It was a few days later. Silver had roamed Ponyville when she wasn't busy tending to the needs of her tired wives and needy foals. She greeted each pony in kind. She even knew some of them. She greeted Lyra and Sweetie Drops as long lost friends and promised to be more involved with their activities.
Lyra waved a hoof dramatically at the statement. "You and Twilight! You two are perfect for each other. Don't worry about it. I got my Bon Bon." Bon Bon blushed as Lyra squeezed her tight. "But you can stop by to hang out whenever. Oh hey, Bonnie's birthday's in two weeks, be there!"
Silver practically remet the entire town, even if she was fairly recognizable. It was a quiet relief that she wasn't talked to much about the libidinous activities of her former self. Her old self hadn't slept around Ponyville much, and that was just fine by Silver.
She returned home with groceries held aloft in her horn magic, ready to prepare something tasty for her family when she found the entryway had far more alicorns than normal. Beside herself, there was Twilight. Across from Twilight stood Luna, Celestia, and Cadance. All of the alicorns of the kingdom had gathered! Silver quickly set her bags aside. "I wasn't expecting any of you. I hope you've come for something pleasant." Unfortunately, she remembered such visits could often mean dire news.
Cadance smiled, a wide gesture that was not entirely genuine. She was concerned about something. "Silver Stars, Twilight tells me that you're feeling a little... off. Anything you'd like to discuss?"
Silver looked confused at the idea. "Besides getting Twilight and Night back on their hooves?" Silver turned to Twilight. "You're looking much better, my dear. Are you feeling better?"
Twilight ruffled her wings, looking nervous. "Oh, I'm just fine... A little sleep was just what I needed."
Luna strode forward, putting her face right up to Silver's, forehead to forehead, horns touching one another as they angled just barely enough to not prod each other. "Silver Stars, my prince."
Silver froze. She wasn't a prince, not anymore. Her eyes darted around. "I am a princess, Luna. You helped fashion me into this lunar form, I remember that. Thank you. It's... It's wonderful."
Luna smiled at that. "It delights me to hear you say that. Do you remember the circle of princesses?"
Silver looked around at all the princesses gathered. "I'm not sure I do... We're all friends and allies, are we not?"
Luna spread a wing to gesture at Celestia and Cadance. "Though we are not wed to you, the Princess Twilight Sparkle made a shrewd move, tying us all together. You were to be the stud of all the princesses."
Silver paled. His lechery had reached that far? "I... see..."
"Does this not excite you?" Luna pressed forward, nudging Silver backwards. "Do you not find the idea most appealing?"
Cadance took a step forward. "Auntie, please. You're obviously upsetting her."
Luna did back away a few steps, though a frown was on her face. She turned to Cadance. "You are the princess of love. Where did his love go?"
Silver spread her wings wide. "How can you say that?! I love you all very much. Why don't you stay for dinner? I was going to make it tonight."
Twilight gestured at Silver. "See what I meant?"
Celestia raised a hoof to her chin. "She is very... pure." She turned her head towards Silver. "Do you remember nothing of being a stallion?"
Silver colored softly. "I've been told many things. I would sleep with any mare that let me, and I was called 'Stud of the Land'." She turned away from them, towards the kitchen. "I would rather be a good friend, and a mother. My foals don't need a horny stallion."
Luna suddenly brought down a hoof with a clap of thunder. "Your libido served a purpose, Silver Stars. Do you not recall it?"
Silver shrank a little before she marshaled herself and rose up and towards Luna. "I will thank you not to make that much noise. The foals don't like being startled, and neither do I."
Nefertari appeared before Silver, cradling her snout in long fingers. "For this she speaks up? Some tiny sign of the fire that once consumed her..." She caressed over Silver's snout in a sensual fashion, though any sexual connotation to it seemed lost on Silver, who seemed more confused and startled that someone had appeared before her and held her so. "Is there more to see, or is this the brightest spark I will ever witness from you?"
Silver's eyes suddenly went wide. "Did we?" Nefertari nodded. "Are we?"
Nefertari's grin widened and she placed a hand on her belly. "We are. What do you think of that?"
Silver swallowed softly, still held by one of Nefertari's paws. "I think... that you should be treated with love and care."
The reply brought a scowl to Nefertari. "I do not need to be pampered. I am a shaman, and a warrior besides." Her paw clenched painfully, driving claws into Silver's snout. "If you were not speaking out of kindness, I would be far more cruel, but I will not tolerate it a second time."
Twilight's magic wrapped around Nefertari and pulled her away. "That's quite enough of that. As Silver said, if you are bearing his, er, her, foal then you will be taken care of, insofar as you require it."
Cadance let her vision slip away, focusing instead on the lines of love that ran through the room. Several fiery threads ran to Silver, but they were very lopsided. Twilight, Luna, Celestia, and Nefertari showed passion, romantic passion, the burning sort that undoubtedly would result in physical intimacy, but Silver's side was sedate. They were returned, but in a tranquil way. Solid threads of deep affection. Her own thread to Silver, composed more of caring than love, was similarly sedate.
Cadance let out a soft breath as her vision returned. "Silver, welcome back."
Silver delighted in the topic shift. "Thank you. I'm glad to be back. Being away from you all, it was terrible. I'm told Twilight worked very hard to make it happen." She turned to Twilight. "Thank you... I know that's hardly enough to express my--"
"Kiss me."
Silver blinked. "What?"
Twilight leaned forward. "Kiss me, as a way of properly thanking me. A common enough gesture."
Silver glanced to the others, and they were all staring at her, waiting for her to do it. If Twilight wanted a kiss, she'd get a kiss. Silver forced a smile and closed the distance in a slow walking. Leaning in, she pressed lips to lips. She felt Twilight deepen it, trying to connect with her, somehow? She understood that was how it worked, intellectually, but emotionally she just wanted to hold Twilight close, so she did, pulling Twilight in and squeezing her as their lips touched.
Twilight drew back with a sad expression. She said nothing and retreated to beside the others, whispering softly. Silver tried to listen in, to no avail.
Cadance nodded. "I had feared it. Did you perform the act correctly? Perhaps there is a step you missed in this ritual?"
Silver heard that, and frowned. Were they saying she was broken? "I feel fine. I'm not missing anything--"
Luna gestured with a wing and a smirk. "Beside the obvious."
Silver flushed darkly. "That is fixable, but there is no point in it. Twilight, why are you upset?"
Twilight looked quite unready to speak. Celestia stepped between her and I. "Twilight isn't used to the idea of such platonic romance."
Platonic romance? Silver considered the phrase before deciding, slowly, that it was reasonably accurate. They were platonic, but she felt romantic towards Twilight, unlike, say, Missis Cake, who she felt friendly towards, but not romantic. "What's wrong with platonic romance?"
Nefertari snorted from where she stood. "Romance without fire. If you thought you could, you would have pushed Twilight to the ground and showed her just how much she was your mare by now."
Cadance glanced at Nefertari before looking to Silver. "While crude, she has a point. You've changed. Not necessarily in a bad way, but certainly a change. Even as a mare, you were eager to kiss, caress, and make love with your intimate partners."
Silver recoiled. That wasn't just a behavior of her stallion life? She... "How did I behave, as a mare?"
Twilight flushed softly. "Well that's how we got our foal, for one. You let me... breed... You did it as a mare, when I was using a spell."
Silver perked an ear. "I would gladly let you again, after our foal is grown up."
Luna snorted gently. "Let her..."
Twilight was quite uncomfortable by the look of it. "You did more than just tolerate me, Silver. You welcomed me, and worked with me." She sat up and shook her head. "Nopony here is saying you need to, you know, just because, but it's not normal that you're not even thinking about it." She reared up and extended her forelegs. "If you just want to hug, then I'm alright with that."
Silver brightened at Twilight's words and went in for that hug, embracing her and holding her close. It felt good to be close to Twilight.
Cadance softly poked Silver in the side in the middle of the hug. "Silver, I would like to know more about what exactly you remember, and what you don't. Would you mind if we asked you some more questions?"
Silver nuzzled Twilight's cheek and released her. "Maybe after dinner. I'm getting to that now and I'm not taking any more delays." She grabbed her bags in her magic and trotted off to the kitchen with her head held up high.
With Silver gone into the kitchen, Luna turned to the others. "This is not our Silver."
Celestia shook her head. "I should say not, but I think she is improved in many ways. See how she stands for herself, but without violence, and so peaceful and kind."
Cadance frowned. "I thought we were past the idea of mares being more peaceful than stallions. Silver's behavior has nothing to do with her being either. If we made her, even temporarily, into a stallion, I'd wager she'd be just as asexual."
Twilight perked her ears. "That might be worth investigating. A temporary spell wouldn't be too difficult... She wouldn't be able to, you know, but that's not what we're testing."
Nefertari nodded at Twilight. "If you can rouse that fire, good. He's worthless as he is."
"She."
"Worthless in any sex. I will not accept them as a father, or mother, to any pup of mine."
Celestia let out a little sigh. "What we did... We can still feel its toll in us. We paid a heavy price, but hardly the only price. Not all of Silver was returned to us. This may simply be who she is now. Are you willing to accept that, Twilight?"
Twilight fitfully squirmed a moment. "No! He wouldn't give up on me so easily if I started behaving so strangely. I won't... Not until I've looked much further. Celestia, you didn't feel that kiss. It was dead, lifeless, but the hug... She loves me, I really think she does... It's not right."
Luna smiled. "In this, we agree. Silver would throw himself off a cliff if he thought it would mend us. We can at least return half the effort. Do you think she would respond to being mothered?"
Celestia raised a brow. "Mothered?"
Luna nodded. "She was once almost a foal to us. Perhaps she would prove willing to return there. Her and Night Watch."
Twilight shook her head violently. "Don't go taking all my remaining mates."
Nefertari flashed a wicked smile. "I've heard they aren't technically your wives anymore."
Luna frowned a moment. "It would only be temporarily. I will not stand between you and them, Twilight. I have learned my lesson."
Twilight shook her head again. "Night has grown... She is no foal, and there's nothing missing from her. No, definitely not her. If you want to invite Silver over for a little sleepover, that's between you and her, but no more than a week, at most."
Cadance peeked into the kitchen where sounds of preparation came. "If she agrees to even a night."