Luna clopped on the door, but there was no reply. With a frown, she knocked all the harder. "We do not mean to intrude, but this is a matter that will not wait." She wasn't about to leave such a place with such a feeling as if nothing were going on.

The door opened suddenly, revealing a tall and graceful gem pony that looked her over appraisingly. "You are quite large. Easily I would deign you as a horse in a land of ponies."

Luna blinked at that greeting. "That is a truth, as rude as it is stated. Who are you and where is the owner of this building? One Tabitha or Easy Glider, if I am informed correctly."

"She's busy," said the slender pony as if bored. "The Caretaker will be ready come the morrow. It is not my duty to give lodging until then."

Every word that came from the lips of the pony irritated Luna. It was worse than even the average pony of that city. She did not just simply ignore her status, but seemed to actively rebuff it. "Do you know who I am?" She seemed to be asking that a lot recently.

"I care little for the title of those who have naught to do with me. Good day." She started to close the door, but paused. "I do adore your accent." The door closed.

Luna went red in the cheeks. The nerve! She felt the urge to shout her name and title, but screaming at a door meant little but looking foolish. That was surely the room Coco had indicated and she did not seem to have a deceitful bone in her small body. What was going on? She could smash the door to so many pieces...

But that may unleash whatever power the building contained. Any violent act, especially visited on the structure of that strange place, may cause its web of magic to slip just far enough to cause a disaster beyond easy reckoning.

She didn't like it. So, she knocked once more.

The same gem pony opened it a crack. "You are being rude."

"I am afraid this is beyond that." Luna slid a hoof forward to prevent the door from closing. "It is absolutely imperative I see and speak to her. I am Princess Luna."

"Princess of horses," muttered the gem pony even as she backed away. "Enter, Your Highness."

"Will you not give your name?" Luna raised a brow as she pressed into the apartment, her eyes sweeping over the alien appliances. Some of them were easy to identify, others far less so. Their nature was secondary to her goals.

"I reserve that for those I must deal with, for good or ill." She raised a brow. "Will you force that?"

"We will be content if you lead us to our desired target." Luna closed the door behind herself with her magic. "We shan't trouble you further." The less she had to deal with that particular pony, the better. What was she doing there?

"I have already said why that's impossible."

"You have spoken of this," said Luna, her breathing becoming mildly more labored in annoyance. "You have not said why or what. Speak, citizen. We will--"

"I am no citizen of yours," said the crystal pony with a delicate sneer. "Unless there is a law demanding my answer, I choose to not give it."

"Impertinent whelp!" Luna took a step towards the slender pony. "We have endeavored to be polite, but it is a wasted effort where you are concerned. Tell us this moment or suffer our wrath!"

The pony almost flowed backward into a more ready stance, strange magic wreathing around her hooves despite not being a unicorn. "As a favor to the Caretaker, this is your last warning. Depart."

A shield of shimmering light appeared around Luna even as her wings flared. "We will not!"

A door opened, admitting a curious creature. Her hand to her head, she staggered out on shaking hooves. "Sp-- Oh..." The sleep faded from her eyes as she beheld the fight about to occur. "Stop!"

The gem pony glanced towards her and gave a firm tsk. "You're not done, and never will be. The magic is ruined. Very well, what's done is done. Either show me my room or tell me to be gone."

Luna was confused, at least half as much as the new creature seemed to be. "Tabitha?"

"That's me," confessed the creature with a smile. "I think... Spring, what did you do to me?"

"I was uniting pony and human into a pleasing form, but here you are. With her eyes, the magic is dashed, ruined. You will be as you are." She raised a brow. "You should learn to enjoy it, horse lover."

"Stop saying that!" Tabitha clopped a hoof on the ground, then started as if surprised at the sound. "Please tell me what's going on." She looked back over herself. "Why am I a centaur?"

The pony, Spring, rolled her eyes. To one, she was the elf, to the other, a gem pony. "My boon is given. Make your decision. If I remain here, I will obey your laws, if not, I will depart."

Luna shook her head. "This is ridiculous. You did this? Why would she let you--"

"No! I mean... Fine, if you'll follow the rules and pay your rent." Tabitha walked off on unsure legs. Her gait was uneven but not a disaster. For a creature that was not a horse in mobility before, she was doing well. She returned with a key. "We need to write up a new contract."

Luna couldn't believe what she was seeing. "Are thou serious?"

Spring smiled with triumph. "You have exceeded my expectations, Caretaker. There is a strength there, or is that a weakness? Whatever it is, I'm intrigued. Come, let us sign this renewed contract."

All of them left, all three. Luna watched the other two with undisguised amazement. She slid in closer to her target. "You can be rid of this infuriating individual and you would not take it?"

Tabitha was more curious about looking at her changed self. She was the size of a normal pony, which made Luna quite large. Her human portion was the right size to match. She was a pegasus. She was... Easy Glider. At least, if Easy Glider's head and neck were plucked off and replaced with the belly and up of Tabitha the human. She wore her clothing over her upper parts, but nothing over her pony parts, leaving her feeling exposed to sight and casual wind. It didn't feel... right back there, but there wasn't time to look. She had a million questions that would only be answered by mirrors, curious fingers, and some screaming. "I-if she pays her part and follows the rules, fine.

Luna raised a brow. "Does your transfiguration not break these rules?"

Tabitha laughed, a forced sound heavy with hysteria. "Funny that. We never needed a rule about not changing your co-tenants into half-horse abominations..."

"You are no abomination." She had witnessed at least one other creature of similar build, though Tabitha was many times more pleasant than he ever could be. "I would speak to you, once your business is concluded."

They arrived at the office without running into other ponies, thankfully. Tabitha moved behind her desk to discover there was no way she could even dream of using her chair. Another bit of her past, lost forever. She sighed as she shoved it out of the way angrily. It was like a path she'd already walked past. She couldn't go that way anymore. She pinched her nose a moment before she dug out one of her rental agreements. Quickly she added a line about not using magic on other tenants or staff without their consent before she filled in the rest of the form. "Sign this and the room is yours, provided you pay of course."

"Of course," agreed Spring. She took the paper, scanned over it. She scowled a little at the latest rule, but she did sign it and slipped it back. The key was surrendered and she turned to leave. "We are now distant, Caretaker, but you have captured some of my interest. I will be watching."

Once Spring had left, Luna moved to take her place, a pony on either side of the desk. "You are Tabitha, correct?"

"Tabitha, Easy Glider, take your pick." Tabitha grunted softly with annoyance as she glanced back at her protruding horse part. She had so many questions. "Look, um, Princess? I have a lot on my mind, really. I don't want to be rude, but--"

"We understand. You are standing quite well for your situation. Let us focus on what can't wait. This building is practically alive with chaotic energy. Discord himself would revel to walk these halls. I feel tendrils reaching into the ether, touching where nothing should."

Tabitha perked up, just noticing that she didn't have horse ears. One thing to be thankful for. That and fricken hands. Thank all the various gods for fingers! She had noticed a few odd things... "Are you going to hurt her? The building that is."

"We would prefer not... You and this building have caused no harm to Equestrian citizens." She raised a brow. "Which you both are and are not in a very curious case. Tell me, why can I see your form truly, but not that of Spring? That is her name, yes?"

"You can see me?!" Tabitha hopped to her hooves and almost toppled from the sudden movement. "Shit!" She scurried over to a mirror on the wall and saw she could see the centaur looking back, but that was the same centaur Luna saw. "Can you see this?" She focused and slowly got one of her wings to reach out slowly, stretching wide.

"Yes, we see your left wing extending. Should we not?"

Her illusion was destroyed. What ponies saw is what she was... which was a freak. Tabitha sagged with defeat, wondering how those she'd already met would react to their friend suddenly sporting a human out of her former neck. There was no way that would end well.

"I apologize for sounding brusque. Our sympathies are squarely with you. You are the victim of powerful and careless magic, but this matter could affect many more than you." Luna rose to her full height. "You are clearly doing your best to manage things. Will you continue that?"

"O-of course, yeah." Tabitha turned to face Luna. "This building's been in my family for generations. I won't give it up now." Even if she gave up her sanity for it.

"Good. I will send another who can stay here. They will follow the same rules and pay the same rent, but they will be tasked with keeping an eye on this... nexus. Please, don't hesitate to call on them. They will have my ear directly, and will be a talented magic user besides. I trust this is acceptable?" Luna knew she was being pushy, but it was a grave matter that needed immediate action. She'd feel so much safer with someone she could trust being nearby and on the case.

Tabitha gave a weak wave. "Come Monday, we'll start having more and more rooms open. If they follow the rules and pay their rent, sure. Do I need to do anything with them?" Her voice had a shocked tone to it. She was falling into an emotional abyss. It was too much, too fast. She was trying to be too brave, and it was breaking her.

Luna didn't like it. She didn't know Tabitha very well, but she didn't want to see her collapse. "You have friends, do you not? Please, I implore that you see them."

Tabitha gave a sound like a laugh and a sob mixed together. "Most of them wouldn't recognize me..."

"Have faith in them. Your face remains what I recall from the dream. You will not be shunned. Please."

"I'll try," she said in a small voice, starting to shake all over.

Author's Notes:

Welcome to your new body!

Sorry, you didn't go for the extended warranty, so no typos are covered.