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// 15 - For Science, Take 2 
// Story: The Silver Stars 
// by David Silver 
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Silver awoke to the warmth of Night Watch and smiled, snuggling against her quietly before Silver opened her eyes to have Twilight's face only a few inches away.

"Good morning!" said Twilight excitedly.

Silver scrambled up to her hooves, "Twilight! When did you sneak in here?"

Twilight waved a hoof, "Oh, about an hour ago. You were asleep, so I waited."

Silver half-lidded her eyes, "Don't be creepy, Twi. You're looking better." Silver stretched out slowly, "What brings you this way?"

Twilight pointed at Silver, "You. I want you."

Silver blinked, "What?"

Twilight advanced on Silver and her magic undid Silver's pouch. She pointed at the book poking out of it, "Is that your spellbook? I want to see it."

Silver relaxed, letting out a breath, "Don't say 'I want you' unless you mean me. I am not my spells." She grabbed her book in her silver magic and brought it over to Twilight, "You can look though, sure."

Twilight eagerly took it in her own magic and soon had it open, reading the spells with a little giggle. Her tail swayed back and forth and she looked so happy it was contagious, and Silver settled to watch her read.

Night roused from her slumber and cracked an eye open, looking at Twilight reading, then Silver watching Twilight read, "Are you two having a wild book party?"

Twilight looked confused immediately, "Is that a thing?"

Night rolled up to her belly, "With Silver around? Wouldn't be surprised. Good morning, Silver, Your Majesty."

Twilight huffed, "Twilight will do." She flipped to the next page. "Your spells all have a serious rough edge to them, but they work! I imagine if you put some actual time into optimization you could achieve most of these effects with half the energy." A book suddenly appeared beside Twilight and landed beside Silver's and the words began to copy from one to the other with Twilight's horn glowing.

Night shuffled closer to Silver, "So... About the whole mare thing?"

Silver raised a brow, "Yeah?"

Night pointed at Twilight, "We have Twilight and Cadance. Surely they're enough together to put you back to full-stallion mode again, so why aren't you already leaping at the chance?"

Silver blushed a little in her cheeks, "A guy, er, girl can't experiment a little?"

Night twirled a hoof, "You had a chance to be with a stallion long before, with Rough Tumble, and you melted down."

Silver flicked her tail, "I didn't have a vagina then, he isn't interested in vaginas anyway."

Twilight perked an ear at the conversation, but seemed to be trying pointedly to ignore it.

Night snorted, "So you want to use it? To be a mare?"

Silver shuffled uncomfortably, "Maybe? A little... To see what it's like. Besides..." Silver moved in to bump noses with Night, "I have you, my lovely First Wife, to be all the stallion I care to be with."

Twilight thumped a hoof on the floor, "You two are very sweet and all, but that talk is very... distracting."

Night gained a smirk quickly, "You've driven poor Twilight to distraction, you monster."

Silver bared her fangs, "Your monster." She advanced on Night and slipped over her, soon embracing her warmly. "I want to practice something. May I bite?"

Night shivered softly, "Will it be bad?"

Silver shook her head quickly, "No." She leaned in, softly playing her teeth along Night's shoulder before biting. She was getting better at deciding where her magic went, and opened the channels to her fangs, sharing her affection and love for Night. The two sagged together, and for a time, nothing else in the world mattered.

"Done," declared Twilight, snapping both books shut before noticing the two other ponies were in a very intimate moment. She blinked owlishly before pointing, "Are you... biting her?"

Silver withdrew her fangs and clambered off of Night, "I was."

Twilight looked quite perplexed, "Why? That looks painful."

Night rubbed her shoulder, "It doesn't hurt nearly as much as it probably looks."

Silver raised a hoof, "As for why, I can share emotions through bites. I didn't know that when I scared that mare to death."

Twilight conjured some parchment and began taking notes, "Fascinating! Do you mind if I examine this? Could you bite her again?"

Silver tilted her head, "I suppose I could...? If you don't mind?"

Night smiled, "If it's that same feeling, I'll gladly accept." She rolled over onto her back, "Hug me."

Silver had no reason to deny such a request, and soon they were belly-to-belly. Silver pushed her teeth into the same place as before, deciding not to make new holes in her beloved.

Twilight watched and made furious notes, muttering to herself a moment before she suddenly stood up, "No. We need a proper laboratory for this."

Night looked up from under Silver, "Where would that be?"

Twilight sighed heavily, "I'll ask Cadance if the castle has any suitable supplies, or I'll have to have mine sent up from Ponyville." Suddenly, she vanished in a puff of lavender light.

Night smiled gently, "Nice mare, but a little obsessed. Now that she's gone..."

They greeted the new day eagerly.

Eventually, they emerged and began to roam the palace. Night adjusted her glasses as she looked around, "It's all very pretty, but I feel like they're missing the art."

Silver wobbled a hoof. "Makes sense," she said, "They were under the hoof of a tyrant, then banished a thousand years. Give Cadance time." Silver looked left and right, "I haven't seen a single other lunar pony."

The sound of approaching hooves brought their attention forward to a white stallion. Silver tilted her head, "Hello Shining."

Shining smiled, "Hiya. Cadie said you'd be our guests for a while." He looked Silver over carefully, "Are you the same pony that found that changeling? I was certain that was a young stallion, not a lovely mare."

Night wrinkled her nose, "Don't make Cadance jealous."

Shining shook a hoof, "I didn't mean anything by it. Seriously, you have to totally share that spell."

Silver raised a brow, "Have, or should?"

Shining looked confused, "Should?"

Silver nodded, "Correct answer. Do you have a magic academy?"

Shining shook his head, "Naw, but we have a sweet library! Show me the spell and I can pass it on to the guards."

Silver felt conflicting emotions. Shining's accent made her want to giggle, but his large stature and what she presumed to be the pheromones of a healthy stallion were tickling at new female sensibilities. She shoved the urges off to the side, deciding Shining had very little in common to bond over, and was already married! "I'll get a copy to you ASAP, but I just remembered something."

"Yeah?" asked Shining.

Silver pointed at Shining, "Your sister is adorable, and insane."

Shining frowned a little, "I'm not sure how to take that, but Twilie says you're OK by her." He started to move off, "Catcha ya later!"

Night nipped at Silver, "Don't insult royalty to their brother. What are you thinking?"

Silver shrugged, "I never claimed to be good at that 'thinking' thing." She bumped Night gently, then they walked together.

They found the dining hall with some exploring, and found Cadance was already there with Twilight, enjoying breakfast. Night took a seat beside Silver, who sat beside Cadance.

Twilight was still speaking, "The state of magical research in your kingdom is a matter of dire importance."

Cadance held up a pink hoof, "That my people are fed is more pressing. We lack much in the way of an infrastructure with a thousand years of not existing. Research and development can come after full bellies and safe borders."

Twilight snorted in disagreement, "Fine, but you don't mind if I set up in one of the empty rooms, do you?"

Cadance shook her head, "I do not, but if this involves Silver, be sure it is consensual. He..." she glanced over at Silver, pausing, "Do you prefer he, or she?"

Silver was suddenly in the spotlight and frowned in thought, "I assume I look obviously female to everyone else?"

Twilight raised a brow, "You can't tell?"

Silver shrugged softly, "I wasn't born a pony. The differences just don't hop up at me as quickly. If I look like a mare, we'll go with that and make it less confusing." She quietly added another tally point to Cadance's mental score sheet.

Night nudged against Silver, "I think Celestia was trying to make you a very nice-looking mare."

Silver frowned a little, "I don't look that different than before."

Cadance nodded, "It's true. You are quite fetching, but let's stop talking about that, you look uncomfortable. Let me put this out there plainly. In my kingdom, no means no, and not asking doesn't get you an automatic yes." She dipped her head at Silver, "I apologize for manipulating you before."

Silver perked an ear, "Do you mean at the picnic?" Cadance nodded. Silver waved a hoof, "You can make me kiss Night whenever you want."

Cadance frowned, "It was still wrong, at least a little."

Silver smiled at Cadance, "I'm very glad to hear you say that, but I'll give permission now. If you have my interests in heart, I do not fear your magic." She paused, "You can't make love, right?"

Cadance shook her head, "Only enhance what is there, or suppress it, if need be."

Silver bobbed her head, "Then consider permission given."

Cadance agreed, though her eyes were on the thin thread binding Silver to Twilight, uncertain if it spelled bright possibilities or future tragedy. She looked for any connection between Night and Twilight and saw none. "Twilight," she said out loud, "I would like you to keep Night Watch with you, should you work with Silver Stars."

Twilight raised a brow, but nodded, "Alright. Night, how are you at recording?"

Night flashed a fanged smile, "This magnifying glass isn't for nothing. Data recording and analysis is my specialty."

Twilight looked much more enthusiastic on hearing the news, "Excellent! I look forward to working with you."

Cadance slid to her hooves, "I should get to business. Silver, I am certain one, or possibly both, other princesses will stop by for a visit. Do not speak to them if you have the option. If they approach you, speak calmly and do not let them goad you into reaction, and do not go anywhere private with them." Soon she was gone, moving through the crystal castle.

Twilight huffed a little, "Celestia's not a monster. Just relax and be yourself and everything will be fine." She began to eat at last, which reminded Night and Silver that they were also hungry. Crystal Empire food proved to be crunchy on the outside much of the time, but the inside was sweet and delicious. No meat was provided, so they did without.