprise Silver.

“Also, speaking of the girls and my journals, Star could you watch over their training for me?” the wind wolf pegged on.

“Uh, sure,” She replied, “Anything special I need to do?”

“I was going to add in some new exercises soon depending on how far they'd come. It should all be in another journal in the same drawer. It's green.”

Star raised a brow, “Why do you have so many journals?”

“To keep track of everything?” Silver retorted, as if the answer were obvious, “I mean, I have ledgers and shipping list and contacts and a ton of other things I need to keep up with. I don't have a super computer to cram it all into like you do.”

“Well then I suggest you invest in one,” she responded.

Silver just sighed, “Just get the book. Also, you may need to work double duty since I'm injured. You'll have to protect Twilight, Luna and Celestia.”

“Not quite,” Star Shine corrected, “I knew you'd be out for a while so I went ahead and filled your spot. Not that I don't trust your skills girls,” She said to Ruppy and Onyx, who took surprisingly little offense, “But Silvers place as a Houndland guard must be filled by someone of equal or greater power.”

“So then who'd you get?” Silver asked.

“Me,” a voice came as the door opened. In it's threshold stood an ever so familiar fox with a brilliant golden coat and snow white underbelly, “Hello again Silver.”

“Radiance?” Silver questioned, “What are you doing here? I thought you'd have been in the wind by now.”

“Well, for a moment, I thought about it,” she explained as she entered the room. Honestly it was beginning to get a bit crowded in there, “But I figured drifting from place to place like I was before was what got me in trouble in the first place. So I decided to settle down for a little while.”

“That's great!” Silver exclaimed, “Where are you staying?”

“The Crystal Empire. Remember how Black Wing offered me a spot in the Crystal Guard?” 

“So you took it?!”

The fox simply nodded, “I've been enlisted for the past week, and this is my first assignment. Although, it's safe to say that there are some guards who are a little upset that a new recruit like me gets to be Princess Celestias personal guard right off the bat.”

Silver just laughed, “Meh, let them be jealous. I'm glad this is all worked out now though.” It was the discussion at time that made something occurred to the wolf. Something that didn't quite add up. “But I'm curious, if you're this strong, then why did you need my help getting the collar off before?”

“Oh, that,” the fox sighed, “I'm honestly a little embarrassed about that. Do you remember how I told you that the collar could track my position?” Silver nodded before she continued, “Well that was because it was using my magic to operate. This means that if I tried to use my magic to overload it like Black Wing did, it would only increase the voltage. It worked with Black Wing because it wasn't my magic pouring into it.”

“Ahh...” Silver awed, “Well then, I guess having you fill my spot is no issue at all.”

“Just leave it to me,” Radiance said with a giggle, “Oh, which reminds me. Princes Celestia will be here soon to speak with you, Star Shine, Princess Twilight and Princess Luna.”

“Aww, so we gotta leave?” Ruppy pouted.

Silver just rolled his eyes playfully, “Don't worry. You can come visit me anytime you like.” The pegasus mare grinned and wrapped Silver in another hug.

Soon after, the three mares were escorted out of the room and a little while later, Celestia entered.

“Hello Silver,” She greeted, “It's nice to see you're awake. How are you feeling?”

Silver simply shrugged, “Meh, I've been worse. So what's up? What did you need to speak with me about?”

Celestia walked over to his bedside, again the opposite of the one Twilight and Luna sat on. It seemed as if a meteor wouldn't make those two budge from their spots.

“It's about what you found in the old library,” the ivory alicorn began, “It would seem that our Archives don't hold records of any of the names you all found in while researching in the Everfree, and with a Shade that's capable of putting you in such a condition, I would much rather avoid sending anyone else to retrieve the materials. In essence, I'm afraid we've become stuck once again, but Twilight tells me that you've heard of one of the stories from the Feline Republic?”

Silver nodded, “The Hallow Road is older than the Republic itself, and goes way back. It's a phantom street that appears to those who've lost their way in life, and sets them on an endless path. They continue walking for the rest of time. But the story we found in the library was different. It was about the first one who walked down the Hallow Road. We assume that must be The One Who Wanders.”

“Is that all you know of the legend?” Celestia asked. Silver nodded once more.

“That's all I know, but I do know someone who should know more.”

The eldest alicorn raised a brow, “ And just who might that be?”





“Ugh! I can't believe he's actually going to ask that ass-hat for help!” Star Shine groaned as she walked down the halls of Canterlot Castle, Twilight trailing beside her. The only reason she was away from the bed was because Silver asked her to watch over the training as well and make sure Star Shine didn't get them killed. Luna said she'd stay with Silver until she had to leave, so Twilight was at ease, or at least a little.

“Just who is he though?” the lavender mare asked.

“He's a little creep that enjoys spouting ridiculous riddles and rhymes just to confuse everyone!” Star vented, “More importantly, how the hell does he owe Silver a favor?! I mean really?! Did he lose something in his litter box and Silver found it for him?”

The two rounded the corner and came to a stop in front of the door they used for Silvers home. Opening the door, they made their way into Silvers room to retrieve the book he told Star Shine about for the mares training.

“Don't you think you're getting just a little too upset?” Twilight tried, actually earning a flat stare from her wolf companion.

“If you met the guy, you'd agree,” Star Shine replied before pulling open the drawer of the desk. Inside, she found a total of eight books, each one a different color. Looking over her shoulder, Twilight had also found the same little blue book she'd flipped through the other day.

As their eyes scanned over the journals, both pairs fell to the blue one.

“Huh?” Star Shine said, picking it up, “What's this?”

“Star Shine!” Twilight scolded, “Put that down! It's Silvers personal stuff!”

The wolf simply waved a dismissive paw, “Pfft. I've dug through his stuff a thousand times and he knows it. I've always known where he keeps his journals. But I've never seen this one before.”

She flipped the book open, despite the constant nagging of the alicorn behind her and scanned the writing inside.

“....Huh...” she huffed, “That's weird....”

Twilight stopped her reprimanding and looked down into the book, her curiosity getting the best of her, “What's weird?” In truth, she already had an idea of what caused the confusion. The arcane symbols were foreign after all, but if anyone could read them it'd be Star Shine. Maybe they were from some lost language or something?

“It's just....I can't read this....”

Twilight paused and processed the information for a moment. Star Shine, the wolf who had been said to be one of the smartest creatures alive, couldn't read a language.

“I....I don't recognize this writing,” she continued, “It's not like anything I've ever seen. There no common dialects like most languages have. It has no root to any previously existing writings or hieroglyphs. It's....new? I think? Or maybe just beyond ancient? And this spell work is completely different from anything I've ever seen.”

“So what?” Twilight questioned, “This isn't ours, so we should just put it back and get the right book.”

The alicorn had now decided to use her magic and plucked the book out of Star Shines grasp and set it back into the drawer before retrieving the proper one.

“Now let's go,” the lavender mare instructed and turned to leave. As she went to the door, she noticed the wolf wasn't following and turned back to face her. Star Shine still sat there, staring into the drawer at the little blue book.

“Star Shine, I'm not going to let you go through Silvers things. I don't care how long you may have known him or how many times you've done it before. Now let's go.”

Finally shaking herself from her daze, Star Shine closed the drawer and went to Twilights side, earning a “thank you” from the mare. But the wolf still had a confused look on her face as they walked out to the living room.

Twilight rolled her eyes, “What is it?”

The wolf remained silent for a moment, but then spoke, “Don't you find it odd that Silver knows a language I don't?”

The alicorn raised a brow, “Not really. He's told me you're incredibly smart and all but I can't expect you to know everything.”

Star Shine shook her head, “I mastered dialects and languages by the time I was five. I can speak, read and write any language without issue. It would be one thing if Silver has come across a language I've never seen before. Then could just break it down, analyze it and learn it that way. But I couldn't with this. It's structure was literally unlike anything I've ever seen.”

“Well maybe it's a language Silver came up with,” Twilight suggested, “Maybe it's his way of making sure no pony could steal his spells.”

Star Shine hummed, “Well that's certainly a possibility. That wolf can be incredibly crafty when he wants to be, and if those are spells he created then I imagine they would hold great power.” she paused and continued to think for a moment longer before shrugging, “Oh well. I'll just ask him about it later.”

Twilight's expression quickly melted into fear when the statement reached her ear, “If you do, please make sure to leave me out of your story. I don't want Silver thinking I was snooping or something.”

“Very well Princess. If you insist. Now, it's time to go whip those mares into shape.”
> Sparring With Beats and Confessions From Athletes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver laid in the bed he'd been placed in when he was brought to Star Shines. She said it'd be too risky to move him and didn't want to run the chance of ripping his stitches trying to get him into his own home. Besides, at least there she could keep an eye on the wolf.

Unfortunately, Silvers old friend was also busy doing her job and over seeing the training for the Eventide guard. This meant the wind wolf was left by his lonesome for a while.

Sure, Luna and Twilight would drop by every so often, but they could never stay for long. Once Celestia was sure Silver would live, she asked Twilight to continue looking for more information. This meant his marefriend was now ordering books from across Equestria, and occasionally, the globe. 

With new research material, Twilight was now buried in her studies. Luna was stuck in a similar situation, though instead of books, it was paperwork...and nobles.

It would seem that during the colder seasons, the nobles would hold a number of indoor banquets and dinners. While some of them were simple gatherings, a more than a few had decided to turn them into all out parties, or at least by noble standards.

They often reserved restaurants and dining halls, and one or two ponies even requested to use the Canterlot gardens to host a gathering before it got too cold. Along side needing permission, many had extended invitations to the midnight mare and her sister. While she was certainly glad that the ponies seemed to be warming up to her, the balls and parties of Canterlot were always rather dull, so she had little interest in them.

And so now, a few nights a week, Luna was occupied with Night court. This often left her tired throughout the day, so unfortunately her visits were becoming less and less frequent.

His proteges also visited when they could. Since Silver was incapacitated, they had to pick up the slack and protect Twilight more often, but that also meant they could see him too when she came. They would also stop by when they had their free time.

Including the time he was unconscious, Silver had now been in the room for five days. Twilight had visited him that morning, along with Sica and Onyx. He expected Luna to come by later during lunch and Twilight would come by once more in the evening, probably with Ruppy and Beats. He wasn't sure about Aerial.

At least they hadn't picked up on his lack of sleep. Those nightmares were hellish when they wanted to be.

But for now, he sat alone, his nose buried in a book. Twilight had brought him a small stack of them the evening after he'd awoken since she knew he'd be stuck in there for another few days. The tale he was reading was about a mare who fell for a stallion she couldn't have, and had to watch as he loved another. It was a story with no happy ending, though the wolf couldn't figure out why he was reading such a book. He hated sad stories.

It was amid his reading that a knock came to the door. Marking his page and setting the book aside, he called in his visitor, “Come in!”

It was strange though. Who could be visiting? Twilight had already seen him, and it was too early for Luna. Celestia should still be in Day court and the Eventide guard should be either training or guarding.

So who?

As the door opened, a small tuft of red, orange and yellow mane poked through. That told the wolf all he needed before the rest of Rainbow Dashes colorful mane came into view.

“Hiya Silver,” she said, a bit of nervousness showing in her voice.

“Rainbow?” Silver questioned, “Hey, what are you doing here?”

The mare now fully entered the room and sat in the chair beside his bed, the one usually Twilight used, “What do you think dummy? I'm here to see you.”

The wolf rolled his eyes, “Well I figured that much. But how did you get here? You shouldn't have a key.”

“Twilight let me in,” She explained, “I'd heard you gotten hurt pretty bad and I wanted to make sure you were okay. Sorry it took so long though, but I didn't think I'd be much use around here when you were unconscious, and I was really busy the day you woke up too.”

Silver waved a paw, “It's fine. Thanks for coming to see me though.” “I've actually been meaning to see you too.”

He wanted to say it. He really did. But for some reason, the words got stuck in his throat. No, not even there. They were still in his mind, as if he hadn't even decided to say it yet.

It was absolutely ridiculous. Here this mare was, a mare he'd hurt and he'd told himself he'd go check on, and she had to come to him. And even then, he still couldn't keep his word and talk to her.

Whether it was fortunate or not, the mare on his mind was thinking about something similar. She rocked back and forth in the silence, her hooves fidgeting non-stop with an ever present blush adorning her muzzle.

Finally with a sigh, she stopped.

“Silver?” she began, “There's, uh....there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about.”

The wolfs ears flickered. He really hated that sentence. His gut churned and flopped as he prepared for the coming conversation.

“Look, I, um....I talked to Twilight the other day,” Rainbow continued, “And well...if she figured it out, then I'm sure you did too.”

It was then that the wolf decided to break his sight with the mare, choosing to look at the bed sheets instead. This didn't go unnoticed by the cyan pegasus, who sighed before pressing on.

“Yeah...I guess it was pretty obvious.”  she said, her ears folding back and her head dropping a bit, “I'm not gonna lie. When I found out about you, Twilight and Luna, it hurt. Like, a lot. And for a little while, I think I fell into a bad place. I was jealous of them, and I even started thinking some pretty terrible things. But I think....I think I've started to move on.

“I'm not completely better, but I don't feel so crappy all the time now. I think with a little more time, I'll be good as new. And the whole reason why I'm telling you this is because...well, I actually have no idea. I just felt like you should know, ya know?”

Rainbow looked up at the wolf, who was now staring at her with wide eyes, the look of complete dumbfounded shock stuck on his face. She couldn't hold back a giggle when she saw it, the face he had made was ridiculous.

When her little laugh finally died down, she sat for a moment and just watched him. Whether or not he knew she was staring was of little concern to her at the time. She herself didn't know why her eyes couldn't leave him. Then, for some reason, her body began to move on it's own.

Rainbow slowly leaned forward, placing her front hooves onto the bed. She lifted herself up and brought her muzzle to his. In a small, gentle movement, she allowed her lips to touch his.

It was a small and short kiss, though not simple by any means, despite it's appearance. The whirlwind of emotions behind it made a hurricane seem like a light drizzle.

After the kiss broke, Rainbow leaned past his muzzle and fell into his neck.

“I don't want to step on any hooves,” she softly said, “So I'm not going to ask to join your herd. It'd be way too complicated and I honestly don't think I could see Twilight as anything more than my best friend, or Luna as more than a princess. Besides, I'm the Element of Loyalty. It kinda goes against my nature.

“But even so...I needed to do it. I know you might be upset or mad at me. But I just needed it....even if it was the only one I'd get from you.”

It was then that she felt a gentle but firm hug wrap around her.

“I'm sorry...” Silver whispered, his voice on the verge of cracking, “I never meant for any of this to happen. I never wanted you to hurt or to make you go through the things you have. I swear I meant to come see you sooner, but I never did. I don't know why I didn't but Rainbow I'm so, so sorry.”

Rainbow leaned into the hug for a moment. It was so nice. So warm and safe there. The world could be forgotten for a moment as she sat in his arms.

But...that wasn't her place, or at least in the way she wanted it to be, and she knew she'd have to leave it. So she did. She slowly pulled herself from the hug, cupping the wolfs cheeks as she looked him in the eye.

“Hey, it's okay,” she cooed, “You didn't do anything wrong. Neither of us did. Things just...didn't work out. But I do want to keep hanging out and being friends. You're the only one around here that can actually out fly me. Even if we aren't together, I still want you around.”

Silver actually began crying now. Before, he didn't think he'd be the one to shed tears during this conversation. He couldn't have been more wrong.

“Hey, come on now,” Rainbow said, wiping his tears away, “You're not supposed to be the one crying.”

Silver actually chuckled for a moment, “I uh, I guess I must be loosing some coolness points then, huh?”

Rainbow shrugged, “Meh. It's not like any pony really knows about it. So if you want to keep this whole crying thing between you and me, I'm cool with it.”

Silver laughed a little more, then pulled her into another hug, “Thank you Rainbow, for doing what I couldn't.”

Once more, Rainbow allowed the world to fall away in his warmth. She may not be allowed in his arms as a lover, but she was as a friend.

“You're welcome Silver,” she said, wrapping her hooves around him and returning the embrace, “Now let me go before you rip a stitch. I don't want that Star Shine yelling at me or you being kept in here any longer than you have to be.”

Silver let her go and wiped his eyes one last time, “I should be out of here and in good shape in about a week and a half, by the way. If you wanted to hang out or something, then we can.”

Rainbow paused and thought for a moment.

“Sure. Why not?”





Star Shine and Twilight stood on the end of a path, looking over to the tan pegasus on the slope of the mountain as boulders twice her size came barreling down. The lavender alicorn had taken a break from studying, a very rare occurrence, and one that had only occurred due to Spikes instance. He said her worry over Silvers injuries were beginning to take a toll, and she should try to get some fresh air. And so, she tagged along with Star Shine when she ran into her in Silvers house.

Three of the rocks were speeding towards Ruppy in rapid succession, but the mare remained in her spot. Just as they entered her hoof reach, she moved in a blur.

The first boulder exploded at it came into contact with her hoof. Using her momentum, she twirled around on her other hoof and delivered a kick to the next one. Still riding the movement, she flowed once more and this time....

Used her wings?

Sure enough, then the boulder reached her, she crossed her wings in front of her before extending them. Just like the last two, it shattered and she remained standing.

“Huh...I think she's picking some things up from Silver.”

The wolf turned her attention to the other mare on the ridge above the slope. Aerial easily rolled another set of boulders to the edge, and even had two more floating on a vent of air, propelling them off the ground and holding them in place.

“Ready?!” she called down.

“Do it!” Ruppy shouted back.

Aerial rolled the next three down the slope, but also launched the two hovering ones into the air as well. Following their direction and timing, Star Shine realized they would fall onto Ruppy only a fraction of a second after the first three boulders reached her.

The small mare next to her had also realized the same thing, but was much less composed about it.

“What the hell is this?!” Twilight shouted, though luckily did not distracted Ruppy from her training. The day before when they'd first started watching over the sessions, all that was scheduled was some sparring matches. Sure, they'd seem pretty intense, especially the one between Ruppy and Onyx, but it was nothing like this!

Star Shine turned to the alicorn with a befuddled look, “What do you mean? It's training.”

“This isn't training!” Twilight exclaimed, “This is...well, I'd say insane but even that would be an understatement. This is just dangerous!”

“Well you're right when you say it's dangerous, Princess,” the wolf agreed, “But it's hardly insane. I mean look at them. I bet when they started doing this, neither could do what they're doing now. It can't be that crazy if it gets these results.”

Twilights jaw dropped, “What is wrong with you wolves!?”

“Hey, don't lump me in with the rest of them,” Star defended, “This is Silvers idea, not mine.”

“Well yeah, but you're acting like it's not a big deal!”

“But is it really though?”

“YES!”

Star Shine just rolled her eyes, “Well, I suppose to you it would be. Even to Ruppy and Aerial, this must have seemed crazy when they first started. But for wolves like Silver, Black Wing and myself, this makes perfect sense. Besides, at least he was smart enough to tone it down. Compared to the rocks his grandfather launched at him, this is child's play.”

“Child's play?” Twilight echoed, “Silver did this too?” There was no impression in her voice. No awe or inspiration. Just complete dumbfoundedness. The utter lack of concern for ones health had nearly broken the mare.

“Yep,” Star Shine continued, never noticing the complexion of the princess becoming paler, “Silver had to stare down boulders the size of a house. He had to wear Corax stone too, so he was being drained pretty quickly. And that was just the body and magic conditioning. You should have seen his survival training. I still have no idea how he managed to live through it all though.”

Twilight's eye had now developed a twitch. How in the name of Celestias ivory flanks did he ever agree to that kind of training? Was he tricked into it? Did his grandfather force him to?

“Nope. I'm not doing this. I'm leaving.”

The mare shook herself from her stupor, “Let's just go check on the others,” then turned and left. Star Shine quickly pulled out the green journal Silver told her to get and quickly flipped through some pages. After making some comparisons, she scribbled down some notes and chased after Twilight.

The mare was already half way back to Onyx's training area by the time she caught up. A short trot later, and the two were watching as Onyx stared down Sica while Scootaloo sat under a tree enjoying the show.

Both mares panted, Onyx floating her blades while Sica appeared to be wielding nothing. They rushed forward and clashed, Onyx using the back of her blades to avoid injuring her partner, though it's not as if any blows had made direct contact with her body.

Each time she struck, Sica would block with her hoof and a loud clank would ring out. The unicorn had no idea what she was hitting, but it must had been sturdy. She wasn't pulling her punches entirely after all.

“Well, at least this is somewhat normal,” Twilight commented.

It was Star Shines turn to give the mare a quizzical look, “Somewhat normal?” Twilight could only return the expression before something caught her ear. She turned back and saw just what the wolf had meant.

The two mares had become a whirlwind of blurs, the sounds of constant clanks and clunks ringing out across the mountain. Twilights eyes could barely keep up with the two figures, but she still couldn't follow their individual strikes.

“Three? No, five blows? In that time?! How could their bodies be moving so fast?”

The blurs suddenly stopped as the two returned to the same places they were in when Star Shine and Twilight had arrived. The dust settled and the two stood huffing and panting.

“I...I can't handle this anymore...” Twilight muttered.

“You're telling me,” a voice came from behind, one that didn't belong to the wolf. Everyone whipped their heads to see the visitor.

“Yo,” Vinyl said, waving a hoof and taking note of Star Shine, “So I guess this is the right place?”

“Vinyl!” Twilight exclaimed, trotting over to meet her friend, “What are you doing here?”

The DJ pulled a box out of her saddle bag, “What do you think? I'm here to drop these off.”

Twilight took the box in her magic, “Are these the headphones?”

Vinyl nodded triumphantly, “Yep! Finally got the stubborn bastards to work properly. Now, all we need to do is test them out.” It was then that the unicorn turned to the wolf beside the princess, “Hi there! Who're you?”

“My name is Star Shine,” she explained, stepping forward, “I'm a guard for the princess.”

“Well then I'm guessing you also know Silver,” Vinyl concluded, “Which is good because I still need my other half of the payment. Granted I'll wait until after we test it out, but I do expect to be paid in full.”

“And you will,” Twilight assured, “Now all we have to do is find Beats,” The lavender mare turned and trotted over to the little filly sitting under the tree, “Scootaloo, you wouldn't happen to know where your brother is, do you?”

The orange filly pointed a hoof to a path behind where she sat, “He wondered somewhere over there a while ago. I don't know what he was doing though,” then turned her attention back to the two mares in front.

Twilight motioned a hoof for the Vinyl and Star Shine to follow before taking to the path Scootaloo pointed out. The two companions quickly caught up before she got too far.

“So Miss Vinyl,” Star Shine said, “Just how did you manage to get out here?”

The unicorn turned her attention to the wolf, “Oh, Twilights little dragon Spike let me in. I told him I was looking for Silver and he led me here. I saw a note on the counter and heard some noise coming from the backyard and figured that's where he was.”

Star Shine sighed, “I really wish he'd lay down some rules for whose allowed to enter his home. At this point, he'll end up being robbed blind.”

Twilight blew raspberries, “You and I both know that's not likely.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

The trio emerged from the path and into a clearing. There they found Beats standing in it's center on his hind hooves in his fighting position. In front of him were four clouds spaced apart, their shapes resembling a pony figure.

Just as they reached the clearing, the stallion disappeared in a blur. He dashed towards the clouds and they vanished with a poof as his hooves struck, all four in a second.

“Whoa,” Vinyl said, giving a whistle of awe, “That was pretty awesome!”

Beats finally took notice of the three spectators and lowered himself back onto all fours before trotting over to them, “Hello everypony. Is there something you need?”

Twilight floated up the headphones and presented them, “I believe these were meant for you,” she informed, “Onyx and Ruppy already have theirs after all.”

Beats took the device into his hooves to examine it. It's base color was black with a single orange stripe along the top of it, down to the speakers.

Embedded into the outside of the speakers and along the top of the headphone's stripe were the black Resonance stones Silver had given Vinyl.

“So what do they do?” Beats asked, “How am I supposed to use them?”

Vinyl stepped forward, “The headphones have a chip installed in them so that they can hold music. The stones have Body Enhancement spells recorded into them. Using the dial on the base of the headphone,” she used her hoof to indicate the spot just below the ear muff, “You can change the tracks. When the music is played, the spells are activated. This should provide you with not only rhythm, but also better physical capabilities to help you match the beat of the song.”

“Oh?” Beats quirked, slipping the headphones around his neck, “I suppose I'll have to wait for Silver to get better before I can test these out. I'm sure he'd like to know first hoof—erm, paw, what I can do with them.”

“Why wait?” Star Shine inquired and stepped into the clearing, “You have me here. Let's give these things a test run.”

“Um, are you sure?” Beats asked, “I have no idea what I'm like if I have a rhythm to fight to. I'd honestly rather wait until Silver--”

“Kid, if you don't get your tail over here, I'll rip it off and whip you with it,” the wolf threatened.

Beats quickly shuffled over to the clearing, “Yes ma'am.”

They both took spots on opposite sides of the small field as they got into their stances...or at least Beats did.

The stallion slipped the headphones around his neck and raised himself onto his hind legs once more before realizing his opponent had done nothing.

True to his sight, Star Shine had simply walked to her end of the clearing, then planted her rump onto the ground.

“Um, aren't you going to get ready?” He asked.

Star Shine cocked her head, “Ready?...Oh wait! You mean, like a stance! No, no. I don't know any martial arts. I have a...different way of fighting. Don't worry about me, just come when you're ready.”

A small snickering came from the side lines as Ruppy, Onyx, Aerial, Sica and Scootaloo had all gathered.

“'Come when you're ready.' Hehe...” Ruppy snickered, earning a eye roll from her unicorn companion and a confused glance from the filly.

“If you say so,” Beats said with a shrug before slipping the headphones on. Since he didn't know what songs were on the track list, he simply flicked the the little wheel on the side of the headset with a hoof and allowed whatever song it landed on to play.

Unfortunately, the song picked was quite...provoking.

As the first beats began to build, the stallion could feel his heart rate increase with the song. His body felt lighter as the Resonance stones invoked the Body Enhancement spells. The world seemed to both fall away and become so much more detailed at the same time.

He could keep track of everything, and yet still have his main focus on the wolf in front of him. He felt more alive than he'd ever had! He felt exhilarated, and the fight hadn't even begun yet! Oh, he couldn't wait!

The wolf on the other end of the clearing quickly took notice of Beats change. His eyes went wide while his pupils shrunk. A small smirk appeared on his muzzle, giving him an almost maniacal look. The animosity that rolled off of him reminded her of Silver and Black Wing when they decided to cut loose.

This one was dangerous.

Just as the first beat dropped, Beats launched himself from his spot. His body actually disappeared from  the spectators sight, or at least most of them. Ruppy, Onyx and Sica could all follow, but Aerial, Twilight and Scootaloo were at a complete loss.

They only saw him again when he reappeared in front of Star Shine, his hoof already in mid swing. A large root shot from the ground and blocked the blow before flicking him aside. Beats flew across the clearing but planted his hind hooves on the tree he was hurling towards and pushed off again to the wolf. Yet again another root popped out and smacked him away, but he did the same as before.

They continued this routine for a few moments, their movements too fast for half the watchers to keep up with, making it appear as if their were just a series of blurs and smacks occurring. To everyone else, it just looked like a high speed sparing match, but to Beats...it was a dance.

Every movement he made was in sync with the music. When the beats changed to the build, his charge on the wolf stopped. He stopped and examined her. There were eight roots now, all raised around her in a circle, almost encasing her in a cage. He noticed everything about them. The way they bent, the space between each root, how thick they were. Everything.

The build had reached it's peak. And then it came.

The drop.

Beats disappeared once more, this time fooling everyone's sight. Star Shine noticed a shadow over head, and barely made it in time to cover herself with the roots and Beats came crashing down with drop kick. Just as the impact faded, the stallion disappeared once more. He reappeared from the side with a powerful punch, only to have it blocked again. When the plants tried to flick him away, he ducked and dodged, spinning on his front hooves and aiming his rear ones towards Star Shine. Just as he bucked, another root shot out and caught him, wrapping itself around his leg and flinging him across the clearing.

He recovered instantly and bolted back towards Star Shine.

“ENOUGH!” She shouted, causing the stallion to come to a screeching halt. His headphones still blasted music, and Beats could still feel the power of the stones resonating with the song and coursing through his body, but the glare the wolf was giving him told him not to pursue his desire for battle.

Her stare was cold and unforgiving. It reminded him of Onyx, but far more intense. Should he even twitch in an attempt to strike, he would die. Even with drive of the music, her glare had overridden him with fear.

It was then that he'd realized something. Star Shine had never attacked. She'd only been on the defensive, and even then he couldn't break through. He finally remembered.

The sparring session between Black Wing and Silver. While the fight itself was beyond extraordinary, the conversation they'd had with Star Shine in the observation room was as well. It all came rushing back to him as he looked in her eyes, and hers bore into his soul. 

Star Shine was Silvers equal.

Why it didn't occur to him earlier was beyond his comprehension. Wait for Silver? Like she said, there was no need. She was just as powerful.

Finally falling out of his stupor, Beats removed his headset while Star Shine tucked away her root.

“Well now,” She said, trotting over to the group with Beats following behind her, “I'd say that was a success. The headphones seem to drive him into a bit of  a frenzy though. Perhaps maybe we should dial back the spell a tad.”

“Uh, actually...” Vinyl began, “I think it may have just been the song.” Everyone raised a brow waiting for her to continue, “You see, each song has a spell weaved into it to activate the stones, but since music also invoke powerful emotions in the listener, it can also sway their mindset. This means that each song has a different effect. I think it was just the song he picked that made him like that.”

“Are you sure?” Star Shine asked.

The unicorn trotted over and lifted one of the headphones to her ear. She could tell it was the  Nightmare track she'd gotten from a friend.

Vinyl groaned, “Yeah, that song has some pretty hard beats in it. It makes you a little crazy. Anyway, I suggest you try listening through all the songs and getting an understanding of how they make you feel.”

Beats shrugged, finally coming down from his battle crazed state, “That's fine. Silver hasn't really had me doing any other form of training anyway.”

“Alrighty, now that that's settled,” Star Shine said as she headed back down the path towards the house, “Let's go get your money.”
> Q&A!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Silver: What does your spell 'Silence' actually do? 

For those of you who don't want to know, I'll cover this. I intend on covering this in the story.

“My Silence, huh? It's...not exactly my proudest work. Not because it's a defective spell or anything, no. Its basic concept is actually quite simple, really. I control the flow of air to the lungs.

“I can use it in a couple of ways, actually. I can restrict it and suffocate the target, or I can expand the air in the lungs, causing them to rip. If I expand it fast enough, they pop like a balloon.”





To Twilight and Luna: (this one will get some funny reactions from the cast) It was never actually described in the clop chapters so I'm curious... does he have a knot?

Twilight has taken this chance to impersonate a tomato and hide behind her wings. Luna, on the other hoof, has no such reservations.

“Hmm...is that what that bulge at the end of his shaft is called?”

“Luna!”

“I'm afraid I'm not very well versed in wolf anatomy. I should certainly brush up on it though, now that I have a perfect specimen, and a wonderful mare to teach me everything~” 

“Luna!!!!”

*ignores pleas* “In all honesty, it was actually that knot, as you call it, that made me let him finish inside me the first time. I was actually stuck on it and couldn't really pull it out.”

“That's it! This interview is over!” Twilight huffed, snagging Lunas tail in her mouth and dragging her away.

“As big as my hoo-!”

“DAMNIT LUNA!”





To Saber: Sooo, would you be classified as a split personality or an alter-ego? 

“I'm actually an alter-ego. I'm still Silver and Silver is still me, we're just different sides of a coin. I'm just his more violent side.

"Any decision made is because we're both in agreement though. It's better to think of us as two different mindsets, rather than egos. Silver is much more calm, content and complacent. I am much more violent, brash and headstrong.”





To the author, Silver, Twilight and Luna: Rainbow Dash... I'm not even sure what I want to ask about her. Whether you guys might eventually give her a chance to join the herd? What you plan on doing to help her deal with both her trauma and her feelings for Silver? I don't know, but that plot thread is still kinda just sitting there...in its cloud house... alone... 


I was actually supposed to included that explanation in the last chapter, but since I was already a day late, I figured I would just add in the part where Star Shine and Twilight find the journals, since I'd been meaning to mention them earlier on but never did.

So, I moved the Rainbow part to the beginning of the newest chapter as the beginning. Everything is answered in there, so read it if you want but I'll go ahead and give answer you're questions anyway.

No, she will not be joining the herd. As the Element of Loyalty, I felt like it would be against her nature to be in a relationship with multiple partners, since herds aren't common in their day. She is still recovering from her trauma, though she has become significantly better since before. Her feelings for Silver have also been mostly dealt with and they will continue on as good friends.

And yeah, I know I kinda left that plot thread there for while. I didn't mean to, it just kinda happened that way.





To Silver: sooo, do you actually gain scars from these wounds or nah?

“Yes, I do. Star Shine made a fur growth potion that helps my fur to grow over the scars, so you can't tell they're there unless you feel them like Twilight did.”





To Star: have you ever had feelings for either Blackie or Silver?

“I'll admit, I had a bit of an infatuation with Silver, or rather Saber at the time, at one point. But I realized he treated most cute girls the same way, and figured I was nothing special. He still dotes on me from time to time, but it's all harmless. So, yes I did at one point, but not anymore.

“As for Black Wing, I've never been fond of his...well to be frank, whorish habits. That's what mostly drove me away from him. I don't believe he's ever been in a committed relationship so I didn't even bother with trying. So no, I can't say I ever really felt anything for him.”





To Twilight: Why are you focusing your research at "The One Who Wonder" if you (including rest of "research team") didn't finish researching about "Zodiac tome". Its not like just because there are few pages missing it can't tell you ANYTHING, besides what about possibility of spell/message hidden inside other or through whole book straight. 


“I realize we still don't know a lot about the Zodiac Tome, but remember Star Shine is analyzing it at the moment. I trust her ability to handle it, and she will tell us what she knows when she's ready. Until then, there's no point in pestering her and we should continue focusing on the leads we do have, far fetched though they may be.”





Are the diamond dogs related to the wolves of houndland at all?

Silver looks to Star Shine, "What the hell's a Diamond Dog?"

"It's a bipedal canine creature that lives in caves below Equestria. Unlike most dogs, these are fully intelligent creatures capable of speech and even have a society underground. They have a strong desire for treasure and gems as well."

Silver begins to wag his tail, "Oh! Sounds like my kind of guys!"

Star Shine rolls her eyes, "But to answer the question, yes, we are closely related to Diamond Dogs, even though they don't come from Houndland. It's actually been thought that they are the offspring of one of the previous royal guards and some other creature, though I can't be sure of their lineage. If I had to guess, I'd say most likely a dragon, given that they too are bipedal and have a lust for treasure."

> Aerials Trauma and New Papa and Mamas
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few days had passed since Beats got his headphones. Vinyl got her bits and strolled on out the door, though she also told the stallion if he wanted new songs that he could come find her at The Drop.

With that business concluded and his new weapon received, if one could call it that, he began his training to sift through the songs and get a feel for them. Unfortunately, the Body Enhancement spells also left him in a state of fatigue; his muscles being pushed passed their normal limit.

Star Shine had explained that it was perfectly normal for this to happen, and that all he needed to do was get into better shape. So along side his new sparring practice sessions with the headphones, he also got body conditioning.

And so the days rolled on. By the end of the week, Star Shine had officially declared Silver fit to be released from the bed. He would be coming home that day.

As Ruppy ran through the week in her head, she trotted up the mountain side and to the home. Training was over and Silver would be back some time in the evening. Given that it was already late in the afternoon, she figured she wouldn't have to wait long before he showed up, more than likely with Twilight and Luna at his side.

Coming up to the back door, she slid the glass open and strolled in. She stopped by the kitchen for a moment to get a drink of water before heading to the shower.

She allowed herself to soak under the water for a little while since Onyx, Sica and Beats wouldn't be back any time soon. Their training always took longer, even though Sica didn't actually have training. Sure, she practiced whatever skill she had, but she wasn't actually one of Silvers trainees. Why she insisted on being there for their practice was beyond the pegasus.

Figuring she'd been in the shower long enough, Ruppy quickly scrubbed herself down and stepped out. After drying, she headed back up stairs and to her room to toss the towel and gauntlets onto her floor and went back to the kitchen for a snack.

Upon entering the living room, she found Aerial sitting on the couch.

“Oh hey, you caught up. I was wondering what was taking you so long,” Ruppy greeted as she dug through the fridge, “The shower's free if you want it, though I'm not sure how much hot water's left. But then again, it's never really been an issue before, so I think you'll be fine.”

Ruppy set out the ingredients for a simple but large daisy and jasmine salad and poured some sweet tea into a glass. After mixing up her lunch, she trotted over to the couch and plopped down next to the earth pony and flicked on the T.V.

It was then that something struck Ruppy as odd.

Why would Aerial just sit on the couch waiting for her to get out of the shower without the T.V. on? Why would she even wait at all? There were two showers. And perhaps the oddest thing of all was that Aerial hadn't spoken a word since she came in. In fact, had she even moved?

Turning to face her, Ruppy asked, “Hey, you okay?”

“Huh?” the pale blue mare responded, snapping her head up, “Oh, Ruppy. When did you get out of the shower?”

The tan pegasus eyed her, “Um, I've been out for a minute or two. I just told you while I was making this,” she said, holding up her salad and tea.

“Oh, sorry. I guess I zoned out a bit,” Aerial said with a shake of her head.

“You sure you're okay?” Ruppy asked, “You're looking a little paler than normal.”

“Yeah, I'm fine,” she excused, “I think the heat just got to me is all.”

“Heat?” the tan mare questioned suspiciously, “It's 76 outside. (That's Fahrenheit). And we're on a mountain where it's nice and breezy.”

Aerial just shied away, “I'm fine! Really!” she tried.

Ruppy kept on with her staring, “I can tell when ponies are lying to me Aerial. Not that I'd really need to know how to tell considering you're a terrible liar.”

The earth pony completely turned her head away this time, choosing to let her silence speak for itself. Unfortunately for her, it gave the wrong message.

Setting her bowl and tea down onto the coffee table, Ruppy turned and took Aerials cheeks in her hooves to make the mare look at her.

“Aerial. Speak. Now.”

Since she couldn't fully turn her head, Aerial simply tore her eyes away from the mare in front of her. But even if she did look away, she couldn't hide the saddened glint they held.

Ruppy sighed, allowing her hooves to let go of the mares cheeks, and instead let them drop to her waist and pulled her into a hug.

“Look, I don't know what it is, but I know something's bothering you. Please, tell me.” Ruppy could feel the mare in her arms give a small shiver before a shaky breath came from her.

“It's...it's Silver...” she softly said, almost a whisper.

Pulling back, Ruppy looked Aerial in the eyes once more, “Silver? What about him? What did he do?”

The earth pony just shook her head, “No, it's not what he did. It's...it's what happened to him.”

“'What happened to him?'” the pegasus echoed, “You mean how he got hurt?”

Aerial just nodded solemnly.

“Is it that you're worried about him?” Ruppy asked, “Because he's fine. He's even coming home today.”

Aerial let out a frustrated sigh, “It's just...well, you guys were out in the Everfree and I was at home reading a book! I had no idea what was going on! Hell, I still don't! I just came over for training and you guys said he got hurt and that was it! And I-- I just...”

She clenched her eyes shut as tears filled them, trying desperately not to let them flow. Her voice choked and broke for a moment.

“Hey, hey hey,” Ruppy cooed, bringing her back into a hug, “It's okay. Silver will be fine.”

“It's not that!” Aerial shouted, actually startling Ruppy, “It's that I was stuck at home when he was hurt! Do you have any idea what that feels like?! How terrifying that is!? And it wasn't just him, all of you could have been killed and I wouldn't have had any idea! I would have been all alone again!”

Ruppys hold tightened as the words hit her.

“Again? What does she mean?”

It was like the last time she'd seen Aerial cry. She said she didn't want to lose anymore of her friends. Ruppy had never asked about it seeing as it was clearly a sensitive subject, but still wondered what Aerial meant.

It's actually kinda funny. The boldest and loudest of the group, not asking a question out of tact. But then again, tact wouldn't give her answers.

“Aerial,” Ruppy said softly, “What do you mean by 'again'?”

She felt the crying mare go stiff for a moment in her hold before the quivering began and she buried her head into the tan pegasus' neck.

Despite her silence, Ruppy continued to press, “You said something else before. That you didn't want to lose anymore of your friends. What did you mean?”

Aerial wrapped her hooves around Ruppy and held her tight. Her cries weren't loud but her entire body trembled with grieve.

“Three years ago,” the mare spoke softly, “My friends and I went out to a club. We did it every so often, just for fun. Getting drunk and dancing. Finding some cute stallion or mare to hit on. Everything a college filly did.

“B-but something went wrong. We were dancing one minute, and the next there was a huge explosion. The whole building went up in less than a minute and...my friends...

“One was hit by a piece of wood. I-it was just s-sticking out of her back and I—just--...One was blown apart. H-her legs were--”

Ruppy could feel her lurch and swallow hard. She wouldn't lie to herself, she hated this story. She hated herself for asking about it. And what's more, she hated that it wasn't over yet.

“B-but the worst...One was crushed under a beam...S-she didn't die yet. I-I—I had to w-watch her....I-I wanted to help, but--”

“Please, stop,” Ruppy begged, “I'm so sorry for asking you in the first place.”

Aerial went quiet. Ruppy did the same. And now, they just sit in silence, and did so for what felt like eternity. The world faded and it was just the two of them.

After a while though, Ruppy heard something odd....and cute.

Shifting her head to look at Aerial, she found the mares eyes closed as a small wheezing came from her. Her grip still remained strong, but her head found some slack and rested on Ruppys shoulder.

The tan mare couldn't help but lightly giggle at the sight. She really was adorable.

Opting to pull a Silver, she slipped under Aerial and carefully placed her on her back before carrying her off to her room and placed her on the bed.

Despite not being a pegasus, Aerial was able to interact with clouds.  She explained it once before as an effect of using wind magic. While Silver taught her a spell to interact with them, she found she didn't need to use it.

In any case, with the mare safely tucked into the bed, Ruppy turned and headed--

...There's a tugging on her tail. Why was there a tugging on her tail?

She turned and found herself caught by Aerial. Her eyes had cracked open a tiny bit, and in her hooves was Ruppys golden blonde hairs.

“Don't leave me. Please.” she begged, giving the tail a small tug.

She didn't even need to beg to get Ruppy to stay. Hell, she could have commanded her like a dog and she would have listened.

Turning around, Ruppy carefully crawled onto the bed and under the covers. A pair of pale steel-blue hooves quickly snaked their way around a tan waist and pulled the two bodies together.

Ruppy happily returned the cuddle, rubbing Aerials back in gentle motions while humming some old lullaby she'd heard way back when. She knew she couldn't sing well, so she figured it'd be best not to try.

After just a minute or two of her hums and rubs, Aerial was back asleep. And a few minutes later, so was the mare holding her.





The first thing Ruppy noticed when she awoke was that she wasn't alone in her bed. It wasn't a common occurrence, but one that had happened before. It took a second or two, but she finally recalled just how she ended up with the blue coated mare in her hooves.

Aerial now laid with her back pressed against Ruppys stomach, a pair of tan hooves wrapped around her waist and holding her snugly close.

The pegasus' muzzle was just a smidgen away from the back of her neck and Ruppy could still smell some of the sweat from Aerials training earlier on, but didn't mind it one bit.

It was Aerials smell after all. It was a bit creepy and weird, enjoying the scent of another pony, but hell, it's not like anypony would ever find out.

As she laid with the sleeping mare in her arms, Ruppy felt something. It was a fluttery feeling in the pit of stomach, almost as if someone were tickling her. She picked up on the sound of her breathing as well. There was nothing odd about her breaths, but she never just noticed them for no reason before. It was normal breathing, but for some reason it felt deeper. Longer. More powerful than they really were. But perhaps even more pronounced than that was the thumping in her chest.

Her heart seemed to beat strong but smooth. It reminded her of the calm rumbling of distant thunder in a rainstorm. Intense but soothing at the same time.

Why was it that she noticed these things? She'd never paid them much attention before, unless it was a life or death situation. So why now?

It was then that her thoughts turned towards the mare in front of her. She noticed the same things about Aerial as she did for herself.

Ruppy could feel Aerial's back rise and fall in sync with the chest it laid against, her breaths deeper and lasting longer.  Her hoof crossed over her heart, and she could feel the gentle yet firm beats, pounding away in the same rhythm as her own.

As she laid there, the tan mare began to think more and more about her. She wouldn't deny she was attracted to Aerial. She was a very cute mare after all. But Ruppy had also been with plenty of other cute mares and stallions.

But then again, she never got this feeling from them either.

It was a first for the pegasus. Ruppy had read about these feelings in stories, and she also figured the author was just over exaggerating things. That the feelings the character had were just normal reactions from physical contact.

But if that were true, then why hadn't she felt them before? Why was she only starting to feel them now? Why was it only....with Aerial?

Were the stories right? Were the authors not exaggerating?

Was this really what it was like to fall in love?

Ruppy honestly couldn't tell, and what's more, she wasn't sure how she felt about it. She was caught somewhere between overjoyed and absolutely terrified. She didn't do love. She'd never felt it before, much less knew what it meant. She wasn't even sure if she knew how to love.

What if she couldn't!? What if she ends up hurting Aerial driving her away?! What if--

GURGLE

It was amid her pondering that she was interrupted by a low growl coming from her stomach. Wanting not only to distract her mind but to also appease the beast that is her belly, Ruppy quickly decided it was snack time. Slowly extracted her hoofs from Aerials grasp, she felt a pang of guilt when the sleeping mare patted around for her missing cuddle buddy. Aerial eventually snagged a pillow and latched onto it, and comfort quickly returned to her.

Her escape now complete, Ruppy wandered out of the room and to the kitchen, taking note of the setting sun...along with the wolf and lavender alicorn on the couch.

“Oh hey, you're back!” Ruppy cheered, trotting over to see Silver. She quickly threw her arms around him in a hug, almost hitting Twilight since she was pressed against his side, “Sorry I didn't see you earlier. I uh, kinda took a nap.”

Silver just chuckled as the embrace broke, “Yeah, I noticed. You seemed to have some company when you were sleeping too. I don't need to have The Talk with you, do I?”

Ruppy shivered and trotted away to the kitchen, “Okay first, I don't want to hear that coming from you, Mr. I-sleep-with-any-cute-girl. Second, you're a little to late to have The Talk with me. And third, I swear, if you so much as try to, I'll find some way to kill you.”

Her response earned a laugh from both the wolf and the alicorn.

“Well what else would I say?” Silver said, “I wasn't quite expecting to see you and Aerial together when I came back. How'd you manage to win her over, anyway?”

His tone was laced with a slight teasing, but he curiosity to know what happened between them was clearly evident.

As Ruppy came back to the couch with her food, she laid down with her head against his side, using him as a pillow and ignoring the hisses of pain he let out when she touched him.

The tan mare sighed as she munched on her sandwich before speaking, “Well...Aerial kinda dropped some heavy shit on me earlier. She cried, I hugged her, she fell asleep on me and I carried her back to the room. She woke up, asked me to stay and so I did.”

“Hmmm,” Silver hummed as he listened.

“So wait,” Twilight chimed in, “You basically just pulled a Silver?”

Said wolf turned with a look of feigned hurt, “Hey! That's not what I do!”

Both mare simply stared at him with blank expressions.

“Silver, that's all you do,” Ruppy retorted, “Hell, I think you invented it.”

Silver just huffed and turned away, “Well fine, be that way.”

Both mares rolled their eyes and laughed.

“But hey,” Ruppy added on, “Before you keep pouting, I was wondering....did...did Aerial ever tell you about what happened to her?”

Silvers mood quickly changed from a playful pout to a look of sympathy and pain. Not only did Ruppy notice, but Twilight as well.

“Y-yeah. She did,” he mumbled, “It's uh, it's pretty horrible. Why do you ask?”

After swallowing another munch, Ruppy simply stared at her half eaten sandwich, the recalling of Aerials story suddenly making her loose her appetite.

“It just...I don't know, I figured that out of all of us, she'd be the only normal one, you know?” the pegasus admitted, “My parents and foster parents were dicks, Beats' little sister was used as a hostage, Onyx doesn't even have parents, and Sica--”

“Wait, Onyx doesn't have parents?” Twilight cut in just before Silver did. In truth, he didn't know either. Onyx had never talked about her family or relatives before, so no one knew.

Ruppy simply shook her head, “She was raised on the streets, literally. I don't know how old she was when she was put out, but she was a lot younger than me. She said she never knew her parents or anything. I think....I think I might be the closest thing she has to family. I guess that's kinda obvious though since we've always been together. She was even the one who taught me how to live as a runaway.”

As the news hit her, Twilight found her throat tightening, “Oh sweet Celestia, you poor mares,” she whispered.

“Nah, it's all good,” Ruppy said with a wave of a hoof, “We survived.”

The three found themselves sitting in silence for a while, the T.V simply running and filling the room a droll noise. None of them paid attention to what was on it. It was of little importance after all, and with the next question Ruppy was about to ask, the sounds of the box would become essentially nonexistent.

“Hey, Silver?” She began, “Do you hate your dad?” Even through the wolf she laid on, Ruppy could feel Twilight stiffen at the question.

“Ruppy!” she scolded.

Silver just chuckled, “It's fine Twilight. To be honest Ruppy, I don't think I do.”

The tan pegasus rolled onto her stomach to face the wolf, “Really? Why not? Aren't you mad that he abandoned you? Don't you miss him?”

Silver shrugged, “Not really. I mean, yeah it was a dick move, but it's hard to hate or even miss someone you've never met.”

“So, you don't remember your father at all?” Twilight chimed in. 

Silver nodded shook his head, “Nope. Not a single thing. I think I remember my mom telling me his name at one point, but that was a century ago, so I don't know it. I'm pretty sure I could find who he was though.”

“Was?” the lavender mare questioned before it finally hit  her, “...Oh...right....” Silvers family were probably all dead. He was over a hundred years old after all, and they might not have had the same power he did. It was then that something else had also dawned on her.

Despite being in a relationship with the wolf, she still knew very little about him, or even Luna for that matter. But then again, the up coming date might soon fix that problem. But there was still one other thing...Twilights family was still alive and well.

Being the logical mare she was, Twilight began finding a way to solve her predicament. The first issue could be solved by just asking questions, and although it sounds harmless, she knew it could be quite the opposite depending on the subject.

Her parents though....oh, that was problem. She wasn't sure how they'd react to her having a col—wolfriend. Hell, they probably thought she was still a virgin. And not only her parents, but none of her friends knew about the herd, aside from Rainbow and Celestia. How would they take it? Would they be mad she kept it a secret? Oh no, WHAT ABOUT SHINING AR--?!?

“So you just don't care about him?” Ruppy asked, saving Twilight from her private panic attack.

“Pretty much. I mean, if I had to say, the only thing I'm mad at him for is leaving my mom to raise three pups on her own in the middle of a war. Really, what kind of an asshole does that?”

That actually got a giggle from the tan mare which put the wolf at ease a little. She seemed down ever since she came into the living room, and Silver had begun to worry. In fact, he still did.

“Ruppy, why are you asking me all this?” he inquired, “Is...is there something you need to talk about?”

The smile that came with the giggle seemed to fall a bit, but still remained, though it held a vastly different feeling to it. Her eyes softened and became a thousand yard stare for a moment. Silver knew this face. He'd worn it himself a hundred times before, and the alicorn to his side had also known it all too well, since she was the one who had to see it on him.

“I've got a really shit dad, ya know. And a mom too,” she admitted, though it wasn't really necessary since the wolf already knew, “Hell, every family I've been with was shitty...except this one,” It was here that she wrapped her hooves around Silvers neck, “Silver...do you think it's weird I call you Papa?” she asked.

The wolf just shook his head.

“And....and if I told you that I...I want you to be my Papa?” He could feel her quiver and shake, fresh tears rolling freely down her cheek and falling against his fur. But before he could respond, Ruppy just pressed on.

“I know, it's creepy and stupid. B-but I've never had a real family before. I've had Onyx, and we're like sisters, but we've never been a whole family. And my mom and dad...they're just...”

“Shh...” Silver said, sitting up to bring her into a hug, “It's okay, sweetie. Don't worry.” A gentle paw rubbed her back as she choked on her cries, “I know you've had it rough. Not you, or Onyx, Aerial, Beats or even Sica have had the best of lives. But I swear to you, I'll do everything in my power to make sure that from now on, you're always smiling.”

Silver pulled back and cupped her cheeks, “That's what Papas do for their little fillies, right?”

Ruppy cried even harder and buried herself back into his chest, ignoring the small grunt of pain he gave from his wounds.

“Well, looks like I've already failed at this Papa thing,” he joked, “Cause you're still crying.”

“Well perhaps this needs a mothers touch,” Twilight chimed in.

Ruppy pulled her head from the fluff and turned to look, only to find the alicorn was no longer sitting in front of her, but behind.

“T-twilight?” she asked, “You mean...”

A gentle embrace cut her off as Twilight held Ruppy, “I have no idea what your parents did to you,” she said softly, “In fact, I actually don't know very much about you. But that doesn't matter to me, because what I do know tells me that you're an amazing mare that wasn't loved when she was little. But now, you will be. You won't just be Silvers little filly, or mine. You'll be ours. Luna, Silver and me. And the same goes for Onyx as well. And Sica, and Beats. I'll be Mama Twilight, or whatever you want me to be.”

The sounds of cries filled the room once more as Ruppy melted into the hug. She felt the warmth of Silver pressing against her back as she was sandwiched between the two.

Her heart pounded with joy, and a new found sense of belonging wormed it's way into her chest. Was this what it was like to be loved?

It was similar to the question she asked herself earlier, though still some how entirely different. At the moment though, she didn't care. All she wanted was to be with her family.

“Mama....Papa....”
> Ruppys Turn and A Need to Learn
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luna strolled down the halls of Canterlot as she had so many times before. Her destination was where it had always been the past couple of weeks.

To Silvers, where else?

As she trotted, she hummed a happy tune and had a noticeable skip in her step. And why wouldn't she? She was as happy as could be right now.

Silver was finally recovering and out of that bed, and that in turn took a load of stress off of Twilight who was now looking much livelier.

Luna had noticed that ever since Silver got hurt, the lavender mare had barely gotten any sleep. With the pressure of finding the signer of the grimoire and Silvers near death experience, it was a miracle the mare didn't have a complete breakdown.

...Well, she did actually, but she recovered from it quite quickly. Then again, that's Celestias prized student for you. Even after such a trying experience, Twilight managed to bounce back, and although she wasn't fully herself, she could still operate to a fair extent. Although he midnight mare had tried to get her to sleep some, Twilight would just end up laying in bed for an hour or so. 

Sure, Luna could have used her magic to make her fall asleep, but this was Twilight. She didn't want to treat her marefriend in such a manner. It would have just been wrong. In the end though, the lavender mare ended up passing out at Silvers bedside. While it may not have been the healthiest way to sleep, it was sleep nonetheless.

Luna came to Silvers door in the castle and went to it open it to stroll in as if it were her own home. In a way, it might as well have been. She'd slept there pretty much every night since they started dating, and--.....

Something odd struck her about the thought, causing her to pause before she turned the knob. There was something she was forgetting....something incredibly important....

Dating....date....THE DATE!

How could she forget such an important event!? Their first date was coming up and she wasn't anywhere near prepared! Where were they going?! What would she wear?! What did couples do these days!?

They went for walks, right? And....jousting? Maybe there was a fair in town?

“Oh, who am I kidding? I've was gone for a thousand years and in the three years I've been back, I've barely socialized, much less dated. I don't think I've had a single stallion try to court me since my return. I am hopeless. So very hopeless.”

Luna let out a tired sigh as she pushed the door open and entered the home, ambling over to the couch and plopping down onto it. The loud breath of air was not unnoticed by the three occupying the sofa....or, rather two of the three.

“Shh..” Silver shushed quietly, gaining Luna's attention. She quickly looked to see that just who it was she was disturbing. It was then that she noticed Ruppy, snoozing quietly and tucked between Silver and Twilight.

“Oh,” Luna whispered, carefully crawling across the couch to Silvers unoccupied side so as to not upset his wounds or the mare on the other side, “I'm sorry, I didn't see her there when I came in.”

Silver chuckled lightly, “It's fine. She sleeps like a rock anyways. I was just making sure.”

Luna nuzzled under the wolves chin before asking, “So, how are you feeling?”

“It's not so bad,” She felt Silver shrug, “Everything still hurts, but I'm still breathing.”

“Thankfully,” Luna agreed, “You had us all rather scared. I hope you're happy mister, you made Twilight miss another three days of sleep too.”

Silver turned to the lavender alicorn, who just looked down with a hint of blush.

“I-I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I wanted to be there if there were any complications.” she explained.

Silver just smiled and leaned over, placing a quick kiss on her lips.

“Love you too, Twilight,” he cooed, “But please, if you've stayed up for that long, it can't be healthy. From now on, you're going to bed early and sleeping in until 10. Is that understood?”

“Until 10?!” she hissed, trying not to wake Ruppy, “I-I can't do that! It'll throw off my whole schedule!”

“Oh?” Luna quirked, “So I get to have Silver all to myself then? I was going to stay with you and help you with some of your tasks after we wake up, but if you want to get out of the bed and leave Silvers fluff all to me, then go right ahead.”

Twilight opened her mouth to argue, but then paused to think.

Get up early and stay on track....or stay with Silver and Luna and get cuddles and kisses.

Staying organized....or cuddles and kisses.

“Ugh...” Twilight sighed, “I suppose....I can stay until 9. But no later!”

Luna hoof pumped, “Yes!”

The movement jostled the couch and roused the sleeping mare for a moment, “No...Papa, 's mine...”  she mumbled, turning onto her side to snuggle into Silver.

Luna looked down with a raised brow, “Um, if you don't mind my asking,”she inquired, her moment of excitement ending, “Just how did it turn out like this? Not that I don't enjoy this adorable scene, it's just the tear stains on her cheeks have me worried.”

Silver turned to Ruppy and quickly used a paw to wipe away the streaks, “We uh, had a talk earlier, and....well, let's just say we're family now.”

“Family now?” Luna questioned, “What makes you think we weren't before?”

Silver and Twilight sat in silence for a moment, the words taking their time processing in their heads. They eventually turned to face the midnight mare and looked with perplexity. While they weren't expecting her to just reject the notion, they didn't think she'd grown so fond of them so quickly.

“What?” Luna asked, “You think I didn't care for these ponies as much as the two of you did?”

“Uh...” Silver tried. He had a feeling she was getting the wrong impression. It wasn't that he thought of her as an unkind mare, no. He knew her kindness was rivaled only by Fluttershy. It was just that he didn't expect her to so willing to accepting of this new relationship.

“Now look, I may not have spent time with them personally, but I still know plenty,” Luna continued, “Did you forget I can see into dreams?” The herd mates remained silent, a seemingly guilty look falling over their faces, “I know it's a bit rude, but it is my duty to make sure the ponies of Equestria sleep soundly. And as for the ones living under this roof....well, they had not had a decent nights sleep in quite some time before coming here. Even after arriving, they were still uneasy, especially Onyx.”

Silver had taken on a particularly sadden expression. He never did tell Luna or Twilight about what happened the night after Ruppy and Onyx came home from Manehatten from ending the Fallen Kings. They knew about the killing, but not what happened when the two came home.

It was then that Luna leaned over and began slowly stroking the tan mares mane, her voice becoming much softer and gentle than before, “I've seen what Ruppy wants, and how much it pains her. And not just her, all of them. I....I honestly don't think any of them have had a place to belong.

“I know why she calls us Mama's and Papa. I know about her life in Manehatten. I know far more than either of you or she knows that I know. What happened to her was terrible to say the least, and if I can give her some happiness by being her mother, then I'll be damned if I don't.”

Luna leaned over and nuzzled Ruppys head, a small tear running down her cheek, “She's just a filly on the inside. Just a small, terrified and hurting filly. So I won't let her suffer anymore than she already has. Not her, or Onyx, or Beats or Sica.”

It was then that she pulled away from that nuzzle only to get caught in one herself.

“Has anyone ever told you, you could kill a guy with your kindness?” Silver quirked, planting a small kiss on her cheek.

Luna giggled a bit, “No, I'm afraid that's the first time I've heard it.” she paused for a bit while she relished in the contact, only to remind herself of her issue before coming in the house, “And speaking of firsts, when are we going on our date?”

Twilights eyes widened as she gasped, “The date! I-I completely forgot!” Ruppy mumbled and nuzzled Silver more as the mare continued her panic, “Silver, can we still go with you like this?! I mean, I know--”

The lavender mare was silenced with a paw on her lips, “Shh...” Silver shushed, “I'll be fine. We can still go. The fest—erm, date, will be at the end of the month so I'll be a bit better by then.”

“But I thought Star Shine said no strenuous activities,” Twilight added, “Won't you pull your stitches?”

Silver chuckled with a shake of his head, “No, no, no. She meant no strenuous activities in my terms. I can still go on a date, I just can't do things like moving my shipments or training.”

Silver felt Luna let out a sigh of relief, “Oh thank goodness. I was afraid we'd have to postpone for a while longer.”

The wolf chuckled, “No, no. I should be fine.”

It was then that the tan mare tucked at his side began to stir and wake. She unfurled her wings and stretched out her hooves, allowing a long yawn to escape her.

“Oh man,” she groaned, “Where...” she looked around to find Silver, Twilight and Luna all staring down at her. The moments before she fell asleep came rushing back to her and a bright blush appeared on her muzzle, “...Oh....right...”

The other three laughed lightly, Twilight bringing Ruppy into an embrace, “There there. It wasn't that bad.”

Ruppy fell into the hug and groaned, “That doesn't really help. I was being all whiny and crying—and oh dear Celestia, what about Aerial!?!”

The pegasus quickly scampered away from the hug and off the couch, bolting down the hall and stopping in front of her door. Quietly cracking it open, she peeked inside to find the bundle of blankets still draped over the earth ponies form.

Ruppy let out a sigh of relief and stepped into the room. She went to the bed and hovered her head over, “Aerial,” she cooed, giving the blanket a small nudge, “Time to wake up.”

The sleeping mare groaned and scooted away, burying her head deeper into the comforter.

“Come on,” Ruppy said with a roll of her eyes, “Silvers here. I know you want to see him.”

At first, Aerial didn't move for a moment, but then finally pulled her head off of the bed. She blinked her eyes around the room as the world came into focus. They eventually fell onto the tan mare that woke her. She then looked down to the bed, then to Ruppy and back to the bed again. Just as Ruppy did when she first awoke, her memories of earlier that day came back.

“...Did we...?” she asked.

Ruppy paused and wondered what she was referring to, only to quickly shake her head and  frantically wave her hooves when she finally caught on, “Nonono! You just kinda cried and fell asleep, and so I took you in here and I went to leave but you grabbed my tail and you asked me to stay and I did and I'm not helping am I?” she rambled.

Aerial just giggled at the mares antics. When she stopped, she looked at Ruppy for a moment, then bit her lip and looked away again. It was then that she started crawling across the bed. When she reached the edge, she leaned forward and planted a small peck on Ruppys cheek, whispering “Thank you.”

The sandy pegasus stood stunned. In that moment, the world stopped and she took in the full view in front of her.

Aerial laid on the bed, a slightly messy mane and half-lidded hazel eyes. The blanket fell around her body, exaggerating every curve as the light from the window shone down on her and illuminated her figure.

It took every fiber in her body not to lunge forward and ravage Aerial. No, that's what she would do with some one-night stand.

But this time, it was different. She wanted Aerial. Actually wanted her. Not just for sex, but some one to actually be with. Some one to love.

“Uh...y-yeah,” Ruppy stammered out, her muzzle still bright pink, “A-anytime. Anyways, Silvers here. Come on.”

The pegasus quickly turned and walked out of the room, the earth pony mare fully aware of the chaos she provoked. With a silly grin and a skip, Aerial followed Ruppy out of the room and to where two alicorns and a canine lay on the sofa.

“Silver!” she cheered, quickly dashing over to hug him, “How are you feeling?”

Silver chuckled a little at her excitement, “I'm fine. A little sore, but I'm fine.”

Aerial released him with a sigh of relief, “So what's going to happen now?” she asked, “Are you taking some time off?”

Silver nodded, “Yeah, but just until Star Shine clears me. In the mean time, a fox named Radiance will be taking my place, and while I'll be overseeing your training, I won't be able to help as much as before.”

“Help?” Ruppy questioned, “Last I checked you just kinda shoved us out there.”

“Well, yeah but when it comes to sparring, I'm usually the one you go against as a group. So you'll be in pairs until I'm better.”

Ruppy shrugged, “That's fine. Hey, did Onyx happen to come in while I was sleeping?” she asked.

“I think she's in the smith shop,” Silver answered.

“Hmm....” Ruppy hummed, “Well I guess I'll let her do her thing for a while then. Anyways I'm starving, so I'm ordering pizza.”

Four sets of ears quickly perked up, “Pizza?”





As the evening rolled on into the night, the family relaxed in the living room, save for Onyx who was still down stairs doing who knows what. Twilight and Silver remained tucked on the couch, while Luna and Ruppy battled each other on Fatal Combat for the Cross Box. Aerial faithfully cheered on the sandy mare from a spot on the sofa as well.

Unfortunately, having sat in the same spot for the past few hours, Twilights need to use the restroom had finally reached it's limit. Excusing herself, she quickly scampered off the couch and down the hall.

A few minutes later, the mare had finished up and left. However, as she exited the bathroom and crossed in front of the stairs, her ears picked up on a noise.

It was faint. Very faint. In fact, she found it surprising she even heard it in the first place. But now she was curious. What was the noise?

Twilight changed her destination from the living room to the stairs. She trotted down to the second floor, where all the doors in the hall remained closed. The noise wasn't coming from that floor, so she continued down.

It was then that the noise became clearer. It was familiar, actually. It rang out through the hallway of the home and changed in pitch each time it came.

Stepping off the stairs, Twilight noticed the door to the music room sitting wide open. Of course. That's what it was.

The alicorn silently trotted over to the door way, poking her head in to find the black mare sitting on the bench, a hoof dully hovering above the keys. It dropped and let the note ring out before lifting off again.

Twilight watched for a moment from the doorway, noticing the expression Onyx had wore. The way her ears fell flat against her head, her eyes staring aimlessly at the piano, her near invisible frown that seemed to scream silence, whatever that may mean. It was all so...somber. Sure, she didn't normally express many emotions, but lately she's been opening herself up more. She smiles and laughs, pokes fun at some ponies when she can. She seemed like a normal mare nowadays. So why was she wearing such a face? What was it that was bothering her? Why did she seem so...lonely?

While pondering these questions, Twilights hooves suddenly acted on their own, stepping into the room and approaching the mare.

“Onyx?” She called softly, her voice finding a mind of it's own as well, “What are you doing down here by yourself?”

Twilight's voice made the coal mares ears twitched, but she didn't turn look at her and simply pressed another key, only making the lavender mare worry more. She walked over to stand behind Onyx, looking over her shoulder and found a music sheet sitting in front of the mare.

“Is this what you're playing?” the alicorn asked, reading the title, “'The River Flows In You' – Yurima. Well, I've never heard that before. Why don't you play it for me?”

Onyx's hoof fell to hit the key one last time, but it stopped just above it.

“Onyx?” Twilight tried again. The unicorn only shook her head, but the alicorn to keep pushing. “What do you mean 'no'?”

Finally, Onyx's mouth opened. Unfortunately, little to no sound came out as Twilight couldn't hear her words.

“Please speak up,” Twilight begged.

“I...can't...”

“You can't?” The mare repeated, “Can't play the song?”

“...I can't read the music....”

Twilight cocked her head to the side, “You can't? But I saw you play just the other night,” she explained.

Once again, Onyx's black mane bounced as she shook her head, “No. I know that song by memory. It's just the same keys over and over. It's easy. But this....” she swatted a hoof at the paper, making them rustle and fall to the floor.

The music sheets remained on the ground for a moment, but were enveloped in a purple aura, “Now, now. I know it's frustrating, but you can always learn to read them,” Twilight consoled, re-stacking the papers and  putting them back on the piano, before taking a seat on the bench next to Onyx, “Why don't you have Silver teach you?”

Onyx shook her head again, but this time much harder than before, “Nononono...I can't!”

A lavender wing fell across her back and softly pulled her into a hug, “Shh, it's okay. Why not?”

Onyx remained silent for a moment. Her body went stiff and a sniffle escaped her. She hadn't shed a tear yet, but it wouldn't be long now.

“Onyx?” Twilight tried again.

“...He'll notice....” she whispered.

“Notice? Notice what?”

“....That I'm not smart....”

Twilight raised a brow, “What are you talking about? I know you're a bright mare.”

For the umpteenth time, Onyx shook her head, “'M not. I never went to school.”

Twilight almost fell off the bench. “Never gone to school? Why in the name of Equestria would--...oh...right...”

The unicorn could feel Twilights recoil, and pulled herself away, “I know you know. I heard you talking earlier,” the alicorn couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt, “I...I don't have a family. Not one by blood. I don't think I even have a birth record. I don't know who named me, who my parents are or anything. There was no one to put me in school so I didn't go. I didn't even know what school was until I was twelve. I couldn't do math, write my name or even read until Ruppy came along. But she could only teach me so much.”

I-I'm good at reading though,” she said, almost desperately, “That's easy, but I don't like it as much as Ruppy. A-and I can do fractions too. But I don't know much science, or magic theory, or history or anything else.”

“Onyx...”

The mare sniffled, fresh tears running down her cheeks, “I could never do anything. I couldn't get a job, or count my money. I was just stupid...I'm just stupid....”

“No you're not!” Twilight exclaimed, “Onyx, even if you didn't go to school doesn't mean you're stupid. Yeah, there are things you don't know how to do, but there are things I don't know how to do either. But that doesn't mean we can't learn to do them.”

“S-so what?” Onyx sniffled, “You want a twenty-four year old mare to start school again? From what, elementary school?”

“No, I would never embarrass you like that,” Twilight reassured, wrapping the mare in another hug, “I'll just teach you myself.”

Onyx pulled away, “Nonono...please, Silver will find out.”

“And so what if he does?” She asked.

“H-he'll looked down on me! I-I won't be as good as the others and I'll slow them down and I know he won't want that! They'll all leave me behind! I can get by with what I know but please, you can't let him find out!”

“Too late,” another voice came. Onyx froze, her breathe catching in her throat. She knew that voice. She knew it all too well. She didn't want to look. She just wanted to disappear into the darkness of the night. So why the hell was she leaning to look past Twilight?

Sure enough, there he was. Standing in the doorway was none other than Silver.

“No....please....” she whispered.

“Onyx, relax,” he said soflty as he enter, “It's fine. I kinda figured you might not have an education already.”

“Silver!” Twilight scolded.

“Sorry, poor choice of words. But look, I already realized from the moment I found the two of you that both of you might not have finished school. When you told me Ruppy ran away when she was sixteen, I figured you might have been in the same boat. I just didn't say anything because it didn't seem to be causing any problems.”

“Please,” the unicorn begged, “I-I don't want to be left behind! I can keep up with the others, I-I can fight! You know I can! I don't need to know everything, I can manage on my own, but please don't leave me! I don't want you to be disappointed in me!”

The wolf took a seat on the other side of the unicorn, “Shhh...” he said, pressing a paw against her muzzle to keep her from rambling more, “I'm not leaving you behind and you won't be holding the others back either. But I do want you to study with Twilight. Not as a requirement, but because you're my little filly and I love you.”

“S-so....you're not disappointed?” she sniffled with teary eyes.

Silver chuckled, wrapping her in a warm embrace, “No, silly. I just want to make sure you have the best life I can give you.” He finished by giving her a peck on the head and a nuzzle.

Onyx quickly fell into the affection, everything melting away in his embrace. Replacing her previous shame of her lack of schooling, a new light of aspiration for learning was born. 

“I-I'll do it,” she said after a while, “I want to learn more. Please?” she asked, turning around to face Twilight.

The mare smiled, “Of course I'll teach you Onyx. You're gonna be pretty busy with this and your training, but I think we can work something out.”

Onyx smiled and squeezed Twilight in a hug too, “Thank you. I promise I'll try my best.”
> Dreams of White and Siblings Fight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cold....why was it so cold?

And that smell....where in Emperors name was that wretched smell coming from? It reeked of a strong, metallic stench that churned his stomach, threatening to up chuck whatever contents it held. And why couldn't he see anything?

...Oh right....his eyes were still closed.

Cracking them open, the world came into view. Pure, powdery white filled the wolf's vision. It glistened in the light, wherever it may have been coming from, and surrounded the him on all sides. It was then that he quickly realized why it was so cold.

As he lay there, he couldn't help but wonder why he was in the snow. He didn't like sleeping outside, unless it was a cool Autumn day with a gentle breeze and a hammock. So why was he....

...Oh...

A thick, crimson liquid slowly drifted into view from below. Suddenly, the wolf was wracked with pain. His chest heaved with broken gasps as he choked for the crisp, cold air. His limbs refused to move, though it changed nothing as even when they were lying still, they throbbed with gut wrenching pain. The world was no longer still and began to spin, everything flying out of control, like someone was constantly smacking him over the head with a brick. He couldn't tell up from down, left from right. Just those two colors. Red and white.

The cold began to fade, becoming a comforting warmth. Strange. He knew he was still in the snow.

The world gradually slipped away. The pain dulled and the snow seemed to loose it's glisten. Everything lost color slowly.

Why was everything turning dark? He hadn't closed his eyes yet...

But then again....he was feeling rather sleepy.

...yeah...that seemed nice...just a quick nap.....

And with that, the wolf took his final rest.





Hazel eyes snapped open and a pair of claws dug into the mattress. Silver ears stood at attention as his breathes quickened and became heavy pants. His eyes darted around the room like a wild animal, still adjusting to having just woken up in such a panicked state.

It wasn't until they finally processed the room that the wolf began to calm himself. His breathes fell into their normal rate, but were still shaky. His heart finally fell out of his throat, but was still rapid. The lurking trepidation of his dream still sat firm in his mind.

Silver looked towards the mares in his bed, grateful that his rude awakening hadn't disturbed them. Both were hidden under the blanket, one on each side of him. He couldn't tell which lump was which mare, but at the moment, he didn't care. He just needed comforting.

Silvers paws drifting around the blanket on his right side until they fell onto a slimmer form. He tugged it closer, nestling into the fluff he'd found. A simple inhale told him the mare he grabbed was none other than Twilight.

His new snuggle buddy groaned and turned over to face her captor. Violet eyes fluttered open for a moment, and her head turned to view the clock. It was still only seven, so back to sleep she went. Any other day, she'd hop up and get to work, but with Silvers injuries and her recent lack of cuddles from him convinced her to stay.

As she nestled back into his chest, she couldn't help but notice something off. The harmony of his breathing and heart beat were missing. They were no longer the lullaby that she'd fallen asleep to so many times before, but were now fast and out of rhythm. His heart pounded and his breathes quivered, and the mare wondered what had him so shaken up.

“Silver? You okay?” she asked, her adorable sleepy voice in full effect.

“Huh?” the wolf said, “Oh yeah. Just uh...bad dream is all.”

Twilight pulled her head from the fluff to look up, “Oh, I'm sorry to hear that,” she cooed, giving him a peck, “Do you wanna talk about it?”

Silver just shook his head, “No, I'll be fine. Just a dream. You go back to sleep.”

In all honesty, Twilight wanted to press him for more. He was her boyfriend now, so she wasn't too worried about over stepping her bounds, but more than that she just wanted to make sure he was okay. But then she recalled the night she first asked about Lily. How hesitant he was to tell her and later that night cried in his sleep.

Was that what he dreamt about? Did his memories of Lily come back to haunt him again?

If they did, then Twilight suddenly found her desire to ask more squashed. She refused to bring up that subject anymore than necessary.

Opting simply to trust Silver, she decided to just nod and place her head back down. It wasn't that she didn't care, no.  But if he wanted to share, he would, and she knew that.

The wolf laid his head back down as well, holding his mare close. The warmth from her body radiated into him, her breathes tickled his chest and her scent filled his lungs. This was all he needed to convince himself.

“I'm alive....”

The thought echoed through his mind. This moment, this feeling, was all the reassurance he needed to calm himself. These experiences grounded him, reminded him that the dream was only that. A dream.

“But it wasn't...”

“Quiet.”

“That may have been a nightmare, but we both know where it bloomed from.”

“I said, 'quiet'.”

“That wondrous little moment where you made your greatest mistake. Be it out of arrogance or love, it doesn't change the fact that you tried and failed to do something that resulted in your death....because you're weak.”

“ENOUGH!”

“You can't shut this out Silver. It'll always be there, until you submit....”

The voice finally stopped. He hated it. Every damn time, every Winter, it comes along with the nightmares! Speaking to him at the worst of moments, mocking him, reminding him of his cowardice. He knew it wasn't Saber, but what else could it be? He never decided to name it, simply calling it The Voice.

Regardless of where it came from, The Voice always made a wild demand. The same one over and over and over. One that the wolf refused to follow, no matter how many times it was repeated.

“I submit to nothing....”





POKE

POKE POKE

A another set of prods nudged into Silvers back, causing him to use a wing to shoo it away. A light, playful giggle followed after before the poking began again.

“Staaahhp,” Silver groaned, only to receive another small laugh in return.

“Wakey Wakey,” the warm voice of a certain alicorn sang, “Time to get up.”

Silver groaned again and rolled over, allowing Twilight to fall from his hold and turned to face the other side of the bed.

“Tia, what are you doing in my room?” he asked.

“Well I'm your wake up call, silly,” she giggled, “Now, how to wake up the other two?” She put a hoof to her chin for a moment and hummed, only to break out in a devilish smile seconds later.

“Tia, don't,” the wolf warned, “Whatever it is, it isn't going to end well.”

“Hmm...” she thought again for a moment, “....Oh well!”

In a swift movement, the ivory alicorn launched herself off the floor and into the air. Silvers eyes shrank as he watch her form fall.

“RISE AND SHINE!” she shouted, just as she crashed onto the bed. The two sleeping mares shrieked and wheezed, quickly snapping up from the bed as Celestias weight hit them.

“WHAT'S--” Luna began, only to stop as her eyes fell onto her sister, “Sister, what the hell are you doing!?”

“Waking you up of course,” she said, as though what she'd done was completely normal, “Why in name of Equestria are you giving me that look?”

“For one, you're crushing all of us with your big, fat butt!” Luna huffed, her scowl never fading, “And two, SILVER IS INJURED!!!”

“Oh relax Luna, I made sure not to hit him,” Celestia said with a dismissive hoof, “See?” She pointed to her mid section, where she had her stomach raised and just below it was Silvers body, “No harm done.”

Luna just gave her sister a flat stare before rolling her eyes and floating her off of the three of them.

“Honestly, why do you have so much energy in the morning?” Luna complained as she slid out of bed. Silver was patting Twilights back as she tried to regain control of her lungs.

“Why do you have to be such a grouch?” Celestia retorted.

“Because I have to deal with you?”

“Oh? And what about you, Miss-I'm-Going-To-Stay-Up-All-Night-And-Annoy-All-Of-Canterlot-Because-I'm-Bored-And-Lonely?”

“What?! I'm the quietest mare in the night!”

“Quiet? When you're singing at the top of your lungs? You call that quiet? You sound like a goat.”

“Are you saying I can't sing?”

“Well I'm certainly not saying you can!”

“OH, YOU BIT--!”

“GIRLS!” The wolf shouted, getting the alicorns attention, “If you don't stop bickering, I'm going to put you in corners!”

Both mares just huffed and turned away from each other.

“She started it,” Celestia added on.

“I did not!”

“Did too!”

“Girls!”

At some point, Twilights coughing fit had subsided and the small mare simply sat there and watched the two sisters act like....well, sisters. She'd seen Rarity and Sweetiebelle act the same once or twice when she went over to Carousal Boutique, and the moment between Celestia and Luna was more or less the same.

What made the moment so astounding was that never before had she ever seen the two interact in such a way. Both had always been regal and refined, though she had to admit that lately they seemed considerably more playful than normal. Finally being able to see them as equals instead of her rulers, Twilight realized that they weren't just princesses. They were mares.

A loud, long sigh broke Silver from his scolding, “Honestly, the two of you. I haven't even had breakfast yet.”

“Oh, Onyx is working on that,” Celestia informed, dropping her pout.

“Great, cause I'm starving,” Silver said as he rose from the bed and stretched, his tongue rolling out as he yawned.

He trotted out of the room after, and behind him three princesses followed. They were met with the sight of Aerial and Ruppy at the counter, talking and eating pancakes and and orange juice. Onyx was behind the stove and Sica was sitting on the couch.

The assassin mare turned when she heard the hoof steps enter the room.

“Oh come on!” she cried, “Three princesses?!? Now you're just screwing with me!”

And for the second time in the past five minutes, Celestia put on yet another devilish smile.

“Well, I don't know about you,” the ivory alicorn said in her huskiest tone, fluttering her bedroom eyes as she sauntered over to the couch to stand behind the mare, “But he's been screwing us All. Night. Long~”

The cloaked mare shivered and turned to the wolf with wide eyes, “She's...she's kidding, right?”

“Yes, she kidding,” Luna flatly answered for him, before he could take the joke even further. She knew they were both just messing around, but it still bugged her to hear things like that. But more than that, there was still something she just didn't get about the ponies, “Why on Earth would I enter a relationship with my sister?”

Sica went to say something, but quickly decided against it. Figuring that bringing up the--

“Dude, have you read some of the fanfictions ponies come up with?” Ruppy voiced, “I mean, that shits weird but it's still hot.”

Both princesses just stopped and stared at Ruppy, eyes wide with horror....or at least Luna's was. Celestia's seemed to resemble curiosity more than anything.

“What?” the sandy mare questioned, “Princest is wincest.”

“Please, for the love of my sanity, please stop!” Luna cried before trotting over to the table where Onyx floated over a plate of pancakes with coffee, “Sister, do us a favor and tell us why you're here so you can hurry up and leave before any more unsavory topics arise.”

“See? Grouchy,” Celestia stated before crawling over the back of the couch and taking a spot, “But as for my reason being here, I received a letter this morning from Duke Little Horn. He wishes to meet with all four Princesses for an important discussion at the end of the week.”

“I refuse,” the midnight mare stated flatly, earning a scold from her sister.

“Luna, this is not a request that can be refused that easily,” Celestia pressed, “Duke Little Horn may be a nuisance, but he's also the nephew of the Caneighdian King. We cannot turn him away.”

“I will not meet with the pony who sent that cretin of a wolf to our home!” Luna fiercely spat.

“Sister, you have no choice!” Celestia commanded, now rising off the couch, “Now I know that Aurora caused Silver discomfort and antagonized him, but that is no reason to act like a foal. You will be attending this meeting and that is final.”

Luna did not meet her sisters gaze, and simply turned her head away before getting out of her seat and going to the door. She opened it, then slammed it shut behind her, the sound resonating throughout the home that suddenly fell silent.

That...that was nothing like the argument the two had just moments ago. How could the two go from such a playful attitude to genuinely angry with one another in such a short amount of time?

Celestia could only sigh before turning to Twilight, who just stood with her mouth open, “Twilight, could you please go after her?”

The lavender alicorn shook herself from her stupor before heading to the door. Just as she opened it, she paused and looked back, “Celestia?” she called, “Just so you know, I...I'm not sure if I'll be able to convince her to go to the meeting. I understand why she's upset, and honestly not sure if I'm comfortable with going either.”

“That's fine, just make sure she's okay for now. We can discuss this later.”

Twilight nodded and headed out after her mare. She had no idea what she'd say to her, but she wasn't about to let Luna storm off by herself.

The door closed behind her, this time much quieter than before, but the room sat silent. Not even the ticking of a clock to fill the air.

...Until Ruppy opened her mouth.

“Soooo....this is awkward....”

Again, Celestia sighed, “I'm sorry you all had to see that. Luna can be stubborn when she wants to be.”

The owner of the home simply waved a paw, “Meh, it's fine. Nothing got broken, so it's more than I can say for when Star and I got into it last time.”

“Oh yeah?” Ruppy questioned, “What happened?”

“Well, let's just say that big window in the library wasn't there when the house was first built,” the wolf explained before going over to the table, “But I am curious as to why you came here yourself Celestia. Couldn't you have just sent a guard?”

“I had a feeling Luna might reject the meeting,” the alicorn explained, “and a guard can't tell her she must attend without soiling his armor, so I would have had to come here anyway. Besides, I wanted to give you your 'get well' gift myself.”

“My what now?” Silver questioned.

The ivory mare simply smiled and began heading to the back door, “Come on,” she said, sliding the glass open.

The wolf trotted over and followed Celestia out onto the porch. She waved a hoof to the side and presented his gift.

“Tada!” she exclaimed, as Silvers eyes fell upon the magnificent sight. There, on his back porch was an incredibly large hammock.

Well, perhaps hammock isn't the right term. It was more like a bed held up by four chains attached to a porch roof that wasn't there before.

“You...you got me this!?” Silver asked in awe, his tail thumping happily against the floor.

Celestia nodded, “I remembered the first day we met, when I found you in the Houndland palace gardens on the hammock. You seemed to enjoy it quite a lot, so I figured maybe I should get you one of your own. Luna and Twilight helped pick it out though. They said you'd probably like this one the best.”

“They were right!” Silver exclaimed as he jumped onto the furniture. It was shaped into an incredibly large circle with a wooden frame, at least three times his size, and hung from the roof. The mattress and pillows that filled it were the softest he'd ever felt, almost as if they were made from clouds.

“Um, Celestia?” he asked, “Did you build the shelter for it too?”

“I did. It took a little figuring out, but I managed to get it up in time before you all woke up.”

“Before we woke up?” Silver repeated, “How long did it take you to make this?”

“Not too long, about an hour.”

Silver leapt from his seat on the hanging bed and wrapped Celestia in a strong hug, “Thank you!” he squealed.

The alicorn simply giggled and returned the gesture, “You're very welcome. You were injured trying to help Twilight, so I figured the least I could do was give you a comfortable place to rest. Now, I've also went through the trouble of clearing my schedule for the day, so how about we put that hammock to good use?”

Silver pulled away and chuckled, “You know, with words like that, you could give a wolf the wrong idea,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Celestia batted her eyelashes back at him, “Maybe your idea isn't wrong.” Both held their gazes for a moment, before bursting into giggles and laughs.

Amid his laughing, Silver stopped and hopped up, “I almost forgot!” he gasped, before dashing into the house. Celestia just sat in confusion for a few minutes before she saw the wolf re-emerge through the door. He was carrying a large sack on his back, tied around his neck.

“What's all this?” Celestia asked.

Silver proudly dropped the sack onto the floor, allowing it to unfold and reveal it's contents.

“We have snacks, books, magazines, music, and if we get bored, we can go watch movies!” he grinned.

Celestia laughed, “I see you've thought this through. Very well, let the lazy day begin!”





Twilight wondered the halls of Canterlot looking for her angry marefriend. In truth, she wasn't very hard to find. Even if the guards didn't tell her where Luna went, she could still find her just by following the echoing ramblings in the castle.

“Stupid sister, always telling me what to do!”came another ramble. Her voice was somewhat hushed, so Twilight knew she was just talking to herself, “'Oh, you have to attend this meeting! You can't just blow it off'. Ha! Watch me! As if I'd spend even a minute in the same room as that--that stupid little piece of--”

“Luna?”

“KYA!” Luna yelped, jumping to the ceiling. Huffing and panting as she clung to the roof, she eventually calmed herself enough to the point where she realized who had called to her, “Oh, Twilight. It's you,” she said, releasing her hold and flying back down.

“Uh, yeah,” Twilight said, not bothering to comment on the strange display, “I...I was worried about you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Luna huffed, “And I'm sure my sister didn't have anything to do with it.” she remarked bitterly.

“Oh Luna, don't be like that,” her marefriend cooed, rubbing her back gently with a hoof, “I was going to come even if Celestia didn't ask me to, you know that.”

“Would you really?” Luna said with a roll of her eyes, “Are you sure she didn't ask you to convince me to go to the meeting as well?”

“Hey!” Twilight said firmly, “Now you listen to me, I am not here to trick or convince you to do anything. I am only here to make sure that my marefriend is okay and won't go breaking walls and ends up hurting herself. You don't need to treat me like...like some kind of enemy!”

Luna's eyes went wide as she realized what she'd said before her ears folded back and she looked to the ground.

“I'm...I'm sorry, Twilight. I didn't mean it. It's just, this is how Tia's always been. She always orders me around even though we're both princesses.”

Twilight sighed and resumed her back rubbing, “Luna look, I understand why you don't want to meet with the Duke. I don't want to meet with the pony that caused Silver so much pain either, but we have to. It's our duty.”

“No it's not,” Luna replied adamantly, “We're the rulers of Equestria, and he is an outsider who is seeking an audience with us. We have the right to refuse him.”

“Yes I know, but as princesses, we also have the duty of giving every pony a fair chance. I know he's nothing but trouble, but in the eyes of both of our nations, he's done nothing wrong. He's been rude, certainly, but nothing more.”

“Ha! Rude? Wars have been fought for lesser reasons.”

“Come on, Luna,” Twilight tried again, “Even if you attend the meeting, it doesn't mean we have to listen to what he says. He'll come in, make his offer and we can turn him down. After that, we won't have to deal with him again, or at least for a while anyway.”

Luna continued to sit, staring at the floor with an upset scowl. After a minute or two, she just sighed.

“Fine...I'll go. But the first rude remark he makes, and I'll have him thrown out of the window.”

Twilight giggled and pecked Luna's lips, “Agreed. Now, let's get back. I'm sure Silver must be lonely.”

Both mares turned and headed back through the castle and to Silvers home. Upon walking in, they found that the wolf and alicorn were no longer in the living room, but the coal unicorn on the couch pointed a hoof to the back door.

Luna and Twilight trotted over and stepped out onto the porch. Unfortunately, what they saw was not a sight that made either very happy.

Sitting on the newly assembled hammock that they had helped pick out, was Silver and Celestia. The former was sound asleep, while the latter had a scroll floating in front of her...and a wing draped over the canine.

“Sister...” Luna growled, getting the alicorns attention, “Would you be so kind as to remove your wing from my wolf?”

Her voice may have been steady, but the sudden drop in temperature said that calm was anything but what the mare was feeling at the moment.

Celestia looked up from her scroll, then to Silver.

“Oh!” she exclaimed, retracting her wing, “It wasn't what you think! He was shivering in his sleep, so I--”

“Yeah sure,” Luna cut her off before firing up her horn and wrapping her sister in a blue aura. The mare began to float off the bedding while Twilight and Luna made their way over to the hammock and crawled onto it, “First the rude awakening, then you force me to go to a meeting with a moose you know I dislike and now we come back to this? Tell me, are you trying my patience today?”

“Luna, you know I would never do that to you!” Celestia defended, “Just look at him! He's shivering again!”

Both mares on the furniture looked to the wolf, who was now situated between them. Sure enough, he was shaking. Quickly but gently, both of them cuddled into the wolf. It took a moment, but his tremors stopped and he resumed his sleep, though his face still showed an obvious discomfort.

“Well,” Luna continued, “Be that as it may, I would appreciate it if you'd keep your hooves and other appendages off of him.”

Celestia just rolled her eyes, “Luna, if I wanted to be with him, don't you think I would have asked him on a date sometime in the last, oh I don't know, thirty years that I've known him?”

Luna just huffed and turned away, nuzzling her muzzle into the wolfs neck before whispering into his ear.

“Silver, dear. You're okay. It's all just a dream,” she cooed as her horn lit up to cast a spell. A small, white thread came from her horn and touched the top of the canines head. His face slowly fell from its terror filled form and to a much more relaxed one. His body let go of a noticeable tension it had been holding onto and he even let out a sigh of relief.

“Now then you two,” Celestia began now that the wolf had been taken care of, “I understand your apprehensions about attending this meeting with the Duke, but-”

“It's fine, Tia,” Luna interjected once more with a sigh, “We'll go. But know that should I find him to become unpleasant, I will not hesitate to leave.”

Celestia nodded, “That's fine. But there is also another issue,” she added on, “I realized that when the Duke arrives, Silver will still not have healed fully.”

Luna rolled her eyes, “I highly doubt there will be any attempts on our lives by the Duke.”

“Firstly, that's not true. If we were capable of getting the wolves to send us guards as powerful as these, then I'm sure he could also find help of a similar strength. Secondly, even if the Duke doesn't make an attempt, it doesn't mean that some pony else won't. It's not often that all four of us are gathered in one place. And lastly, it was not only an assassination I was worried about. It's Radiance.”

Lunas eyes widened, “Of course. How could I forget? If he sees her at the castle, he'll know we freed her.”

“So,” Twilight pitched in, “We'll either have to have Silver take the roll on while injured, or arrive with only Black Wing and Star Shine. I suppose we could increase the number of guards as well, but if he did bring someone as powerful as those two, or if someone else just as strong tries anything, then all the guards would do is get in the way.”

“We could always bring Ruppy and the others,” Luna suggested, “They may not be as strong as Silver, but they're certainly stronger than the average guards.”

“I already planned on having them come,” Celestia explained, “And along with five others I had hoof picked myself. A total of nine powerful ponies would be in the room, along with Star Shine and Black Wing.”

“Still wouldn't be enough,” Silver said, finally waking from his sleep. All three mares turned their attention to the wolf, who yawned and stretched his paws.

“What do you mean?” Celestia asked, “The other two are as powerful as you. And with Rup--”

“He has the same protection,” Silver interrupted, “Little Horn hired Aurora, and she's not only from the Fallen Star Pack, one of the two packs strong enough to rival our own, but also one of it's Alphas. If she brings her whole squad, then you'd be screwed. And that's if it's the Duke that tries something. I can't even begin to list off the number of assassins that could wipe the floor with all three of us.”

“Surely you can't be serious,” Luna begged.

Silver just nodded, “Potential outside assassins aside, just one of Auroras betas could clear out every pony guard in there, and that includes Onyx and Ruppy. We were lucky that they didn't get killed the last time she was here. But if she brings all twelve of her betas and she fights as well, then there's going to be trouble. Just Black Wing or Star Shine would be enough to handle the betas, while the other takes Aurora, but if they're too busy trying to protect all four of you, then they'll have have a hard time. So I'm going too.”

“What?! No!” Twilight protested, “Silver, you can't! You're not going to be healed by then!”

“I'll be fine,” he said, “Even like this, I could still take the betas as long as Star and Black have the rest of you covered.”

“You won't be fighting!” Twilight said firmly, “Not until I know you're fully healed.”

Silver just chuckled, “Yeah, I know. I don't have any intention of fighting either. If worst comes to worst, I'll let Black handle it while me and Star look after all of you.”

Twilight let out a sigh of relief, “Okay then. As long as you're not in the thick of it, it's fine.”

The wolf laughed once more, “Yeah. It'll all be fine.”
> The Azure King and Why Am I Crying?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the lazy day rolled on, Silver found his company of three mares dwindle down to just Celestia again. It would seem that even though the ivory alicorn cleared her schedule, her co-ruler still had duties to preform.

Twilight was the first to leave, and shortly after Luna did as well, though not without warning her sister to watch her hoofs. Celestia simply rolled her eyes at the mare.

“Honestly,” she sighed, after the Luna had closed the door and taking her spot back on the hammock, “I'd forgotten how jealous she can get some times.”

Silver chuckled as she sat down next to him, “Well I wouldn't say jealous. Jealousy implies that you have something she doesn't. I think she territorial. She's just protecting what's already hers.”

“Oh? So you agree with her then?” Celestia questioned.

Silver shrugged, “I know you didn't mean anything by it, but I can understand why she'd be upset. I mean, if I came back and found Black Wing with his wing over her, I don't think I'd be nearly as composed as she was.”

“It would seem you're both irrational then,” Celestia concluded.

“Not irrational. Just territorial. But I wouldn't expect you to understand. When was the last time you had a stallion of your own?”

The ivory mare stiffened at the subject, her cheeks turning a brilliant pink, “I-I've had plenty of coltfriends over the years,” she defended, “Th-that's none of your concern!”

“Ooooh?” Silver said with a devilish smile of his own, “Tia, you may be a magnificent liar when it comes to political issues, but you really can't keep your own secrets.”

“Shut up!”

“Oh, no. For making my marefriend mad, I'm subjecting you to an interrogation of the most personal and embarrassing degree.”

“I'll just not answer your question then!”

“Tia, it's written all over your face,” the wolf said flatly, only causing her to blush harder, “Now, for the first question. When was the last time you got a good dicking?”

…

SMACK

...Perhaps it was his cocky attitude. Perhaps it was that he pushed the joke to far. Perhaps it was because he used the word “Dicking” to describe sex. Regardless of the reason, Silver suddenly found himself whacked across the cheek with the full force of an alicorn hoof.

….said force was strong enough to knock the wolf clean off the seat and right into the side of the house.

The crash reverberated across the mountain as birds took flight from the trees. The huffing and puffing of the embarrassed mare across from him was all the accompanied the flaps of the wings. While his head was still stuck wall, he could feel her eyes glaring daggers at him.

Silver groaned as he unstuck his head, smacking his lips, “Huh...I think that's the first time you've ever hit me.”

“WELL IT WAS FOR A DAMN GOOD REASON!!”

The wolf couldn't hold it in. The way Celestias face became a bright red, how her snout scrunched up and her little huffs of angry breaths sent him onto his back, howling with laughter.

“STOP LAUGHING!” the flustered mare shouted, which of course only made him laugh harder.

“I-I don't think I-HAHAHA! I don't think I've ever seen you like this!! HAHAH!” he wheezed out.

Celestia simply turned away, pouting with rage. After a few more minutes of Silvers torment, the wolf finally managed to collect himself enough.

“Hahah...aha....haaaa,” he sighed as he wiped a tear from his eye, “I haven't laughed like that in a while.”

“I hope you pulled your stitches,” she cursed at him.

The wolf paused and looked over his body, “Mmmm, nah. I think I'm good. Although, I think your slap knocked my tooth loose.”

“Good!” she shouted, “Honestly, who asks something like that? And in such a..a..”

“Vulgar way?”

“Yes!”

“Um, me. You should know this. Besides, I'm pretty sure I've asked you worse than that.”

Celestia went to argue, but stopped as she remembered all of their less decent conversations, “...Yes, I suppose that is true. I remember you asked me once if I pee in the shower.”

“Exactly! And I know you openly answered that!” Silver exclaimed, trotting back over and hopping into his seat, “So why slap me for asking about your sex life? I'm pretty sure you know almost every detail about mine, and that's only because you got me drunk and asked for them. Why can't I know about yours?”

Celestia hesitated for a moment. She hadn't spoken of the subject to any pony. Ever. It was none of their concern, after all. She was a princess, and even if she weren't, she still didn't have any obligation to share her sex life with anyone. But Silver had a point.

For all the times she asked, he was always open about his relationships, even if she did have to get him drunk on occasion to get him to share. She could at least do the same.

And so , for the hundredth time that day, Celestia sighed. But this one was far different from its predecessors . It was long, and tired. And...

Lonely...

“Silver...truth be told, I haven't been with a stallion or mare for a long time, not sexually or romantically. When I first met you, I was still single and had been for quite some time. And when I realized you'd be willing to joke with me about those things...I don't know, I suppose it was an outlet of sorts.”

“An outlet?”

The mare nodded, “I honestly don't think I can handle a relationship. I'm far too busy and probably wouldn't have any time to go see them or spend time with them. And that's just my schedule. Heavens knows what other problems I have in my life.”

“Other issues aside, you managed to spend the day with me,” Silver reminded.

Celestia let out a chuckle, “Yes, and only because I've put in extra hours all week. Even working that much has only gotten me today off,” the mare crossed her front hooves and laid her head down.

“Silver. I'm tired,” her voice became heavy with exhaustion, “I've been doing this alone for a thousand years, and even longer with Luna before that. I love this country and my little ponies that live in it. It's my home, and I don't want to be anywhere else, but....this....this has been going on for so long. I-I've been alone for so long....” The ancient mare closed her eyes, allowing her muzzle to slip beneath a hoof to hide her tear.

She did not sob.

She did not huff or puff.

She did not shake.

She did not whimper.

Just a single tear, rolling freely down her cheek.

“Celestia,” Silvers warm voice came, “I'm not going to pretend to say I understand your situation. We live completely different lives. You're a princess, and that's kinda hard for someone to approach and flirt with, much less actually date. But you don't have to spend every moment with the pony you're with.”

The mares ears twitched for a moment, but she said nothing.

“Or have you forgotten that I'm dating two princesses? And I have to train four ponies. And look for the elusive signer of a book no one even knew existed. And while I understand that the majority of these things concern all three of us, we're all still very busy. We can't all be together all the time, but it's the times when we are that are the most important.”

A small giggle actually came from the alicorn, “You're being all lovey,” she teased. In truth, he actually gave her hope. She knew he had a point. Luna might not have had a schedule as busy as hers, but she was still busy nonetheless. And Twilight as well. In fact, between the three of them, she found it rather amazing that they had any time for each other at all.

“Now come on,” Silver pleaded, nudging her neck with his snout, eliciting another laugh, “Stop being Princess Pouty Pants.”

Celestia lifted her head with the second nudge that came, “Alright!” she laughed, “Geez, I don't see how those two stand your cold nose all the time.”

“Oh, it's by my understanding that they love it. Especially the places I put it in~” he chuckled.

The ivory mare groaned, “Alright, I don't need to hear about the sexcapades that go on between you, my little sister and my former student.”

“Really? Cause I mean, you were talking about an orgy with the four of us earlier.”

“Only to tease that new mare. What's her name again?”

“Sica,” Silver reminded, “Which reminds me, just where did she wander off to?”

“Oh, she left down the mountain path earlier while you were asleep,” Celestia informed, “I believe she was with that Beats stallion. In fact, I think Onyx and Ruppy may be skipping training today.”

Silver shook his head, “Onyx doesn't skip training, she just trains in something else. Chances are, she's probably either with Twilight or down stairs in the smith room. But Ruppy on the other paw, I need to make sure she's not slacking off.”

Celestia chuckled, “Very well then. Shall we go make sure your mares are doing their jobs?”

“Yes, let's.”





It was unusually bright in the smith room. It had no windows, but the furnace, when lit, provided the room with plenty of light to see. There was only one light bulb in the room, and it was old, providing very little visibility.

The coal mare in the room pondered why the wolf wouldn't install more lights. Surely he must not keep the furnace on all the time while he was in there. But then again, he wouldn't need it to be on unless he were using it for something, and the only reason why he'd be in the room would be if he were going to use it.

So in a way, it made sense. No need for a light bulb. The furnace worked just fine.

….Unless, of course, you're not actually using the damn thing. Silver may have worked with it all the time, but Onyx certainly didn't. Making jewelry didn't always require a furnace, usually just a kiln. So the lack of steady lighting made it difficult for the mare to see what she was doing. The flicking of the flames caused the shadows of the needle and thread to change and distorted, making it harder for her to pinpoint the location she needed to stitch.

That, and the feeling of a pair of eyes watching her.

They'd been there for a while, ever since she came into the room. Their gaze never left her for a moment, and something told her the eyes watching her were familiar.

After an hour and a half of being watched, Onyx sighed and turned to the door, finally annoyed with the spying, “Ruppy, what do you want?”

She couldn't see her body, but Onyx could still tell the mare stiffened when called out. There was a pause for a moment, before a nervous chuckle came from the hall.

“Hehe....soo....how long did you know?” the pegasus asked as she slowly opened the door and stepped in.

“Since I started working,” Onyx admitted before turning back to her work, “Why are you watching me?”

“Well I was just kinda curious mostly. I usually only ever see you make stuff out of little trinkets and things you find on the ground. I wanted to see what you could really do.” The mare walked over to the work bench Onyx was sitting at and stared at the piece before her.

“Wait...” she said as she examined it closer, “This...this is a--”

Before Ruppy could finish her sentence, a black hoof was stuck in her mouth, “It's not and shut up!” Onyx denied.

Even with the hoof still in her mouth, Ruppys grin grew wider, “Smp smits smo smer!”

“No, it's not. Shut up. It's just a thing I made to practice.”

Again, the grin grew, but this time the sandy mare stepped back so she can speak, “So is it almost done!?” she asked excitedly.

Onyx shrugged and turned back to the item, “Kinda. I still have to finish the stitching and the name pla--”

….too late. She said it.

Slowly, the unicorn turned to find Ruppy staring wide eyed with the biggest smile she'd ever seen. She'd give that Pinkie Pie mare a run for her bits.

“Finish it today, and then show it!” she exclaimed.

“NO!” Onyx defended, “I can't do that! It'd be weird!”

Ruppy just blew raspberries, “Pfft! Like you haven't done weirder. Come on! Please!?!” she begged, but Onyx refused to budge.

“No.”

The pegasus rolled her eyes and sighed, “Fine then,” before turning around and leaving.

With the peace and quiet restored to the room, Onyx got back to work. Without the feeling of being watched, she found it much easier to concentrate on the threading and stitching. After about an hour or so, she'd finally finished her pet project. The leather (fake obviously) had been all sewn together. The silver name plate on the front was centered and held down by the strings laced through the holes drilled  into it. On the inside of the piece, the words had all been burned in neat and gone over with a permanent staining ink.

All in all, it was a rather simple build, but elegant all the same. Now, what to do---

“….where did it go?”

“Why am I being dragged by my tail?”

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!?!?”

The coal mare soon found herself out of the smith room and at the end of the hall. She was moving quickly towards the stairs, but before she reached the bottom step, her rear was lifted off the floor and she began to fly....by her tail....upside down.

As uncomfortable as the position was, she was finally able to see her captor. And who else should it be but the only pegasus in the house.

“Ruppy, put me down!”

“Nope!” she rejected, “We're doing this now.”

“Doing this...RUPPY NO!”

“Too late! Silver!!!” she quickly shouted as they reached to the top floor. Refusing to let Onyx get away, she held her tail tight in her hooves and and dragged her along until they were in the living room before sitting down and shouting again, “SILVER, GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!”

Just after calling, the back door slid open and the wolf and alicorn stepped inside.

“Ruppy, Onyx,” Silver greeted, “We were just about to come find you. I hope you two weren't slacking off.”

Onyx continued to struggle and attempt to crawl away, but Ruppys grip on her tail was like a maticores jaw. Every time she pulled away, the mare would just yank her back. Eventually, she sat her up right and forced the craft she snatched off the work table into the unicorns hooves just as Silver and Celestia came around the couch to see them.

“Well, I was. But Onyx here was working on something very special,” she teased as she pushed the mare to sit in front of her.

Onyx quickly hid the item behind her back. Now if only she could do the same for the blush on her muzzle.

“I was not!” Onyx refuted, refusing to look the two being in front of her in the eye. Celestia, she could handle. She wasn't worried about what the princess thought of her. But Silver....

“Well go on!” Ruppy coaxed.

The coal mare squeezed her eyes shut and looked away.

“Onyx?” Silver asked, “Is everything okay?”. For a brief moment, a pair of sapphire eyes flicked up to meet his, then shot back down to the floor.

"Ony--?" he tried again.

"Screw it!"

The wolf was cut off by the sudden feeling of something wrapping around his neck. Well, not something. But somepony.

Looking down, he saw it was indeed Onyx that had just thrown her hooves around his neck. She didn't say anything. She just held onto him for a minute, although he could feel her hooves moving around on the back of his neck.

After a moment, she let go, falling back onto her haunches and again, refusing to look the wolf in the eye and just stared at the tile. The blush in her cheeks still present, possibly more so than before and she sat while scuffing a hoof. The strange thing was that, even after she let go, he could still feel something clinging to his neck.

“I...I made it for you,” she admitted.

Silver looked down. Around his neck was a collar. It was made from a deep brown leather, almost a dark auburn. On the front, there was a square, silver plating, with four holes drilled into each corner. Looping through the holes were black strings that held it in place.

Silver tugged at it with a paw. On the inside, there was a messaged burned.

“For the one who rules the skies.”

He let it go and ran a paw over the plating on the front.

“The Azure King,” Onyx read for him, causing him to cock his head in confusion, “I figured since everypony else was getting you a get well gift, that I should get you one too. But I wanted to make it special. I didn't just want to print your name on it, I thought it would be too simple, but I didn't want to use one of your old titles either. So I...made you a new one," her last words slowly dipped into a whisper, coming out in a half rushed manner.

Silver just looked down at her in amazement.

“Do...do you like it?”

The was a pause after her question, but then in a swift moment, Onyx found herself lifted off the ground and wrapped up in a hug. At first, she thought it was Ruppys doing, but then realized that the one embracing her was much, much softer. The laughs that came from the captor were much deeper and filled her tummy with butterflies.

“Like it?! I love it!!!” he exclaimed as her spun her around. Onyx squealed and clung to him, mostly in an attempt to not go flying across the room, “Onyx, this means more to me than you could possibly imagine. Thank you so much!”

“Does...does it really?” she asked as he set her down, much to her dismay.

“Of course! For so long, all the world has ever thought of me as is the things the books call me. Fallen King. Dog of the damned. Shinning Fang. But you! You've given me something new! A new name that isn't stained with blood and death! Something I can finally build my life off of the way I want to,” he leaned forward and wrapped her in another hug, this one much more gentle but even more loving than the one before, “Thank you.”

“I—it—jus--,” in essence...Silver just broke Onyx.

“I believe the words you're looking for are, 'You're welcome',” Celestia chimed in.  The coal mare simply meeped and nodded her head. She did it. She made him happy. She made him smile in a way no other mare had done before. And all with a simple gift and a name.

Who'd have thought? To Onyx, it was an embarrassing gift at first. But now, it held some much more and not just to her. 

Silver chuckled and released his hug, “As much as I love this, you two do need to get to training. Beats and Sica are already out there.”

Onyx groaned, but complied anyways. Arguing right now would only ruin the mood, “Fine...Come on Ruppy.”

She turned around and went to the hall, but realized the pegasus didn't follow her after a few steps.

“Ruppy?” she called, looking back over her shoulder only to find the mare laying on the floor on her back, “Ruppy!”

The mare lying down snapped up and looked around, “WHO!? HUH?! WAIT! WHAT?!” she rushed out. It wasn't until she calmed down that she realized everyone was staring at her. She sat with a confused look on her face, one that mirrored the expressions the others in the room were giving her.

“Oh, right. Sorry. I just died a little from cuteness overload,” she excused before hopping to her hooves, “Alright, come on. Let's go.”

The coal mare simply rolled her eyes as the two left and went down the hall. Once they were out of ear shot, Celestia leaned forward and whispered into Silvers ear, “Aren't you gonna tell her?”

“I'm not.”

The alicorn raised a brow, “Are you sure? It'll be embarrassing if she finds out later.”

“...valid point. I'll try to find some time later. But for now, I just want her to feel proud for making this for me,” he said, running a paw over the collar.

Celestia sighed, “Alright. Just don't let the others see it. You know how they'll react.”

“Meh, they'll be fine. Speaking of which, Star said she wanted to see us the other day about the Zodiac Tome.”

“Oh joy,” Celestia said with a roll of her eyes, “Because that book has been all sunshine and smiles.”

Silver just chuckled as he went to the counter, pulling a note pad from one of the drawers and a pen before scribbling down a message.

He spit the pen out, “Well would you rather it be something helpful and not know about it?”

The mare went to argue for a moment, but stopped, “I suppose you have a point. Oh well. So much for a lazy day.”

Silver just laughed as he headed for the door, “We can always have it another time.”





The sound of whirring fans and beeps of machines filled a large laboratory. It provided an odd background noise, one that seemed to fill the air with an occupied silence. Even with all the machines running, the wolf in the room found it strangely quiet.

...Or she would, if she even noticed the sounds in the first place. Instead, she had her muzzle buried in papers and reports. Numbers, formulas, chemicals and analyzed samples were strung about the room in a seemingly messy fashion. To anyone else, it would be chaos, but to her, it was a massive system.

The wolf was so caught up in her work, she didn't even notice the presence of two other beings enter the room.

“Star!” Silver called to no avail. Rolling his eyes, he trotted over to the wolf in the center of the room who was mumbling incoherent words that wouldn't have made any sense to him even if he could hear them clear.

“Star!” he tried again, this time tapping her shoulder. She actually moved this time...but away from him. She walked over to a machine tucked away in the corner, her eyes never leaving the paper in front of her. She poked some buttons on the machine, it started up and began doing...something.

At this point, Silver didn't particularly care what the machine did, just as long as the one operating it would pay attention to them.

Finally fed up with being ignored, Silver resulted to his last resort. He didn't like to do it, mostly because it made him feel really awkward, but also because he knew he'd have to apologize to three girls later on.

So, with his “I'm sorry's” all planned out in his head, the wolf walked over and sat down behind Star Shine.

He pulled a paw back and....

SMACK!

The loud clap of his paw against the rear end of Star Shine seemed to make the machines whirs fall silent. The moment his paw made contact, her head snapped up. Now she just stared at the wall, ears at attention, a look of discomfort and shock written across her face, and a strange twitch the suddenly developed in her eye.

“Do I have your attention?” he asked, almost sarcastically.

Star Shine slowly turned her head, “Yes...along with my hate. Now, do you want to explain to me why you seem to find it acceptable to touch my butt?”

Again Silver rolled his eyes, “For one, you weren't paying attention again. This is the only way to get you away from your work. Second, I've known you for a hundred years. I've touched your butt more than all of your ex's combined. And lastly, you called us here, remember?”

The strange twitch that Star Shine had developed slowly began to fade, although the whole “known you for a hundred years” bit still annoyed her. She did a quick shake of her head before leaning to look behind Silver.

There, she saw an alicorn with her mouth hanging wide open. She had to struggle not to laugh at the slack jawed sight, but some how found a way not to.

“Um, P-Princess?” Star called, barely containing herself, “I-I'd like to show you something.”

Celestia blinked a few times before finally closing her mouth and walked over to the two wolves, “So, if I understand correctly,” she said to Silver, “You can touch her butt, but I can't put a wing over you?”

“Oh no, I'm still going to tell Luna and Twilight later,” Silver clarified, “I'm sure they'll be upset but it's nothing they can't get over.”

“Uh-huh...” the ivory mare nodded and turned her attention to Star Shine, “So, you said you had something to show us?”

“Ah! Yes!” the wolf exclaimed, rushing over to another machine in the room and pulling some papers from it before running back, “So I ran another analysis on the Zodiac Tome, this time with some magic properties, and I think Onyx was right. I think Nightmare Moon may have written this and not Princess Luna,” Star Shine gave the papers to Celestia to look over, “The results show that while the magics used to make the book were indeed similar to the Princess's, they were weren't the same. There was a far darker element used in the creation of this book.”

“Hmm...” Celestia hummed as her eyes scanned the paper. Despite popular belief, Celestia had quite the adept understanding of science. She was the one who taught Twilight everything she knew after all.

Upon looking over the paper, the mares eye caught something...unusual.

“Star Shine,” she said, floating to paper down to where they could both see it, “This magic signature here. It doesn't seem to belong to either Luna or Nightmare Moon.”

“That's what I called you here for,” Star Shine explained, “If it were just the case of the book being made by Nightmare, I would have told everyone all at once. But the signature you pointed out didn't belong to either her or Luna.”

“Did it come from the signer?” Silver asked.

Star nodded her head, “I think so,” she said as she went over to yet another machine, this time flicking her tail to indicate she wanted the other two to follow. They did and watched her as she pressed numerous buttons on a computer before a chart popped up on the screen above it, “The dating on the traces of magic were indeed from 400 years ago.”

“Wait,” Silver chimed in, “I thought you said the book couldn't be dated.”

“The book can't. Whatever materials it's made from or whatever enchantment that may have been cast on it keep it from deteriorating, so carbon dating is useless. But the third magic traces aren't from the book. They're from the ink used to sign the back, and that was a completely separate material. If a spell was cast on it, then the ink wasn't there when it was.”

“So, you've confirmed that the signer of the book was different from it's creator?” Celestia asked, receiving a nod from Star Shine, “Is there anything else you can tell about it from it's magic traces?”

“Nothing aside from the fact that it's old. I don't think I've seen anything as ancient as that. I was going to ask Black Wing if he knew anything to help specify things.”

Silver sighed, “If anyone knew anything about ancient magic, it'd be him. Alright, ask him and see what he knows. If anything, at least we know Nightmare Moon had a hoof in this. Maybe we can find some way to...I don't know, summon her and ask.”

Celestia snapped her head towards the wolf, “You would bring the mare back? Do you realize what that would mean?”

“If you're referring to the risk of her taking over Luna, then yes. And no, I wouldn't be stupid enough to let that happen. There are other ways to draw out another side of someone.”

“And you're sure these methods come with no risk to Luna?” Celestia clarified.

Silver turned his eyes away from the mare, “It wouldn't put Luna at risk...but--”

“NO!” Star yelled, “Silver, I know what you're thinking and the answer is no!”

“Well how the hell else do you want us to figure this out?” Silver countered.

“First, we still haven't met with that asshat you call a source. If he does know something, then we might not need to drag Nightmare Moon out. Second, even if we do have to, how  would you expect us to control her? Did you forget she's an alicorn too and that the Elements of Harmony have been lost?”

“We'll call Luna and the others if we have too,” Silver replied, “Without the princess as her vessel, she wouldn't be as powerful. She might have the form of an alicorn, but I doubt she would be fully fledged.”

“Ahem,” Celestia called, getting the bickering wolves to stop, “Perhaps we should continue this discussion with Luna later. Like Star Shine said, there is no immediate need for us to speak with Nightmare Moon. We will meet with your source first. Which reminds me, when will we be doing that?”

“As soon as I'm in a decent condition,” Silver answered, “He's a bit unpredictable, and while I doubt a fight would break out,  I'd rather he didn't take advantage of me being weakened.”

“So sometime after the meeting with the Duke then?” Celestia asked and Silver nodded, “Very well. I'll go tell others what we've found.”

With that, the ivory mare turned and exited, leaving behind two wolves. One of which was studying the other with a small but seemingly terrifying smile.

“Silver?” Star asked, her cold smile never fading, “When did you get married? I'd love to hear all about it."

Silver chuckled, tugging nervously at the collar that had gotten into this, “Hehe....about that..”
> Ignorance is Bliss and Silver's Stupid Kiss
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“And you just stood there and didn't tell her?” Star Shine questioned. After Celestia had left, they moved their conversation to the home owners bedroom, and were about to head out into the castle to go back to Silvers.

“Well what did you want me to say?” Silver defended, “Onyx is a very sweet but shy mare. Can you imagine how embarrassed she'd be if I told her that she just got married to me? And in front of Ruppy and Tia too!”

Star mulled it over for a moment, “Hmm, yeah you've got a point. But you still do need to tell her. Just be glad Black Wing or I wasn't there. Then it'd be official.”

“Yeah, I know,” Silver sighed, “Tia said I should tell her too. I just hope she doesn't freak out too much.”

The two left Star's home and went into the castle, heading down the hall and to the door for Silvers. Walking in, they headed to the back porch and slid the door open, intending on checking on the four trainees.

“So when are you going to tell her?” Star asked.

“Probably some time tonight. Onyx stays up later than the others, so I'll do it then.”

The female canine couldn't help but giggle, “Have fun with that. And don't forget to explain things to the Princesses too. I'm pretty sure Princess Luna knows what collars mean for wolves.”

“One problem at a time,” Silver sighed.

As the two came up to the training spot, the coal mare they were discussing had appeared before them. Silver still had her on the leaf cutting training, though it seemed that would not be needed for much longer.

With a powerful kick, Onyx bucked the trees and a rain of leaves fell free from it's branches. She quickly pivoted around, her hooves and body gracefully falling into stance.

Her shifting was so fluid. She's done the exact same motions hundreds of times in the past three weeks she'd started and now the movements had become ingrained in her body. 

“She's learning as fast as I did.”

Just as the leaves reached half way to the ground, Onyx's blades blurred. Each one easily found it's path from one leaf to the next, never missing a target. It was over by the time it began. Just as quickly as she started shredding, she stopped.

The cleaved leaves were tossed away in a breeze, and a clap from behind drew the mares attention.

“Beautiful,” Silver applauded, “Simply astounding. When did you finish the training?”

“A few days ago,” Onyx admitted, brushing half of a leave out of her mane, “I wanted to keep doing it for a little while longer though, to make sure I had it down.”

“And do you?” Star asked.

The unicorn nodded, bucking the tree once more before turning and swinging her blades. Once again, the leaves were cut clean in half and blown away. Onyx turned and faced the two observing wolves.

Silver grinned, “Perfect! Now if Ruppy and Aerial are done with theirs, then we can move onto the next stage.”

“What about Beats and Sica?” Onyx asked, “Won't they get left behind?”

Silver shook his head, “Their schedules timing is different from the three of yours since they came in later. Besides, they aren't using magic. Beats just needs martial arts training and body conditioning. Anything else added on will be through his own choosing. And Sica....well, in truth I'm not really sure how to train her. There's no point in combat training, she has plenty of experience. I'll probably just let her train her own way and have her help out with the rest of you.”

The coal unicorn nodded and trotted up to his side to follow.

“Alright then,” Silver said, turning back to go to the path towards Ruppy and Aerial, “Let's go see how the others are doing.”





Silver knew both mares were gifted.

Aerial may not have an affinity for violence, but her potential as a wind magic user was significantly higher than most. Add in the fact that she's an earth pony, and you get a near mythical result.

And yet still even with the unlikely odds, the mare was floating four boulders at least seven feet above her head with remarkable ease. Each one was roughly three times her size. Even for a unicorn with telekinesis, this feat would be no simple task.

Of course, the pegasus below on the slope was equally impressive. As Aerial launched two of the boulders into the air and the other two rolling down the slope, Ruppy seemed almost bored.

Instead of waiting for the boulders to reach her, the tan mare bolted up the slope, crushing the closest one with a single strike and moved onto the next. She jumped up and onto the rolling rock, then kicked off it, the force of her hind legs shattering it.

With using her wings, Ruppy easily managed to reach the same height as the boulders in the air. A single jab from one of her hooves crushed each one, sending dust and pebbles raining down below.

As Ruppy flapped her wings and and hovered in the air for a moment, Silver took notice of something.

Around her body, there was a thin, golden light being emitted.

“Is she producing earth magic? How? I thought Aerial was the only one who could use Elemental Magic. Unless...unless it's been laying dormant all this time and the gauntlets triggered it. After all, any creature can use it. Hmm...”

“Girls!” Silver called, gaining the attention of both the mares, “That's enough! Come here for a moment!”

Aerial quickly hopped down from the ledge, floating herself down to where the others waited while Ruppy just flew.

“What's up?” the tan mare asked as she landed in front of them, Aerial beside her.

“Could I see your gauntlets for a moment?” Silver asked. Ruppy shot him a quizzical look for a moment before shrugging and taking them off.

Silver took them and slipped them over his own paws. It took a moment, but the wolf connected with the weapon.

“Sir?”

“I'm wondering, the magic Ruppy just used. Was it the same as the one I imbued you with?”

“In a way. The mare has enormous reserves of raw power locked away. I tapped into it and just gave it an element. It's like making food. She has the raw ingredients, I just gave it some spice for flavor.”

“So that aura line of earth magic around her body was a combination of the two of you?”

“Yes. Is that a problem?”

“Not at all. In fact, it's rather curious.”

Silver shook his head and removed the gauntlets, “Sorry, just had to check something. In any case, I believe all of you have progressed far enough to move onto the next stage. It may take a few days to get things in order though, so continue with this for now.”

“Sweet!” Ruppy hoof pumped, “So what are we gonna do next!?”

“So far I've had the two of you do generalized training to get you used to using your weapons. Now I'm going to teach you how to use them. We'll be focusing on developing your personal fighting styles and how to apply them to combat. We'll also be expanding on your magics. In short, you'll be doing a lot of sparring and thinking. In fact, I'd like the three of you to think about what abilities you'd like to focus on and how you'd like to employ them for the next few days until I get everything set up.”

“Wait,” Aerial chimed in, “The three of us? You mean me too?”

Silver nodded, “Especially you Aerial. Your ability to use Elemental Magic depends on how clearly you want to use it. If you think that wielding wind magic just means that you get to make breezes all day, then you're terribly mistaken. We've learned control and built a strong foundation of magic, now you need to figure out what you're going to build from it.”

Aerial nodded vigorously. The prospect of personalizing her magic sounded like fun! Like she was finally making her magic her own!

“But what about the other two?” Ruppy asked.

“I've got plans lined up for them as well,” the wolf explained, “Sica does her own thing, and Beats should be relatively easy to train.”

“If you'd like, I could help train them,” Star Shine offered, “I can spar with Beats, or at least let him use the training sim, and see if Sica needs anything else.”

“That would be perfect!” Silver exclaimed, “Right! Now that that's settled, I would like you all to continue with what you've been doing until I say otherwise.”

“What're you gonna go do?” Ruppy asked.

Silver hung his head and sighed, “Confess.”





Beats could be found in the clearing of the forest, the same spot he and Star Shine had used for sparring. His newly acquired headphones rested over his ears as the music flowed through him.

The song playing this time was different than the others, or at least most of the others. It wasn't wild, or powerful. No, it was something else. It was calming; soothing even. It didn't provide him with the rush the other songs had, but that was okay. He liked how this one felt. He'd listened to it before, and even asked Vinyl about it. Turns out, it was a sub-genre of her Dubstep, called Chillstep.

As the music played, his body moved in rhythm with it. His movements were not quick and jagged like before, but smooth, flowing from one motion to the next, almost like a falling feather. He found his balance far easier to achieve, and his senses were the only thing that were affected in the same way as before. He could see everything, every little movement, though without the rush of the music, the world seemed serene and peaceful. Every little twitch of the leaves seemed so smooth.

Even the ones of the mare in the bushes.

She wasn't easy to spot. Her body was completely concealed, and if it weren't for the shifting of the leaves, he never would have noticed her.

She'd been there for a while, though he couldn't say how long. What was most curious was why she bothered watching him. He honestly had no idea, but as the last beats of the song rang out, the stallion lifted a hoof to hit pause on the headphones before the next track could be played, and removed them from his head.

"Um, can I help you?" he asked, turning directly to the bush. No response came, and for a moment, he thought he might have been wrong about there being someone there.

That was until he heard a rustle come from behind him. Snapping his head around, he found Sica emerging from the shadows of a tree.

"You're good," she complimented, "Though I suspect that's in part of your headphones."

Beats shrugged, "You have a point. These things are pretty neat, and I can notice a lot more things than normal with them."

Sica giggled, "Well aren't you the humble one."

"I try," he said back, "Do you mind telling me why you're watching me?"

"What if I do mind telling you that?" she quirked, fluttering her eyes for some reason. Beats couldn't help but wonder if she was trying to flirt.

"Then I'll simply go back to my training," he answered anyway.

This actually made the mare raise a brow, "Really? What if I intend to harm you?"

Beats chuckled a bit at this, "If you wanted to hurt me, then you would have when my back was turned. That was the point of the distraction, wasn't it?"

Sica couldn't help but playfully smile, "My my, humble and smart. But also a little off mark. I made the distraction out of habit. Though that being said, you still did well to reveal it. I'm very good at hiding things after all."

"I can see that," he retorted, "So are you going to tell me why you're watching me?"

Sica eyed the stallion up and down, as if she were gauging him, "Hmm....very well," She conceded, wandering around him in small circles, "In truth I was simply curious about you."

"Curious?"

"Yes. You're different from the others. There's a kindness in your eyes, one that seems to be a bit out of place for some pony who wants to be here."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means, I don't understand why you're here. With the others, it's rather easy to tell. Ruppy is ambitious and power hungry. Onyx just wants to please Silver. And Aerial is trying to discover herself. But you....I still can't figure you out.

"I suppose there's always the idea that you're just trying to provide for your little sister, but that seems a bit wrong. After all, if you were then why not take up a job at that DJ's club? I'm sure she pays too. But no, instead you come here. You become a guard for the princess and learn to fight. I can't understand why."

After her pondering was over, Sica stopped her circles and watched Beats sit on his haunches. She watched his ruby red eyes met the ground and his brow furrow with contemplation. He remained like that for a moment, and then looked up to her.

"Hmm...." he hummed, studying her as he did. He couldn't deny that he was rather curious about this mare as well.

Well, perhaps curious isn't the right word. He was more...fixated, more so on the way she carried herself than anything. The small grin she wore everywhere she went; the saunter she had in her steps; her playful, almost flirtatious way of speaking. But what caught his attention the most were her eyes. The way they fell to a half lidded form, as if everything around her were some game she was in complete control of. It was borderline arrogant, but still alluring all the same.

He wouldn't deny she was a pretty mare, which may have attributed to his interest in her, but he still knew that behind all those features, the mysterious air that followed her everywhere; there was something dangerous. Something cold and sharp, like a knife.

Yes, just like her name implied. This mare was a dagger dressed with the finest of gems.

"I know I'm rather pretty, but I'd rather you didn't keep staring," she cooed, breaking the stallion from his trance, "Though that's not to say I don't find your attention to be undesirable. You are a handsome stallion after all, even if you're a bit young."

Beats shook his stare away, "Sorry," he apologized, though the blush in his cheeks decided to make itself known.

Sica simply giggled, "Quite alright. Although, since I did answer your question, might you answer mine?" she asked.

Beats shrugged before looking to her again, "You want to know why I'm here?" he asked, earning a nod from the mare.

The stallion turned to the sky for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. Sica instinctively leaned forward, nearing the tips of her hooves. Her curiosity was finally about to be put to rest. He turned his head back and looked to her with a large grin plastered on his muzzle before saying, "I have absolutely no clue."

The mare fell flat on her face.

"Ooooh," Beats winced, "You, uh....you okay there?"

Sica lifted face from the dirt, "What do you mean you have no clue?" she asked, nearly on the verge of a growl.

"Exactly that," he said, offering her a hoof and lifting her off the ground, "You were right when you said I'm trying to provide for Scoots, but I can get other jobs. In truth, I actually took this one to pay back Onyx and Ruppy, but even then I could have said no. I'm sure they would have understood. So in other words, I don't really have any reason to be here. I just kinda am."

Sicas eye suddenly developed a twitch, "I--you--but---...I give up," she sighed in defeat, letting her head hang, "I was thinking you were the one pony here that might be normal. But no, you're just....ugh..."

"Hm, I don't think I've ever been described like that before, but I'll take it I guess. But why does it bother you so much?"

"It bothers me because I can't understand it. You're not normal, but you're not like the rest of us. You don't have a reason to be here."

"Well just because I don't have a reason to be here doesn't mean I don't want to be here. I like it here. Silvers cool, Onyx and Ruppy always make things fun, Aerial's relatable and you seem to add a little something else into the mix. Besides, I get to talk with the princesses. Who wouldn't want this job?"

" You say I add 'something else'?" she questioned, "What do you mean by that?"

Beats shrugged, "Dunno. It's kinda hard to explain. But I like it though."

Again, Sica sighed, "You're impossible."

"Perhaps," he agreed, "But what about you? Why are you here?"

Sica rolled her eyes, "Isn't it obvious? Look at me," she said, giving a twirl, "Does my attire not equate to anything?"

"You mean an assassin?" he said rather obviously, "Yeah, kinda figured that already. Still doesn't tell me why you're here though."

"Then allow me to explain a little further. I'm here because I'm not needed anywhere else. In case you hadn't noticed, it's rather difficult to find assassination jobs in a peaceful country. So I came here, hoping to put my skills to use."

"Ha!" Beats mocked, "Equestria may look peaceful on the surface, but there's a not so pleasant side to every place in the world. You just have to know where to look."

"Yes, I'm all too aware that Equestria isn't as kind as it seems, though that being said, I still can't find many clients wiling to employ me. So when a position in the military opens up, ponies like me tend to try and fill that space as soon as possible. It's the only form of steady pay we can get."

"So you're here for a paycheck?" he asked.

Sica waved her robed hoof in a so-so fashion, "More or less."

Beats stared at her for a moment, then made a funny pfft sound as his cheeks bulged with air. Then did it again, and again and eventually fell into an all out laugh as he dropped and rolled around on the ground.

"What?" Sica asked, more than confused at the stallions out burst, "Was it something I said?"

"Aahaha!! Ahaha!!!" he cried.

Figuring there was no point in trying to talk with a pony who couldn't breathe properly at the moment, Sica simply sat and waited for his laughing fit to end. When it finally did, she fixed him with a small scowl.

"Are you done now?" she asked.

"Ahaha.....aha...ahhhhh....Yes," he said, wiping a tear away and raising himself to his haunches once more.

"Now do you mind telling me what you found so funny?"

Another snort of laughter came from him, though the glare Sica shot him quickly made sure he didn't fall back into his fit again, "Sorry," he excused, though the amused smile on his face remained, "It's just, it was kind of ironic."

"What was?"

"Well, here you were trying to find some pony with a normal reason for being here and then you don't even realize that you're reason is the closest thing to normal we'll get. Well, aside from Aerial, but she's not in the guard so we'll leave her out."

"How am I normal?" Sica questioned, genuinely confused, "I'm an assassin. I'm here because I can't find work anywhere else."

Beats simply sat there and grinned, "Exactly. Doesn't that sound like an average reason for taking a job? Because you want a paycheck? Because no one else will hire you?"

Then, it finally hit her.

"Oh dear Celestia, I'm normal," she concluded, slack jawed and wide-eyed.

Once again, Beats laughed, though this time it didn't evolve into a roll around in the dirt, "Yep! You're weirder than I am."

"How am I weird? You just said I was normal!"

"Yeah, but you're stuck with a bunch of outcasts and weirdos. Therefore, normal becomes weird, and weird becomes normal."

Once more, a twitched developed in her eye, "You really are impossible."

But then again, so was she. After all, she was mostly lying to the stallion. While it was true that it was hard to find jobs for assassins in Equestria, the temple of the Remnants was not located solely in this land. There were several temples scattered throughout the world, and she'd been sent on plenty of jobs to eliminate targets in other countries.

But still, Sica couldn't help but find telling him the lie to be some what enjoyable. Beats was a rather amusing stallion to be with, and even shared a curiosity similar to hers. And for a moment, even though she was lying, she wasn't deceiving him. She was having fun. She wasn't the mysterious assassin she'd always played as, but rather just Sica.

"Yes," she thought to herself, "He's quite impossible."





Silver sat on the sofa of the couch, dreading as the time ticked away.

No, not even ticked. After all, that would imply that there was a clock to tick the time away with, but as it stood at the moment, the room was silent, devoid of anything resembling such a noise.

And yet, the time still crept by achingly slow. Star Shine had left about half an hour earlier, saying something about needing to check on her machines. The girls were training and Celestia had wandered off to wherever after she'd left Stars. Even the T.V seemed to loose it's appeal. And so now, without a distraction to ease his mind, the wolf simply sat and waited for his impending doom.

His marefriends.

He pondered what he would say to them. What he was about to admit to wasn't exactly an easy thing to do, but keeping it to himself would only make things worse in the future.

Sure, some of his misdeeds hadn't been too terrible. But there was one that he knew would cause strife, one that he knew would hurt them. That's right. Silver was going to come clean.

About everything.

It was amid his self-conversing that a glint of light from the setting sun crossed the floor, shining right into his eye and blinding him for a moment. Breaking his concentration, Silver just sighed and flopped onto his side on the couch.

“This isn't going to end well. I don't even know what I'm going to say. And I still have to talk to Onyx. Why is that all of my stress stems from females?”  (Because you're a whore Silver)

Just as the thought crossed his mind, the wolf heard the knob jiggle, followed by the swoosh of the door swinging open and hoofs trotting in.

“Silver!” the voice of Twilight called, “Are you here?!”

A paw rose up from the couch, waving down the lavender mare. Twilight trotted over to the sofa, crawling over the back and sliding down to land at his side.

“Hello~”  she cooed, nuzzling gently into his side.

“Well hello to you too,” he welcomed back, wrapping his wing around her, “Where's Luna?”

“Right behind her,” the midnight mare answered as she trotted around the side of the couch, leaning forward to give him a quick peck. It wasn't until after she pulled away that she noticed his newest accessory.

For a moment, Luna didn't say anything. She just stood and stared at the collar around his neck. Then, her eyes flicked up to meet the wolfs, whose had just become flooded with guilt and shame.

“Silver?” she asked, “Why is there a collar around your neck?”

Twilights head snapped up from her nuzzling, “Oooh! I like it!” she awed, fiddling with it with her hoof, “Where did you get it?”

“Yes Silver, do explain where you got your collar,” Luna added, her voice clearly laced with anger. The purple mare messing with the embellishment stopped and looked to her marefriend with concern.

“Luna, what's wrong?” she asked.

“It's...” Silver began in her place, “It came from Onyx. She gave it to me as a gift.”

The midnight mares eyes went wide, “Did she now? And you didn't stop her because...?”

“Wait, hold on,” Twilight chimed in again, “What's going on? I don't get it.”

“It's the collar Twilight,” Silver sighed, “In wolf culture, you put it on the one you've chosen as your mate for life. It means I'm married.”

Her violet eyes grew wide, “M-married? B-but we didn't--”

“Exactly,” Luna cut in, her expression now fully formed into a scowl, “But Onyx did.”

“Girls look, Onyx didn't know what she was doing. I know you're both mad, but please try to underst--”

“It's not Onyx I'm upset with Silver,” Luna interrupted once more, “It's you. You're right, I don't expect Onyx to know what this all meant, but you do! You could have done something! And I know it's not official, but this still hurts!”

Silvers ears folded back and he head hung in shame, “Yeah....Y-you're right. I co–should have done something...but I didn't. I can't apologize enough for hurting the two of you, but please....please forgive me..”

Lunas scowled continued to hold for a moment, and the wolf could feel it burning into his skull. Finally, a long sigh came from the mare.

“...Fine,” she yielded, “I can understand why you wouldn't anyways. It'd be terrible to reject and embarrass her like that. Just...please, explain everything to her so she knows what's happening.”

Silver nodded.

Another sigh came from the midnight mare, “Now then. I don't suppose you have any other confessions you'd like to admit to?”

“Here we go....”

“Um...,” Silver began, “I kinda had to slap Stars butt to get her attention.”

That actually earned the wolf a pop on the nose, “How is that an appropriate way to get someones attention?!”

“She was wrapped up in her machines! It's what I always do to snap her out of it!”

The mare huffed and rolled her eyes, “Whatever. Anything else?”

It was here that the wolfs expression to a much heavier turn. The guilt from before had been washed away by a tsunami of...fear?

“Why is he so scared?”

Silver swallowed hard, but still found his throat unusually dry, “I...I screwed up...” the wolf admitted. At this point, his eyes had completely broken away from Lunas, looking solely at the ground.

“Silver,” Luna said firmly, “What did you do?”

“...I kissed Rainbow Dash.”

…




…..



“…..You what?” Luna asked.

“When I was still recovering in bed, she came to see me. We talked about how she felt about me, and...I don't know how it happened, but we ended up kissing. It was quick, but--”

Silvers words were silenced by the sound of hooves hitting the tile. He looked up, only to find that Luna was no longer in front of him, but now headed to the door.

“Luna, wa--”

“Don't,” she hissed, not even bothering to look back, “Don't you dare say another word.”

Silver opened his mouth, but couldn't find his voice. All he could do was watch as one of his mares just walked away.

The door let out an agonizing creak as it opened, then clicked shut behind her, leaving a chilling silence to hang in the air.

Once more, Silver found his head hanging. He knew this was how it would go. He had no idea why he bothered to hope otherwise. Unfortunately for him, this new angle allowed  him to realize that his other mare was missing as well.

The lavender mare that was by his side was now gone. Instead of resting herself against him, she was pulled away into the corner of the couch, and he never even noticed when she left him. Worst of all was the pain that was written ever so clearly across her face.

“Y-you....” was all she could manage.

“Twilight please,” Silver tried, his voice breaking as he turned to face her, “I didn't mean for it to happen. The way we were talking and I was just so shocked that I didn't stop her. I wish I could go back and undo it but I can't.”

But the hurt on her face didn't go away. Her breathes became huffs and she swallowed hard. She slammed her eyes shut as she forced the tears back. She felt something touch her back, and knowing it was Silvers paw, pulled away.

The wolf said nothing, simply mimicking Twilights actions and backing off.

“This....this is it, isn't it? This is how we end. And all because I'm an idiot. I can't really blame them either. Th-they're hurt; I hurt them. This is what anybody would do.” 

After a moment, Twilights breathes became....well, steady would be a lie, but they weren't as bad as before.

“You...you said you didn't stop her,” She eventually said, “Does that mean she kissed you?”

Silver nodded, “Not that it matters though,” he said, his voice low and quiet, “It still happened. I'll understand if you want to--”

THUD!

“Oof!” Silver coughed as a force impacted him, knocking him flat onto the couch. He looked up to see a face full of lavender for a moment until his lips were assaulted by another.

The kiss was strong and forceful, but loving all the same. When it broke, he could feel droplets fall down on to his cheeks.

“Don't you dare finish that sentence, you jerk!” Twilight shouted, “Do you really think I'd throw this all away so easily?! That I'd end this just because you messed up once?! Over a kiss?....”

“I—I...” Silver was speechless.

Twilight dropped her full weight onto the wolf, her voice becoming much softer, as she let out a quaking sigh, “I'm not gonna lie, I'm angry. I'm confused. I'm tired. And I'm hurt,” she admitted, “But I'm not letting this end that easily. Not when being with you and Luna makes me so happy. Things could be worse. You c-could have gone f-further and--”

“No!” Silver rejected, “I might have screwed up, but I would never go that far. Not when I'm with the two of you.”

Twilight swallowed hard, “I...I believe that. But Silver, just telling me this won't fix things. Please, go find Luna. Talk to her and bring her back here. Then we can talk about this together.”

“But what about you?” he asked.

Twilight raised herself up and slid off the wolf, “I'll be okay, just as long as you bring her back.”

Silver sat up as well, “I'm honestly not sure if she'll even want to listen.”

“Silver, she's a millenniums old alicorn. She's a lot more patient than either of us. She's just....hurting right now.”

The wolf bit his cheek out of self-disgust. He knew he'd never forgive himself for what he'd done. But he also knew he'd hate himself even more if he let this herd fall apart. 

“Alright,” he said, “I'll bring her back, I swear.”

“Good, now go.”

Silver quickly scampered off the couch and bolted out of the door, leaving Twilight to herself. Once she heard the door shut, she threw her head and let out a long heavy sigh.

In that moment, what little composure that she managed to keep all this time came crashing down, as she fell onto her side clutching a pillow, and wept. Her mask of strength fell and shattered, leaving an exposed heart that was already wounded.

And in doing so, the mare never even noticed the coal black figure, hiding on the porch.





Silver raced through the halls of Canterlot, desperate to find his mare.

Amid his running, the thought had finally occurred to him to just stop and ask one of the guards. Sliding to a halt, the wolf turned and faced the nearest one.

“You! Where's Princess Luna?!” he nearly shouted.

The guard, for her part, actually scowled at him. Silver could see it in her eye, her sudden disgust for the wolf reflecting clear as day and instead of answering him, she merely turned away.

“Hey!” he said, clapping his paws in front of her face, “I don't care about whatever issue you may have with me, regardless of what it may be. I need to find her so I can fix one of the single biggest fuck ups of my life!”

“Well maybe you shouldn't have screwed up in the first place!” the mare shouted, finally turning to face him.

Silver pulled back, surprised at the mares outburst. Surely she couldn't....

“Yeah, you're right! Princess Luna did come running through here! Crying! And she ran into Princess Celestia too!  But all she said was one name; yours! So why the hell do you think I would tell you where she is after whatever the hell it is you've done!?”

“Because I'm trying to fix this!” He argued before turning away.

“So what? You're giving up?” she shouted after him.

“I'm going to find my marefriend!” There wasn't much point in wasting time arguing with that mare anyways. 

“Just who the hell does she think she is? I'm trying to make things better and explain but noooo! She just had to go and be a pain in the ass! Oh well. At least I got something out of it.”

Silver rounded another corner and made his way to a set of two golden double doors. If he was right, then the one inside should still be awake. Of course, that might not be the best of options at the moment. After all, the study room of the mare he was looking for did threaten to toss him into the sun for his most recent offense.

But time was short, and Silver would rather deal with an angry Celestia than lose Luna.

So, he knocked.

There was silence for a moment. Maybe she'd already gone to bed?

CLICK

Nope.

The door opened, and as a pair of magenta eyes fell onto the wolfs form, it swung wide and quick.

Celestia glared down at Silver, the towering height made the wolf feel meek for the first time in decades, and the color of her iris beginning to change froze his blood, “You have some nerve to show your face to me.”

Swallowing his fear of the alicorns rage, Silver spoke, “Tia, I know you're pissed but you can roast me later. Where's Luna?” he demanded.

“Why should I tell you?” she growled.

Whatever fear Silver felt at the moment was overridden as he snarled and stomped a paw in anger, cracking the ground, “Would the ponies in this castle please stop second guessing my intentions so I can just make things right?!” he shouted, “I've had it! I'm trying to fix this and none of you are making it easier!”

“And why should we?!” she countered, fully stepping out of the room and moving to mere inches away from him, “You've hurt someone we all love and care for! Why should we make this any easier for you!?”

“BECAUSE I LOVE HER TOO!” he screamed, his announcement echoing through the halls, “Or have you forgotten that in the five minutes I've admitted my screw up?!”

“If you love her then why--?!”

“I DON'T KNOW WHY! I made a mistake, okay!? I know that! But I'm trying to fix this and the only pony that seems to be willing to help me is the one that should be the maddest at me right now!” Silver huffed for a moment, his frustrations finally tiring him out and his voice died down to a near desperate whimper, “So please, Tia I'm begging you. I need you're help to make this right. I don't know where she is or how much she's hurting. I need to find Luna.”

The alicorns glare continued to hold. It wasn't that she doubted his intentions. It wasn't that she thought he was lying when he said he wanted to make it up to Luna.

It was that, even with every apology he could offer, it still wouldn't change the fact that he made her cry. This wolf, the one her little sister loved and one that said her loved her back, would dare to make her shed tears of anything other joy.

Most ponies would be burning in Tartarus by now for such a crime. Simply whisked away from the realm of the living, and damned to an eternal pit of hellish flames that Celestia herself would craft with her own magic. Such a punishment would be befitting of anypony who would dare do something foolish enough to earn her wrath.

But...this wasn't most ponies. This was Silver.

Over the many years they'd known each other, Silver rarely lied to the mare. And above all, his loyalty was second to none. She had to admit, there must have been more to what happened. He wouldn't do something like this out of lechery. But one thing that always stuck out to her was his treatment of females. She knew he had a soft spot for girls, especially cute ones, but there was still something...odd about the way he spoke to them.

He wasn't just protective of them. He wasn't just spoiling them. He didn't just flirt or make them laugh.

He was just so...gentle. This wolf had some strange demeanor about him that put everyone at ease. There was no need for a mask or some false pretense. No need to hide the side of yourself you were ashamed of because you knew the world wouldn't accept it. Something about him would tell you he would.

He...he would love you....honest and pure...no matter what.

But this revelation certainly didn't help him now. After all, if he loved every girl he talked with, then how could he possibly remain faithful? Wouldn't he just do this again? Wouldn't he just find another poor girl to sweet-talk? So why not spare Twilight and Luna the heartache and get rid of him now? It would be so easy....

….Easy...it would be easy....

Yes, that phrase applied in more than one sense here. With Silvers charm, he could have almost any girl he wanted. “So why Luna and Twilight? After all these years, why now?”

“Because they're amazing mares,” Silver answered.

Celestias eyes went wide. Did...did she say that out loud?

Silvers voice still trembled with heartache as he spoke, “Neither of them hated me for the...the thing that I was. They looked beyond my past and judged me for who I am today and not who I was. They ignored the empire of death I've built my throne upon, the oceans of blood I've spilled. Every sin I've ever committed, rendered completely insignificant in their presence. Do you have any idea what that's like?

“I've lived everyday of my life carrying these burdens, and not once have I ever found someone who would see past it. Until I met them. This–this weight that's been crushing me for all of my life and that has only gotten heavier with each wicked act I commit is gone when I'm with them. For the first time in a very long time, I'm honestly happy. But now....I screwed up Tia. I-I hurt them an-and I'm trying to get them back but I-I can't do that unless we do this together.

“Please...please don't let me loose this happiness. I-I can't keep going like this...I'm so tired....”

Celestia continued to stare. Her glare had softened now. In fact, now her brows were knitted in a fashion similar to pity.

How? How could this wolf sway her so easily? Just moments ago, she was contemplating damning him to Tartarus. And now....

“When she's upset, she likes to look at the night sky,” Celestia explained, not entirely sure why she was, “I told her she could set the sun a little early this evening. It's nearing the winter solstice after all. She should be up in the clouds somewhere.” 

Silver looked up, his breathes becoming gasps of relief, as if someone had just stopped strangling him. 

“You....you mean--”

“But Silver, I swear on my crown that if you mess this up again, I'll cram you into the darkest hole in Tartarus and leave you there to rot for the next millennium.”

The wolf gave a short nod, “If I mess this up again, I'll come to you myself. Goodnight Tia, and thank you.”

As the wolf turned and walked away, he never caught the wide eyes of the ivory mare.

“What is this? Silver would never just surrender himself. He always fights for his life, for his freedom. He'd never resign himself and accept his fate of damnation.

“Unless...oh...so that's how it is. I've been foolish to doubt the wolf. Perhaps...perhaps everything will be fine.”





It took all of five seconds for Silver to find a window and slip out of it. Honestly, did those two ever think that maybe having so many points of entry might become a bit of a problem in the future?

Of course, their architectural designs of the castle were of the least importance at the moment. The wolf had a mare to find, and so he took to the air, flying up to and through the cloud line.

Unfortunately for him, the clouds tonight were not only heavy, but placed at varying levels. Some sat higher than others, and all were heavy and thick.

He could clear them all away with a swing of his wing, but not only would that upset the Canterlot weather management department, but probably also Luna and the rest of the city. So flying around aimlessly for a little while seemed to be his best bet.

That was, until he noticed a shadow passing over head.

Looking up, he found a single, lone cloud hovering high above the rest. It was small, but clearly large enough for a pony. But what bothered him the most about this cloud is that while the others where all dark and heavy with what seemed like water or snow, this one was completely black and filled with a wrathful lightning.

Whether it was courage or stupidity, Silver choose to ignore this foreboding image and flew up to the cloud, landing silently. Sure enough, his eyes fell upon the form of a weeping mare, a sight that crushed the wolfs heart with guilt.

“...Lu-Luna?” he called, struggling to find his voice. He could he a small gasp come from her as her body froze. Her head snapped back and she quickly rose to her hooves.

“What are you doing here!?” she shouted, “I've had enough of you!”

“Luna, I want to talk about what happened, okay? I just want to explain eve--”

“Explain!?” she interrupted, “Explain what?! How you kissed another mare?!”

“Luna please, I--”

“No, Silver! I don't want to hear it! I already didn't trust you with my sister, but I figured she made a point! If you wanted to be with her, you would have been! And Onyx didn't know what the hell she was doing, so I can't get mad at her! But Rainbow Dash!? And you waited a week and half to tell us about it!? Tell me, how long were you planning on keeping this from us?! How many more times would it have had to happen before you finally said something!?”


“Luna, it wasn't like that!” he tried, “I don't want her, I want you and Twilight, that's all!”

“You still haven't answered me Silver,” she said coldly, “How long were you going to wait before you told us?”

The wolfs ears dropped along with his head. He was silent for a moment, before speaking ever so softly, “I...I wasn't going to.”

Luna's eyes went wide, her pupils shrinking to mere pricks in a white void as fresh tears flowed down her cheeks. Neither spoke nor moved. Silver refused to face her directly and the mare seemed to be unable to take her eyes off of him.

“I...I can't believe you...” she said in a near whisper.

Silver shook himself from his silence, “Luna please,” he pleaded, taking a step forward, “Let's just--”

“STAY AWAY FROM ME!” she screamed, stomping her hooves into the cloud. A current of lightning carried through it, frying the wolf on the other end.

Silver stopped in his tracks as the electricity hit him, paralyzed for a moment as his muscles went rigid and tensed. The smell of burnt ozone flooded his nose, along with singed fur and....blood.

When the current finally left his body, Silver remained standing, huffing to catch his breath for a moment. He looked up to see Luna, staring horrified at her own actions, but still hurt from before. And then... 

He took another step.

“I-I SAID 'STAY AWAY!'” she screamed once more, this time the lightning coming directly from her body instead.

And once again, Silver was struck. The bolt was stronger this time, hitting him square in the chest. He fell into the cloud, incapable for moving for a moment. But just as before, when the current left him, he rose to all fours and stepped forward again.

“No...please...” Luna cried, her body already crackling with energy, “Please just leave....Why won't you just leave me alone?”

The wolf managed to make it to the other end of the cloud now, thankful it wasn't very big. He reached out a paw and gently brushed her cheek.

The strongest bolt of lightning Silver had been delivered that night passed through him with that small contact.

The pain was excruciating. His entire body felt like it was being set ablaze and ripped apart at the same time. Every fiber in his being screamed at him to remove his paw, but even if he could, he knew he wouldn't.

As the shock died down, the silence of the night resumed. Luna stood, horrified at what she'd done. And then...something moved.

The wolfs other paw rose up, cupping her other cheek. Very slowly, he pulled her close, and she eventually fell into a hug.

“Because the night we met, I promised that I would never let you feel lonely,” he said softly.

“No...stop it...”

“Because the first night the three of us slept together, was one of the greatest joys of my life.”

“It's not true...”

“Because I can't stand to see you cry, especially when I'm the reason for it. Pick any reason, I don't care which Luna. But they all mean the same thing.”

“You're lying....”

The wolf pulled back, his eyes fixated on hers, “I will never leave you...because I love you too much.”

The mare broke out into tears once more, burying her face into his chest while also pounding him with her hooves.

“You bastard, you're lying!” she cried while Silvers arms wrapped around her, still beating his body, “If you did love us, then why would you kiss her!?”

“Because I'm an idiot. I screwed up and should have never let it happen. But Luna, I swear to you, I will never let it happen again. Not with Rainbow Dash or anyone else.”

The last strike of her hooves fell weak against his chest and she clung to him, only weeping now.

“I KNOW!!” She cried, “I know you won't! I know how much you love us and I know you didn't mean to hurt us! I know you won't ever do it again! But it hurts! Dammit Silver, it hurts so much!

“She got something only Twilight and I are allowed to have and it was only once, but it's killing me!! I know I shouldn't be this angry, but I just--....” Luna rambled off into a choked sob, burying her face deeper into the wolfs fur and pushing him back until he fell and sent her tumbling on top of him.

His hold didn't loosen as he kept her tucked against him.

“Luna, you have every right to be angry. I broke your trust...and your heart. I deserve every bit of rage you throw at me, so don't hold it back.”

As the words hit her, a floodgate opened in her heart. It wasn't just the anger she held from Silvers confession, no. This was all of it. Every bit of rage she'd suppressed since she last had her breakdown. 

It was all coming out.

Her wails and cries only grew louder as she wrapped the wolf in a crushing hug. Literally, crushing. Silver was beginning to struggle for air, but he didn't dare mention it. Not now.

Nor did she say a word. She just cried and shouted in frustration, and the wolf laid there and accepted it.

This was the result of his crime. He had one job; to keep his mares safe and happy.

And he failed.
> Clearing The Air and A Strong Little Mare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pain.

Why was there always pain?

Be it physical or emotional, it was the one constant in Silvers life, and one he could happily do without. One way or another, he'd always find a way to get himself hurt.

At times, he would occasionally gauge which one hurt more, his body or his heart. In truth, he had no idea why he'd play that masochistic game, or where it even came from in the first place. But, in a way, there was some logic to it.

For Silver, it was his way of downplaying his problems. For him to think that, “This situation kinda sucks, but on the other paw,  it's still not as bad this other thing.” The lesser of two evils, as it were.

Like right now, for example. At the moment, his body was searing, and every muscle ached with gut wrenching agony. He'd been struck by lightning before, both from storms and Black Wing, but that being said, being struck by lightning made from an alicorn was far more unpleasant than anything he'd felt previously. It did only take three strikes before he was beaten down.

And on the other paw, there was his heart, just as beaten and broken as his body, if not more so. Despite his silence and sweet words to Luna, Silver, for one of the few times in his life, truly hated himself. He loathed his actions, regardless of how small they may have been, and not just because he betrayed his own values, but because he broke their trust.

And for him, the act was near unforgivable. To Silver, loyalty had always been a painfully simple concept, which is why he despised those who were unfaithful. Sure, he chased tail in his younger days, but he would never let it be said that he would two-time some poor girl. And yet here he was, trying to make amends for cheating.

And that tore the hole in his heart a little deeper.

In comparison, Silver honestly wasn't sure which hurt more. He'd reached this conclusion on occasion since he started playing his game, but his pain wasn't the focus right now, was it?

No, it was the mare's lying atop of him, sniffling as tears still streamed down her cheeks; it was her pain that mattered. The heartbreak he caused her.

The shouting had ended roughly ten minutes ago, and after, she laid there while she wailed, her voice seemingly bouncing off the empty night sky and fall back down on them. Not all of it was because of him, but he certainly had his fair share of it.

But with the argument over, and their emotions mostly subdued, they laid there under the stars, in a blanket of moonlight. The paw of the wolf gently rubbed her back and Luna made no move to fight him anymore.

“It's getting late,” the wolf said, “We should head back in. Twilight's waiting for us.”

Luna lifted her head to meet Silvers eyes, “You left her alone?”. Her voice was dry and raspy, almost cracking as she spoke. The wolf couldn't help but stare at her bloodshot eyes, causing his paw to suddenly hold on a little tighter.

“She uh, kinda told me to come after you. She said we should talk about this together. And I know, it was stupid to leave her behind, but she's right.”

Luna let her head fall back into his fur for a moment, “....Yes, she is...” she admitted, “Then we should get back. I'm sure she's worried.”

Silver nodded, “Yeah...”

He laid there for a few seconds longer, gazing down at the mare. His mind recalled the night she and Twilight switched guards, and he had been assigned to her. The night on her balcony, when she slipped under his arms and settled into his chest, it had felt right. Like another piece of the puzzle had fallen into place.

And even with the situation he was in, Silver still couldn't help but feel the same sensation rising in his stomach. Were it not for the current state of affairs, he might have that feeling of completion and comfort.

Or at least, near completion. After all, he was still missing one more mare.

And so, with a tired sigh, Silver turned onto his stomach, careful not to throw off the mare on top of him. Once he was back on all fours, Luna wrapped her hooves around his neck and situated herself before he took off.

He was so accustomed to carrying her before, but now it felt...off. Awkward almost.

He wasn't sure where they stood just yet, although the fact that she was still willing to come back with him was a good sign. She hadn't denied him holding her while she cried either, so maybe there was hope. Maybe they could go back to the happiness they once knew.

A few moments later, they'd found themselves back inside the castle and walking through the halls. Arriving at Silvers door, the wolf entered the home quietly so he didn't disturb Onyx and Ruppy.

Expecting to see a smaller alicorn sitting on the couch waiting, Silver was surprised to find that, for once, no one was. Unfortunately, this also meant Twilight had moved to somewhere else.

Luckily though, a quick check into the bedroom revealed the little lavender mare sitting on the bed. When the door opened, Twilight's head snapped up to see her wolf and mare enter the room.

She sat with her back against the headboard, a pillow clutched tightly to her chest. Even in the darkness of the room with only the dim bedside lamp for light, Silver could still see the tear marks on her cheeks, and the wet spots soaking into the fabric.

“Hey,” he said softly, stepping into the room slowly, “We're back.”

Twilight simply stared at him for a moment, her eyes flicking back and forth between his face and Luna's. She couldn't deny the twinge of happiness that arose when they came in, but that joy was quickly pushed aside as she noticed their still somber expressions.

“That's right...just because they came back doesn't mean everything's fixed.”

Silver could see her mouth quiver for a second before closing and swallowing hard. She took in a deep breathe, held it, then released it before setting the pillow aside and patting the bed.

“Alright, come sit down,” she said softly, “We need to talk about this.”

Silver closed the door behind him and gently moved to the bed to sit down next to Twilight, Luna slipping off and landing in front of her once he took his seat.

For a bit, they sat in silence, none of them really sure what to say. But Twilight wasn't willing to skip this conversation. And so...

“Silver, could you start by explaining things?” she asked, receiving a noticeable wince from him. His eyes came to met the two mares sitting with him, and he let out a long, heavy sigh.

“I guess you both know that Rainbow has, or had, feelings for me already. I'm not sure when she started feeling that way, but I guess it was around the time I went to check up on her after she saw my memories. We never did anything serious, but she did fall asleep on me once before. But I swear, it was only the once and it was because I wanted to make sure she could rest properly!”

Luna had actually cut her eyes at him before letting out a huff of anger. Twilight simply nodded and motioned for him to continue.

Silver sighed once more, “When I woke up from getting hurt, she came to see me. It was after she had already talked to Twilight about how she felt, but--”

“Wait, you both knew?” Luna cut in.

It was Twilights turn to flash her guilt, “Luna, we weren't trying to hide it. We were already together so there wasn't any point--”

“Wasn't any point?” Luna scolded, “How could yo--....” she stopped. Her glare held, this time focused on Twilight. But instead of reprimanding her, she simply mimicked the lavender mares earlier actions. She took a deep breathe, held it, and slowly let it out.

“Continue,” she said.

Silver gulped, “W-when she came, she wanted to clear the air. She told me how she felt, and she....she kissed me.”

“....She kissed him?”

“It was quick, and she said it was the only time she'd do it. She doesn't want to try and join our herd either, and I believe her. Rainbow wouldn't put her own happiness before her friends, and I wouldn't intentionally do anything to hurt either of you. But I do understand if you're both still angry...”

Neither mare said anything. In truth, the story seemed much less scandalous than either had thought. Silver wasn't in control of the situation, and because of that he ended up making a mistake. It happens sometimes.

After a moment of silence, Twilight spoke again, “Silver....what you did was stupid and quite frankly, I'm more disappointed than angry,” her words struck hard in the wolfs heart, making him shrink back, “But....it was just a kiss. And I know you won't let it happen again. So, I forgive you.”

The wolfs eyes lit up for a moment, before he turned to the other mare on the bed, Twilight doing the same.

“Luna?” she asked.

“I...” she began, casting her sights to the wolf. Her eyes showed her hesitation, only causing the wolf to deflate what hope he had just gained.

Luna watched his ears fall, his shoulders drop and his posture slump. His wings slipped a bit from his side and his small, light smile had seemingly vanished, replaced only with a regretful frown.

“He...he really does hate himself, doesn't he? I don't even have to be angry at him, he's plenty upset with himself. But still...that doesn't change what he did...”

In that moment, Luna had a thought. It was one neither of the other two would like, but if she was to forgive him fully, it was something she had to do.

And so, Luna moved closer to Silver, raising a hoof and picking his head up by the chin. Catching the wolf off guard, she leaned forward with her eyes closed.

Silver, for his part, was mostly confused. But as Luna drew closer, all he could think of was the feeling of her lips against his. He craved that sensation once more, and so, he came closer too.

Slowly, they came together, until just before their lips touched.

Suddenly, Luna's horn flashed a bright white as a thread came from it, falling down onto Silvers head. Reality fell away, and the past came to light.





The room was silent, for the most part. Silver sat in his bed, reading something Twilight had brought him. The machines provided a rhythmic background noise that helped fill the room without being distracting.

The spell Luna had used this time was slightly different than the one before. While both allowed her to see a ponies memories, this one didn't place the viewer inside the hosts body, but instead gave them a third pony perspective. It was much easier to cast, and didn't require both parties to be unconscious.

And so, Luna watched the wolf in the bed. His eyes scanned the page of the story he was reading, though when she looked down at the book, she found the pages were a blur.

It was a normal occurrence when flipping though someone's memories. After all, there aren't many who could remember every word of a book they've read, except for maybe Twilight or Star Shine. But really, those two are special cases.

After another page or two, a knock came from the door. Silver paused for a moment, thinking to himself before calling them in.

Sure enough, the cyan pegasus walked in, giving a friendly greeting.

Her steps were soft, and there was a clear nervousness in her voice. She moved over and took a seat next to the bed while Silver marked his page and set the book aside.

And so they began talking. At first, it was just simple pleasantries; Silver wondering how the mare got into Star Shines home, and Rainbow telling him how she was checking up on him. When the small talk ended, it gave way to a bit of an awkward silence.

Rainbow shuffled in her seat once or twice, and Silver just...examined her. He wasn't lying earlier when he said he knew how the pegasus felt for him before she said anything. His apprehensiveness showed quite clearly, and he knew what was coming next.

Suddenly, the shuffling pegasus stopped with a sigh.

“Silver,” she began, “There's, uh....there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about.” 

In truth, Luna didn't much care for their words at the moment. She had no interest in what they say, but rather what they do. After all, actions speak louder than words, and she wanted to hear the whole story.

So she waited and watched, drowning out the mare as she poured her heart out. And as the conversation drew on, something had dawned on her.

Silver had been unusually quiet during this ordeal, and she couldn't help but wonder why. After all, the discussion concerned him just as much as it concerned Rainbow, so why so silent? Luna had all of her attention focused on the mare and not the wolf. But just as she went to shift her attention, the pegasus began to move.

It was slow, but she reached up and placed her hooves on the bed, leaned forward, and kissed the wolf.

It was brief, just a peck that lasted a little too long.  Harmless, really. At least, that's what Luna had tried to tell herself as she watched it unfold. 

But if that were true, then why was Silver sitting there awe-struck, as if he'd been kissed by Cadence herself? As if it were the greatest thing that ever happened to him?

And it was this that Luna was afraid of.  It was never that he just kissed another mare.

It was that he liked it.

The only other mare allowed to leave him dazed in a love-smitten stupor aside from herself was Twilight. But this...this harlot decided to act on her emotions and ruin everything! Had she just kept her mouth shut, then all of this could have been avoided!

Rainbow Dash ruined them! Rainbow Dash was just a home-wrecker! Rainbow Dash stole her wolf!

...Her wolf....

...Her...wolf...

“Have I been looking at the wrong one this whole time?”

A quick flash of her horn, and the scene began to rewind. As it began again, her attention was focused on Silver this time, and him alone.

As the conversation picked up again, she noticed something change in him. When the pegasus first spoke, he showed fear. He was terrified of what she was going to say.

...but as she went on, fear became...remorse.

With each word spoken, the heavy guilt in his eyes only increased. Something was cutting him deep, though Luna couldn't figure out what. This was what he wanted wasn't it? He felt the same for Rainbow Dash as she did for him, didn't he? He enjoyed her kiss!

“So why the hell does he look so damn sad?!”

And then it happened again. Rainbow leaned forward, giving him a small kiss. And Luna sat and watched as he was awe-struck by it.

….No...

He...he wasn't awe-struck. There was still that same remorse in his eyes from before. But his face....

Luna studied the contrasting signs, trying to decipher which was the truth. With his lack of words, it was all she could go on to tell what was going through his mind. If he felt so bad, then why was he still sitting there with his mouth open? If he didn't want this, then why does he look so happy? If he really loved them then why would he?....

Luna continued to look at the moment frozen in time, the lips of her wolf locked with the cyan mares. She despised it, but she couldn't tear her eyes away, more specifically from Silver.

There was something there, the answer to her questions staring right back at her, but she couldn't see it. Luna walked closer, looking into his wide open eyes.

...No, not wide open. They were open certainly, but...they were different.

It was then that it hit her. Everything clicked.

That look; she'd seen it before. That woeful glint in the core of his soul, one she'd seen in him more than she would have liked.

Luna finally understood.





She was so soft, her lips so gentle as they brushed against Silvers own. Her touch was light, but entrancing none the less.

Silver studied every detail about her as if it were his first kiss ever, because for him, it could have been the last he'd get from her.

He was no fool. He knew she was digging around in his memories, no doubt looking for his kiss with Rainbow. Part of him wanted to be angry at her for breaking her promise to stay out of his head, but another part of him felt that he owed her this, even is he knew it would only make things worse.

“This is it. Our last moments together as a herd.”

“Dammit, why am I so stupid?.... It wasn't supposed to be like this...It was just a kiss. I could have avoided it! I could have just gone to Dash like I was supposed to and none of this would have happened! I could have done something, anything! Luna wouldn't hate me and Twilight wouldn't be caught in the fallout! But I...I didn't....”

The kiss broke, and Silvers blood ran cold. He didn't even bother opening his eyes, and instead squeezed them shut even tighter. He bit the inside of his lip hard, a small trail of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.

“I'm sorry....I'm so sorry....”

“I'm....I'm sorry,” a small whisper came. It wasn't Silvers, nor Twilights but came from the one mare who had no reason to apologize.

“Silver, Twilight, this...this whole argument is my fault....” Luna said, her voice wavering, “It was just a kiss, one that Silver didn't even mean to let happen and I....I just....”

Her words stopped as she forced back a sob, but couldn't do the same for her tears. Silvers eyes slowly crept open, as if he'd just had a some life saving miracle occur before him and needed to make sure it all was real.

And in a way, that was what happened. For him at least.

“Luna, what are you?...” He began, unsure of how to even finish that sentence. How? Why!? What the in name of all living creatures made her think that this was some how her fault?!

“Luna?” Twilight tried, placing a hoof on her shoulder.

“It's—I--,” the mare tried, but stopped once more. She took in a shuddering breathe, and let it out in small huffs in an attempt to calm herself as she did before. “I-I was alone for so long. I was s-so unappreciated and unloved before I was sealed away.  And even while I was in the moon, I could feel the ponies hearts. Th-they didn't even realize I had disappeared. They never noticed I had become a monster and vanished all in one night. They f-forgot me. I ceased to exist and was replaced with an image of a tyrant! And they grew to hate me! They'd come to despise the Mare in Moon as-as some freak that only wanted power!!

“...But I don't....I don't want it...I hate it... I just want love. I want some pony who will love me unconditionally, to remember me for the mare I am and who will always be by my side no matter what. So w-when you said you kissed Rainbow Dash...I'd thought that maybe you'd grown tired of me....that I'd be replaced again....forgotten and alone...”

Twilight had no words. It was true that she thought it was strange that Luna, the ancient and wise alicorn, would get so angry over a kiss. Sure, Silver slipped up, but to think it was because she was afraid of being alone again...

“Oh Luna...--” Twilight began.

THUMP!

“You will never be alone!” Silver nearly shouted, throwing himself on top of the midnight mare, knocking her onto her back, “I promised you the night we met that I would never let you feel lonely like that again! And I--”

Silver was silenced by a midnight blue hoof on his lips.

“I know,” Luna interrupted, “I went into your memories. I watched when you kissed her.” Her hoof moved up his muzzle and cup his cheek, gently brushing the fur back, “I saw the look in your eyes. At first I'd thought you enjoyed her kiss, but then I realized I'd seen that same look in your eyes before. 

“You knew you were hurting her. You knew that she loved you and it tore you apart to have to break her heart. You never wanted any of this to happen, and I'm a fool for thinking otherwise.”

“Y-you're not!” Silver cried, his eyes watering, “You have every right to be angry! You're supposed to hate me! You're not supposed to apologize when you haven't done anything wrong!”

“But I did,” Luna continued, her voice as soft as ever, “I blew this out of proportion and overreacted instead of just trusting and listening to you.”

Silvers tears finally broke free, his legs collapsing and his body falling on top of the mare. He buried his face into her chest, “Why are you like this?” he squeaked out, his voice cracking, “You don't need to say sorry. You didn't do anything...”

“Perhaps, but I feel I need to,” Luna explained, rubbing Silvers head, “This all would have been over so much faster had I just listened to you in the first place.”

The mare could feel him shake and shiver on top of her, “I-I'm sorry...,” he sobbed, “I'm so sorry...I never meant for this to happen...I just...”

“Silver, you silly wolf,” Luna cooed, “Have you not realized that I forgive you?”

She felt his arms wrap and tighten around her waist as his tears soaked her fur. Luna simply leaned down and kissed his head, “There there, we've both mucked this up, haven't we?”

A long, shaky sigh came in response. Surprisingly, it wasn't Luna nor Silver, but rather Twilight.

“Can we please stop playing the blame game?” she begged, “I-I just want us to go back to the way we were before. I just want us to be happy again. It doesn't matter who did what, just that we all move past it.”

Both Silver and Luna looked up to the little lavender mare on the verge of tears. Her hooves shook and quivered, her teeth dug into her lips and her eyes were desperately trying to blink the water away. She tried with all her might to maintain her composure, and she was finally reaching her limit.

It was then that a sudden realization came over the other two herd mates. How it had evaded them this whole time was astounding to them, and left them feeling more than blind and insensitive. Throughout this entire endeavor, Twilight was the only one who remained calm and collected. She was the one who sent Silver to bring Luna back, and she was the one who insisted on talking things out. Even now, she was trying to get them to stop blaming themselves and simply move past this.

Well no more. 

Silver rose and wiped away his tears. Moving closer to the lavender mare, he slipped his paws around her waist and pulled her close.

Twilight went stiff for a moment, but soon relaxed in his embrace. She couldn't help but relish in the contact. Sure, she had hundreds of hugs from him before, but every time it felt new, like it was the first one she'd gotten from him. It was gentle, yet firm. Warm not just in body, but in heart as well. She felt her tension drain and the walls she'd built slowly crumbled.

“Thank you,” he said softly, “I didn't even realize it until now. You've been trying so hard to keep it together. Not just our herd, but yourself as well. I honestly don't know how you managed to keep yourself under control like this, but I don't think things would have been this easy if it weren't for you.”

Silver could feel her body shake once more. Her breathes became heaves of air as she tried to remain calm, “Easy?” she almost laughed, “This has been anything but easy.”

A small giggle came from behind her, “It's okay,” Luna, wrapping her own hooves around Twilights waist as well, pressing her chest into the smaller mares back, “You can let it out now. We're not going anywhere. You don't have to hold it in anymore.”

And with that, the dam broke. Twilight squeezed Silver as hard as she could as her tears ran free now. She didn't speak, nor shout, nor flail. She just cried.

“Shhh,” Luna cooed,“You've been such a strong mare for us. Now you can rest.” She slowly let her hooves fall and nodded to Silver to lay down.

Gently, he lowered himself onto his side, Twilight still latched firmly onto his chest crying. When he was finally laying down, Luna took her spot once more behind the mare.

And so they laid there, waiting for the smallest of them to collect herself. After about thirty minuets, Twilight had quieted to where she only sniffled on occasion.

For a little while, they laid there in silence. Not much else needed to be said. What's done was done, and in the end, they were still together.
> Getting Back Together and Always and Forever
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time ticked away silently in the dark bedroom. Occupying it's space on the large mattress was a wolf and two alicorns.

The sniffles from their previous discussion had died down and now they laid huddled together, the small lavender mare nestled in between her lovers, giving off little hums of comfort.

As Twilight laid, she gently stroked Silvers head as it lay on her hoof, his muzzle brushing against her breast. She ran her hoof down the top and along the back of his neck, occasionally tickling his folded ears to receive a chuckle from him before he flickered them. She didn't know why, but it put her at ease for some reason.

Beside Twilight laid Luna with her wing folded over the smaller mares back and her head resting on her shoulder. Every once in a while, she would lean over and peck Twilight or Silver, or both, a small smile spreading across her lips as she did. The grin was infectious as the other two found themselves smiling as well.

Silver laid on the other side of Twilight, his head resting on her hoof. Her coat tickled his nose with every breath, but allowed him to take in her scent as well. The lingering smell of jasmine filled his snout, even though she hadn't even showered yet.

Her gentle strokes atop his head lulled him into a half-sleeping state. Part of him wanted to give in and pass out, but another part fought to enjoy the peaceful petting.

And for the moment, all was right once more.

Twilight allowed her hoof to drift some until it hit the collar. Thinking back, it was somewhat silly to get so upset before, something which all of them were guilty of. Luna had already admitted to over-reacting, but after being loathed for a thousand years by the nation she once ruled and loved, it was rather reasonable for her to have trust and abandonment issues.

Twilight herself realized that the situation could have been resolved much faster had she just spoken up sooner. She couldn't help but think that perhaps she should have been the one to go get Luna instead of Silver. Maybe things wouldn't have escalated so far.

And then there's Silver himself. While he certainly did make a mistake, it was a small one. One that could have been easily forgiven, however, when he decided to make it seem like a bigger issue than it was, things got out of hoof.

Yes, they all certainly played their own roles in this ridiculous debacle, but luckily things are patching themselves up. They'll wake up in the morning, bundled up together like nothing ever happened. Twilight knew for certain that she would bury herself between them tonight. She could imagine, Silvers thick, luscious fur warming her front while Luna had her cool hooves wrapped around her stomach, keeping her back chi--

Twilights hoof ran across Silvers fur once more. Something felt off....

Flicking on the light with her magic, she aroused a groan and flinch from the wolf she was petting. Studying the fur, she noticed patches of it were singed and there was little flecks of dried blood around his stitches.

“Silver, what did you do to yourself?” She asked, inspecting her wolf-friends body.

“Huh?” he questioned, turning his head back to see, “What are you talking about?”

Judging by his voice, Silver was very nearly asleep before Twilight had flicked on the light, which only served to make him speak in his 'sexy sleepy tone'.

Of course, such things would never distract Twilight from her examination, “Look!” she exclaimed, running a hoof over a patch of burned fur, once again making him wince, “Your fur is singed and you're wounds are—well, were bleeding. What did you do to yourself?”

A small nervous chuckle came from Twilights side, though it wasn't from the wolf.

“Uh...” Luna began, avoiding eye contact from her marefriend, “That uh....that wasn't exactly Silvers fault...”

Twilight only raised a brow in response.

“I um, while I was upset, I may have kinda hit Silver with magic lightning...” she explained, rubbing a hoof behind her head.

“You what?!” Twilight exclaimed, “Luna he's seriously injured! What were you thinking!?”

“I wasn't!” she defended, “I know! It was stupid and I was over-reacting and I'm sorry!...again....”

The lavender mare quickly realized the weight of her words and hung her head. Just when the yelling had died down, she'd went and started it again, “It's...” she sighed, her voice considerably softer than it was before, “Well, it's not exactly okay. I think you re-opened some of his wounds a little, and it looks like whatever herbs Star Shine soaked the stitches in lost their effect as well. But it could be worse.”

“'M sorry...” the midnight mare mumbled again, fiddling with the blanket.

Well now Twilight just felt bad. Leaning over, she gave the self-berating mare a kiss and nuzzle, “It's okay. I know you didn't mean to hurt him.”

Silver had shuffled over and was now laying under Luna's chin. His turned her head to look down at him, giving her a quick smooch too, “Don't worry about it,” he said with a grin, “Star Shine can patch me up again. Besides, I kinda had it coming.”

Luna  playfully rolled her eyes with a smile. Such a silly wolf.

However, this new position he was in allowed her to get a closer look at his condition.

“Silver, you're covered in filth,” she noted, leaning down to whiff him, only to reel back moments later, “And you stink too.”

Silver raised a paw and sniffed himself, “Huh, guess I do,” he concluded before turning back to Luna, “But then again, you're not one to talk.”

Luna cocked her head in confusion, and the wolf pointed a paw at her chest, “You're covered in blood.”

Luna's eyes went wide as she quickly sat up and examined herself. Sure enough, there was dried blood staining her coat.

“What? Where did this...?” she began, only to recall that she laid on the wolfs chest for some time after shocking him, “Oh, right. Well this won't do.”

Twilight sighed again, “Honestly, you two...”

“Twilight you have blood on you too,” Silver pointed out.

The mare's head whipped around as she checked herself, and there it was, “Aw....” she groaned. There wasn't as much as there was on Luna, but on the same side Silver had laid against, there were little crimson patches dying her coat.

“Oh well,” Twilight said as she shuffled off the bed, pausing to stretch a moment, “We haven't showered yet anyways so, might as well.”

And so, the three head off to the bathroom.

Needless to say, they got a little dirty while getting clean.





In hindsight, perhaps having sex with an injured and exhausted wolf in a shower wasn't exactly the best of ideas. Silver rubbed the bump on his head as he trotted through the hall and to the kitchen. Stupid slippery tile floors, being all...slippery!

Luna and Twilight had left before him, going to bed as the smaller of the two was practically sleepwalking.

As he crossed the kitchen, his eyes spotted a small shimmer coming from the counter. Turning to look, Silver found it was the collar Onyx had given.

He couldn't help but groan to himself. He'd completely forgotten about explaining everything to the mare.

For a moment, he thought about just leaving it until tomorrow night, when he wasn't so tired. Then his mind flashed back to Rainbow Dash. Had he just spoken to her like he was supposed to before he got injured, then the yelling, the crying, the pain, both physical and emotional; all of it could have been avoided. Had he just said something sooner.

Silver had made many mistakes in his life, and he had many more to make. But that being said, he was never one to make the same mistake twice.

The wolf snagged the collar off the counter and put it on. He turned and headed down the hall to Onyx's room, pausing just before he went to knock.

“How late is it? I know she's a bit of a night owl, but surely she can't still be awake.”

Figuring it would be best not to wake the mare up, Silver concluded that the nearest time for him to talk with her would be tomorrow, and he would do it no later.

Turning back to go to the kitchen, Silver only got a few steps away before something caught his attention. Something was off about that door. He didn't know why he noticed it, and in truth it was something he never really thought about before. But what bugged him even more was why it was occurring in the first place.

Turning around once more, Silver planted himself in front of Onyx's bedroom. For a moment, he sat there and stared at the wood, analyzing all that he could.

After a minute, he bent down and placed his nose next to the crack of the door. Sure enough, there was no scent coming through.

What made it odd was that since it was Onyx's room, her scent should be pouring out of it. She'd slept in there for a few months now, but there wasn't a trace of her scent to be found. It was just blank.

As Silver sat with his nose to the door, he realized something else off. No air had been passing through the gap either. In truth, it wasn't something he paid attention to...ever. The fact that he even noticed it this time was profound. But he still wondered why he couldn't feel the air from crack. The air conditioning was still running, so he should feel something.

At first, he thought the mare in the bedroom may have been suffocating. That maybe someone had found an Air-locking spell similar to his own and cast it on her room. But once he realized he could sense the air still moving inside the room, he knew she was still breathing.

So the air wasn't spelled, and with the A.C on, there should be something flowing through the crack, be it smell or breeze.

And yet there wasn't.

Silver decided it was time to stop playing detective and stood back up. Silently apologizing for invading her privacy, he slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open as quietly as possible, slipping into her room and shutting the door behind him. 

However, what he found inside was....concerning.

“What the hell?....”

The room had been trashed completely. Her vanity laid on the floor, the mirror shattered into pieces and the draws scattered across the room, the contents of them only magnifying the mess. Her works of jewelry had been snapped and broken before being tossed onto the carpet. Papers had been strewn about, some with sketches on them, others that looked something akin to homework.

But what caused Silver so much concern was the shattered glass jutting out of the floor, not just from the mirror, but from bottles. The labels of Red Stag, Jack Daniels, Devils Cut and Jameson littered the carpet, and all in all Silver counted six. There were only a few wet spots from what little remained of the liquor inside, and even then the spots weren't very big. She must have drank all of them.

Recounting his stash of booze, Silver recalled that out of all the bottles, the fullest one was already about half empty. The rest had little left in them, but then again, if she was drinking straight whiskey, she wouldn't need much to get drunk. Half a bottle would be plenty, the rest would just be bonuses.

Silver sighed as he looked around the room, a noticeable portion of his liquor cabinet laying on the floor.

“Why do all of the mares in this house handle their issues with alcohol? Well, except for Luna.”

Silver moved carefully across the floor to avoid adding on to the cuts he already had. On the bed, snoring loudly and cradling yet another bottle of whiskey, was Onyx. There were clear tear marks down her cheeks, and as expected, she reeked of alcohol. Even as she slept drunk, there was still a clear discomfort written on her face. Her mane was no longer in it's signature braided ponytail, but was laid sprawled across the pillows in locks of black silk. Silver had to admit that even drunk, drooling and snoring, she was a stunning young mare. 

As he watched her dream, he wondered what pushed over the edge. He'd always found Onyx to be a calm and collected mare, her emotions rarely getting the best of her and even when they did, she quickly got them under control again. But to drown herself in whiskey? For her to completely blow her lid and trash everything in sight? It seemed like something Ruppy would do, no offense to the mare.

Speaking of which, why didn't anypony say anything? Surely, someone must have heard the vanity crash. Even if it happened while Silver was chasing down Luna, Twilight had been home all night. It would have been impossible not to hear, unless she was in the basement.

The wolf sighed and hung his head. There were a thousand worries running through his head, each one coming to a different conclusion.  He considered asking Luna for help, but figuring it would be better not to invade the mares privacy more so than he already had, he decided it would be best to just ask Onyx himself.

Taking another look around the room, Silver set out to clean the room a little before heading to bed. She was passed out, so the likelihood of her waking up anytime soon was slim.

Silver turned and began sweeping up some of the glass into a pile with his wind. The tinkling of the shards made for a delightful make-shift melody, and he soon found himself humming a tune. As Silver slowly cleared the floor of glass, his eyes caught the writing of one of the scattered papers.

His first thought was too ignore it. Once again, he simply wanted to respect her privacy. Unfortunately, his mind had already processed the words sprawled onto the top of the paper. Two very important words.

Dear Dad...

Part of him still wanted to just leave it alone, to collect the rest of the papers, stack them and continue cleaning for a little longer. But that ever-persistent voice of curiosity was far louder than anything else at that moment.

Picking the paper up, Silver unfolded it and began to read.

“Dear Dad, or Mom,”

….That was it....

Just the one line.

Silver stared at the paper for a while longer. For a moment, he thought it was meant for himself, or Twilight or Luna. But if it were, then why say Dad and Mom? Onyx calls them Papa and Mamas. Looking around the room, he found several other papers just like it. Unlike this one, these had a few lines written on each, but all of them had been scratched out. Yet they still had those same four words at the top.

A thought did cross his mind.

“Did...did she mean--”

Silver froze as he felt a pair of eyes fall on him, and as there was only one other pony in the room, there was no effort to uncover who it was that was looking at him. Though something about this stare felt...off.

For a fraction of a moment, there was panic and hostility, but that seemed to slip away at some point, and they soon felt shocked, but...scared more than anything. 

Slowly, he turned and faced the bed, only to find Onyx in the same position as she was before, sound “asleep.”

Unfortunately for her, she hadn't learned yet that when you're asleep, your breathing changes, so her attempt to fake sleeping would have been ruined even if he didn't feel her gaze on her. Sighing, Silver let the paper fall and stepped over to the bed.

Poking her cheek gently with his muzzle, he leaned close and whispered, “Onyx, I know you're awake.”

The mare continued her acting. She was pretty good too. Her body didn't move an inch, and her snoring hadn't even stopped yet. Maybe she finally accepted that she does snore.

“Onyx, come on,” he tried again, “You can't trick me, I can you're awake from your breathing.”

For a moment, she continued to lay unmoving, until finally, she creaked an eye open, then the other. She didn't look directly at the wolf, instead choosing to look at the blanket and bottle of booze in her hooves. Her eyes were clearly bloodshot, either from crying, the alcohol or both. They lost the glint of joy they'd so recently gotten back after the streets beat it out of them. Now they sat dull, almost colorless, but worse of all, numb. The mare was empty inside.

…Again...

Sighing once more, Silver sat down in front of her, lowering his head to eye level.

“Onyx, sweetie, what happened in here?” he asked, only to be met with silence. He pondered for a moment, trying to decipher what issues plagued the mares mind. Thinking back to the papers, Silver tried again, “Is...is it about your birth parents?” he asked a gently as he could.

He saw her clutch the bottle a little tighter, but she shook her head, her loose mane bouncing as she did.

“Is it about your studies with Twilight?”

Another shake.

“Is it something somepony did?”

Shake.

Silver fell silent. He'd run out of ideas. Surely, there were a thousand things that could be bothering her, but he had no clue of knowing which, and certainly couldn't list them all off. But not knowing only tore him apart even more. Here he sat with a mare that he saw as his own daughter laying on the bed, drinking herself into depression and he had no idea what was hurting her or how to fix it.

And for the second time that night, Silver felt like a failure, and in more ways than one at that. First as a wolf-friend and now a parent. 

What a useless little dog.

Silvers head fell forward, burying his face into the blankets. The two sat like that for a while, neither speaking nor moving.

After some time passed, the wolf began to feel his eyelids grow heavy, the exhaustion taking over once more. He needed to get to bed. But he couldn't just leave Onyx here alone either, not while she's like this. He pondered taking her back with him, but that would mean telling Twilight and Luna about her room and he didn't have the energy for that.

He could stay in here, but he felt a little invasive already, and--

“--...ry....,”

It was less than a whisper, almost silent really, and followed by a touch. A gentle hoof ran over his neck, running over the collar.

Silver lifted his head, “What?” 

Again, she didn't say anything, but her hoof remained on the gift she gave him. The wolf looked down to the collar and smiled gently, “I meant what I said earlier, you know. I really do love it. It means the world to me, and I got it from one of my little fillies, so--”

“I'm sorry...”

This time, the words rang clear, but still soft. They were words the wolf  had heard enough of for one night. So many apologies have come from so many already, and he just wanted it to stop.

But she didn't.

“It's...it's my fault. I didn't think. I just did something stupid and I made Luna and Twilight angry and she stormed out an-and--”

“Shhh.....” he shushed, placing a paw over her mouth, his smile never fading. For the first time that night, her eyes had actually met with Silvers, though he'd wished they hadn't been filled with tears. At least he finally found out what she was upset over.

“Did...did you overhear us earlier?”

Just as quickly as she made eye contact, she broke it again with that question, though she did respond with a nod, “I was out on the porch. I-I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but.... it was just the shouting I heard though...”

Silver sighed. Of course she only heard the shouting. Luna had lost it by the time she was heading to leave and stopped shouting by then. Onyx wouldn't have been able to hear what she said before she left.

“Silly filly, what happened wasn't your fault,” he comforted, picking up her head by the chin, “Your Papa...well, I kinda screwed up. I kissed another mare, aside from Twilight and Luna, and they were upset. But trust me when I say, Luna storming out was not your fault by any means.”

“B-but it was!” she cried, “Even if she didn't leave because of the collar, she wouldn't have been nearly as angry if I hadn't given it to you in the first place! She would have stayed!”

Onyx quickly snatched the collar off of his neck, holding it high about her head and was about to hurl it across the room before a paw caught her hoof.

“Onyx, don't,” he said sweetly, “I'd hate to see you break your hard work.”

“It's not hard work! It's just trouble! It's gonna drive us apart! I'll drive us apart!”

“What?” Silver actually recoiled at the outburst, causing the mares hoof to fall forward. Luckily, she'd let it crash down onto the bed without throwing the collar across the room, “What are you talking about?”

“Why do you think I don't have parents!? Why do you think I was abandon on the street!? All I ever do is cause trouble! I made their lives miserable and they got rid of me! I did it to them and I'll do it again! I'll just drive everyone away somehow! It's my fault I don't have a family!”

“Wha--?”

“I'm dead weight, Silver! I slow everyone down, and when I'm not, I'm busy being a freak and hacking ponies to pieces! I'm just a hassle to take care off! I don't have a family and I never will!”

“Knock it off!” For the first time that night, Silver actually raised his voice, making Onyx go stiff, “'Drive everyone away'? 'Cause trouble'? You honestly believe that? That you don't have a family?”

“I don't!”

“Then what about me!? What about Ruppy, or Twilight, or Luna? Do you call me Papa for fun, or do you really think I don't think of you as my daughter? As my family.”

“I-i..it--”

“Family is never just blood, Onyx. It's whoever you decide it to be. So tell me, do you want to be a family?”

The little coal mare looked up. It was an odd question, that's for certain. Or at least, to anyone else it would be. But for this mare, it was the one thing she craved more than anything.

She gazed into Silvers eyes. They had a scowl on them, though it wasn't out of annoyance or anything of the like, but rather determination, and maybe a hint of hope. They were firm yet gentle, soothing yet fierce. Warm like a summers day or the silent, tranquil night.

They were the eyes of a father.

“Please....” she choked out, “Papa....I don't wanna be alone anymore...”

“Shhh...” he shushed once more, his scowling softening back into his gentle smile while his arms brought her into a hug, “You were never alone, sweetie. You just didn't know what you had.”

“I-I wanna be a family. Please....please...”

Silver felt her shake and shiver, though not out of fear. It was a tension leaving her body, a weight lifted from her shoulders, “Of course, sweetie,” he cooed gently, placing a kiss atop her head, “We're family. Always and forever.”

The two stayed together for a while. Silver wasn't sure how long, nor did he care. He didn't leave her side until he was certain she was calm.

That sign came in the form of the mares snoring in his chest.

“Well, she did drink half of my liquor cabinet.”

Gently placing her back down onto the bed, Silver removed the bottle that still laid wrapped up in the bed sheets before tucking her in. She didn't wake, thankfully, and neither did anypony else.

Examining the room, he still thought it odd that nobody would hear the ruckus, but the exhaustion from the night made him too tired to care about trying to figure it out.

Silver sighed and picked up the collar before heading to the door. The glass had been mostly swept up earlier, so he could leave the rest of the cleaning for in the morning. As he left the room, he clicked the door shut behind him, only to find it didn't actually click.

A quick thought of a sound-proofing spell crossed his mind, but again, his tiredness wiped it out. For the brief moment it existed though, it did make sense. Onyx was a unicorn after all.  He wasn't sure how difficult a sound-proofing spell would be, but that doesn't change the fact that he knew one still existed. And while she had no formal education in magic, she was still able to use the swords he made for her with relative ease, so the idea that she could learn a spell like that isn't exactly unreasonable. But there was still something missing

But a sleepy Silver was not a thinky Silver.

No, sleepy Silver was sleepy. And so he shuffled down the hall to his room. The shadowed forms of his mares in bed could barely be made out. He set the collar on the nightstand and crawled under the sheets, wrapping his paws around the first body he found. Her smell told him it was Twilight.

She shifted around a bit to accommodate for the new set of limbs, stirring her from her slumber.

“Silver?” she wearily whispered, “Are you just now getting into bed?”

“Yeah,” he answered, his own weariness matching hers, “Sorry.....had to...with Onyx....tell you in the mmmornnnggg...”

And with that, he was out. Twilight considered waking him back up to ask, but figuring that since it has already been a long night, she decided to just let the wolf sleep.

That, and she was already falling asleep again too.
> Onyx Hurls and Homework for the Girls
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alcohol is the devils drink. What good is it anyway? Sure, you get a nice buzz if you do it right, maybe have some fun too. But then you go and get shit faced, and end up making a half a dozen mistakes before the night is over. And then....then you have to wake up the next morning.

“Just don't move.”

“Lie perfectly still, and for the love of all living things, Do. Not. Move.”

The thoughts pounded through the coal mares mind, resounding far louder than she would have liked. Her head felt like someone had smashed it with a building, her muscles ached as if she'd ran for three days straight, and she realized that, after laying there for what felt like eleven and a half eternities, she reeked.

She reeked horribly.

Of course that was probably due to the fact that she laid in a noticeable pool of her own sweat. Onyx could feel the wet sheets below her sticking to coat, and prayed that sweat was the only liquid soaking them.

She had learned earlier on in life where the term “piss drunk” came from, and unfortunately, that lesson came from her own experience. That was one morning she would never let Ruppy learn about.

As Onyx continued to lay there, the symptoms of her hangover only grew stronger. Her stomach knotted tighter than before, and her head felt like a herd of rhinos were throwing a rave. She could feel the room spinning, even though her eyes had been closed since she awoke, and to add on to it all, the gut-wrenching stench of her body odor filled her nose, only serving to intensify the pains.

“I can't keep laying here like this. I'm gonna hurl...”

Onyx had few options to choose from. Stay in bed and spend the next thirty minutes dreading the inevitable fact that she would puke all over her room, or make the treacherous journey across the hall and to the bathroom, where she can shower and throw up all she wants into the toilet.

It took little to no time for her to make up her mind, and so, for the first time that morning, Onyx opened her eyes.

Much to her dismay, she immediately regretted it as sunlight torched her pupils, causing her to clamp her eyes shut once more. It would seem that in her drunken stupor the night before, she had forgotten to close the curtains before passing out. And now, thanks to that, Celestia's sun was able to fully assault her with all its sunshiny goodness.

“I hate that princess sometimes.”

Slowly, Onyx raised a hoof to cover her eyes, opening them once more. She couldn't see the sun through the window, which meant it must have been over head. But even so, that still let in more than enough sunlight to worsen her headache.

As Onyx allowed her eyes to adjust, she took a moment to examine her room.

When she first woke up, she briefly recalled little bits of information as to why she'd started drinking in the first place. But all that she could conclude was that she was angry. She felt that it was mostly at herself, but couldn't remember much more than that.

But now, as she sat there with her hoof covering her eyes, she remembered a small bit of something. Just the briefest moment...

...Of her trying to chuck something across the room, and Silver stopping her.

That single moment of remembrance made the mares blood run cold.

“He...he was here....with me....while I was....Oh sweet tap-dancing Celestia, what did I do?”

While this wasn't the first time Onyx had gotten completely drunk and threw a tantrum, it was the first time anyone had ever caught her in the middle of it, aside from Ruppy. That little incident was what the Sound Proofing spell was for. At first, she learned it to help make breaking into places easier, but after the first time Ruppy found her rampaging, she decided that a new application of the spell might be called for. 

But aside from the pegasus, no one knew about these little moments she had. She did it just to blow off steam, but knew that when she was drunk, she really wasn't herself.

“What did I say to him? What did I do to him!? Oh please, don't tell me I did something stupid!”

The thought sparked yet another brief memory. Something about family.

She couldn't completely recall what it was, but it made her chest feel a bit bubbly, which was the first good feeling she'd had all morning.

Sadly, that good feeling become something else. Something vile.

That bubbly feeling soon went from her heart down to her stomach. Onyx could already feel her throat constrict and relax rhythmically, a clear sign that whatever contents she did have in her belly were about to come back up.

Ignoring the screams of her muscles and headache, Onyx bolted off the bed and out of the door to the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. She came to a sliding stop in front of the toilet, barely lifting the lid fast enough before throwing up.

Oh Celestia, did it burn. Nothing but booze coming back up after having a full night to sit in her stomach and cook.

Onyx wouldn't lie, she hated herself at the moment. She swore to herself that she'd never drink like that again. But a part of her knew that was the same thing she'd told herself the last time, and yet here she was. Puking into another toilet. At least this one was nicer than the one before. Last time, it was just some hole she'd found behind some bushes. Why it was there, she had no idea, but it was good enough for her.

Lost in her thoughts of self-reprimanding, Onyx never heard the door open or the hoof steps of the pony entering. It wasn't until she felt something gently pull her mane back that she realized someone was in there with her. Turning to face them, she looked out the corner of her eye to find Beats standing behind her, her mane held in his hoof as he began rubbing her back.

At first, she wanted to punch him in the throat and kick him out, but she soon found that the gentle back rub helped her calm down, even if only a little.

“Huh...He's a good kid. To think, I was actually going to kill him at one point.” she thought, only to turn right back to the bowl as she felt another lurch in her stomach. Beats made no comment, nor asked any questions as he sat with her.

Even after she had nothing left to puke, and was simply dry heaving into the toilet, he stayed. Once Onyx finally lifted her head, he stepped aside so she could move to the sink to rinse her mouth.

“Want me to start the shower?” he asked softly, trying not to disturb the headache he knew she had.

Onyx nodded, “Cold please,” her voice raspy.

Beats moved over and  turned the knobs, making sure the water wasn't ice cold, but just below warm and then headed for the door, “I'll make you something warm for when you get out.”

“This stallion is a life saver...”

Just as he went to step out, Onyx called to him, “Hey,” making him paused and turn around, “Um, thanks. For, you know, being nice.”

Beats just smiled, “Don't worry about it. As a DJ, I've had my fair share of hangovers. It sucks, I know.”

Onyx giggled before he waved and trotted out, closing the door behind him. The mare stepped tentatively into the shower, her balance already askew enough without the slippery floor beneath her.

At first, she didn't bother washing. She just sat under the water, absorbing the cool sensation as it rushed over her body, a few aches in her muscles. She considered turning up the hot water to get rid of them, but decided against it as it would only make her dizzier than she already was.

As she relaxed herself, she allowed her mind to try and focus on the previous night, trying to piece together what happened. She could remember coming from training, upset about something, and through a blur of tears, found Silver's liquor and went off to her room. She began drinking and crying, then nothing.

She blacked out.

Like earlier, she could recall little tidbits of moments, like reading over an unfinished letter to her parents and crying even harder, but not much else. She couldn't even remember what Silver said to her when he came in.

Onyx dropped her head in defeat.

And so she sat there for about ten minutes, her mind jumbled over her lost night of venting. The stress and hangover had begun to take its toll on her now, as she felt her eyes grow heavy. She entertained the idea of laying down and taking a nap, but the floor didn't look very comfy. That being said, the tiredness was still very real and she soon felt her eye lids droop.

Reaching for the soap and washrag, Onyx quickly scrubbed herself down and washed her mane gently to avoid tossing her head about. After washing, she sat in the shower for another few minutes before she smelled something wafting through the door. She couldn't tell what, but it did smell warm.

Shutting off the water, she stepped out, dried herself off and shuffled out the door to the kitchen. Beats had kept his promise and made her some cream of mushroom soup, with some little daisy petals tossed in.

“Feel a little better?” he asked, then moved the pot off the stove and poured the soup into a bowl on the counter.

Onyx clambered up onto the stool and nodded, “The shower helped a little.”

“That's good,” he said, putting the pot in the sink, “I've gotta get back to training now, but I think if you ask nicely, Silver might let you skip today.”

“Get back to training?” she asked, “How long did I sleep in?”

“Oh it's only one, but I asked Silver if I could come in early. Out of all of us, I think I'm lacking the most, so I figured I should put forth a bit more effort.”

“Well aren't you the dedicated little stallion,” Onyx giggled, taking another sip of her soup. Beats just rolled his eyes before heading to the back door.

“I'll be back later on to pick up my sister from school. If you think of anything you need, catch me when I come back through.”

Onyx smiled and waved, “Okay. Thanks!” and with that, the stallion left.

“He really is a good kid.”

In truth, Onyx would normally hate being babied in such a way, hangover or not. But Beats had a certain gentleness to his nature, almost brotherly really. It actually kinda reminded her of Silver. He had a soft voice, and eyes that were captivating. Throw in a charming smile, and he was damn Silvers pony twin.

Onyx couldn't help but wonder that maybe the wolf had been rubbing off on the stallion. It was a terrifying thought, to be honest. Think about it, two of that bastard, running around and swooning girls. Ponyville wouldn't last three days.

But then again, Silver was with Luna and Twilight, so there would really only be one of him on the loose, and that's if Beats didn't already have a marefriend. He never mentioned having one before, so chances were that he was probably single.

“...Why the hell am I thinking about this again?”

But before she could answer herself, as if called by Onyx's thoughts of marefriends and their lovers, who else but Twilight, Luna and Silver should come waltzing through the front door, the sound of ruffling bags joined with their steps.

“Oh, Onyx!” Luna greeted, “You're awake! And here we thought you might have died in your sleep.” The coal mare at the counter winced, flattening her ears and covering them with her hooves while she groaned with pain.

“Huh?” Luna said, cocking her head, “Onyx dear, what's wrong?”

Silver quickly trotted over to the counter, chuckling softly to himself while Twilight leaned up to Luna's ear, “Speak softly, her head hurts.”

“Oh!” the midnight alicorn gasped in a hushed tone, “Oh, Onyx I'm sorry. I didn't realize.”

The other two mares of the herd trotted over to the counter as well, where Silver was gently rubbing her back.

“Come on,” he said, “Let's get you over to the couch before you puke all over my counter.” Charming, this wolf.

Luna floated the mare from the seat to the couch as gently as she could, while Twilight took the bags they'd brought in with them to Silvers bedroom. The midnight alicorn trotted around and crawled up onto the sofa with Onyx, gently wrapping a wing around her and bringing her into her side.

“There, there,” Luna cooed softly, “Would you like me to bring your food over too?”

Onyx nodded her head, and soon a bowl of soup was floating in front of her. Again, she realized she was being babied, but for the life of her, couldn't care less. If anything, she was enjoying it. It brought a warm, bubbly feeling in her chest, the same one that she'd had earlier before she bolted off to the bathroom. The feeling was familiar somehow, and not in the “I'm about to puke” way. The mare felt like it was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't place what had made her feel this way before.

Lost in her thoughts, Onyx had barely noticed the odd feeling of something tickling her ear, but when her ear twitched, it lightly tapped something. Something that was blowing air. And then it hit her.

Luna was sniffing her.

Onyx froze for a moment, unsure of what the alicorn was doing. But soon, Luna stopped. The coal mare sat there and pondered why she had--

“Were you drinking?”

….she froze again, this time in mid bite. Luna could smell the alcohol from last night. While Onyx was sure she washed, she was also sure she didn't wash too well. She cleaned herself enough to get rid of the wretched stench that was making her feel worse, but didn't have the energy to do a full and proper job.

“Onyx...” Luna said again. The mare in question could only gulp. It wasn't that it was wrong for her to drink, but she couldn't help but feel she'd let Luna down in some way, like a teenage filly disappoints her parents.

The alicorn sighed, “I'm not angry Onyx, you're a fully grown mare, and you're allowed to drink. Just please, drink responsibly. Not to sound snooty, but hangovers tend to make mares seem unrefined.”

Onyx laughed nervously, “It's not like I've ever really been refined or anything so it doesn't really matter.”

“Oh don't be silly,” Luna countered, “Every mare is elegant in their own right. Especially you.”

The coal unicorn actually blushed at the comment. Onyx knew she was attractive, but she'd never been described as elegant before.

“Silver?” Luna called while Onyx was still collecting herself, “I trust you won't be making Onyx train today, what with her hangover and all.”

“You know, I ought to make her train anyway to teach her a lesson,” he called from the kitchen where he was cleaning the dishes, a playful tone in his voice , “But I'm not that cruel. You can play hooky for the day. That being said, Twilight might not be so kind when it comes to your lessons with her.”

Onyx paled. All the papers in her room had been scattered about, some even crumpled, torn and thrown away. She wasn't sure if she still had her work from the previous lesson, and while Twilight was understanding, she wouldn't exactly cut her any slack.

“Well,” the mentioned lavender mare said, coming back from the bed room where she dropped off the bags, “If she finished her homework from last time and got at least a 70% on it, then I suppose we could skip her lessons and relax for the day.”

Onyx quickly set her bowl on the coffee table, “I'll go check my room,” she rushed out, shuffling and stumbling down the hall.

“Oh, I'll help—” Twilight tried.

“No, that's okay!” Onyx quickly rejected, “M-my uh, room's a mess, it's embarrassing. I'll just find them myself.”

The mare then swiftly made her way through the rest of the hall and ducked off into her room, closing the door behind her, leaving Twilight to look in bewilderment.

“That was...odd,” she commented, trotting around the sofa to sit next to Luna.

“Well it is Onyx,” Luna countered, “And she does have a hangover.”

Twilight shrugged, “Yeah, but that was still strange, even for her.” The alicorn continued to ponder for a moment before turning her head to look back over the couch to where Silver was finishing the dishes, “Silver what do you think?”

“What do you mean?” he questioned, “It's Onyx. She just likes her privacy. No need to go digging around.”

“Hmm....” Twilight hummed, eyeing the wolf suspiciously, “And would this conclusion have anything to do with why you came to bed late last night?”

The loud clatter of a dropped pot in the sink echoed across the house while the wolf froze.

“Uh...” he tried, “No?”

“Silver...” both mares growled, glaring at him from across the room. The wolf sighed, placing the last pot in the other side of the sink to dry before turning to face them.

“It's none of our business why she acts the way she does. If she has any problems, she can tell us herself when she's ready. Until then, I'd rather like to avoid hounding her.”

“But--” Twilight began.

“No 'buts',” he countered, “I know you're worried Twilight, but these are her problems that she can deal with on her own, and I know that sounds cold-hearted, but like Luna said, she is a grown mare. If you want, you can ask her if there's something bothering her, but if she says she doesn't want to talk about it, please just drop it.”

Twilight went to speak again, but stopped shortly after and hung her head.

“Yeah...I guess you're right. But I am still worried about her Silver. She was raised on the streets, without a real family or friends aside from Ruppy. She might not be used to opening up. She might just bottle it all up inside until it explodes.”

Silver sighed as he moved out of the kitchen and around to the front of the couch, “Well, if you're worried about that, then why not be the family she never had?” he proposed, sitting down in front of his mares.

“I thought we already were,” she said, “Isn't that why she calls us Mama's and Papa?”

“Well, we really only had that talk with Ruppy,” Silver reminded, “I'm not sure if Onyx ever understood what happened that night. We found her at the piano, but all she said was that she overheard Ruppy telling us how she didn't have family. She never mentioned anything beyond that.”

“So then this whole time we've been pampering them and she might not have known?” Luna asked, her voice nearly wavering, earning a nod from Silver. She sat silent for a moment, her face reflecting her pondering. If Onyx never realized what family she gained, then how did she feel about how they treated her?

While it was clear she enjoyed it to a great degree, Luna couldn't be sure if their kindness was also causing her pain as well. What if she felt like she wasn't worthy of the love they showed her?

“...I'm spending the day with her,” Luna announced, garnering Silvers and Twilights attention, “She'll need somepony to help her with her hangover anyway.”

Neither one of her herd-mates bothered to argue. In fact, they smiled.

“I was hoping you'd say something like that,” Twilight admitted, leaning over and nuzzling Luna, “You're so sweet.”

Luna could only blush, but still fell into the affection with her own nuzzles. Silver chuckled at the moment, finding it all too adorable before his eyes caught the shadows in the room from the sunlight.

“I should get out back to help with training,” he said, standing up and pecking his mares cheeks, “I'll see you two later tonight. And take care of her Luna, she's a bit fragile.”

“Don't worry, I know,” she said back. Silver turned and trotted out the back door, leaving his mares on the couch.

“I should get going too,” Twilight said, sliding off the cushion, “I've got a ton of papers and interviews to get through today.”

“But what about Onyx's homework?” Luna reminded, “Didn't you say you wanted to see it first?”

Twilight giggled before turning and pecking her marefriend, “Just tell her I rushed out in a hurry and forgot about it.”

The lavender mare trotted around the couch and out the door, leaving Luna sitting in silence....until she heard hooves clopping down the hall.

“Twilighsh, I've gosh sha' home--” Onyx paused as she came around the corner, her papers in her mouth as her head hurt too much to levitate anything. Her eyes found the couch empty, “--work? Where did she go?”

“She rushed out a minute ago,” Luna explained, “She said something about papers and interviews. Lucky you though, now you have extra time to finish your homework.”

Onyx actually deflated a little, “I already did it th'ough. I even did the bonush queshtionsh she put on for eshxtra credit.”

“Aww, sweetie,” Luna cooed, patting a hoof on the spot next to her on the couch, “It's alright. Come sit down, and let Mama Luna take a look at what you've learned.”

The coal mare brightened up a bit, shuffling over to the couch and cozying up next to Luna. Normally, a pony who had homework would whine and complain, but Onyx found that finishing the worksheet felt gratifying. She was learning, just like she'd always wanted. And nothing felt more satisfying than the praise Twilight or Silver would give her for getting a good grade.

“Let's see, what do we have here?” Luna began, floating the paper from the mares mouth and holding it up to see, “Is this magic theory?”

Onyx nodded, “Twilight said it's only the very basics, but it shouldn't take long to learn since I can already use a little magic. Then we go on to harder stuff.”

“Ah, yes. I remember Star Swirl giving my sister and I similar problems to solve,” Luna reminisced, “He was a difficult teacher, but a very good one.”

“You were in school too?” Onyx asked, earning a nod from Luna, who began playing with her loose mane with a hoof.

“Back then, school was mostly for the wealthy and powerful, so not every pony went. But Tia and I did. And Star Swirl was not our only teacher either. We've had many over the years, ponies who would teach us about things like politics, astronomy, science, cultures. Many ponies think that Celestia and I are all knowing, and and natural leaders. Imagine their surprise when they learn I couldn't understand how gravity worked when it was first discovered.”

Onyx couldn't help but giggle, only to quickly wince and hold her head in pain. She felt a cool wing drape over her back seconds after, and she allowed her head to drop into Lunas neck.

“Is there any other work you'd like me to look over?” Luna asked.

Onyx shook her head, “No, that was the only work I had, aside from what Silver gave us.”

“Silver gave you homework too?”

“He just told us to think about how we want to develop our abilities. I still haven't come up with anything though.”

“Well, I imagine the drinking might have played a hoof in that,” Luna playfully chided, earning a swat from the mare on her shoulder, “Do you have any ideas though?”

Onyx shrugged, “Kinda. Just little bits though.”

“Well, let's hear them.”





Silver trotted through the halls of Canterlot, searching for a certain mare. Normally, said mare would be one of the three princesses, however, this time his target was none other than Ruppy.

After leaving Luna and Twilight, Silver went out to the mountain to see how the training was coming. But upon arriving, he only found three of the five ponies. Onyx was still at the house, so her absence was accounted for, but not the other mare.

After asking the others if they'd seen her, they'd all replied with no's, which left Silver wondering where the sandy mare had gotten off to.

First, he checked the library, asking Twilight and Spike if they saw her come through. Again, the answer was no. He flew over Ponyville for a few minutes, checking to see if she'd slipped by both of them and gone into town for something, but again found nothing.

The next place his decided to check was Canterlot Castle. While the chances were slim that she'd go there since she had no real reason to, Silver still wanted to be sure, and since the castle is full of guards, seeing if she came through should be relatively easy.

And so, the wolf found himself walking across the shiny tiles once more, looking for a guard to question. He found one posted on near one of the corners and stopped to ask him if he'd seen the pegasus.

As luck would have it, she did come through, though her destination was....odd.

The guard informed Silver that he saw Ruppy head towards the back of the castle. Since she'd been allowed to wander the halls before, he saw no reason to stop or even question her.

“And this is why the changelings got as far as they did...”

Thanking the guard, Silver turned and began tracing the steps of the mare, stopping along the way to ask other guards if they'd seen anything. A few had told him that they saw a pony flying to the forest out back, but just as the first guard, they realized it was Ruppy and didn't give chase.

“I'm glad they trust her and all, but come on...”

Leaving the castle, Silver took to the skies, his eyes scouring the land below, and sure enough, he found the mare. 

Ruppy had her plot planted firmly on the grass, her eyes staring downward at a large crack in the earth. She was behind Canterlot Castle, in the same clearing in the forest that Silver had brought them to their first day of training to spar.

Lost in thought, she never noticed the sound of wing beats over head.

“There you are,” Silver called down, landing in front of the mare and trotting up to her, “I was wondering where you ran off to. What are you doing all the way out here?”

Ruppy didn't answer, keeping her eyes fixated on the crack.

“Ruppy?”

“Hey, Silver...you...you were evil once, right?”

The wolf stopped in his tracks, “What do you mean?”

“I was reading in the library the other day, not yours but Twilights. I found a book, the Fallen Kings, and they had your name in there. You were called Saber back then, right?”

Silvers eyes went wide. He never told Onyx or Ruppy about that and his picture was never in the book. 

“H-how do you know about that?” he questioned, his fear showing in his voice.

“I've dug through some of your old crap in the basement and found a wanted poster. It had your face but said your name was Saber,” she explained. As she spoke, she could see him pale with each word, the fear slowing growing in his eyes. Finally she sighed, “I don't care about what you did back then Silver. I can't judge you. It's just....

“I....I did that...” she said, her voice just above a whisper, a hoof gesturing to the crack in the ground, “That was me, Silver. And when I think about what happened, I remember you said you were a lot like me. That you grew up around violence, and learned to love it. But....I think you meant more than that...

“The way you acted when you were called Saber and the way you act now, I think you really are a lot like me. Am I right?”

The wolf sat in silence for a moment, staring at the mare. 

Finally, he sighed, “Well, you're not wrong,” he admitted, moving over and sitting next to her, “Saber is another side of me, but it's a little more complicated than that. I'm not like you in the way that I change when I'm angry, but I am like you in the way that I do have a not-so-pleasent side.”

“Then can I ask you something?” she said, looking up at the wolf and earning a nod.

“When you become him, are you stronger?” she asked.

The wolf cocked his head. It wasn't a question he'd been asked before, but it wasn't necessarily a difficult one. Silver shrugged, “In some ways, yes. I'm much more ruthless, and don't bother holding back in the slightest. I'm devious, and will resort to all sorts of dirty tricks to win. Even my fighting style changes. Why do you ask?”

Ruppy turned back to the crack, “Because...I did that...”

Silvers eyes fell to the crack as well, before going back to the mare, “Ruppy, that...that wasn't you. You weren't in control.”

“No, Silver you don't get it. I did that. This body, these hooves! I am capable of that!”

Silver cocked his head to the side in confusion once more, “I don't follow...”

The mare sighed, “You said we needed to decide how we want to fight. I want to fight like that all the time. With that kind of power.”

“Ruppy, you only get that strong when you're enraged. You'd be going berserk every time you get into a fight. I thought you didn't like being like that.”

“I don't. Which is why I'm going to learn to control it.”

Silvers eyes actually widened, “You're going to control it?”

“Yeah!” Ruppy cheered, “Think about it! My body can do that anyway when I snap, so if I can figure out how to get it to that point whenever I want, I'll be ten times stronger! You've done it. That's how you learned to control being Saber, right?”

Silver looked at the crack, then back to Ruppy, then back to the crack, then back to Ruppy.

“You're sure you want to do this?” he asked, “Because this won't be fun for you.” The pegasus nodded. 

“I'm sure.”
> A Piece of His Past and Old Photographs
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight couldn't help but dread the coming headache she knew she would soon have.

It was a symptom she didn't get too often, but often enough to be familiar with. Some nights, she would stay up too late and study into the morning...and the afternoon...and the night again, which led to a skull splitting pain. Those times would often blur together in an organized yet still chaotic fashion that some how made sense to her.

Other times, it was a hangover from one too many ciders with one of her friends, usually Applejack, Rainbow or, Celestia forbid,  Pinkie. That mare was a beast when it came to drinking games, and there was no saying “no” to her either.

But among all the times she developed a headache, not once could she say it was because of some emotional distress...until now.

While her herd had reconciled the night before, that night still didn't do her stress levels any favors. Sure, shopping earlier was fun and relaxing, despite Silvers constant complaints, but she still felt exhausted from the night before, even with the make-up sex.

And now, here she was, sitting on her couch without her mare or wolf, speaking with some ass-hat about his resume that he very poorly lied on.

Honestly, did he really think she wouldn't do a deep background check into his life?

On the outside, he seemed fairly normal. He had a simple beige coat with a short dark brown mane. He was a little on the older side, but seemed to be in good shape. He spoke politely and calmly, making eye contact through out the whole interview.

Unfortunately, how he appeared and the facts listed on the sheet in front of the alicorn were complete opposites.

“So, you say that your experience with the 33rd regiment makes you qualified, correct?” the lavender mare asked to the stallion sitting across from her.

Said stallion replied with a strong nod, “Yes ma'am. I was the commander for my squad at the time.”

“Yes, and this was six years ago?” Again, another nod.

“And why did you decide to leave the Royal Guard?”

The stallion stiffened ever so slightly, making Twilight sigh to herself. She knew what was about to come.

“W-well personally, I didn't believe any of my squad could handle my tactics, so I left. I didn't want to, but they just couldn't keep up. I saw it as a of their lack of training and discipline, and couldn't bear it any longer. But when I heard that wolves from Houndland had been assigned to guard you, I figured they would be able to keep up with me.”

Twilight suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, “And you're sure this decision to leave the military was due to your teammates incompetence, and not the affairs you had with three of the squad members wives?”

The stallion managed to stumble even though he was sitting, “T-that was a lie! I would never!”

“This report in my hooves says otherwise.”

Twilight calmed herself before putting on her most convincing fake smile, “Well, I'm glad to hear that. Thank you so much for your time, sir. I'll contact you soon with the decision.”

The stallion sat confused for a moment before shaking himself out of his stupor. Miraculously, he managed to regain what pride he had lost just moments ago and stood to leave.

When the door finally shut behind him, Twilight laid her head back on the sofa cushions and sighed.

“What's wrong with ponies these days?”

“Well, he's rather rude,” a familiar voice came from the shadows. Twilight yelped and jumped at sound as Sica stepped forth seemingly from nowhere, standing to the side of the sofa, “He didn't even bow when he left.”

“Please, don't do that!” The alicorn gasped, a hoof over her racing heart. She had only just gotten use to Onyx sneaking up on her, but Sica was on a whole other level. Her presence would disappear entirely when she hid herself.

She wasn't even supposed to be here. Star Shine was supposed to be guarding her, but for some reason had Sica take her place for the day.

“Sorry,” the mare apologized, “It's a habit. But seriously, that guy was terrible. You're not actually accepting him, are you?”

Twilight let out one last sigh before she finally got herself back under control, “No, I won't be. Not only did he lie on his resume, but he did a very poor job at it as well. Silver would tear his head off by the end of the day.”

“Huh...” Sica hummed, starring at the door where the stallion had just walked out, “Princess, do you mind if I ask you something?”

Twilight stood and began walking over to the kitchen, “Depends on what it is.”

“It's just...I was wondering why you hired me.”

Twilight paused in her steps, turning around and looking clearly befuddled, “Why I hired you?” Sica simply nodded in return before the alicorn continued, “Well, I suppose it would have to be the recommendations from so many ponies. Your clients were very pleased with your services, stating you followed every order down to the letter. 

“Aside from that, you said on your application that you were a private body guard for 10 years, had training in various forms of martial arts and combat experience. You seemed to be a perfect fit, even if there were some gaps in the screening process.”

“And you didn't find that suspicious?” Sica asked.

“Suspicious? Why would it be?” she called over her shoulder as she started for the kitchen again.

“Because I'm only 22, and I've been doing this since I was 12? Because little to nothing about my life was ever revealed when you interviewed me? Because I wear an unusually baggy robe that I never take off in public? Doesn't any of this seem alarming to you?

Twilight hummed in thought for a moment, “Well, if I hadn't met Silver, then yes, I'd have found it very suspicious. Especially when I tried to find your records in Canterlot, but came up empty hoofed. But if that wolf has taught me anything, it's that keeping secrets doesn't necessarily mean you're lying. Some things are just better left unmentioned.

“Though to be completely honest, I couldn't be sure about you at first. But from what I could tell, you didn't lie on your application, or during the interview, so I gave you the benefit of the doubt. I still sent you to Silver to be sure though. 

“As for the specifics, you're right, I did notice that you've been doing private security since you were 12, but you were honest about it, so I saw no reason to bring it up. Everything about you has been vague and unclear so far, but nothing has indicated that you would be a danger to myself or anypony else. So, what's to find suspicious?”

Sica stood dumbfounded. The assassin was no fool; she knew her life was far from normal, no matter what angle you looked at it from or how much she tried to hide it. And yet, this alicorn refused to be doubtful. 

This alicorn, who had every reason not to hire her, much less trust her, did.

Sica couldn't help but sigh as Twilight came back from the kitchen with a cup of tea floating in her magic.

“Has anypony ever told you that you trust others too much?” Sica commented as the alicorn took a sip of her drink.

“Hmm....probably. But I've learned from Fluttershy that you should always give others the benefit of the doubt.”

Twilight flicked her eyes up to the clock, reading 3:30 in the afternoon.

“Well the next appointment isn't until five, so if you'd like, you can go for a late lunch,” the lavender mare informed as she finished off the rest of her tea, “I was going to go see Silver and Luna.”

Sica couldn't help but giggle, “You miss them already?”

Twilight rolled her eyes as she set her cup onto the coffee table, “Last night was very exhausting for me, so I'm not one hundred percent today. Being with them is like recharging my batteries.”

Sica laughed once more, “Alright, sure princess. Just don't start without me.”

With that Twilight turned and went down the hall of her tree home, walking into Silver's. She went to the kitchen counter first to see if any pony had left a note and for once, no one had.

Luna and Onyx had apparently vacated the couch, and after knocking on the younger mares door down the hall, Twilight discovered that they didn't retreat to Onyx's room. So, she turned and trotted down the stairs to the third floor, checking each room to see if they were in there.

Surprisingly, they weren't in any of them.

As Twilight went back up the stair case, she pondered where the mares might have gotten off to. She considered the fact that they might have gone out back, but with Onyx's hangover, the chances of that were slim, and one of them certainly would have left a note.

So where....

Twilight suddenly had a thought.

Finishing the last few steps, she returned to the first floor and trotted to the other side of the home where Silvers bedroom door stood.

Slowly, she peeked it open and sure enough, there they were.

Luna laid on the mattress with a smaller bundle of blankets tucked to her side, Onyx's flowing black mane sprawled all over the covers. Clearly, she wasn't in the mood to put her hair in it's signature braid.

As Twilight opened the door more to step in, she caught the attention of the alicorn on the bed.

“Huh?” she questioned, her head snapping towards the light coming from the doorway, “Oh, Twilight. What are you doing here? I thought you had work,” Luna said, her voice soft so as to not disturb Onyx.

The unicorn laid unmoving, seemingly asleep.

“I was, but I have a bit of time until my next interview,” Twilight explained as she fully entered the room, gently closing the door behind her, “What are you guys doing in here though?”

Luna looked down at the snoozing mare, her midnight wing draped over her back to keep her tucked against her side, “Well she was clearly tired, but when I suggested we go to her room so she could sleep, she refused to let me in. She tried to sleep on the couch, but the sunlight made it somewhat difficult, which is when I had the idea to bring her in here. There aren't any windows, so I figured she should be fine, and I was right.”

Twilight crawled onto the bed as Luna spoke, her eyes focusing more and more on Onyx with each word.

“Why wouldn't she let you in her room?” Twilight asked.

Luna only shrugged, “That's what I asked, but she just kept saying her room was a mess and that she didn't want any one to see it. I was tempted to just teleport in there, but like Silver said earlier, we need to respect her privacy.”

Twilight sighed, “Oh well. I just hope she's okay.”

“Yes, we all do,” Luna added, giving her mare friend a little nuzzle. It was only when she did, that Twilight noticed Luna was holding something in her hoof.

“What's that?” Twilight asked, looking down at the object. It looked like a little slip of paper.

Luna's eyes quickly widened and looked away, but Twilight could see her move her hoof to try and cover whatever was on the paper.

“Luna...” the lavender alicorn said firmly, “What are you hiding?”

The midnight mare dared a glance at her marefriend, finding a small but still somewhat intimidating scowl staring back at her.

Luna gulped, “Promise you won't tell Silver I found it?”

Twilight immediately wiped her scowl away, replacing it with something akin to fear. She knew what digging into his past could dredge up. “Found what?”

Luna sighed as she moved her hoof away, using her horn to produce a small bit of light. When the lavender mare saw what was on the paper, she froze.

It wasn't actually paper at all. No, it was a picture. One with two wolves, both of which Twilight and Luna recognized.

One of the wolves was none other than Silver, only he looked a little younger. The other was one they knew, but wished they hadn't.

Sitting next to him, leaning into his side as he wrapped a wing around her, was Aurora.

They were standing in a park, in front of a large oak tree. Both had smiles on their muzzles as they nuzzled into each other, clearly in love.

“Luna, where did you find this?” Twilight asked, her eyes refusing to look away from the image. She didn't know why she couldn't; it hurt her after all. And although it wasn't much, Silver and her were clearly through, it still stung to see them together. To see that Aurora made him happy the same way Luna and herself did.

But still, she kept looking.

“It was tucked away in his closet,” she answered, pointing a hoof to the sliding door, “I wanted to put some of the bags away to make a little more room, but when I did, a box fell and this came out.”

Twilight continued to examine the picture, as if it were some kind of illusion. That if she kept looking, she could see through it and the image would change. The smiles would fade, the light would brighten and blot everything out, and leave only a blank piece of paper.

“Why didn't you just put it back?” Twilight asked, finally looking away from the picture. She could see Luna's lips quiver before biting her bottom lip, “Luna, what is it?”

“...It...scared me...”

Twilight wanted to cock her head, but felt like it would be wrong to, as if she were calling her marefriend stupid. So instead, she reached out a hoof, gently rubbing Luna's own.

“It scared you?” Twilight pressed on, “Why?”

“Look at them,” Luna said, holding up the picture, “They're so happy. So in love they don't even care about the world around them. Everything was perfect for them once upon a time, but now....now they're at each others throat, literally. She loathes Silver with every fiber of her being, and I'm sure he feels the same now after her last visit.

“It was all wrecked in only a few moments. A-and.... I can't help but think...w-what if that happens to us too? What if one of us just loses it, just like last night? We'll say something we can't take back and w-we'll fall apart, and-and--”

“Shhh...” Twilight shushed, silencing the rambling mare with a hoof to her lips. Twilight couldn't see her eyes well, but with the wavering of Luna's voice, she could tell she was on the verge of tears.

“It's okay Luna,” she cooed, gently cupping her cheeks, “That won't happen.”

“H-how can you know?” she sniffled, still trying to blink back the tears.

Twilight smiled gently, dropping her hooves down the bed, “Do you remember when we were sitting on the roof, and I started crying because I felt like a horrible marefriend for what I said to Silver before?”

Luna nodded.

“Do you remember what he said to me?”

The midnight alicorn sniffled again, this time having to wipe tears away, “H-he said that you were nothing like Aurora, that he wouldn't hold what you said against you.”

“That's right Luna. I'm nothing like Aurora, and neither are you. Unlike her, we will always listen to what Silver has to say, and he will listen to what we have to say. That's something he never had with her.” Twilight plucked the picture from Luna's grasp, floating it over to the night stand and out of view, “As long as we're willing to talk to each other about things, we won't fall apart like Silver and Aurora. And don't worry, I'm sure he knows this too.”

Luna wiped her eyes one last time, taking a deep breathe and releasing it, “But what if I just lose it like last night. I wasn't exactly in the listening mood, and if Silver didn't come find me, I would have...”

“You would have come back,” Twilight finished, “I know you were angry, but Luna I'd like to think you wouldn't just leave it at that. You'd come find us and ask for an explanation, no matter how much it hurt because I know you love us more than the pain that conversation would cause.

“And even if you didn't come find us and Silver didn't go find you, do you really think I would just let us go like that? That I wouldn't fight for us?”

Luna felt a small tear in her heart. She felt like she'd implied Twilight didn't love them or something. The alicorn quickly shook her head.

“Exactly,” Twilight guaranteed, “As long as one of us is willing to make things work, then we can always find a way to fix whatever is wrong. And I know that I will always want to make things work.”

Luna swallowed hard, and tears soon found their way down her cheeks. Only now, they were tears of relief. 

“What would we do without you?” she smiled, kissing her mare. Twilight happily melted into the affection.

“Probably run yourselves ragged with hypothetical scenarios. Honestly, I thought I was supposed to be the one who over thinks everything.”

Luna playfully nudged the joking mare, the movement jostling the sleeping unicorn at her side. With a groan, Onyx tussled and shifted a bit under Luna's wing before settling down again.

“I'd better get going,” Twilight said, “ If we keep talking, we're gonna wake her, and  I still wanted to see Silver too. You don't happen to know where he is, do you?”

Luna hummed in thought for a moment, clearing away her tears, “Y-yes, he said he was going to get his stitches fixed. I was going to go with him, but he said it wouldn't be a good idea. He knew Star Shine would chew me out, regardless of how she usually treats me.”

Luna's ears fell flat against her head in embarrassment, an image Twilight found all too cute.

“It's okay,” she giggled, “Silvers not angry with you, and Star Shine is...well, Star Shine. She'd nag at Celestia for leaving her laundry on the floor.”

Luna sighed, “Tia does have a habit of doing that.”




Back in Canterlot Castle, Celestia had just finished organizing and stacking a mountain sized pile of papers. Her hard work done, the princess knew she could relax for the next few---

“ACHOO!!”

She suddenly sneezed hard, sending her newly organized papers flying over the room.

As the rustling settled, the alicorn looked upon the mess of her room from her desk, and responded as any eloquent princess would.

“Fuck.”




Twilight giggled, “Alright well, I'll see you two later then. And try not to go through Silvers things without him here. You know how he is.”

Luna nodded, giving her mare one last peck before she left.

As the door closed behind Twilight, the sleeping unicorn began to rouse.

“Nmhmmm,” she moaned, slowly raising her head and blinking for a moment, “Who's that?”

Luna looked down at the sleepy mare, “Oh, it was Twilight.  Sorry, did we wake you?”

Onyx lazily nodded and let her head fall onto Luna shoulder, “'S okay though. Weird dream anyway.”

The coal mare wouldn't deny, she enjoyed this moment right now. Her body felt heavy, her head pounded and her stomach ached like she'd been kicked a hundred times, but sitting there with Luna made it all okay somehow.

Despite all her pain and suffering, Onyx felt like there was nothing to worry about. Like she'd found something she'd been missing for very long time now. She considered trying to figure out just what it was made the moment so homely....

But maybe it was just that. That the moment was just homely. There was nothing special about it that made it that way because that's exactly what it was.

Her home.

Onyx couldn't fight back the grin that slowly formed on her muzzle.

“Happy thoughts?” Luna asked, taking note of the smile.

The unicorn nodded, but still couldn't fight the small blush on her cheeks, “Happy thoughts.”

At some points her eyes had closed once more, but this time not out of drowsiness. Just comfort. Once she opened her eyes again, she saw something across the room that quipped her interest.

“Hey, Mama Luna?” she asked, her rosy cheeks only brightening more. She didn't know why she referred to her that way, or why she reacted the way she did, but Onyx still had a question to ask, “What's with all the bags?”

Luna looked across the room to the closet where she forgot to shut the door after finding the picture, “Oh, you don't know?” she said, earning a shake of the head from Onyx, “Well Silver, Twilight and I are going on a date, and he said that the place we're going will be a bit colder than it is in Equestria, so we had to go and get them something warm to wear.”

“Ooh...” Onyx awed, pausing to look around the room, “One more thing. Where are we?”

Luna actually had to stifle a giggle at the mare's confused expression, “We're in Silvers room, remember? We came in here so you can sleep. You didn't want me in your room because it's messy.”

Onyx's eyes widened for a moment before breaking away from Luna's, her ears falling flat against her head.

“Oh....right...about that....” She said, swallowing hard. She looked back at Luna once more, “There's....there's something I need to tell you about.”





Twilight wandered down the halls of the fort that is Star Shines home. When she first came in, she checked the monitors of the wolf's computer to see where she was, the cameras indicating she was in the operating room.

Star Shine had many, many rooms in her home, far more than Silver. Each one had a different function, and all were the size of decent house. How she managed to build this place was beyond Twilight, but then again, it was Star Shine. If anyone could do it, it would be her.

It didn't take long to get to the OR, and when Twilight found it, she strolled right on in.

“Star Shine!” she called, announcing herself so as to not startle the wolf.

The OR was basically just a large, circular room with an operating table in it and various machines, refrigerators and cabinets around near the walls. Unlike her medical room, this room was used for actually operating on the pony, where as the other that Silver used before was simply for recovery.

The female wolf was standing by one of the counters, while the male one was...no where to be found.

Star Shine quickly turned around when she heard Twilight's voice, “Princess?” she asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I was looking for Silver,” she answered, “But he clearly isn't here.”

“Sorry, you just missed him. Although in all fairness, you're lucky you weren't here earlier. I was about to tear him a new one for screwing up my stitches.”

Twilight laughed nervously, “Did he, uh...tell you what happened?”

“...Yeah...Honestly, I'm surprised Princess Luna actually shocked him. But considering what happened...” Star Shine answered, her voice considerably softer than before, “Listen princess—no, Twilight. About what Silver did--”

“There's no need to explain anything on his behalf Star Shine,” Twilight interrupted, “Silver's already apologized profusely about what happened, and really it wasn't his fault. It wasn't anyponies fault. It just sort of happened. Besides, we've made up already.”

“I know, it's just...” she sighed, her ears falling flat. Her tone lost it's normal strict voice, adopting a much more downcast one, “It's unlike him. He doesn't do things like that, even if it was just a minor slip up. He's a wolf, an Alpha nonetheless. And wolves don't betray those we love. 'Loyal to the end', that's our way of life. That doesn't just apply on the battlefield....he knows that...”

Twilight was shocked. Star Shine actually seemed...sad, and not just that but disappointed even, and genuinely so. Apparently what Silver had done was far more a crime to wolves than the alicorn had thought. Maybe that's why he reacted so intensely. It wasn't just about him hurting the mares he loves, he felt that he betrayed all that a wolf had stood for.

“Star Shine, we all make mistakes,” Twilight began, catching Star Shine's attention, “Silver knows what he did was wrong, and if what you say is true about wolves and loyalty, then I doubt he'll do something like it again. He loves us. You and I both know it.”

The wolf sighed once more, raising her head a little, “Yeah....I know. I still kicked his ass though.”

Twilight giggled, “Well, Luna shocked him, so I'd say if he needed punishment, he's already received it. I just hope he's not hurt..too...badly....”

The alicorn trailed off as her eyes caught sight of something on the wall. When she first walked in, it had hardly registered in her mind, but now that she was closer, she was able fully process it.

Twilight raised a hoof, “Are....are those Silvers?” she asked, pointing to the illuminated images on the board in front of her.

“Huh?” Star Shine questioned, turning to see what the mare was referring to, only to quickly scamper out of her chair a split second after and shut the light off, keeping her arms stretched out despite her not being able to see the images.

“Forget what you saw!” she skittishly shouted, more afraid than angry.

Most ponies wouldn't be able to tell what it was on the board at first glance. But Twilight, with all her extensive knowledge, knew not only what they were, but who they were from.

“Those were scans...” the mare mumbled, “Star Shine, were those scans of Silvers body?”

The wolf remained frozen in front of the board. Unfortunately for the wolf, Twilight only had to look around the room to find her answer. Of the various machines, she found many she recognized. CT, MRI, X-RAY, and Celestia knows how many others there were that could examine a pony's body.

The mare turned back to the board, a fierce scowl written across her face, “Star Shine....were those scans of Silvers body?” she repeated, only this time much more firmly.

“Please...don't.....” she begged, “Th-there are somethings even I don't think you should see.”

Twilight continued to hold her glare for a long moment, before finally breaking it in a sigh.

“I don't want to force you to, but please. If it's about Silvers health, I want—no, I need to know. No matter what it may be. If what I just saw was real...”

“If you saw it then you know why I can't show you,” Star Shine pleaded, “These scans, they tell stories. You can figure them out just by looking at them, and I know you're smart enough to. I've told you before, there are some stories that aren't mine to tell.”

“So don't tell them. Let me figure them out for myself. I'll explain everything to Silver later, I promise you won't get in trouble.”

Star Shine bite her lip, throwing her head down in frustration. She hated keeping to secrets about someone else. She could never find a way out of it when someone asked her about it. She didn't know why, but when it came to the issues of another wolf, she couldn't lie to save her life.

So finally, she gave in. She dropped her arms and stepped to the side, flicking the light back on. Twilight stepped forward to get a better look.....only to quickly step back again in horror.

These scans...no one should be able to survive something like this.

“I tried to tell you...” Star Shine said, “I had to re-scan him since he was electrocuted. I wanted to make sure nothing from before had re-opened or caused lasting damage. That's why they were still up when you came in. I didn't think you'd come to find him.”

Twilight moved forward a little more, though not to the distance she was at before. She looked over each piece of his body, noting every injury he's managed to rack up.

“Some of these are old,” Twilight said, taking another step closer, “Some are back from when he was still a foa—pup. Others are...more recent,” she trailed off, identifying the ones cause from him getting skewered by the Shade.

Her eyes eventually found their way to a scan of his paws, and her blood ran cold. She looked back over the other images, her mind connecting the dots, or rather scars in this case.

“He...he was tortured, wasn't he?”

Star Shine remained silent. 

“These...the marks on his wrist near his paws. I've seen them before in books about slavery. The chains, they grind the limbs together, wearing down the flesh all the way to the bone...but it take weeks, months even, for that to happen.”

Twilight moved up to her original spot.

“The tissue scans show malnutrition and dehydration for an extended period of time at one point. Once the damage is there, it can be healed but it will always leave a trace. Ligaments show he's been pulled a part, his joint's dislocating several times before being set and popped out of place again. There's so much damage done from lacerations and cuts, it's almost impossible to count.”

“Twilight please....” Star Shine begged, “Just stop...I know this....I'm the one that has to fix him every time he's hurt. I know everything he's been through, I know every mark on his body by heart. Please...just stop...”

Twilight tore her eyes away from the screen towards Star Shine. Tears rolled down the wolfs cheeks as she bit her lip and clamped her eyes shut. Despite her analytical tone, each conclusion she came to only terrified Twilight even more.

“Star Shine, I'm sorry. I didn't mean--”

“That's enough,” a voice came from behind. Both knew full and well who it belonged to, but both also wished he didn't come back.

Star Shine snapped her head to the door, finding Silver standing in it, “I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean for her to see. She came in after you left and I didn't take them down yet.”

“Don't worry, I know,” he said, trotting over to the counter and plucking off his collar that he seemed to have forgotten, “I'm not mad Star. She was probably going to find out anyways.”

Star Shine broke her gaze once more, this time looking only at the floor but still nodded in agreement.

“Come on,” Silver said as he approached her, “Go wash your face and get cleaned up. We still have some things to do.”

Nodding once more, the wolf shuffled off out of the door, leaving Twilight and her wolfriend behind.

“So,” he began, “What brings you here?”

Twilight shrunk in the presence of his gaze, “I—she—we...”

He couldn't help but chuckle, “Slow down, one personal pronoun at a time.”. He wasn't mad. There was nothing to really be mad about after all. Sooner or later, she would have picked up on the scars like Rainbow Dash did, only the pegasus had a first hoof experience on where some of them came from.

The mare continued to look up at Silver, her eyes shimmering in the light. Tears swelled up as her lip began to quiver and her legs slowly lost their strength. She looked down at his neck, then chest, and finally his paws.

Despite the numerous scars that riddled his body, none were actually visible. They were all buried beneath that thick fur of his.

“S-Silver...what happened to you?” she asked, knowing she'd regret asking.

The wolf looked up at the scans still posted, “...War,” he said after a while, “Among other things. Why do you ask?”

Twilight's eyes went wide, “Why do I ask?!” she nearly shouted, “Silver, look at these! The scars, these wounds; they should have killed you! You've suffered a lot more than any living creature ever should! It's a miracle you're even still standing!” In truth, she wasn't angry, despite her tone. She was just...scared. Scared for the wolf she loved and the pain he'd been through.

“No, it's thanks to Star Shine,” he corrected, his voice a little too calm. Now that had actually frustrated Twilight, which even then she didn't know why she was upset. Sure, he didn't tell her about being tortured, but who would? That's not exactly something you just come out and say. There are plenty of things he's hiding from her, but she knows better than to get angry at him for it. He hides them because they're all things like this

Too gruesome for the average to deal with, but there aren't many who can understand what he's been through. So, he keeps it to himself.

“Twilight,” he continued, “In case you didn't notice, Star Shine is one of the best doctors there is. She can pull just about any one back from the brink of death. Hell, about the only thing she can't do is revive the dead. She's saved my life literally countless times, but it's....it's taken a toll on her. I didn't tell you or anyone about this because I was afraid you'd blame her.”

Twilight actually tweaked in confusion and rage, “B-blame her?” she echoed. Silver was walking a thin line now.

Silver moved over and began taking down the scans one by one, “She...she's a doctor. She saves lives, mine especially. But she's also the reason I go back and get hurt. She patches me up and sends me out but I keep coming back bloody and broken. At some point, some have begun to think it's her fault that I'm always hurt. That even though she heals me, she's the reason why I have to keep fighting.

“And I know she feels that way about herself. It's why she didn't want you to see the scans. She thinks that by patching me up, she's just making it so that I can go out and almost get myself killed again.”

It made sense, in a way. Like a mechanic fixing a broken machine. Sure, they patch it up, but it's only a matter of time before it breaks again. All their doing is prolonging how long the machine has to work before it can be replaced.

Silver stacked the scans into a net pile, then stepped over to the counter and place them in a large envelope, using a pen to write something on the cover set it on the counter, “You'd never think she would consider something like that. She's normally distant and strict, a very no-nonsense kind of girl. But she's actually very kind. She can't ignore someone who's hurting and in pain, no matter who they are. She's one of the sweetest girls you'll ever meet, if you can get her to open up a little.”

“And...and you thought I would blame her?” Twilight asked, “Silver I would never blame her for something like that. If anything I blame you for putting her through it!”

Silver tensed for a moment before slumping over in a slight hunch, “Yeah....you'd be right to.”

The mare felt a pang in her heart. The way he said it, he actually believed it too, “Silver...I-I didn't mean that. It's just...I'm shocked a-and terrified. You've been doing this for so long, I can't believe you've actually survived it all.”

The wolf shrugged, “Yeah well, like I said. She's a really good doctor.”

Silver continued to sit in his place, a small distance between himself and his mare. Even though it was only by a few feet, it felt more like miles.

Fortunately, Twilight was a mare with who distance didn't matter.

Slowly, she stepped across the floor and planted herself in front of Silver. She reached out a hoof and gently touched his paw.

“Do...do you want to talk about it?” she asked, “About what happened to you back then?”

Silvers ears flattened as he turned away.

“It's okay, we don't have to. But Silver, I want you to promise me something,” The wolf slowly turned his head back to face his mare, “I-I don't want you to die in some horrible bloody fight, okay? I want you to grow old, and pass away in a bed surrounded by the ones you love. I don't want you to k-keep suffering. So promise me, that as soon as you get the chance, you'll retire. That you'll put up your status as Alpha or whatever, and just go someplace far away from it all.”

Silver actually chuckled at that, “You know, you sound a lot like everyone else. Black Wing especially.”

“Well Black Wing is right,” she assured, letting out a sigh as she let her head softly fall and meet his, “You've been doing this for so long. You've been hurt so many times. I can't stand it. So please....promise me?”

Another soft chuckle came from the wolf before he turned his head up, “I promise,” he swore, sealing it with a kiss.

Twilight hummed a bit at the affection and the reassurance that her wolfriend wasn't going to die a horrible death.

“Mhmm...” she mumbled before the kiss broke. Her eyes managed to glimpse at the clock behind Silver, “Shoot. I've got to get back to the library. I'll see you later, okay?”

Silver nodded, giving her one last peck on the cheek before she trotted toward the door.

“And Silver?” she called back, a hoof already holding the door open, “I won't tell Luna about this. Not if you don't want me to.”

The wolf smiled, “Thank you.”

As Twilight left, her mind began to wander a bit. And for a mare with her intelligence, that was something dangerous. When given even a small amount of information, Twilight can deduce a number of facts about some pony or something. And what she just saw was more than enough to put one or two things together.

Like, for instance, the scar on the wolfs back that he'd said he'd gotten from Black Wing. Judging from the scarring, she figured he must have been stabbed with an electric blade, no doubt the wolfs steel wings charged with his lightning.

But that wasn't what concerned her. No. After all, she knows he and Silver are equal in power. Chances were that Black Wing had a scar much like her wolfriends.  

What really caught her attention, what really made the blood freeze, was the wounds he received from being tortured. Naturally, that was due in part of the gruesome nature, but again....that was due in part.

It was what she learned from the scars that made up the rest of her fear. And when she thought about it, the conclusion was fairly obvious.

At some point, there was someone strong enough to beat Silver into submission, bound him with restraints durable enough to contain him, and tore into his body to the point where he was nearly dead.

Someone had beaten this seemingly overpowered one-wolf army. Someone had restrained this near indomitable beast. Someone had broken this warriors powerful body.

Silver had lost.

But to who?
> Beats is Strange and Magic Exchange
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver watched Beats go through his movements, eyeing him curiously. The stallion stood on his hind legs like always, his headphones covering his ears. The wolf could hear the music blasting away from the device, some of the magic carrying with the sound.

Silver's body tensed a little from the spells, but nothing felt significant. However, the fact that the magic was able to even travel that far was quite surprising. Vinyl had done a magnificent job weaving the spells into the songs.

Of course, that also meant the amount of magic intensified the closer you got. So if Silver could feel the affects of the enhancement spells from a few yards away, then Beats must have been under an incredible amount of force at the moment.

The wolf studied the stallion closer. Ever since he'd seen Beats the first time, he'd been more than little curious about him, mostly because of the speed he heals at.

Silver wouldn't deny, his healing factor was incredible. After taking a whooping from Ruppy, not only did he survive, but his body literally started repairing itself the moment the attacks stopped.

When Beats walked into the living room that day after being tied up, Silver realized his face had already healed a noticeable amount since Ruppy and Onyx had first dragged him in. It was almost like high-speed regeneration.

THUD

Silver was brought out of his speculations when Beats fell back, collapsing onto the ground in heavy pants, his headphones falling off his ears.

“You done now?” Silver called over. Beats looked up to see the wolf sitting on the path that lead back to the porch.

Giving a weak nod, the stallion managed to roll himself over onto his stomach. He grabbed the headphones and shut off the music.

“How long have you been there?” Beats asked.

Silver shrugged, “A few minutes. Impressive endurance though. Most ponies, or anyone for that matter, that use those Enhancement spells can't move for at least the next hour. But not you.”

The wolf ended his sentence with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

“Well, I guess I'm not like most then,” Beats retorted, raising himself off the ground and shuffling over to his duffle bag to grab a bottle of water.

“No...it would seem you're not...” Silver agreed, moving closer to the stallion, “Tell me Beats, how many times have you run through the play list on your headphones today?”

“The whole thing?” Beats asked, earning a nod from the wolf, “Um, I'd say at least two times now.”

“And how many songs are on there?”

“About a hundred and twenty. Why?”

Silvers eyes went wide, an expression the stallion had never seen before on his face.

“A hundred and twenty songs?!” he exclaimed, “two times?! Non-stop!?”

“Well no, I took a break after every twenty songs or so.”

Silvers brows knitted together as he cocked his head to the side. He started to pace around the stallion in circles, eyeing him closely as he'd been doing early. Beats actually lifted a leg and hid his underside.

“It's not that I'm not flattered, but I don't swing that way. Besides, I think the Princesses would be very upset if they found out,” the stallion said with a nervous chuckle.

Silver either didn't hear him or didn't care enough to respond, as he completely ignored Beats' comment, “Are...are you sure you're a pony?” the wolf stopped his circles, and actually giving the stallion a poke in the side.

Beats flinched away at the contact, lowering his raised leg and raised a brow, “Um...yes.”

“....Huh....” Silver hummed, still examining him. After a few moments, he shook himself out of his stupor, “Alright, I got nothing. Do me a favor though, when you get the chance, go see Star Shine and tell her about your regiment.”

“Can I ask why?”

“Because Beats, the fact that you can play through those spells for twenty songs without a break shouldn't be possible. Hell, even I don't think I could do that. Those spells put an unbelievable amount of strain on the body, which is why I have you doing body conditioning.”

“So...is it a bad thing?” he asked, putting his bottle back in the bag and picking it up.

“Not really,” Silver answered as he turned and began walking down the path to the house, the stallion beside him, “Just a bit weird.”

“I'm pretty sure everyone in this guard is weird.”

Silver chuckled, “Yeah, you've got a point there.”

“Speaking of which,” Beats remembered, “How's Onyx? Her hangover seemed pretty bad earlier.”

“Ah, you uh...you saw that, huh?”

“I happened to catch her when she darted to the bathroom to puke. Poor mare. I didn't even know she was drinking last night.”

“Yeah, none of us did.”

“She's still sick,” Silver replied, “Though she should be better. But I haven't been able to see her much today. I was going to check on her when we got back. Care to tag along?”

Beats thought for a moment, then shrugged, “Sure, but I can't stay for long. I have to go get Scoots from school soon.”

“School?” Silver questioned, “She's still there? The sun is already setting.”

“She stays for tutoring and has a project she needs to research. She'll probably stop by the library sometime soon too.”

Silver sighed, his head dropping a little as is shook with sympathy, “Poor filly. I can barely remember my school days. Of course that's probably because of the repeated blows to the head, but what I do remember was sitting in a room for an hour and a half, then switching to another room and sitting in there for another hour and a half. Four times, we had to switch. Four damn times.”

The two soon reached the steps of the back porch and climbed up to go in, cutting Silvers complaints short. Through the glass, they could see Onyx and Luna sitting on the couch watching T.V.

“Well it looks like she's feeling a little better,” Beats commented as he slid the door open. The mares eyes fell to the two walking in.

“Hey girls,” Silver greeted with a smile....until he caught the look in Luna's eyes. Their gaze's remained locked for a moment, but broke as she turned her attention to the stallion.

“Beats,” Luna said with a simple nod, “I know you just came in, but I need a moment with Onyx and Silver. Would you mind?”

It would seem even he caught the small tension between the two as his eyes flicked between them.

“Uh, sure. I shouldn't keep Scoots waiting anyway,” he excused as he moved to the door, his pace noticeably faster than before, “See you guys tomorrow,” he said, and shut the door behind him.

Silver sighed, moving to sit in front of the couch, “Am I in trouble again?”

Luna looked at him. He could tell she wasn't angry, but aside from that, he couldn't decipher what was running through her head.

“Silver,” she began, “Why didn't you tell me?”

The wolf raised a brow, “Tell you what?”

“About Onyx's room. And please, don't say 'what about Onyx's room?'”

The wolf sighed once more, “I'm guessing you showed her?” he asked, looking at the smaller mare. Her ears were pinned back, a small blush on her cheeks and her eyes refusing to meet his.

“I...I didn't want to keep secrets anymore,” she explained, “I remember what you said to me last night...or at least some of it. That...that we're family. So I showed her my room.”

Luna nodded, “Yes, and what I would like to know is why you, Silver, didn't tell me sooner?”

“I told you this morning, I wanted to give her privacy.”

“Giving her privacy is one thing Silver, but drinking herself into a blackout to forget a mistake that wasn't even that big an issue is just self-destructive. It can't just be ignored.”

Onyx actually pulled back a little at the comment. It wasn't that she was wrong, it was just...you know, the truth hurts a little.

“You should have told us Silver,” Luna continued, “You told her we're family, didn't you?”

It was Silvers turn to pull back. Just as Onyx did, his ears fell flat and his eyes broke away from hers.

“I...I know...” he admitted, “I meant to tell you and Twilight, but when I realized she didn't remember anything from last night, I wasn't sure what to do. It was stupid, I know, and I'm sorry.”

Luna sighed, “Honestly, there are more secrets between the two of you than there are in my sister's diary.”

Stepping off the couch, she walked over and stood in front of Silver. Picking his chin up with a hoof and turning his head to face her, she placed a small peck on his lips.

“And don't worry, I'm not mad at you. I'm just a little worried for Onyx is all,” she smiled at him, “But you will be helping her buy a new vanity. The old one is busted now.”

Silver breathed a sigh of relief, “I can live with that,” he answered, leaning past the alicorn to view Onyx, still sitting on the couch, “What about you? Care to go shopping with your Papa?”

And for the first time since he came in, Onyx looked him in the eyes, a bright cheery smile forming on her face and her cheeks adorned with a hint of rosy blush.

“Yes, please.”

Luna looked back and faced Onyx, “And you will not be allowed to drink unsupervised from now on.”

The unicorn's smile dropped.

“What?!” Onyx exclaimed, “B-but, but--”

“Ah-ah!” Luna cut her off, holding up a hoof, “Until I'm sure you won't be doing something like this again, I don't want you to drink alone. I know this might bother you, but in case you hadn't noticed, you tend to act a little out of character when you're drinking like that. I just don't want you to make a mistake and hurt yourself, or somepony else.”

Onyx went to argue, but stopped. She could remember a few times when she'd vented by drinking before and woke up with some cuts and bruises. Some of them she remember how she got. Others, to this day, still remain a mystery.

So, with a defeated sigh, Onyx nodded.

“Good,” Luna grinned, turning back to Silver, “Now that that's settled, I believe Onyx had something else she wanted to ask you about.”

Silver looked down at the alicorn for a moment, then back at Onyx, cocking his head, “What's up?”

“O-oh, um...I know you might not like it, but could I go through some of the enchanted gems you have?”

Silver raised a brow and hummed for a second, “What for?”

“It's for something I want to do with my blades. You know, forming my style.”

“Oooh...” he responded, stopping for a moment to ponder, “Hmmm, follow me,” he finished, standing up and heading over to the hall. Onyx quickly slipped off the couch and trotted behind him, Luna just after her.

Silver led them down the stairs to the second floor, leading them to the second door on the right. In truth, every door looked the exact same, so the only way to remember which door held which contents was by their location.

Silver stopped in front of the door, then evaporated. Both mares paused and looked around for a moment, only to have the door unlock and open from the inside moments later.

“It only unlocks from the inside?” Onyx asked.

“Well, that's one way to do it,” he commented, then allowed them to enter. Upon stepping in, the two found the room to be filled with stones. Many were on shelves going all around the room, while others were in chests on the floor. Some were open, others locked tight with thick chains and more than likely had spells placed on them. In the center of the room was a circular wooden table, and on it sat a thick book.

“Alright,” Silver announced with a wave of his wings around the room, “You can use any of the gems you'd like except for the ones on the top shelf and the ones in the locked chests.”

“Why can't I use them?”

“They're too dangerous. They have abilities that tend to affect the user in some not-so-pleasant ways. Or they're just ones I'm saving for a certain project. Either way, they're off limits. Aside from that, you're more than welcome to use anything in here.”

Silver reached across the table and grabbed the book sitting on it, then held it out to Onyx, “This tells you what enchantments have been infused with which stones. It's like a catalog.”

While they were talking, Luna had, at some point, stepped towards the shelves and began examining the rocks piled on them, “This collection must be worth a fortune,” she awed, turning to Silver, “What else do you have in this hall? If this storage room is anything to go by, then you'd must have enough money to buy a country in this floor alone.”

“I'm a collector....of sorts,” the wolf responded, waving his paw in a so-so manner, “Besides, everything in the other side of the hall is for my weapons and stuff. On this side is all of my work materials. Aside from this room, I have my cash room, my metals room and my spells room. It's where all the raw goods are, so it does kinda add up.”

“So in other words, you're...how do the kids phrase it these days? 'Loaded'?” Luna said.

“Not really,” Silver replied with a shrug, “It's all stuff I plan on using, so it's only value is in the product I make with it. So this whole half of the hall might as well be worthless since I'm not actually planning on selling any of it by itself.  Although it should be noted that I've spent a lot of money on these things, so I'd like everything you don't use to go back where it came from.”

Silver received a mumbled indication of understanding from Onyx.

Luna paused and thought for a moment, “....Hmm....Oh well. I've lost interest in your financial life. Let's leave Onyx to her work.”

“Huh?” Silver looked over to find Onyx already browsing the shelves, floating the book in her magic as her eyes switched back and forth between the pages and the stones. It would seem that her hangover had more or less worn off, or enough so that she could at least ignore it now. She plucked some of the stones off the shelves with her hooves, smart enough to know that using magic of any kind on a raw, enchanted stone could very well set it off.

“Oh right,” Silver commented as he briskly left the room, leaving the door cracked for the younger mare to let herself out later. Honestly, if getting in the room were as simple as unlocking it from the inside, he'd have been robbed blind decades ago.

“What do you think she's gonna do with those stones anyway?” Silver asked  the alicorn beside him.

Luna simply hummed with laughter, a small smirk playing on her lips, “Well, wouldn't you like to know?” she giggled.

Trotting up the stairs, Silver cocked his head, “You already know what she's doing?”

“I do,” she answered, “But she made me promise not to tell you. She wants it to be a surprise. But I can  say you should be proud of her. That mare's mind is creative.”

The wolf grinned, thinking back to the contemplative look Onyx had while she was reading through the book.

“I can't wait to see what she's come up with.”

“I know you'll be proud,” Luna assured, “Now come on. Twilight won't be back for at least another hour, and I want cuddles.”

Silver playfully rolled his eyes as he followed the mare to the living room, “Alright, alright.”





The day passed with relative ease. Twilight had come to the house soon after Luna had said she would, and the wolf and midnight mare informed her of Onyx's room.

Twilight seemed to have accepted it fairly well, but much like Luna, was still a little irked that Silver decided to keep it from them. But in the end, he was forgiven.

Luna had also told Twilight of Silvers enchanted stone room, which made the mare all the more curious as to what exactly was behind each of the doors in the house. Despite the basic summary of what the rooms held, she knew Silver had a tendency to leave out certain details. Whether that was for better or for worse remained to be seen.

But for the moment, she was willing to leave things be. Going on what he said, the rooms contained all of his business materials, so she didn't want to invade on that. Certainly, the spells from Houndland had her interest, but she could just always ask to see those.

And so was the rest of their evening. At some point, Ruppy and Aerial had come in as well, both tired from their training. Despite Silver having to go find the former of the two mares in the outback of Canterlot Castle earlier in the day, it would seem she returned to her training later on. Whether that was because she chose to or because Aerial made her was unknown.

And soon the day ended. Well, for most of them anyways. Onyx was still toiling away in the second floor room, flipping through pages and picking stones.

“No...no...no....” she mumbled to herself. With each “no” she said, she pushed the stones off into a pile on one end of the table.

Her eyes came to on the description of one of the stones, and she began re-reading it slowly to ensure she understood it's description.

“Hmmm....” she hummed, “Maybe....”

She pushed the particular stone off to another side of the table, her “maybe” pile, which was considerably smaller than the other.

As she reached out another hoof to grab a stone from the pile of ones she had selected off the wall, she found her hoof grasping at nothing. It would seem that she'd actually gone through them all.

Looking up and examining her piles, she realized that she only had a dozen or so of “maybe” stones, and a small mountain of “no”.

Sighing, she let her head fall and plop onto the table.

While all of the stones she picked out could be used, they each had a very specific affect that separated them from the other.

Unfortunately, none of the effects were ones she wanted. The “maybe” pile consisted of those that had a partial affect of what she wanted, but not the whole thing.

“Why does it have to be like this?” she asked to no one in particular. Looking back over at the pile, she sighed once more, “Why can't I just combine them?”

…..

…..

….

“Or can I?”

Onyx lifted her head and thought for a moment. She grabbed two stones from the “maybe” pile and held them in her hooves for a moment, examining them as she recalled what Twilight had taught her about Enchantments from their magic theory lesson.

“Enchanting objects is like filling a glass with a liquid. The spell, or enchantment, is the liquid and the object that is being enchanted is the glass. Each glass can hold liquid from different sources, however, they can only hold so much before they spill over. And depending on which liquids are mixed, the outcome can be a combination of the two, or they can separate completely like oil and water.”

Onyx thought about it for a moment.

If enchantments can be poured from a stone to an object, then can one stone transfer it's enchantment to another?

She set the stones down on the table. For a moment, she considered trying her idea out herself....until she realized that it would probably result in her injury...or death.

Sighing once more, the mare hung her head.

Figuring that if she couldn't actually do the fusion of the stones herself, then she could at least work out the spell work for fusing them. She'd have had to do it anyway, now that she thought about it.

Trotting up the stairs, Onyx stopped by the kitchen to grab a plastic bag and a few apples to snack on before heading back down to the second floor. Gathering up her “maybe” pile into the bag, she put the remaining back on the shelves in what she hoped was their proper places, then  grabbed the book off the table and left the room once more.

Heading up and going to her own room, she floated a piece of paper and pencil from her remaining supplies over to her bed, placing the bag of stones and book next to them.

She turned and faced the mess of papers still scattered about the floor. She remembered showing Luna the magic theory homework she'd been assigned by Twilight, which she quickly floated up and placed on the bed as well, but she couldn't for her life find out what she did with the actual notes.

She continued to stair at the messy floor, and sighed. Finally, she floated up a sheet of paper, looking at it's contents.

Deeming it trash, she balled it up in her magic and tossed it to start a pile.

And so began the long, long night of sorting through papers.





CREEEAK 

Twilight groaned as she felt the bed shift, waking her from her ever pleasant slumber. A sudden chill ran down her spine as the warmth that was covering her back and side vanished. It would seem Silver was awake now and heading out to do something.

No matter though, she could just go cuddle with Luna.

Patting around on the covers with a hoof, Twilight searched for her marefriend...only to find that she wasn't there either.

Peeking an eye open, she found herself alone in the grand bed, the sheets tossed about to show that not only one, but two of it's occupants had risen.

Twilight laid there for a moment, contemplating what she should do. She considered simply rolling up in big blanket burrito and going back to sleep, but when the smell of breakfast wafted into the room, her stomach had suddenly gained other ideas.

Another small growl seemed to decide for Twilight as to when her morning would start. And it said “now.”

So, with another groan, the lavender mare rolled out of bed. Once all four hooves were on the floor and not wobbling, she leaned down and stretched, her flank raised high.

She thought for a moment of how every morning when she stretched, Silver would lean over and stare at her butt, thinking she wouldn't notice.

It wasn't that it bothered her, if anything she thought it was actually flattering, but she instead found herself missing the wolfs gaze on her rear, perverse though it may have been.

And so, with a few pops in her back worked out, Twilight trotted out of the room and into the living room where she found Silver in front of the stove for once, instead of Onyx.

“Hey you,” she greeted softly, wrapping her hooves around his waist from behind and pecking his cheek before nuzzling into his neck. Though he tried to hide it, she could feel the shivers that went down his body.

Silver looked behind him and returned the gesture. He couldn't lie, he loved Twilight in the morning. Her mane was messy but somehow fell in a way that embellished her appearance,  her coat stuck out in all directions, but her figure remained as delectable as ever. Her eyes fluttered as they were still only half open, and her voice; oh sweet heavens, that voice could make any male tremble.

“Good morning, sleepy head,” He responded,”You know you could have slept in some more. It's only seven,”  He made no effort to hide his wandering eyes as Twilight let go and stretched a little more. It wasn't like she minded though.

“Yeah, but--” she paused to yawn, “You and Luna weren't there, so the big bed felt really empty. Besides, I smelled this wonderful breakfast and my stomach made the decision for me.”

Silver chuckled as he flipped two pancakes onto a plate, “Well then, here's something to shut him up,” he said, offering her the plate.

Twilight happily took it in her magic and floated it over to the table, “Say, where is Luna?” she asked as she sat down and began dumping syrup onto her food.

“A guard came and got her. Apparently Tia needed her for something,” he answered, pouring more batter onto the skillet.

“Oooh...” she answered, “And what about Onyx? Isn't she usually the one making breakfast?”

Silver paused for a moment, “You know, I don't know. She's normally up by now. It's not that she has to make breakfast every morning, but like you said, she usually does. Weird. Think you could go check on her?” he asked.

“Sure,” Twilight said before taking another bite and swallowing. Raising herself from her chair, she trotted down the hall and stopped at Onyx's room.

She raised a hoof and gently knocked, calling her out softly, “Onyx? Are you awake?”

No answer came. Though she knew it was a bit rude, Twilight slowly turned the knob and quietly creaked the door open. What she found inside was...odd.

Onyx was laying on the floor, drooling, conked out and snoring with papers, stones and apple cores scattered all around her. If it weren't for the lack of bottles, Twilight would have thought the mare got drunk again.

Stepping into the room, the alicorn came closer to the sleeping mare. Poking her gently with a hoof, she tried to rouse her from her sleep.

“Onyx?” she called softly, still poking her in the side, “Onyx, wake up.”

The mare mumbled in her sleep, then rolled over, swatting the lavender hoof away.

Twilight couldn't help but giggle.

Leaning down, she nuzzled Onyx's cheeks while still calling her name. After the forth time, the mare finally opened an eye.

She blinked slowly, still adjusting to having just been woken up. She stared at Twilight for a moment, then at the floor, then up at her bed.

Twilight could see the memories of last night coming back to her as Onyx's eyes slowly came to life.

“I swear I wasn't drunk again,” the unicorn needlessly clarified, realizing what the moment must have looked like. Twilight simply laughed.

“I know,” she reassured, “Although I am curious to know what you were up to last night. Silver said you were in his enchanted stones room, but he never said what it was you were actually doing.”

Onyx rose to all four hooves, wiping her chin and stretching in the same manner Twilight does before she began looking around her room at the scattered papers.

“It's a bit of a project,” Onyx broadly explained, “I still haven't quite figured everything out though. I was actually hoping you could take a look at some of these.”

Onyx floated up some of the papers, shuffling through them to get them organized before giving them to Twilight.

The alicorn looked down at the papers she been shown, going over them as best as she could understand.

“Onyx, what are-...” she began, only to stop as she'd already figured out the answer to her question, “These...these are magic sequences,” she concluded, earning a nod from the unicorn.

“I was trying to find a way to combine some of the enchantments on these stones last night, and I think I managed to find a way to do it, but I'm still not that sure. So I was hoping maybe you could double check for me?”

Twilight looked down at the papers, then up at Onyx, who was currently wearing a pleading smile. In truth, she was amazed at the mares knowledge of spell combination. They had only just gotten into the section of Magic Theory and Applications, but it seemed that she had already had a strong understanding of it.

“Onyx, this is amazing!” Twilight exclaimed as she continued to read, “These equations and sequences; they're pretty advanced. I've never seen anything quite like it. How did you know how to do all of this?”

Onyx gestured around the room, “I had a lot of time to work it out. I even went down to Silvers library and got some books on Spellweaving,” she indicated to a small stack of books on the floor next to where she fell asleep at, “But...” she paused, looking down at the floor. Her eyes flicked from the carpet up to the alicorn in front of her, “I also had a pretty good teacher.”

Twilights smile widened even more. She snagged the mare in a hug with a squeal, “Awww! Thank you, sweetie!”

Even if she couldn't see it, Twilight knew the mare was blushing. She would kill to have a recorder right now.

“But there is something that's bothering me though,” Twilight admitted as she let the mare go. Floating the papers up, she allowed Onyx to view along side her, “While I can see these are magic sequences, I still don't fully understand it all. What spells are you using?”

Onyx floated up the book containing all of the descriptions for the enchanted stones. Twilight took the book and looked over the stones and their spells, and it all finally clicked for her.

“Oooh...” she awed, “Onyx, these are Houndland Spells. That's why it read as gibberish to me,” Twilight explained, “I'm afraid I can't help you go over it then.”

Onyx's expression immediately fell.

“I'm sorry, sweetie,” Twilight tried, “It's just, I don't understand Houndish magic. It's completely foreign to me and I haven't had much time to learn about it.”

“It's okay,” Onyx said, turning back to the books and papers, “I'll just keep going over it until I'm completely sure.”

“Well, then again,” Twilight added on, “Even if I don't know it, it doesn't mean no pony does.”

Onyx raised a brow, “What do you mean?”

“Well, who else would be better for checking Houndish magic sequences than a magic wolf?”

“But I'm trying to surprise Silver. Letting him read the sheets would kinda ruin that.”

Twilight had begun to grin at this point, “Silver's not the only magic wolf around. In fact, the most renowned magic user of Houndland Magic happens to be in Equestria.”

“Huh?” Onyx questioned.

Twilight simply shook her head with a giggle, “Let's go pay the Crystal Empire a visit.”
> A Sudden Field Trip and Explaining the Ship
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Onyx now found herself on a train, headed to a destination she'd never been to with a princess who was supposed to be doing something else that day.

Talk about spur of the moment.

The train ride was somewhat long, about an hour and a half, and Twilight had fallen back asleep at some point, having only been awake for roughly half an hour before she decided randomly take Onyx on a field trip, which was also how she explained it to Silver.

In a blurred rush, she took Onyx by the hoof and dragged her out the door, shouting to the wolf that they were going on a field trip and would be back soon.

The unicorn barely had time to grab her swords, stones and papers and cram them into a bag before they were out of the house.

While they waited for the train, Twilight bounced with joy as she talked about introducing Onyx to Cadence and her brother Shining Armor. The unicorn had heard about the two of them before, just not from Twilight herself.

Pretty much everypony knew the four princesses, even with Twilight being the most recent addition and Cadence being mostly out of the public until recently. The pink alicorn wasn't of much importance in the city Onyx grew up in, or at least not lately.

Though there was a time when she was all the ponies could talk about. They would go on and on about how an average pegasus filly had somehow managed to defeat a love sucking enchantress and ascended to an alicorn, the latter achievement never being heard of before.

And because of that, suddenly everypony had it in their heads that they could become alicorns too. Even the stallions. And although Onyx would never admit it to anyone but herself, a tiny part of her was playing around with the idea too.

As for Cadence's significant other, Onyx knew of him as well. There wasn't a criminal that didn't, after all. Of course, that wasn't because he was the prince. It wasn't even that he was a Captain in the Royal Guard. 

No.

It was because of how he got there. While she'd never met him face to face, she'd heard stories about his abilities. The most famous one being the Manehatten Riots.

It began some years ago, when there was a suspicious case in the courts with an upper class pony getting off on assault and battery which was clearly not self defense as he'd claimed. He'd beat a girl into a coma and said she came after him. The topic wasn't debated much throughout the city, many were already in agreement that he was guilty.

So when the newspapers read “Innocent”, to say the citizens were outraged would be an understatement. It started off as protests and marches in the street and after a week and some days, all hell broke loose when the guards started launching Suppression spells into the crowds.

To this day, no one knew who struck first, but everyone knew damn well who put an end to it.

The city was put under martial law, and Shining Armor , who was only a Major at the time, was sent into the city due to his...unique talents.

His cutiemark may have been a shield, but it did very little protecting that day, and much more assaulting.

Shining had been said to literally walk down the streets under full fire from a gang of rioters, and by himself, wiped them all out in less then a few seconds. Ponies would go on about how he did it, but the most common rumor was that he expanded his conjured shield until every pony was crushed against a wall. Entire builds would collapse, blocks and neighborhoods would be erased, leaving nothing behind but bodies and rubble.

And so had been his routine for the duration of the riots. Walk, kill, move on. Repeating as needed until complete dominance had been acquired.

It was after that when he'd been promoted.

A loud whistle from the train brought Onyx from her thoughts, while also startling Twilight with a yelp.

“Ahh!” the mare screamed, jumping out of her seat and fall flat on her face.

Onyx winced as she hit against the floor, the smack seeming to echo throughout the train cars.

“You okay?”, she asked, actually somewhat worried for her.

Twilight raised herself up off the ground, rubbing her muzzle, “Yeah, I'm fine. Are we there yet though?” she asked as she looked out the window.

“I think that was the arrival whistle. We should be there soon.”

Twilight had actually sighed before climbing back onto her seat, “And I was having such a nice dream. Oh well, at least we get to see Cadence soon.”

“Are you sure she won't be busy?” Onyx asked, “I know she's  your sister-in-law but she's a princess too. I think we should have sent a letter or something before hoof. Besides, I don't think she knows a lot Houndland magic. ”

Twilight blew raspberries and waved a dismissive hoof, “No, it's not a problem. She says that the empire pretty much runs itself, so she doesn't have a lot to do. As for the magic, she's not the one were going to go see.”

“Then who...?”

Twilight actually raised a brow, “Black Wing. Who else?”

Mirroring the alicorns expression, Onyx donned a look of confusion, “Who?”

“Black Wing. You know, the other wolf guard. A little shorter than Silver, black fur with white bandannas tied around his neck and leg. He and Silver sparred at Star Shines,” Twilight hinted.

“Uh...” Onyx vaguely recalled the wolf's appearance, but honestly couldn't really remember him. While she certainly remembered the fight, she couldn't recall the name of the other wolf nor what he looked like.

“Sorry?” she tried.

Twilight rolled her eyes, “You'll know him when you see him.”

“Well yeah, he's a wolf. It won't be--”

WOOOOOT!

The train had cut her off as it blew it's whistle once more. The grinding of the brakes screeched out and the two mares felt the train beginning to slow.

“Finally!” Twilight exclaimed, “Come on!”

As the two stepped off, they pushed and slipped through the crowed of the train station until finally arriving on the street. The walk to the castle wasn't too long as there was very little traffic and the two soon found themselves staring at the front gates of the the shimmering home.

There was a little confusion among the guards as none of them had any clue a princess would be coming, but it was soon cleared up once word had reached the captain of their new visitor.

Ushered inside, the two mares were greeted by the smiling face of none other than Shining Armor.

“Twily!” he greeted, throwing his arms open as Twilight ran and hugged her brother.

“Shiny! It's so great to see you again!” she greeted back.

“It's great to see you too!” he said, letting her go and turning his attention to the other mare in the room, “And who's this you brought with you?”

The coal mare stepped forward and introduced herself, “My name is Onyx. I'm one of the new guards for Twilight.”

Twilight stepped aside and presented the mare with a waving hoof, “She's one of the mares Silver picked when he went to Manehatten. The other one is back home.”

“Silver?” the stallion questioned, his expression turning somewhat sour, “Is that the other wolf guard?”

“Uh....yeah,” Twilight nodded apprehensively, “I'm guessing you've learned about Black Wing as well?”

Shining actually scowled at the mention of him, “Yes. Now if only I could convince Cadence to send him back,” he responded, making no attempt to hide his distaste for him.

Twilight's smile fell and she couldn't help but sigh. She was afraid of this happening. Ever since Chrysalis, her brother had become noticeably xenophobic.

“Come on now, I heard he's not that bad. From what Silver says, he's harmless!....mostly...” the alicorn tried.

Shining turned his glare towards his little sister, though she knew it wasn't meant for her, “Harmless? Ha! Have you seen what that wolf is capable of? Hell, magic prowess aside, he actually managed to persuade ten ponies to...to...”

The stallion trailed off as a blush become apparent on his cheeks. Unfortunately for him, his bright white coat only made it worse. Onyx actually had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing.

“Yes, I'm fully aware of Black Wing's....escapades,” Twilight admitted, fighting a blush of her own, “But that aside, what has he actually done that could be considered wrong?”

“Well apparently, he's been lurking around the castle ever since we've gotten here, and I somehow never knew about it. And what if he did something that could put the empire in danger? I'd have no way of knowing what to do because I never knew he was here in the first place.”

Twilight contemplated telling him that Black Wing had been around ever since Cadence had ascended, but figured her sister-in-law had left that part out for good reason. Before she could rebuttal, Shining had turned and began walking down the halls, the two mares following beside him while he continued his rant.

“More importantly, you should have heard his excuse for when Chrysalis took over and he wasn't anywhere to be found! He said he'd gotten tricked by her and sent out of the city on a wild goose chase, and by the time he'd gotten back, everything was already over!”

Twilight had went to argue, but stopped before she spoke. Now that she thought about it, she did find it rather odd that something so simple could actually keep the wolf away during such an important event. In fact, where was Star Shine during the whole thing?

“That wolf is useless, and might even be a spy for Houndland,” Shining tacked on at the end of his rant, turning his scowl away and at the floor.

Twilight sighed once more, “Well when you say it like that, I can see how him being here might bother you.”

Shining actually smiled triumphantly at that.

“But,” the smile dropped, “Don't you find it odd how in all the time that he's been here, with all his power, that he hasn't done anything? You said yourself that you had no idea he was here. No pony did aside from the princesses. And yet with all his power and concealment, he still did nothing and instead protected Cadence.”

“From what?!” Shining exclaimed, “The only threats there are in Cadences life are the Changelings, calories and the press. And those are her words, not mine.”

“And you don't think it's strange that a princess hasn't been attacked yet?” Twilight countered.

Shinning raised a brow at his little sister.

“You and I both know that long before Nightmare Moon, there had been several attempts to overthrow Celestia and Luna. Countless assassination attempts on them, and each on had to be stopped by the Royal Guards own power. And yet these days, you haven't had a single attempt on Cadence's life since she ascended, aside from Chrysalis.”

“Because all of the opposition was crushed back then by the guard. Besides, no pony's bold enough to try that these days.”

“Or is it because the threats are taken care of long before you know about it?” Twilight proposed.

Shining's pace had actually slowed a bit as Twilight continued.

“The whole point of the wolves being in Equestria is solely for the purpose of protecting the princesses and no pony else. The Guard, on the other hoof, are here to protect the citizens and the princesses.”

“So what? You're saying they're here to pick up the slack?” he concluded.

“Well partly. Celestia and Luna made a deal with the Emperors of Houndland, so I'm not entirely sure about the details, but I know the wolves get something out of it too while the princesses get protection. But my point here is that while, yes, I can see why you might be concerned about Black Wing, Silver and Star Shine being here, I can also see how much they help. It might be a risk, but nothing bad has come of it yet.”

Shining sighed and hung his head acknowledging his little sisters point. The wolves hadn't made any trouble themselves yet. In fact, if anything, things seemed to be worse when they weren't there. If Black Wing hadn't gotten sent away, then he doubted Chrysalis would have gotten as far as she did.

And while he may not have liked the wolf much, he couldn't deny that the power emanating from him was enormous to say the least. And according to the wolf himself, that was only a part of it. Those seals he wears seem to cut off a large portion of his magic.

Looking back up, he happened to catch a glimpse of Onyx from the corner of his eye.

“And what about you?” he asked to the mare, “You've been awfully quiet. What do you think of the wolves?”

Onyx's eyes met with his, though they seemed noticeably less friendly than when they first met.

“Silver has been far kinder to me than any pony I've met until leaving Manehatten. He's given me a home, a job and a family, so I think you'll understand if I don't share your opinion of him. As for Star Shine and Black Wing, I don't know them well but they're both nice enough to be trusted.”

Shining turned away from the mare and back to his little sister.

“Did I strike a nerve?” he whispered.

Twilight flicked his nose, “Yes!”

The stallion flinched back and trotted ahead to a door in front of them, “Right well, since you two are here, I'm assuming that you  want to see Cadence?” he said, in an attempt to change the subject.

“Actually,” Twilight spoke up, “We're here to see Black Wing. We need his help with something, but we'll stop by and see her later.”

A small poke to her side made Twilight turn and look to Onyx.

“Why don't you go spend time with her instead?” she offered, “I think going over this will take a little while, and I'm trying to get my blades enchanted by the time we leave so we don't have to keep coming back.”

“Are you sure?” Twilight asked.

Onyx responded with her signature silent nod.

The alicorn shrugged, “Well alright then. Shining could you take us to Black Wing first?”

“If you want to, sure. But Cadence has the key. He refused to give me one for some reason,” he said as he opened the door and led them in. The room seemed to be a lounge of sorts with crystal framed chairs and couches spread out in to four little groups around the room. A large window allowed for the sunlight to pour in from each wall, save for the one with the door.

“Cadence,” he called out, causing a pink, purple and cream striped mane to pop up over the head of one of the couches, “We have guests!”

Looking over the back of the couch, the princess's eyes spotted her sister-in-law before she squealed.

“Twilight!” she joyfully exclaimed, hopping off the couch and dashing over to the trio, “I'm so happy to see you again! What are you doing here though?”

Twilight quickly hugged the other alicorn, “We're here looking for some help from Black Wing,” she explained, “I didn't really think before I went rushing out the door though. We're not causing problems, are we?”

“Pfft! Of course not!” Cadence rejected, “I've told you how boring it can get here sometimes, as you can see.”

The mare waved a hoof around the empty room. Twilight noticed that next to the couch Cadence had previously been laying was a stack of books on a table. A rather large stack at that.

“I've had plenty of free time on my hooves lately. But that's not important right now. You said something about needing to see Black Wing?”

Twilight snapped her attention back to the conversation, “Right! Onyx has been doing some spell work with Houndish Magic, and since I sadly don't know a thing about it, I figured Black Wing would be the best option.”

“Ooh....” Cadence awed, turning around and moving so that she could see over to the couch where she was sitting before, “Well if that's the case, why come all the way here? It's not that I'm not happy to see you, but couldn't you have just asked Silver Wind? I know he's not quite the expert Black Wing is, but I'm sure he still knows plenty and is considerably closer than we are.”

“Hehe...” Onyx bashfully chuckled, rubbing a hoof behind her head, “I uh....kinda want to surprise him.”

Cadences ears snapped up and her head whipped around, a sly grin forming on her muzzle. While she may not have had Black Wings Aura seeing eyes, she was still empathic, and she had figured out long ago how to read the signals her ability gave her.

“Oh? Is that so?” she questioned playfully.

Onyx silently gulped as she saw the mare's smile. She'd done well to keep her feelings for Silver in check out of respect for Luna and Twilight, but that didn't change the fact that they were still there.

In hindsight, perhaps meeting with the Princess of Love wasn't the best of ideas for Onyx.

Cadence soon wiped the smile from her face as she levitated a black and white key from the couch.

“Alright, let's go see him,” she stated, walking over to a closet in the room and sticking the key in. Much like Silvers, light had shone through the crack of the door and died out before the alicorn opened it.

“Black Wing!” She called out, sticking her head into the room as the rest of the group moved up behind her, “Twilight and another mare are here to see you!”

“Coming!” a voice shouted back, followed by some clattering and crashing and swearing. In a few moments, a wolf a appeared at the door.

“Right!” he announced, waving them in, “Two mares! Looking for me! What can I do for you?”

“Well one, really,” Twilight corrected as Cadence stepped out of the way for Onyx to enter. 

The pink alicorn beamed, “Good! Then you can come with me!”she said excitingly, grabbing the mare by the hoof.

Cadence dragged Twilight out of the room, leaving Onyx to enter Black Wings home on her on. It was rather large, circular and somewhat dark. The light provided was being given off by stones and items on various tables tucked against the wall, save for one large one in the center of the room. The floor felt like stone and there was a very strange, almost musty smell in the air. To the left, there was a hallway, but much like the room, it was dark as well. It reminded her of an old abandoned castle, almost like the one in the Everfree.

“Um, I need your help with something actually,” Onyx said as she followed after the wolf.

Black Wing had shuffled around the room, going around the center table and ending up on the opposite side. Placing his front paws on the edge, he lifted himself up on to his hind legs.

“Help?” he echoed, “With what?”

Onyx fished out the papers with her spell work written down and floated them to him across the table, “I'm trying to combine these enchantments with each other and then place that enchantment onto my swords,” she explained, “But I'm not sure if the spell work is right or if it's even possible in the first place.”

Black Wing took the papers and spread them out onto the table. How he could read in such poor lighting was beyond her.

“Hmmm....” he hummed, “Oh! Oh, I see! Here, let me just....” he paused as he stopped and looked around the room. Turning behind him, he grabbed a pencil and went back to the papers, scribbling on them for a moment before stopping, skimming the pages, and then began scribbling again.

“Hmm... but something isn't....Oh! You wouldn't happen to have the stones with you, would you?” he asked, finally looking up from the paper.

Onyx nodded and went into her bag once more and pulled out the stones, setting them on the table.

Black Wing plucked them up and moved over to one of the tables lined against the wall and dropped them on the surface. Onyx had wandered over after him, looking over his shoulders as he worked.

In the center of the table, there was a large arcane circle engraved into the wood. Lining the edge of the desk was several smaller circles going all the way around it.

Black wing took one of the stones and placed it in one of the smaller circles on the right side of the desk. Soon after, the center one lit up and projected a small image of symbols just above it.

Going back to the large table, he grabbed the papers and went back to where he was before, holding the papers up next to the projected symbols. His eyes quickly scanned over the both the projection and the writing.

Onyx leaned closer to get a better look at the writing being projected, “What are you doing?” she asked.

“I'm reading the magic sequences of the stones and comparing them to your spell work.”

“Why though?”

The wolf didn't respond, seeming to be lost in his work. Onyx had to admit, it was fascinating to see. She knew that there was a spell used to read magic sequences, but she never thought that it was possible to enchant a desk to do the same thing. It was pretty much like a computer, but for spells.

“AH-HA!” the wolf suddenly exclaimed, startling the mare in the room, “That's what went wrong!”

“What? What did I do?” Onyx asked, quickly trying to find her mistake on the paper.

“Huh?” the wolf responded, looking back over his shoulder to the mare, “Oh, it's nothing you did. Some of the stones were just a bit faulty is all. They'd begun to loose their enchantment, so the magic sequences were missing some parts, which is why I had to fill in some of the blanks. Other than that, your work was perfect! Quite brilliant too, might I add.”

Onyx looked away, a hint a blush adorning her cheeks.

“Anyway, let me just run and grab some replacements and we can get started on these blades of yours,” the wolf said as he turned and walked over to the hallway, disappearing into its darkness.

Onyx sat in the room by herself, basking in the praise the wolf had given her. If only Twilight were there to see it too, then it'd be a dream come true for her.

“Son of a—GAH!!” A loud crash came from the hall, followed by more yelling and swearing. Black Wing soon stumbled out of the dark once more and into the room, “Sorry. It's hellishly messy back there.”

He came back with a buck over his neck, filled with stones.

“Now, let's get to work,” he said, dumping them onto the center table, “Could you bring the stones in the pile over to here. The ones in the circles are the flawed ones.”

Onyx scooped the rocks into her hooves and shuffled over to the table, piling them onto the surface.

“Now, have you ever done an enchantment on an item before?” he asked the mare, receiving a shake of her head.

“Well then you should be proud of yourself. Not only have you managed to perfectly weave spells together on paper, but managed to do it with seven different ones to boot. Even I find that impressive, and it's very difficult to do that.”

“Impress you, or combine seven spells?” Onyx asked.

“Yes.”

As the wolf spoke, he began shifting the rocks on the table to separate places, but always in a geometric pattern. Looking closer, Onyx realized, that there was a pattern on this table as well. Due to it's size, it was hard to tell, but it was certainly an arcane circle. The only difference about this table was that, unlike the last one, there weren't any smaller ones going around the edge.

Once he set the last stone, he turned to the unicorn, “Now, I'll need to see your blades,” he requested, holding out his paws.

Onyx undid the strap and placed the blades in his paws. Black Wing withdrew the swords from their sheaths, holding them up to examine them in a light that wasn't there.

Not that he needed it.

“Did you get these from Silver?” he asked, earning a nod from Onyx, “Ah, that would certainly explain the materials these are made from. It's not often you find blades made from obsidian and meteorite, much less ones enchanted with Shadow Magic. Add in the fact that they've been given a will of their own, and these things might as well have been pulled out of a fairy tale. But, that's Silver for you. Anyway, let's get started.”

The wolf set the blades onto the table in the center of the star that had been created from the stones placement. The stones had begun to glow, ropes of magic pouring from them and connecting to the swords. The light grew brighter and a high pitched hum filled the room.

Black Wing focused on the spell, carefully drawing out every ounce of power with the greatest finesse the mare had ever see, and she was taught by the previous Bearer of Magic. Though, once Onyx had thought about it, it made sense in a way.

Star Shine said Black Wing had an enormous amount of magic, so much so that it would strain his body too much if he didn't have on his seals. Controlling that much power must have taken decades of practice, so it shouldn't be surprising that he can manipulate the raw power of the stones with such ease.

After a few minutes passed, the ropes connecting to the blades had faded, and the rocks on the table crumbled. Black Wing let out a breath he'd been holding and reached over to grab one of the blades. Once again holding it up, he closely examined it.

“Hmm...” he hummed, only serving to worsen Onyx's anxiety. She'd hate herself if she ruined Silvers gift, “Yep, they seem fine!” he announced.

The unicorn let out a sigh of relief, “You're sure?”

Black Wing nodded, “Yep! If Silver hadn't been the one to make these blades, I doubt they would have survived. Not many items can hold this much magic. But again, that's Silver for you.”

He placed the blades back in there sheaths and gave them back to their rightful owner.

Just as Onyx put the strap back on her waist, a loud knocking came from the door.

“It's open!” Black Wing yelled. A split second later, a very annoyed Shining Armor stepped through.

“Good, you're both still here,” he said, as he approached. Even in the dark, Onyx could see the frustration on his face, “We have a bit of a problem.”






Thirty minutes earlier


A pink hoof dragged a lavender one out of the room and down the halls of the crystal castle.

“Cadence, I can walk on my own you know,” Twilight commented, earning a giggle from the princess.

“Yes, but if I let go, you'll walk slower and that will give Shiny time to catch up with us,” she rebutted.

“Wait, why are we trying to leave my brother behind?” the lavender mare asked, a small sliver of fear taking over her. Cadence might have been one of the sweetest mares around, but she did have a gossip side to her. And when it got out...

The pink alicorn turned to sister-in-law with a devilish grin, “Oh, don't act like you don't know. We can't very well talk about your crush in front of your brother without him loosing it.”

Twilight's eyes went wide, “H-how did you---”

“Princess of Love,” Cadence answered as she dragged them into a room, quickly closing the door behind them. It seemed like a lounge, not unlike the one they were just in, but instead of crystal furniture, everything was wood and cushion.

Cadence quickly trotted over to a sofa and took her spot on one side, patting a hoof on the spot next to her for Twilight.

For a moment, the lavender mare considered just bolting out of the room, running around the castle until she found Onyx and then leaving. But then she remembered Onyx was still with Black Wing, whose home could only be accessed with the key that only Cadence had.

So, with a slightly reluctant sigh, Twilight shuffled over and took her spot on the couch. There was no getting out of it now.

Cadence wasted no time digging into her sister-in-law's life, “Now tell me, is it who I think it is?” she asked, barely able to contain her excitement.

“Depends on who your thinking of.”

Cadence threw on a coy smile, “Oh I've never met him, but I've heard stories. He's very kind and dotes on the girls around him. He has a habit of flirting with Celestia, but never takes it any further than playful jokes. He's not one to be tied down by the likes of rules or morals, but for some reason still has them. But the most enticing thing about him, the thing you notice the moment you meet him, is his eyes. They're like-”

“Like little pools of honey and gold...” Twilight finished for her, her own eyes seemingly staring into the distance, “and they change. One moment they can be young and full of energy, and the next they're ancient and tired. He has fur that's like a cloud made of silk and a warm voice that makes my stomach all tingly when he whispers in my ear. And when he sings....oh, sweet heavens when he sings....”

An almost silent squeal made the gushing lavender mare snap back to reality. Twilight had only just realized that she thinking....out loud.

“You said 'my',” Cadence grinned, all to happy at the mares slip up. She snatched Twilight up in a hug and rolled around on the couch with the mare in her grasp, “I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!”

“C-cadence!!” Twilight wheezed, “Can't breathe!!”

The mare stopped suddenly stopped rolling and held up the smaller of the two, “What do you mean? Of course I can breathe.”

“I meant me!”

“Oh, right,” the death grip was released and Twilight took in a much needed gasp of air, “So! What are you going to do about Silver Wind?” she asked, ignoring the heavy breathes Twilight was giving.

“Well...” she said, clearing her throat, “About that. I've already kinda done something about it.”

A small gasp came from her sister-in-law, “Oh sweet heavens....YOU'RE ALREADY DATI--”

“SHHH!!!” Twilight shushed, jamming a hoof over the pink alicorns mouth, “Yes! And I'd rather the entire empire not know yet!” she scolded in a hushed tone.

Cadence gave a small nod before Twilight pulled her hoof away, “Besides...that's not all there is to it.”

Cadence cocked her head to side, unsure of what Twilight meant. The lavender mare sighed, “Look, when Silver first arrived, I wasn't the only mare he was....well, flirting with.”

“Scandalous,” Cadence remarked.

“Let me finish,” Twilight shot back, “The other mare was Luna....and I think maybe Rainbow Dash, but I was never really sure how he felt about her. Anyway, after a slightly awkward encounter one morning, it became clear that to all three of us how we all felt.....until Luna said she wanted to start a herd.”

It was here that Twilight screwed her eyes shut and turned away, refusing to look at Cadence. It wasn't that she was ashamed of her relationship, but she had to admit that being in a herd was rather unorthodox these days. However, after a seemingly endless moment of silence, Cadence spoke again.

“Well?” she bluntly pried, much to Twilight's surprise, “Are you gonna finish the story?”

Twilight snapped her head up and looked to her sister-in-law, a small blush creeping up on her cheeks.

Cadence caught the look and rolled her eyes, “Twilight, I'm the princess of love. The idea of herds doesn't bother me. Now keep going with the story.”

Shaking herself from her stupor, Twilight continued the story, “W-well as it turned out, Luna actually had feeling for both Silver and myself, so she saw it as a way for everyone to be together. At first I wasn't sure, but....” as her hesitation drew on, her eyes took on a similar shimmer to when the two had first started talking about Silver. A warm, bubbly feeling tickled her tummy and she couldn't help but smile.

“...but I remembered the night he came back injured. He'd went out to go steal a grimoire and Luna and I were waiting for him at his house. He came back bloody and dirty, so we patched him up and, well I don't know how she did it, but Luna tricked me into staying the night with the two of them. I remembered waking up the next morning and...I don't know, something just felt right at the moment. That morning, she confessed her feelings and asked if I wanted to start a herd with her and Silver. Three hours later, I said yes.”

A moment of silence took over the room. Twilight, lost in her reminiscent memories of the beginning of their herd, hardly noticed the quiet squeal of delight slowing growing louder until it erupted from the mare next to her.

“Eeeeek!!!” Cadence cried, “That's just so adorable! I never thought you'd try dating, but I was always hoping you'd prove me wrong!”

“Uh...thanks? I think..” Twilight tried.

Cadence reined in her excitement and smiled sheepishly, “Sorry. It's just you've never shown any interest in stallions before, or mares for that matter, even after Tia sent you to Ponyville. I thought maybe that would bring you out of your shell a little more, but you just stayed single.”

“Yeah well, dating was never really my thing,” Twilight replied, a nearly hidden downcast shimmer in her eyes, “But I've got Luna and Silver now, and I don't see us falling apart any time soon.”

Cadence beamed with glee once more, snatching the lavender mare in a tight hug, “I'm just so happy for you!!”

Her body rolled over and threatened to crush the breath out of Twilight once more, but stopped so that Cadence had her pinned to the sofa.

The pink alicorn suddenly gasped as she let go of Twilight, “I almost forgot!” she exclaimed looking down, “How big is he? Black Wing said it was pretty--”

A purple hoof jammed into the mare's mouth, “Do you have no filter!?”

Cadence removed the hoof, “I'm not apologizing if that's what you're looking for.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, figuring an acknowledgment of the mare's wrong doing would be all she would get, even if it wasn't followed by an apology. “A.) Why are you even asking about that? And B.) Why are you and Black Wing discussing Silver's di--- erm, size?”

Cadence moved off of Twilight and sat back up, “Black Wing is the only one I've met that enjoys sex as much as I do. He's the only one I can talk to about these things.”

Twilight sat up and gave a small glare, “That answers my second question. What about the first?”

“Well it's not every day you hear about a nine inch di--”

The purple hoof found it's way to Cadences mouth for the third time that day.

“Would you stop that!?” Cadence cried, swatting the hoof out of her mouth, “I have no idea where that hoof has been!”

“Then stop asking weird questions about my boyfriend!”

Cadence went to argue back, but paused. After a moment, she smirked.

“Alright. If I can't asked about him, then tell me,” she cooed, a coy smile playing on her muzzle, “How much of him can you take?”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

The sudden banging saved Twilight from the question, but the jarring shock of it still remained. Just as the blush took over her cheeks, who else but her brother came through the door.

“There you are,” he said, trotting over to them, “You two ran off so fast I lost you.”

Cadence smiled sweetly back at him for a moment, “Yes, such a shame,” She said before turning back to Twilight, the grin still plastered on her face, though now it seemed much wider than it should have been.

“Anyway,” Shinning Armor cut in, seemingly blind to his wife's torturous antics, “Sorry to cut this short, but...we have some issues that need to be addressed.”
> Beats is Weird and That One Mare Appeared
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beats sat on the cushioned stool in the white operating room of Star Shine's home.  Across from him sitting on the floor with a thick file in paw was the home owner, giving him a quizzical look.

“So, Silver sent you here?” she asked, her expression remaining.

Beats nodded, “Yep. He said there was something weird about me and told me to come here.”

“Weird?” she repeated, raising a brow even higher, “Beats, everypony in that guard is weird.”

“That's what I said,” he chuckled, “But he insisted I come here.”

Star Shine eyed him up and down for a moment before shrugging and setting her folder on the counter behind her.

“Alright then,” she conceded, “Did he say what he wanted me to take a look at?”

“He just said to explain my training regiment.”

“Which is?” she prompted.

Beats slipped off his headphones from around his neck and gave them over to the wolf, “You know about these right?”

Star Shine nodded and examined them, “Yeah, Enhancement spells weaved into music. I was surprised he managed to find a way to do it. I never cared enough to try it, much less thought that ponies would be the key to it.”

“Right, well my regiment is to play through all the songs on the play list to get a feel for how the music affects me. In total, there are a hundred and twenty-three songs with varying effects depending on a number of factors.”

Star Shine was about to make a remark about his seemingly analytic explanation until she fully processed what he said.

“....Come again?” she replied.

“I have to listen to all one hundred and twenty-three songs at least once a day to adjust to how the music affects me.”

Star Shine sat stunned, a small twitch showing in her eye, “...hun-hundred and tw-twenty-three....” she mumbled.

“Uh... Miss Star Shine?” Beats tried, waving a hoof in front of her face.

Snapping out of her daze, Star Shine set the headphones on the counter and quickly made her way over to Beats,  and, doing much like Silver did the day before, began walking in circles around him while examining him.

Beats sighed and sat still, “Well at least this time it's a cute girl.”

Star Shine payed him no mind as she tried to wrap her head around the enigma that is Beats' body. Biologically, it wasn't possible for a pony to endure that kind of physical strain for so long, even if it was broken up into smaller increments.

Assuming the average length of each song was three and a half minutes, the total play time of the entire play list was just over seven hours. Not even the most durable wolf would be able to endure that. Their muscles would tear, their lungs would collapse, blood vessels would rupture. They'd be a bloody mess by the end of the first half of the set.

And yet, here this stallion was, defying all logic.

And that was something Star Shine simply couldn't ignore. All things could be explained logically, even Discord. And this wolf was determined to find the answer to the riddle that is otherwise known as Beats.

“Silver's right,” Star Shine finally said, stopping after her twentieth circle, “You are weird.”

“Thanks for that,” Beats retorted flatly, “So, can you tell me what's wrong with me?”

Star Shine snapped her head up to look him in the eyes, “What's wrong with you? There's nothing wrong with you, if anything there's something very right with you. Biologically, this shouldn't be possible, and yet here you are. You're fascinating!”

A hint of blush crept up on the stallions cheeks, “Right, well then why am I here? If there's nothing wrong with me, then there's no need for a check up, right?”

“Hmm,” Star Shine hummed as she turned around and went back over to the counter. She pulled open a draw and pulled out a stethoscope, putting it around her neck and moving back over to Beats, “Well, there's nothing wrong but I'd still like to know what makes you tick like this. I've literally never heard of someone being able to endure seven hours of  Enhancement spells. And I know a lot of borderline monsters...and actual monsters.”

“Fourteen,” Beats corrected.

“Huh?”

"Fourteen hours. Well, at the most. I still take breaks and I have to leave to get Scootaloo from school so it's more like ten, but I try to play through the playlist twice.”

“WHAT IS HE, A ZOMBIE!?”

But before her internal flip out could find it's way to her mouth, Star Shine managed to regain her self control and smiled back at the stallion, “Could you turn around please?” she asked.

Beats did as instructed and swiveled around on the stool until his back faced the wolf. He extended his wings outward so she could freely move the metal of the stethoscope around. He shivered at the cold touch but did his best to sit still.

After a few moments of silence, Star Shine pulled away and hummed to herself.

“Your lungs are fine and heart rate seem to be normal,” she said, removing the plugs from her ears, “I'd like to do a full check up though, if you don't mind.”

Beats shrugged, “Might as well. Haven't been to the doctor's in a while anyway.” As he rose off of the stool, he paused and stretch forward, a loud and satisfying pop resounding from his back.

“Before you go,” Star Shine added on, “I'd like to take a CT scan of you. I want to see if your body behaves any differently than other ponies.”

“How long will it take?” he asked, standing up straight once more.

“Only 15 minutes or so,” she said motioning over to the large doughnut shaped machine against the wall.

“Might as well,” Beats said, shrugging once more before trotting over to the machine. Star Shine followed after and moved over to it's operating panel to start it.

“Alright, just lay still on the table for me,” she explained, “You won't feel a thing.”

As Beats climbed up on the platform, the wolf's eye caught a glimpse of something. Normally, she'd keep her eyes on the front end of a pony, but when he clambered up to lay down, it just happened to stick out.

In the middle of starting the machine, Star Shine's paws stopped. She fully leaned over to see Beats now laying on his back waiting on her.

The wolf stepped out from around the side of the machine and lowered her head to view the side of Beats' flank. He didn't even notice she stepped over until he felt her breathe on his leg.

“Uh, my eyes are up here, you know?” he joked, sitting up since she apparently had other plans aside from the scan.

Once again ignoring his comment, Star Shine raised her head and turned to the stallion, “Beats, what does your cutiemark mean?”

“Huh?” he retorted with a cock of his head. It wasn't an odd question, in fact it was somewhat common among ponies, though it was typically asked between those who were close friends or lovers. He couldn't figure out why she had the sudden interest in it however, “My cutiemark?”

Star Shine nodded in response. Beats shot her another quizzical look before shrugging, “My cutiemark represents my skills to pump and amp up a crowd with music. That's why it's a blaring audio visualizer. It's the energy that comes from the audience and the music.”

Star Shine hummed for a moment before speaking again, “And how do you feel when you DJ?”

An exceedingly bright smile grew on the stallions face, “It feels amazing! The crowds chants and shouts gives me an unbelievable rush, and the sound of the music makes it all the better! It's like I'm a king when I'm playing a set! I feel so alive when up there an--”

His ramblings were cut short by a paw over his mouth.

“Sorry,” Star Shine excused with an apologetic smile, “but I need to think a moment.” She pulled away back over to the counter to grab a clip board, pencil and paper. She began scribbling something on the sheet and muttering to herself. All the while, Beats could only look on in confusion.

After a few minutes of sitting on the CT table waiting, Beats jumped when Star Shine suddenly bolted up out of her chair.

“Stupid!” she shouted, “Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! ARHG! HOW COULD I BE SO DENSE!?”

Beats quickly pulled away, though was stopped when his back hit the machine.

“Ugh! I can't believe I've never thought about it!” the wolf shouted again turning back to the stallion, “Tell me everything you know about cutiemarks. Doesn't matter how little you know, just give me something.”

Beats sat in utter bafflement at the wolfs request. After a moment, he manged to escape his confusion and scooted back over to his original spot before speak.

“Well, uh, every pony gets a cutiemark at some point in their life. It usually happens when their young and still in elementary school, but sometimes a pony doesn't get theirs until their an adult. We get them when we discover what our special talent is; what we're meant to do in out life. No two cutiemarks are ever the same, but two marks can mean the same thing. Like how Vinyl's cutiemark and mine have the same meaning.”

As he spoke, Star Shine scribbled down notes while nodding to show she was still listening. Beats couldn't figure out what the purpose of this was, but figured that if Star Shine herself was requesting he explain something to her, it must be important.

“Uh, other than that, I'm afraid that's all I know,” Beats concluded, “I've never really thought much about them other than they tell you what a pony is good at.”

“No, no, that was all fine,” Star Shine replied, finishing the last of her notes.

“Um, do you mind me asking what this is about?” Beats asked, “What does my cutiemark have to do with what we were talking about before?”

Star Shine rose once more from her seat, but instead of going to the counter once more, she simply began to pace with the clipboard held in her paw up to her face.

“Ponies are the only creatures to have cutiemarks, correct?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“And you don't find that odd? That of all the races in the entire world, only one gets a crystal clear indication of it's individuals are supposed to do with their lives in the form of a mark on their flank?”

Beats thought it over for a moment, “Well, now that you mention it...”

“And further more, a cutiemark can be anything. It doesn't just have to be a profession, but a skill or a passion. Like Aerial.”

“Yeah, it can just be something that makes you unique. But what does Aerial have to do with this?”

“You said it can take until adulthood for a pony to get their cutiemarks.”

“Well, yeah but that doesn't happen often. It's pretty rare actually. I've never met a pony like that.”

“But you have,” Star Shine corrected, “Aerial didn't have her cutiemark up until a few months ago. When Silver first arrived in Equestria, he was a full day late because he was with Aerial. During that time, she learned she could use Wind Magic which triggered her cutiemark.”

“Oookay, but that's not really weird,” Beats commented, earning a raised brow from the wolf, “Aerial never would have thought to try Wind Magic unless she'd met Silver. Naturally, she wouldn't have gotten her cutiemark until then.”

Star Shine shook her head, “That's the thing, she got it before Silver began training her to use Wind magic. She had nearly fell to her death and just before she hit the ground, she used Wind Magic to break her fall. But just as important as when she got the cutiemark, we also need to consider what the cutiemark produced. Like you said, she never would have thought to use Wind Magic until she met Silver, and yet  she could use it without a problem moments before dying.”

“So?”

“SO, that shouldn't be possible. You don't just start doing Elemental magic out of the blue, it has to be cultivated like a plant. Like with Ruppy and Onyx. They can't naturally use Earth or Shadow Magic on their own, they have to be introduced to it first, which is why Silver gave them the weapons. As time goes on, they'll rely less on their weapons and more on their own abilities to start using their magic. So that begs the question, how did Aerial start using Wind magic literally, out of no where?”

Beats sat dumbfounded, “I have no idea what's going on anymore...”

Star Shine rolled her eyes, “Humor me and listen. Aerial said that when she first used Wind Magic, she nearly fell to her death.”

“Okay.”

“But that shouldn't be possible, since it takes time and effort to learn any Elemental Magic. So, is it possible that a near death experience can trigger a cutiemark?”

Beats thought for a moment, “Um...sure? I'm not exactly an expert in these things.”

“Well then let's say it is, for the sake of this theory,” Star Shine hypothesized, “And if said cutiemark showed a talent in Wind Magic, then what if, in the instant she earned her mark, it allowed her  to use the basics of the magic since it would allow her to survive her fall?”

“That's definitely a stretch,” Beats concluded.

“It is, but it also poses a question. Does a ponies talent reveal their cutiemark, or is their talent bestowed by their cutiemark?”

“Umm, a ponies naturally born with their talent, it's just a matter of finding it. So I'd say option A,” Beats answered.

“Then what about Aerial?” Star Shine asked, “She had no idea she could use Wind Magic, much less knew she had a talent for it, and by all rights, couldn't use it until the moment she almost died. And when her cutiemark activated, she suddenly gained the ability to use it. So how could she earn a cutiemark with a talent she didn't know she had, when the whole point of earning a cutiemark is discovering what your talent is?”

Beats went to respond but paused. She had a good point, “But there are still holes in your theory,” he pointed out, much to the shock of the wolf. Not many had the gall to do such a thing, “For one, you haven't heard Aerial's story from her yourself. Second, there's still no proof that a near death experience can trigger a cutiemark. And third, it's hard to determine how exactly cutiemarks work. Sure, you're supposed to learn what your talent is, but literally no pony knows what that is until they try it. Aerials situation is the same as everypony else, just like how I didn't know I was good a DJ-ing until I first tried it.”

Star Shine sat stunned. She had actually, without a doubt, just had her theory shot down by this pony. And in all honesty...

She really couldn't tell if she hated or loved him for it.

For a moment, she sat in silence, still pondering on her theory, “....So...my theory is shaky at best. But I have one last question.”

Beats raised a brow.

“Do cutiemarks have an effect on ponies?”

The stallion sat for a moment and thought, “Honestly? I have no clue. I know they're magical, but I have no idea if it has an actual effect on the pony.”

“I might need to talk to Princess Twilight about this then...” the wolf considered, “Or mayb--”

The wolf was cut off by the sudden interruption of another wolf barging in through the doors. As much as Star Shine enjoyed seeing her friend, she felt this visit would be less than pleasant based on the scowl Silver was wearing when he came in.

“We have a problem.”





The crystal carriage jostled and rumbled along the dirt path it was being pulled down. In front and behind it were ten guards each, twenty in all. On the inside, it's three passengers sat in deep discussion.

“He's here already?” Twilight asked to the pink mare across from her.

Cadence nodded in response, “Yes, the Duke will be arrive in Canterlot shortly.”

“But why now?” Twilight questioned, “I thought he wasn't supposed to come for another three days.”

“He wasn't,” Cadence replied with a sigh, “However, he's taken it upon himself to drop in ahead of schedule without informing us first. I assume he's trying to catch us off guard.”

Twilight groaned and placed her head in her hooves, “What was the deal with this moose? Why is he so desperate to get Radiance back? She's just one fox.”

“She's one incredibly powerful fox too,” Onyx piped up, sitting next to Twilight, much to her surprise, “When Silver was recovering from getting hurt, I ran into her at Star Shines while we were waiting for him to wake up. She's....different.”

“Onyx is right,” Cadence agreed, “Even Black Wing says she's intimidating. Not much is known about Foxes or the magic they wield. He says there's no telling what she could be capable of at her level, which is why he wanted to keep an eye on her at the Crystal Empire.”

“Really?” Twilight said with notable surprise, “And here I thought he just wanted to hit on her.”

The pink alicorn giggled, “Well yes, that too. But he was never sure of her or her intentions and planned on keeping her there until he knew what she was going to do now that she was away from the Duke.”

“Well that's unusually cautious of him,” Twilight noted.

“Black Wing, despite his behavior, has been chosen as a Royal for a reason,” Cadence defended, “He's an Alpha as well, and of one of the three strongest packs in Houndland. It's not that unusual when you think about it.”

Twilight had to admit, her sister-in-law had a point. It would be almost impossible to rise to that kind of power if all he had was Lost Magic. It wasn't that she underestimated or doubted the wolf, just that he didn't seem the type to be cautious or wary.

“I see your point,” Twilight finally said before Cadence could begin listing off even more of his achievements. All the time she spent with him allowed her to learn a fair amount about the wolf and his life.

As the conversation died off, so did the ride of the carriage.

“Are we there already?” Twilight questioned, looking out the side window.

Cadence stood up from her seat and opened the door to stick her head out, “We shouldn't be. It should be at least another forty minutes.”

As she looked around, she realized the formation of her escorts had changed. While there would typically be a group behind them and in front led by Shinning Armor, the groups had split and were now on all sides of the carriage, their bodies leveled as if ready to fight.

“What's going on?” She asked, stepping out from the coach. Twilight immediately went to rise from her seat, but was stopped by a black hoof gently setting her back into her seat. Onyx shook her head and stood up, stepping out of the carriage after Cadence.

“Princess, please get back inside,” she requested, drawing her blades. Cadence looked over to the unicorn as she began walking forward closer to the crowd of guards. Through the thicket of helmets and spears, she spotted the Captain standing at the front of them all, seeming to be talking with someone.

Before stepping into the crowd, Onyx looked back. Cadence was still standing outside, and Twilight was now poking her head out of the door.

Onyx shot them a hard glare, both of them quickly catching it and hesitantly turning back to the coach. It wasn't that the unicorn didn't understand why they'd want to know what was happening. This concerned them as much as anyone else, and add in the fact that the Captain leading the guard was both a brother and a husband to the two mares, it made more than enough sense for them to want to see what's happening.

But Onyx was a guard now. She couldn't allow either of them to put themselves in danger. Turning to the ponies hitched to the carriage, she asked, “Do you have your orders?”

All four nodded, though their eyes remained ahead.

Onyx nodded in return before finally heading through the crowd. As she got closer to the front, the back of Shinning Armor became more and more present, as did the reason why they were stopping in the first place.

Staring him down in the middle of the path was a platoon of moose's, dressed in full armor, roughly forty from what she could see.

Unfortunately, that wasn't what bothered her the most.

No, that honor when to the black and multi-colored neon wolf leading them. None other than Aurora stood at the head of the crowd of moose's, much like Shinning did for his soldiers.

“What are you doing on this road?” he demanded, “This path is off limits to any citizens or guest of the country, and is to only be used by the Princess of the Crystal Empire and the Princesses of Equestria.”

“Oh? Monopolizing roads now?” Aurora replied with a smirk, “And here I thought you ponies were supposed to play fair.”

Shinning Armor's scowl deepened, “Answer the question. There isn't supposed to be anyone else on this road. How did you know about it?”

“Now now, you should know better than to ask a girl about her secrets,” the wolf replied.

“Leave,” the stallion demanded with a stomp of his hoof. It seemed that was a signal for the rest of the guard as they all pointed their spears and horns directly at the ones now blocking the road as the pegasi took to the sky.

This in turn ignited a response from the moose's, as they all lowered their heads, though not in submission. A magic energy could be seen building between their horns, though nothing came out.

“Stand down!” Aurora commanded, but not to her own troops, “Surely you don't think you could handle the Archmages of Caneighdia.”

As much as Onyx hated to admit it, the wolf had a point. While she knew nothing of Caneighdian Magic or military, she could feel the power radiating from the moose's. If she had Ruppy, Sica and Beats there with her, she figured they could probably have a stalemate, but without that, there was no chance of winning without--

CRACK!

BOOOOOOOM!

In a sudden flash, there was explosion from a head of Onyx, not far from Shinning Armor, who had almost jumped out of his armor.

A dust cloud rose up and no one moved  as it settled. Soon a black paw with a white bandanna wrapped around the leg above it stepped forward.

“Aurora....” Black Wing growled. Even with his back to her, Onyx could feel the glare the wolf was giving. What amazed her was how the wolf it was directed at was still standing there smiling.

“Black Wing,” she responded simply.

“Do you mind telling me what it is you think you're doing?” he growled again.

“We are on our way to Canterlot Castle, escorting Duke Little Horn on this road. When we realized that we were being followed, he sent a party, lead by me, to check it out.”

“I don't care about that,” he said coldly, moving forward until he passed Shinning Armor and was now only a few feet from the wolf, “I want to know why you seem to think it's okay for you to aim spells from a foreign country's soldiers at the Princess of another while in a land you don't belong to.”

“They're the ones that bared their arms first. This is--”

“This is a private road, owned and used by the Crystal Empire for Princesses Cadence, Celestia, Luna and Twilight. What you're doing is a declaration of war!”

As the words left his mouth, the wolf flared his wings, his bandanna around his leg coming clean off. The power that emanated from him made the air unbelievably thick and gravity felt like it increased ten -fold. Onyx quickly fell her knees gasping for air, as did the rest of the guards, moose and pony alike, though she knew it wasn't a spell that made her bow.

It was fear.

All weapons were dropped and all spells fizzled in the moment he discarded one of his seals. All resistance from either side came to a screeching halt before this beast.

“ALLOW ME TO MAKE MYSELF PERFECTLY CLEAR!” Black Wing shouted, his voice literally booming like thunder, “ YOUR ACTIONS HAVE BEEN DEEMED A THREAT TO PRINCESS CADENCE! SHOULD ANYONE OF YOU EVEN TWITCH, I WILL SLAUGHTER YOU ALL!”

The more he spoke, the quicker Onyx became a quivering mess. His voice alone terrified her beyond belief, but with the power his was letting off, if she didn't know any better, she'd think she were in the presence of a god.

And yet, in spite of the overwhelming presence of the wolf, Onyx managed to look up from the ground.

….and froze at the sight she saw.

She saw only one other wolf that would be able to still stand with this amount of pressure barring down on themselves. There was only one other wolf that would stand in the face of this immeasurable power....

…and grin.

But unfortunately, it wasn't Silver. Aurora stood, smirking at the display Black Wing put on.

“Scary,” she said with almost a giggle, “It's been a long time since I've seen you take off one of your seals. When was the last time, the Tolwaki Forest?”

“The Engrid Desert,” he responded, folding his wings.

Aurora sighed with a small roll of her eyes, “Alright, you've made your point. Our actions were uncalled for. Soldiers, disarm all spells!”

Even after she spoke, Black Wing kept his bandanna off, his eyes no longer staring at the other wolf but rather down the moose's. His expression was simple but sent a clear message. Defy him and they would die.

Eventually, he bent down and picked up his bandanna off the ground before tying back around his leg. The the air lightened and Onyx could feel her legs coming back under her control, though they still had a noticeable shake to them.

“We're going back!” Aurora shouted to her troops as she turned around to step away.

“Not just yet,” Black Wing called after her with a new friendly grin plastered on his face, making the wolf pause in her steps, “Since you've come all this way and made such a ruckus, why not at least escort us to Canterlot?”

While the wolf may have been wearing a smile now and the intensity of his voice died down, there was still a clear indication that his words were less of a suggestion and more of a command.

Eyeing him up and down, Aurora pondered what the wolf could be up too. Though with his earlier display, she couldn't risk angering him. Sure, she might be able to hold her own against him, but Black Wing was a wolf of his word was still more than capable and willing to slaughter all of her troops, even with her there. The Duke would be furious is she ended up getting the greatest mages of Caneighdia killed.

And so, with a reluctant sigh, Aurora turned back to the moose's.

“Change of plans! We're accompanying Princess Cadence and her guards to Canterlot Castle!”

While she may have gotten a few odd looks from her troops, a quick glare from Black Wing ensured they followed their orders.

“Wonderful,” Black Wing said with a small but seemingly vicious smile, “I certainly hope there are no other surprises while we're on this road.”

Aurora rolled her eyes while both the moose and ponies got back in formation and began moving again, Onyx heading back inside the carriage.

“You're just as paranoid as Silver,” she retorted, almost spitting as she said his name, “And as violent too.”

It seemed Black Wing had some interest in the conversation as, instead of disappearing into wherever he was hiding before, he remained on the road, trotting by her side. That, or he just didn't trust her to be left on her own.

“Strange. Here I thought you hated talking about Silver,” he said back.

“I do,” she replied, “But I like talking about how much I hate him.”

The winged-wolf rolled his eyes, “Has anyone ever told you you're the textbook definition of a horrible ex? You know, rude, selfish, unwilling to change her point of view, talking shit behind their ex's back?”

Aurora snapped her head around to glare at Black Wing, her first real showing any emotion since showing her face to him, “I'm not like that,” she denied, “I just don't like him. Besides, it's not like anything I say isn't true.”

It was Black Wings turn to glare at her now, “And how would you know?” he argued.

“How else? I dated him.”

“Yeah, forty years ago,” he added on, turning back to face ahead of him, “A lot can change in that time, especially when you two avoid each other like the plague.”

“Ha! Please!” she mocked with a roll of her eyes, “With my eyes? I doubt I'd miss it. He hasn't changed a bit.”

“Then you're color blind,” Black Wing retorted.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Aurora sneered back, “Are you trying to say my Aura Sight isn't working right?”

“Pretty much,” he answered, “When you look at Silvers aura, what do you see?”

“Same old bland gray with some hint of color on the edge.”

“Wrong,” he countered, “Try again.”

“Wha-try again? What do you mean try again? How the hell am I supposed to try again?”

“I mean, try again. When we get to Canterlot, I want you to look at his aura again, but this time try to actually see it, not just look at it.”

Auroras face contorted into various expressions over the span of a few seconds. Anger, confusion, and the urge to scream ran across her brow and cheeks as she stared at the wolf walking next to her.

“What the hell are you talking about?” she questioned, “See instead of look? You're not making any sense, they're the same thing. Maybe you're the color blind one here.”

“If I am, then how is it that when I look at Silver, I see far more than just gray, and yet when you look at him, that's all you can see?”

“I don't know, but I know what I see. Silver always has, and always will be the same indifferent monster he's always been."

“Or maybe you've just been seeing things wrong. Aurora, I've known Silver longer than anyone, and I can tell you I've only ever seen his aura turn gray a scant few times. I don't know why it is that all you ever see is gray, but have you ever thought that maybe the problem isn't with him, but with you?”

Aurora went to argue, but before she could, Black Wing opened his wings and took off to the sky, disappearing in a flash of lightning.

“Asshole....”





Ruppy, Sica and Beats stood at attention in a line in Silvers living room. The wolf sat in front of them, a scowl drawn on his brow.

“Listen closely, we have a bit of an issue,” he stated in a clear, authoritative voice, “Duke Little Horn of Caneighdia is arriving in Canterlot Castle within the hour to meet with the Princesses. Joining him will be Aurora, an Alpha of the Fallen Star pack, and at least two of her Betas. I imagine he will probably have soldiers from his own army accompanying him as well. Before we leave I will make two things absolutely clear. The first is do not strike first. I don't care how insulting or threatening they may be, do not attack unless they do first. It will become an international issue and possibly lead to a war if the damage is severe enough.”

“And the second?” Sica asked.

“If an incident does break out, do not, under any circumstances, engage in a fight with the wolves, especially Aurora. You will leave them to myself, Black Wing or Star Shine.”

“But you're injured,” Ruppy needlessly pointed out, “Are you sure you should even be going?”


“I doubt anything will actually happen, however, even in this state I'm still strong enough to at least hold off the Betas. Black Wing or Star Shine can handle Aurora.”

The tan pegasus shrugged in compliance. Despite her pride in her strength, she didn't have an issue with not fighting the wolves and knew Silver was plenty strong even with a dozen stab wounds. And that was only if a fight breaks out.

“Anything else?” he asked. All three shook their heads, “Good, now let's go.”

The group left the home and stepped into the castle, Silver leading as the trio followed behind. As they wandered through the building, Ruppy noticed that as they got closer to the throne room the number of guards increased. At first it was one on every corner, but soon became four on each side of the hall.

“Wow, I didn't know the guard was this large,” the pegasus commented, “Or that there would be this many of them.” As an ex-criminal, the heavy presence of lawful authority still made her nervous.

“All three Princesses of Equestria and the Princess and Prince of the Crystal Empire will be in the same room with a hostile Duke of Canighdia and his bitchy wolf guards,” Silver explained, “This kind of situation requires this many guards.”

The group soon arrived in the throne room where they found Celestia and Luna sitting in their seats, issuing orders to the rest of the guards. Around the room stood five soldiers, though Ruppy couldn't help but notice their attire was different from the ones in the hall.

“Silver!” Luna called, though she quickly noticed her marefriend was not present with him, nor was her surrogate daughter, “Where are Onyx and Twilight?”

Silver stepped forward, but not onto the raised platforms themselves, “They're at the Crystal Empire. Twilight sent me a letter saying they would be coming back with Cadence.”

“Ah, well I suppose there's nothing we can do about that,” she said with a small frown, “In the mean time, could you help organize the guards? We're in a bit of a scramble at the moment.”

Silver nodded and turned around to the trio behind him, “Beats, Ruppy, go stand on the left of Luna's throne. Sica, shadow them.”

All three nodded, with Beats and Ruppy moving to their places and Sica slipping into...nothing? Ruppy paused and did a double-take as the mare who was standing beside her literally three seconds ago had vanished into nothing. Looking around, Ruppy tried to find the assassin, but after almost getting whiplash from turning her head so much, the pegasus sighed and gave up.

After telling the three where to go, Silver turned and looked around the room. He recognized the five guards in the room, despite their appearances being obscured by their armor. They were the same five ponies that Celestia had picked out to be initially trained by him.

“You brought in you're special Captains?” Silver asked as he turned and looked to Celestia.

“Huh?” she questioned, “Oh, yes. I figured the occasion called for it since we couldn't get the full guard here on time.”

“Did you explain to everypony to not fight with the wolves?” he asked.

“Yes, I'm well aware of the power gap and made sure they understood that as well,”she replied.

Just after she spoke, an almost inaudible scoff came from the wall of the room. While Celestia didn't hear or simply choose to ignore it, Silver turned and found the pony responsible for the noise.

“Something to say, Captain?” Silver asked as he walked over.

The mare against the wall looked up to match his eyes, only for him to find he recognized this mare. Not just as one of the ponies Celestia picked, but from somewhere else.

“Have we met somewhere?” he asked.

“Yes, unfortunately.”

The mare continued to stare him down, her glare clearing showing through the narrow sights of her helmet. Silver continued to look down at her, still pondering where he'd seen that same look.

“Are you gonna tell me where that was?” He said after having a short staring contest with the mare.

“In the castle, late one night.”

“In the castle.....” Silver pondered for a moment. The only mares he'd met with in the castle at night were Luna and Twilight. Anypony else would have been a....guard.

“Ooooh...” the realized dawned on him, “You're that mare! The one that wouldn't tell me where Luna was when I ki—messed up.”

The mare gave a rudely sarcastic smile, “Look at that, the dumb dog does have brains. Maybe he can do more than chase his tail.”

“Wow, it;'s official. All ponies are actually assholes,” Silver retorted, “I assume you already know I have no authority in the Royal guard, otherwise I doubt you'd be speaking to me like this.”

The mare simply rolled her eyes, “Yes, I'm well aware of you're unique position and how much you've managed to abuse it. Now, we already have our orders, so there's no need to speak with the rest of us. Go do something else.” The mare finished her brush off by actually shooing him away with a hoof.

“Alright, alright,” Silver said, taking a step back, “I get it, you don't like me. But you will follow your orders, right? No fighting with the wolves?”

The mare sighed, “Yes, despite how much bullshit it is, we won't fight with the wolves. Not that a fight is even going to break out anyway.”

“Good,” Silver said and turned to the door, “As long as you understand.”
> Luna Breaks in and the Blood Bath Begins
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

An inpatient sigh came from the moose inside the carriage.

“This is preposterous,” Duke LittleHorn muttered,  “How dare they make me wait outside like some commoner.”

“Well we did show up unannounced,” Overlook defended, her ever calm smile resting on her face. Next to her sat Willow, a small scowl written on his face, though he kept pointed out the window. He watched outside where the six other betas stood around the carriage, waiting patiently for their Alpha to return.

“Irregardless, I should not be treated in such a way!” he snapped back, rising up in his seat,  “I am the Duke of Canieghdia, son of the previous king and nephew of the current one! When I demand an audience with someone, I expect to be received properly regardless of what time I arrive.”

Overlook winced slightly at the sudden shouting, “But of course, Duke LittleHorn. I imagine it is simply the princesses fault for not being prepared,” she said in an attempt to calm him.

“Of course it is!” he snapped once more before falling back into a reclined position, “Making me wait. Ha! I'll show them and those damn dogs they keep at their side. Speaking of which, what is taking Aurora? She should have been back by now.”

Both betas gave a slight twitch at the comment so carelessly thrown about their leader, but before Willow could turn and snap at the moose, Overlook spoke up.

“Perhaps there was a skirmish between Aurora and Black Wing,” she proposed, giving Willow a look to not snap back at him.

The smaller wolf swallowed his rage and went back to looking at the window, “I doubt it,” he said back, “If fight broke out between those two, Canterlot would have been wiped off the face of Equestria by now.”

“Hmm, yes you do have a point. Maybe it was some other trouble then,” Overlook replied, “Maybe she stubbed her paw on a rock?”

Willow simply rolled his eyes at the poor attempt of a joke, slipping back into silence. In truth, he couldn't wait for the job to be over. He hated this moose and having to play babysitter to him. But it was Aurora that decided to take the job. Whether that was for the money or simply so she could see Silver again, he wasn't entirely sure.

He never really understood her strange obsession with him. He'd met the wolf before, and he didn't seem all bad. Sure, the stories Aurora told about him seemed to make him out to be evil incarnate, but having to work with some of his betas and even Silver himself on a few missions told Willow that perhaps his Alpha might not be telling the whole story. There are three sides to it after all; His, hers and the truth. Memories shared serve each differently.

As Willows leg gently brushed over the item the Duke had made sure to bring, he began almost felt bad for what they were doing. They were causing Silver an awful lot of trouble just so Aurora could get back at him.

But such is the life of a Beta. Following their Alphas until kingdom come.

As his thoughts dwindled, he took notice of the other Betas outside, one of them stepping from the spot  around to the end of the carriage. Opening the door, Willow stuck his head out and saw Aurora coming with rest of the moose mages.

Pulling his head back in, he turned to the other two occupants of the carriage, “It's Aurora. She's back.”





The crystal carriage pulled up to a set of stairs on the side of the building. While it wasn't exactly the best idea to have multiple entrances to Canterlot Castle, it was useful for getting the princesses in and out unnoticed.

Onyx was the first to step out, taking a moment to observe the surroundings. Aurora and her moose mages had already went around to the front, so all that was left were the Crystal Empire guards and Shining Armor. For a moment, Black Wing had remained out of sight until the unicorn noticed a shadow pass over head. Looking up, she saw the wolf circle over them twice before dropping down.

“Alright, they've all gone up to the front,” he informed, “We can go in.”

Twilight and Cadence stepped out of the carriage and stretched for a moment before heading towards the staircase with Onyx, Black Wing leading the three of them. The guards split into two groups once more; ten following the princesses inside while the others remained outside.

“Was all this really necessary?” Onyx asked as they trailed behind the wolf.

“Somewhat,” he replied with a shrug, “After all,it's Aurora we're dealing with. She's not just strong, but smart. Can't be too careful around her.”

“Blackie, please,” Cadence said, the nickname making her husband cringe, “I seriously doubt the Duke or Aurora would do something so foolish. It would be an act of war against Equestria and the Princesses themselves.”

“Well it's not like there's a rule to stop them from doing it,” he said back.

“What do you mean?” Twilight spoke up, “I thought there was an agreement for the wolves protect the Princesses. Wouldn't declaring war on Equestria be the exact opposite?”

“Not really,” Black Wing began, “Like you said, we're here to protect the princesses, but that's it. No where in the agreement does it say anything about protecting the rest of the country. So as long as you, Celestia, Luna and Cadence aren't killed or injured, a war is completely legitimate.”

Twilight's eyes went wide with shock, “Yo-you can't be serious. Cadence, tell me he's not being serious.”

The pink alicorn sighed with a nod, “It's true I'm afraid. When I was being told about the agreement between Equestria and Houndland, Celestia said that since the Crystal Empire was considered a new country all together, it would fall under a contract of it's own. When I went to Houndland to negotiate it, Emperors made it very clear that the well-being of the country was not their concern. It wasn't directly said that they would start a war if we did something to anger them, but they made sure I understood they don't care about the rest of the ponies in the country. While none of us are exactly happy with the current standing between our two countries, it is necessary. Without them, there would be far more attempts on our lives than you can imagine.”

Twilight had grown pale with a hint of sickly green beginning to rise. Luckily, Cadence managed to keep herself from worrying the mare anymore.

“But don't worry, the wolves have upheld their word for well over two thousand years and not abused their power,” she tried to reassure, “If they wanted Equestria gone, it would have been. And it's not like Celestia and Luna can't stop the wolves they send. It would just be....difficult.”

Twilight's expression hardly changed. Her stomach was twisted in a knot after learning that if the country were in danger, there was a chance Silver, Black Wing and Star Shine would have to simply sit on the sidelines and let it happen. Each one of them would have to the power to end the conflict in a heartbeat, but none of them could because it wasn't their concern.

“Don't be mistaken Twilight,” Black Wing said suddenly, as if reading her mind,  “All you would need to do is give the order.”

“Give the order? He...he can't mean...”

Her thoughts were cut off as they arrived at the double doors of the throne room. As they entered, Twilight noticed three extra seats had been prepared for herself, Cadence and Shining. Luna and Celestia had both already taken their spots with guards standing around the room.

“Twilight!” Luna called, “You're back!”

“Of course I am, I have to be here,” she said as she trotted up the slope to her seat. Luna cast her a confused glance as she walked by, wondering why she wasn't receiving a hug right now.  Twilight could only nod her head in a subtle motion towards her brother. As much as she would've liked to give Luna a proper greeting, she knew she couldn't with him in the room. The lavender mare silently sighed to herself as she knew she'd eventually have to explain things to him properly.

Luna gave a silent “Ooooh” of understanding before pulling her head back and sitting up straight. With all four princesses there, the meeting would begin soon. Onyx took her spot next to Ruppy while Star Shine dropped in from wherever she was hiding. She was to the left of the slope leading up to the thrones with Black Wing moving to the opposite side.

It was only when all movement had settled that Twilight looked around the room and found her boyfriend missing, but before she could ask anyone where he was, the double doors opened and Silver came strolling in leading Aurora and her entourage. And just behind them was the moose that had called them all there.

Duke Little Horn.





Aurora trailed close behind her long abhorred ex, her Betas following on both sides with the Duke and the moose mages in the rear. All the while they walked through the castle, Auroras glare had not moved from Silver since the moment she laid eyes on him.

While this was not exactly surprising behavior for her, it was a little more...intense than usual. Her fur stood on edge and her scowl was far angrier than before. But there was something in her eyes. Something behind the rage and loathing she held for him.

And it was directed at the piece of jewelry he had wrapped around his neck.

The Betas had noticed it, though none of them said anything. What was so unusual about a wolf getting married after all. Willow even thought of congratulating him for it, but chose not to since he knew Aurora would get involved.

But for Aurora, it was something else.

“Married? He's married now!? Since when!? To-to who!? What tramp would be stupid enough to marry him!?”

Auroras scowl deepened as they continued to move through the castle in silence. She would have liked to snatch him off to the side and demand answers. After all, he was in Equestria. There was no other wolves here except for Star Shine and Black Wing, but she knew Star Shine had no interest in him and Silver didn't swing the other way. The only others were ponies, but collars are used for wolf marriages. So there couldn't hav--

Aurora paused in her thoughts as she recalled their last meeting. After Silver left the room, Luna said something in her rage. Something the wolf had not quite caught onto in her moment of fear of being killed by the alicorn.

“You hurt him. You hurt the wolf I love.”

“She...she couldn't have...”

Despite having thought she knew who he was now married to, the rage in her heart did not go away. It only soured and turned to something else.

A pain grew in her chest, though she didn't know why. A wolf she despised for decades now had carved a hole in her heart, though she herself didn't know it.

All she knew was that to her, it felt unfair.

They group turned a corner and came upon a set of double doors. Entering the throne room, Silver moved ahead and took his spot directly in front of the thrones. As he turned and looked at the guest he brought in, Aurora caught a look in his eyes.

Part of her didn't want to believe it, but she knew what she saw. Frigid and uncaring. It was what she'd always believed him to be, but only now saw what he was truly like when he fulfilled the label she'd thrown at him over the years.

Indifference.

It was vastly distinct from what she thought she'd always seen in his eyes. True, they didn't hold the same shine that they did before they broke up, but they were nothing like this. So...empty.

“Ha! I guess he reached an all time low. Black Wing's an idiot, I don't need to check his aura again. Silver's never changed.”

But despite being reassured that she was right, Aurora found herself hurting again. A small prick in her heart she refused to admit was there, even to herself.

“Princesses,” the Duke next to her spoke, snapping her from her thoughts, “I'm pleased to see you all here.”

Celestia put on her charming smile,“Likewise, Duke Little Horn. Though I do wish you would have given us more of a warning. It must have been terrible having to wait outside, and we could have at least prepared some tea.”

Luna had to force herself from groaning and rolling her eyes. The midnight mare would admit Celestia had her beat when it came to patience. How her sister managed to play nice all the time was a mystery to her.

“Ah, yes well, another time perhaps,” he responded in kind, “As for my sudden arrival, it was a bit of a pressing matter.”

Celestia raised a brow, “Does it have something to do with Radiance?”

The Duke let a small, chuckling smirk slip out, “Not quite. You see, I have been informed by Aurora here that while Radiance is likely still alive and well, there is little chance of her coming back or finding her. Your mutt there,” he spat, indicating to Silver who simply donned a proud grin, “has a reputation for hiding things and making sure no one can find them. So alas, I have given up my search for her.”

Celestia faked a sympathetic frown, “Well, I'm sorry if Silver has caused you any trouble. While he may be stationed in Equestria for the time, he doesn't always follow orders, even from me. But if you're not here for Radiance, then what is it you want that would require all four of us?”

The smirk on the mooses face only grew as he tried to keep his chuckles from becoming full bursts of laughter, “W-well you see, it's not the four of you that I wanted to see,” Little Horns eyes cast down to the wolves standing near the thrones, all three of which glare back, “But the filthy mongrels that guard you. I've been recently informed of a....unique law that exists only in Houndland. One that explains the constant strife that goes on in the country.”

Turning his head around, one of the moose guards standing at the back of the room came forward to the  Duke with a black cloth between his teeth.

“Tell me Princess, are you aware that in order for the whole country of Houndland to go to war, the Emperors must either declare or acknowledge it? And that if another country chooses, they can declare war on just a single pack.”

The Duke took the cloth from the moose, letting it unravel to hold it up. It was a black flag with a white crescent moon in the center, surrounded by eight shining stars. Just as soon as all four princesses got a look at it, he let it drop to the floor.

“Because you see, the packs operate as independent states, each one with their own sets of laws and government. And so, because of that, there's a great divide in the country. So much so that they've been viewed as sovereign nations and allowed themselves to be at conflict with other countries without involving the rest of Houndland. ”

The moose that brought the flag forward began to charge a spell as the Dukes grin only grew.

“Of course naturally, no sane leader would dare start a war against Houndland. However, if it's just one of their packs, it's a whole other story.”

Little Horn stared down the three wolves at the front, their expressions never changing. If only he had the wisdom to see past their blank faces, he'd have realized that they do not see him as a threat.

Only prey.

“Burn it,” he commanded. The moose mage fired off his magic and the cloth burst into flames as the Duke stood proud over it.

“I hereby declare war on the Black Moon Pack!”

Twilight's eyes went wide as she watched the events unfold. For a moment, she had no idea what had just occurred. She knew the Duke was angry, but to go so far as to declare a war on Silvers pack? It was insane!

“What?! What the hell's going on!? I don't know what to do! Is there even something I can do!? I'm a princess dammit, there's got to be something! I-I can't let this happen, not while Silver's injured like this!”

The more she thought, the more her mind scrambled. But just as she went to speak, a white hoof raised and stopped her.

Looking over, the lavender mare was met with Celestia's bright smile, “Don't worry Twilight. It will all be fine.”

“Don't worry? DON'T WORRY!? WHAT THE HELL DO Y--”

“Are you certain you wish to commit to what you've said?” Star Shine spoke up suddenly. Looking down, Twilight found none of the three wolves had been remotely phased by the Dukes declaration. All three simply sat there with an almost bored look on their faces, “Once you confirm, we will not stop until our demands have been met.”

The Duke grinned wider than he had all day, “Of course I commit! Caneighdia will be the end of you dogs!”

Turning back, Star Shine looked to Celestia and Luna, “Does Equestria commit to being the third verifying party?”

Twilight stared down her ex-mentor. Did she know what was happening? If she did, then she could stop it, right? Surely, she wouldn't-

“We accept.”

….She did it...

Celestia was allowing this to happen. She was allowing a war to start with one of her closest friends involved in it.

“Celestia!” Twilight shouted, “Whatever it is, tell them no! Luna, say something! Tell them to stop!”

Her marefriend simply leaned past her sister and smiled, “Twilight, it's fine. Just watch.”

Twilight's jaw dropped. Even Luna was ok with this? Just the other day they both were telling Silver not to fight and now neither are even batting an eye when war has been declared on his pack? Part of her wanted to trust them. The other part, which was significantly larger, was about to loose her shit.

“Then the conditions have been met,” Star Shine spoke once again, drawing Twilights anger away, “Let it be known that the Black Moon Pack is now at war with Caneighdia.”

Almost as soon as she finished speaking, a light began to shine in from the window. It started as a shimmer, but soon grew brighter and brighter with each passing second.

“Ah!” Luna cried, “Sister, turn down the lights, I can't see!”

“That's not me, Luna,” Celestia answer, holding up a hoof to block out the light as well. Everyone in the room was soon shielding themselves from the blinding shine until it suddenly began to dim.

Just as quickly as it came, the light grew softer and softer until the regular sunshine remained. Every pony blinked, trying to allow their eyes to readjust.

“Sweet merciful heavens, what was that?” Luna said as she continued to rub her eyes, “I swear that sun of yours is broken.”

“I told you, that wasn't me,” Celestia answered with an eye roll, she being one of two in the room still able to see.

“Then just who was it then?”

“Me,” came an unfamiliar voice. All eyes shot over to the side of the room opposite from where the light had come in. Next to the windows stood a wolf with blindingly white fur and wings with what looked like thin golden threads lacing around her paws and tail.

In one paw sat a small plate while the other held a tea cup. The new wolf took a long sip from it, the slurp being the only sound in the room.

“Of course, the real question is 'where did she get the tea?'” she said after setting her cup back on the plate.

“Who are you!? How did you get in!?” the pony guard behind her shouted as he approached.

The wolf turned to face him and, much to his confusion, suddenly handed him her tea.

“Don't drop that, I'd like to finish it later,” she said before spinning back around and strutting across the room between the thrones and the duke, “And as for who I am, it's not really important. Not to you anyways. No, the ones who'd really like to know are them.”

The wolf flicked her wings out, each one pointing to a different side of the room. One to the Duke, the other to the alicorns.

“Well, excluding the big one up there. She's met me already.” Celestia simply smiled and waved.

“So!” the wolf said suddenly, spinning around in a another twirl to face the guard again, “Your question! Who am I! Well, it's simple really. I'm the head Alpha of the Black Moon pack, but you can all call me daddy--Wait, no. That's not the right one. Luna! You can call me Luna!”

The other Luna raised a brow and cocked her head. “But....but I'm Luna.”

“But now that I think about it, the moose might as well call me Daddy since he's going to be my bitch by the end of today. And yes, I'm aware there's already a Luna in the room, but for the moment we'll just have to share,” she continued. She spoke in a rather odd way; quickly, almost rambling but not entirely. She was the center of attention and not just because of her strange entrance but simply because no one could get a word in edgewise. She had complete control over the room and conversation which at this point, was one sided. It almost reminded Twilight of Time Turner, but more vulgar.

“As for how I got in, well let's say your pantry is going to need a little patching up. Now! I've answered your questions so how about you all answer some of mine, first of all; where do you keep your pudding? I'm dying for some and second, which one of you burned...that....flag?” she punctuated her sentence by pointing to the flag with a paw.

“Me, you rambling idiot,” the Duke spoke.

“You? Well you're not made of pudding,” Luna said with a cocked head.

“No! I'm the one who burned the flag!”

“Oooooh! Right!” she realized, “Of course you wouldn't be made of pudding. Pudding goes in a cup or a bowl, not on a moose. But flag burning, now that is a moose thing to do. Very moosey, very moosey indeed. Now! Another question. Why?”

“Because--!” he began, only to be cut off.

“Ah-ah-ah! Not you!” she quickly whipped her head around and faced the thrones, but was not interested in those who sat atop of them, “Them.”

There was no mistaking it, She was speaking to the wolves down in front. Silver and Black Wing simultaneously looked away, the former whistling in a poor attempt to seem uninvolved in the matter. Star Shine simply rolled her eyes before pointing a paw at Silver.

Luna's eyes fell to the whistling wolf, who quickly picked up on Star Shines paw indicating to him.

“Snitch,” he said, sticking out his tongue.

“Silver....” Luna said with a sigh, “Should have known it'd be you. So, what'd you do?”

The wolf in question sucked in a long breath through his teeth, “Well...I might have kinda liberated a fox indebted to the moose there and also kinda pissed him off in the process....sorta....”

“Is that all?” ash asked with a raised brow.

“....I think?”

The white wolf continued staring him down for a moment before simply shrugging, “Well, I suppose the why isn't as important. What's done is done,” Luna concluded, “However, you will be cleaning up this mess of yours, Silver.”

The wolf raised a brow, “Come again?”

“I said, clean up your mess. You've gone and caused these ponies all this trouble and now it's time to make up for it,” Luna paused and pointed a wing to the mooses, “Kill them and clean up this debacle.”

“What are you kidding!?” he cried.

“I agree,” Twilight quickly spoke up, “Silver is terribly injured and--”

“Yeah, hi there, who are you?” Luna interrupted, much to Twilight's annoyance.

Already angered that the situation had escalated this far and that Celestia and Luna allowed it to, Twilight met the wolfs interjection with a scowl, “My name is Twilight Sparkle and--”

“Yeah, see I'm gonna have to stop you riight there,” she interrupted again, “Because as far as I can tell, this is now an issue between the Black Moon Pack and Caneighdia, neither of which you are a part of. So, if you could be so kind as to keep out of this, that would just make my day.”

Twilight was beginning to reach her breaking point, “Excuse me?”

The wolf pointed to the door, “There's the door. You don't need my permission.”

“That's it-!”

“Enough, both of you!”

Silvers voice rang loud and clear through the room, stopping Twilight before she said something she'd regret. Her eyes drifted to her him and found him glaring over his shoulder at her as he continued.

“Luna is right, this doesn't concern Equestria anymore so I don't want to find any ponies getting in the middle of this,” his head Alpha smiled proud as the alicorn slumped back into her seat, only to find his glare now aimed at the wolf, “And you! You're in the middle of the Canterlot Castle and you have the audacity to insult a Princess!? Are you out of you damn mind?!”

Luna's head drew back in shock. While she'd had her spats with Silver before, he hadn't looked at her like this in years. Not since...

The white wolfs eyes flicked past Silver for a moment to the now upset lavender mare on the throne. She continued to look back and forth between the two for few moments before a large grin crawled across her face.

“Oooooh,” she said, moving past Silver and up to the throne where Twilight sat, “So that's how it is.”

The wolf leaned in close as Twilight pulled back, her eyes falling half closed but her grin remaining ever present. Twilight heard her whiff twice before she flashed a toothy smile, “I can smell him all over you,” she whispered in her ear.

“Luna....” a deep rumble came from beside them. Looking up, the white wolf found herself staring at an exceedingly infuriated ivory alicorn, her eyes now a blazing with a fierce, fiery orange. It was like she was staring at the sun itself, “Step down.”

On the other side of Celestia an intense chill came forth. The thrones hadn't been completely frosted over, but that was likely to change quickly as the Princess of the Night could only contain herself for so long.

Much like her sister, her eyes had also changed, but accompanied by their frosty sterling color were slit pupils.

“Alright, alright. I was out of line,” Luna said, backing off of Twilight and stepping down away from the thrones, “I apologize. There, happy?”

Celestia simply closed her eyes, and while Princess Luna did stop freezing the room over, her glared remained fixated on the white wolf.

“Not really,” Silver answered.

“Oh come on, I backed off. I even apologized! What more do you want?”

“For one, to give these guys a fighting chance,” Silver said, gesturing over to the moose mages, who had been seemingly forgotten over the past few minutes.

Luna rolled her eyes, “Ugh, is that's what's bothering you?”

“Yes!” he hollered, “I can't kill them! It's be too one sided!”

The Duke actually smiled at this. He didn't think the wolf who had so carelessly threatened him would fold over so easily.

“Like that's ever bothered you before!” she shot back.

“Well no, not when it's just a skirmish here or there! But this is a war! These guys aren't even supposed to be here right now! It's just because of their dick head Duke that they got dragged out here! They don't deserve to die for that! At least give them a day or two to get an army together so they can have the delusion of having a chance! At this rate, they'll be dead by lunch!”

The smile the Duke wore fell, “I beg you're pardon! I'll have you know these are the best mages Caneighdia has to offer! They won't be defeated by the likes of you!”

Neither wolf paid him any mind, “Well it's not like we can actually let him do that. I'm on a tight schedule and can't really wait around too long. So it's either now, or I can send Eve and Blood over to Caneighdia and raze the whole damn place.”

Silver opened his mouth to argue but stopped. She had a point. Luna was awfully busy and prolonging this would probably cause problems.

So with a sigh of defeat, Silver agreed.

“Fiine...but I get to give them a choice.”

Luna simply smiled in victory and nodded  as Silver turned to face to party of moose in the room.

“Are the two of you quite done yet?!” the Duke shouted, “I've waged war on you and here you two are bickering like an old couple! Do enjoy making a fool out of me!?”

“Yes, I really do. Now shut up,” Silver snapped and before the moose could speak again, he looked to the mages standing behind him, “MAGES OF CANGEIGHDIA! IF YOU'D LIKE TO LIVE TO SEE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AGAIN, I SUGGEST YOU TURN AND LEAVE! IF YOU DON'T, I WILL KILL YOU! THIS IS YOU'RE ONLY CHANCE!”

Everyone waited a few long moments. No moose moved an inch. Whether it was out of pride, loyalty or stupidity, no one would ever know, but no mage left the room.

“Ha!” the Duke laughed, “As if my mages would be scared of a dog!”

Silver was genuinely surprised at the lack of response from the moose. Not a single one budged in the least, not one even thought of leaving. Of course, that was probably because they assumed....

“With Aurora and her Beta's with us, we're a match even for you!” the Duke gloated.

“Huh?” came Luna's confused response. Peering past the moose, she found Aurora and her Betas sitting in the back, “Oh, hey! It's you! I didn't even notice you there!”

Aurora simply rolled her eyes, choosing not to respond.  She found it the least annoying way to interact with Luna.

“And you say she's with you?” she asked the Duke, who smiled once more in triumph. The white wolfs eyes flicked back and forth between the to a few times before finally settling on the moose.

A moment of silence passed from her, only to have it abruptly end in a boisterous laugh.

“AHAHAA! YO-YOU THINK SHE'S GONNA--!!! HAHAHA!!!” The wolf tipped over onto her back howling with laughter, reminding Twilight of how Rainbow when she plays her pranks, “YOU'RE-YOU'RE SO FREAKING STUPID! AHAHAHA!! I CAN'T BELIVE YOU DIDN'T THINK THIS THROUGH!!!”

“What?” the Duke questioned, “What do you mean? Of course I've thought this through!”

Luna's side splitting laugh managed to cease long enough for her to look up at the moose, “Yo-you think she can fight with us? She's part of the Fallen Star Pack!”

“Yes!” the Duke argued, “And she's one of the Alphas! She's as powerful as any one of you!”

Luna's laughing resumed while a small chuckle come from Aurora herself.

“You too?!” Little Horn snarled at her, “You dare mock me?!”

Aurora's giggling quickly died off, all traces of her smile falling to a frown as a frightening scowl became etched into her face, “Mock you? After you've been referring to my Betas as dogs and mutts since the moment I've met you, you have the impertinence to say that I'm mocking you?”

“Wha-what?”

At this point, Luna managed to regain her composure, pulling herself from the ground and wiping away a tear in her eye, “Allow me to explain, since you've got you're head so far up your ass,” The Duke quickly snapped his back to the white wolf, “In Houndland, in order to maintain the peace, the three most powerful packs agreed to a ceasefire on each other. No official fights between the three of us. Skirmishes here and there are unvoidable, which is why Star over there can get away with trying to kill Aurora on sight, but as far as joining another country in going to war with us, she can't. Her Head Alpha would literally, not figuratively, kill her.”

The moose slowly turned his head back.

Aurora stood behind him, separating herself and her Betas from the group, “I might have mislead you a bit.”

“But...but why?”

The wolf gave him a genuinely confused look, “Because you're an asshole? Because you continuously insult my race? Because I wanted to drain you of all your money? Really, you can pick any reason you'd like. Doesn't really matter now.”

The Duke stood stunned. Aurora was his trump card. She was Silvers weak point, and with his current state he was sure she could at least kill him. The other two, maybe not but as long as her Betas and the mages kept them distracted, she could finish the job.

It was supposed to be his big plan. He'd go back home with the head of one of the most notorious wolves in Houndland, and be praised among his citizens. He'd inherit the throne and all the power that comes with it. He'd be able to shape the country—no, the world as he saw fit.

But now....

The moose couldn't believe it. He'd thought of everything, even using his pursuit of Radiance as a means of disguise for getting back at the wolf that insulted and threatened him so harshly. Hiring Aurora, the only wolf who could tear into his heart and body. Calling the princesses so that he could get the wolves in the same room and properly declare war.

And all this time....he was the one being played.

From the throne, Twilight could see the moose's confidence break. The pride and arrogance in his eyes died with the revelation Luna had brought.

But at the same time, the mood had changed in someone else. Looking towards the white wolf who now had complete control, she caught a glimpse of something.

Something that seemed so very familiar.

Something she'd seen before, but thought she'd never have to see again.

A wicked grin had crawled across Luna's muzzle, not unlike the one Silver and Black Wing wore when they spared.

Bloodthirsty, Violent, Crooked and Psychotic.

As the moose's despair reached it's lowest, the room went silent.

Save for one. White. Wolf.

“Let the bloodbath begin.”
> Asses Kicked and Getting Tricked
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

An endless ring funneled through the moose, drowning out whatever other noise present in the room. As recent events had unfolded before him, the white noise continued to grow.

"How did this happen?", echoed the broken thoughts of the moose,  "I was certain everything would be fine. The wolf would die and I would become a legend! Uncle would crown me to be the next King of Caneigdia! So how did it come to this?!"

The Duke looked up from the white tiles his head had dropped to stare aimlessly at. His eyes met with the wolf that had brought him there, the one that had caused him all of this trouble. He looked back to Aurora, the one who'd strung him along only to betray him in the end. And finally he looked to the white wolf, the one who mocked him in front of his mages and the Princesses.

It was then he decided this would go on no longer. He still had his mages, even without Aurora they were still known as one of the most powerful forces in the world. He could still win this war he'd waged. He could still achieve what he so desperately sought, and in the end, Silver wouldn't be the only dead dog.

"This is not over yet!" he screamed, "Mages! Kill them!!"

On command, the mages fell into a line and charged their magic between their horns. The wolves quickly scattered but before the moose could see where, they fired at the now empty space...

... at the thrones.

"Shit!"

The magic impacted, a large explosion ripping out the tile, sending rubble flying into the air. The room grew silent as the dust hung around, only to have it  be swept away moments later by a golden aura.

The four Princesses sat unharmed, Twilight still in mid flinch while Cadence had ducked behind Shining. As the air cleared, Twilight had come to the realization that she was still alive and not in excruciating pain. Peeking out for behind her wing, she found out why.

Standing in front of them was none other than Onyx, bearing her blades by her side.

All five of them.

Twilight had finally come out from behind her wing completely to get a better view. She'd seen the magic sequences on paper before, but to see it as actual magic being practiced was whole other story. She couldn't help but let out a rejoicing laugh as she witnessed Onyx's hard work come to life.

The ivory alicorn on the other hoof, was less than thrilled at what had just occurred.

Celestia's scowl had grown significantly with the misfire. While she and Luna wouldn't have been harmed by it, the others most certainly would have been. And that was not something she took lightly.

"Silver," she growled, her eyes now glowing a molten orange, "move this somewhere else...."

The wolfs eyes were wide with shock, his own ignorance baffling him. He had become so wrapped up with the Duke that he'd forgotten just what his job was in the first place. 

Shaking his head and snapping out of his stupor, Silver quickly bowed his head, "I apologize for putting you in harms way. It will not happen again."

Twilight quickly noted the change in his demeanor. Silver was never so formal, even in the most formal setting. While he took his job seriously, he never spoke to the ones he worked for in such a way, preferring a much more casual approach.

So for him to actually, formally apologize to Celestia as must have meant he not only failed as a friend, but as a guard.

"Pr-princess, I-I apologize!" The Duke rambled out, "I-it was never my intention to put you in danger!"

Celestia simply raised her hoof, "Enough. You've caused enough trouble for me today. I'm moving this battle elsewhere." The alicorns horn lit up and in a bright flash, Silver and the moose mages vanished from the room.

Twilight blinked her eyes after having been blinded for the second time that day and upon looking up, found the room missing several occupants.

"Wait, where'd they go?" she asked.

"I sent them to a field north of the mountain," Celestia answered as she examined the damage done to the room earlier, "They shouldn't be able to hurt anyone there."

Onyx undid her magic, combing the blades back into the original two before placing them back into their sheaths and stepping down off of the raised platform the thrones sat on.

"Huh...." a mumble came from in front. Looking down, Twilight found the white wolf examining the remains of the broken floor, "Well what do you know, they are kinda strong."

The lavender mare's face turned to a scowl, "Yes, that's why their called the strongest mages in all of Caneighdia! And you just sent Silver, who is not only injured but alone, to fight thirty of them!"

Luna looked up from the floor to the angry mare who was now standing instead of sitting on her throne. Cocking her head, she raised a brow, "W-wait--are you actually worried about Silver?"

Twilight only grew angrier, "Yes! He was skewered by a Shade and still recovering! He shouldn't be fighting at all, much less against Caneighdias strongest mages!"

"Ooooh, so that's what all the bandages were for," Luna noted dismissively.

"And you two!" the mare added, turning to Princess Luna and Celestia, "What the hell do you think you were doing?! I don't even know what you agreed to but I already know you could have stopped this! So why didn't you!?"

While Luna flinched back from Twilights anger, Celestia simply took in a deep breathe, "Twilight please, calm down. It's not as bad as it seems."

"Not as bad as--HAVE YOU BEEN IGNORING WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING THIS WHOLE TIME!? FOR THE TENTH TIME, THEY ARE THE STRONGEST MAGES IN CANEIGHDIA! SILVER IS INJURED! HE SHOULDN'T BE--"

"By whose standards?" the white wolf interrupted.

Twilight ceased her shouting and turned back the wolf standing at the bottom of the thrones, "What are you talking about?"

"By whose standards are the mages the strongest?" she clarified.

"Caneighdia! Who else?!"

"Yes, and you don't see the flaw in that?" she questioned.

"Not really!"

Luna put a paw to her head and shook it in disappointment, "Honestly, have you learned nothing in the time you've spent with him?"

"Would you please stop dancing around it and just tell me what you're talking about!?" Twilight shouted, her voice finally cracking. Tears rose in her eyes and threatened to run down her, "Silver could seriously be hurt and you're all acting like you know something I don't! So stop fucking around and just tell me already!"

Her restraint had finally given way as the tears break free. She managed to keep her sobs under control as she cried but had still ultimately broken down.

Celestia's heart broke as she watched  her favorite student begin to cry in front of her, but before she could wrap a wing around her, her sister had already made her way past her and was now standing in front of Twilight. Pulling her into an embrace, she softly shushed her.

"There, there Twilight, it's alright. We didn't mean to worry you."

Celestia sighed and looked down at the white wolf, who seem honestly upset for making the mare cry. While the alicorn knew she didn't intend to, she knew she was messing with Twilight since the moment she laid eyes on her. Not that she could really help it though.

"Twilight, listen," Celestia began, "I believe what Luna was trying to say was that the moose that are fighting Silver are only the strongest by the standards of their own country."

"Yes, I know that!"

Celestia sighed once more, opting for another way to explain things, "Look at it this way, Twilight. By Equestria's standards, the guards in this room are the strongest we have. And yet, you and I both know that even with their combined strength, they could not beat Silver, even with him being as injured as he is."

Twilight snapped her head up, her eyes still flowing with tears, "Yes, but he isn't fighting with Ponies! How can we know that he won't get hurt?"

Cupping her cheeks, the midnight mare that was holding her turned Twilights head to face her, "Twilight look at me. Do you honestly believe that I would do something so foolish as to send our wolf into a fight that I know he can't win?"

"Our wolf?"

Twilight went to respond, but the answer was obvious.

"Do you honestly believe Star Shine or Black Wing or Celestia would do that either?"

Once again, there was no need to answer.

"So is there anything to really worry about?"

Twilight glanced down, Luna still holding her head in place, "No..."

"Well then stop all that crying and shouting for right now," she said with a sweet smile, wiping away the tear streaks on her cheeks, "Silver will be fine. And when he comes back, you can shout at him all you want for making you worry."

Twilight actually smiled a bit at the last part. She sniffled, wiped her eyes and took a deep breathe. Look back up, she stared down at the white wolf, who smiled sheepishly back up at her.

"Uh...sorry?" she offered. Twilight could only roll her eyes and let out a sigh, "If it makes you feel any better, we could watch?"

Twilight looked back at the wolf, "Watch? You mean watch them fight?"

"Yeah, you know, if you're still worried he might get hurt then you can keep an eye on him."

Twilight looked over to Celestia, who gave a small nod of approval.

"Very well then," the lavender mare said, turning back to Luna, "Let's see how he's doing."

Turning back around, the wolf walked into the center of the room and held up a paw. A small orb of light began to gather just above it before she backed away. The orb floated there for a moment, not doing anything until it grew slightly brighter. A thin beam of light shot up and hit the ceiling before expanding outward into a large, semi-transparent rectangle.

Luna turned to Celestia, "Which side of the mountain did you send them too?"

"The north," she said, pointing a hoof out of the window, "to the empty plains."

Luna closed her eyes, her body lighting up with a brilliant golden glow. At the same time, the large rectangle coming from the orb did the same. A few seconds ticked by before an image began to appear on it.

As it did, the glow around Luna died down."We'll be able to watch it from any angle. The sounds a little out of wack though."

As she spoke, the image became clearer and soon enough, everyone in the room could see Silver and the mages.





Silver blinked away the white dots in his eyes, Celestia's teleportation dazing him for a few moments. Luckily for him, it effected the mages too, other wise he might have gotten a blast like the one from before.

As the world came back into focus, Silver took in his surroundings. He was on an open field, nothing but a grassy plain before him. Turning around, he saw a mountain with an all to familiar city sitting atop of it. Other than Canterlot, there was no other civilization around.

"Might as well then..."

Silver shuffled his wings once or twice before sitting on the ground. Just as he did, the mages finally recovered. Their heads whipped around as they all went through the same process Silver did. When they finally gathered their bearings, they simultaneously turned their attention to the wolf.





Twilight watched with unease as the moose mages all turned to Silver.

"You're certain everything will be fine?" She asked to the wolf below.

Luna looked back up and paused for a moment before grinning, "Tell me, and this question is directed at any pony in the room, do any of you actually know what makes Silver so strong?"

Twilight's brow furrowed before she turned to Celestia. Her expression had not changed much aside from her own brows raising. Her sister had a similar expression while Cadence simply turned to Black Wing. The black wolf only smiled at and nodded back towards Luna for her to listen to.

As Twilight thought about it, she honestly couldn't place her hoof on an answer, "His speed, I guess?"

The white wolf shook her head while Star Shine had actually let out a snort of amusement. 

"Let's have a test then, shall we?" Luna continued, "Question one: You've met Star Shine and Black Wing, so tell me. What are their strongest points?"

Twilight looked down to the two mentioned wolves for a moment before answering, "Black Wing has his magic, and Star Shine is a genius."

"I take offense to that," the latter wolf murmured. 

Luna stepped forward closer to the throne, "But that's not all, is it?"

Twilight gave her a bemused look, but before she could ask what she meant, the mare next to her spoke.

"They've each gone beyond mastering their skills," Celestia answered. Luna smiled up at her as she continued, "Beings such as alicorns aside, there are few, if any, capable of rivaling them. Black Wings Lost magic is powerful by itself, but his knowledge and cultivation of his limitless magic prowess makes him almost peerless. In terms of magical ability, I've never seen anyone better.

"Star Shine is the same, only with her intelligence. She holds vast information ranging in every subject known to the world, and even beyond that.  Her mind operates several times faster than the geniuses society praises, and her ability to use all of this information to achieve exactly what she wants is what makes her so formidable. That being said, what is your point?"

"My point is question two: what makes Silver so remarkable?"

Celestia went to answer, but found that she did not have one. In fact, no one did. The entire room had fallen silent... 

That was until one mare, tucked away at the side of the room, spoke up.

"He's an all-rounder," came Onyxs soft voice. In one motion, all heads in the room turned to her, one of which suddenly lit up with a smile.

"And who are you?" Luna exclaimed, now profoundly interested in the usually silent mare. Ignoring everyone else in the room, the white wolf made her way over to where she, Ruppy and Beats stood. 

"Onyx--" was all the mare managed to get out before Luna was in her face, looking her up and down. Peering over to the blades around her waist, Luna quickly pieced together the bits of information she'd gathered.

"Those blades. They're Silvers, aren't they? He made them for you?" she questioned, earning a nod, "Then that would make you his student."

"How did you know?" the mare asked.

Luna rolled her eyes, "He has a habit of giving gifts to anyone he takes under his wing." Glancing over to the other two ponies at Onyxs side, she noted Ruppys gauntlets and Beats' headphones, "Whether it's weapons or clothes, it's just something he does. Though I'll admit, the only time he's every specifically crafted something himself for someone else was for his Betas. Guess that means he's sees a part of himself in you all."

The revelation sent a small blush across the coal mares cheeks, though it was something she was partly aware of. For a while now, she'd figured  that he picked ponies from off the street that reminded him of himself. While it was more of a hunch than anything else, she wouldn't be surprised if that were his reasoning.

"So then, my little Onyx," Luna continued, "Would you mind explaining to the rest of the class what you meant?"

Every head in the room leaned in a little closer as she began.

"W-well," the shy mare fumbled, "It's just that, over time, I've realized Silver has a lot of skills, but he doesn't exactly excel at any one.  When we were sparring for the first time, I noticed Silver is in pretty good shape, and with his Steel-wing spell, he kinda seemed like a front-line fighter. But when I saw him and Black Wing going at it later, I realized he's skilled with ranged magic as well, which allowed him to keep pace. A-and again just recently, I noticed another similarity between him and Star Shine.

"When Silver first sparred with us, he sat down and let us come to him. It's what she did with Beats when she was testing him. It allowed them to control the fight in the same way. Also, one of the spells he uses reminds me of her magic; how her trees form a circle around her reminds me of how he wraps himself with wind. It's just a few things...." 

The white wolf's grin couldn't have been any wider, "Come on, just a little more! Piece it all together for them!"

Onyx's eyes flicked between the Luna, the screen and the two other wolves in the room, "Silver's style is made from Black Wings and Star Shine. He uses combined techniques from both of them, so he's probably pretty good with both sets of skills. I'm guessing they were the ones that taught him."

"BINGO!!" The wolf cheered and giggled, sweeping up the mare and spinning her around much to her dismay.

"Please put me down!" Onyx cried.

Luna quickly halted mid spin, "Oh right," she said before promptly dropping the mare, "Anyway, Onyx here got it right! Or rather, mostly right. Well, maybe half right. I dunno, math isn't my thing."

"28.57%  is considerably less than half right," Star Shine chimed in, "but I suppose you get an A for effort."

As the coal mare dragged herself off the ground, she went to ask what she missed but was cut off by a certain lavender alicorn.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

The white wolf turned up to face her with a grin, "As she said, Silver did learn from Star Shine and Black Wing. But they weren't the only ones he trained under." A strained silence fell upon the room, not in anticipation, but rather in unanimous realization.

"He's been trained by every Alpha of the Black Moon Pack."





The mages had grown tired of trying to get the wolfs attention. All together, they charged their magic and fired just like before, only this time the wolf did not move.

The attack rocketed forward, but before it could reach the other side of the field, Silvers wind magic whipped up in a circle around him, firing off one of his wind blades and slicing the mages magic clean in two. The magic collapsed, exploding and kicking up a cloud of dirt. The mages remained standing as they were, waiting for the dust to settle to confirm their victory with the corpse of their enemy. 

It started off as a breeze but quickly picked up into a powerful gust and revealing the wolf once more, completely unscathed by the attack. But before the mages could strike again, Silver gave his wings one powerful flap and took off into the air.

Snapping their heads up to follow, they found him high above them in mid-somersault with a playful smile. Silvers wings flapped again, sending him rocketing to the ground, directly towards the mages.

The group scattered to the left and right, save for one who was not quick enough. Silver crashed down onto him, the moose's knees buckling and his body hitting the dirt  as the ground cracked. The wolf glanced around once more as the mages wasted no time charging their spells again.

Just as the magic was launched, Silver disappeared again, reappearing in front of the left group. His wing swept out, bringing with it an enormous wind that blew them across the field. A few rolled with the momentum and found themselves back on their hooves, only to find them leaving it once more. A whirlwind kicked up underneath them, and before they could run, Silver sent them flying into the air.

One by one, they crashed back down to the earth below, half of the platoon already taken down. The other half remained determined though as they charged they're attacks once more.

Silver turned and found the spells already coming at him, flicking his wing out and turning it to steel before batting away the magic. They exploded in the distance behind him as he undid his Steel Wing spell. Holding his wings level by his side, the wind began to wrap around them as the mages readied they're next attack. Before they could launch it though, Silver flapped, sending the wind hurling towards them.

The soldiers were sent flying backwards, scattering the across the field. The two groups had now been completely dispersed and the mages stood on all sides of Silver.

As they drug themselves back up from the dirt, they once again began to charge their magic. Silver flicked his wings out once more and closed his eyes.

The winds picked up once more, circling not only Silver, but the mages that surrounded him. As they grew in speed, the soldiers turned to react, but before they could, the wolf flapped his wings once.

All at once, the winds shot up with immeasurable force, a mountain sized tornado forming in a second. The mages were once again tossed into the air, this time higher than ever before. The wind hit them with the force of a train, the speed and direction sending them spinning through the sky.

Silver folded his wings back to his sides as the their bodies hit the dirt with heavy thuds.

"I wonder if Tia really does have pudding?"





Despite the large screen displaying Silvers fight still being up, Aurora paid it little attention. Her mind was still trying to wrap itself around the discussion Luna had about him before.

As far as she was concerned, it was bullshit. While she figured Black Wing and Star Shine had known as well and were simply stringing the rest of the room for some reason or another, Aurora herself knew for a fact, that Silvers power had only a fraction to do with whatever training he may have undergone with the other Alphas.

After all, if that little mare in the corner could pick up on it, then surely she would have too. Any soldier with a damn would have noticed the similarities among all of them, though you'd have had to seen them all fight as well.

But what set Silver apart from the others wasn't the fact that he had all of their skills combined, but still had his own as well.

After all, Wind blades had never been in the repertoire of spells compiled over the years for Wind magic. Then again, there have only every been a pawful of Wind magic users compared to the rest of the elements. About one in every 10,000 or so. It wasn't that no one liked it, or thought it was weak. Just that not everyone could understand it.

Most elemental magic had some physicality to them, like Earth or Water magic. It made shaping them into constructs much easier due to the fact that the element being manipulated was actually malleable to a degree.

But there were other elements, ones like Wind and Fire magic, that while their effects could certainly be observed, their physical form itself was non-existent. But even then, Fire magic has more of a form than the Wind. Fire has heat and color, it has embers and smells like smoke when it burns something.

But the wind is different.

It has no default color, no basic scent or taste, and the only sound it makes is more often than not just a background noise. Any observation made can change based on where it is. It's an element that is defined by the environment it's set in.

In a desert, it's dusty and bitter. In the snow, it's fluffy and stings. In the forest, it's rustling and fragrant. But it's never just the wind.

Aurora had always wondered how exactly he managed to do it. With Elemental magic, visual training is vital, but so is practical training as well. To physically understand the element you're using. From that, you create a foundation based on what that element represents.

But you can't do that with an element that's always changing. So logically, there shouldn't be a way to use Wind magic. And yet, there is a way. It was right in front of her, being used to bat around a bunch moose across a field.

And to defy logic even more, this seemingly impossible magic had been given a form. A blade, to be precise. Something that had never been done before. Something that shouldn't be able to happen.

And that was where his power lay. At first glance, you'd think Wind blades would be fairly common use. But it was only a century ago that they came into existence, and since then only a few have been able to wield them. But none to the extent that Silver could. She'd seen him split mountains in two, cut through tsunami-like waves and divide the heavens themselves. His power was not so simple as merely studying under others. No one could rise as high as he did that way.

No, he was a master in his own right.

The wolf gave a glance around the room, the awe filled eyes of a few ponies were still glued to the screen, while others watched with more curiosity than anything else. 

They had taken the bait.

It was all a trap. Aurora knew that already. The moment Luna steps into any room, you're already playing one of her little games whether you know it or not. Luna might come off as an idiot, but very rarely is she ever anything of the sort. She's cunning enough to even make Star Shine submit to her.

Looking over to the wall of the room, she caught the eye of the white wolf, a devilish gleam hinting back.

Typically, Aurora wouldn't give a damn who the wolf messed with, so long as she and her pack were kept out of it. But unfortunately, they weren't. While she doubted that her Betas might know anything about Silvers magic, she knew that her own knowledge of it played a role in everything the white wolf had done up to now. 

And that begged the question, what exactly is she after? Why would she bother hiding Silvers power, and why would Star Shine and Black Wing go along?

But what bothered her the most was why, from across the room, was the white wolf looking back at her with a paw pressed to her lips.

"Shhuuuush....

"Oh, it looks like he's done." Black Wing said, catching Aurora's attention. The wolf looked up to the screen in time to see the bodies of the mages hitting the ground. However, through the semi-transparent magic, she caught a glimpse of the midnight princess on the other side. 

Luna wore a small smile that seemed to beam with pride. Aurora focused back on the screen, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the collar around Silvers neck. 

Focusing once more on the alicorn, she realized that smile she wore boasted not only pride in his victory, but something more. Focusing harder, Aurora peered past Luna's smile into the princesses heart and observed her aura.

The sight she saw made her grit teeth as the quietest snarl barely escaped her mouth, her concern for the white wolfs games quickly being washed out by her bitterness.

A bright loving pink danced around her taking up the majority of her aura, with flecks of violet blooming within it. She'd suspected that Luna may have fallen for Silver, given what she'd seen before, but what irked her wasn't the affection her aura was displaying, but the color on it's edge.

Any wolf would be able to identify it and it's meaning even without looking into an aura.  It was the same emotion that the very foundation their society was founded on. Never mind the fondness and lust the princess showed, it was the brilliant blue surrounding it that seemed to twist a blade in the wolf's chest.

Most of the world, even without Aura Sight, would be able to tell that blue denoted sadness or depression and for the most part, they wouldn't be wrong. But on the other paw, anyone with the ability to see auras would tell them they were.

After all, colors come in many shades and tints, each with they're own means and emotions attached to them. There's azure blue, navy blue, cobalt blue and so on. And just like every color in the spectrum; just as those all of those blues have their own connotations, this one did as well.

This brilliant sapphire that danced on the edge, growing with the love that bloomed below it.

This unmistakable loyalty.

This trust for a wolf she barely understood. This faith in a wolf that's already damned. This devotion to a monster.

As if she now understood the wolf better than Aurora could.

A scoff escaped her lips, one that Willow did not let go unnoticed. He caught her glare towards the Princess, but opted not to ask anything. He'd seen this look before, and it only ever came out where Silver was concerned.

From across the room, the "war", if that's what it could actually be called, was coming to an end.

"Do you have any other troops you'd like to send Duke?" the white wolf asked. The moose had still been in the room, though was all but forgotten by everyone else. His lack of comment during Luna's conversation was due to the fact that his eyes had never left the screen.

He'd simply stood dumbfounded as he watched his mages get thrown around as if they were toys. 

"This...this cannot be....The mages....they were beaten as if they were mere insects being brushed away! How?! THIS CANNOT B--"

"Duke Little Horn," the wolf called once more, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Do you wish to continue this petty war?" The moose looked up to the wolf next to the thrones, her presence being akin to a god as her frigid blue eyes bore into his soul.

"I-...." but his words trailed off. Luna smiled down at him before making her way down from the thrones and stopping in front of him.

"Let's talk about your terms of surrender," she said, placing a paw on his shoulder. Though as soon as she touched him, the white wolf froze, and for the first time in a very long while, she felt fear.

There's something wrong about this moose....

No, wait. Not something about him. There's something with him.

Before she could react, a figure slithered out from under the moose' shadow, sliding right between Lunas legs and darting out behind her. No pony saw it coming, not even Celestia knew what had happened before it was too late as the figure lunged at the ivory alicorn sitting on the thrones.

It ended just as quickly as it occurred.

But just before the figure reached her, a new one had emerged. A shadow form appeared from behind Celestia, a barrage of weapons projecting out from it and piercing the attacker. And for a brief moment, the two hung in mid air.

The shadow that came from Celestia was garbed in black robes, donning a matching kasa hat that covered her face. From the sleeve of her extended hoof was an armory of weapons; spears, knives, swords, axes, every type of blade imaginable of every length and size has now protruding from it. 

And on the receiving end of those blades was only a shadow.

Its form seemed incorporeal, resembling something more like mist. But even among that mist, features of a face had emerged. Crimson red eyes surrounded by a ghoulish green glow, purple wisps flickering as they attacker snarled.

Before anyone could react, the shadow darted off again, this time to the right and out of the window.

"AFTER HIM!" one of the guards shouted.
> Sombras Deal and Refusing to Heel
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Silver had been called many things through out his life.

A mutt? Sure, it was technically true. A bastard? Again, true but mostly in literal sense of the word. A criminal? Again, technicality had fallen in his favor; though he'd never actually been arrested, so a suspected criminal at best.

But one thing he'd scarcely, if ever had been called, was dense. With his Wind magic, he could perceive his surroundings for miles, enhancing his already heightened  senses to a frightening degree. A fly couldn't fart in a two mile radius without him knowing. Along side his awareness, he had a century's worth of wisdom collected from all around the globe. And while that may not compare to Star Shines seemingly unlimited knowledge or an alicorns longevity, it's still set him aside from most other creatures presently alive.

So imagine his dismay and surprise when, on his way back to the castle after having left it to play with some moose, he sensed an unrivaled animosity emanating from the building atop the mountain.

For a fraction of a moment, the blood-lust that poured off the castle made the wolf freeze mid step. The power that accompanied it was all the more terrifying. It was something ancient, several hundred years older than him. The only thing comparable was his fellow Alpha C.C., but even then she was a different kind of powerful.

But this....this was just old. Something that had been either displaced in time, or simply forgotten by it. It's age could only be rivaled by Celestia and Luna, which made the list of suspects very limited. Unfortunately, everyone/thing on that list was considerably more powerful than him.

And what was more unfortunate, is that it was headed right for him.

In a dash, Silver could see a black figure slithering through the plains. Steeling his wing, the wolf responded in kind to the figures approach, bolting forward with enough force to shatter the ground where his paws once stood.

In less than a second, the two hundred yard gap between himself and the shadow closed, Silver dragging his wing along ground to slice at the beast.

At the last moment, the shadow lurched from the ground, tucking and rolling out of the way as Silver came to a long slide until he stopped.

“I'm impressed,” came an eerie voice grumbled as the dust settled. Silver looked up to find an ashen  stallion, covered head to hoof in armor. A short black mane flowed from the helmet with a matching black tail poking out from under his bright red mantle.

"Despite my being a shade, you still managed to locate my throat, and didn't hesitate to cut,” The stallion turned to look the wolf in the eye, revealing himself to be a unicorn. A bright red horn protruding from his head and crimson eyes to match it.

Silver flicked his wing out a few times, shaking the bandages around its base loose.

“I'm impressed too,” he responded, lifting a paw to tear through the next wrapping around his chest, “So how'd you do it?”

“You mean avoid a fatal blow?”

“No,” Silver punctuated his response with a final flick of his wing, “How did you get into the castle? Five Alphas were in that room, seven Betas, four alicorns and around a half a dozen captains.  I'll disregard the moose because...well,” the wolf gestured a paw over to the distant field where many of the mages laid, “So how?”

“I've no need to tell you my secrets,” the stallion answered.

“Could you at least tell me your name?” The stallion stood silent, earning a shrug from the wolf, “Fair enough. I've stalled plenty as is.”

In that moment, the stallions eyes went wide. His form quickly dissolved back into a shadow to sliver away, but before his could escape, a black bolt of lightening crashed down from the sky cutting off his path. Rushing to the right, the shadow tried to make for a route, only to be cut off by coarse roots and prickly vines shooting from the ground and crashing down towards him.

The stallion manifested himself once again in a heartbeat, launching himself backwards from the roots, planting himself back where he started, now trapped in a triangle between the roots and two wolves.

“It's no use Sombra,” Star Shines voice came from above as she landed on atop the pile of roots, “Now stop running.”

The stallion made no sudden movements,choosing to observe the surrounding foes carefully, “I don't suppose a bargain could be struck?” he tried, “My life in exchange for whatever it is you're seeking.”

If he had no way of getting out, regardless of what he did, then what was the point of the three of them being here? The one he encountered was merely happenstance, but the other two followed. Why?

Were they hoping to escort him back? That he'd surrender?

Too hopeful, even for Celestia and Luna. Was it something he had with him? Information, most likely. If that were the case, then they'd try to take him alive. But how could they be certain? One of them already knew his name just with a glance, so odds are she believed he knew something she needed.

Star Shine tilted her head to the side for a moment in genuine confusion. “A bargain?” she asked, “What would be the point of letting you live?”

“Is that not the reason you're all here now? If I couldn't escape, then surely you had a reason to follow me here.”

Star Shines eyes opened wide and a breathe was caught in her throat for a moment before she burst into a fit of giggles, flopping onto her back as her paws floundered in the air. Even Silver and Black Wing chuckled.

After a moment, the wolf collected herself, bringing herself back up onto all fours.

“We don't care about anything you have in that old head of yours,” she explained as an eerie grin split across her face, “The fact that you tried to make an attempt on Celestias life tells me everything I need to know. You're clearly under orders of someone else, otherwise you'd have brought an army and made a show of it. You're far to proud to try and assassinate someone yourself. As for who you answer to, well it would be nice if you told me, but fact of the matter is you'd probably be killed if you tried, and if you weren't then you were either lying, or you didn't know who you were actually working for in the first place.”

The stallion paused a moment. She was bright. Very bright. 

It was true, had he done this his way, the army would be knocking down the gates of Canterlot and tearing apart every other city and town in country. He'd draw out Celestia and Luna themselves and have them chase him around, only to retreat and do it all again another day. A battle of attrition spread across the land would have been the best course of action when handling those two.

But unfortunately, his master had other plans. “If not for information, then why come?” he wondered aloud.

The grin on Star Shines face grew, though it was now accompanied by a scowl the likes of which the tyrant had only seen in mirrors.

“You've embarrassed us,” she hissed, rage seething from her clenched jaw, “In front of the Princesses, the Royal guard, our Head Alpha. But the worst of it is that bitch Aurora witnessed it all. Sure, she was fooled to, but it was our responsibility to protect the Princesses. Had it not been for the guard behind the thrones, I'd have been tending to a gaping wound in Celestias throat right now. And I can assure you, she'll never let us live it down. So to amend our failures, we'll at the very least, return with your head.”

The stallion grinned. Thankfully this wolf liked to talk, and the other two seemed dense enough to let her. All the while she ranted, the tyrant king weaved his spells through the Earth, gradually letting them build.  The sterling wolf was not the only one who knew how to stall.

“So it's a matter of honor, is it?” he asked.

“Pride,” she corrected, “We're not so upstanding to have something like honor. Now are you finished with your little spell or shall I continue to wait.”

Sombra chuckled. It didn't surprise him that she knew what he was doing. Why she let him was irrelevant, but her arrogance would be her downfall. He'd toppled an entire empire with this spell. Three mere wolves would be little to no problem.

Silver was the first to move, bolting off once more just like he'd done when Sombra descended the mountain, the world blurring as the distance was closed in under a second. A bladed wing flicked out and went straight for the stallions throat.

Sombra narrowly ducked the blow, Silver flying over him with the force of his strike sending a massive gash tearing through the earth. The stallion widened his eyes at the force of the blow. It had been powerful enough to level large building, and given the condition of the wolf taking the swing, Sombra considered himself lucky Silver was injured.

The wolf flipped himself back around mid flight, wrapping his wind around the edges of his blades and using the momentum from entire motion, hurled a goliath razor-edged gust back to Sombra.

Instead of dodging, Sombra's shadow whipped up, and the wolfs wind was met with a loud clank against metal. Emerging from the shadow was an ornate great shield with a broadsword strapped to its back, both as black as the stallion they came from.

With the wind blade blocked, dust kicked up into the air obscuring the view of all combatants. Sombra took the chance to try and run, making a mad dash for where Silver had first been standing. With speed that matched the wolfs, he shot himself forward through the smoke screen, only realize he'd made a mistake.

In the midst of the smoke, Star Shine had quickly snaked her roots outwards, knowing the stallion would try to escape. Sombra lifted his shield in front of him just in time to absorb the blow from the roots, sending him flying back. Before he could even get his hooves back on the ground, he felt powerful magic charging behind him.

Black Wing had circled, and much like a pitcher throwing his pitch, Star Shine had knocked Sombra straight to him.

The black wolf had finished gathering his magic and let loose a bolt of lightening that would shatter a mountain. Sombra flicked his sword around, barely re-directing the blow away from him.

The magic shot off into the distance, and as it descended, came closer and closer to Canterlot castle until crashing with a heavy thud in the distance.

Sombra manged to find his footing, skidding away with a proud grin on his muzzle. He might not have killed the Princesses, but at the very least that blow will have rung their bells a bit.

The stallion looked up for a moment, seeking to admire his work.

Only to find the castle still standing, a bright golden box covering not only the city, but extending down to the base of the mountain as well. Sombra sucked his teeth in mild annoyance.

Oh well. At least he pissed them off.





The room was rushing about in a panic, doors and windows were sealed immediately after the wolves had launched themselves out of the room in pursuit. Shining Armor had placed a bubble around the room, conserving it's size so that it could be maintained longer and with greater defense.

The Captains had surrounded the moose that the shadow came from. Spears, spells and hoofs threatened his every breath.

Celestia, for her part, was in a bit of shock. An ivory hoof pawed at her throat where the shadow had lunged to, confirming that the hole she thought was in her throat was in fact only a phantom image. It had been centuries since she'd come that close to death. Were it not for the pony behind the thrones, she was certain she'd be on Star Shines operating table already, if not dead.

The thought gave her mind a much needed distraction. Looking up, she found her little savior standing in front of her, shining emerald eyes looking up with concerning. Her mouth was moving, though Celestia couldn't hear the words. Had she been speaking the whole time?

Celestia blinked a few times, forcing herself to focus through the now apparent ringing in her ears to find the comforting voice of a mare dressed in a black robe.

“Princess? Are you alright?” Sica asked.

“Y-yes...I'm unharmed,” the mare answered, “Forgive me, I-I'm a bit startled.”

“Celestia!” Twilight cried, “Are you okay?!” Lavender hooves scampered across the floor to the side of the princess, while a star spangled mane appeared behind them.

“Yes....”she answered once more.

“Ar-are you sure!? That thing almost killed you!” Twilight panicked. Stepping in front of Sica, the lavender mare reached forward and examined the ivory one sitting on the throne. Little hooves poked and prodded Celestia, searching for a gaping wound.

“Twilight, it's okay!” came the voice of the younger sister, stepping forward to remove the mares hooves, “She's okay!” Luna took the pair of lavender hoofs into her own, wrapping a wing around her shoulders for a moment.

Keeping one hoof held in her mare friends, Luna turned to face her sister, "Tia, was that--?"

"Sombra. Yes."

Twilights eyes somehow shot open wider than before, and she could feel her breathes quickening, "B-but how!? He was beaten wasn't he!? With the Crystal Heart and the Elements of Harmony!"

"I do not know Twilght," the eldest alicorn answered, "But I believe he might have an answer."

A white hoof gestured down to the moose currently surrounded. The Duke stood petrified. Whether it was because of attempted assassination or because of the several powerful captains circling was unsure, but not even a twitch escaped him.

Before any of the Princesses could move to question him though, someone else had taken a step down the ramp of the thrones. The only non-alicorn that had been seated with them.

And he was furious.

Twilight caught a glimpse of the scowl her brother bared as he made his way down and felt her blood run cold. She'd scarcely seen him loose his temper, and as of right then, he had officially snapped. The mare looked over to Cadence, as if to see if she would stop him.

But she was furious too.

Most would be surprised at the face she was making. It was Cadence after all. She was the sweetest pony you could meet, her kindness rivaled only by Fluttershy. But Twilight had learned a long time ago what happens when she was pushed too far. After all, what should one expect when the family of the Princess of Love has been threatened?

"Move." Shining commanded as he stepped of the slope. The circle quickly broke and made way for the raging Prince. The Duke may have had to look down to look the stallion in the eye, but the angle didn't take away from the flames burning in those eyes.

"Since the moment you came into this country, you've annoyed and disrespected the Princesses. As a guard, it's not my place to correct you, so I let it slide."

The moose gulped.

"And then, when you came back, you threatened war with Equestria with war over a slave that had escaped you. I wasn't here, so again, I let it slide."

Blood ran cold.

"And then you sent your wolves to harass my wife on her way here when you showed up unannounced. Thankfully Black Wing intervened."

Time froze as Shining Armor spoke his next words.

"And finally, after having your mages fire off magic inside this castle, you bring that thing in as well where it almost took Princess Celestias life, and potentially everyone else's too...including my wife and sister." The stallion took a step closer, the unmistakable chime of his magic activating rang out as his horn lit up, "I'm going to kill you."

And there it was. It was what separated Shining from most other soldiers.

Blood thirst.

It couldn't even be classified as a warning. Just a statement. Shining was pissed, and had every right to be. And the only mare that could stop him had already taken his side. Hell, she's the one who sent him down there. 

"Shining wait!" Twilight cried, "He might know something!"

"So will the wolves," he snarled, his horn continuing to charge as his eyes flickered over to the canines on the other side of the room. The fact that they hadn't even moved to protect the Duke showed Shining what they were really like. 

Loyal only to themselves.

"Or he might not have known anything!" she tried. When her brother lacked in response, Twilight pushed further, "Think about it! He came in here genuinely convinced that he could take out Silver using the mages! He tried to start a war with his pack without knowing anything about their rules! Do you really think he'd be smart enough to pull off a stunt like this?"

"She's right Shining Armor," Celestia said, finally speaking up after getting her nerves under control, "The Duke may be a fool, but he was used by Sombra without his knowledge. The Umbra are nearly undetectable when they assimilate into a shadow, and it's made even harder when their surrounded by powerful magic and beings. The Duke didn't know what he was doing. Now undo your spell. We must help Silver, Star Shine and Black Wing."

Shining armor held his gaze for a moment longer. Everyone knew the shield in his cutiemark was meant as a symbol to protect. What most fail to realize is the lengths he will go to in order to achieve that. 

And he is the best at it. 

Before releasing his magic, the stallions leaned into the moose's face, "If I see you again, I will kill you. And next time, no one will stop me."

The hum from his horn died down as the magic dissipated. Shining spun around and moved back up the slope, returning to his wife for her to drop her muzzle into the crook of his neck. Twilight could hear a loud sigh escape the pink alicorn, though she could swear she heard an undertone of disappointment lacing the breath.

As much as she wanted to address the behavior, she had to pull a page from her brothers book and let it slide. There were more pressing concerns at the moment. Sombra had darted out of the window towards the direction Silver had been sent to. She could feel his magic flaring as the battle began and worry pressed into the foreground of her thoughts as she recalled his current injuries.

He'd said himself that he could handle something at a Beta's level, but an Alpha like Aurora had to be taken on by Black Wing and Star Shine. The only reason she hadn't already busted out of the room was because the two had chased after the would-be assassin before her brother threw up his shield.

"Celestia, what are you going to do?" she asked, "We don't have the Elements or the Crystal Heart!"

"We'll do what we did before we had either," Celestia stated calmly, rising up.

Her horn ignited and magic wrapped themselves around the adornments on her body. Necklace, shoes and tiara gently floated off, finding their way onto her throne while she moved to the window, "Come sister. Let's join the battle."

Before Twilight could speak, she felt the grip on her hoof tighten. Looking back, she found her eyes meeting with her marefriends.

"I love you," Luna whispered, before letting go and removing her items in the same manner as her sister.

"Luna, wait! You can't!" the youngest alicorn tried.

An almost amused giggle came from the Princess of the Night as she moved away from the thrones and joined her sister, looking back at Twilight with sterling eyes and growing slit pupils.

"But I am."

Twilight, for the umpteenth time that day, felt her stomach drop. Her blood froze and knots formed in places she didn't think they could in ways she'd never felt before. The change had been so quick. Had she always been like this? Or was it because threat to their lives and Silvers that she'd snapped so quickly?

She knew they weren't weak. Literally, no one could rival them magically, physically or intellectually. They were the alicorns that controlled celestial bodies and had been around longer than most countries had even existed. They'd seen kingdoms rise and fall, having been the cause for more than a few of them.

But Sombra was different.

Even the textbooks in school, which had been known for downplaying and undermining the tyrants strength, still painted him as a god of war.  He was an Umbra, a race of creatures thought to be legends and said to have been born in the dark when the first light had broken across the universe. He had access to magic no one had ever seen and the knowledge to employ it in the most twisted ways.

Celestia and Luna were powerful, certainly. But that's not to say Sombra wasn't. Not to mention the fact that alicorns could never truly fight at full strength. If what Silver said was true, then the country and possible further beyond would be destroyed if they did. And that's assuming they didn't hold back even more because the wolves were down there.

They couldn't fight properly if they had to make sure they didn't kill the wolves  by accident. 

"Shining, lower your shield," Celestia commanded, snapping Twilight from her fretting. She'd only caught a glimpse before her mentor turned away, but she saw the bright molten orange the ivory alicorns eyes had reverted to. And something that added a new knot to her discomfort.

Slit pupils.

With a flash, Shining undid his spell and let the shield fall.  Celestia and Luna opened the window and spread their wings, only to pause.

"Shining," Celestia called back, "You did have just the one shield up right?"

The stallion looked up from his wife, who was still currently grumbling and staring daggers at the moose, "Yes, why?"

Both alicorns took a step back, the taller of the two gesturing a hoof out of the window, "That."

All heads turned to look, finding a brilliant golden wall stretching out beyond the tower. Beyond the city. All the way down to the base of the mountain. There was a pause in the room for a moment before a sound broke the silence.

"Tsk." The unmistakable sound of teeth sucking came from across the room, "I was really hoping you guys would fly out full speed and smack into it like pigeons hitting glass."

All heads turned once more to find a white wolf with a clearly annoyed expression on her muzzle, "I could even hear the little 'squawk' you'd make on impact."

"Lower the barrier Luna," Celestia demanded, "I do not have time for these games."

"Games?" the white wolf echoed, "I'm not playing games right now, and I'm not taking it down."

Celestia was running short on patience, now moving from the window and over to where the nuisance stood, careful not to let her hoofs accidentally shatter the floor. "Take. It. Down." her eyes now burned bright enough actually illuminate her face as she bore down at the wolf.

Much to her surprise, when Luna did look up, the alicorn was met with a scowl that matched her own. Fur bristled around her  neck, snarls escaped her lips that flashed acute fangs, and those eyes.

She'd had beautiful icy blue eyes. And their defiant gaze was only extenuated by the words she spoke.

"You don't scare me."

BOOOOM

Amidst the confrontation, a spell smashed into the barrier. Shrieks and calls filled the room as most everyone either ducked or moved to block whatever debris may have been flying at them.

It took a moment, but soon they all realized that there was none. Cadence had once more crawled back out from behind Shining, who had reflexively created a shield to protect the two of them. The guards lowered their weapons or dragged themselves back up from the tile. Sica had even helped Twilight up to her hoofs after having dragged her down in protection.

The only ones who remained standing unflinching were Celestia, Luna and the wolves.

As the alicorn held her stare, she realized something. 

The wolfs words had been true. There had been no hint of ignorance, pride or lies present in her voice. Thinking back, Luna hadn't even been intimidated when the alicorns threatened her for harassing Twilight. She backed down, sure, but the insincere apology made it clear she wasn't afraid of either Celestia or her sister. She couldn't help but wonder what made her so confident in her strength.

After a long moment, and the when the room a quieted down once more, Celestia spoke. "They will die. Sombra battled my sister and myself and even then, it took the Crystal Heart to banish him. They cannot fight him."

The defiant glint in Lunas eyes had shifted to rage and the alicorn could swear she'd actually heard the wolfs teeth grind. "Do you have any idea who they are?" the wolf hissed, "Do you think my Alphas are so weak?"





They were getting nowhere. Sombra had manged to deflect or block synchronized attacks from all three with barely a scratch on him. Not to mention the fact that he hadn't actually attacked yet, and if the stories are to be believed, then he packed one hell of a punch.

All he was trying to do was get away.

Black Wing pondered on it for a moment, then discarded the thought.  He'd leave things like motive and reasoning up to Star Shine.

His role right now was supporting Silver. Out of the three, he had the best physical abilities, even if he was injured, so he had to play the vanguard.

Star Shine had to keep her roots spread out to prevent Sombra from escaping,  but given the high speed movements Silver chased him around at, the roots were constantly changing and she didn't have time to try for anything else.

That left Black Wing to follow close and wait for an opportunity to strike, though every time he had, Sombra deflected it. He'd always make use of the attack as well, sending it flying towards one of the other two or using it to make a smokescreen.

He was clever. Very clever.

The black wolf took to the sky and circled around the two battling wolves once more, knowing Silver would swipe at the stallions footing to force him to jump.

On cue, the stallion was in the air and Black Wing fired off his shot once more, his lighting whipping around like a snake to confuse the opponent. It didn't mean much to Sombra though.

Without even turning his back, the swords flicked around to the magic, once again striking it and sending it away to Silver who was in pursuit. The wolf narrowly dodged the magic as it passed by, flapping his wings once more to close the gap between himself and Sombra.

The stallion quickly reacted, putting his shield behind him and kicking off it, flying back to the ground and crashing in the dust cloud kicked up by Black Wings deflected magic. Silver whipped his body around and sent a volley of wind blades in the cloud with a wave of his wing. The dust disappeared and the stallion came running out trying to escape once more.

The roots shot out, smacking him back to where he'd first landed, though once more, it was not a direct blow and Sombra was left uninjured.

As Black Wing landed back on the ground, he followed the two battling head to head, careful to remain in Sombras blind spot as he waited for an opportunity to strike. It was because of this that the wolf had realized two very important aspects of the fight.

The first was that no matter how quickly he attacked, or how distracted the stallion was, the sword would always deflect his magic. It didn't matter the angle, timing or magic packed into the attack, it would always be sent flying elsewhere. The second was that the shield would always absorb attacks from Silver and Star Shine, but never deflect them.

These two revelations led the wolf to test a theory he'd developed.

As Black Wing stalked around Sombra once more, he charged up another shot, firing it off when Silver slipped out of the way. The stallion had his shield lifted in front him with his blade off to the side, and just like before, even with perfect timing and accuracy between the wolves, the shield left and the sword took it's place. The magic bounced off the steel and went hurling to Star Shine.

Root snapped up from the ground and took the attack head on. In the heat of the battle, Black Wing doubted Sombra would have noticed, but through a small crack between the plants, emerald eyes gave the black wolf a questioning glare. In truth, Black Wing had dialed back the magic, but that was the whole point. Anyone would have been able to tell that his attack was considerably weaker than everything he'd thrown out so far.

Why would he do that in the middle of a battle?

To see if it'd be blocked by the shield or deflected by the sword.

Up until this point, Black Wing had assumed that Sombra had been deflecting his shots intentionally because they could be redirected. But at the same time, so could many of Silvers blows.

They might not have been sent hurdling to another of the wolfs, but it would have given the stallion an opening to strike, and given Silvers condition, Black Wing doubted he'd be able to avoid a direct hit.

So why not take the advantage to at the very least maim one of his opponents? Simple.

Because he couldn't.

Black Wing suspected that the weapons Sombra were using weren't entirely under his control. That they were living weapons, or at the very least, programmed with magic that made them respond in specific ways to certain attacks.

The sword deflected pure magic attacks, ones similar to Black Wings Lightning. The shield blocked physical ones, like Star Shines roots. He figured the only reason why the sword didn't deflect Silvers wind blades is because the wind itself wasn't actually created from magic. Silver just manipulated the wind into an edge and sent it flying out.

If that were the case, then all the stallion would have to do is keep his body moving and the weapons would do the rest. The wolf almost chuckled.

Sombra never had any intention of fighting anyone. This gear of his gave him the best chance to escape. He completely ignored offense and focused everything on defense and evasion. 

Of course, this was all just a theory of Black Wings. But if he'd learned anything from Star Shine, it's that all theories must be tested. With that in mind, the wolf lifted his leg and undid the bandana wrapped around it.


....


...And the one around his neck followed after.





"I know they are powerful," Celestia argued, still peering down at the equally enraged wolf, "But they cannot defeat him! Your friends will die!"

Twilight felt the world spin as the words rang through room and left an eerie chill in the air. Surely she wouldn't let them die! Luna was supposed to be one of his oldest friends! She has to know what will happen if she doesn't take down the barrier!

As the silence rolled on once more, Twilight's heart reeled with the wolfs response.

"You think I would risk that?" Luna's words carried their own weight. Celestia caught the glare deepen as she somehow became even angrier with the Princess than she had been seconds before.

Her voice hissed and seethed a loathing Celestia could only recall hearing a scant few times in all her life, "You think you know my wolves? My Alphas? I have spent the last hundred years with them! Building our pack! Building our family!"

At this point the wolf was no longer sitting idly on the floor. She snapped up to all fours, challenging the alicorns stance with flared wings and claws shredding the floor, "And after a few years of knowing them in this pacifist country where all your problems are solved by rainbow magic; you genuinely, honestly think you know what they can do!? That you know their abilities better than I do!?

"I would not have let them leave if I thought, even for a moment, that one of them might not come back! I'd have gone myself if that were the case! You know only a fraction of their power!

"And do not be mistaken Celestia, or anyone of you! They might be sent here are your guards, but so long as I'm breathing, I will not let them die for you! You're not worth that much!"

As Lunas voice finally died down, Twilight felt something build in her stomach. It was a new kind of anger. One she wasn't familiar with.

Who was this wolf to decide her worth? Who was she to say Twilight didn't know her boyfriend? Who was she to judge someone Silver had chosen to love?

An Alpha? A pack mate? An old friend?

None of those things meant anything to Twilight. Only to Silver. And perhaps it was because of this that the next words that left her mouth were not the same kindness she'd been known to show.

"But you let him die once already."
> All Will Cower Before Black Wing's Power
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

There were a scant few times anyone could recall Black Wing removing both of his seals outside of Star Shines training bunker. The reasons as to why he didn't varied depending on the situation. Most of the time it was because it simply wasn't necessary. Even with both seals on, his magic power still dwarfed that of most living creatures and removing just one would crush even captains under the sheer force of his presence. 

Other times it was because of the environment. Magic thrived through the land and sky naturally, so a sudden disturbance could cause a disaster or two if he wasn't careful.

But the two biggest reasons were simple. The first being that his body couldn't sustain the pressure for very long. A half hour at the most before he completely collapses. 

And the second was his presence. 





For a moment, nothing changed. Twilight's words had been spoken and the reoccurring theme of stunned silence found it's place in the room once more . The battle raging on at the base of the mountain was the only sound that could be heard, the dull thuds giving the building life. Then very slowly, the white coat of a wolf leaned passed Celestia.

Now, Twilight considered herself to be a brave mare. She'd taken on many foes in the past, one of which was currently below her wreaking havoc, and while she had certainly been scared, she still stood tall and faced them. 

But this one terrified her.

The loathing glare Luna had given her was different than any wrath she'd faced before. This was not the simplistic anger she'd seen on the enemies she thwarted before. To them, she was more of a nuisance than anything. But these eyes piercing into her own...they were familiar.

Twilight had seen those eyes before. They were the same ones Silver had when he snapped during Aurouras first visit. Anger, panic, fear and unfiltered hatred swam and swirled in the wolfs soul, all of it directed solely at the little lavender mare that spoke of something better left unmentioned.

Luna's pupils had almost entirely vanished. From where she was standing, Twilight could see the wolfs chest had stopped moving. Her body itself seem like a statue, even as she leaned to look past the ivory alicorn. No longer was Twilight just an annoying mare getting in the way. No.

Now, she'd properly earned loathing and animosity. Her words unearthed a grave issue that she had no business sticking her nose into.

While fear wracked the mares mind, Luna held her glare. The only reason the wolf hadn't already ripped her head off was because Silver would hate her for it. Nothing else in the room intimidated her.

Not the alicorn standing in front of her, baring newly sharpened fangs and wisps of flames beginning to sprout from her mane, nor her sister staring from across the room, who was a bit taller than she was a few moments before and whose coat had suddenly taken on a much darker tone.

"Be glad you mean something to him," Luna spoke softly, though her loathing was felt throughout the room.

Before Twilight could respond, her thoughts were cut off by something new. A new fear. One that wasn't caused by the wolf across the room.

Terror shuddered through her body as she suddenly struggled to breathe. Her legs gave out as she collapsed to the floor and the all the knots that had formed in her body up to that point had tightened tenfold. She couldn't move. She could hardly speak. She wanted to scream but she couldn't find enough air to do it.

She felt something on her back, though it was numb to the touch. Straining as she looked up, she found Ruppy mouthing words she couldn't hear. Was it another spell? Had Luna actually retaliated for her comment?

Looking past the pegasus, she found a sight she fought hard to believe.

Celestia was doubled over, sweat dropping off her chin. The burning in her eyes had gone, all trace of the last few minutes had been completely wiped away with the arrival of...whatever this was. The wolf standing in front of her hardly managed much better. Luna cradled her head in her paws and Twilight could see her gritting her teeth through her arms.

She wanted to look back to find her marefriend, but even lifting her head was almost impossible. She could see the guards rushing over to Celestia, their mouths moving but again, she could hear nothing. She noted shadows moving around behind her grew concerned for her marefriend. What about Cadence and her brother? And why couldn't she move?

Everyone else seemed fine. Ruppy hardly seemed any different, though the stars dotting Twilights eyes made it a little  hard to focus. More ponies had begun to scramble about, many of them rushing out of the room. Through a hazy mind, Twilight assumed they were searching for doctors or maybe to find the source of whatever had knocked her and the others off their hoofs.

Suddenly, the a flash of white pierced the room, blinding the mares already fading vision. The light held for a moment, and Twilight could feel something new added to the air.  As it dimmed, a hum filled her ears and soon, the sound of panicked voices as well.

The air seemed lighter than it had before, though still felt thicker than usual. Feeling returned to Twilights body as her legs seemed strong enough to lift herself off the ground with the help of Ruppy.

"What the hell was that?!" the pegasus cried, "What happened?! You all just fell over all the sudden!"

"I...dunno..." her mind was still foggy and her breath was short like she'd just been running around the castle. She wasn't exhausted, but needed deep breathes.

"That" came the voice of the white wolf, still shaking off the effects of the of the events, "was Black Wing. He must have removed both of his seals."

Luna steadied herself as she peered down at Celestia, the alicorn still doubled over and gasping for air, "Do you get it now, Princess?"





Silver felt the pressure of Black Wings magic take form. It was an unusual experience to say the least, though not one he was unfamiliar with. For him, it felt more like whiplash than anything. Like someone had smacked him over the back of the head with a textbook. A little disorienting, but the effect faded quickly.

Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for those further away.

But the fact that Black Wing had taken off his seals in the first place must have meant something had changed. Removing them both was his trump card, and he was unlikely to do it unless he knew it was the only option. Up until this point, they'd been chasing Sombra around, making no progress. Silver figured the wolf must have noticed something and decided to take the lead.

Sombras head whipped around with the arrival of the unparalleled power. He knew he felt something within the black wolf the moment he'd landed, though he couldn't put his hoof on what. But now it was obvious. The wolf currently staring Sombra down from across the field was nothing short of a miracle. More a myth than anything.

A demi-god.

Never in Sombras life did he think he'd run into one. They were a rare breed, much like himself, and supposedly as powerful as the ones who made them, or at the very least, strong enough to hurt them. Going by the power Black Wing was emitting, Sombra was beginning to realize where exactly those legends had come from.

"His weapons are enchanted," Black Wing spoke, his voice carrying a new weight with each word spoken, "The sword deflects pure magic, the shield blocks physical attacks. They're automatic, so there's no point in trying to get past them."

The black wolf moved forward across the field to the stallion, "The only choice is to overload them with sheer force."

As the words left his mouth, the sky above began to darken. Thick black clouds seemed to appear from no where, but Silver and Star Shine knew all too well what was happening.

In a flash, both wolfs evacuated the immediate area. Honestly, there was no 'safe' place for them to be. So long as they were under the shadow of the clouds, they could still be hit. It was just that they were less likely to be if they were away from the target.

Sombra looked up as the clouds formed. It seemed....familiar, but before he could run, crackling static filled the field.

"Strike him down." 

An arc of lightning ran through the sky before striking at the stallion below. The sword came to his defense, narrowly blocking the bolt though not with the precision it had before. Instead, the magic flung the power off in a random direction, creating a crater the size of a small town in the fields distance.

Before the next bolt came, Sombra quickly followed the other wolves lead and ran. It didn't matter where, but he knew he couldn't stay in the same place for longer than a half a second. 

Snaking and zig-zagging across the ground, bolt after bolt crashed down after him leaving gaping holes in the field. Some missed entirely, others sent him flying with the force of the explosion. And soon, one came crashing down onto him again.

The sword flicked up, catching the arc and redirecting it once more and in the process, Sombra managed to catch a glimpse of his blade.

There were cracks forming now.

"That's what the wolf meant."

Black Wing already explained he understood how the weapons worked. Though the stallion didn't realize he meant he was going to literally, overload the weapons with magic.

The lightning he'd been firing wasn't actually elemental in any way. It was just condensed magic. He was attacking  knowing it would be deflected and allowing the blade absorb a portion of the power with each hit. But a weapon can only hold so much.

It was then that the stallion realized his dilemma. 

He couldn't just stop using the sword. His shield had no resistance to magic, especially of Black Wings caliber. But his blade would only last one or two more strikes before it shatters, and then it would only be a matter of time before the lightning hits him.

He was in a pinch. He couldn't run anymore.

So now he had to fight.

Abandoning his current path, the stallion pivoted on his front hooves, spinning in a circle and rushing back at the wolf. Bolts continued crashing down around him, though he paid them no mind. Just as quickly as he'd gotten away, Sombra was closing in on Black Wing.

Another bolt crashed down, and the black sword flicked out saving him. One more strike would shatter it. Just a little closer.

As the distance shortened, another bolt crashed, the sword coming to his rescue for the last time. The magic rebounded as the the blade shattered into pieces, not that it mattered anymore. He was close enough now.

Only a few hoof steps away from the black wolf, Sombra kicked off the ground with enough force to match Silvers strength. The earth fractured as the stallion brought up a hoof to swing at the wolf.

Only to have his view blocked by a sterling wing.

Silver stood between Black Wing and Sombra, having taken up the position as support. He struck the moment he saw an opening as the stallion launched himself at the black wolf, with steady steel wings and aimed at the ponies throat.

Unfortunately, Sombra had something similar in mind.

As Silver struck, the shield whipped around and blocked the attack. The stallion was sent flying and Black Wing followed up with another bolt, this time taking aim at the shield. Magic crashed down and just as Sombra predicted, the shield shattered under one strike. 

Not that it mattered anymore.

As the stallion went skidding across the land, he looked up with a grin. It wasn't quite what he was aiming for, but it would work nonetheless. 

As Black Wing prepared another strike, he looked down to notice Silver had not moved yet. Looking around the wolf, he found why exactly Sombra had suddenly taken the offense.

Before the stallion was sent flying, he activated a new spell.

Searing pain struck Silvers abdomen as something pierced his stomach. As Sombra was sent away once more, the wolf glanced down and found his shadow now had a large black crystal jutting out of it and into him. 

He watched as blood trickled down rock, the world quickly fading out into black. He could hear the muffled voice of Black Wing shouting, but couldn't make out what it was he was saying. Silver couldn't help but wonder if he was dying again. Oddly enough, fear didn't consume him. This time, it was something else.

As the world finally faded out completely, he could feel something spreading in his heart.

Something frigid and familiar. Something he'd known for years and kept locked away deep within himself.

Now the panic had set in. He knew this feeling all too well. This wrath he'd long since thought he buried. It wasn't the same as when he'd lost his temper with Auroura. That had been out of betrayal. Nor was it the same as when he created Silence. That had been out of disgust.

No. This rage was reserved for one wolf, and one wolf alone. The one who'd taken his world from him. Who snuffed out what little hope he'd had of being happy.

The one who forced himself on the girl he loved.

It couldn't come out. Never again. 





"It-it's not possible..." Celestia gasped, her body still bent over from the pressure Black Wing exerted, "It's forbidden..."

"Ha! Forbidden?!" the white wolf laughed down at her, leaning close into her ear, "If that's the case, then why is your newest alicorn sleeping with my Alpha?"

Celestia snapped her head up, "Nothing would come of it! Especially not something like this! Th-this is just--"

"If you say 'wrong', I will kill you myself," Luna sneered, "Do not forget, Black Wing is one of my oldest friends. Princess or not, I will not let you dismiss his existence simply because you fear his power."

"Impossible," Celestia retorted, "Wha-How!? W-With who?! How did no one know?!"

Luna rolled her eyes at the mares hysterics, "I don't know how, and don't really care. As for the who, well, his mother really was the sweetest wolf. The father....well, you're not privy to information. And as for why no one knows, it's because it would put a target on his back. All his life, Black Wing has been persecuted and feared for his magic power. Beings like alicorns and emperors ignored him because they didn't know his true nature, but if they found out, they would kill him out of fear. So this secret was kept it well guarded. Aside from you and me, the only other ones who know are Star Shine, two emperors and his mother, but she took her secret to the grave."

Celestia stared at the wolf in front of her. She now knew where all of the arrogance came from. Why she was so fearless in the face of an alicorns power.

She had a demi-god at her command. 

"C--celestia..." came a small gasp from across the room. The ivory whipped her head around to see Twilight wobble towards her, leaning against Ruppy for support, "W-what was that? I've never felt anything like it."

"It was Black Wing," Cadence spoke up, a hoof still tenderly rubbing at the side of her head, "He's removed his seals."

The white wolfs eyes widened with genuine surprise, "Oh! So you've seen him take them off before?"

Cadence gently nodded her head, "Just once, and he only did it because I asked him too. But it was nothing like this the last time he showed me. This time, I could actually feel it, but back then it was just...bizarre."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"You couldn't sense him last time, could you?" Celestia interrupted. Cadence paused and gave a puzzled look to the ivory alicorn before nodding once more and continuing.

"It was surreal. He was standing right in front of me but at the same time it was like he wasn't there. Like his existence itself kept flickering out of reality. It was hard to look directly at him too, like I was trying to look at the sun. I kept wanting to turn away."

Celestia swallowed hard, "It was his magic. You were closer to him then, so the effects were distorted." Cadence could only continue her puzzled expression to the mare as she explained, "Magic pressure has a different sensation depending on the distance. The closer you are to the source, the more intense and concentrated it is."

"B-but he's on the other side of the mountain!" Twilight cried, "I've seen him remove both of his seals before! When he was at Star Shines bunker, he and Silver went at it and I didn't feel anything like that!"

"If you were watching from the observation room, it blocks out all magic coming from outside the room," Luna chimed in, "The machines in there are sensitive, so if she didn't she couldn't get an accurate reading."

"If that's the case, then why didn't everyone else feel it just now? We're not protected in here."

The ivory mare let out a long sigh as she caught the grin the white wolf cracked.

"Because they're too weak." Luna answered. More puzzled looks (and a few glares)  prompted the Alpha to continue, "It's not an effect that occurs often, but I've seen it before. When something of immense power approaches something with an incomparably smaller power, the weaker one will sometimes break under the pressure. Their mind will completely block out the existence of the stronger one because it literally cannot begin to comprehend what it's facing."

"So you're saying the power difference is so great, that their minds refused to even acknowledge Black Wing is even there?" Twilight asked.

"Precisely!" Luna cheered, "They'd have to be on the other side of the mountain to be begin to feel the effects in the same way we did. I'd guess at least another five miles away. But don't feel bad though, if we were any closer, even I wouldn't be able to feel it. When it comes to Black Wing, it doesn't really matter who you are, his presence will either crush you or you'll block it out."

Twilight could only look to Celestia as the wolf explained, a solemn nod confirming Lunas words. The little mare had broke. A twitch caught in her eye as a shiver ran down her spine. She knew Black Wing was powerful, Silver and Star Shine both confirmed it.

But she had always believed that the alicorns, Celestia and Luna especially, would dwarf him in terms of magic. They moved celestial bodies, for heavens sake! How could someone be anymore powerful than that?!

"Th-this can't be right!" Twilight argued, "That would put him on par with Celestia and Luna! Hell, maybe even Discord!"

Luna 'pffted' at the notion, "On par with the embodiment of chaos and the physical representation of the sun and moon? No. Don't be mistaken, Black Wing is incredibly powerful, but there are still limitations to his abilities.  I assure you, if he could wield this power all the time, he wouldn't just be a Royal, much less guarding you all. Besides, just like you saw before, he and Silver have gone head to head plenty of times, and on a few occasions, they've escalated things to the point where Black Wing has removed both of his seals. Now, if Silver knows he's no match for an alicorn, how is it that his power can still rival Black Wings? Simple, it means there's a weakness to it."

Twilight shook her head at the question, "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said," Luna retorted with a roll of her eyes, "Black Wing can only maintain that state for thirty minutes before his body breaks under the pressure. What you all felt just now was the waves on the shore. Now imagine what it must feel like to be in the middle of the storm. Besides that, it's difficult for him to move around. He gets winded easily, so he can't really evade or defend. His magic is greatest weapon and his greatest weakness."

"Why are you saying all of this?" Celestia cut in with genuine concern in her eyes, "These secrets can be used against him, and you're so willingly putting them out for everyone to know. How can you be so reckless with the information regarding your friends power?"

Luna laughed at the mare for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, "Because it doesn't matter. No one in this room, aside from alicorns and the Alphas, would be able to stop him if a battle broke out. Whether or not ponies know his weakness won't make any difference. It's like if an ant knew a boot was going to crush it. So what? What can it do?"

The glares the wolf was receiving increased ten fold, but they all had to admit she had a point. Much Like Silver and Star Shine, no one would be able to stop them if they went out of control. An alicorn or a wolf would have to step in. 

"But...." came a familiar small voice from the corner of the room, "What about Silver then?"

Baby blue eyes turned to meet the sapphire pair of a coal black mare. As soon as Luna laid eyes on her, she could barely contain her excitement. She already knew what Onyx was asking, and was giddy that she was the one asking it, but she needed everyone else to hear the explanation. "What about him?"

"Well, it's just....it doesn't really seem to add up," Onyx began, "Earlier, you said Silver was strong because he had traits from all of the other Alphas as well. But that wouldn't put him on the same level as Black Wing, even with the weakness. His magic can't be mimicked or taught."

The white wolf actually skipped over to the mare against the wall, "You know, out of everyone in this room, you're easily my favorite." Whipping her head around to address the room, Luna shouted, "Alright class, listen up! This lovely little gem is about to ask a very important question."

Once again, with the spot light thrown on her, Onyx fell into a stuttering mess, "We-well it's just that...e-even with the limited movement and body condition, Black Wing can still go head-to-head with an a-alicorns magic and give them a run for their bits, r-right?"

Luna nodded eagerly and leaned closer, "Go on...."

With eyes flickering back and forth between the white wolf and the rest of the room, Onyx pressed on, "I-it's just...Silver getting trained by a bunch of other Alphas probably wouldn't make up for the difference in power. He'd have to have something else."

"Which means?" Luna pressed the mare.

"Which means...." Onyx paused a moment to collect her thoughts, "Which means you played us... I was wrong earlier. Silvers power doesn't come from his training. It's something else isn't it?"

Luna squealed with delight as she once more scooped the mare up and spun her around, "YOU'RE BEST MARE! PAWS DOWN, NO COMPETITION! SOMEONE GIVE HER A COOKIE!"

"Please stop picking me up!" 

THUD

"Not too long ago, I quizzed you all on the source of Silvers power," Luna twirled and spoke to the room, "When I asked, I honestly didn't expect anyone to be able to give an adequate answer, but this little mare did. And, unsurprisingly, you all believed it when I said it was true.  Now, some of you may be asking 'Luna, why on earth would you ask a question, then lie about the answer?'. Simple. To see if you'd believe it."

While many of the occupants in the room cocked their heads in confusion, Twilight had suddenly found her fury for the wolf re-ignited as Luna rambled. "Okay, but why?" the mare demanded, "What's the point of seeing if we'd believe it!? None of us have seen him actually fight in a battle of this scale so none of us would be able to answer correctly anyway. So yeah, we'd have to believe you. So what would be the point of making us believe the lie?"

Luna waltzed over to the lavender alicorn, "It wasn't about the lying itself. It was about the answer you gave."

Fury fused with confusion and twisted in the mares expression, but before she could begin arguing again, the wolf pressed on, "Power is created from who you are; it is you. It's the reason your enemies fear you, your friends love you and your peers respect you. When I asked my question, I was trying to see how well any of you knew him. The lie itself was irrelevant. Onyx over there is the only one who picked up on anything even remotely significant regarding Silver, and I'd hoped someone would challenge the idea."

"How is his fighting style in any way meaningful?" Twilight barked.

Luna rolled her eyes, "It shows respect for us. He admires our skills enough to mimic and incorporate them into his own style. For us, it's his way of saying he's putting his life in our paws."

"Okay then," Twilight let out an exasperated sigh, "If his training under the Alphas isn't what makes him powerful, then what is it?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, a new power arose and took over the room. It wasn't the same as Black Wings though. This one wasn't an overwhelming force, but much more subtle and disturbing. It crept up the spines of everyone in the room, leaving a phantom breathe tickling the backs of their necks. Blood ran cold as the sudden desire to run filled their bodies, though they found themselves lacking the motivation necessary to flee. Instead, all they felt was a resignation to their inevitable death.

"Not that."

Extremities became numb and breathes hung in the air as fog. Windows frosted over and ice conquered the floor. Death itself had come into the building. Twilight and Celestia both quickly picked up on the sudden drop in temperature, whipping their heads around to find the mare they thought was responsible.

She wasn't.

Princess Luna stared out of the window with wide frightened eyes. How it was possible, she didn't know, but she did know that somepony else was using her magic.

That alone was enough to for the mare to be concerned, but what truly scared her was that it was not her magic alone she could feel. There was something else mixed in with it. Something cruel and sickening.

And indescribably furious.

Luna moved to the window, wiping away the frost built up on the glass. Peering down the mountain, she could see the field had been covered with shards of ice the size of houses jutting from the ground. Very little could be discerned with eyes alone but her knowledge of the magic made it easier to separate what was happening.

Mixed in with her spells from her grimiore, under the torrent of rage, was a very familiar sensation. One that she grew to know all too well.

One she came to love.

"Silver..."






At first, there was silence in the void, but not the comfortable kind Silver had grown to appreciate. It was the silence that came to you in bed when you could hear the front door open and close and just knew your parents would start yelling soon. The silence that crept in when waited for your lover to come home and you know about the other ponies they've been with. The kind that appeared when your friends walk away after spewing insults and nasty comments about you, never knowing you were in earshot.

Something was happening. Something he didn't want to hear. 

Muffled cries and shouts came from a distance. He knew that voice. Why was she hear?

"No! Get off!"

"HOLD STILL!"

Silvers heart pounded. He bolted off to where he thought the voices came from, but suddenly they were everywhere. Screams and shouts drilled into his skull and he could hear the scrubbing of fur against pavement and labored breathes.  Soon the struggling stopped only to be replaced by choked sobs of the girl he loved.

Silvers paws began moving again, running in any direction he could. He had to make it stop. The more he ran the louder the sound became until eventually his paws caught on something.

The wolf went tumbling forward and he no longer found himself in the void.

Blood covered the tile floors and a copper stench filled the room. Silver could only look down though. He didn't need to look up, much less wanted to. He knew this room all too well, and the moment regrettably more.

He knew the sink to the left had a little crack in the front right corner from when she dropped a box moving in. He knew the toilet to the left of it would always flush with a strange whine before taking forever for the tank to refill. He knew the mirror had a little smudge of blue paint on the top right corner from when the room was first painted.

And he knew the bathtub was to the right of him too.

Silvers eyes refused to look up from the ground. The stench of the room alone made him want to vomit, but the last time he threw up in her house, she got in trouble. So instead he swallowed hard, slamming his eyes shut and blocking out everything he could.

But the he'd forgotten to cover his ears.

"Silver...."

A hushed voice came, hardly even audible. But the voice that spoke it was all that was needed to make the wolf open his eyes once more.

Silver found himself cradling Lily's body. Blood soaked into his coat from pulling her out of the tub and trying to keep pressure on her wrists. Tears poured down his face as he sat there whispering and begging for her to wake up. His body wanted to tremble but seemed to have forgotten how.  He couldn't tell how long he'd sat there, his pleas eventually falling silent.

The bathroom fell away to ash, but the body in his arms remained. Silver looked up to find a mirror image of himself staring back at him, still holding Lily all the same.

"WHy diD sHe haVE to DIe?" the phantom called, "WHY DID SHE SUFFER?!"

The voice was a mimic of his own, distorted and static filled with every other syllable. It's face showed no emotion, only empty soulless eyes staring back at him. It's mouth hardly moved, even when it screamed.

Both Lily's crumbled to ash just as the bathroom did, and Silver scrambled to try to hold on. His phantom, on the other paw, only rose up.

"iT WaS YoU!" it cried, "YoU shOULd haVe SeEN HeR paIn! YoU ShoULd haVE SaVEd HeR!"

"I-I tried!"

"LaiR!" 

Silvers paws stopped scrounging for the ashes and he looked up to meet his mirror. He'd seen this face before. So lifeless. So cold.

So hopeless. 

He'd lost everything that day. The only one he was willing to become a better wolf for was gone. So what was the point of being a better wolf now?