Phoenix awoke to sunshine streaming through the blinds of the bedroom, falling on them both where they lay.

They were in a different position than she’d fallen asleep in. He’d held her as long as he could but finally had to shift, as his arm was falling asleep as it lay wrapped around her.

He’d been as careful as he could, trying not to disturb her, but she had stirred and rolled over herself to snuggle tightly against him, draping a foreleg across his chest and laying her head on his shoulder. She’d clearly been trying to keep as close to him as possible, though Phoenix had noted her sleep had been somewhat fitful even with his presence.

That was no surprise to Phoenix—it was always hard for him the first night in a new place; his initial night in Equestria had been awful and nearly cost them the case—and now that it was morning, he had no intention of waking her if he could help it…

Though the five-inch long unicorn horn hovering directly above his face was a bit of a distraction. He had never seen it up so close before, but it was gently textured with a single spiral groove running from its hidden base to the tip. It was the source of her power and very identity as a unicorn, and he found himself idly wondering what it felt like if it wasn’t supposed to be touched.

Well, maybe I’ll get to find out before too long…? he chuckled softly as he found himself gently stroking her mane as her head lay against his shoulder and chest, endlessly amazed by its soft, silky textures and colors, ones that so suited her, reflecting that it was the first time he’d shared his bed in years.

First time since I’ve shared my bed with a girl since… he shoved the memories of HER out of his head as hard he could, filling his mind with thoughts and images of Twilight instead, drinking in the feminine curves of her equine form, her brilliant mane and fur colors.

She began to respond to his efforts, stirring where she lay. “Mmmph… Phoenix..” she finally called to him, nuzzling his neck gently with her nose, sniffing deeply as if to breathe in his scent and presence.

She’s done that before… she seems to like it. Wonder what I smell like to her…? “Good morning, Twilight,” he called to her as her large purple eyes cracked open, focusing with some difficulty on him. “Sleep well?”

“Not really…” she admitted, blinking blearily. “Not because of you, but because of…” she made a sweeping motion with her hoof, indicating the greater and still-alien world around her.

“I understand,” he told her, squeezing her tightly to him and holding her for a moment. “Would you like some breakfast?”

“In a bit…” she replied at some length. “For now…” she burrowed in a little tighter against him indicating she still wanted to be held, and Phoenix happily obliged, just happy she found in him the familiarity and comfort she needed.

So powerful… so beautiful… and yet so vulnerable… he observed not for the first time. And yet, for all her friends, her magic and her strength, she wants and needs ME… the thought brought of swell of pride and happiness to him.

They lay in bed for another half hour before finally rousting; Phoenix apologetically but slightly nervously explaining that his bladder was full… though that was less the excuse than the reason, he didn’t dare mention he was also getting a massive and uncontrollable case of morning wood, less to his bladder than her presence. It was severely tenting his boxers, threatening to break out the front, and if she snuggled any closer his painfully erect shaft would be pressing right into her flank. To his relief, she blushed and rolled off him fractionally, allowing him to swing his legs to the side, away from her as he sat up, keeping his hardness hidden as he hurriedly went into his washroom.

While waiting for him to do his business, Twilight got up and stretched, looking around his bedroom. It seemed so… simple to her, just a square room with basic furniture, base white walls, textured ceiling, closet and a single window—not at all what she would have expected for a presumably rich defense attorney.

He had a few pictures up, including an autographed movie poster of something called the “Steel Samurai”, and there were scenes from his past and pictures of what she assumed was his family on his dresser, though it was Maya and Pearl who figured most prominently in them. She was also surprised to find one of Mia there, shaking his hand, the caption on the picture indicating it was when she’d formally made him junior partner in her law firm.

Beautiful woman… Twilight acknowledged, remembering her surprise at meeting her channeled spirit the previous night, wondering if she was the only one that found Maya’s clothes a bit too small and revealing for her big sister’s body. If she had lived, I wonder if she and Phoenix might have…

The thought was broken as she heard the sound of the toilet flush, leaving her wondering why it had taken him so long. Quickly replacing the picture where she’d found it, she went to meet him as he exited, surprised when the door opened and she found herself momentarily face to face with his thinly-covered crotch. “S-sorry…” they both mumbled, pulling back with a blush.

“Um…” Phoenix rubbed his hand behind his head, giving a momentarily goofy grin.

“Yeah…” Twilight rejoined, making the same gesture and smile. “I need to go too, but first… I think I owe you something, Phoenix.”

Phoenix froze, suddenly keenly aware of his lack of clothes and her presence. “And that is…?”

She grinned and blushed, then reared up and put her hooves on his shoulders, pressing her body against him, her head just below his. “This.” She stretched out her neck to kiss him, a surprised but delighted Phoenix quickly obliging her, tilting his head to make his mouth more closely fit her muzzle, easing in gently to plant his lips on hers.

While Twilight freshened up in his bathroom, taking her change of clothes and amulet battery with her, Phoenix put on some shorts and got to work making breakfast.

He wasn’t by any means a skilled cook but possessed a basic repertoire, mostly of simple fare he knew Maya and Pearl liked. He put those to work now, making a stack of pancakes for them both, skipping the bacon or sausage he usually included (and Maya demanded), substituting fruit and some grape nuts cereal instead, reasoning Twilight might retain enough of her equine tastes to like the grain and crunch.

He had just finished when he heard the water to his shower turn off, serving up the stacks as she emerged… a human once again, to his mild surprise. She was now dressed in the clothes he’d purchased for her on the previous visit, though apparently Rarity had gone to work on it as Twilight’s starburst cutie mark was now stitched into the side of the skirt, albeit in a somewhat more understated manner than her previous attempt at human fashions.

Wonder what Rarity would look like as a human? The odd thought crossed his mind, quickly followed by a grin as he imagined the look on Edgeworth’s face as he beheld her as one. Oh, I bet Franziska wouldn’t like that one bit!

Twilight nodded appreciatively at the set breakfast table, but before she sat down, she hugged him again, this time in her human form. They held each other for another minute before sitting down, though not before Twilight gave him another kiss, explaining it was to make up ‘for not giving him one the previous day.’

His cheeks were warm as they began to eat. Twilight, he noticed, was definitely getting better with using her fingers, albeit soft pancakes presented a simpler challenge to hand-held utensils than some of the other things she’d tried.

The food good and company better, the former unicorn mare felt herself starting to revive, some the uncertainty she’d felt the previous night diminishing. Though I’m still having trouble processing everything the Princess did! she shivered again, trying not to think of what Celestia might be doing at that moment… or might have already done the previous night. I just… never knew she had that side of her… she shook her head once more. And yet, she looked so happy to be here… so happy to be a human… and so happy to see that man, she granted with her thoughts. I wonder who he is and how she met him…?

“So what would you like to do today?” Phoenix broke into her thoughts.

“Oh!” Twilight blinked, startled, giving the question some consideration. “Well, we do need to stop by your office so I can use the candle to drop a message to Spike and my friends. I promised I’d write them daily. But afterwards…” she hesitated.

“Yes?”

She wrung her hands a bit. “Whatever we do, I’d prefer not to go into the city this time,” she admitted, a bit embarrassed. “No offense, but… all the noise, the smells… it’s kind of overwhelming for me right now.”

Phoenix grinned, reaching across the table to take her hand in his own. “Trust me, it gets on my nerves sometimes too. So let’s get away from it for a bit,” he offered. “We’ll be going to Maya and Pearls’ village tomorrow, but for today… there’s a place I like to go to relax and get some exercise. So instead of concrete jungles, as we call them, would you be interested in seeing some natural scenery instead…?”

Maya Fey didn’t like the feeling of being a third wheel.

With Nick and Sparkle off doing gods-knew-what, she lounged in her room playing video games on her tablet. They still didn’t have reliable internet in Kurain village, but her smartphone hotspot kept her in touch with her friends, at least…

The teenaged mystic had been resisting the temptation to text Nick all morning. She was trying hard to not think about what he was doing with Sparkle but couldn’t help it; she’d barely slept the previous night wondering and worrying. Probably nothing, given the shape Sparkle was in after that scene with Celestia… she acknowledged, but that didn’t stop the young mystic’s mind from wandering in various directions, feelings of anger and jealousy still trying to rise up whenever she thought about the pair.

Disgusted with herself, her sister’s scolding from two weeks earlier still ringing in her ears, she rubbed her eyes, sat up and put her tablet down, her game forgotten. Despite Mia’s remembered words, she couldn’t help it, and the one question that kept bubbling up over and over was… just what did he see in her, anyway?

What, is he into horses or does he just got a thing for purple ponies? Is it the fact she’s already naked and he can ogle her whenever he wants? she screwed up her nose at the thought of her flagging her tail at him as she’d seen some ponies do during Pinkie’s big party…

One a little too closely.

She shivered and clutched herself at the sudden surge of memory. She’d convinced herself that whatever happened that night was a byproduct of that weird punch of Pinkie and being taken by the beat of Vinyl’s music. She didn’t remember most of what happened, but what she did was bad enough…

She shoved the thought as far out of her head as she could, still unwilling to think about it. It had taken her several days in Equestria to get more at less at ease with pony nudity—despite their lopsided gender ratio, she’d seen enough equine testicles to last her a lifetime—but did admit that Nick had been right that she’d eventually stop noticing, or at least stop being so squicked.

None of which helped her deal with Sparkle. She can levitate, transform, teleport, is pretty much a Firebender right out of that old series… can even go full Rapidash… Maya cataloged, remembering with a chill the playback from her duel with Trixie, one that had nothing to do with the blizzard the show mare had countered with. Sparkle’s smart, pretty and an awesome co-counsel. Except for spirit channeling, she’s the full package for him… she slumped, finally starting to understand exactly why she felt so threatened.

And even worse, when she transformed into a human, she became a real looker. Big boobs and all. I mean, come on, sis, how am I supposed to compete with… all THAT? A tear formed in her ear, the young mystic suddenly looking down at her young body and cupping her immature breasts through her robe, wishing she wasn’t such a late bloomer… that she had more of her late sister’s curvy physique.

Maybe then Nick would notice me? Or do I also have to put out for him like Sparkle did… she suddenly wondered, as a sudden image flashed through her mind of herself in Twilight’s place, being groped by him as she was…

Her eyes went wide as she recoiled, hard—where had THAT come from? Ugh! she clutched her head in disbelief where her thoughts were going, deciding she needed a long shower and then to head down to the town at the base of the mountain for some lunch. The village’s usual vegetarian fare was simply too close to what ponies like Sparkle ate at that moment, and she didn’t want to feel any more like her than she did already.

After a quick stop at his office to fire a message to Spike—normally a ten-minute bike ride that turned into a half-hour walk—Phoenix and Twilight took a bus out of town, heading for Angeles National Forest, one of his favorite recreation areas, nestled in the San Gabriel mountains that overlooked greater L.A.

It was a place he liked to ride his bike at, and one he’d occasionally taken Maya and Pearl to for swimming and river rafting… or in Maya’s case, so she could sit and meditate under a cold waterfall. Twilight’s spirits seemed to pick up as she watched the scenery change and the increasingly rugged hills rise up around her. By the time they got to where he was leading them, a trail that led down a pretty path to a city overlook, she was staring around in wonder again at a landscape far different than anything she’d really known. And this happened… naturally? she shook her head in amazement.

They walked hand in hand along one of his favorite trails, dodging the occasional hiker or jogger. For the most part she was in awe at the scenery around them, though she turned troubled when they encountered a recently burned-out area of forest that consisted of nothing but charred stumps and bare, scorched earth.

“What happened here?” she asked.

“Wildfire,” Phoenix replied. “These mountain hills have basically evolved to burn and burn fiercely every couple decades. In autumn, we can get these occasionally violent windstorms, called Santa Anas—hot dry gales out of the eastern deserts that whip through the mountains and can fan even small flames into a firestorm that can consume whole hillsides.

“They’re dangerous, and when things have gone just wrong they’ve broken inside city limits and burned entire neighborhoods to the ground,” he explained as Twilight went agape. “Our forest service tries to mitigate them with what we call ‘prescribed’ burns, when the weather is better and the flames can be kept under control, but still… it happens.”

He shivered at the memory of one such storm he’d seen as kid; he could still clearly remember the flames licking high over the hillsides and glowing embers floating down around him as his mother stuffed him and a few possessions in their car in a panic, his father trying to save their home by wetting the roof with a garden hose… though it had ultimately been a shift in the wind that spared their house. Come to think of it, maybe that’s one reason I had such a hard time with seeing Twilight’s fire powers that first time…

“Fire is my element, and yet I still can’t imagine…” Twilight shook her head again as they reached the overlook, her eyes going wide again at the panorama before her, the city in the background with the ocean just visible behind it in the far distance.

The sea-breezes had picked up and driven off the worst of the smog, making both show up clearly, and the wind was refreshing, blowing in their faces. “I guess what I’m having the hardest time with is that your entire world is like the Everfree, Phoenix—completely wild. All the things we take for granted… magic, weather control, even the forces of harmony itself… you don’t have any of them, and yet… here you are.” And here WE are…

“But that’s what makes humanity enduring, Twilight,” he voiced a thought he’d been having for some time, standing behind her and putting his hands on her shoulders. “That we have to rise to these challenges and find a way to live with them. And I like to think there is some greater good or force for harmony acting here, even if it’s not as overt as yours,” he told her, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “Believe me, there are plenty of things not to like about our world, or even that city down there. It can be dirty, ugly, and it suffers some form of natural or man-made disaster every few years, it seems. But there’s also enough right about it to make it home… make it worth loving and fighting for.” He nodded slowly to himself.

I think I have new respect for humanity, now… Twilight silently acknowledged as she looked out over the landscape again, raising an arm to put a hand over his. And maybe even for Phoenix himself. “I think I get that better, now,” she told him, turning to him. “After last time, or even last night I admit I wasn’t sure…” she fingered her amulet for a moment.

He smiled wanly. “Well, I think we were all caught a little off guard by Celestia, there,” he pointed out, making Twilight shift uncomfortably. “I can guess that was probably really awkward for you, seeing her like that. But after what she said at dinner, I don’t think I begrudge her the right to ‘cut loose’ once in a while,” he decided, scarcely able to imagine what living such a long life would do to a person or pony.

“Your friend Larry didn’t exactly help either,” she quickly changed the subject and gave him a look of distaste, making Phoenix grimace and rub his head.

“Yeah, I know. Larry’s a good guy, just a bit… oblivious. He’s okay deep down, but he really doesn’t have any idea how he’s coming across. Or how to talk to girls,” he shook his head. “Look at this way: Celestia actually dealt with him pretty well. And if she hadn’t been there, he’d’ve probably have hit on you.”

The former violet unicorn shuddered in his grip. “I find the idea of male attention as flattering as the next filly, but… not his.” She gave him another look. And definitely not THEN…

“How about mine, then?” Phoenix suggested with a wry grin. “I’ll give you any attention you want.” And however you want it… he bit his tongue to keep from saying.

She blushed and grinned, the same thought flashing through her head. “You already are, Phoenix,” she told him, slipping into his arms and kissing him again, feeling a familiar tightness growing beneath her shirt. And before long, I think I might like a little more…

By mid-afternoon, the two had seen quite a bit of the scenery along the trails. Twilight admitted that the more natural setting was a nice change of pace from the cramped steel jungle of the city, and felt herself starting to genuinely settle in.

There was, however, one more place Phoenix wanted to show his Equestrian girlfriend—I really am thinking of her that way now, aren’t I? he realized in some wonder—a waterfall and pool he knew a bit off the beaten path, where they could have seclusion and a chance to be away from prying eyes.

They took a crude path, and occasionally he had to help her over rocks and logs, realizing too late that she needed better shoes than sandals for the purpose. He had the thought that she’d be better suited to the terrain as a pony and shared it with her, until she pointed out that she had no means to keep her clothes except on her. If this was Equestria, I’d just do a reverse item summon to send them back to my bedroom, but here..

The thought was quickly forgotten as they arrived and beheld…

“Phoenix… it’s beautiful…” she stared at the picturesque pool, her jaw agape, scarcely able to imagine the geologic processes that must have forged such a scene, so patiently over time.

“Isn’t it?” he grinned, delighting in her suddenly starry eyes. “Technically, we’re not supposed to be here—you’re not supposed to go off-path, but this place is just too good to not visit. I sometimes take dips in here after a hot bike ride. I’ve even camped up here with Maya and Pearls once in the moonlight. It was great,” he grinned.

Twilight gave him a look of mock horror. “The great and noble Phoenix Wright, breaking the rules? I’m shocked, shocked I tell you!” she put her hand over her heart and staggered back from him in an exaggerated manner. “And now here you have me breaking the rules as well? Whatever will I tell the princess?”

He grinned. “I’ll accept full blame for corrupting you,” he suggested, sitting down on the rocks and removing his shoes, dipping his feet in the cool water of the pool. “Ahhh…”

“Well, you haven’t quite corrupted me yet!” Twilight rejoined as she duplicated his gesture, surprised at how good it felt—her feet still weren’t used to walking, and she’d actually been drawing on some of the amulet mana to also keep her stamina up. Gonna need another charge from Celestia soon, she realized, sparing her mentor a thought. Wonder what she’s doing now… or do I even want to know?

They laid out on the rocks for a bit, just listening to the waterfall, hand in hand. Wonder if it would be safe for her to transform back here…? Phoenix suddenly wondered, feeling an appreciative stirring in his loins at the thought. Well, I know what YOU want… he looked down at himself, making sure nothing was noticeable. But I still don’t know what SHE does… “You know… nobody can see us back here. So if you’d like to let your hair down again…” he suggested mildly.

She grinned and flared her horn, her aura barely visible in the last rays of the afternoon as her hair and eyes turned back to their regular shades. “You really like this, don’t you?” she said, giving her human mane a toss.

“I like it because it’s you,” he said, running his hand through it again. “And if you don’t want to stop there…?” he trailed off meaningfully, even hopefully.

“Oh!” she said as she finally took his meaning, suddenly thinking, but to his surprise, her enthusiasm spiked, then disappeared. “Well, I… really appreciate the thought, Phoenix, greatly, but…” she hesitated.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, sitting up and putting a hand on her shoulder

“Well…” she began. “I kind of want to stay this way right now.”

“Really?” he blinked. Last night you couldn’t wait to get out of it!

“Yeah,” she said. “I guess in part, it goes back to me wanting to play the part of a courting mare and come to you, but there’s also a more… well, practical reason.”

“At that is…?”

She abruptly blushed. “You know how… unicorn auras turn pink when we…?” she couldn’t quite finish the sentence.

He chuckled. “I figured that out pretty early in my stay, Twilight. Like the first day?” he reminded her, causing her blush to deepen.

“Well, yes, but…” she fidgeted a bit. “It has to do with we were originally worried about—whether I was magically affecting you or not,” she began, a bit nervously.

“Okay?”

She visibly gathered herself. “I didn’t really think of this at the time since it’s one of those facts of pony life, but… that change in color isn’t just for show, Phoenix. It’s basically releasing the equivalent of a magical pheromone. One designed to entice and…. arouse… a potential mate,” she told him, a bit embarrassed. “When I’m a human, that effect is greatly muted, but as unicorn, even here… there’s a chance it would affect you and make you do something you wouldn’t otherwise,” she explained, going downcast. “So for now… I don’t want to take the chance.”

“Twilight…” his heart melted again. “Give me some credit. When you offered yourself to me that night after the review hearing, your aura went pink then. I resisted, remember?”

She blushed and nodded. “I’m still a bit embarrassed about that, Phoenix. You bared your heart to me, and I tried to take it right then and there,” she looked away. “It was too soon. I knew it, but I still…” she sat up and wrapped her arms around her legs, going downcast.

“Hey, you said it yourself—you had to try,” he reminded her, rubbing her back. “I didn’t hold that against you and I still don’t, especially after how your friends kept trying to throw us together. Look, I can’t say this enough—human or pony, you’re still Twilight Sparkle, and that’s all the matters to me. So you take whatever form you want. Believe me, I’ll make do,” he grinned, shifting mental gears a bit to admire her human attributes once more.

She smiled in happiness and no little relief. “Thank you. You really know how to make a filly feel good about herself, Phoenix Wright,” she acknowledged, reaching over to give him a quick peck on the cheek. “Then if it’s okay, I think I’d like to stay human for now. Honestly, right here, right now, I’m really enjoying this!” she stretched out on the rock, visibly enjoying the the sun and breeze on her bare skin, coupled with the cool water on her feet.

“More than okay,” Phoenix grinned at her obvious pleasure. “I take it this is what you were in the mood for, then?”

She nodded eagerly, idly splashing the water with her feet. “It is! You were right. Coming here was exactly what I needed,” she pronounced with a happy sigh, lounging back against a rock. And besides, it’s not like there are things we can’t do with THIS form… she felt her human teats start to harden again appreciatively at the thought. Wonder if it’d be okay to…?

“So I was just thinking…” Phoenix broke into a suddenly uncertain thoughts. “You never did tell me… what did your friends think of what happened?” he had to ask. “They’re not… mad at me, are they?”

“Well…” her brow furrowed, surprised by the change of topic. “In all honesty… they didn’t get it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, when I told them about what happened… well, just listen.” She closed her eyes and dimly flared her hidden horn, and Phoenix was startled to hear the voices of her friends.

“Ah don’t get it, Twilight. I mean, if ya liked it and ya liked him, then what’s the problem?” Applejack gave her friend a cockeyed look.

“B-But you don’t understand, Applejack, it’s not that simp— Twilight stammered slightly.

“Not that simple? Not that simple?” The country mare was having none of it. “What can be more simple than having fun ‘cause ya like each other? And what does it matter what body yer in when ya do?”

Rainbow Dash’s voice broke in next. “Yeah, I’m kinda with AJ here Twi. I don’t see what the big deal about him touching your chest is, but hay, if it feels good, I’m all for it!”

“Oooo! Oooo! Was it fun? Did it make you feel good? Huh? HUH?” Pinkie asked excitedly, jumping up and down in front of her.

Twilight shifted uncomfortably. “Well… y-yes, but…”

“Girls, please!” Rarity spoke up. “Twilight is obviously distressed because they moved too soon! But still… though I cannot fathom why men would find teats so attractive, I still think you should be flattered by his attention, Twilight! Human or no, it would seem he can’t keep his hooves off you!” she noted almost giddily.

“R-RARITY!” Twilight exclaimed, suddenly wanting to hide.

“Oh, my…” Fluttershy’s voice came last. “I don’t really understand, but um… I trust Mister Phoenix, Twilight. Don’t you?”

She cut the playback, rubbing her eyes. “There’s more, but… you get the idea. And like Rainbow and Rarity said, they didn’t get why you touching my chest was such a big deal, even after I told them about… these,” she hefted her breasts in her shirt, causing Phoenix to blush. She noted his reaction and grinned, making a show of a squeezing them for a moment, making him squirm. “Guess I can’t blame them, really… I mean, I didn’t get it until you… well…” she looked him in the eye and kneaded them, hard, just as he had.

Phoenix’s face went warm and his pants tight. Be careful, Twilight! “Speaking of things to still feel guilty about…” he looked away, trying to will his sudden excitement away.

Twilight looked over and asked a single word. “Why?”

It took a minute to gather himself, trying to focus on his thoughts and not where her hands were. “Because… despite what Mia said, it felt like I took advantage of you, Twilight. You didn’t know about… that. Didn’t know how your body worked. I did, and yet…” he lowered his head in shame.

She stared at him for a moment. “Phoenix… I’m a big girl. If anything, I led you on,” she reminded him, dropping her hands and moving towards him. “I saw what I was doing to you, and well… I liked it. More to the point, I liked that I was making you like me,” she quickly added. “Male attention is very flattering to a mare, and I don’t think that went away just because I turned human. In fact, I know it didn’t,” she lounged out and shifted towards him a bit, leaning back and propping herself up slightly as if to present her human curves.

Phoenix sensed events creeping up on them again, the two starting to circle each other warily, testing and probing their limits… and each other. “So what happened after you got back?”

She deflated slightly. “In a word… I freaked,” she admitted, causing Phoenix to cringe. “It was so intense it scared me and I didn’t know what to do or think. Didn’t know if you just liked me because I was human, or that was the only reason I came on to you like that,” she shook her head, her eyes going haunted for a moment. “Took Vinyl of all ponies to steady me, and then when I couldn’t sleep I went out to the train station and took the night express to Canterlot to see Celestia.

“I was still really upset when I got there, but… the princess set me straight.” Though maybe ‘straight’ isn’t the right word here… she inwardly conceded, reflecting on their hug and later nap they’d shared, snuggled together in Celestia’s bed. What was perfectly normal and innocuous for them as ponies seemed decidedly less benign when they did it as human women… particularly given some of the blush-worthy dreams that had followed. And in hindsight, I think Celestia knew it all along…

“So, what about you, Phoenix?” she asked, trying to put the discomforting but strangely titillating thoughts of her teacher aside. Surely I’m not now thinking of her like… “I-I mean, from what you said, you talked to… Mia?” Must be nice to be able to summon your mentor’s spirit for advice!

He nodded, somewhat ruefully. “Maya was really upset after you left, and so was I. She wouldn’t even talk to me, and I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror, I was so sure I’d fu… bucked up beyond any hope of making things better with you. Started to write you but couldn’t figure out what I could even say, so I just went home. Didn’t sleep a wink,” he told her, burying his head in his hands as he’d done then, going on to tell her about Pearl’s visit and subsequent channeling of Mia. “So I guess in the end, she ‘set me straight’, same as you…” he rubbed his hand behind his head and gave his goofy grin.

“And Maya?” Twilight asked. “After everything else had more or less settled in my head, I still felt guilty about causing trouble between you. So did Mia talk to her too? I did notice she was acting, if not friendlier, at least a lot quieter this time around…”

He grimaced. “Well…”

Maya sighed as she munched slowly on her fries. She hadn’t touched the burger yet, a fact which would have surprised anyone who knew her well. However, her emotional turmoil led to anything she ate sitting in her stomach like a lead weight. Under the circumstances, she thought it’d be best to get the burger in a take-out box, and save it for later.

Still, she made no move to summon the waiter. It makes no sense! she thought to herself. Why am I so torn up about this?! Do I actually like Nick like… that? She considered the possibility for a moment, before discarding it. No, that’s not it. Then what is it?! I need to get to the bottom of this, or my name isn’t -

“Maya Fey?” came a familiar, wholly unexpected voice.

Maya choked on her next bite of fry, pounding her chest and coughing to dislodge the rogue bit of potato that had sought entry into forbidden areas. Coughing it up, she swallowed it down the proper way, and turned to see one face she hadn’t expected. “P-Prosecutor von Karma?” she croaked, throat a bit sore.

Franziska von Karma smirked. “If my voice alone was enough to cause you to choke, you’ve clearly been left with the right impression of me.” The 18-year-old prosecutor was dressed as she always had: a black, bejeweled vest over a white blouse with puffy shoulders, and black tights with matching heeled boots and skirt for the lower half.

Maya frowned, trying to regain her composure. “You just surprised me, that’s all.” She turned back to her meal, but paused. “Actually, you being here at all is kinda surprising. I thought you’d left the country. That’s what Mister Edgeworth said.”

Franziska frowned herself. “I did leave, for a time. You will understand if I needed some time and distance to sort things out, after everything that happened during that last case.”

Maya shivered slightly. Even now, she remembered the cool gaze of Shelly de Killer, watching her like a hawk as she slowly starved. “Yeah, I guess I understand. You got shot during that case, didn’t you?”

The young prosecutor pursed her lips. “Yes… ultimately, not my finest hour. I despise needing to go to hospitals, or anything of the sort.” She grimaced slightly, rolling her shoulder slowly. “Still, I am not my father. I am not one to wait with a piece of metal embedded in my shoulder for sixteen years.”

Maya flinched slightly. “About your dad…”

Franziska rolled her eyes. “I’m quite aware that what he did was, in the end, wrong. He murdered Gregory Edgeworth over a single black mark on his perfect record. While I am all for pursuing perfection, my father’s actions were nonetheless unconscionable.” She sighed. “In truth, I almost feel better now that he’s out of my life. He was… not the most dedicated father in the world.”

Maya nodded slowly. “Right…well, what brings you back from your little sabbatical?”

Franziska smirked. “Just a whim. I decided I’d had enough time and distance from Los Angeles, despite the pain caused to me.” She took a seat across from Maya and ordered a glass of sweet tea from a passing waiter.

“But why come here in particular?” Maya continued, arching an eyebrow. “This isn’t L.A., you know.”

The prosecutor shrugged. “Crime investigations take me many places, Maya Fey, as you should well know.” She glanced at the young mystic. “As it happens, I’m here working a smuggling case for Interpol—information I will thank you not to divulge. But enough about me, what about yourself? You seem unusually pensive. What happened to the cheerful, upbeat girl I remember from a few months ago?”

Maya sighed, munching disconsolately on a fry. “Well… It’s about Nick, actually.” Don’t know why I’m telling her this, but I could use someone to talk to…

The silver-haired woman smirked again. “Ah, and what sort of trouble has Phoenix Wright landed himself in this time?”

The young mystic sighed again. “Romantic trouble.”

Franziska blinked, and smiled deviously. “Oho, so Phoenix Wright has actually managed to gain a significant other? I must confess, I’m surprised.” She paused, cocking her head. “But why would that bother you? Is Phoenix Wright not your friend? Should you not be happy for him?”

“I should, yes!” Maya burst out, causing Franziska to start slightly. “I know I should be happy for the guy, but… but I’m not! And I don’t understand why! It’s not like I like the guy that way, but—”

“Oh? Your young cousin seems to think otherwise,” Franziska said with a smirk.

“Oh, God, don’t you start,” the young mystic moaned, burying her face in her palms. “Pearly’s bad enough, I don’t need two people thinking Nick and I are ‘special someones’.”

Franziska actually laughed at that. It wasn’t a disdainful laugh, either; it was a laugh of genuine amusement. “Forgive me, it was a jest.” She leaned forward. “So, about this paramour of Phoenix Wright…”

Maya looked up at her. “I never took you for a gossip.”

The prodigal prosecutor sniffed. “Please. ‘Gossip’ implies that I will disseminate this information to others for no reason. I prefer to call it ‘information gathering’, and it is something all prosecutors do.”

Maya actually chuckled at that. “I guess that works.” She looked skyward. “Well… this girl is really bookish. Really smart, practically lives in a library.”

“It would seem the saying ‘opposites attract’ holds a measure of truth, after all,” Franziska mused with a smirk.

The younger girl snorted. You have NO idea… “I guess. Anyway… she’s not just smart, she’s very talented and rather good-looking, too. Nick can’t keep his eyes off her, whenever she’s around.”

Franziska arched an eyebrow. “Off her, or off her…?” She gestured to her own, rather modest bust line.

Maya blushed slightly. “Column A, for the most part.” In an undertone, she added, “His hands, meanwhile…”

Franziska blushed a little as well. “I… see. Are they that far along in their relationship?”

Maya opened her mouth, paused, and rethought her knee-jerk response to the question. “Well… according to both of them, they got carried away on their passions after a little make-out session. But… it kinda hurt, seeing him…” unable to speak their act, she quickly pantomimed what Phoenix had done to Twilight on herself, flexing her hands over her chest.

Franziska nodded, her cheeks flushing a little more. “Yes, well… why did it hurt seeing him having a moment of passion with someone?”

Maya groaned, clutching her head in her hands. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out! I mean, our relationship has been, if anything, like one between siblings. I don’t like Nick in that way! He’s like a goofy older brother, one who’s not very good with modern technology!” she exclaimed, then sighed. “I talked to my sister about this, and I said that I was afraid Nick would leave me for this new girl, but…”

Franziska had closed her eyes as she listened, arms crossed slightly as she sipped at her glass. “While I cannot say I am as close to Phoenix Wright as you are, Maya Fey, I think I know him well enough to say that he would not abandon you so readily.”

Maya nodded, not looking up. “Yeah… that’s what sis told me.”

The prosecutor opened her eyes as she set her glass down. “That said, I believe you’re misidentifying the root cause of your anguish. It isn’t that you are truly afraid of abandonment. That is but a specific branch of your actual fear: change.”

Maya looked up, startled. “Change?”

Franziska nodded and steepled her fingers. “You fear the changes in the status quo that this new girl in Phoenix Wright’s life will bring. You fear that things will not remain the same now that you are not the only female to monopolize his attention.”

Maya puffed up slightly. “Hey! Whaddya mean, ‘monopolize’?!”

Franziska gave a wry smirk. “Come now, Maya Fey, I have done my research. I know that, ever since your sister Mia Fey’s death at the hands of the criminal Redd White, you and Phoenix Wright have worked together on a number of cases. You often channel your sister when things look bleak for him, oftentimes resulting in a turnabout of unheard-of proportions…”

She grimaced slightly. “Speaking as someone who’s been on the wrong side of said turnabouts, I should know.”

Maya frowned. “So, what’s your point?”

“My point, Maya Fey, is that with the entry of a new factor in Phoenix Wright’s life, the situation is changing, and rapidly at that. And that is what you are most afraid of; the fact that things will not remain as they were, no matter how you wish they would,” the prodigal prosecutor explained succinctly. “You fear that you will no longer be ‘special’ in his eyes, and he’ll leave you behind as a consequence.”

Maya’s reflexive denial caught in her throat as she thought about the situation. The more she thought, the more she realized that Franziska had hit the nail on the head. I… I am scared of what the future holds, she thought. I had thought it’d always be me and Nick against all prosecutors who stand against us… but with Sparkle in the picture…

Seeing the sandbagged look on the younger girl’s face, Franziska’s expression softened into something almost approaching concern. “If I may offer some advice, Maya Fey? There’s an old movie quote: ‘Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.’ This downward spiral is quite true, and can only be stopped if our fears and anger are curbed.” She looked down, as if in rueful memory. “If we don’t do so… we may lose sight of what is truly important and end up hurting the ones we care about.”

Maya opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to give voice to her thoughts. In the end, all she said was a single word: “How?”

Her unexpected conversation partner sighed and stood up, finishing off her tea. “If you’re asking how to curb your fear… I’m afraid the answer is rather simple, yet difficult in execution: you must confront your fears head-on, and prove that you can master its hold on you. Only then may you be freed from the shackles that it has put on you.”

Maya thought about that. Confront my fear head-on, huh? Easier said than done, that’s for sure. How do I confront change itself? Out loud, she asked, “When did you become so well-versed in psychology?”

Franziska shrugged. “During my time here, I met a promising young prosecutor who seemed rather interested in the concept of psychology in the courtroom. He taught me a few tricks to identifying problems in others.”

“You’ll forgive me if I don’t go to you with all my problems from now on,” deadpanned the mystic.

The prosecutor chuckled. “As it should be.” She finished her tea and made to leave, throwing some money down on the table, but paused. “There is one thing, though…”

“And what’s that?” asked Maya.

Franziska turned to her, a gleam in her eye. “I’d like to meet the woman who could capture Phoenix Wright’s attention in the way she has.”

Maya was perfectly calm… on the outside. Inside, however, she felt a chill. Franziska meeting Sparkle? This can’t end well…

Music: The Flow of Life

“… So in the end, Mia spoke to her, privately,” Phoenix finished. “I don’t know what they said, aside from when voices got raised once or twice…” he winced again at the memory of Maya’s yell, “but afterwards, she came out and apologized to me for the way she acted. Said she’d ‘been a brat’ and it was our business what we did and nobody else’s.”

“I see…” Twilight acknowledged, wondering if would do any good for her to talk to Maya herself. Sure would like to know why she’s so jealous of me… she’s not interested in Phoenix herself, is she…? “And what did Mia tell you?” she wanted to know, rolling over on her belly and propping her face on her hands, her legs bent into the air, noting he was once again having trouble looking at her, his eyes darting down her loosened blouse front and then onto the curves of her rear.

Grinning, she took pains to call attention to them a bit more, magically popping her topmost blouse button and bending her lower legs upward, crossing them at the ankles, letting the wind take hold of her skirt.

Phoenix fidgeted, noting again her ample human cleavage and that her skirt was billowing up in the breeze, showing the barest hint of what ponies called ‘flank’. “That she thought it was wonderful that I was finally seeking love again and didn’t think I’d done anything wrong.” But the only opinion that really matters here is YOURS…

Twilight stared at him a moment more, considering her response carefully. In her mind, he hadn’t, of course, but wasn’t sure of the best way to convince him…

And then it hit her. The perfect way. It was heady, it was naughty, it was something far more meaningful than mere words… and perhaps even an answer worthy of Celestia herself.

She closed her eyes and smiled, licking her lips once as she sensed the time was finally right. Well, Princess… maybe it’s this form, or maybe you’re being a very bad influence on me, but I think YOU of all ponies would appreciate this… she took a deep breath, trying to still her suddenly racing heart, blood surging throughout her body along with sudden, intoxicating excitement. It’s time!

“Phoenix…” she knelt on her knees in the soft moss before him and took his hand in her own.

“Y-yes?” Phoenix instantly picked up on her change of tone and posture.

Instead of speaking, she looked him in the eye as she raised his hand to her lips and kissed his fingers lightly… before moving it to her chest and pressing it against the soft curve of her human breast, sighing in pleasure as she did so.

Phoenix’s breath caught and eyes went wide, his hand trembling against her, fingers automatically flexing, drinking in her curve and desperately resisting the desire to knead it, to free her human flesh and explore it fully. “Tw-Twilight…” he barely croaked.

Her purple eyes shone brightly along with her hidden horn, its outline starting to glow pink. “Phoenix… what we did that night…” she whispered silkily as she suddenly shifted against him to take the position she had before, leaning back against him as he lounged against a rock, her now-pink aura holding his hand to her.

“I loved it. I couldn’t deal with it then, but I can now,” she promised him. “This isn’t like before. No Maya, no Vinyl, no deadline… and no regrets. Let’s finish it,” she invited him huskily, dropping her hands to her sides again.

It took all of Phoenix’s willpower to not take her up on the offer immediately, trying to override his pounding heart and rapidly tenting shorts, already pushing against her. “Are you sure…? Is this what you w-want?” he asked shakily, already knowing it was very much what he wanted… and his will to hold back was now hanging by a thread.

Her only response was to magically pop her topmost blouse buttons and push back hard against him, feeling the growing bulge in his pants, her aura bathing him, enticing him. “As long as it’s what you want…” she told him, fraying the thread further. “But if it is…

She turned her head and whispered softly in her ear. “Show me what it is to be a woman, Phoenix Wright.”

Almost moving of their own accord, his hands immediately went to work, his left squeezing and kneading her breast where it lay, feeling the teat rise to hardness beneath his palm, his fingers brushing along the edges of her bra and open blouse front. His right began ranging freely over the rest of her, caressing her belly and hip before flaring out over her right leg, going down nearly to her knee to find the bottom of her skirt, pulling it up as drew his fingers slowly along the inside of her right thigh.

She shivered and gasped as his hands went to work, squeezing her eyes shut to drink in the sensations and delicious feel of her human body being explored. marveling again at how having clothes made things even more heated as his hands worked under them, exploring her normally private areas. Her breathing starting to come harder as her teats reached full hardness—and the fingers of Phoenix’s left found them in turn—she squirmed in his lap as she felt his right hand pass tantalizingly close to her human marehood, near enough that Phoenix could feel the warmth and wetness radiating off it, trying to draw him in.

She had suppressed her aura as much she could to that point, but it finally broke free, her ethereal horn now glowing bright pink, tendrils of magic reaching out to clutch his hands to her, trying to embed them more firmly in her hungry flesh. Even muted by her human form and the non-magical world around her, her released magic heightened his own feeling and desire, calling him to her, feeding his arousal with her own. Phoenix dimly realized this but increasingly lost in the moment, didn’t care, wanting to finally know her… pleasure her… give her the first time she so badly wanted…

The first time she so badly deserved.

“T-Twilight… he called her to her as he bit down lightly on the nape of her neck, right hand joining his left just long enough to push her bra up and knead her bare and beautiful human breasts together, exposing their sensitive surfaces to the cool breeze and his waiting fingers. Remembering a trick he’d once been taught, he reached down to dip his hands into the pool water, dribbling some water on the surface of her teats and then letting the breeze go to work on them, blowing on them as well for good measure.

“Ph-Phoenix…” Twilight shuddered in response as she felt the already-exquisitely sensitive flesh of her human teats tighten further, tingling fiercely as she arched her back to press her chest more firmly to his waiting hands. “Don’t… stop… now…” she managed through gasping breaths, propping herself on her hands while her aura began to work on him in return, threads of magic starting to reach inside his clothes, feeling him up from the inside.

Surprised, Phoenix paused as her power found and freed his manhood, popping open his fly and zipper so his organ could spring free. Shifting on his lap, her hand went to it, grasping and squeezing it for the first time; it was all he could do not to climax on the spot. NO! Not yet! he held it back desperately even as she began to stroke him, seemingly trying to get sense of his size and shape even though she couldn’t see it. N-not until she’s…

Leaving his left hand where it was, working her breasts, he dropped his right to her waist, slipping it inside her waistband and slowly reaching down her crotch, running his fingers over the top of her thin panties. She stiffened as he got closer to her waiting mare—er, womanhood—she retained just enough cognizance to correct herself, her body tensing and hand on his shaft stilling, awaiting his penultimate touch.

She did not have long to wait. “Ah!” she called out as his fingers gently stroked her slit over her panties, pressing gently at its top, causing her vision to momentarily blur. “I…. th-that’s…” was all she could manage as he slipped a finger beneath her sodden undergarment and found the sensitive lips themselves. She opened her just eyes long enough to look down her body, seeing her bared chest, one hand working her breast and the other inside her skirt, a suggestive bulge against her crotch and shivered at the sight of human hands—Phoenix’s hands—against her, pleasuring her.

Without releasing his shaft, she shifted just enough to kiss him, their lips meeting and tongues joining, mouths performing a mating all their own. ”Phoenix…” she called out again as she felt something very powerful rising up within her, about to claim her. “I’m g-going to…” her words were lost in a final kiss as Phoenix inserted a finger partway inside her, meeting but not pushing past a sudden barrier, rubbing the nub of her clit with his thumb while pinching her nipple between the thumb and forefinger of his left hand.

She arched her back and cried out as her virtual horn exploded in a shower of magical glitter like a fireworks fountain, raining down around them. The magic of the moment and released magic of her orgasm triggered Phoenix’s in turn, his hips bucking and malehood erupting in her grasp, spurting his seed all over them both.

Twenty miles away, the still-human Celestia was lying naked on a padded table surrounded by scented candles and oils, getting a very sensual massage. Her eyes, which had been closed in pleasure as her lover’s practiced hands worked all areas of her body in turn, popped open at a sudden, distant but powerful magical burst. She reached out with her awareness to check the source, then smiled.

“My darling Tia…” her paramour asked from where he was straddling her from above, not relenting his efforts on her shoulder even as he leaned over to kiss her head. “Is anything wrong?”

“Nothing at all, my love,” she assured him, feeling her heart warm. Congratulations, my student… she mentally called out. Welcome to a new world!

Author's Notes:

Hey folks. What else can I say, except... it begins! I'm big on teases, but also on payoff. I'll make you wait a bit, but I'll also try to make it worth it in the end.

This is, however, the last chapter I have lined up. I haven't started the next one yet, so there will be a delay before the next one. Hopefully this will tide you over. Plenty more coming... but first I have to resolve a remaining matter with NeoArtimus. There will be one more blog post coming regarding the Turnabout Storm novelization, and this one will be considerably less conciliatory...

Thanks as always to the writing and reviewing crew of Leo Archon, AJ_Aficionado, EbonHaste and James CyberLink. As always, Leo wrote the Maya scenes--I think Franziska's appearance was brilliantly executed--and changes/additions were made to this chapter based on the feedback of all.