Ponid-21-C

by David Silver

First published 5th of April, 2020

She worked from home most of the time anyway, being forced to do so seemed like not that big of a deal. When the chance to help end the outbreak was presented, she went for it, and got back more than a footnote in history in return.

She worked from home most of the time anyway, being forced to do so seemed like not that big of a deal. When the chance to help end the outbreak was presented, she went for it, and got back more than a footnote in history in return.

Based on the art series: https://derpibooru.org/search?q=ponid-21%2C+-explicit%2C+-questionable

Keywords: Transformation, Slow, Human to Not, Set on Earth

This story will have weekly 4k updates!

1 - Containment Breach

I slid around the corner, my body conforming to it like water for the instant I went around it, springing upright the moment I was past it. Bright red lights were strobing and a strange omnipresent alarm was making an electronic noise that wasn't really a siren, but was clearly an alarm of some kind. Despite it, I felt no particular worry.

With a low clop-clop, I walked forward, each step different in my ears. One hoof was cloven, the other the clack of sharp claws. One was thicker and had a dewclaw, and the other did not. I was no longer much good at matching left to right across my body. Even my eyes were different colors, though considering how many other things didn't match, it was perhaps a mercy that it followed the trend.

Despite all the mismatches, my gait was easy. I was balanced, smooth even. "Now where is everycreature hiding?" I called out, my tongue curling a little as a little smirk appeared on my face. "The hiding part of hide and seek can only last so long. I will find you."

The clean halls of the medical facility offered little cover to my sweeping gaze, but there were--oh, no, there was someone, several someone's. The elevator door chimed with a simple beep before sliding open, revealing three men in full body armor. Two of them had billy clubs, the third had a gun. A stun gun?

They saw me, not like I was hiding from them. "Return to your room," shouted one of them as they spilled out of the elevator in a hurry, fanning out as if to surround me.

"I'm in the middle of playtime," I casually dismissed, my red scaled tail flicking behind me. It was still odd at times to think I had one of those, but, in perspective, it was perhaps the least odd thing about it all. "You can try asking a lady more politely than shouting at her like that. You're sending a bad message."

The one with the gun raised it and fired with barely a pause between. A loud pop echoed in the hard-walled area we were in and the barbs were flung at me with almost sonic speed. As I began to dodge out of the way, it struck me.

I hadn't explained who I was, or what I was, or any of that. How rude I was being. Let's start from the, well, start. The beginning, that fateful day when the dominoes began to fall and led to this situation.

I was in front of my standard PC, typing busilly on a standard keyboard with normal human fingers clacking away at the data entry that was my life. Check and double check what had been given, enter it into the proper columns, upload and verify, repeat. This was much of my life, and I was alright at it. I was at home, a place I did that from more often than not.

More and more often since the outbreak. Shelter at home, work from there if you could. Well, I could, so I did. At least I didn't have to worry about money. A television played to the right of me, offering some noise to keep me company.

"Infections continue to spread at an alarming rate with cases doubling every three days. The CDC strongly recommends staying home unless you absolutely need to go outside for food or exercise."

"Vaccines are being developed as a #1 priority, with human testing scheduled to begin any day. Our contacts report they hope to have it ready for the public within 6 months."

I glanced over at that just in time to see a needle being drawn from the frame. Stock footage likely. A commercial break, and it wasn't trying to sell me something. They were doing clinical tests for the vaccine they had just mentioned. A phone number was displayed, a local one in my area code.

"Lauren," I told myself. "Why not help out people?" It wasn't like I didn't have the time, and I hadn't gotten sick. I jotted down the number and got back to work. "Hey, Google?" My phone chimed softly in reply. "Call 555-6219." It calmly noted that it was calling that very number, and it began to ring.

An actual human picked up, startling me mid-entry and forcing me to restart that bit. "Oh, hello. I thought I'd hit a menu before any people picked up."

"I get that a lot," laughed a man on the line. "Hello. How can I help you?"

"Well, I just saw a thing on the TV." I was still typing as I talked. The phone was no excuse to be lazy. "You're testing the vaccine and were looking for healthy volunteers. I'm a healthy woman in the area who'd like to see this virus go back to where it came from."

"Great! Why don't you come in..." I could hear papers shuffling, then some clicks. A mouse or a keyboard? "Are you available tomorrow?"

"I can be. What time and can you give me an address?" With a quick combination, I tabbed out of the work to an open wordpad to jot some notes. He provided the time and place. "Thank you, got it. I'll be there. Do I need to bring anything with me?"

"Your ID would be preferred, legalities. Other than that, just you. See you tomorrow. Oh, my name's Doctor Miller. I should be here when you arrive." Another few clicks. Definitely a mouse. "Did you say you were local?"

I plugged the address into a map site and laughed aloud. "You're about five blocks away. Oh, my name's Lauren."

"Lauren, it'll be nice to meet you. Since you're so close, you can even go right home afterwards."

That got a brow quirk from me. "Can you normally not?"

"Though the odds are quite low of it, we don't want any bad reactions hurting people too far away for us to reach. We'll exchange contact information and you can enjoy the comfort of your own home. Thanks for helping."

"You're welcome," I barely got out before the line went dead and the phone flashed the time the call took. I had a date, with science.

I pulled into a spot just outside the facility. It was like a hundred other medical buildings I'd ever seen. Unassuming with a sign out front declaring it as such. I locked the car with a button press and made my way inside, the wind of the day fluttering through my sweat pants. I was not feeling fancy that day, or much any day since I was forced to just stay home all the time.

Who was I being fancy for? Of course, as I started to see other people dressed properly, self-consciousness began to return with a vengeance. I was criminally underdressed. "Too late now," I muttered to myself, elbowing the door open to avoid putting my hands on the bar and slipping inside.

There were about six people sitting in the waiting room. Each was spread out from the next. Social distancing was in effect, I quickly noted on my way up to the counter. "Hi, I'm Lauren. Doctor Miller's waiting for me?"

"Let me see." I could hear her rattling quickly on her keyboard that was hidden behind the counter and her monitor. "Here we are. Go on to room 105." She pointed the way. "You have your ID?"

I did and dug it out for her to see, attached to my phone as it was. She took it from me and copied some of the information down before offering it back. "Thank you."

"Thank you," I echoed, heading out of the waiting room. Were the other people there for medical reasons? Besides clinical trials, I meant. There were few hints given about it, and they probably didn't want me prying into their business, so I didn't. I focused on trying to walk professionally, as if that could hide the fact that I was basically dressed in my jammies.

Opening the door revealed not a checkup room, but what looked more like a doctor's office. He had a desk he was seat at, looking up at me. "Hello. Lauren?" He was already rising, thrusting a hand at me before suddenly stopping partway out and drawing it away with an awkward smile. "Habits die hard. Now, thank you for coming in today. This shouldn't take long, but there is a little paperwork involved."

"Doctor Miller," I replied, shaking the air between us as if I had held his hand, which I did not. "Disclaimers and things, I bet?"

"Got it in one." He sat back down and grabbed a clipboard, popping it up at an angle towards me. "It's not long, thankfully."

I took it and claimed the only other chair there. Name, address, gender, ethnicity, do you agree to not sue us if everything goes horribly wrong, the usual. Thankfully, there was a note saying that if something did go wrong, they would cover that. Good. I wasn't up for working with some shady people ducking responsibility for what they were doing. I signed my name at the bottom and dated it. "So, will this really fix it?"

"It won't do a thing for people who already have it," he corrected, taking back the board. "But, assuming it works, it means more people don't have to suffer through it. A quick shot and enjoy the immunity. Hopefully, it'll be lifelong, but we can't be sure of that until we test, which is what you're here for today."

"Right. So..." I rolled up one of my sleeves and turned to offer the exposed arm. "Now we get to the part where I get jabbed, for science."

"For science," he half-laughed, but it was that time. He got out the needle and poked it into a bottle, withdrawing some fluid into it, mostly clear with a faint pinkish hue to it. "I may not be a nurse, but I know how to use this. It'll be over in just a moment. You may feel a bit light-headed after injection and we recommend you stay put for at least an hour before going home."

Is that what those people in the front were doing? That made more sense. A soft prick was the signal that I had been needled. A strange coolness rushed down along my arms and back up towards my chest, and then, gone. "That wasn't so--" The room began to spin and I fell sideways into the chair, clutching weakly as I tried to ride it out.

"It's alright." I could hear the needle being set down. "It passes quickly if you don't pass out."

I could have passed out?! Well, I hadn't. The vertigo began to fade and I sat up, huffing for breath a little. "That has a hell of a kick! Is that something you plan to work on?"

"If we can. But even if we can't, if it's effective, would a moment of vertigo be reason enough to not use it?" He backed up from me, nodding softly. "You're looking better. How do you feel?"

Besides a faint bump where he had jabbed me, I was intact. Standing up, my balance seemed returned. I pulled my sleeve back down. "All better. So, what happens next?"

"You check in, daily. Do you have a computer?"

Did I have a computer?! My amusement must have shown on my face. He sat at his desk. "Give me your email." Which I did and he typed. "I'm sending you an email now. Reply tomorrow and every day with an update. I've attached a PDF for you to fill out. After two weeks, we'll need you to come back in, assuming nothing makes us want to do it earlier than that."

"So go home, live, work, and do the usual things. I just have to add updating the PDF to the daily checklist and I'm doing my part?"

"That's it. Easy."

It wouldn't be easy.

Author's Notes:

Welcome to a new story! Our protagonist was just given a little shot that will flip her whole world upside down, and nobody is around to rap about it for her. Rude... This is being done for a lovely patron, and will be a slow burn, so enjoy the process!

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2 - Day One and Two

I woke up with a stuffed up nose. Thankfully, I had a box at my computer that I pulled from to keep from being too snotty as I worked. My assignments did not pause on account of sniffles! I brought up the workload, logging into my work network and getting right into it.

My computer at work's monitor was off, as it usually was. I liked imagining sometimes that it was on, that people wandering past might see the ghost employee working so busily on windows that flickered in and out and numbers and data flowing in with no person there to do it. I was the ghost in the machine!

News was playing, offering some background noise for the whole thing. A naval ship was getting more and more cases of the disease even as they tried to disembark the ship. Why couldn't they just walk the people off, I didn't know. Most of my attention was on the datasets I had to get right.

A sudden cough interrupted me, my face turning to stuff my chubby checks into my elbow, not that there was anyone else in the house to even possibly infect with whatever was bothering me. What was bothering me? I hadn't been sick the day before. The shot? That was ludicrous. Even if it was filled to the brim with the plague, I wouldn't start showing symptoms that fast, right?

Heck, the biggest problem with the current disease was how long it took to go from 'you have it and can spread it' to 'oh, and you notice something's even wrong'. It had to be something I had before the shot. Maybe a normal flu, or just the classic cold, there to bother me and reduce my productivity.

A lone cough and some sniffles wasn't going to stop me. I gathered myself and got back to work. I won't bore you with the data I was busy entering. Besides, there were confidentiality agreements on it and even if I want to share this story with you, breaking the rules of my work don't have to be included, as if you needed to know that part anyway.

You'll have to settle with learning about little me instead. With the morning's workload out of the way, I checked my email for updates. Oh, there was Doctor Miller's letter. Right, I was supposed to update that PDF. I downloaded it and opened it up to have a look. I went ahead and filled out the parts that wouldn't be changing. I had no plans to get my name switched in the coming days, or my address. Those I filled out and saved, then made a copy to do the first day with.

These are the data entry tips you came for, I imagine. Either way, I waffled about how I was feeling. It couldn't be the shot's fault, right? Would putting my sniffle down contaminate the results? With a soft grunt, I pushed ahead. Honesty. Lying on medical reports for a study sure sounded like a bad idea all things considered and I went ahead and wrote exactly how I was feeling.

Temperature? I stood up and made my way into the bathroom where the thermometer was kept and that's when I saw it. One of my eyes was a bright yellow outside and vibrant red on the inside. That was not how I went to sleep the night before, I swear! I squealed in shock and jumped back, just to slowly expose the changed eye to the mirror. Yep, there it was, almost taunting me to try and hope it was fake again.

The strangest part, to me, was that it didn't hurt. I could see through it just fine. Hell, I'd been doing my work with one of my eyes looking like... that, and didn't even notice until I had a good look at it. The other eye was perfectly normal and unchanged, healthy as can be. Did I catch some kind of nasty version of pink eye? Was that what had given me my runny nose and cough? That would... explain part of it.

Still, temperature, right. I grabbed the thermometer and fled that mirror. What lousy timing, I swear. I popped the thermometer under my tongue and sat down at my computer to add my eye condition to the report. While I was doing that, I went ahead and noted my suspicion, that I had caught some other secondary illness that was throwing things off. I wasn't a doctor, they'd get to puzzle through that, but at least I could share my opinion for what it was worth.

I didn't think you could mess up being a clinical study, really. And yet, there I was doing it. A soft beep informed me the thermometer had its result and I pulled it out to have a peek. 99 degrees. That was definitely a fever, but a mild one. That could be a reaction to the vaccine, or whatever crazy variety of pink eye I was experiencing. Either way, I noted it down on the sheet.

It asked a lot of other things that weren't terribly relevant. No, I wasn't experiencing any digestive problems. No, no problems breathing, thank God. Basically a check list of symptoms of the primary disease, which I was thankfully not showing too much of outside of the cough that came and left. A mild cough at best. All dutifully written down. I saved the file and attached it to a reply to the doctor.

Here's the first of the daily updates. Since I'm here, do you know anything about the eye thing? Do I have pink eye? That has light sensitivity, right? I don't think I have that, and I can still see clearly. If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have known it was a thing at all. I know you're not, technically, my general practitioner, but you are a doctor, so I figured I'd ask.

Thanks,
Lauren

I hit send. Day 1 of clinical duties, complete! I hummed a little victory song to myself as I went to the next email in the queue needing digging through.

A different kind of music began to play. Someone was calling me on the computer. I hit answer reflectively and the smiling face of a friend appeared, but that smile faded almost instantly. "What happened to you?!" came the alarmed cry of my lady friend.

"I'm fine!" I pulled out a little mirror to make sure I hadn't grown a second head from the way she had reacted.

"Your eye! That looks... bad. Girl, have you gotten that looked at?" She was leaning in close to her screen, making her closer to the camera. "Look at me."

"Cindy, you're overreacting." I did look at her though, or more specifically I faced my webcam and leaned in towards it, giving her a good look at my yellow and red eye. "Doesn't hurt. I can see just fine."

"That's not normal," firmly insisted Cindy. "Tell me you're already talking to a doctor about that."

"I am, actually, but that's not what you called for, right?" I sat back in my seat and brushed the thermometer to the side with the tissues. "What's up?"

"Just checking in on a friend," she assured with a little smile returning. "I was hoping seeing your happy face would remind me not everything in the world is falling apart." Well, that had been ruined. "It doesn't hurt at all? It looks..."

I reached up and tapped the side of my head, basically tapping the eye where only the eyelid was keeping my finger from touching the orb itself. "Not a bit of pain, I promise. Here." I closed my unchanged eye. "Alright, test me."

She held up two fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Two. See, working just fine. No tears, no pain, just sniffles." I reached for a little bag of nuts I kept. Battle supplies, just the thing for a hard day's work.

"If you're sure," she allowed with little confidence in her voice. "Do you have a dry cough? Can you breathe alright?"

"Eye color changes are not on the Covid symptom list," I firmly noted with a bit of a smirk. "I do have a little cough, but just a little. Hey, you know they're testing a vaccine for that right now?"

"Right now?" She seemed surprised. "So fast! Amazing how much science gets done when the entire world decides it's worth spending money on. Call me back when it's actually out there. So... you sure you're alright? Want me to bring over some soup?"

I smiled at that. Cindy really made some fine soup. "I would be delighted to have a big bowl of your soup any day, sniffles or not. So how are you doing? Keeping inside?"

"It's driving me crazy, but yes." She reached to prod the camera, her finger dominating the view a moment. "If it wasn't for the Internet, I would have gone loopy already. The inside life is not my life. How do you handle it?! Don't you want to talk to people?"

"I love talking to people." In limited doses. "We're talking right now." I smiled at her, hopefully in a comforting way. "We'll get through this, my lovely extrovert. When this is over, you can drag me out to something loud and busy, since you've given my lifestyle such an earnest try."

"I will hold you to that," she warned, wagging a finger at me. "But, today, you're getting soup, and I have an excuse to step outside this house. I'd give you a hug, but..."

Well, really, there were many good reasons for us not to hug that day. I obviously had something, and there was the disease making the rounds. Social distancing and all that. "No hugs today. Soup, on the other hand. I'll gladly accept that."

"And soup you will have." She stood up, giving me a fine view of her shirt-covered belly and little else before she turned and left the frame entirely. "I'll get right on that. A little of momma's special recipe will chase away the creepy crawlies and put a smile right on those pinchable cheeks of yours."

Those pinchable cheeks warmed with a blush. "Hey..." So I was a little chubby. I worked from home much of the time even before it became cool. I wasn't an athletic or trim person. That didn't mean my friends had to make fun of it.

"You know I love them, and the rest of you. Now you sit back and wait for me to stop by. Oh, shoot. I forgot to hang up and I'm already in the next room. Could you do it?" I could hear the sounds of her preparing things. Pots, metal striking metal. A fridge opened and closed. She was in her cooking element.

"See you when you get here," I said even as I pressed the hang up button, terminating the call. At least lunch would be thoroughly handled! It was good to have friends, even if I didn't feel the urge to party loudly with them.

The rest of the email was fairly normal. Donate to this, click this. Buy that! Alarming news! Speaking of that, the news was still playing in the background. Oh, there was Trump giving an overview of what the federal government was doing. Then there were governors saying the federal government wasn't doing enough. Clearly, nobody involved was terribly happy. They'd stopped talking about this all breezing over by Easter, so there was that.

At least I didn't live in New York, poor people. Maybe the vaccine I was testing would work great and then everyone would get it and we could put it all behind us with only a major recession to worry about! That'd be a step up, right? Still, at least I knew I was doing my part. I was staying inside, keeping calm, and even allowing doctors to poke me with strange chemicals that could maybe help.

A sudden knocking woke me from my thoughts. I got up quickly and did a little dash to the door. Peeking through the window in it, I could see Cindy outside, but she was not at the door. She had already backed up a small distance on the sidewalk leading away from my door. I opened it with a bright smile. "Cindy!"

"Laura!" We exchanged a hug. In the air. We remained quite separated. "Now you go eat that up and don't leave a drop behind." She pointed towards my feet where a big plastic container rested, probably with the soup. Could you even call it a soup? The soup she made was jam packed with stuff. More of a stew? It wasn't time to argue over the terminology.

I plucked it up and held it close. "You are an absolute darling. Thank you."

"You can thank me by getting better." She blew a kiss and headed back towards the curb where her car was still running. "I'll check in on you tomorrow!"

I waved at her until she had pulled away and was speeding down the road at a little over the speed limit. She was a good friend. I hip-bumped the door shut and made my way towards the living room to set down the soup, then went and got a big bowl and poured out much of the soup into it. It was time to enjoy some soup made with love.

And you really could taste her love. Mmm, love was mildly spicy, definitely savory, and just so, so good. It's like magic, that soup she can make. I just forgot about my sniffles and my cough stayed away until I had savored every little bit of it. I felt so much better, warmer on the inside, and just...

It was really nice having a friend that'd rush to do that for you. Seriously, most people wouldn't, right? Would I rush to do that? Probably not... My cooking was tepid at best. I could remote-order them a pizza! Yes, next friend who seemed upset was getting a surprise pizza.

I put what little remained of the life-giving brew into the fridge, feeling like a new woman. I was cured! My reflection was quite visible in the shiny chrome side of my fridge, that yellow and red eye losing the lines of a happy smile quickly. Well, I wasn't entirely cured, clearly...

Why only one eye? Was that normal? Well, any change of colors wasn't normal, but what affected one eye and not the other? Was this how old people ended up with one cloudy eye? I wanted both eyes, thank you. I returned to my computer but couldn't quite plant myself there. I paced and set my hands on the chair and roamed about it, but didn't sit in it. I was a bit worked up. Can you blame me?

Eventually, I got my butt back in the chair and finished out the day without anything more annoying than the occasional cough. My sniffles did return. It was still great soup.

The next morning, the first thing I did was rush to the bathroom. My left eye was still yellow and red. My right eye, unchanged and as it always had been. I could still see just fine. I even did a little impromptu sight test, covering each and reading small text. The coloration didn't seem to be coming with any pain or lack of vision.

It just looked weird.

I took my temperature, 99.1. That was barely a difference, but I did data entry. You entered it as you saw it. I pulled up a copy of the daily trial PDF and got to filling it out, a little bowl of the remainder of the soup sitting there, being sipped on as I worked.

A typo. Now, I never claimed to be perfect, who is? But it wasn't the first. My typing was just... off. And it seemed to be specific keys. Was my keyboard going? I jammed the w key a few times, no, it responded each time. e e e e, no, that worked too, but when I was typing something that used both, like 'when', I would smash w or e twice instead of when they were called for.

Was I slipping? I was getting worked up over the cough, which I still had, and the eye thing. "Calm down, Laura," I chastised myself, taking a slow breath. "You'll get through this." None of this was lethal. None of this was close to lethal. I couldn't let it get me down and degrade my typing. I needed my typing!

I had completed the daily checkup and went to find the email to reply to. Oh, he had replied. I opened it right up.

Good Day, Lauren,

I got your report, thank you for being prompt with it. I'm sorry you've caught a cold, but can confidently say that you're probably alright on that front. Your fever isn't nearly high enough to launch into immediate concern, but let's keep an eye on that.

Speaking of that, the condition of your left eye is concerning. This isn't an entirely new side effect.

It wasn't? They hadn't told me that! Or had it been in the sense bits of legalese I'd skimmed over while doing my paperwork? They could have saved me a lot of headache and worry by making little things like that clear from the get go. A little hysterical laugh escaped me as I continued reading.

While not harmful, can imply a specific reaction to the vaccine we were hoping we'd gotten rid of.

Oh, lovely. I was the second stage, and the first stage's glitches were still in there. Oh, the scowl I was wearing, but I had to know more.

For your safety, perhaps you should come by sooner than we expected, so we can monitor you more closely and keep you safe. Your health is our number one priority, and I'm not just typing that. If you're reading this, you may have already done the second day's report. Please do send that with any changes. How are you feeling?

How was I feeling? Not so great, if I was being honest, and most of that was focused on what I was just reading.

If you can come back, let me know in the email.

See You Soon,
Dr. Miller

Great, just... great. I got to typing in a reply, my fingers slamming against keys to vent my annoyance, even if the typos kept coming more often than I would have wanted.

Morning,

I did my rweport. EWhy dudmn't you--

I'll spare you from seeing the rest of the typos, but trust me, all over the place. I could see them. I could feel them. I was doing my best to fix them as quickly as they came up.

tell me about the possible side-effects? The eye thing really freaked me out. It scared a friend of mine too (Video call). My typing's down the toilet, but that could be stress. Just adding that here in case? When's a good time to swing by? You have something to put my eye back the way it should be?

Watching For Replies With Both Eyes,
Lauren

I jammed the send button and got back to work. I didn't call in sick. For one, I was already home. For two, whatever was happening with my eyes wasn't enough to not do my part. In fact, I was rapidly growing more annoyed at my typing than my eyes. I even tried meditating, just taking a break to do some calm breathing, listening to beach noises, lighting that stick of incense I had gotten three Christmases ago and never bothered to use. Whatever I tried, it wasn't helping, but it did reveal something.

My middle and ring fingers refused to play nice. They wanted to be closer together. When I really focused on it, I could force them to do what I wanted them to do, but when I was just casually typing, one or the other would slip in the way and the typos would come out in force. Holding up my hands, I could see how the other fingers could spread out wide, but those two, on both hands, were just more comfortable together.

This deserved an update. I pulled up my email and, oh, he had replied again.

Good day,

You should definitely come in. I'll be here all today, if that works? If you don't feel confident, I can have someone by to pick you up instead. If I don't get a reply from you in three hours, I'll try calling the number you left with me. Please reply as soon as you see this and we'll get that taken care of.

Oh, so they did have an answer? Well, thank goodness. With a relieved smile, I hit reply. The timestamps said he had sent it about an hour before that, well before the three hours when he'd assume something awful had happened to me.

Hey, Doctor. I'll come by today then. Sorry if this messes with the trial, but I need my fingers to work! They don't come apart like they're supposed to and it's really messing with my typing speed and accuracy. That's basically my entire job, so I need that fixed.

See You Soon,
Laura

Music suddenly began to play. It was Cindy. I slapped answer and her face appeared. "Hey! Oh, still all freaky eyed. Feeling any better today?"

I smiled. Cindy brought that out of me. "After your soup? How can I not feel better?" I lied, perhaps a little. "Still got the eye thing, but the cough's not that bad, temperature's about the same."

"You drank it all?" she asked, leaning in and getting that 'mom is judging you' look on her face.

I held up the bowl that had held the last of it and ceremoniously slurped up the last little bit of it. "All gone. Thank you, Cindy. Seriously, best part of the day. You are one of the best friends I have."

"I try to be everyone's best friend," she retorted with a smile. "At least the people worth it, which you are. Now you tell your work you're checking out for a day or two and go back to bed."

"Look, relax." I held up a hand, even if two of the fingers were closer than I had planned them being. "I'm going to see a doctor, today even. He'll figure out what's up."

"He better." She crossed her arms. "Don't let them go poking you with experimental drugs or nothin'. I want my Laura back in one piece."

Oops, that bit of advice was at least a few days late. "I'll be careful." Oh, the lies we weave. "Want me to call you when I get back?"

"Yes! Please. As soon as you can, let me know what they say. Before you go getting worried, fretting over you is better than worrying about the big wide world out there. It can take care of itself. I'm here for you, Lauren." I responded to both variations of that name. Laura, Lauren, or even, rarely, Lore. "I'd offer to drive you there myself if it wasn't for this stupid distance thing."

"No need to end up with you getting whatever I have." I grabbed a tissue to deposit some phlegm in. "Aside from what feels like a good cold, I'm still fine. I can breathe, I can type--" Mostly, I kept to myself. "--, and I'm doing my work. Speaking of that, I'll finish that and head over to the doctor."

"Just take care of yourself. Give me a call the instant you get back." She waved at me, fingers wriggling, and she vanished, the call ended.

And get some sleep.

The message appeared in the chat program from her. At least I had friends.

Author's Notes:

Did I mention 4k updates? Because we're doing 4k updates, oh the horror! 2 days down!

Join the special community of folks who like my stories here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

3 - Day Three

I had a feeling it would take more than a brief glancing at, so I came prepared. I was entering the medical building with my phone properly tucked in a pocket. I was wearing actual pants, and even my laptop bag was draped over me. I had everything I needed for a long wait if it came to it. But wait I would! I needed my fingers, darn it all.

It was a different secretary, a man, but he reacted about the same way when I told him what I was there for. "Just that way." Why did my doctor seem to never have a line? The other people there, and there were other people there, were all waiting patiently, but not to get to him. Were they waiting before going home? Were they freshly poked and feeling dizzy?

Would their eyes get weird? Speaking of that, while the people waiting there that had noticed visibly flinched or gawked or just looked away, the secretary didn't seem bothered by it at all. A common side effect, right?

Commonly fixed, I hoped. I went past the front desk and down the hallway I had been down once before to knock on Doctor Miller's door. "It's Laura."

"Laura," came his voice before the door swung open, him standing there and waving me inside. He wore a surgical mask and had gloves on. "You came prepared, but I didn't need you to do any computer work?" He closed the door behind me and turned to me fully. "Let me have a look."

That's when he began peering into my eyes, shining a light into either, making so many little notes in that impossible doctor's scrawl that only a doctor could read. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I have a cold." I spread my fingers, the two in the middle resting closer than the others. "But this is more important. My fingers are my livelihood. Is this also a 'common side effect' and do you have something to fix it?"

"Type D," he muttered under his breath, though he sounded unsure about it. "The other fingers, they move normally?"

I wriggled all of my fingers, even if the two were insisting on being together unless I focused on them. "As normal as can be. Type D?" I didn't like having any types, except maybe a blood type.

He sat at his desk. A loud c-thunk of a click came from the door. "I will explain, but if you would, have a seat, and hear me out until the end."

"I... think you just took that choice away from me." That had taken a sudden turn I didn't like. "Tell me why I shouldn't be dialing 911 right now?"

"You're not a prisoner," he promised. "But you are in a delicate place, and potentially contagious. We want to take complete care of you until it's done."

"Done?" I didn't like the way he said that. "Look, I'm an adult." I sat then, looking at him across his desk. "Just tell me what's going on. Assume I'll understand so long as you keep it to three syllables or less."

"The treatment we're testing is, in part, based on the genes of... That's not important." Yeah, I didn't believe that. "Sometimes, rarely, a vaccine recipient, like you, has a specific reaction. On the positive, you are completely immune to the disease, and most other human diseases for that matter.

I blinked dumbly. What the heck could be happening to me that would make me immune to most diseases? "Because I'll be dead soon and corpses are bad at catching things?"

"Nothing that morbid," he assured with a little chuckle. "You'll still be alive and well."

"Great!" I said in perhaps a bit of a squeak. "So, type D?"

"The reaction can take several courses. The fact that your fingers are affected at all implies one path, that they aren't all affected is another clue. Going into details when we can't be certain isn't helpful. Just know that you're alright." He looked towards the laptop bag sitting in her lap. "Actually, maybe it was a good idea you brought that. We'll help you get online from your room. You'll still be able to talk with your friends. The outgoing bandwidth is limited, so video call sites are filtered. Incoming works great, so it's time to Netflix and Chill a bit."

I was feeling so not chill at that moment. "Worst case scenario, what am I looking at here, Doc?"

"Your body will return to a sort of 'second puberty'. Cells will be broken down as others revert to stem cell state and begin migrating around your body. Over the next month or so, you will grow into the new genetic state that is overtaking you."

That sure... "Wow. That sounds very extreme, if you don't mind my fucking saying." I slapped a hand over my mouth. "Sorry, I don't normally curse, but... damn wow... That sounds like something that'd kill someone."

"Lethality rate for this is well under 1%," he stated with so much confidence I briefly wanted to punch him. "It's... fascinating when it's not you, I admit."

"So have you experienced this?"

"I have not." He pulled out a flat card and slid it across the table towards me. "This is your door key. Think of this as a vacation, on us. We'll be giving you everything you need, at no cost. This possibility was in the contract."

Well, fantastic... "Look, you said I could get online, so I'm not taking a vacation unless I have to."

"That's entirely fine." He stood up. "Let me show you to your room. I know this is an awkward time, at best, but we'll make it through, together."

What was I even turning into? A thousand possibilities danced in my mind as I followed him down new hallways. I was, perhaps, in a state of shock. I wasn't really paying a lot of attention, unable to even get my thoughts in order. Then we were in front of a door with a slot to the side, one of those slot locks you'd see at a hotel. He put the card he had shown me into it, the light turned green, and he opened the door before offering the card to me.

I took it, the key to my new door. "Thank... you? Look, what if I just want to go home?"

"I couldn't allow that, not yet. You're infectious right now." He gestured inside. "Go on, take a look. You'll have free run of the place. There are others like you for you to meet. This isn't a jail, promise."

"Isn't that what they always say just before you're locked up forever?" I tucked the card away, foot sliding to keep the door from closing even if he let go of it. "Who's to say the card will work on the inside?"

He smiled at that. "It's not locked on the inside. You only need it to get back inside again. It also has a physical lock inside if you want privacy. To be fair, there are cameras too, please don't tamper with those. We're monitoring you for your sake."

Ugh... There had to be something... "I don't want this." That wasn't what I meant to say, but it slipped out.

"I'm sorry." He sounded like he meant that, but I couldn't see him very well.

I blinked my eyes clear of what was in the way. Oh, tears. He put a gloved hand on my shoulder. "We'll get through this." And into my room he nudged me, and I wasn't really fighting it at that moment, shaking and lost. "Wi-fi password is on a card by your bed." With a soft click of a latch catching, the door was closed, and he was on the other side.

I shambled, shuffled basically, into the room. It was... kinda nice actually. It had a king-sized bed, a big television, the works. It was just like a nice hotel room, except I was there because I was a menace to everyone around me and may die (Less than 1% chance!). Luxurious... I set my laptop bag down on the bed with a huff.

"Thank goodness I brought you." There was the little desk by the bed. On it was a folded card with a little map of the floor. They had a gym and a cafeteria and a pool. It really was like a hotel, just one I never asked for...

It also had the wi-fi password. I dug out my laptop and powered it up. Soon I was blissfully online. It was working! I could check my email and everything. There was one from Cindy.

You're probably still out, but when you get back, remember to call me!

I pulled up the video client, but it was busy saying it couldn't connect. I flailed at the settings, trying to get it in before I remembered that he had said video chats were not allowed.

I could still email.

Hello, Cindy,

Good news and bad news. Good news! I'm alive, and have less than a 1% chance of that changing.

Bad news, I have a less than 1% chance of dying from this. Also they're keeping me here. Speaking of here, it'd be downright decedent if I wasn't busy being freaked out about what was happening. A bright side. A silver lining? Whatever you want to call it. My typing is not getting better. From the way the doctor went on about it, it'll only get worse from here, but, please, let's email. No video chat allowed.

Freaking Out,
Laura

Good thing I had finished my work for the day, because I was not in the mindset to get anything productive done. It was, indeed, time to put on a movie and just exist for a while. So I did that.

That night, after having had no dinner, I was finally asleep. It wasn't that they stopped me from going to the cafeteria or anything, but I was kind of busy losing myself. Wouldn't you be? So I was watching movies, crying, thumping the pillows, sometimes at the same time. I was a mess.

And, finally, I faded into a fitful sleep. Now, normally, I dream like everyone does, but also forget it pretty shortly after waking up. This wasn't one of those.

Cindy was there. We were at a concert. Had the shutdown ended? She was so happy, and I was happy too, which was odd for me at a concert, but dream logic being dreamy, I didn't question it. The oddest part though was that she was under me. I was throwing my hands in the air like I just didn't care, and she was... below me, as if I was like twice as tall as I usually was.

Someone bumped into me and knocked me off kilter, but I didn't fall. Instead, I was literally knocked off balance, floating there, in the air. I looked down and couldn't really make out the details of my body, dream logic, but I knew I was floating, somehow. "Watch where you're going!" I shouted. Cindy laughed.

I woke up.

First thought, panic. That wasn't my room! Oh, right, hospital/laboratory... thing... I got up onto my still-shoed feet and realized that I really needed to change, and I had no change of clothes. Well... First thing's first. I went to the bathroom and clicked on the light. There was that eye, yellow and red. My other eye was still nice and normal.

I held up a hand, my rebellious hand. I tried to spread my fingers wide, but the two stubborn ones didn't split, even when I focused on them. I reached for my left hand with my right, trying to manually separate them, but they were almost stuck, as if I was trying to do some strange new stretch. I quickly gave up, breathing a little hard. What the heck was I turning into that didn't have five functioning fingers?

"Good morning," came a female voice from the door. "Housecleaning, can I come in?"

Did I mention that place was like a hotel? It felt more and more like it... "Uh... come on in?"

The door swung open and a cart rolled in before a person pushing it came into view. She was dressed in a full hazmat suit! "Good morning," she repeated, muffled by the suit she wore. "I'll get to cleaning up. Why don't you get breakfast and I'll be done by the time you come back?"

I was about to question that when my body helpfully reminded me that I hadn't eaten for over 12 hours. "That... isn't a bad idea. Which way is that? Oh! Is there a laundry?"

She pushed ahead into the room and came back with the folded card, offering it to me. "This has all that. Keep it on you until you get used to the layout."

It did have a map, I remembered. "Thank you... I'll be back."

"If I do my job properly, I won't be here," she said in almost a sing-song despite being garbed like she was ready to take on Chernobyl. "Enjoy your meal. Oh, you have your key card?"

I dug it out to make sure, then I headed out the door that was still propped open by her cart, even if that meant I had to slip around it. Outside was brightly lit, but it was artificial light. Looking at the card, I made my way towards the cafeteria. It wasn't that far, and it looked like a little restaurant really. It had round tables and comfortable chairs and a counter with someone behind it. Someone... very strange.

He was dressed in a nice clean serving suit, name badge on display. He also had long fuzzy ears that had turned towards me when I came into the area. "Good morning," He called out, waving.

I blinked dumbly at the strange person. Was that what I was becoming? That didn't explain the fingers... "Hello..." I dared to come closer. "This is going to sound rude, but..."

"What's up with the ears?" he asked. "I'm told it'll get worse before it gets better. I didn't follow the protocols just right, got infected, here I am." He shrugged softly. "On the bright side, I don't have to wear the suit anymore. Can't avoid catching what you already caught."

"Is it something I could catch?" Or something I already had. I really didn't know. "Does it hurt?"

"You're living here, right?" When I nodded, he pointed at me. "Then you already have it. Did you catch it from someone else, or were you given the shot?"

"The shot," I said in such a little voice. I cleared my throat, trying to control myself. "Sorry, a shot. Y-you?"

"Oh, alright." He reached for a tray and put it up on the counter. "You came here to get breakfast, right? Today's your first day, right? I recognize most of the people here. Want me to get something?"

"Or...?" I looked around and spotted a buffet selection tucked up against the wall. "Oh! I can serve myself." I took the tray and he didn't stop me. "Where are the forks and--" He was already pointing and I wandered that way. "Thank you... So... you've been here a while?"

"Months."

I started to serve myself. Some fluffy eggs, some broccoli, asparagus spears, and some light fruits. No bacon? No sausage? Not really any meat besides the eggs. Odd. "Do you know what's going on then? What's happening... to me, and you I guess?"

"Only what I've seen others come in with." He lifted his shoulders softly. "I can talk about myself, but, you know, confidentiality. Would you want me talking about you?"

"I suppose not..." I grabbed the slice of bread I had taken and chewed on it almost idly. "So, you then, if you don't mind? I... understand if you don't want to."

"It's different." He rested an arm on the countertop, fingers drumming lightly. "If you get it second hand, the change comes on you different. I'll never be put on all fours."

"All fours?!" I squeaked, the bread dropping to the platter. "I'm going to be on all fours?!"

"Wait long enough and you can meet the others." He suddenly set down an empty cup on the counter. "If you want a drink." He pointed to a soda bar just waiting to be used.

At that moment, I wanted something a bit harder than soda... "Alright, so, you got it second hand, so you're... not going on all fours." Unlike me. I was going to become an animal. I would lose the ability to type. My life was... over.

"I'll just look less human," he grunted, sounding frustrated. "Horse face to match the ears, a tail. Compared to directs, almost nothing, unless you're the one getting it."

I was being unthoughtful. That poor person. Jake, his nametag said, was experiencing his own collapse of his life. But he'd keep his fingers! Lucky bastard... "Horse face?" I said even as I caught up with the thought. Images I'd seen online crept into my head. "You're... what, going furry?"

Oh the sour look he gave me. That was exactly what he didn't want to hear, poor thing. "Basically," he spat. "And I'm infectious too, at least for a while. Again, you already have it, so we're safe for each other."

That reminded me as I scooped up some eggs in the bread like a little sandwich. "They said I was alright for basically any other disease. What's up with that?"

He smiled at that. "It isn't obvious? We're becoming not-human. Why would a human disease work on us? I wouldn't go running out in the streets right now. We're still close enough." He started polishing the countertop as if cleaning it, not that much had been done to make it dirty. "A bright spot in all this."

"Dogs can catch human stuff, sometimes," I noted, putting on my nerd hat. I'd watched enough videos on random science trivia. "I don't think I'll want to roll around in filth anytime soon to test what I could catch."

"Probably a good idea."

The conversation faded awkwardly and I got back to eating. It wasn't bad, as continental breakfast-type offerings were. The yawning void inside me was satiated, which meant it was time to compute! I pulled out my phone and got to checking my email.

There was one from Cindy.

Lore,

Lore Lore Lore. What happened to you? Please tell me you're alright. You can send pictures, in the email, right? Show me you're alright, please. You owe me a concert, and I won't let you live that down, so if I have to break into wherever you are and get you out, I will!

All the hearts and love,
Cindy

Well, she was worried at least half as much as I was. I quickly typed that I was mostly alright. I felt less... completely frazzled than I had the day before, even if my sniffles were still there. "That reminds me." I turned back to Jake. "Why do I have a cold if I can't get colds?"

"That ain't a cold," he answered simply.

"But... Oh." It was what was happening to me. I held up my phone and took a picture of my smiling face, even if I wasn't entirely feeling that smile. Off it went. I wasn't entirely cut off from the world, just given a forced vacation of sorts.

"Thanks for breakfast." I stood up, phone sliding into my pocket in a practiced one-motion I had perfected over years of digital life. "Sorry, for before. I wasn't trying to poke fun."

"It's an awkward time for everyone." He gave a thumbs up. "You have it worse than me, I won't make fun if you don't."

"Promise..." And off I went, digging out the little card. Right, laundry! Off I went to the little hole in the wall that had several washers and dryers. One problem there. I had nothing to wear while my clothes were cleaned. So close to cleanliness, just to be denied. I didn't see a clothing shop on the little map there.

With a soft grumbling, I returned to my room. The cleaner was gone, just as she promised. I had to use the keycard, but it worked, the second time, and in I went, some privacy returned. At least if I entirely ignored the not-hidden cameras in the room.

I sat at the desk and got to drafting up the daily letter on my condition. I was still part of the trial... right? He never said I wasn't. I noted my fingers were even stiffer than the day before. A thought struck me and I kicked off my shoes and peeled off my socks.

I wriggled my toes and... yep... The same stiffness was in two of them easily missed with shoes on, then laid bare as my feet. Except, it was worse. My left toes didn't really want to wriggle at all. I could force them apart with that alien stretching sensation, but all of them were close together and didn't really want to come apart. My right foot, same as my hands. How...

Into the checkup it went. Doctor Miller would know what it meant, maybe. Not that he was sharing nearly enough about it to me. I slapped the send button and went next to work without delay and let me just say that having four fingers instead of five, which is what I effectively had, makes typing pretty annoying. On one level, it was better. I couldn't try to just 'remember' to move the fingers. They weren't moving.

It was adapting, instead of a focus thing. It's hard to explain, but I started adjusting how I typed as best I could. Work wouldn't wait, and I didn't want to quit. Typing and getting things done was a lot easier, and better, than fussing over what was happening to me as I was broken down and rebuilt in some alien form.

Would Cindy even recognize me after it was done? Would I be on all fours, unable to type ever again? I pushed aside those questions with a cringe as I struggled to even match half my usual typing speed. Still, work was getting done. I wasn't falling behind.

I heard something outside. Clip-clop-clip-clop went the sound of a horse trotting along the hallway. They had horses in there?! I understand wanting to keep patients happy and calm, but bringing in literal horses seemed a bit much.

Unless it was one of those little seeing-eye horses? I heard of those. They were so cute! Better than dogs in a lot of ways. Would I get one?

Would I be one? My good cheer deflated a bit, imagining a guiding rod hanging from my mouth for someone to hold onto as I walked them through things. "The light's red," I could call to them, waiting patiently for it to change.

A talking seeing eye horse... If I was going to become a horse, that might be the best thing I'd be able to do, my typing fingers taken away forever.

Ugh! I didn't want that. I really really didn't want that. I slapped the final button, my day's work completed. It had taken me longer than usual to do it, but I did it.

Miller had sent a reply!

Good Day, Lauren,

I hope you're getting used to the accommodations. If you need anything, please let us know.

A cure and a ticket home?

Thank you for remembering to send your update. Most patients forget that until reminded. Are you certain your left and right feet are expressing different symptoms? That's a bit odd. We'll have to monitor that. For now, relax. You're in good hands.

Thank You,
Doctor Miller

There was that. I was basically in a hospital. A very cushy hospital.

Author's Notes:

Day three! What is Lauren becoming? What is this strange place with so many creature comforts, except an easy way out? And where do I get my own talking miniature horse?!

Join the special community of folks who like my stories here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

4 - Day Four

"This computer is too slow," I lamented in a dream. "Probably needs more ram." I pulled out a sheep from nowhere and rubbed its back up and down along the top of the laptop. "Much better!" I tossed the sheep aside and got to typing.

I was talking to Cindy. The transition was abrupt, but also smooth in that dreamlogic sort of way. "Hey, Girl!"

"Hey, Cindy! I just did a little ram upgrade." I pointed at the screen where she was. "Can you feel it?"

"I was wondering why it felt better," she agreed, not that that many any sense, not that I argued it. Dream logic. "Feeling down for some fun today?"

"I was just about to do some work." I wriggled fingers at the camera. "But as soon as I'm done with that..."

"Lemme know." Her face dramatically shrank to a point, taking my perception with it.

I woke up.

A new day, a new chance to chronicle what was happening to me. Fingers, stuck, just plain stuck. The two that were rammed into one another on each hand entirely refused to come apart, as if I was just born that way. I slipped out of bed and a new surprise was there for me. I was walking on my toes for reasons beyond me. Aside that, my left toes were all nicely stuck together, and my right toes were actually worse than the day before. It was like they had made three separate groups to become entirely stuck together with, my pinkie off on its own separate of the other two groups

What did any of it mean? I had no idea. But I loyally typed it down after a visit to the bathroom. Oh, I still had that freaky eye, peering at me.

On went the socks. I hadn't worn my shoes to bed again. The socks fit just fine despite my new stance. Shoes, on the other hand, were a bit odd. Not unwearable, mind. Not like you couldn't stand on tip-toes in shoes. I wore them anyway. Work! I pulled my laptop over and got busy. Sure, I should have had breakfast, but right at that moment, working felt good.

Work was reliable. Work was something other people needed. Work was something I was good at, and hadn't changed. Work wasn't turning into an animal. Work wasn't turning me into an animal. Work hadn't done anything wrong. I could do work, and I did, typing busily away. I was getting a little better at four-finger typing. A step up from the day before, but still below where I had started.

I figured it'd taken a while to get that first speed. Expecting to master a new typing style in two days was a bit much, but I felt... less frustrated about it. I was getting work done.

I was also out of work. It was done. All the database structures needing to be massaged were in place. All the data itself was entered. I had done my job. All standing notes left in my company inbox were resolved.

I had to face the world around me. Pushing the laptop off onto the bed, I slid up to my feet, even if I was tip-toeing around. It was time to step outside and exist a little. Sure, nothing was actually forcing me out, but I was hungry...

"Maybe I'll meet somepony new," I muttered as I reached for the door and pulled it open. It was wide open and airy. There was the cafeteria and I went straight for it, but I heard voices.

Several voices, talking.

Creeping up along the wall in a sudden fit of self-consciousness, I peered around the corner with my unchanged eye to see what I had to assume were two other patients, and Jake.

Jake's face had deformed, as he promised it would, jutting out strangely and not quite... right? Halfway between human and horse, he was still obviously speaking without a problem. "--think she's still in shock, so be nice."

"We will be," assured a little horse, tail swaying. They had light purple fur, but also hair. A mane? It was done more like human hair. That hair was darker purple with a cyan streak. "We've all been through it," she insisted. "Right?"

The other pony, they were ponies, right? Little horses were ponies so far as I knew. "Yeah." Obviously male. They had a more natural brown and unpatterned fur color, though their mane was a rich blue. "I was freaking out something awful."

Extra parts! Did I mention the boy-pony, stallion? Stallion. The stallion had folded up wings on his back. The mare had a horn. These were not regular horses, even if you forgave them for having a conversation.

"Sometimes you need a helping hoof," suddenly sang the female.

"Sometimes it's hiding under the same roof," continued the male.

Jake sang the next bit, "To reach out is sometimes hard."

And, just like that, I felt the urge to step out of hiding. "When did I become a bard?" I sang that question, coming into clear view.

My sudden entrance was apparently enough to end things as all three looked to me.

The mare began trotting towards me. "Hello there! You must be so confused, but it's alright. My pony name is Starlight." She raised a hoof to her chest, then threw it wide to the stallion that clip-clopped up beside her. "This is Flash Sentry. We've both been through this, so don't hesitate to pepper us with all the questions you have."

"For sure," agreed Flash. "And she's Starlight Glimmer, but first name's fine between friends." He offered a hoof. "We can be that, right?"

I was talking to two little ponies. Who I would one day join. "No!" I swatted that hand away and recoiled, toppling over. It was too much and I couldn't hold it back anymore. The tears came and sense left. I lost all track of everything in a moment of self-pity and mental breakdown. Not my brightest moment.

"There there." Starlight was seated on her haunches next to me, rubbing my face gently with a hoof. I didn't even know horses could be gentle with a hoof, but she was managing. "Baby steps. What do you want, something small and simple? Let's make this day a step better."

Flash was at a table, sitting in a chair and eating something. He felt safe to forget was there, so I promptly did, focusing instead on Starlight.

That's when I noticed something odd about her. She had breasts.

They weren't where I'd expect them to be, on a human, but she wasn't a human, was she? They were on her lower torso, but clearly there, shaped the way you'd expect them to be, but covered in soft fur everywhere but the clearly visible nipples in view, or were those teats? There was only one per bump... nipple?

Why was I staring at horse boobs?! My cheeks lit up and I sat up slowly. I fell back on science trivia. "Don't horses only have obvious breasts when they're nursing? Are you...?"

Starlight's cheeks lit up, which was odd, really odd. See, she had fur all over them. Fur is not supposed to change color, and covers flesh, which is what would change colors. Despite my cry for logic, her fur went a bright red on her cheeks. "Oh! Well, I guess, normally? Whatever normal is these days." She waved a hoof idly. "These things were full size when I changed and never got any smaller." She lowered the same hoof to rest on one of her breasts. "I didn't want to mention you looking at them. You weren't exactly being subtle about it."

"Are... mine going to do that?" I tried to envision belly-boobs and shivered softly. It was wrong. So were my stuck fingers, and my tip-toe stance, and... "This is all wrong."

"It's the new normal," gently assured Starlight. "I was serious. Let's get you something you want. What do you want?"

"To go home and not turn into an animal?" I ventured with a hopeful little smile.

"I can't do that, something smaller." She held up both hooves close together.

Ugh. Well... "A change of clothes?"

"That I can do!" She hopped up to all fours and turned. "This way. Flash, gonna get her some clothes."

"I'll be here, or the pool," he replied before resuming his eating, apparently as relaxed as I was not.

Speaking of that... "So... You two are... friends?" I got up to my feet and tried to stand normally, but I sprang right back up to tip toes the instant I stopped actively thinking about it.

"Oh yeah." She started to trot once I was up, leading the way. "The facility here? We're basically one strange family. Everycreature knows everycreature else. and we're here for each other."

I reached for her, resting a hand on her back. I was touching a real pony of such strange colors. My fingers trailed down her spine, feeling them. I was soon outright petting her, scratching through the fur.

That's when I realized she had stopped and was watching me. I yanked my hand away as if I had been touching something hot. "Sorry!"

"I didn't say you had to stop." She smirked faintly. "A good little scratch between friends is nice. I know you're a bit.... everything right now, but we're here for you, promise. Odd thing, but most of the people who got the shot were guys." She resumed her journey. "At least those that came here. I'm not used to a human woman."

Wait. "You're a woman, er, mare?" A quick glance revealed she had all the parts, a teardrop shaped equine genital. I already confirmed she had breasts. She was a mare, for sure. She also had a picture on her butt, a star with wisps coming off of it? That didn't change her gender, but it was odd and I took note of it.

"I am now," she said with almost a little laugh. "You're not the first, not by far, but, I dunno. Maybe more guys volunteered?" She shrugged softly.

She had been a he? That must have been... "Wait, does that mean I might get..." Mental images of me with facial hair and a wobbly thing between my legs assaulted me and I stopped the little train by flopping against the wall. "That's too much."

"It's not a for-sure thing," Starlight assured, turning to me with a patient look. "You may stick with being a lady, or not. More people become mares than stallions, so your odds are actually pretty good."

I took a shaking breath. "Less than 1%"

"What?" She quirked an ear at me. "You want to just... stop a moment?"

"No..." I pushed off the wall, rejoining her at her side. "Where are those clothes?"

"Right here." She turned off the hallway into what looked much like a drycleaners. "Anypony home?!"

"Oui," came a french-sounding voice. A mare's voice poked free between a line of cyan-shaded hospital overalls. "Oh, a new patient!" Her eyes were on me. "Welcome welcome," she bade, her voice thick with a French accent. "Step over here and we'll get you something fresh."

Then she stood up. She seemed to be able to balance on two legs just fine, even if she had no hands. She brushed clothes along a great line. "You appear to be, mmm, yes." She grabbed one plastic-wrapped set in her teeth and turned to me, draping it over one of her crooked arms. "Try this on."

Starlight sat down, tail swaying. "This is... hey, I never got your name."

"Cind--I mean Lauren," I replied a little numbly. "So, you got the shot too?"

"Oui," affirmed the pony that was dressed like a maid. "I was a normal burger flipper, and now, here I am." She curtsied, which is not a motion I expected a horse to ever do. "I like this job better." She stepped closer. "Go on, once you change, we can clean your other clothes."

I had been wearing the same set of clothes for several days. The chance to swap out was damned enticing. "You have a changing room?" Turns out, they did. When she pointed the way, I took the plastic-wrapped offerings and then got to see she also had boobs. They were also down on her lower belly.

I managed to not stare that time, moving past her towards the fitting room.

As I got into my hospital gown and out of my stinky old clothing, I could hear them talking.

"She seems nice," spoke the maid pony.

"And completely freaked out," added Starlight. "Be nice. We've been there, right?"

"Oui!" I heard a clop of hooves. "Perhaps she is in need of a special friend?"

"I'm going to suggest against that until we know for sure which way she's ending up." Which way? What did she mean? "Did you notice her hands?"

"Oui, they could still move. Is she that new?"

"A few days I'm told. They should be basically frozen. Hooves aren't good at that." Another sound of a hoof striking something. "Maybe a griffon?"

"Or perhaps, the drag-ohn?" she replied in that accent. "I hope whatever she becomes, it is being very nice. Good neighbors are so delightful."

"No argument there." clip-clops approached the changing room. "Everything alright in there, Lauren?"

I had my clothes all bundled up, my phone and other little things transferred over. "I'm alright. I think I should visit the laundry next." My clothes obviously needed it. "And I am terrified to ask, but why does this gown have a hole in the back?"

"For a tail," she bluntly replied, brushing the curtain aside with a hoof and revealing me in my new light-blue attire. "You look great!"

"Oui, a perfect fit." The maid looked satisfied with her work. "Do you want your clothes cleaned?" She held out a hoof towards me.

"I can do a little laundry on my own..." It was something I could do, I wanted to do it. I felt so out of control... "Thank you, uh..."

"Soft Touch," introduced the maid, giving a name. "Oh, have you been told?"

"There's more to this?" I dreaded whatever she had to say.

"We all had names, human names. Eventually, a new one will come to you. It will feel right. Tell us when that happens and we will switch to it. For now, you are Lauren, and it is tres nice to meet you."

Starlight nodded as she turned for the exit. "Very nice. Now, don't be shy. Like I said, one big family around here. Soft here keeps our clothes nice and fresh, even if a lot of us don't wear them much anymore. We still love her for it."

"Aw, it is too much." Soft waved Starlight away with a little giggle. "I am doing my job."

"Thank you, Soft." I wiggled my fingers at them. A griffon? A dragon? Did that mean I would be keeping my fingers? I was... alright with that idea. I needed those... "Starlight, I'm going to the laundry."

"Want some company?" She was already following me. "This is all... a lot, I'm sure. You must feel so... everything, but I'm here, promise."

"And you're nice for that." I resisted giving her a pet. "So... Since you're here, you were a guy, right?"

"100%," she assured. "Why?"

"You don't sound like one, or act like one really." I felt awkward asking it, but prodding into her life was less terrible than facing my own at that moment.

"This is the Year of Our Lord 2021," she chastised. "When somepony transitions, you don't poke them for 'not acting' like their old gender. I am a mare. What I was doesn't matter." She glanced away and back. "No hard feelings, promise. If you don't mind my admitting, I am very curious which way you'll go."

"Male, or female," I sighed out. "And I don't get any say in it?"

"Not a one," admitted Starlight with a soft shrug.

Now, this next part, I wasn't there for, just to be clear. But there was Doctor Miller. He had read my report, and he was watching through cameras. He could see me interacting with the others. "Subject progressing in a standard fashion." He tapped his pen against a pad before the scribbling resumed. "Finger and toe patterns are not congruent with known patterns. Fingers imply a Type G or D, but combined with toe progression..." He pushed away from the terminal to get to another with his chair rolling beneath him. "We will need to keep her under close supervision."

"In other good news, she appears to be socializing well with the others. They've accepted her into their social structure. This could become tested as mental changes progress. Subject has not mentioned any dreams in her reports. She either isn't experiencing them, or just isn't writing about them. Consider how to get her to write them down without being too obvious."

"For now, an X-Ray would be helpful." He pressed a large red button. "Get the new patient some basic imaging. Focus on the hands and feet."

"Right away, Doctor."

My clothes were washing with the soft rumble of the machine. I was perched on the same machine. Starlight was seated on the next machine over. "By the way," she said suddenly. "A little thing." She raised her hooves close together. "Once you're covered in fur, at least for us all-the-ways, you stop worrying much about what people see. Nudity taboos, who needs 'em?"

Oh... "And you don't wear clothes, but Soft Touch was wearing clothes?"

Starlight shrugged. "It's a personal choice. She likes clothes. She likes frills. She feels naked unless she's in that maid getup of hers. Good for her, she's cute in it." Starlight smirked a bit. "Her choice. Flash wears nothing, I wear nothing. I mean, usually. Sometimes I wear something. Jake'll probably keep wearing all the usuals, because he's not an all-the-way."

"He's... furry."

Starlight squinted at me before it seemed to dawn and she laughed. "Yeah! Exactly. He's still human-shaped and will wear pants. Not for our sake, but his own. All I'm getting at is you wear as much as you want to, or not. Nopony else is going to--"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because we try to be nice?"

I waved a hand. "Not that part, 'Nopony'?"

Starlight blinked softly. "Oh! Well, you'll get that too if you haven't already. It just comes naturally. Nopony, anypony, somecreature... It's a bit odd when you think about it." She lifted her shoulders. "But the same thing lets me be a mare without screaming to the heavens for my missing anatomy, so there is that."

"So... if this is infectious, is... everyone going to become a pony?" That would not go over well in the world, I could only imagine. "Is that why they have us bottled up so tight?"

"It's not that bad," assured Starlight. "Once you finish and about a month goes by, you stop being infectious. Heck, I'm not infectious anymore." She reached out and put a hoof on my side. "No horse cooties." She rubbed lightly as if that somehow proved it. "They're keeping us here so it doesn't become a huge thing outside. No worldwise horse pandemic, thank Celestia."

"Celestia?"

Starlight's eyes widened. "Oops! Another ponyism, and I really don't even know where that one comes from. What is a Celestia?" She shrugged gently. "Whatever. We're ground zero and so long as we play nice, there will be no pony plague across the lands. So they treat us nice and give us what we need and we just wait mostly. We'll be fine. The world already has one pandemic and I'm not rushing to make it two."

The washing machine beneath me came to a gentle stop, the spin cycle ending. I hopped down, landing on my tip toes somehow without falling over. "That is still strange." I turned about and flipped up the lid, reaching in to grab my soggy clothes. "To the dryer with you." And off I went to toss them in there. The machines didn't ask for quarters. I just had to press the button and it got going faithfully. "Say, Starlight? What were you called?"

Starlight shrank at that. "You ever hear of the term 'dead name'?"

"Sorry." I hadn't meant to dig where I wasn't wanted. I leaned back against the dryer as it worked. "I was just curious. You'll know... my 'dead name' when I get a new one."

"True." Starlight leaned forward, tail lashing with a little smile on her face. "Then we'll make it a trade. When you get your new name and share it with me, I'll congratulate you, then tell you my dead name, so we can both never use it. It'll be our secret, between friends."

I reached for Starlight and couldn't. My hand was glowing a purplish hue, and so was Starlight's horn. "Wha--"

Someone rapped on the frame of the door leading to the laundry. There was someone in a full hazmat suit. "Sorry to bother. Lauren, we were hoping to take a few X-rays. It shouldn't take very long at all."

On some level, I felt relieved. They were going to do some actual medicine on me. "My clothes are drying." I pointed at the machine, only realizing after the fact that it was the hand that had been held still.

Starlight hopped to the ground. "I'll keep an eye on it and put it right outside your door when it's nice and dry." She raised a hoof to her chest. "What are friends for?"

"Thanks." I made a little mental note to ask about what had just happened, but for that moment... "Lead the way." I followed the well-protected man, trailing in my hospital gown. I felt so underdressed in comparison, but he was the one who didn't want to catch what I had. "So... things normal, you know, outside?"

"As normal as it can be. People are sick, dying, and complaining. We're doing what we can." He glanced, big covered head turning towards me. "Of course, I'm here working with the Ponid strain instead of the Covid one, but that's how it works out."

Oh. "You wanted to be working on Covid then?" I tried going beside him, but he knew which way he'd turn and I didn't so I soon fell behind him again.

"You all seem nice enough, but you're not dying, and Covid is doing that. Given the choice, yeah. No offense." He opened a door to a small clean room. "We're just going to get a peek at what's going on in your hands and feet, if you don't mind."

He had a little point there. Whatever was happening to me, I wasn't dying. My odds of death were 'beneath 1%', which was a fair sight ahead of where people were if they had the other option for plague of the day. I was just suffering an existential sort of death... "Look... I'll keep breathing, probably, but is whatever I become me?" I challenged as I sat on the examination table. "I feel like I'm dying."

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that." He took one of my hands and held it out. "Say cheese." Something made an odd noise, like a flash bulb, but there was no flash. "And the other." He switched hands, then went for feet. "That was uncalled for. You're right. Comparing your case to others isn't fair, to you. For you, right now, this is a big deal. Can you wait a moment?" After a nod from me, he scooted from the room, to get the results I figured.

The room looked like any doctor's visit office really, minus specific plaques that said who it belonged to and what achievements they had achieved. I felt... almost normal. I was a little sick, so I went to a doctor.

Perfectly normal.

Author's Notes:

Phew, longform! But I got it done nice and smoothly. Enjoying the ride with me? This a disease you'd avoid or welcome with open hands/hooves/talons?

Join the special community of folks who like my stories here at atreon!

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5 - Day Five

I was in an idyllic little town. Cindy had invited me over for tea. She lived in a cottage. Sure, the actual Cindy never lived in a cottage in her life, to my later recalling, but it was a dream, so I rolled with it.

"Hello, my dear Cindy." I greeted as I slipped from nowhere to somewhere inside that cottage. "Ready for tea time?"

"As always," she agreed before she commanded the music system to start playing some high-energy electronic music that didn't fit a tea party at all. "You're here, which means it's party time!"

A little rabbit thumped Cindy on the leg. Cindy looked down at it, then at me. "Oh, he's reminding me that you have to go. But don't worry, you'll be back soon."

"Aw, but I didn't even have a chance for some tea." I reached out with talons, but it all seemed to be slowing down.

I woke up.

I sat up in the darkness, though the darkness didn't last, my movement causing the lights to come on without my prompting. I squinted against the light and slid up to my feet. A hearty yawn escaped me on the way to the bathroom, where my clothes were waiting for me, all nice and clean.

As Starlight had promised, they had been waiting for me when I got back to the room, just outside the door for me to grab on the way in. At least I had a friend, even if she was a pony, and used to be a man.

"Calm down," I chastised myself outloud. "They're not even the first trans person you ever met. That's the least of their problems."

I turned to the mirror. One eye was normal, the other... the new normal? Was I a little taller? I could swear the bathroom counter was a little lower. That had been only a hunch, but when my clothes didn't quite fit, that was another sign. I mean, they did fit, but they didn't overlap as much as they used to. It was a curious thing.

And it was nothing compared to what I saw when I reached down to put on my socks and instead fell against the door behind me. My left foot had no toes, just one big hoof I had been balancing on with an otherwise human foot. That was... so unnatural on every level. Even for a horse, it was just... wrong.

But it got worse, since the other foot hadn't followed suit at all, instead the three grouping of toes had come together and swollen, becoming three... claws? Big strong toes with claws at the end. "What is happening to me?!" I asked nocreature in particular. Not like there was someone there to ask it besides myself. I was increasingly certain I wasn't becoming a dragon or a griffon. None of them were... that.

Was it messed up? Was I dying?

I was thoroughly awake at that point, but tried to press on with the day. I rose up and got to fixing my... hair.

That's when I noticed someone had colored my hair while I was sleeping. My normally brown hair had darkened, with streaks of almost dark, kind of grey running through it? I leaned into the mirror to inspect it, and another change became obvious. Hair! Not on my head, but instead... on my ears?

I felt over them, soft and plush, just as pettable as Starlight had been, but I was the one that was becoming pettable.

But I was also the one becoming a total freak. Some kind of... freak with furry ears, a hoof, and... whatever my other foot was doing. Unable and unwilling to assume any part of me was still myself, I began to take my clothes right back off again for a better look.

Breasts, right where I left them. General shape, yep, dumpy office worker, the charming chubby. I smirked a bit at my self-deprecating thoughts as I turned in place, getting a peek at my side, then my back.

I had a tail. Well, not... exactly a tail. I reached for it, examining the strange growth with my fingers, which had thankfully not progressed from the day before. It was a little thing, hanging off my back end. I could... even raise it and wriggle it, just a little. It was also scaled and... "Dragon." A dragon's tail, yes, thank you, me.

It was... anemically tiny, but that could change, right? None of these changes had been... instant per se, creeping up on me day by day. I shook that thought out and got dressed again. That hole was for a tail, I remember myself, looking over at the hospital gown. Everyone got a tail? Running down the list, there were ponies and griffons and dragons. All of those things had tails.

Whatever I was becoming, it had a tail too.

I had a few choices. I could write up everything that had happened to me. I could get to work. Or I could sob into breakfast.

Write up. I didn't want to think about it any longer than I had to, so do it while it's fresh. I had my laptop powered up and got to typing furiously, detailing all the alterations I'd suffered.

Give it to me straight, Doctor. Is there a way out of this? Just tell me if I should hold out some hope on that, or... not, alright?

I stared at the words I had written, frowning.

Scratch that, mostly. Just tell me what is happening. I'm not turning into a pony, or a griffon, or a dragon. Are there other things you know about? The uncertainty is the worst part of this. Probably unrelated, though maybe it is, my cold feels worse today. Keep me stocked up on tissues if you would, thanks.

Being broken down into a second puberty, the words echoed in my head. Doctor Miller had mentioned that. I was going through that awkward phase of life all over again, but instead of blossoming into womanhood, I was becoming... whatever it was.

I smashed send and let my breath out. It was time for work, and to not think about that for a while. So I got to it, jamming at the keyboard. My typing rate was better. Each day it got a little better as I got used to working with four fingers. Maybe, eventually, I'd get back to full speed. A little smile touched my lips, looking forward to that.

If I was having a second puberty, did that mean I was also younger, biologically speaking? Did I get a new lease on a completely freaky life?

I shook my head a bit, probably not. There were a thousand little biological mechanisms that made 'age' happen. They'd all have to be wound back for that to really happen.

Work was done. I was out of options, and my stomach was lodging formal complaints. Food. I gently folded the laptop and set it aside. "Time to face the world." I started forward on my altered feet and wobbled a bit. Whatever force had been guiding me was just as confused as I had been with the horrible middle state I was in.

I took it slowly, but got to the door.

As I pushed it open, I heard a soft clip-clop. "Hey there," called a male voice. Flash Sentry's head peeked around the door. "Almost hit me." He was smiling despite any worry of physical harm. "Feel--" His words trailed off, his huge eyes quickly falling to my feet. Neither of them fit my shoes anymore, so I hadn't bothered. I had managed socks, but their strange shape was quite obvious in them. "I hated this part," he grumbled with some sympathy.

"This is... normal?" I waved at my malformed feet. "I have a tail!"

"So do I." He wagged it a bit behind himself. "I bet yours is barely anything." Why was he so calm about it? "It's alright. Hungry?"

Well, since he had brought it up... "I was going to get some breakfast."

He inclined his head left and right. "Breakfast? They closed the breakfast buffet, but there's plenty of lunch options." He turned away and took a step before looking over his shoulder. "Need a hand?"

I tried to follow him, but each step was awkwardly slow. "You don't have any of those."

"No," he admitted, not sounding that worked up about it. "But I can still lend one." He reached out a wing as he backed up and soon I was leaning against it.

I was walking into the cafeteria with a pony's wing as a walking bar. How strong was that wing? "Isn't this tiring? I'm not a feather." I wasn't afraid to admit that, even for my height, I had a few more pounds going on.

"Nah." He brushed my front with the feathers of the wing I was leaning on, letting the limb fall and raise in a ticklish way. "Wings are about as strong as an arm, maybe more. Let's get you something to eat. Jake!"

There was Jake, his face less awkwardly shoved in the middle, more of a proper pony snout on his face. His ears were becoming long, already fuzzy and atop his head. "Hey." He raised an equally furry hand, though it was covered in a plastic glove. At least I wouldn't be eating hair. "Good afternoon, Lauren. What can I get you?"

"Your hair." His hair had gone from black to a deep orange shade. "Just like mine."

"Yours doesn't look orange." He pulled out a little one-page menu and set it on the counter. "But it is darker. No idea what I'm busy turning into, but it has orange hair, real orange, none of that 'red but we call it orange' thing." He sounded almost proud of it.

I took the menu, leaning against the counter instead of Flash. "Thanks for the help."

Flash saluted with the same wing before folding it up on his back. "I'll be around if you need help after you eat." And he trotted off without delay.

Which left me with Jake. "I... understand more what's going on. Aren't you worried? You could... change a lot, even if you're going to stay on two legs."

"I could scream and yell, but I'd rather not." He tapped the menu held there in my hands. "Go on. I'll cook you up something tasty."

"You could become a woman," I pressed. "Isn't that a little worrying?"

"Why, does it hurt?" His eyes roamed over me. "You seem to be managing it alright."

"I was born this way!" I threw up a hand, and everything started to tilt. My socked feet were sliding on the tiled floor. His hand suddenly grabbed my arm, wrenching me forward against the counter instead of toppling over backwards. "Jesus... thank you."

"No problem." He gave a thumbs up even as he moved to switch which gloves he'd been using. "You should take those gloves off. Look, I get it." He snapped on new gloves. "It sucks, but there's also no stop or reverse button. I've seen a lot of people fall apart, I don't want to be one of them."

I took a slow breath. "Right... Sorry. I'm venting all over you and all you're trying to do is get me lunch." My eyes went to the menu. "That reminds me, why are there so few meat options?"

"Shortages," he replied simply. "Blame Covid for that one. Fortunately, most of the people in here end up as horses and horses don't mind vegetables one bit. Try the carrot omelette." He pointed it on the menu. "Creation of mine."

I'd had omelettes with carrots in it before, but... "What is it, half carrots?" I put the menu down. "I thought breakfast was off the table, but since you're offering, that, and some orange juice maybe?"

"You got it." He snapped the menu right off the counter and tucked it away. "Go have a seat and I'll bring it over."

Just as I sank into a chair, a pony hopped up across from me. It was Starlight, looking at me with some concern. "That was not a graceful bit of movement. You alright? I mean, I guess you're very obviously not alright, but I just wanted to come and let you know I was here for you and now I'm rambling." She put a hoof on her chest and let out her own breath. "So, let's try that again. Good afternoon."

Her awkwardness was somehow a relief. I wasn't the only awkward thing there. "Hey, Starlight. Thanks for dropping off my clothes." I gestured down to them, seeing as I was wearing them. "If they let me out of here, I'd go home and grab a few more sets."

Starlight pointed away. "Soft Touch would be glad to get you more, but I'd wait a little before then. I don't mean to be a dour note, but you're still changing, quickly... So... did you get shorter?"

"No?" I put a hand to my own head and moved it over over hers as flatly as I could manage. "I'd say I got taller if anything."

"Taller?!" she squeaked with obvious surprise. "Even the larger ones... I mean... that's odd. I lost height pretty fast before plumping out into a little pony." She wobbled a hoof at me. "Behold, for we are small, but packed with adorable muscle. We're stronger than we look, trust me."

She was a little brightly-colored pony. I should have been more worried about her being poisonous. "You're kidding." But it hit me. "Your friend, Flash. He was supporting me with a wing. A wing shouldn't be that strong."

"Pegasus wings are quite strong," she assured. "Incoming OJ."

And there was Jake, setting down a glass filled with orangey goodness that matched the shade of his hair. "Thank you," I got out as I reached for it, giving a sip. Mmm, just the sweet tang I wanted. "Perfect. Still, it was... surprising."

Starlight suddenly slapped down an elbow on the table, offering a hoof towards me. "Arm wrestle?"

She was so small! Like a medium-large dog really. "I..."

"C'mon, just for fun." She wobbled that hoof, beckoning me to take the challenge.

Down went my arm. "Don't blame me if you lose, or win. I haven't had a lot of practice with it." Then it was time for the next challenge. Our arms weren't close to the same length, and she had no hand, just a hoof, but we shuffled a bit until we got it about right.

"Jake," called out Starlight. "Say when we start."

"Alright," came his reply from the kitchen. "One. Two.--" I could feel Starlight tense, preparing to press against me. I returned the gesture, not planning to throw the match. "Three!"

Our muscles struggled against one another. While hers managed to bunch up enough to show through the fur, mine were lost in soft pudge. I didn't immediately lose! But I wasn't winning either. She was slowly forcing my hand back, tilting my arm. I was losing an arm wrestling contest with a small horse and I felt both shame and hilarity bubbling inside of me, which didn't help my struggle.

Thump went hand and hoof against the tabletop, defeated. I reclaimed the arm, rubbing at sore muscles. "You are a lot stronger than you look."

"I did warn you." She nudged her chair forward with little hops. "So, been meaning to ask... any weird dreams? Sometimes they give hints."

"Hints?"

Jake approached, a big plate of yellow and orange goodness upon it, with slices of potatoes and other delightful veggies worked in. He set it down in front of me. "Here you go. I don't take tips." He winked and scooted right back to where he started.

Not that I had any tipping money on me. "Tips?" I repeated at Starlight, reaching for a fork. "Thank you, by the way. It looks great."

"Hints," she corrected. "I dreamed of being a unicorn before I had one of these." She pointed up at her horn. "I imagined all my friends were little ponies too. We sang and danced a lot too, was kinda odd, but hey, hints. What are you dreaming about?"

The eggs, as it turned out, were perfectly delightful. A mix of scrambled eggs and a bunch of yummy veggies with just the right hint of spices. I didn't even answer at first, just enjoying filling myself a moment. "Mmm? Oh! Sorry, these are pretty good. Want a bite?" I offered a laden fork towards her and soon Starlight was taking a chomp right off my fork.

"Mmm, good stuff, Jake. I don't expect people to be comfortable being that intimate so early in," she said the last part towards me. "Sharing a fork like that."

Intimate was not the word I'd use for sharing a fork! Still, was she wrong? It is a bit odd to share cutlery in use with someone. "I didn't really think about it." Of course, then I was, and I set the fork down.

"I'll get another." She pointed towards the bin of forks and one jumped up, glowing purple as it flew over to us and set itself down gently beside my plate. "There you are. I didn't mean to creep you out about it."

"How..."

"You're about to ask a question I don't have an answer to." She lifted her shoulders softly. "It works, sometimes, when I want something."

I reached for the bewitched fork, but it didn't dance or move anymore. It was perfectly normal. "You stopped my hand, yesterday. The was the same thing, wasn't it?"

Her cheeks lit up in that impossible way she could do. "You were being really... friendly." Her tail gave a sudden lash. "I mean, I'm not against a special friend, but you keep right on touching and... stroking me."

Guilty. I set the fork down, my appetite waning a moment. "Is it alright if I lay it like it is?"

"Please, go ahead." She nodded softly. "And about those dreams?"

"To me, right now...you're a talking dog. You're an adorable little harmless animal, and what do you do with little cute things? You pet them. You pet them as much as they let you pet them unless you're busy with something else."

Starlight put a hoof behind her head. "That's me, a cute little harmless thing... But this cute thing has feelings, and we both know you'll be joining the club soon, so petting has a bit more... meaning. If you mean for it that way, that's different, but you're just doing it without thinking." She leveled the same hoof at me. "That's rude."

"Right..." I dared to resume eating. It was still delicious! "Only pet if you mean it."

"Exactly." A gentle smile returned to her face. "Only a precious handful have full petting rights. I know you're new at this, so I'm not angry, not at all. Please don't think I'm yelling at you. So, those dreams?"

She was really being persistent about those. "In the first one I remember, after I got here, I was floating somehow, and I felt really tall. My friend was with me, at a concert."

"Floating? Did you have wings?" proposed Starlight. "Flash had a lot of flying dreams before he finished getting his wings all the way."

"I don't remember wings..." Down went another forkful. "The second time, I... rubbed a sheep on my computer to give it more ram."

Starlight's brows fell. "That pun was bad and you should feel bad."

"It was a dream!" I defended, holding one hand up, the other getting more eggs. "The third one, I was visiting a cottage, and my friend was there. She had a pet rabbit for some reason that kicked her, I remember that. I didn't want to go and..." Right, I remembered that part. "I had talons." I reached out my left hand. "Here. Four talons."

"That is not the right place for a griffon," noted Starlight with a huff. She leaned off to the side, peeking under the table at me. "Your feet are also way off. What are you becoming?"

"I would love to know that!" I said a bit louder than I had intended. "Really... It's bad enough I'm busy becoming something inhuman, but I'm not even a match there? I'd rather be a unicorn, or have wings, or a dragon? Sure why not, I like dragons. Anything but this! The only thing I know for sure is I plan to be me. I'm rejecting that pony name before it even comes up. I am Lauren! Lore!"

One of her hooves brushed up against the elbow I had on the table in a fit of bad manners. "It'll be alright."

I set down my fork. Lunch was over. But I could still use a drink, so I plucked up the glass and chugged half of it down without pausing for air. "Starlight? Thanks. I know you're trying to be a good pony, and... thank you. I appreciate it."

She smiled just a little. "But?"

"But I think I have some soul searching to do." I stood up and started wobbling back towards the counter. Dignity somewhat intact, I set the tray down where Jake could reach it. "Thank you, both of you. I'll be in my room, considering my various life decisions that brought me here."

A soft clopping raised Doctor Miller's eyes. "Come in."

In came Starlight, trotting up to his desk and hopping up onto the chair facing it. "I asked her, caused a little breakdown along the way. I feel terrible. She needs friends, good friends, not spies."

"You're not spying," he assured. "We just want to know what is going on, to help her. Her case is--"

"--Strange, yeah, I got that impression." Starlight was glowering at him. "She dreamed her left hand's fingers were talons. You know what has talons on their hands? If you say dragon, I can assure you that's not what she meant."

"She isn't a dragon," he flatly agreed. "The imaging came back. I would go into detail, but..."

"Sure, confidentiality." Starlight rolled her eyes. "This is where I remind you that you had me spy for you."

"And you want to intrude on her personal space more?" He sat up, hands folded on the desk in front of him. "I thought you regretted it."

"I... do," she got out through clenched teeth. "I want to help her! Did something go crazy wrong? Is she falling apart? You tell us the odds of us dying are basically zero, but 'basically' zero, and zero are not the same thing. is she dying, becoming so many different things at once she shuts down?"

"No! We don't believe so."

"No, and 'we don't think so' are not the same thing either," retorted Starlight. "Look... look, you've all been good to us. You've given us everything we need and a bit more. I get that. You aren't treating us like monsters, and I appreciate that." She sat up as tall as she could. "But she is... in trouble. Even if everything works out, physically, she's in a bad place. No more skulking around. I will not spy for you again. She needs friends, without secrets."

"One last favor then." Despite Starlight's skeptical look, he pressed on, "Tell her to record her dreams. She enjoys tasks, and she enjoys typing. This is both of those things. She shouldn't argue it."

"We'll see." Starlight hopped down to the floor with a clop. "If things take a sudden turn... tell me. I want to be there, even if it's just to hold her hand at the last second." Her ears were pinned against her head. "I only just met her, but I won't abandon her. Not for you." And off she went, the door slamming shut behind her.

He casually made a note of the strong pack bonding ponies displayed.

Author's Notes:

Last update of the month! Lauren's in an odd place, but who wouldn't be with that awkward body she currently resides in? Starlight tries to help. Good pony?

Join the special community of folks who like my stories here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

6 - Day Six

Dreams are a chaotic place, and mine were no exception to the fact. Usually, though, you weren't aware of the madness until it was already passed. That night it was different. I reached for a glass of juice, the orange juice I had been given the day before, by Jake, who was suddenly there. "Thanks."

Jake tipped a hat he hadn't been wearing, but suddenly was, then he was Starlight.

I saw the change. I knew the change had happened. "Starlight?"

"Could you write this down?" asked the unicorn. "I'm so sorry... I'll try to be a better friend."

Friend. Suddenly Starlight was Cindy, looking around. "Woah, crazy place. This is where they have you locked up, Girl? It's like a--"

"--hotel," I finished with a little smirk. "Tell me about it."

"I just did." She moved up to grab my talon between her hands. "You look so soft and huggable. Tell me I get to pet you when you get--"

Suddenly I was standing with Starlight just a little ahead and to the left. My talons were scratching and petting her softly. Pony fur was so nice to pet through. "Where'd Cindy go?"

Starlight looked over her shoulder at me. "This is your dream, and what did I tell you about petting?"

I woke suddenly. Or I hoped I did. It was dark. I raised my left hand up and brushed my cheek. Fuzzy, and sharp. Also less of them?

Sliding to my feet, the lights flickered on. I could see things had progressed. My left hand was entirely a set of talons, four of them. My right side were pudgy fingers, four of them, covered in the same soft fur of my ears.

Speaking of feet, they weren't in that halfway state anymore. My left foot was one big brown hoof. The right one, dragon claws. I was walking on the balls of my dragon foot, with a big sharp dewclaw coming out the other way. My legs and arms, so far I could see, unchanged.

I had reached the bathroom and turned to examine my back end. Yep, tail, but bigger, about twice as large, longer and thicker and easier to move around. I had a dragon's tail and one dragon foot, and one... other foot. A pony foot? Something with one hoof. A pony had one hoof.

Hair! My hair had gone entirely that dark grey color. The fur on my right hand was a soft brown shade. There was some fur starting just where my hoof ran into the rest of me. It was a darker brown color. My ears were completely covered in fur and seemed just a little pointed. They were a lighter grey than my hair, not matching anything else.

Whatever I was becoming, it didn't feel like matching anything to anything. I set my hands on the counter in the bathroom, my clawtips of my talons clicking on the smooth marble. Suddenly I felt muscles I never had before flex and new clicks sounded out. Claws had emerged from my pudgier fingers. A paw! My other hand was a paw. They were also still fingers.

I could wriggle them easily, but they had claws inside, and the hand was covered in fur. What was happening to me? Griffon! Yes, of course. "I have a griffon hand." And a dragon hand, and a dragon foot? And a pony foot. Somehow, that was reassuring. I had figured out what I was, sort of. Good enough. I looked to the mirror to see that odd eye looking back at me.

My nose. I reached up and felt it with altered fingers. Talons or furry, I could still sense properly. You'd think fur would get in the way of that, but it didn't. Either way, my nose seemed a little wider. Not monstrously, but enough to notice it. "Right..." I would grow a snout, like Starlight or Jake or Flash.

Despite all the changes, I felt less... freaked out than I had the day before. Maybe it was because I could stand and walk. I wasn't in an awkward halfway state that left me feeling even more vulnerable and helpless. I was an independent woman again.

I emerged, showered and dressed in a hospital gown and sank down onto my bed. Laptop booted up, I got to writing up a report of what changes had occured.

Oh, he had replied.

Good day,

Your case is unique, and we are sparing nothing to make sure you are safe. For now, we can only wait and see and monitor, which we are doing. Your vitals are nominal and I hear you've made friends. Social networks can be quite useful in times like this, and they speak well of you, so don't hesitate to lean on them.

I rolled my eyes a bit, images springing of giving Starlight more scritches and leaning on Flash's wing. They were friendly enough to put up with it, but I had to be a functional adult.

Things should get a little easier from here forward. While the physical changes can be disorienting, you will find it becomes less mentally jarring. A little warning, some subjects experience more severe hormonal shifts than others, causing mood shifts, typically not violent. Be mindful. Your new friends are already aware of the situation, having experienced it themselves.

I huffed softly at that. "I am Lauren," I spoke in defiance. "I will not have mood swings." Ignoring the fact that I'd already bust down crying and snapped at people a few times already. "I am the master of me..."

Oh! A letter from Cindy. A big smile split my face as I pulled it up.

Hey! Where are your emails? Did they take your computer away?

A shoot, I hadn't been mailing her. I read on, prepared to be chastised for my failure.

Seriously, are you alright? Don't leave me hanging like that. My girl's all caught up in some secret luxury jail and suddenly she stops talking and what am I supposed to think? Hit reply and tell me you're alright, if you're alright. If you aren't alright, tell me what's going on.

Well, how did one argue that? One did not. Not if they were a decent human anyway, and I was still one of those, maybe?

I got to typing with my new fingers and, I swear, it was a little faster. There's a difference between getting used to one big finger and having all your fingers far closer to the same size. They were all moving naturally. Still not at full speed, but I was improving.

Cindy!

I miss you so much right now. I'm busy... going through changes, a lot of changes. They say we can't do video calls, but no rule about pictures, so...

I pulled up the camera app on the computer and began showing off. One hand, the other, then my crazy feet one at a time and lastly a butt shot, my tail lifted for easy viewing as it clicked.

Tell me that isn't super crazy! I'm not in pain, promise. It's... just... super... Ugh, words. You just imagine it happening to you, alright? They don't even know what I'm turning into, but I'm still Laura, alright? Promise you won't be scared of me when I get out of here?

I will write more often,
Laura

Friendship mission complete! I clapped my alien hands, then the fingers slid between each other. The tickle of my own fur against my talons was a new sensation. I could feel the talons pressing back against my furry fingers. As inhuman as they were, they were mine. I could feel them and became fascinated for a moment, just... experiencing that, the tickle of digits, four of them, not five.

"At least I have hands." Seriously, I wouldn't have wanted hooves. Poor Starlight. Poor Flash, denied hands forever more.

Ah, right, update! I got to typing that up, reporting the odd fingers and feet and the tail and the face. So many things. I didn't feel as shredded by it as the day before. But the day before I was also basically an invalid. A sudden sneeze interrupted me and I reached for the tissues, blowing my subtly altered nose. "Cold's still there," I grumped and noted that down too.

Work! There was no work. It was a day off and I was helpfully reminded when I logged in to get to it. I had to smile. Even before the virus, or my changes, I had forgotten the day of the week a few times. It was easy when you didn't actually go into work all the time. "No work, alright." I closed the laptop and slid it to the side before I stood up. "Let's socialize."

For once I'd meet people and do something besides hunt for the basics of survival. More than food or laundry. Today was the day!

In another room, someone we'd never meet was busy sifting through lumps of data. "Hmm?" An email caught in the filter, awaiting permission to continue on out to the world.

The words didn't have too many red flags, but the pictures... "We don't need a panic..." He casually pruned them out and replaced them with error images, as if it had simply failed to send them.

Another job completed, he let the mail continue on its way, neither party aware of his meddling.

I had gotten something to eat. Jake was looking even fuzzier than normal, but something else, right there for everyone to see. Well, not exactly, he did wear a shirt. A shirt being pushed forward by two growing bits of fat known more positively as 'breasts'.

"Hey," he greeted as if nothing was wrong. "Well, I know which way it is now." And that was that. He fed me and he didn't seem too sour about it.

Until I went to leave. When I put the tray on the counter, his plastic-gloved hand came down on my talons. "One thing."

"Yeah?"

"What... should I expect? I hear periods are a bitch. I hear being a lady is a lot more complicated than it looks. Can you... give me any advice? I know I'm supposed to be here for you, but you're already used to this."

A bit of movement caught my eye. It was his tail, just as brightly orange as his hair, short, much like mine. He was a pony, a biped pony.

He looked... scared, I wanted to say. I couldn't help but feel some sympathy. I turned my taloned hand to gently wrap my new fingers around his. "Being a woman isn't so bad," I assured. "But, yes, there's... more to it than being a guy. You have most of that on automatic. Are you living here?"

He pointed and gave a number.

"I'll stop by, later. So we can talk, privately, when you're not working. I'll give you a crash course in all things womanly."

His smile. His careful neutrality had given way to hope. I felt lighter just seeing it. "Thank you. You're the best anypony could ask for."

"For now, just do what you do. Women work the same way guys do." I tapped my widened nose with a furry finger. "Even if today's a day off for me." I wandered off, only realizing as I went that he had thrown a ponyism at me. Not really his fault, I figured and I put it out of my mind.

"Look who's out and about," came a friendly female voice. Starlight crossed the hallway, moving to walk alongside me. "And you don't seem to be headed for the laundry or food, so what are you hunting for? Feeling better?"

"I'm feeling like a freak." I wriggled my altered fingers at her. "But a functional one, which is a fair sight better than yesterday, I think... Hey, since you're here." We were passing the pool. It was a modest sized thing, but I found myself getting tempted. "Wait a moment, do they have swimming gear?"

Starlight leaned around me to get a peek. "Oh, you want a swim? Sure! Let's make a quick pitstop at Soft Touch's and get you a swimsuit." She turned and began trotting without a hint of delay.

"What about you?" I fell in with her. "Don't you want one?"

"I don't really need one?" She shrugged as she walked. "My fur is going to get all wet and soggy either way. That's just life, but the swimming part is fun, and shaking out is surprisingly good feeling."

"Like a dog?" We were approaching the dry cleaning area that was Soft Touch's domain. "I suppose that makes sense, being on all fours with no fingers."

"Stop showing off!" Starlight turned suddenly and prodded my furry hand. "You got the injection, but you still have hands? Unfair."

"You can make things float around," I retorted quickly. "I didn't get that."

"Well, sure, maybe." She shrugged softly. "Really, glad you're feeling better." She turned back as she walked in. "Soft? You in?"

"Oui!" She came trotting out with a friendly smile. "Oh, Starlight and our new friend. You have changed." Her eyes swept over me. "How interesteeng," she noted in her French accent. "What can I be getting for you today?"

I didn't see any swimwear handing on those hooks. "Starlight mentioned you could get a swimsuit here?"

"Oui Oui, of course." She turned in place, tail wagging. "We keep those in the back." And off she trotted out of sight.

Starlight sat on her haunches. "Your feet... how do they feel? If you want to talk about it."

I lifted and dropped my new dragon talons, their claws tacking on the ground. "Mismatched, but working." I wobbled my hoof, raised in the air. "I miss toes, so I'd have to say, right now, liking the dragon side more than the pony side." I thrust the hoof at her. "It is a pony hoof, right?"

Starlight hiked a brow as she leaned in to study it. "I think so... Perfectly formed, healthy. There are a few things you want to do to keep them looking nice." She wobbled a fore hoof. "As if girls didn't have enough to worry about. Think of it like a big nail and you're most of the way there. Like any nail, you have to take care of it or it'll turn ratty."

She turned her hoof about, flatside up. "Just don't forget that there is basically one big finger inside there. It's what you're wiggling around." She wobbled the hoof left and right. "So don't think you can just cut into the hoof or file it down to nothing."

"Here we are!" sang Soft Touch as she emerged, walking on two legs. She had about a dozen bits of things draped over her right arm. "It is now being only a question of what you prefer."

I realized quickly that she must have remembered my size. "You take your job seriously. You are a delight."

"You are too kind." Her cheeks warmed, coloring despite the impossibility of it. "Now, you want a one piece, or two?" She began to drape the pieces over a bar for me to see. "I think you are good with the warm colors, Oui?"

"The way I am, I can't be sure of that." I used my blessedly present fingers to select one anyway, not that I had a strong sense of fashion. A simple one piece would do. Movement behind me reminded me of something. "Tail."

Soft reached over and brushed a flap with her hoof. "It is, as they say, ready for that. The clozing, they are made for the rezidents," she explained with a soft bobbing of her head. "Enjoy!"

I took my selection towards the fitting room I remembered. "Let's try this on then. Thank you." I slipped inside and got to changing.

"She seems less confused," noted Soft. Why were ponies so bad at whispering?

"Yeah... She's happier, today. I'm glad to see it. Soft, I messed up."

"Messed up? That is not being like you."

"I spied on her! How do you even admit that? Ugh, never again, but I did it."

"It is not being that--"

"It is that bad," cut in Starlight. "But never again. We are friends. Friends do not spy on friends."

I was changed and emerged, more of my human body exposed than before. "Starlight, two things."

"You look great," she complimented, approaching with a wagging tail. "What's up?

"One, thank you for making the right decision." I held up one finger, the next following. "Two, who/what were you spying on me about?"

Starlight's approach faltered to a sudden stop. "They... you heard?"

"You were talking normally. Was that a whisper?" I started to fold up the hospital gown but Soft Touch was already there, snatching it in her teeth and spiriting it away.

"I will have two by your door," she promised along the way.

"I was whispering," she hissed at me. "Ugh... You must hate me." With a hoof to her head, she turned towards the door. "And you'd deserve it!"

"Starlight, I didn't say that, but I do want to know what's happening." I walked past her, heading back into the hallway. "Come on, you can tell me while we swim."

Soon we were by the water. Starlight hadn't said much on the way. "Stop pouting. Look, you're one of the few friends I have I can reach." I sat down at the edge of the pool and let a hoof sink in. I could feel the cold water, but it was different than a fleshy foot, like it was radiating from my hoof to somewhere inside, which was logical I supposed. "Tell me."

Starlight nudged at my back suddenly. "You didn't get all dressed up just to sit by the pool, did you?"

"I'm not even sure if I can swim like this." I wriggled talons and fingers and let my dragon foot descend into the water. "No webbing at all."

"Horses don't have webbing," Starlight countered. "They can swim." As if to prove the point, she suddenly jumped right in the water. A great splash of water rippled from the point she hit, sending water all over me and everything else in the area. I squeaked in surprise as she bobbed to the surface, paddling in place but managing to keep herself buoyant. "See?"

Her carefully brushed hair, it was carefully brushed, right? It was ruined, all wet and hanging down. Such was the pitfall of pool fun. "I'll come in if you tell me what you meant."

"Ugh." Her eyes rolled dramatically. "Fine, get in here!"

Suddenly I was glowing, and the world moved around me. I was hurled face-first into the water suddenly. It was wet, but not as cold as I had thought at first. Of course, I was too busy frantically clawing my way back to the surface and sputtering. "Starlight!"

"I didn't mean it!" she squeaked, her eyes wide. "I swear! I was thinking about wanting to push you in, but I didn't mean to!"

I flopped an arm over the side of the pool, anchoring myself as I heaved for breath, catching up with the situation. I was in the water. I wasn't dissolving, or sinking like a stone. "I'm... alright."

"Good..." She paddled her way over, slowly circling me. "Sorry, really. I'm on a roll it seems... They wanted me to ask about you, learn more about what was going on in your head, ask about your dreams." She touched her snout to my free shoulder. "I told them what you told me, then told them to shove it. The last thing I did for them was say I'd consider telling you to write down your dreams."

"Who?" I let go of the wall and turned in place. I was holding myself up in the water, which wasn't as hard as I feared to do. "A random doctor?"

"Miller." Starlight shrugged softly. "One of many, really. Do you even--"

"--I know him," I cut in. "He's the one that gave me the shot, and who I send reports to."

"Ah... that makes sense." Starlight's head inclined faintly. "He's keeping track of his patient, that's you." She raised a hoof out of the water to point at me. "Well, here we are. Are we going to have any fun?"

I splashed a little water at her. "It's why we're here. I also wanted to... move a little. I've been soaking in misery and barely moving, even for me."

"A couch potato already?" Starlight suddenly submerged only to pop up a few feet away, water sloshing from the movement. "Maybe this'll be a free tummy tuck along with everything else."

Oh, yay... "I was comfortable the way I was." I crossed my human arms, inhuman hands at the ends of them. "But I don't get a vote in this. At least I'm still two-legged, with fingers."

"With fingers," sighed Starlight. "Stop showing off."

I felt the glow as much as saw it. She was pulling me, but she moved more easily than I did, pulling herself back over to me. "We both have things to learn," she advised. "I'm getting the hang of... this, whatever this is." She reached up to point at her horn. "Does it scare you?"

"A little," I admitted. "But I'm scared of it, not you. There is a difference." I reached up and gently pet her cheek, rubbing like I would a cat I favored.

She lit up, turning red. "Not unless you mean it," she reminded, relaxing when my hand withdrew. "I'll try to get better, so you don't have to be scared of it or me. They're both part of me..." Her eyes wandered over me. "Speaking of part of me. You have a lot of parts."

"Griffon, pony, and dragon." I pointed to the different parts for emphasis. "If there's anything else, I haven't picked it out yet. It's like I got the combination platter. Has anycreature come out as a combo before?"

"Well, yes." Starlight softly nodded as she started to climb out, ascending a ladder one would not have thought a horse would use. "I know at least one that's a pegasus and a unicorn at the same time. She's also a friend of mine. We met in here, like me and you." She wobbled a hoof between the two of us. "I haven't brought her over because you're still... adjusting."

"A she then?" I stayed in the water. It was nice just... moving in there, getting a feel for... everything again.

"Like most, male first, then female. Twilight is their name." She suddenly gave a violent shake, like a dog with a wet coat. Water drops went flying in all directions. Just like that, she was mostly dry. She held out a hoof towards a rack of towels and one suddenly flopped to the ground. "Oops." She trotted over to grab it in her teeth and apply it manually. "Still learning that."

A thought tickled me. "Do you think that's why they were eager to get me? Hoping it wouldn't do... that to a woman?"

Starlight blinked softly. "I hadn't thought of that specifically, maybe? I said most were guys, not all of them." She let the towel flow to the ground, dry and shiny. "You having fun in there?"

"I really am." I kicked at the water, propelling myself along at a sedate rate. "You're already done?"

"I should get going." She pointed away. "Twilight's actually expecting me to stop by. I'm... glad you're not mad, and I don't have to try to keep it a secret."

"You're bad at secrets."

"Well, yes, apparently." Starlight rolled her eyes as she began to walk. "Or you have really good hearing. I swear..." And off she went, trotting down the hallway.

That left me alone in the pool. I enjoy alone times, so I let myself float and just 'be', learning with little motions how my altering body functioned.

Author's Notes:

New month, new updates! Lauren's feeling better with her mobility restored. Even without changing species, suddenly losing mobility is really hard on a person.

Join the special community of folks who like my stories here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

7 - Day Seven

I was facing a mirror. It was a dream, and I knew it. I wasn't in the habit of lucid dreaming, but it was becoming one.

Gazing back at me was what I could become. I couldn't make out all the details, lost to dream fuzziness, but important bits stuck in my mind. I was male, for one, and I didn't like that. "No," I stated firmly, reaching out towards the mirror and casually rearranging things.

I had belly boobs, like Starlight. "No." I casually pushed them up in the mirror back to where they rested on my chest as a human woman should have. "Better." Much better. I'd still be a freak, but I'd be a freak on my own terms. I blew my reflection a kiss with a little smirk. "Maybe Cindy will be alright with this."

I awoke to confusion just like that. "Why am I wondering how Cindy likes it?" Well, she was my best friend. I didn't want her to run away screaming forever...

The lights flickered on from my movement as I stood up on changed legs. I could feel them, their inhuman natures having spread up from my shins all the way up to my hips. On one side, soft fuzzy pony(Still not sure on that) fur, medium brown. On the other, green scales, a dragon's leg. On the positive, they had the right shape for a woman, swelling out into my big bottom that hadn't shrunk. I was still a plump lady... whatever I was.

Speaking of that, I half turned to look over my shoulder and wag my tail at myself. Larger, stronger, thicker. It was a proper dragon's tail, its furry tip flickering. "That's going to make buying a computer chair less of a mindless task..." One that let the tail through but still supporting the rest of me properly. I'd have to go off more than the one with the most favorable reviews.

My existing chair? Useless. My tail would have been all bunched up against it. I sat down in it and felt the tail awkwardly curling against me, trying to not be in the way. "Ugh." I could imagine a few hours like that, trying to work. "No."

Wait, what had I sat in? I suddenly crashed to the floor. "Had I been imagining it?" There was no sign of a chair, just a confused mutant, that being me. I scrambled back up to hoof and claws and got to the bathroom. There I went about taking care of what people generally have to take care of when they wake up, and I noticed it pretty fast.

My lady parts! One, they were entirely covered in dark brown fur. That fur went over my hips on the inside and out. More pressingly, I was changed, down there. When I wasn't busy using it, the fur pulled in on either side, concealing the entire thing away. Starlight and Flash had their stuff just... out there, so that wasn't a pony thing.

When it was open, which I learned I could... encourage... Alright, so I touched myself a little to get things moving. When it was open, it was very similar to Starlight. I had to laugh. I had a horse vagina that was hidden behind the genital slit of a reptile, or a dragon. The best of both worlds?

On the... plus side? I really didn't even look naked when I was naked. Hell, my asshole was part of the whole operation. Unless I was using it, it was hidden. I feel awkward talking about it, but it's a part of the process, so here it is, for you, dear reader.

I had a lot to report. To the computer! I charged out of the bathroom, not even dressed. I grabbed the laptop and booted it up. "C'mon..." It wasn't any slower than usual, I was just being impatient.

I had mail! Both from Miller and Cindy.

Hey Girl,

Your email didn't come through right. I didn't get any pictures. Does it hurt? Are you alright? I'm more worried about you. If you're still my Lore, I'll forgive whatever else you have going on. Focus on getting better and not on whatever crazy war scars you come out with.

Sending Positive Energy,
Cindy

I hit the reply button. I wasn't going to let my girl wait on that.

Hey!

So... Still going through changes. Some of them freakier than others, but... I'm hanging in there. I'm still Lauren! I won't let that change. I still owe you a concert, right? Not sure why the pictures didn't send, but they're almost out of date now anyway. Tell me, do you like ladies with a bit of fur?

Asking For A Friend,
Lauren

Off it went, and I noticed an email from someone new. A system email?

Hello Patient,

We have detected an attempt to upload personal pictures outside the boundaries of the network. Please abstain from this. We understand you want to share your experiences, but the world is currently unstable enough with other issues. You will be allowed to share once things calm down. You are welcome to document things for that time, but please do not upload any of it to any user outside the facility.

Thank You,
IT.

"The fuck..." Now, I'm generally a mild-mouthed person, but... "Seriously?" So my pictures had been specifically stopped, not just errored out. Part of me wanted to reply with an angry tirade.

But the only response to that would be to cut off my access to the outside world altogether if it looked like I'd try to weasel around them. "Fine, no pictures," I grumbled to myself. I wanted to be able to email Cindy! And do my work. If they snipped my outside access, work would suddenly be gone. I... wasn't ready for that.

They were nice, but also super in charge. It was an email like... that... that reminded me how much in their power I was.

Onwards, to Miller!

Good Day,

Your images show that your left foot is a goat, thought you should know.

Goat? But... I raised the hoof to look at it. It did look odd for a pony hoof, but it didn't have a big obvious cut in it either. That was a cloven hoof?

You've already discovered what your other parts are. I wanted to thank you. It was not your duty to assist the cafeteria worker, and we hadn't asked you to. She submitted a formal note of appreciation along with her request to have her registration adjusted to female.

Thank you for being part of the family,
Doctor Miller

My ear twitched faintly, which was an odd feeling. I couldn't normally feel my ears. I reached up to feel them. They were covered in soft fur, but also long and narrow. They could also twitch a little and did so as I felt them over. I had my ears. At least they felt pettable. But who would be doing that petting? My cheeks warmed as I lowered my hands away. "Work."

I typed up the report of the day and paused. "I never got a good look." I had gotten distracted. Back to the bathroom!

Flicking on the light, I stood in front of the mirror for a better look. Yep, big ears. Not as wide as the pony ears, but just as big. So... not pony ears? What were they? On my chest, well, I still had boobs, that was good. They hadn't gone anywhere, but... they had fur. For once I was getting the same fur color in several places. The dark-brown that covered my hips was also spreading out over my chest. My ears were a light grey, and my hair dark grey. My brows had changed, both changed eye and not, starting to look bleached white.

I rated my body 3/10 for color coordination. At least my chest fur was soft, but I was starting to feel naked again. As hidden and neat as I was between the legs, my breasts were still out for the world to see, nipples included. I got back into a hospital gown, my big tail thrust through the flap in the back. Ta da, I was decent.

Did I mention I was taller? Every day it seemed my gown was a bit less able to cover me as it had been the day before. Whatever I was... busy turning into, it was big. Soft Touch would have to re-measure me. Back to the computer I went, typing all of these changes in.

By the way, I'll be good about the Internet. Don't cut the darn things off. My emails with friends and my work are very important to me.

Thanks,
Lauren

Off it went, work time! Fortunately, work didn't care what I was turning into, only my typing speed, and that was steadily improving. I still wasn't at where I had started, but I was recovering. It was like I sprained a finger and was healing. I'd get back up to maximum speed, eventually.

More importantly, my accuracy was close to where I wanted it, and soon I was done. I folded the computer shut and just... sat there. I realized that, normally, I would stay in front of the computer all day, but the urge to do that was much less. For one, I was hungry and there was no fridge to grab things from like there was at home.

And I had friends really closeby. They would want to know how I was doing, and I wanted to know how they were doing. We were all trapped in a strange place with bodies we weren't born with. I pushed the laptop to the side and left it there to quietly charge as I sprang up to my strange feet. "Let's go say hi!" And with my card in my pocket, I set out into the hallway.

"Lauren!" There was Starlight, veering away from where she had been going. "Hey. How's it going?"

"Freakier by the day," I confessed. "Look at these." I raised a hand to my ears. She gestured and I went down to a knee to let her get a better look.

She reached up and felt over them and oh dear god. No wonder Starlight had been blushing! Ears were very sensitive, and I had more of them than before. Her hooves and magic were busy patting them down and I wasn't sure how I felt about it. It was.... good, but also felt super personal. It was like we were having casual intimacy right in the hallway where anyone could see.

"I understand how much of a jerk I was being," I confessed, and her hooves drew away. "You were doing that on purpose."

"Maybe," Starlight sang out. "Sensitive, aren't they? With someone you trust, it can be really relaxing."

"Wait, relaxing?" That was the opposite of how I had felt. "I'm about to grab a bite, then visit Soft."

"I already had something to eat. I need to meet somepony. How about we meet at Soft's?" She pointed the way. "See you there."

I let her clip-clop away as I clop-tacked towards the cafeteria. There was Jake, looking more female than the day before. She had the right basic shape all over. Her face was a perfect little pony snout and her bright eyes watched me approaching. "Hey," she called, waving me over. "It... happened."

"Me too," I confessed. "Did my advice help?"

"It... really did." She let out a sigh. "I don't want to spoil your food with it--"

"--You go on ahead." I waved it off. "Think of me as your freakish godmother. You can tell me anything about strange girl parts and we'll work through it."

"Thank you," she let out her breath with a sigh. "I thought you were being overdramatic, about cleaning up... after the bathroom, then I had to actually do it... thank you."

Ah, one of the more glamorous parts of being a woman. "And we get the extra 'benefit' of a literal fur pelt. They should install bidets and get it over with."

"Bi-whatnow?" Oh, she looked so confused. "Is that another girl thing?"

"More of a European thing, actually." It was... calming in a way to talk to Jake. He was in deeper than I was, and being able to reach out a hand and pull him free made me feel... better. What was that even called? "Imagine, you do your thing, as a guy or a girl, and suddenly you're being sprayed with water from under you."

Oh how her eyes got wide. "That sounds really creepy."

"And it is, but you get used to it, but you also get clean. The only tissues you need are to pat yourself dry, and you get on with the day." I patted one of her gloved hands. "Something to consider, for home, when they let us go home. Is there a timeline on that?"

"Not one they shared with me." She took a slow breath and then flashed an awkward smile. "So... What can I get for you today?"

I got some food and ate it. Nothing very special there. I waved to Jake on the way towards my next destination.

"Hey!" It was Jake. "Mind if I stop by, later? I doubt... we covered everything."

"That'll be fine," I gently assured. I imagined a large part of it was just feeling lost. I... knew that feeling. If I could help him... her... I should. Besides, it still felt nice to do it. "We'll talk girly things."

And off I went into the den of clothing. "There you are," came a melodic chime, Soft Touch already watching me as I came in. "Oh, I zee you are progresseeng," she noted in her accent. "So tall." She had to crane her head as I came close. "I simply must measure again." And off she trotted.

As if replacing her, Starlight poked her head out from some hanging clothes. "There you are. Hey."

"Hey is for horses."

"Good thing I'm one of those." She stuck out her tongue at me. "How are you? You look... together."

"Way better than two days ago." I couldn't imagine it getting much worse than then. "I was talking with Jake a little, giving her the run down on the girl life."

"That's nice of you." She emerged fully into view. "So what'd you come here for? Want a new outfit?"

As if to answer that, Soft returned on two hooves, balancing quite well despite being a four-legged pony. "She is here to be measured!" And lo it was that she started to apply measuring tape to me with only instructions of when to raise an arm or move a leg.

"That was a big part of it," I admitted. "I want clothes that fit. Can you re-tailor the clothes I came with to fit too?"

"That is more of the challenge, but I will try, oui. It is the least I can be doing." She fell back to all fours, muttering numbers under her breath. "I will have gowns ready for you. Hopefully, you are done growing. How tall you are!"

Starlight inclined her head towards Soft. "You know she's good for it. Just drop off your other clothes. I didn't even try to keep my old clothes. For one, kinda on all fours." She lifted a hoof to waggle at me. "As amusing it is to envision me in some jeans. No thanks."

"Clothes make ze mare," argued Soft as she trotted off to other business.

"What was that you were saying, about relaxing?" I was leaving the clothes depot with Starlight. "I didn't feel relaxed."

"Because you were busy feeling something new, from someone you like, I hope?" She inclined one of her fuzzy ears at me. "Different context. On the other hoof." She lifted her left hoof instead. "Once you're just a little used to it, and someone you're already familiar with is doing it in a safe place, you can get really drowsy instead." She coughed into that hoof. "It's a dirty habit among some. I swear. They'll just flop over each other and softly nibble until they fall asleep on top of each other with big stupid grins on their faces."

She was blushing. So was I. "Those are some tight friendships... Like rubbing someone on their back. You don't... do that casually, usually."

"Unless you're good friends," agreed Starlight. "Now, we have a whole day ahead of us! You want to talk to me about anything, or shall we do something fun?"

"You've perked my curiosity... What do you consider fun around here? We went swimming yesterday."

"Swimming is fun, but yeah, we did that." Her pace hastened. "You ever play many rhythm games? Like Guitar Hero?"

"Once or twice." We were approaching a new room. It was mostly open, but there were cubbies in the wall, and big televisions on another wall. "What is this?"

"It's our arcade." She rose up to two legs and approached one of the cubbies. Her horn glowed and pulled it open before she reached it. Various instruments began to float free. "And I want to play a game with you. You want to sing, drums, guitar? They have 'em all!" And soon all the instruments were set out in a big spread. "I'll let you pick the music genre."

The floor beneath us had become soft, rubbery. This place was meant to handle a bit of dancing and rough play without issue. It was a game room, for people to enjoy themselves. I felt a smile coming on. "Alright... You like electronic? I could use a solid beat right now." I pulled the drum set over and began patting it down experimentally. "I never played this one, so don't get too mad when I mess it up."

"Messing up is the first step towards not sucking." She grabbed the microphone. "I'll do vocal." One of the televisions snapped on, warming up to display the menu, music already playing at a good volume around us. "Now, electronic..." She navigated to a piece and pressed the go button.

As it turned out, Starlight had a perfectly nice voice. The way the game rated singing was on hitting the notes and cadence, and she was able to do that even as she sang entirely new words. "Playing with my friend, we're in this to the end. Gonna go for all the points, watchin' her use her new joints!"

My part had a lot less singing involved. I had to hit the right drum at the right time. I was pitter patting at them busily when my feet weren't involved, but I was only mildly dragging our score down. The music was good, and I was having fun. The way Starlight was smiling, she was too, or so I hoped.

For how odd they were, my various limbs were cooperating with me. I partially blamed that on my insistence on typing. Waving drumsticks around wasn't too bad in comparison, or so I thought. The song came to a smooth end and Starlight threw her microphone down with a triumphant pump of a hoof. "Yeah! That wasn't so bad."

The score tallied up. B+. I smiled at it. "I was expecting a lot lower than that when we started, so I'll gladly take that."

"Next time, A," she promised. "No matter how weird things get, at least videogames are nice and normal. If you ever want to go another round, just say so."

"How about... now?"

And so we did play. I tried out different instruments, but I wasn't feeling brave enough to try the microphone myself. Maybe... later.

Starlight set aside the guitar she had been playing. "Alright, now I think I'm done with that. Thanks!" She trotted offer and offered a hoof towards me. I wasn't sure what that meant. A hoof was like a hand, so I took her hoof in my hand and shook it.

She burst into laughter. "Not quite what I meant." She tugged me, taking advantage of my curled fingers. Once I was close enough, she threw up her other arm and pulled me in for a hug. "Thank you. Let's have more fun later, alright?"

For someone shy about being pet on the ears, she was eager for hugs. I did return it though, and soon we separated, with her trotting out the door.

Which left me with a bunch of instruments still taken out. She hadn't cleaned up. That fell on me. With a sigh and a smile, I got to work, getting the room back to where it had been before we showed up.

A knocking came on my door back in my room. "Who is it?"

"It's me," called a female voice. "Jake."

Ah, right. I had invited her. "Coming." I bounced to my mismatched feet and hurried over to the door. Soon I had a Jake inside my room. "Your shift's over?"

"All over," she agreed, rubbing one furry arm with the opposing hand. "I'm just a patient right now."

"And a friend," I suggested, gesturing at my bed. "Have a seat, I'll crash over here." I flopped onto the chair facing the bed. "So, welcome... You must feel so strange right now."

"In a lot of ways," she admitted. "You don't miss something until it's gone."

I raised a hoof-foot towards him. "You're telling me? I keep wanting to wiggle toes I don't have. I didn't care about toes before, but take them away, suddenly I miss them a lot."

She raised her shoes. "Still have my feet, for now. Not sure if that will stay that way or not. People like... me... change different compared to the direct infections. So... you staying a girl?"

"I am.. I had a dream about it, actually?"

"Want to share? You don't have to." She held up hands placatingly.

"I already put it in the report, since they want it." I rolled my eyes softly. "I was looking at myself, in the future. I was a guy, but I just... decided not to be, and I wasn't."

Jake frowned at that. "You got to pick? I saw myself in a field. I was tending to a bunch of carrots. I was already a girl. Ponies were going past, waving at me like they all knew me."

"Carrots? You're orange like one," I pointed out. "Still, yeah, I guess? I felt like I was making a choice. No crotchboobs. I didn't want those either."

Her eyes went to my chest, where my breasts remained. "In... usual cases, this would be where they start moving."

"Seriously, there's a timeline for this?" I folded my arms under my, thankfully un-moved breasts. "Why hasn't this been shared with me?"

"I dunno! You're not doing any of the normal ones, so maybe they just didn't bother." Jake shrugged softly. "So... girl things. Do I need to start wearing a bra? That's just a fashion thing, right?"

My eyes went half-lidded at him, er, her. "They are not just a fashion thing. If you plan on moving, which you do, and you have large breasts, which you do, you need bras." I pointed at her chest. "Those aren't small." Sure, they weren't super large, but they were big enough, easily. "Bras keep things where they should be, which helps you stand straight and stops things from... sagging. You want to sag?"

"No, Ma'am!" she squeaked, horror in her voice. "Christ, I didn't even have them and now I have to make them not sag?"

"Welcome to the other side," I sighed out with a little smile. "Let's make that today's project." I pushed up off the chair. "We'll visit Soft Touch and get you measured. I'll show you how to read bra sizes, and she'll get you a nice pair or three."

"You need more than one?"

Oh, I had so much to teach. "You don't wear underwear more than one day in a row, do you?" The lack of an immediate no from Jake told me all I needed to know. "Come on."

Author's Notes:

Bras can be worn for a few days between washing, but should be given a rest day between each wearing! The More You Know!

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8 - Day Eight

"Why'd you keep it a secret?" asked a female that was either Cindy or Starlight or Jake. I wasn't sure and also didn't care because dream logic.

"I can't keep a secret if even I didn't know," I had retorted.

"Guess that's true." Whoever they were threw open the shades and let the sun in. A pony and a human were walking by outside and both waved at us. We waved back. It was a perfectly domestic little nice-neighborhood kind of moment.

I woke up later, more annoyed at the dream that had felt so... silly and small and useless. Then again, that was how dreams used to be, before I started sliding down a hill towards becoming some kind of strange something. Fearing I'd forget such a silly little dream, I warmed up the laptop and got to starting the report of the day.

I didn't finish the report just yet. For one, I felt terrible. For two, the bathroom required me for self inspection and the usual things one did in a bathroom. That flu would not go away, it only got worse.

Of course, I was busy being broken down in a second puberty. I hadn't forgotten that. I was growing hair in new places and having strange new thoughts. A smirk spread over my face, imagining one of those old puberty public service announcement-style videos they'd show in school.

I was getting more hair than they were ready to explain. Off to the bathroom! There I was, peering back at me with eyes that didn't hide that I was feeling sick. "Bah." One of them still that big yellow and red... thing. Would the other eye match it eventually?

More pressingly, the change of the day was pretty quick to spot. The fur of my lion's paw had swept up over to my elbow. On the other side, my talon's texture had pressed up as well, then transitioned to fur. The fur on the talon's side was the same dark brown that was on my chest and around my hips, so hirrah for more places that matched.

However, the lion's paw was lighter brown and the fur that spread from it was also that lighter brown, tawny, like a lion. I mean, that was logical, sorta? Upstairs! My ears were higher than they had been before. Not taller, higher on my head. For just a moment I wondered at the biology at work there. Maybe it was good I was asleep when that happened. I couldn't imagine how that'd work and it not be intensely uncomfortable.

My ears twitched there halfway-up to the top of my head, wincing with the imagined pain of it. "At least this isn't doing that to me..." Whatever was going on, I had been mostly spared the literal horror of snapping bones and flowing limbs. It all waited for me to shut down so it could apply updates while I rebooted.

Suddenly that made more sense to me. Did computers want to close their eyes as their insides were made to move in new ways? We were such rude things, being annoyed at them for wanting that much as we changed their operations in ways large and small. It was the least little comfort we could provide.

I was busy offering sympathy to an unfeeling machine. I finished in the bathroom and emerged, cleaned and ready to tackle a new day. By the way, you hadn't asked, but when I went with Jake to get her some bras, I got some new ones too. Bigger body, different chest. Thankfully, Soft had provided without a whisper of complaint.

Funny thing though, despite it having more to wrap around body wide-wise, I had lost a cup size somewhere in the wash. Was I using my fat to fuel the change? I reached back with both hands and grabbed my bottom. Still flesh, still plump, but maybe not as plump? I felt up along my sides, inspecting where the rolls had been somewhat tamed. I was being given a slimming down, whether I liked it or not.

I was unsure. Part of my identity had been wrapped up in being chubby Lauren. I had worked... to get a positive body image. Sure, I hadn't been the perfect model of human attractiveness, but I was a lovely Lore, who was liked, and was just fine with a few extra pounds.

Except that was going away with the rest of it. I sank to the bed, feeling heavy and weepy. "Why am I crying about losing weight?" I berated myself, though it didn't stop the tears from flowing. "Stupid... teenage hormones." I blamed it on those mood swings the doctor had mentioned. Grabbing the box of tissues, I got to clearing out my sinuses for what had already felt like too many times that day. "Report time."

I got to typing up the report to Miller and sent it flying. He hadn't sent me anything new. At least that meant the Internet would stay on? I hoped?

That's an odd question, Girl. I love my people because of what's on the inside, but you better be washing yourself. I don't like dirty people. I will personally hold you under the water if I have to and you know I'm not joking.

Somehow I could imagine Cindy doing that...

So whatever's going on, you let the water hit you and don't worry about a few extra hairs.

A few extra hairs... I hit reply.

First, thank you for the mental image. I know you'd wash me good if you had to, but I'm still taking care of that even if it feels like I have the worst flu ever. No coughing, no Covid. It's all wet mucusy bleh going on over here. Besides that, a few extra hairs isn't the problem. Can't send pics, so I suppose it didn't happen, but I will have a lot more hair, or really fur, next time we meet. On the plus side, I will also be extremely pettable.

I hit send, only to realize literally a second later... "Why did I type that?" Pettable?! Pettable?! We were friends, not... that kind of friend. Why was I advertising my ability to be petted? My cheeks burning, I went on to work. You can't hit undo on emails.

Ugh, work was a real slog. I was feeling worse by the day, but I pushed through it, and ta da, work complete. Oh hey, an email on the corporate server. It basically announced the company picnic was officially cancelled.

Well... good? I hated that thing, and I was in no shape to show up there, not that I bet the lab would have let me go. Work completed, I set the laptop aside to chill out and rose to my feet, stretching towards the ceiling, which I reached easily. On the plus side, I hadn't grown again. Was I done? Well, good. I didn't want to be too tall.

I made sure I had my key on me and slipped outside into the hallway.

Flash's ears skewed, having been trotting past and instead turning to look at me. "Huh..."

"Huh?" The door clicked shut behind me on its own. "What's wrong... Flash, right?"

"That's me." He pointed a hoof at himself. "And you... look really nice today." He started towards me with a smile. "Like I never noticed before."

Was that adorable stallion making a pass at me? "Thank you for the compliment, I think..." It really didn't help that I was slimming down. Did he just like me now because I was less fat? Jerk! No, no... calm down. He's trying to be nice, right? "I'm really stuffed up today."

"Huh, oh, yeah." He nodded, his lips peeling back for just a moment and letting me see his big horse teeth. "It was kind of awful for a bit, but it gets better, I promise. Want some company?"

I felt genuinely uncertain. "Well, I've been hanging out with Starlight the last few days..." Maybe giving Flash a chance wouldn't be so bad. "What do you do for fun?"

"All kinds of things." He sat down and raised his hooves, clopping them together. "I got permission to order stuff, so I have a little collection going."

Collection? "Of?"

"Miniatures." He turned to the side. "Follow me. I'll show you. They're cute."

And so it was that I was following Flash down the corridor. This is when I remind that ponies hid nothing. That big sweeping tail that bobbed back and forth was nice and all, but did not a thing to stop me from seeing that he was a stallion, with dangling furry balls and an equally furry tube that ran in the middle of his belly area. "See something you like?" He was peeking over his shoulder at me.

Nope! "Uh, oh. I was supposed to check in with Jake. Maybe tomorrow?"

"Alright... Or later today." He gave me his room number. "Just knock." He made a knocking gesture with his right forehoof. "Take it easy."

I disengaged maybe a bit too quickly to be polite, feeling flush and miserable. Back to the cafeteria I went, but Jake wasn't there. It was someone else, in a hazmat suit. Which meant they were human, and uninfected, so far. "Hello?"

"Hi," replied the female voice, even if the hazmat suit hid most of the signs of being either gender. "What can I get you?"

"Is Jake alright?"

"Jake? Oh! He called in sick. You don't look so well either. You know we do room service, just pick up the phone." She pantomimed a phone receiver and put it to the side of her armored head. "Go get some rest."

That... felt like a nice option, actually. "Thank you. And Jake's a she."

"Sorry." She didn't sound that sorry. "Can I get anything for you?"

I made a little non-committal noise and turned away. It was hint enough, and she didn't try asking me again. Part of me wanted to just go be miserable in bed.

On the other hand... I began walking, soon in front of Jake's door. I raised a lion paw to knock on it, which... wasn't as effective as I'd like. Fur muffled knocks pretty good. I switched hands and rapped it with the talons. Ah, much better.

"Yeah?" came a voice from inside.

"Jake? Lauren here. I hear you're feeling like hell too." I reached for the knob. "Can I come in?"

"Second..."

That didn't stop me from trying her door. It swung open easily, not locked. "You didn't close your door," I lightly chastised.

"I heard it click," she called out. "Whatever... come in."

I slipped inside, my tail swatting the door shut without really thinking about it. "Jake?" I didn't see her until I went around a dark corner to see her sprawled out on her bed, looking miserable. "Yeah, mood..."

"Mood," she echoed with a faint smile. "I think we're twins."

"We look nothing alike." I came closer, crashing into the comfy chair that I had been sitting on in my room the day before.

"Yeah, but I think we got it at the same time." She grabbed for a tissue and made use of it, tossing the phlegmy paper aside. "Ugh... Look." She raised a hand up towards me. Her fur had pushed back towards her elbows, much like mine. Her hands were still hands. Her bare feet, still feet, human feet, if you ignored the fur creeping up from them. She was becoming a biped pony, as I turned into... unspecified.

"I'm seeing. But I came here to keep you company, and see how you were doing, not gawk." Well, I could gawk too. She was shaping up much like I had, gaining the physique of a physically active female.

Wait... "This is going to sound odd, but am I getting more fit?" I stood up, ready to be judged.

Jake looked more confused than discerning. "Is this a girl thing, asking other girls to look at you?"

That snapped me back towards normalcy and I sat right back down. "No! I mean... not usually... but good friends sometimes trust other good friends to give honest opinions. Don't guys do that?"

"Am I a good friend?" Oh, she had this little innocent smile on her uncomfortable face.

"I'm your godmother," I reminded. "Here for all your awkward girl questions. That rates us as good friends, right?"

"Yeah..." An uneasy silence grew in the room. She rolled over onto her side, facing me, but she didn't say anything. She was just... kinda watching me.

"I'm not helping..."

"I feel better than a few minutes ago," Jake argued. "I bet you do too."

Funny thing, I did. I really did. I mean, I was still clogged and miserable, but I felt better. "Yeah..."

"They say misery loves company, and I'd rather have a friend over." She curled in place, pulling up the blanket over herself and nuzzling into her pillow. "You must be tired though..."

"I am... but I'm also bored." I worried the tips of my strange fingers against one another. "Want to watch someting?"

Soon, we were enjoying a movie on the television they had put in all our rooms.

At least until I heard a snore. She had faded off, comfortable enough around me, or just tired enough, to slip away. I stood up as quietly as I could, helped by carpeted floors. I was going to just sneak out, but the temptation was too great. Her ears were all fuzzy and... there. I crept over and reached out. Her breath caught and I yanked the hand back, silently chastising myself for even trying.

But she calmed, and there I was, reaching again. I gently touched an ear and it flicked weakly. I ran the end of my furry finger along her ear, the softest little pet. She smiled, but I dared not continue, creeping out of the room.

"There you are." Uh oh, there was Flash, trotting towards me as I closed the door to Jake's room. "That isn't your room."

"Just checking in on someone. What are the odds?"

"Yeah," he laughed out awkwardly. Was he following me? "You looked kinda out of it. Everything alright?"

"Sorry for bailing on you before." I kept my eyes on his eyes. That's when I noticed something I never really took note of. Ponies had big eyes! They took up a lot of his head, looking at me with obvious concern, and maybe something else? "Jake called in sick and I was checking up on her."

"You don't look good yourself. Want a walk back to your room? I'll get you whatever you need." He turned and offered a wing towards me as if I'd use it like a walker again.

But my legs were working, even if I was busy suffering. I didn't take up the offer. "Not a single person told me that changing species was easy."

"I hear that," he laughed out as we began to walk towards my room. "Seriously... You, uh. It's hard to explain it. You look really out of it, and I want to help... but you're also, I dunno, glowing? You're just really... you, and I like it."

Suddenly he spotted something out of the corner of his eyes and looked to the right. "Glimmie!"

"Flash." Starlight came trotting into the corridor, joining us. "Lores! You look terrible."

"Flash was just saying I'm looking better than ever." I hiked a thumb at him.

"I said she looked bad too!" he protested, stomping from hoof to hoof in a little cute tantrum.

Starlight casually slid herself between me and Flash. "I think I know what's going on. Seen it a few times now. Flash, be a darling and find something else to do."

"What?" He scowled at her. "I was helping her."

"You were, and you're a good pony." She raised a hoof to gently rub under his chin. He started to relax, but his eyes were on me, not Starlight. "Go find something else to do."

"I'm helping her," he repeated, only to begin glowing as Starlight suddenly shoved him back with her magic, sending him skidding along the floor. "Hey!"

Starlight pointed towards my room. "Go on. I'll meet you there." But she didn't move to follow me, instead glaring at Flash and remaining between us.

I really wasn't sure what was going on, but I got moving. I was tired of standing anyway. Ugh, I hoped the sickness would pass. Maybe once I was finished turning into whatever it was.

Now, I wasn't there for the next part, but...

"Alright, now you listen here, Flash. We're friends, right?"

"You're not acting like it," he bitterly noted, watching me vanish down the corridor.

"She's in season and you're barely a step away from acting like a wild stallion." She rolled her eyes. "Think with the head upstairs and not the one downstairs." She thumped him in the breast. "Now is not the time! In Celestia's Name, I don't even want to consider what it'd be like if you managed to knock her up while she's transitioning. Besides, she's in a vulnerable place. This? This is what we call rape."

"What?!" he squeaked, going pale at the end of his snout. "I'm not a rapist! I was just trying to help!"

"And you would have, and you would have gone into her room, and you would have rubbed on her and tried to be as nice as possible, hoping, maybe not even out loud..." Starlight tapped a forehoof on the smooth tiles. "I'm shooting you down, right now. If you are her friend, you will give her space, and only hang out with her in very public places until she has her feet firmly on the ground."

He danced from hoof to hoof with obvious frustration. "I'm not some brainless wild horse."

"Then act like it," she challenged with a scowl.

"I will!" He turned away from where I had vanished. "She really does look bad though."

"Didn't we all?" Starlight's expression softened then, smiling at her lusty male friend. "I'll check in on her, with no chance of awkward consequences. We've all been through this."

"Yeah... are you mad?"

Starlight came up beside him and threw an arm over him, hugging him closer. "We didn't have to come to blows over it, so I'll forgive you. You're a stallion thinking like a stallion. Sometimes it takes a mare's point of view, alright?"

"Alright," he miserably allowed. "I was just trying to help."

"I hear that, I do." She pulled her arm back, going back to all four hooves. "The best help you can be, right now, is to do things that do not put you two alone. Be a supportive friend and nothing more. Now, gonna go make sure she's in one piece."

He suddenly went in, smooching Starlight on the cheek. "I'll do that. Sorry... I really wasn't trying to hurt her."

Starlight raised a hoof to her blushing cheek. "She's really affecting you."

"I guess." He looked left and right, then started to trot away. "I need to think about stuff."

I was comfortably in my room, perched on my bed, busy being, well, anything but comfortable. Ever have the flu? It sucks! I was running my hand along my aching head.

The knocking didn't help. "Who is it?"

"Starlight," came the reply. "Checking in on you."

I grumbled, getting up and approaching the door.

The handle glowed as it turned and the door swung open a little. "Oops! Did it again. Can I come in?"

Had Starlight just magiced her way in? "Uh, go ahead." Was that what Jake had felt? I returned to bed, kind of relieved I didn't have to finish the trip.

Soon there was a brightly colored pony sitting beside the bed, looking to me with concern. "Wow, you... want something to drink? Hot tea really helped my throat stop screaming when I was going through this."

"That sounds... delightful."

And off she went like a bolt. I heard the door thump on something, not actually clicking shut. A few minutes later I heard loud talking.

"What are you doing!?" questioned Starlight.

"Huh? I saw her door was open and was worried--" It was Flash.

"--I'm on it," hissed Starlight. "You need to not be here. Shoo!"

Then she entered, the door clicking closed behind her. She took a little breath. "Damn stallions..." She came into view, smiling like nothing had happened. "Here we are!" She was floating along a saucer with a big mug of steaming something. "Just the thing for making you feel better."

I sat up, reaching for the saucer even as my feet hit the ground. "Thank you. Was that Flash?"

"You heard that?" Starlight hiked a brow. "You hear everything, I swear. I sent him on his way." She sat down and pointed at the cup. "Go on, a little sip until you get used to it."

"Was he really going to rape me?"

Starlight sputtered, glancing around wildly. "W-what?! No! I mean... wait, where did you...?" She squinted at me a little. "You were way down the hallway, I could hear you walking, barely. There is no way you heard that!"

And yet... "I did. Did he really want me that badly?"

Starlight waved it off. "Let's be clear, he's a fluffy harmless idiot. He was attracted, but he wasn't going to attack you." Her brows came down. "I'd murder him if he did. Besides, he really is a nice person. He's still a stallion, and I'm guessing you're having that special time of the month."

"I am not having a period," I noted wryly, taking a longer pull from the cup. It really was helping...

"I don't think you ever will again," corrected Starlight. "You... transitioned, down there, right?" Her eyes fell down between my legs.

"Yes." Excuse me for closing my legs in response. I'm not used to that much attention being paid thataways.

"Congratulations, you'll never have a period again." She mimed pulling on a confetti popper and spread out her hooves with a confetti-like fwoosh of a noise. "On the other side, your... fertile time... is not as subtle as a human lady is used to. You put out scents, and stallions can pick it up."

"And that's why he was looking at me like I was suddenly an award-winning model?" I sipped from the cup, as if it could scare away the changes. It didn't.

"It affects both sides." Starlight brought her hooves together. "You wanted contact, I imagine. Parts of you were ready to get snugglier..."

I thought about when I had followed him, ready to see what his room looked like, my cheeks warming with the thought.

"That's a yes," cut in Starlight, watching my face. "We're both thinking creatures. We don't just turn around and present our rump, but it affects us. We want to be closer. We want to touch, be touched, by those we trust. We want to be close... and, you know, if things happened... Nature gets to pump its fist at getting us where it wanted."

"I touched Jake," I suddenly admitted. "I'm not any better than Flash, not even a little. Jake was asleep and I snuck over and touched her ears like I had any right to touch her at all. I'm just as bad!"

Starlight set a hoof on my shaking knee. "Calm down... Did you do anything more than ear touching?"

"I thought things..."

"Thoughts don't count for much." Starlight lifted her shoulders. "Look, relax. You didn't hurt anyone. When you and Jake feel better, you can admit your naughty ear touching and laugh about it." Starlight turned for the door. "For now, rest. If you need me, call." She gave me her number. "I'll be sitting right next to the phone in case you need me for anything at all."

Author's Notes:

Transitioning to a new species is so much more complicated than first suggested.

Join the special community of folks who like my stories here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

9 - Day Nine

"You're being given a serious responsibility," explained a smooth male voice in what was otherwise darkness. "Having reality wrapped around your pinkie may sound fun, but it also means you can mess it all up in a hurry. Now, you could do it like I did and just ride out the laughs." He chuckled softly to himself as if at some ancient memory. "Or, you can take a step back. Accept you can't be at the front of the stage, or the stage won't look like itself."

His presence came closer. "Are you listening to me? I came all this way across several realities to give a hint and I don't think you're listening."

I could hear him and had little choice but to listen to him. I reached out where his voice seemed to be and encountered soft fur, then a talon grabbed me by one of my arms.

"There you are. Oh, what's this? Well, my my my. You're lucky I'm a loyal draconeques." He released me and I got the impression his arms were crossing. "As I was saying, things are going to get stranger for you, much stranger. It's up to you how much of that strange you'll share with your friends, and enemies. The special ones may even like it. The rest, eh, up to you."

"I'm already pretty strange," I argued. "Wait, what did you say you were? Are you the same as me?"

"Same as you? Perish the thought. We're cousins at best." His hands settled on my shoulders. One like a lion, the other a talon.

He was like me! The shock of the realization drove me awake.

I sat up in bed, looking around and squinting against the light that had come on when I started moving. "What... was that?" I felt delightfully stuffed up. The flu was still there for me to enjoy.

I grabbed for my laptop and wrote down that strange dream as quickly as I could, jamming keys busily until it was all down for later reporting. "Draconeques," I mouthed to myself, tasting the word. "Is that what I'm becoming?" I looked down at the dragon foot and wriggled a few toes. "Dragon... But I don't have a lot of equine. Was a goat that?"

A quick google told me, no, goats were caprines. Maybe my face? I reached for it, feeling the widened nose and altered jawline, still slowly creeping towards a snout. Was that equine? Maybe. My ears were long and fuzzy but I couldn't pin that down between equine and caprine. Speaking of those, they were all the way on top of my head at that point.

I went to the bathroom, did bathroom things, and looked in the mirror. My eyes! I had gotten used to them being an anchor of sorts, but they had changed along with the rest of my head. They were bigger, my teeth were changing. One of my fangs was jutting right out of my lips, casually draping itself over in work that I'd normally be running screaming to a dentist to fix.

It looked painful, but it didn't hurt. It wasn't bent out of shape, it just... had an odd shape. "That is not attractive," I berated my image, turning left and right to examine how the tooth curved downwards from my upper jaw to hang down in front of everything else.

I had gotten to pick my gender and how it manifested, but no hint had been given that the tooth was coming. "Not complaining!" I quickly spat out as if the universe was listening and ready to be annoyed I was arguing. "Still, at least a warning?" I twitched my long tail and huffed, leaning in to study my larger eyes. My normal eye was still... normal, if larger. The other, yellow and red, also larger. White brows raised and lowered as I considered it. "Huh..."

I turned to present a profile and noticed it. I had no belly. Well, not no belly, but I was slim. I ran a talon across where I had been pudgy and fat and... Lauren. "Hey, brighten up," I chastised myself. "Some people would pay money, a lot of it, to get results like this." I let my hands wander, tripping over the fur that was still spreading over my chest. "Maybe not this part." Fur had taken up about a quarter of my chest. I was a slender draconeques. My breasts had become even more slender, easily confirmed when I tried on a bra that didn't quite fit anymore.

"To Soft!" I declared, and then didn't go outside. Oh no, I had a report to type, not to mention work to do. I sat down on the bed and felt my tail swaying with a mind of its own. Somehow... I felt a little better, despite still being sick. I wasn't sure what to pin that on and pushed it aside to get some work done.

Lore!

You're making me worried. Tell me what's going on. I want to hear more. I care about you, Girl. Don't be bashful, just tell me. Words are almost as good as pictures. Oh, did you hear, they're opening up. Part of me wants to go running through the streets, and the other part, which sounds like you by the way, reminds me this is all speedy until... Nevermind that. You alright? Write back.

PS: I will remember that petting is allowed.

I smiled at the rambly message from my friend and got to replying, even if her reply to the petting comment put a blush in my cheeks.

Hey Cindy,

Lauren here, even if I feel so strange. Let's start with I think I'll be fine, just... it's weird. I'm not dying though, promise.

I paused to think on being pet. Raising a hand, I ran it through my hair only to smack into something new. "What the?" Rubbing carefully, I could find two lumps hidden in my hair. "The... hell?" Starlight had a horn, one horn. I had two lumps. Would I get two horns?

Did that mean I'd have magic too?!

Twice the magic?

I made a mental note to add that to the report and resumed typing to Cindy.

The first thing told to me really stuck with me, so I'm going to share it. I'm going through a second puberty. Instead of becoming the little dumpling you know, I am... becoming a slim and strange thing that still adores you. All I ask is that you keep an open mind and give me a chance when I get out of here.

I'd send pics if I could, but please, no panicking. I'm alright.

I hit send and leaned back a bit. "Am I alright?" I wasn't sure how true that was, but Cindy freaking out about it wouldn't help her, or me. It'd also get my Internet cut off if I went panic mongering. I wanted my Internet!

Work! My typing speed was improving and I burned through it, minus the time I spent coughing or sneezing or ordering more hot tea. They did have room service, as they promised. Sure, the one delivering it was dressed for Chernobyl, but the tea was nice and I flipped them a tip.

They looked oddly at the bright gold coin in their palm and left.

Bright... gold coin? Where had I been keeping that? I shook my head and got back to the assignment. My day's worth of work was soon done and I let out a happy little sigh. I liked being good at my job, at being productive and knowing my effort was going towards something.

Report! I copied over the dream and added all the physical alterations I'd found.

So, draconeques? That's what I am, apparently. Have you run into one of those before?

And with a final click, the email was off. My duties were complete, to my work, and to the lab.

The phone suddenly rang and I jumped with surprise. "Jesus..." I grabbed it off its cradle and held it up. "Hello?"

"Lauren?" It was Starlight. "Checking in on you. By the way, you have a computer, right? I've seen it. Did you know we have a server to hang out on? A little private Discord for us caged oddballs."

"I wasn't told about that." I pulled my laptop over closer. "What's the URL?" I typed it in as Starlight said it and soon I was logged into the server. "Wow! I've only seen like six people and this server has over 20 people on it. Are they doctors?"

"Some of them." I couldn't see it but I could imagine Starlight waving it away. "Most of them are just like you and me. Um, after a little... incident... they separated us, physically. It's a lot smaller now, each one, and less prone to... mishaps. I like it in some ways. We're more of a little family instead of a sprawling mess."

Little incident? "Oh, since you asked, still feel like hell, and I'm changing. This reminds me, how can I tell when I'm not 'in heat' anymore?"

"Good luck with that," snorted Starlight. "Boys can smell it on us. We just want some cuddle time."

"Are you up for that?"

There was a moment of quiet. "Um... Just making sure you know what you asked. You want to cuddle?"

Oh crap. That is exactly what I had asked for. "I think I'm still in heat."

"You sound it... Seriously though... We... could do that. A little girl cuddling has less awkward consequences than a little boy cuddling, if you know what I meant."

A lewd image sprung to mind and I shoved it away with bright red cheeks. "Yeah! Yeah... Look, we're both adult whatever-we-ares. I just... made a pass at you. You are so welcome to just say no."

"Ugh, Lore... You can't give proper consent right now. I don't want to take advantage of you." I heard movement through the phone.

"If that's true, I can never have a kid," I suddenly argued. "Any time is the right time, I also can't 'consent', so the only way I could get one would be rape, and that is not a reality I'm comfortable with living in." I folded one arm under my chest, the other busy holding the phone. "We're friends... I want to hug you. Will you let me hug you?"

"It won't end with a hug," noted Starlight flatly. "If you insist, I have to demand you be honest. You want me over to fuck. Starlight, want to fuck. That is the only honest way to approach this. There are no 'hugs' right now. You're confused, horny, and sick too. It promises to be a really snotty, sneezy, coughy, slimy mess of a time."

"Does that mean yes?" Why was I being so desperate? "Look, Starlight... I really want a hug. I don't... Christ, I'm scared and alone and I can't fix one of those, but the other? Can you come over?"

"If I don't, Flash gladly will. You wait right there." The phone clicked dead.

That was when I noticed I wasn't wearing a darn thing. With a squeak, I grabbed a hanging gown and got into it in a hurry. I heard knocking at the door. "If that's Starlight, come on in. I know you can do it."

"Maybe," came the muffled reply. I heard something fall over, then a rattle. A soft muttered curse, then a click, the door opening. "There we go." She came trotting in, circling the corner into view. "Um..."

"What? Is it that bad?" I patted myself down to notice I had put on the gown backwards.

Which means Starlight could basically see everything. Starlight's horn glowed as the door clicked behind her. "You... are... You have nothing!" She thrust a hoof between my legs, where no sign of a sex was present. "How are you in heat?!"

"I thought you didn't want sex," I snapped at her with more acid than I had originally planned. "Did you come over here just to yell at me?"

"No! No... Look, sorry." She walked around my bed, hooves muffled on carpet. "I know this has to be an unfun time for you. I'm here."

"Thank you." I flopped onto my side and reached for her as she came close. She didn't dance away and I could feel her. I could pet and stroke her. She was warm and soft, so soft. I pulled her closer and she didn't stop me. I could smell her mane, a nice little floral hint. Jasmine? I couldn't quite place it, but I liked it. "Mmm, you smell nice."

And then the sneeze. Oh god, right into her poor mane. I grabbed for a tissue, cheeks burning. "I'm on it! Don't be mad!"

"This is exactly--" She sat down on her haunches, watching me frantically rush to try to clean her. "--what I saw coming. Now, if you want me on your bed, you're going to have to ask, honestly. Otherwise, this is as close as I come."

I was patting her dry as best I could. "I'm so sorry. I felt happy for a moment. You're so... and you smelled nice. I forgot I was sick, then I was... reminded."

Starlight pointed at me. "You're still transitioning, so, yeah, you're sick, and it'll get worse. You're creeping up on it, but if we're following the schedule, you have... half a week?" She hiked a brow, seeming to consider it.

But I had an ear to pet. I began to stroke one of her ears gently. They were so pettable... "It gets worse? I don't really want to think about that right now, thanks."

"Nopony does, trust me." She stuck out her tongue a little, tolerating the ear stroking. "I checked in on Jake for you."

That snapped me back to awareness. "How is she?"

"About as good as you, but intact. I brought them breakfast. Speaking of which, did you order anything to eat? Did you forget eating?"

Eating! That was a thing people did, and I had not. "I had some tea..."

"Want me to grab something for you?"

I mean, I did, but I also wanted her there. "Be quick, please." I watched her trot off and let out a loud groan. "Lauren, why are you being such a putz right now?"

I could hear Starlight clop up to the counter, in the cafeteria. "Breakfast bar still open? No? Shoot." I couldn't hear the reply, just what Starlight was saying. "Alright then, I'll take an omelette and some orange juice. I'm bringing it to Lauren. Yeah, she's in it bad. Ugh... you don't need to remind me of that." What was the other person saying?

Hearing half a conversation was frustrating. But why was I hearing it at all? I peeked out around the corner and saw the door was closed tight. Starlight was way outside of where I should be hearing a thing from her.

"Thank you." I heard her clip-clopping away, back towards my room.

By the time she got back, I was back on my bed, smiling innocently as she trotted past, a tray floating in her magic. "Thank you. What kind of eggs did you get?"

"How...?" She placed the tray on my bed and pulled off the lid, revealing the bounty. "Alright, once is a coincidence, this is just nuts. How good is your hearing and how have you not gone crazy just hearing a lot of nothing?"

I grabbed the plastic fork and didn't answer in favor of filling my face with cheesy eggy goodness. I washed down some of it with some OJ and grabbed for some tissues to stop from sliming up the place. "I'm still trying to figure that out. I could hear you, and only you."

Starlight hiked a brow. "Uh, all day?"

"Since you went to get breakfast." I went for a second attack run on breakfast. "Thank you, Starlight. I know I must be a huge pain right now."

Starlight smiled a little. "Other ponies were there, for me, when I was going through the same thing. I'm passing it forward. One day, some other confused soul may be looking to you the same way."

"And I'll help them out, if I can." I let out a happy little sigh. "Ugh, I think being hungry was not helping with things. I'm feeling... better. Starlight, want to watch something?" I grabbed the remote and had the TV on in a flash. "I don't want to be alone, but it's alright if you don't want to get all close and personal with the booger factory right now."

She turned to the television and plopped onto her haunches. "Sure, but I'm still curious... So you could hear me perfectly fine, even when I was all the way over there?"

"You were talking with whoever was in the cafeteria. I couldn't hear them, but I'm guessing they asked about how I was doing... You did mention you were bringing it for me." I finished up the eggs and pushed the platter away, holding the cup to nurse from. "By the way, this is a big bed. There's room for two if you want something more comfy to sit on."

"You're getting more subtle," joked Starlight with a little smirk. Her eyes rolled before she hopped up on the far side of the bed from me and sat down. "Look, I've been there. I've had a few cycles. I spent them online, talking dirty to people too far away from to make a mistake with. I.... took care of it, alone." She coughed into a hoof softly. "It wasn't like I couldn't think. That's why I decided to just stay inside for a few days."

"A reasonable course of action..." Thinking on it. "There are only so many ponies, here, physically. There's Flash--"

"--I know enough biology to know how that'd go," snorted out Starlight.

"--and Soft."

"Cute, don't get me wrong, but she's also very proper. I think she'd die of embarrassment if I approached her about that. Besides, I don't 'feel' her that way. She's a good friend, but I don't think I want to push past that." Starlight waved a hoof negatively. "Wonder how she deals with it...? I never saw her call out a day, or hunt for snuggle time."

"Why are your breasts bigger than mine?" I suddenly blurted. "Look at mine." Easy to do with the gown still on the wrong way. "They got smaller. I used to be big all over, and now I'm outmatched by a little horse. How is that fair?"

"They, uh, fit you." She looked pointedly away from me. "Whatever you are--"

"--Draconeques," I cut in. "I'm a draconeques with little breasts, watching television with a cute little unicorn with big breasts. How fair is that?"

Starlight thumped down a hoof, bouncing off the springy bed. "Do you know how much a pony body is built to have big breasts? Let me enlighten you, it's not! My legs knock into them, they knock into each other. It's a mess. I'd wear a pony bra, but guess what? That doesn't exist! I asked Soft about it once and she made a lot of excuses." She scowled at me. "I think she's just glad she had little hoofulls instead of these big things!"

"You think I don't already know what big boobs are like?!" I shouted at her. "I lived most of my life with big everything. It's a huge pain in the ass, but it was my pain in my ass and it was just what I was and I miss it and--"

"I'm sorry," she suddenly chimed, but it was too late.

"--I'll never get it back. I'm busy being some slim draconeques, whatever that is with nothing up here, or down here." I reached back to grab my significantly reduced back end. "I'm exactly what society said I should always want to be but also a total freak! Thanks, I hate it!" I grabbed a pillow and buried my face into it for some good sobbing time.

Starlight raised a hoof to her cheek, rubbing lightly. "Look... sorry... I snapped, and you snapped. We all snapped... I don't hate you, Lauren." She came closer and set a hoof on my belly, my face hidden under a pillow. "This is a really awkward time... but I'm still here."

"Stupid teenage hormones," I muffedly complained. "I'm too old for this..."

"Been there." She gently patted me, a slow soft brushing with her hoof. "Feel better?"

"A little." Without removing the blanket, I felt around and grabbed the box of tissues, cleaning myself off before I dared to sit up. And there was Starlight, right next to me. "And you're going to run away now."

"I'm not scared of you," she huffed, sticking out her tongue. "So, you wanted to watch something?"

I turned to the television, one arm going around Starlight and pulling her over. It wasn't far, with Starlight already sitting next to me, but I wanted to feel her against me. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"Likewise." She draped a leg over one of my arms. "You are pushing into snuggle territory."

"Is that alright?" I squeezed her just a little. "You can leave, if you rather... Or--" A little smile emerged. "I can give you some tips about being a big lady."

Starlight burst into laughter, suddenly rearing up to thump me with her forehooves. "I'm not a little foal! You doof, I can handle myself." She went back to her haunches. "Still... thanks."

"These things are as much a blessing as curse." My fingers were brushing the soft warmth of one of her swells. "Pony or human, from the sound of it. Do you get... looks?"

She shoved against me. "Mostly from you!" She rolled her eyes. "I take that back. Jake used to look. Are horse breasts really that interesting?" She folded her arms across her entirely flat chest. "I swear, you put a nipple on some fat and suddenly it's the most fascinating thing."

"Not trying to bring up sour memories." But she hadn't moved away. She was still in my grasp, and I held her gently. "Thanks, for putting up with me."

"You are welcome, but you didn't pick, so I will." The remote was suddenly snatched in her glowing magic and she flipped through the channels. "Did you see this remake? It's pretty good." On the screen, a feline-human was busy shouting at some normal-looking human. "They are totally lesbian, I swear." Her voice raised, "Stop arguing and kiss already!"

Well, if she'd rather. I didn't try to kiss Starlight. I was perfectly happy having her there. Besides, I wasn't lesbian. I was straight. I'd had boyfriends before! Sure, they had all... moved on, or gotten kicked out for various reasons. Still! I was hetero. I just needed a nice kind person that wanted to enjoy me for me and not what I could be, or what purpose I served for them.

"Um."

I had been cupping Starlight's far breast, as if the weight would calm me down. Well, it had, come to think, fitting so well in my hand like a living stress ball that I could slowly feel and squish to work off stress. It was also part of my friend! "I'm so sorry!"

Starlight swiveled an ear away and back, the other trained on the television and the episode I was barely paying attention to. "You never did say how that works." She directed a hoof downward, towards my thighs. "You have nothing down there but fuzz. How do you go to the bathroom? Let alone go into heat, let alone decide I'm a perfectly valid target for your lusts."

"I'm lousy company." I slid off the bed, rising up and trying to straighten myself out. "Why don't you head on home? Maybe tomorrow I'll be less completely out of it."

Starlight frowned a little. "If you want, but you have my number. Call me if anything comes up, alright?" She hopped down to the ground and began trotting for the door.

Since she had brought it up, I could see how her horse breasts bounced around down there. Her legs did hit them, they did hit each other. It was far from graceful, but she was handling it well. And then she was gone.

It was just me and my confused hormones.

Author's Notes:

It's snuggle time! Which would you rather snuggle, Starlight, or Lauren, or some other pony thus presented?

Join the special community of folks who like my stories here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

10 - Day Ten

"I don't normally visit twice," spoke a voice I had heard at least once before. "But you didn't even say bye. Kind of rude if you ask me."

With a loud snap, the darkness was banished. We were floating among the clouds. It should have been cold, but it felt perfectly fine. Another draconeques was there, smiling at me. We were both floating as if that was a normal thing to do. Dream logic? "Dream logic? Not quite. You make your own logic. Now, promise me you won't be startled again."

"I didn't do it on purpose." I was busy looking him over, studying him. "What's your name?"

"I'm Discord, and that's my name, so kindly get your own." He casually tapped me on my wide nose.

"I'm Lauren." I put a hand on my chest. "Speaking of that, I thought I was supposed to be 'given' a name, even if I planned to not take it."

"You want a name to not use? Well, alright. You can be Eris," he so flippantly provided. "A lovely name, pity you won't be using it."

It... felt right. It felt too right. I grabbed the word, literally, suddenly between my mismatched hands and hurled it violently away. "I am Lauren! I have friends waiting to see me again, and I will be Lauren for them, even if every other part of me is unrecognizable."

"Setting boundaries?" He darted in, face just to the right of mine. "I'm so proud. They grow up quickly!" His hands settled on my sides. "You are developing nicely."

"Are you... making a wife?"

Oh, his laugh. "I have a very special somepony, thank you. Besides, long distance relationships never work out." He waved the matter away. "And, to be frank, I like her better, even if her life's passions don't really include me. Ah, dear dear... I'm getting distracted. As you are aware, you are a confused teenager. You're ready to chase anything that doesn't run away."

"But are you doing this?" I gestured over my strange form. "This isn't a pony or a griffon or anything else they know about."

"They know about this, they'll tell you about it not long from now." He rolled his shoulders softly. "But, no, this isn't my trick. I'm not that mean. Now, I don't want to strain your little mind, so I'll let you get back to your regular dreams."

"Wait!" I grabbed for his shoulder, but it was so much cloudstuff, the rest of him breaking apart into mist. "Please visit again. I have so many questions!"

"No promises," was the last thing he said, like a sigh on the wind.

I woke up and grabbed for my computer, typing furiously the dream that teased at me. Only once it was written out did I rise to my strange feet and head towards the bathroom. An inspection revealed the fur and shape of my arms had gone all the way up to my shoulders. I was just a bit more slender, not that there was much left to that if the dream was any indication.

I ran fingers over the newest patches of fur, along my upper arms and spreading over my torso. "I'll be just like him." It was comforting, in a way. At least I knew what I was supposed to look like, and I was looking like that. He didn't have breasts, but he was also a he, so that wasn't too strange. He had horns, two big mismatched horns. I reached up and felt the bumps had part, allowing the tiniest nubs of what would be my horns to poke free.

"Will they be pretty?" I felt there was no assurance what sort of horns I'd get. Goat, rhino, unicorn, or something else?

I grabbed some tissues to make a deposit, the flu still with me as I returned to my computer and got to expanding my report with physical changes. "And... send." I clicked the button and checked my inbox.

Doctor Miller had written me.

Good Morning,

I know you're going through a lot right now. As your doctor, I'm here for you.

Huh, when had his bedside manner suddenly improved?

Thank you for your diligent reports. I appreciate their attention to detail. I noticed you've been talking to Starlight Glimmer a lot. Are you two becoming friends? You mentioned you were growing horns, which has, thus far, meant other things. She may be able to help with that. Your body appears to be healthy, just take care of it and the rest of you.

Keep Up Those Reports,
Doctor Miller

I drummed my fingers on my keyboard. That didn't feel like the same doctor. Something was off, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Either way, I put it aside. Oh, a Cindy-Mail:

Lore!

You're becoming a woman, again? Slim? You found a secret diet in there? Be sure to take some notes for me and don't be stingy with the details. Some of us want some of that. Now, don't get me wrong. You're scared, and you're being a big girl about it. I'm here for you! When you get out of there, you are getting a big hug, and probably a few pets, you said I could.

🤗
Cindy

I smiled at the unflinchingly positive message. That was Cindy, I felt certain. I got to typing a reply.

Cindy!

Always nice to hear from you. Right now, riding out this thing which is like the flu, bleh, snot everywhere. I'm alright though, promise.

I felt an ear twitch without being asked.

If you want to give me a hug, that sounds kinda nice right now.

My finger trailed over to the backspace key, frowning at what I wrote. That sounded too desperate. And yet, it remained.

I still owe you that concert, so let's look forward to that when I get out of here.

Missing You,
Lauren

I did a responsible thing, cancelling a bunch of things I wasn't using while pent up as I was. At least my wallet would be a bit happier about it. Speaking of that, I did my shift of work, typing busily and eating delivered breakfast at the same time. Soon I was satiated in mind and body, with food and work both being devoured. "Time to hunt down a unicorn." Snotty or not, I left my room.

"Feeling better?" There was Flash, across the way in the cafeteria with a plate of something.

"In some ways." I wandered towards him. "Hey, tell me if I'm in heat."

His cheeks went red. "Huh? I can't tell..."

"Sure you can. You said so." I pointed at him. "I looked extra pretty. So, do I look pretty or not?"

He reached a hoof to rub behind his head. "Oh, uh... You look interesting." His eyes roamed over my still adjusting body. "You're a lot skinnier now." He brought his hooves together in front of himself, tapping lightly. "I hope that isn't offensive."

It had ended. I wasn't in heat, and he didn't see that extra glow around me. "You've told me all I need to know, thanks." I reached out and casually patted him twice on the head before moving on. "Is Starlight in her room?"

"I think she just went to--oh there she is." He pointed to where Starlight was coming towards us, a tray floating over her head.

"Lauren! I was just about to come visit you next. Jake's feeling miserable. How are you doing?"

"Likely equally as miserable." And yet, I was smiling. "Heat's over. Oh, and something else..." I gestured for her to come to the side, away from Flash.

Starlight raised a brow, but didn't stop on her way into the cafeteria, setting down her tray, and only then emerging to come over to me. "What's on your mind?"

I crouched down so I could speak quietly. "I think I know what my new name was supposed to be, but I also plan to not use it."

Starlight frowned at that. "Can you even do that? I don't know a single person who has so far." She pointed up at me. "Besides, if you don't switch, that makes our promise a little awkward."

"You don't have to tell me." I set a hand on her shoulder. "Unless you want. Anyway, it's Eris." I pointed to myself. "But I am still Lauren. I have people who are waiting for Lauren to come back to them, not some strange Eris person. I'm already strange enough in other ways..."

Starlight leveled a hoof at me. "This is all connected," she flatly stated, not sounding amazed or baffled. "What you're becoming... how you act... the way you could hear us. I don't know, exactly, what it is, really, but it all... It has to be connected." She sat down on her haunches. "It's your choice, in the end. Nopony forced me to be Starlight, or even told Flash to be Flash."

"Nope, just came to me," he agreed, obviously listening in on us. "Eris? That's a nice name. Sure you don't want it?"

It was a nice name. I could be a perfectly lovely Eris... "No! No. Lauren." I hiked a thumb at myself. "I am Lauren, nice to meet you both." Let out a small breath. "It's nice to talk to you both without losing my mind. Was I really that bad as a stupid teenager?"

"Probably worse," joked Flash with a wry smirk. "But I was just as bad, if you listen to Starlight."

"You were," she flatly agreed. "But, really, glad everypony's feeling a bit more grounded today. Now, you never answered a question of mine." Her eyes fell away from my face, across my chest, belly, thighs, to right between them. "How do you work? Seriously, it's been bothering me all day."

Flash's eyes got wider. "Star! Rude. You were yelling at me, and you just go and ask that?" He hopped down from his chair. "Are you in heat?"

Starlight huffed, rolling her eyes. "I am not, thank you for asking. Still, seriously, she's a barbie doll between her legs. How do you use the bathroom? Where did that heat come from? What would you actually do if I had left you alone with Flash?"

Ugh, now they were both looking between my legs. Thank goodness I was wearing pants. "Is it normal to just casually discuss anatomy?"

Starlight rolled a hoof. "If it has to do with our transformations, yeah, it really is." She raised a hoof towards her horn. "You think I even could shut up about this at first?"

Flash burst into merry laughter. "I remember that. You're getting better at it though. How's it feel?"

"More and more... natural? Is natural the right word?" She looked back towards me. "But that's beside the point. Yes, strange things related to our new bodies? Yes, we talk about those. So, spill it."

I had two options there, that I saw. Well, maybe three. I could just tell them. I could get huffy. I could flee. Starlight had been nothing but a friend so far. I had sneezed right into her hair and she didn't run away in a panic, that had to mean... something...

"It's weird," I prefaced, which just made the two of them look at me more intently. "I have all the parts, we'll start with that. They're just shy. When I'm... not using them, they hide. The fur you saw was just a cover. It can get out of the way." I was wriggling fingers, miming the act of a door opening up left and right. "But, when not, I'm PG-13 at worst, even stark naked."

I raised both hands to my altered chest. "Put a shirt on me at least and I could be G."

Flash slowly tilted his head. "That is strange. Wait, it covers up all the things?" He waved idly at his own back end. "Front and back?"

"I saw it, it's true," confirmed Starlight. "That is so freaky... Um, not in a bad way. You know what I mean, I hope! You're our friend, we care."

Ugh... "Are we done talking about my private bits? I'm still dying of flu over here. Can we do something relaxing?"

Flash circled in place. "You been to the music room?"

"Music room?" I didn't remember seeing that on the map.

"The lounge," corrected Starlight. "It has a stereo system. Over here." She began to lead the way, with us following behind her. "More often than not, it's used by one person to just listen to whatever, or read a book, or both." She looked over her shoulder at me. "We can put on something relaxing?"

"I know a few good ones," assured Flash, accelerating past Starlight. He arrived there first, and we found him tapping at a stereo system. "And here we... go." With a swat of his wing, he hit play and easy listening jazz began to play. "Just the thing to close your eyes and just exist for a while."

I didn't normally tune in jazz, easy listening or not, but... "This is actually a good pick." The melody was already relaxing me and I sank onto a provided chair, pausing only to get my tail out of the way. "Yeah... that's..."

"Good pick," echoed Starlight, slowly bobbing her head along to the tune of the song playing. "Send me a link to this playlist later. I could use this while studying."

Studying... "Oh! Hey, Starlight. Horns." I reached up to brush the little nubbins I had. "I'm getting them, and that might mean that crazy magic grabby thing you do. Can you show me how to do that?"

Starlight trotted over next to my chair. "I'd be glad to share what I've figured out, but we can't be sure yet. Besides..." She reached up to pat my head for a change of pace. "Oh wow, those do feel like... Still, we can't say they're unicorn horns. Maybe they work different, or not. Either way, way too small to do much so far. Expect that to change, quickly. You're right at the part where your head snaps into place."

Flash winced softly. "I remember that... Right when my wings started getting close to full sized." He flapped them in time to the music, intentionally or not. "Not sad about these babies."

Starlight smiled a little at that. "I like my horn too. Still, Lauren, if you feel, you know, worried, you call us, alright?" She pointed at Flash. "Give her your number."

"Huh? Sure." He rattled it off. "I'm allowed to visit now?"

"I'm not a horny teen anymore." I jazz handed lazily in front of myself. "Yay." I then grabbed the box of tissues there and made use of it. "Sorry if I made your day super awkward."

"S'cool," he assured with a hooves up. "Yeah, give us a call if you need anything. Did Starlight get you on the Discord yet?"

"Yesterday. I'm on as Lores," I explained, taking a slow breathe. "Right now, let's just relax. I like the music, and the company." I closed my eyes, but I could hear them moving. They sat down near me. They were good little fuzzy friends, keeping me company. "I hate to ruin this... but you two don't have things to do?"

Flash responded first, "I'm cool being right here. Star?"

"I actually should meet with Twi. Flash, take care of her." I heard her walking away. "Feel better, Lauren!"

I felt Flash's fuzzy nose touch my equally fuzzy arm. "So, did you figure out what you actually... are?"

Cracking an eye to see his curious expression, I smiled a little. "Draconeques. Heard the name in a dream."

Flash's right ear twitched. "That sounds off. Could you say it slower?"

"Dracon. Eques," I repeated firmly. "You've heard the word before?"

"Nah, but pretty sure it should be draconequus, a kind of w after the q. Dra kahn E Kwas," he explained. "Don't ask how I know that. Pretty sure it's right in there next to calling everypony everypony." His shoulders lifted. "Try it out, bet it'll feel better."

Did words have feelings? I tried it anyway, "Draconequus." My tongue curled as I said it and I felt a faint tremble run though me. That word had power, a little power. Yes, it felt right. "Yeah... Thanks, Flash. I've been a horrible friend." I set a hand right on his head. "And I will express my regret with some quiet petting if you're alright with that."

He didn't complain, and the petting gently began. I stroked over his skull and gently ran fingers over his ears. Like Starlight had warned me, in the right environment, it was relaxing. I could see Flash going all to putty under my gentle, not sexually charged, familiar touches. We were two friends, nothing more or less. It was like I was giving him a quality massage and he was ready to fall asleep under the spell of the relaxing music and my casual exploration of his skull and ears.

A little snore revealed he had actually slipped off, eyes closed, a happy smile on his face, and his head resting against my hand as I gently petted him. Flash was a good pony. I had just been in such a bad place to appreciate it. I made a mental note to hang out with him a little more, learn what made him tick. He deserved that much. It had been all Starlight all the time.

We were all stuck there in that lab/hotel, waiting for infectiousness...

Wait. I had a thought. Starlight said she had finished changing some time before, and she wasn't infectious. Why hadn't they let her go? I was the only one still in the early throes of... whatever it was. Why were they even still there?

"Mmf?" Detecting my lack of pets, Flash stirred. "Oh, sorry, fell asleep." He laughed a little embarrassed. "You give good pets."

"Flash, can you confirm something for me? How long ago did you go pegasus?" I pointed at his big feathery wings.

He glanced back at them as they spread. "These? I went pony about half a year ago." He folded them back in tight. "Why?"

I stood up, only to flop right back down. My head ached. "Ugh... it's just, bothering me, you know? You're not infectious now, right?"

"That's the theory." He inclined his head. "Why?"

"Shouldn't you be allowed to go home?" I looked him in the eyes. "Don't you want to go home?"

"'Course I do." He reached up a hoof to my hand. "You alright? Look, they're still figuring out what this is. I can't be angry at them for not wanting me to accidentally make a bunch more ponies. That'd be a huge mess in the middle of the huge mess we already have going on."

He wasn't... entirely wrong there. "But that does mean, after the first thirty days are up, they won't be letting me go home, I trust?"

"Probably not." He pointed back towards the cafeteria, even if walls stopped me from seeing it. "Want me to get you a drink?"

"Just some water..."

"I don't even have to go for that." He trotted over to a water dispenser and with a press of an agile wing, soon had it pouring water into a glass that he carried over cradled between wings. "For you. Relax. We're alright. They're not abusing us or anything."

I accepted the glass with a little smile. "They aren't, but they're also keeping us here. I don't like that." But... what didn't I like? Given the average day before this all began, sitting at home and not paying for food and working on my computer would have been the definition of perfect. And yet, I felt dissatisfied. "I want to know what's going on, exactly. Flash, can you get my laptop?"

"I don't have your card," he warned with a shrug. "Starlight can get past locks, but not me."

I fished out my card and held it towards him. "Bring it back with the computer, thanks."

"Not a problem." And off he darted with the card in his mouth. That couldn't have been super hygienic...

Without trying to, I could hear his trotting despite him being out of hearing range. I was starting to grasp the difference. I could hear him on the inside, not the outside. Why had I locked onto him like that? I heard the card slide into the slot, a click of a lock. "Yes," he cheered to himself, and the sound of the door opening could be heard.

"Huh? No! She gave me her key." He sounded upset. "She just wanted her computer. She's over there! I, hey!"

Whatever was happening, Flash sounded unhappy about it. I got up and grabbed the handle of the door heading out of the lounge, throwing it open to reveal the hallway just outside of my room, where a guard in hazmat gear was leading Flash away. "Stop!"

The guard looked over to see me with surprise. "You're there?"

"I am." I was also confused at how I did that, stepping out into the hallway. "He was just getting my laptop."

"Like I said!" objected Flash, his wings giving a little impotent flap. "Tell them."

"I let him borrow my key. Is that not allowed?"

"No, that's fine..." The guard released Flash. "We just weren't sure that's what happened. I was going to bring him to you... in the lounge, to be sure." I think he was just as confused as I was. "Have a good day then."

Flash trotted up to me with a queer smile. "Since when could you run so fast, and how did you know I needed the helping hoof?"

I didn't answer right away, watching the guard wander off. "Hard to... explain, but I didn't want you being roughed up for doing me a favor." Still, I was there. I turned around, half-expecting the lounge to be behind me in the doorway, but no, it was my room. "I'll get the laptop..."

Why should the room one leaves be the room behind you when you walk through a door? Boy that was silly of me, right? I got my laptop and soon we were back in the lounge, walking there the normal way.

I got an email later.

Lauren,

It seems your unusual energies are manifesting a little earlier than usual. Please be careful with how you use them. While you have the right to move about certain areas of the lab, using those abilities to bypass security will not be tolerated.

I had to roll my eyes. Starlight had bypassed security a few times, but maybe they trusted her more?

In regards to your question, we are closely monitoring the situation both internally and externally of the lab. When a release can be managed with minimal issues, we will proceed. Until then, you are our guests and will be given all the accommodations we can provide.

I hadn't written that down. They were listening to us. That was kind of obvious even after I thought it. They had cameras everywhere. They hadn't been secretive about that. They had heard me complain before.

Your anatomy remains unique. If it causes any sanitary issues, do not hesitate to let us know.

They had listened to that part too. Ugh. It wasn't like I was new to being a girl. Cleaning myself was a task I learned many years before then. Jake was more likely to have an issue, even with his comparatively normal parts. Ugh...

We're here for you,
Doctor Miller

Part of me wanted to flip the nearest camera the bird, but I calmed myself with a few soft cycles of air.

Thanks for checking in. I'm fine. Keep me posted with when we're not prisoners anymore, alright? Thanks.

Sick and Tired,
Lauren

I hit the send button and sank back onto that comfy couch, casually nudging the next song to play.

Author's Notes:

Two visits from Discord? What luxury! Lauren is tossing aside her newly given name, a wise idea? After Discord went through all that effort...

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11 - Day Eleven

I walked through the aisles of my local grocery store. Soft background music was playing. People were spread out a bit beneath me as I floated along searching for something. "Where is it?" I muttered to myself. How could a can of beans hide so well?!

"Looking for something?" I turned to see a lady I hadn't run into in quite some time.

The boss lady. "Oh! Hey... when did you start coming here?"

"Since I heard you shopped here." She casually put a hand on my floating torso.

"Hey! You're still my boss." I pushed her back. "Professional distance, harassment, you know the deal."

"Well, alright." And she wandered off like nothing had happened.

I heard a clip-clop and turned to see Flash with a shopping basket held up by one of his wings. "Hey Lauren!" he called out so cheerfully. "I found it."

"Found what?" I floated closer, confused.

"Your beans." One wing dipped into the basket and pulled them out, offering the can towards me.

"Thanks!"

I woke up with a frown. As dreams went, that one didn't feel very important. Still, it was not the first dream where I felt like I was above everyone, floating. Was that a thing?

I slid the computer aside that I had been typing the dream on and jumped in the air, and almost toppled over. I didn't float, and I still felt awful. "Nope..." Maybe a later thing? Starlight hadn't learned how to do her magic until she was already a complete horse. I pushed the disappointment aside.

Which also reminded me that I needed to visit the bathroom, for related needs but also to inspect myself. "Hello?" I called as I went, not because I heard anything, but because my voice sounded... different. "La? I am Lauren, how do you do?" I spoke as I went, listening to myself as I went.

"Dear god." I was looking in the mirror and what was looking back at me was not what I had gone to bed with. My face... It had completely snapped into place, just as they warned. I was a slimmer, female version of that... what was his name... Discord? He was named after a chat program? I would have laughed if I wasn't so busy peering at the alien face in the mirror.

I reached up and felt along my grown snout, tracing from where my cheeks ended and the proper snout began, feeling the teeth, my twitchy nose, my whiskers... Did I mention I had those? They were fine and easy to miss, but there they were.

With a sudden urge, I made a kissy face, then let out a thunderous sigh of relief. At least I still had full and proper cheeks, not like a dog or other carnivore. Opening my mouth as wide as I could, I poked out my tongue and spent maybe too long just gaping at what I could see. It was all so strange and alien. It was also all me.

Horns. I had those. They were not as big as they... should be? I was guessing there. One was a soft blue color, like a unicorns but curved backwards along my head at a mild angle. The other was a light brown, more straight, like it belonged on some kind of deer-like creature. They were mismatched, like the rest of me. Well, not the entire rest of me. Plenty of me did mirror properly.

My hips were on the right place left and right. My cheeks were a match, thank God. My teeth, minus that biggun that hung, were fine. I had one tail and it was right in the middle, which meant it qualified, better than a lot of other things, really.

I reached around and grabbed that tail, drawing it into easier examination distance. "I never really asked much about you, little tail." It wasn't that little. I had a dragon's tail, all scaled, except for that furry tassel at the end. "I kind of like you..." It was... a little bad ass. If I was hunting for a Halloween costume, I wouldn't be sad wearing a tail like that. Except this one was attached to me.

I turned for the toilet only to pause. "The hell...?"

On my back, two little proto wings shot out, wagging wildly. "The hell!" Of course, thinking back on it, Discord had wings too. I should have seen that coming. On the same side as the blue curved unicorn horn was a blue pegasus wing. On the other side was a bat-like wing, dark purple in color. They were not only mismatched but comically tiny. I surely would never fly on those.

I was done in the bathroom. I came jogging out, which was a curious thing. I could jog, normally, without it feeling like strain. Of course, I was also still super sick, so that took a lot of the wind out of me, but I was a slender draconequus and movement was something this body could do, once I stopped being so dang sick.

I finished my daily report to the 'good' doctor. He had already written me an email.

Good morning,

I am pleased to report that we have discovered some details on what you are becoming. You are a perfect example of that and nothing is wrong. You've passed the most uncertain periods of the transition and I am pleased to note that you should be physically fine at this point.

I have informed staff. If you need anything at all, please ask them. Your happiness is our happiness.

Here For You,
Doctor Miller

I arched a white brow at that letter. That was not the noise of a concerned doctor. What I was becoming worried him. I didn't say that out loud. There were cameras watching me. I casually closed the email and went on to the next.

Lore!

What you need right now is some soup and you know it. Tell them to let me visit and drop some off. You know I'll drive down there and do it. Just give me an address and I'll be over there in two shakes of a tail.

I had to roll my eyes at that line. I had a tail, she did not. Some humor became awkward at times...

Besides, I want to know where my girl's being hidden, even if I can't give her a hug yet. Ask them!

In smaller red letters, there was more. You can provide the address to the public-facing facility. After inspection, we can deliver gifts.

I had to blink at that. One, a reminder they were reading my mail. Yay... On the other mismatched hand, I could get some Cindy Soup! Yes! That would chase away some of the snotty misery I was in. I smashed that reply button and quickly gave her the address.

They won't let you past the front counter, but they will pass on the soup to me. You are the best, has anyone told you that?

I sat back on the bed, tail wagging like a dog about to get a treat. My flu-like suffering abated a bit, distracted with thoughts of future soup. "Work." I sat up and logged into work, mashing away at that.

A soft chime alerted me to the fact that I had received in-company mail on my remote connection. I pulled it up.

While we have attempted to navigate the current health crisis to the best of our ability, we have had to make some painful decisions.

I frowned at the letters. We were mostly a tech company. Most of us remoted in. What were they going on about?!

Our clients are losing business, and when they have less, so do we.

Oh...

With less projects, we have to let some of you go. We recommend you apply for unemployment as soon as possible. The Pan--

I skipped ahead.

If you received this email, it's because you were one of the ones let go.

I felt a painful tightness in my chest. "What?"

We're very sorry. When things recover, you're more than welcome to re-apply.

It went on and on about how sad it made them and how much they really didn't want to fire anyone. It didn't matter. I was still fired.

I alt-tabbed on the remote machine and saw I still had work in my bucket. I wasn't officially terminated just yet... I could... at least get one more day done. With a shaking breath, I forced myself to resume typing. I would not leave on a sour note, at least. I would finish my work.

About halfway through my shift, my mouse went veering off. Someone was at the actual computer! Their mouse movements overrode my remote ones. They seemed to click around as if figuring out what was going on. Then a notepad popped up.

Hi,

Is this Lauren?

I stared a moment before I got to typing on the same notepad screen.

This is she. I was finishing the day's work.

Oh, thanks. You always were good about that. We will miss you so much.

Can I finish what I started?

Lauren, can I be straight with you?

Um, of course. Who is this?

This is Peter Illin

My boss?! A window appeared, a webcam pointed at him. It really was him, waving, though it closed a moment later.

That email did not go out to some people, everyone got it. The business is shutting down. I am soWHAT?! sorry. You were one of theWHAT HAPPENED?

It's complicated. We've been bleeding for a while, trying to skate by, but it didn't work.😢

I'm shutting this computer down. Your last check will come, don't worry.

... bye...

I had written that last bit, and just... stared at the laptop as the remote connection was terminated and I was left with an error window notifying me of the fact. I had no more work. Work was done...

A sudden clopping came from the door. "Lauren?" It was Starlight.

I wiped tears from my eyes I hadn't noticed were even there until that moment. "What?"

"Is that you? Can I come in?"

"Not right now." I flopped back onto my bed. "I just... I can't even..."

I heard a click. She'd used her magic. I thumped the bed, pushing myself sitting upright with the same motion. "I said go away!" I screamed. "Not break into my damned room!"

"Just worried about you, is all," came her awkward reply, approaching on three legs. "Wanna tell me what's wrong?"

"You want to tell me what made you visit? Right now? Right this very instant?" I was on my feet, storming towards her. She was right around the corner and backed up sheepishly when I came into view, obviously angry. "And don't bother with the 'I just happened to be there'."

"Tossing that right out." Starlight made a motion as if she were hurling something with a hoof towards the nearest trash bin. "Look, they told me you were super upset and asked if I could check in. You're a friend, so I came running over here... Wanna tell me about it?"

"I really... do not." I crossed my arms under my chest that was too dang small for me. "By the way, look, a unicorn horn."

"I... see." She looked to my altered face and head. "A lot changed today. I was pretty spooked when this happened to me... Like a really... vital part of me... was gone, and I guess that was true. Your face is kind of... you, and suddenly it wasn't my face. More than before, before it was just 'a different me', but on that day, today for you... it wasn't my face anymore. It was... like the universe just outright said 'hey, you're not you anymore. Welcome to that!'" She threw a hoof aside in her little rant. "I felt so weird and... Wanna talk about it?"

"This has nothing to do with that." I swept at her as if to brush her away. She went flying, bouncing off the wall and sliding to the ground. Had I done that? "Jesus, sorry."

"I'm alright." She sat up, shaking her head. "I'm alright! Wow... hey, your horn works." She smiled awkwardly. "So... sorry, I'm really bad at taking a hint, but if that isn't what it's about, wanna fill me in on what is?"

"My life just ended." I threw my hands up. "Even if I wasn't in here, I'd be incredibly..." Sad? Mad? Some combination... "Upset... I don't want to think about that right now, not even a little."

"Then how about I offer you something nicer to think about." She casually trotted over to me. "If you're willing to give me a chance."

She sounded so calmly cheerful. Not annoyingly cheerful, just... a friend who was dead set on helping. Ugh... I sank down, squatting in front of her to be on more even a level. "What do you have in mind, Starlight? I don't want to play any games right now."

"No games, just... relaxing." She reared up and casually climbed into the lap I had made in my squat. Her horn glowed as she took hold of one of my hands and drew it towards her back. "Go on, I know you enjoy it."

She was offering herself as a petting sacrifice? I had to laugh, and I did. "I didn't forget, Starlight. No petting unless you mean it."

"So do it because you mean it." She stretched out across my lap. "As a friend."

I scooped her up, one hand under her chest, the other getting a big handful of breastflesh as I supported her lower half. I was too livid to blush about it, instead just carrying her over to the bed and placing her on it. "Reminder, I'm still sick, and tired, and sick and tired." I flopped onto the bed beside her and wrapped an arm around, pulling her in. "This was your idea, so no complaints."

"Not a one," she assured, her tail wagging as she nestled in with me, accepting the affection I was given despite the tension in the air. "I'm here for you."

"Why?" I touched my freakish nose against her cheek. "We barely met..."

"And we are already friends." She rolled over in place to face me. "I care, and you care, I know it. That's why you could hear me, because you cared about me. You couldn't hear the other person you didn't care about." She reached out a hoof and gently brushed my cheek with it. "We're friends."

I had friendship-spying powers? That was so ridiculous it might have been true. "Stupidest super power ever," I groused, pulling Starlight in closer. My fingers trailed through her fur, scratching lightly with sharp claws. "They fired me."

"What? Did you take some time off because you were sick?" Starlight was scowling and angry. "How dare they! Is that even legal?"

"I kept working." I set a finger on her nose, making her eyes cross. "I worked right until they pulled the plug."

"But, then... why?" Starlight shook her head, confusion clearly growing. "What did you do wrong?"

"Nothing... That's the worst part." I touched nose to nose with her, sniffling softly. "They're closing. It isn't my fault... but I'm still fired. I did nothing wrong... still fired. I'd been working there practically from the start... still fired."

"Horseapples," cursed Starlight. "That's lame, really lame." She nuzzled into my neck. "I'm so sorry. We'll make our own company, even better! What did you do, exactly?"

Laughter escaped from me at Starlight's question. "Data management," I offered as I rolled her right onto her back. "Which I don't think you're qualified to do much with."

She kicked her legs in the air as if trying to trot. It wasn't effective. "I could learn. We'll make a company that's even better, just you--"

I grabbed her, not an accidental thing. I just went right ahead and groped her as one never should a woman. "Starlight, your alien body turns me on. I wanted to just... get that out."

Starlight's cheeks were a bright red. "I had figured that out on the first day we met... But I'm glad to hear you admitting it."

"Well, it helps that my body is just as alien." I swayed my dragon's tail for emphasis. "I am angry and sad and frustrated and sick right now. I want to sleep cuddle the hell out of you. Are you up for that?"

"I'm already laying on your bed, Lauren." She hiked a brow at me, a smirk on her lips. "I think I'm consenting to a little intimacy, still, it's better to ask and answer these kinds of things, so, yes. I would be delighted to sleep with you, my phlegmy friend."

"Good." I picked her up and pulled up the covers. Soon she was under them with me and I was curled around her, holding her. "You're my breathing teddy bear." I casually nuzzled her chest, eyes closed. "Good night."

"It's not even close to night," she complained, but she didn't squirm away, and things got quiet.

For at least a little while, I could not rage at the world.

"This is a bad idea," noted Starlight, frowning at Doctor Miller. "She might be listening right now. I told you I won't spy for you anymore, and I meant it."

"This room is completely soundproofed," he assured. "What upset her?"

Starlight rolled her eyes with obvious doubt. "She was fired. Who isn't upset when they're fired? She... needed a friend, and I provided one. Stop being a jerk about it. She's a person with person feelings, like being out of sorts when they're fired. How would you like being fired." Each emphasized word came with a sway and point of a hoof, pacing back and forth in front of Miller's desk.

"She attacked you," he calmly noted. "Were you injured?"

"It stung, but I got over it." Starlight brushed a hoof along the opposing leg. "She has a good grip, like me. I wonder when she'll get the hang of it."

"I would prefer you not assist her."

Starlight's eyes half-lidded, falling into a casually dismissive expression. "With all due respect, sir, fuck right off."

"Duly noted." Soft strikes of a keyboard noted he likely wasn't even lying about that. "But that isn't a negotiable point. She is obviously attracted to you. Use that to keep her happy."

Her eyes fell further, moving from bored dismissal to outright scowling. "So don't fuck you, let her fuck me. I am not your prostitute, sir. What... intimacy we have shared is because we both decided on it, and now you've ruined it." She thrust a hoof at him accusingly. "I hope you're happy. I'll never be able to look at her and not wonder if I'm doing it because I like her or because you asked me to."

She turned away, starting to pace in the room. "How long do you plan to hide the others from her? She isn't stupid. In fact, she's a real smart pony--"

"She isn't a pony," casually noted the doctor.

"Ugh, that wasn't literal." She rolled her eyes with aggravation. "She's going to figure it out, and she'll be mad at me for not saying."

"You can tell her the truth, that you weren't allowed to," calmly reasoned Miller. "You know how this works."

"Right, seniority." She flicked her tail as she looked to him, trotting up to the desk and rearing up, fore hooves coming down on the edge of the desk. "I've been here long enough I get a few little perks, like spying on my friends, and I don't like it, but I can't forget what I already know. She's going to find the others."

"We will deal with that if it happens. Miss Glimmer, did you want to retire from this position?" He was typing away casually as if their conversation wasn't all that important. "It's not being forced on you."

Her teeth clenched, but he wasn't paying that much attention to the pony's feelings. "No... no. I'll be good." she dropped to the floor, moving to walk meaningfully towards the door. "Just stop treating her like she doesn't have feelings. She does, and they're really frayed, for good reason."

She left and Miller soon pulled up a window. "See that no patients move from floor 13, even higher priority."

"You got it, sir." came the response, someone nodding at the camera. "Any reason I should give them?"

"They're not allowed," he stated as if it was obvious. "They don't need to know much more than that." He hung up on the call and moved to his emails, checking on the daily report. "At least you're quite diligent in this..."

Cindy entered the medical facility. She hadn't gotten the address more than a few hours before. It was only the time it took to make good soup that had delayed her. "Hey, got a gift for--" She walked up on the desk.

"--No mask, no service," berated the man behind the counter, pointing to a sign that said as much.

"For the... This is a hospital, right? You have a mask? Mine's at home."

He looked at her as if she were scum, which perhaps she was for going out in public without basic tools. Still, he reached into some cubby and out came a basic blue mask. She grabbed it and soon had it over her face. "There. Now, I have a gift for a patient here. Lauren Keibin?" She set down her multi-use tote bag, faint sloshing noises coming from within. "It's for her health."

"It's for your health," berated the healthcare worker as they typed at something. "Lauren Keibin... Ah, I can take that." He reached for the bag, only to have it drawn away.

Cindy fished out the jar of soup from inside and put it down separately. "You can have that. I need the bag." She gestured at the jar. "Make sure she gets it, please."

"We will." He moved to slide it off, but it was heavier than it looked and soon both hands were involved with moving it off with the slide of glass against the countertop. "Anything else you need today?"

"Well, since you asked." She leaned against the counter, trying to smile winningly at the bored worker. It might have worked better had her mask not been hiding most of her features. "My friend, Lauren, how is she? She getting out soon? Any chance I could get a little visit? I'll wear a mask, promise."

A mouse was moved, a few clicks. "She's fine," he reported with all the energy of the day's weather forecast. "No visiting hours are posted, sorry."

"I see how it is." She crossed her arms, bag tucked between them. "Well, get that to her and send her my love if you can."

"We'll get it to her."

Cindy departed with a little huff. At least she had made her delivery to her little Lore.

A knocking woke me from my nap. Starlight wasn't there anymore. "Who is it?" I fought my way to my mismatched feet.

"Package," came a muffled voice. "We'll leave it here."

Package? Package! My sleep faded away as I hurried towards the door, a grin on my changed face. I threw it open to reveal, there, yes! One of her mason jars of pure pleasure! "Woo!" I cried out, uncaring of who was watching me as I scooped up the jar and hugged it close. It was only mildly warm, but I didn't care. "I need a spoon!"

I put the jar down inside my room, closed the door, and hurried across the way into the cafeteria. "Spoon spoon spoon," I called to myself like a really bad song. "Need a spoon!"

Flash was there, pointing the way towards the blessed spoons.

I paused long enough to kiss him on the head and rush for the spoons, grabbing one and kissing it too for good measure. "Soup is on!" I charged back for my room in an almost-spritely jog. Nothing would stop me from enjoying that treat.

I heard Flash mutter behind me, "She's going nude too?"

Author's Notes:

Well, that had a lot of things to unpack, besides the soup. The soup will be unpacked first, into a deserving mouth. Yum! It's good to have friends. Do you have any that'd come on by with soup for the soul?

Join the special community of folks who like my stories here at atreon!

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12 - Day Twelve

I was playing some kind of Sims game. Which, I didn't know. In dreams, did you ever really pay that much attention? I was directing Starlight around in a house I'd made for her. She was so happy, going about her chores with a little smile and a pep in her step.

I scrolled away from her and saw her neighbor, Cindy. She was sniffling and coughing. As happy as Starlight was, she wasn't.

I woke with a start, a hand moving to my head as I squinted against the lights coming on. A glance at the clock revealed it was way too damn early. But I had napped the day before? With a low grunt, I grabbed for my laptop and began typing that extremely short dream out. "What does it mean?"

Off to the bathroom I went, muggy and miserable and... fully horned. I reached up for them, feeling the long smooth lengths of both. My head hadn't changed much aside from that. I was an exotic horned creature. "Rawr," I playfully growled at myself as I turned to look at my profile.

Wings, I had those. They were larger. Still far too small to consider flying on them, but how big were Discord's? About the same size, I realized as I slowly wobbled them, stretching one out, then the other. I tried flapping them together, but they didn't lift me from the ground. If they didn't work, how did I fly, or was that just a dream?

I reached back and began stroking over the pegasus wing, feeling the feathers as best I could from the odd angle. They were soft... kinda nice. If I had gone pegasus, I would have gotten used to it pretty fast, I decided. I would preen my pretty feathers!

Wait, did that mean I had to preen these feathers, even if I only had one wing that couldn't even fly? I spread the other wing and moved my hand over to it. It was leathery, a flap of skin. It was also sensitive, as if the whole thing were one big finger that could detect touches on it. Of course, it was me touching me, so it wasn't like a surprise or anything, but I could feel the brushes keenly.

I mused how it would be for a moment to have someone close touching that wing. Maybe they'd preen the feathers on one while washing the bat wing. That... sounded stupidly good at that moment. Next cuddle session would be in the bath...

Next cuddle session? I frowned as I did my morning needs. "When did I start scheduling those?" Sure, I did have one with Starlight... It was kind of... nice.

No time for that! I had to get to... work...

"Crap." There was no work to get to. I returned to my laptop. An email from Cindy!

Hey Lores!

Did you get the soup or is it still in the mail? They'd better have gotten it to you before it went bad, or I swear I'll storm right over those people! Got the sniffles, ugh. Maybe I should have wore a mask like that guy was yelling at me about.

What guy?

Let me know if you got it or not.

Love and hugs (and later pets),
Cindy

I smiled at the letter a moment. Would she be willing to help care for my awkwardly out of place and hard to reach wings? It was an excuse to be in my personal space. She'd probably go for it. I hit reply and got to typing.

Morning! Is it morning? It's really early, but here I am.

Status report: Still stuffy and miserable and arguably worse than before, but... I feel more positive than yesterday. Not hard when yesterday, I was fired. Speaking of that, think I should try job hunting in the middle of this? I bet they'd do email and voice chat interviews in the current climate. What do you think my odds are?

But that's all beside the point. Soup! Your soup was just what I needed. For a little while, I wasn't miserably sick. I was a little child held in the arms of my loving mother and everything was just gonna be fine. Thank you. What guy did you mean though? Did you meet someone?! Spill the details! You know you'd want the same from me if the tables were turned.

Changed, but still your friend,
Lauren

I finished up my daily report to Doctor Miller. There wasn't a lot of physical changes to go over, really. I felt... basically done? I was a female draconequus. I was not a pudgy out-of-shape female human anymore. The old me had gone, but the new me... "I'm still Lauren," I reminded myself as I hit send. "Not giving that up. I have specific friends and wants and I'm still that person. Lauren is not dying, or going anywhere."

Speaking of those specific wants. It was too dang early to go haunting the hallways, and Old Lauren didn't do that anyway. I loaded up a game instead, smiling through my sniffles as I did battle with decrepit zombies and mythological baddies in a world rotting from the inside. "Ah, you bring a smile." An odd thing to say to a game so morbid, but it was true, even when I was busy dying repeatedly to some boss, I just enjoyed that game, and it remained true even with a sudden fur coat.

I will say, though, furry enemies had long since ceased to be alien just for being furry. So what, I had fur. Maybe they were nice people too! Except they were lunging for me with curved blades that put the idea of diplomatic routes right out of my head.

I reached a bonfire and rested, then turned off the game, satisfied with my progress. "I'd put that off for too long." I'd been meaning to get back to it for months, but a thousand little other things were more pressing.

A new icon sat on my desktop, confusing me. Oh, right! Discord! I had installed it when Starlight mentioned there was a server for other people turning into cute furry things. I clicked it and it popped up. A moment later, I was connected.

"Hello," I typed in. "Anyone awake?"

"Heya!" replied someone with an avatar of a grinning pegasus cartoon. "Never saw you before. What's up?"

A chorus of similar questions arose, everyone wanting to know who the new person was.

I grabbed the top of my laptop, aiming it as I took a picture with my best smile. I set it as my discord profile picture before reply, "Sorry for not chatting until now. Starlight invited me. I'm Lauren."

"That's not a very pony name," came the reply of a red horse-avatar. "Don't worry, yours will come!"

Noises similar in nature rose up, as if they were all trying to encourage me to look forward to and embrace my incoming pony name. "No," I simply typed. Three keystrokes, four if you count shift. "I am Lauren, nice to meet you all. I plan to stay with that, so there."

"You look interesting," someone commented, side-topiccing entirely. "What are you?"

A little smirk played across my face as I reached for another tissue, typing with my other hand, "Are video calls allowed here?"

"Yes," came the reply about a dozen times in a blur.

Well! I couldn't... deny them after that. I clicked on the voice channel, went to broadcast and went live. At first, nobody, but then someone joined, then another and soon there were about six patients crowded in there, watching me. "Hey," I started, waggling my sharp claws at them. "So I am a dra-kahn-E-kwas." I said each syllable slowly and purposefully. "I went from a pudgy girl to... this." I gestured down my slender form, turning in place so they could get a look at me. "Hideously weird, right?"

People began typing busily in the voice text chat, that is the channel for people to type in relation to the voice chat. The Internet was funny that way. "You look cute! !" smiling pegasus replied.

"Your eyes are really pretty," gushed the red horse. "Why do we all get such nice lashes?"

"Especially us girls," added one that looked like a leering bat on their avatar. "Come, lose your humanity, gain awesome lashes."

A round of lols rippled through the chat.

"Where are your lower bits?" asked, you know, I should stop describing them by their avatar. This one was Sweetie Bloom. "Did they get erased like mine did?"

My eyes went wide, typing quickly, "Wait, what? Yours got erased? Mine are still here, promise." I didn't rush to show mine off though, even if the webcam was still watching me. Actually, because the webcam was still watching me.

"There I was," continued Sweetie. "I was a nice normal middle-aged guy, pow! Now I'm a pre-pubscent pony filly with a squeaky voice and nothing back there but the bare minimums to use the bathroom, and you don't even seem to have that."

"Your voice is not squeaky," defended Apple Bloom with an equally cute avatar. "It's cute!"

"Aw, you're just being a friend." They exchanged hug emojis.

A new person typed. Twilight. "Hello, Lauren. I've heard about you from Starlight. You're certainly an interesting specimen! Have your physical changes concluded? How do you feel?"

I inclined my head a little. Twilight... Right! Starlight had mentioned her. "Where are you hiding?! I heard Starlight mention you, but never saw you."

"Different floor. I'm in floor 8. You're on... 13, right? With Starlight," Twilight typed in reply.

Big Mac joined, "Isn't 13 supposed to be unlucky? I thought they just didn't have 13th floors on things."

Bon Bon added, "Well, this is a medical building. Maybe they just said no to superstitions."

"Oh, yup."

So many people, and they seemed nice enough. It was... kind of nice talking to so many people. Still. "Wait, floors? Can I visit you then?" I typed busily, wondering if I could actually see them.

Twilight typed, "They didn't let me down to floor 13 when I tried earlier today, something about an order? Quite unusual, but arguing with the guards is a waste of time."

Wait, what? "Was travel between floors usually an option?"

A chorus of mixed answers came about. It seemed some ponies were allowed to move about, and others were not. I didn't like it... "Well, it was nice meeting you all." I ended my broadcast, denying them the chance to admire my strange form further. "Maybe we can do it in the flesh next time."

Big Mac added, "Yup." simply.

Apple Bloom's reply came quickly, "You take care now, ya hear? Ya looked a might stuffed up. Been there. It gets better, promise!"

"Yeah! Come chat when you're feeling despondent," added Sweetie Bloom. I could imagine a little pony waving excitedly at her screen, but I had no proof if that was actually happening.

I said my goodbyes and closed Discord. A glance at the clock showed it was closer to a reasonable hour. I decided it was breakfast time. I grabbed my card and tucked it away before heading for the door and peeking outside. The hallway was as lit as it always was. Did the floor ever have a sleepy time lighting? I clack-clopped my way towards the cafeteria, only to see someone in a hazmat suit.

Of course she wouldn't be there. She was as miserable as I was.

New idea! I skipped down the hallway. "This part isn't so bad..." It was... maybe kinda nice, just feeling so free, so... dextrous. Movement was a pleasure, not a duty. It was very not-Lauren, but Lauren could get used to that part at least. I arrived at the door and tapped on it with my claws. "You in there?" I called quietly, hoping to not wake her if she wasn't already awake.

"Mmmmf," came the muffled reply, then a thump. She was awake, if not coherent.

"You don't have to get up just for me," I promised. "Did they fix your lock?" I reached for the handle and tested it. It opened without resistance. "Nope. How long does it take for them to send a technician?"

"Lauren?" asked the voice from around the corner. "You sound different."

"I look different," I added with a little smirk, slipping inside and closing the door behind me. It clicked properly, but I doubted the lock would hold. "Want some company?"

"Yeah." I heard a butt hit a bed and danced around the corner, bringing her into sight. She was shaping up nicely. Her bright green eyes were not all the way open, instead looking as miserable as I had been. Scratch that, still was. I was just ignoring it in favor of the moment. "Hey." She raised a hand, waving it at me. "Wow, you weren't kidding even a little."

I approached her on her bed. "Is this just 'a thing'? People talk like it is. If you get a fur coat, you'll just have to get really nasty sick." I half-turned, displaying my wings to her. "Check these out, Jake."

She reached, taking hold of the feathery one first and gently brushing along it. "Wow... And..." She touched the bat-like one. Oh wow, it was just as powerful as I predicted. I wanted to either slap her hand away or sit down and invite her to keep going.

I went with the latter, sinking down on the bed next to her, turned to keep what she was exploring easily available. "Not sure what they're good for, but I have them. I have a unicorn horn too." I pointed to the curved horn atop my head.

"And another too." Her hands left my wings, aw, and began poking at my horns instead. They were not nearly as touch-sensitive. I could tell she was doing it, sure, but it didn't come nearly as powerfully. "How do you feel? Did you get a pony name yet?"

"I did, and I tossed it out," I noted with confidence. "I am Lauren."

"That's early," Jake noted. "Nothing here yet, just a lot more farming dreams. There was one that had you in it." When I looked at her, she began to blush through her furry face, her pony-snout curling in a smile. Like me, her face had changed quite a bit, becoming entirely an anthro-pony. "You were floating. Weird huh? You were just kinda ignoring all the rules while we talked about carrots."

She brought her hands together, worrying her fingers. "It was a nice little chat. I was worried about something. A rot in the soil? Dream stuff, I don't know, I was just... worried, and you calmed me down, told me it'd be alright." She reached for one of my hands, holding it with hers, fingers brushing against my palm. "And you just... You fixed it. I was so happy, and I woke up."

I squeezed her hand. "Hey, if I can fix something for you, I would. I know we just met. I swear, that's everyone around me... but you're all important to me." I leaned in, touching my big nose to her big nose. We both had nice broad inhuman noses. I could feel our breath mingling between us. "Has Starlight been by?"

"Almost every day." Jake smiled, taking my other hand. "She's a really good person...She said you're doing better than me. You can move. Shoot, you visited me, that kinda proves it." She glanced away and back. "This is a lot to ask, but..."

"You want to cuddle?"

Oh how red her cheeks became. "Can we? Starlight got really nervous when I brought it up. Please don't run away. No's alright too!"

I pulled her closer by her hands, forcing her to flop against me, her breasts, annoyingly larger than mine, against my own as I released her hands and moved to hug her. "We're both going to sneeze and get snot on each other. If you accept that, we can relax."

"That sounds great," she sighed out, looking relieved. She pointed past me. "I dropped the remote. Can you get it and put on something, then we can lay down."

Remote? I flopped over, releasing her and looking over the far edge of the bed. There it was, falling out of sight under the bed. I reached down and grabbed for it, but I missed and it slid further under the bed. "Dang it." I slid further after it, grabbing wildly, and pathetically, knocking it further back away and away. "Almost..."

Jake suddenly squealed, and it was clear to see what I had just popped free of the bottom of the bed and my snout was right between her legs on the floor. "What the?" I muttered, looking up to see Jake's thighs, but also mine just off to the side, my feet so very close. "The heck!?" I had just done the most epic stretch I'd ever seen.

"How are you... not dead?" spoke Jake in haunted tones. "Tell me you're alright."

I leaned off to the side, touching a cheek to one of her feet. "Doesn't hurt at all, also, here." I made one last lunge and grabbed the damned remote. twisting in place to offer it up towards Jake. "Here you go."

Jake took it as if it was made of some kind of explosive material. "You are bent over backwards over the bed." She paused to sniff loudly. "Then twisted over again while you're down there... How?"

I looked down at my hands, which were right where they were supposed to be, but the long trunk of my body was bent in all kinds of ways that should have been horrifically painful. "Is that right?" And suddenly it wasn't. I was pulled right back under the bed, thwipping my nose on the edge of it along the way. With a snap, I was back to 'normal'. "Ow..." I rubbed my sore nose where it had struck the hard metal edge. "Got it."

Jake set the remote down and pulled her legs up under herself. "Are you... alright?"

"Other than flexible, I'm fine, and is that a...bad thing?" I really wasn't entirely sure. "Let me try that again." I slid up to my feet and reached for my dragon toes. I was able to reach it without a hint of resistance, as if I wasn't even stretching. "Huh..." That was not a feat I could do before. I grabbed the floor and began pulling myself down until my spine bent over right at my hips and from there angled sharply right back to the ground where the rest of my body was. "That just looks crazy as Tartarus."

Jake slid forward along the bed and held a hand up behind me. "Give me a high-five without turning around." It was too low to make sense going for an actual 'high' five. I slid back and considered a moment before going for it, slithering right between my own legs over myself. There was her hand. I reached up and slapped it. "Ta da!"

"That is amazing, and kinda disturbing. Can you... just go back to normal for now?" She smiled awkwardly. "I'll put on something quiet."

I slid and pulled myself upright with a little ta da for good measure. "Behold me, for I am part snake."

"Part dragon," corrected Jake with a little smile. "Mine doesn't come with any perks like that. All I've gotten is boobs and a new way to go visit the bathroom."

"Hey, being a woman has more going for it than that." I joined her on the bed, but was reaching for the phone. "I'm going to order breakfast now, for the both of us. Put on something quiet and let's just enjoy the moment."

"That sounds stupidly nice right now," agreed Jake as she sank down onto her bed. "Thanks for not running..."

"Despite alternative phenotype, subject shows equally powerful pack bonding inclinations." Miller tapped busily on his keyboard. "A common bond in the transition? Subject shows no irritation despite understanding the limitations placed on her. Interactions with another subject at a similar stage of transition seems to be calming both of them, matching with previous observations. Starlight used to be the closest we had, but Jake's accident couldn't have been better timed to provide that social support." He moved between windows on his machine.

"She had introduced herself successfully to the greater community of subjects and appears to be welcomed. Consider controlled physical meeting." He paused to consider. "One of the filly subjects may be wise. Threat of complication is minimized." He tapped at his desk softly a moment before resuming typing. "Consider two or three. Pack bonds between The Three are strong enough that removal of one without the others can cause stress."

He didn't want stressed subjects, oh no. It was his job to avoid that sort of thing. "Schedule meeting with floor 5 head."

We were happy. Sure, we were still sick as all get out, but we were happy anyway. My arms were around her, her arms were around me. Our stomachs were just the right amount of full.

"Laura?" I heard clopping knocking, but it was an internal hearing, not an external one. Starlight was calling for me somewhere else. Where? "You home?"

My room? Shoot. I was not there by far. "You asleep?" she spoke more quietly. "Call me if you need me..." And then clopping noises. She was trotting. I couldn't tell if it was towards or away anything, just the sound of her trotting along.

"You alright?" Jake was watching my face. "You look distracted all of a sudden."

"I think--" I pointed towards his door. "Starlight may be coming."

Jack sat up with surprising force, only to groan and hold her head. "Aw, dang it... She'll think we've been doing--"

"--nothing," I cut her off. "We're listening to some chill music and relaxing. That's the truth and I'm sticking to it. Neither of us has touched the other in naughty places."

"Hey Flash," spoke Starlight who wasn't there.

"Hiya," he replied. "You look down, what's up?

Oh no, they were having a personal conversation. How did I turn off this thing? Why didn't it just come with a knob to twist?

"It's about Lauren," sighed Starlight miserably, a squeak of a chair against panel. Were they in the cafeteria? "The Doc made me feel like barely-warmed filth for liking her. He said I should, for him. Like it was ever about him!"

"Woah." I heard a faint sound. A hoof patting fur? "That sounds super rough. Hey, you two are... a thing? Neat." He sounded way too happy about that. Little perv stallion. "How does that work?"

"You're kidding." Starlight sounded aghast and unbelieving. "You don't know how lesbians work?"

"Why should I?!" he protested, sounding awkward. "I'm a guy. I like girls. I know how that works. I don't watch dirty stuff that has two ladies in it... So... how does it work?"

"This is a conversation I refuse to have." I could hear that flat denial in her tone. "I'll keep it simple. To start, kissing is fun no matter what gender the other person is."

"Oh. Ohhhh. Oh!" I couldn't see it, but I could imagine Flash getting all blushy. "Neat... Good luck. You two are nice."

Starlight's tone become kinder. "Aw, thanks... You're not jealous then?"

"Huh? Oh! We're not a thing, don't be silly." I heard a hoof hit something metal. "I'm chatting with AJ, don't tell anypony, alright?"

"Your secret's safe with me!" crisply promised Starlight, not knowing that secret was already blown. Not that I knew who AJ was. "AJ though? Nice. She's a good mare. I hope you two work out."

"You too!" A rustle of fur on fur. I think they were hugging. Ugh, how to turn off my hearing!

"You alright? Is she coming?" Oh, right, Jake was still there.

I tried to push the outside voices aside and focus on who was physically present.

Author's Notes:

We meet a bunch of new ponies today! Yay! Any particulars you'd want dragged over for a meeting? Is hearing your buddies a blessing or a curse?

Join the special community of folks who like my stories here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

13 - Day Thirteen

"Subject Lauren Keibin is avoiding many of the problems associated with--"

I was watching the letters appear on a screen. They were being typed. I wasn't anywhere in the room. I shouldn't have known any of it, and yet, there I was.

"--this variety of the Ponid transition. Her forming bonds with those she has accepted as a part of her social unit is very powerful, to the point that she obsesses over their needs and opinions of her without consideration of her own desires."

That wasn't true! I had plenty of selfish thoughts... I wanted to yell at Doctor Miller, but I wasn't there. I wasn't... at all, just somehow watching.

"Her physical alterations appear complete. Despite her unusual appearance, the others accept her readily. Part of her form was self-determined. Of course, such tricks are not outside the means of this--"

So he did know more about what was happening to me? "Tell me!" I shouted, but there was no noise. I was just shouting in my head, and I didn't even know where my head was.

I was but words on a computer.

But the computer wasn't real either. It was a description of a computer that was itself on another computer, being typed by some other being I didn't even know. That being was being dreamed by yet another being, and behind it. "Stop."

Discord was standing in front of me, in a field of stars. "Don't look too far that way. You're about to give yourself quite the headache."

But I could remember it, the... thing I had seen, felt? "What's going on?"

"You're confused, scared... I get it, really I do." He smiled charmingly, his voice so soft and smooth. "Just listen to me a moment. Now, I'm going to keep you."

"Keep me?!" I jerked back and away. "I don't want to be kidnapped, thanks."

"Oh, no. Nothing like that." He drifted closer, his hands closing on mine, his fingers trailing through my fur. "Just for a day. Let your body sleep. It's just getting more miserable anyway. I want your mind."

Tears welled up in my eyes, even if I knew they were fake eyes. I was dreaming, but the sobs wouldn't stop. "I'm so scared... Tell me, help me! You're like me."

"I am you," he corrected. "Well, sort of. You're more like a 'could be' of me. Don't think about that too hard." He waved it off, smiling at me so calmly. "Now, I'm serious. If you want to hang out with me, you got it, a full day. What an honor. But if not, that's alright, your choice. I'll let you wake up like you usually do."

"Tell me." I grabbed his lion's paw, squeezing it. "Please, help. I want to be Lauren. I want to be me, not you."

"But I am you," he reminded, but he didn't pull away. He didn't shrink or flinch. He was calmly floating there, holding hands. "You are me. What 'Lauren' is? That's up to you. I'm sure you're a lovely people, and you'll keep right on being one. One thing about being us, we get to make the rules."

"I don't know any of the rules," stomped down a dragon's claw on ground that hadn't been there until I needed something to stomp on. I was standing then, on an island in the middle of the stars. "I've turned into... this." I waved with my dragon claws at my strange body.

"It's not that strange," he said in almost a whine. "I happen to think we're quite handsome. If I was the narcissistic sort, I'd ask you out, but let's not get too far into the self-love thing. Besides, I have a mare waiting for me."

"My dreams." I drew both hands away to weave patterns in the air. Colors, shapes, and even textures seemed to gather at the tips of my claws, creating outlines then moving shapes of my past dream visions. "I was in a cottage. I was back home. I was in a lot of places, changed in--"

"Hey now, that's a personal cottage." He crossed his arms, but looked more amused than offended. "Funny you found it. Still, not for you." He tapped my nose with a lion's finger. "Oh, poor thing." He was looking at the image I had of Cindy at her home, coughing. "You should probably do something about that."

"What can I do?!" I made a wide sweep, banishing the image as if I had swept away some fog in the way. "I'm stuck in the hospital, or lab, or whatever it is. She's... not there. What could I do?"

"Whatever you wanted." A little smile spread on his face. "But, since you asked, at least getting them somewhere safe." He wriggled a few fingers at me. "We can't have them spreading pony cooties everywhere... Why not bring them here? They're used to pony people."

My eyes widened at the implication. "She has--"

"--Oh yes, quite the case. You know, she got it from you."

I sputtered before throwing my hands down and back. "That's a lie! There's no way that could be true."

"She came while you were sick, brought you soup. Don't you remember?" He leaned forward. "She really isn't in the habit of wearing masks. No matter. She's been changing, slowly. She's going to explode in pony awkwardness any moment now, all at once. You got a warning, she won't even get that... Lucky her."

"Lucky her," I repeated, my tongue feeling heavy. "She's in trouble."

"You could save her." His voice was so smooth, making sweet promises.

"How? You keep implying things without saying anything! Tell me--" I grabbed him at the shoulders. "How!"

"Step one, stop shaking the handsome fellow trying to help you." He was just suddenly to my right, a hand on my shoulder instead of the other way around. "Step two, start making what you want a thing, instead of asking me how to do it. Shall we try a little experiment?"

"If it helps Cindy, I want to know."

Her forming bonds with those she has accepted as a part of her social unit is very powerful, to the point that she obsesses over their needs and opinions of her without consideration of her own desires.

The words appeared floating over us, the typed words on a screen. Discord shook his head softly. "He isn't entirely wrong. Still, being a good person isn't all that bad. Works out for me." He shrugged softly. "Just don't let it make you too soft."

I reached up with a hand that was just large enough to grab the letters and began tearing them apart angrily, casting them out into the void. "I want to see Cindy!"

And we saw her. Her house was right there, below us. We were floating over her neighborhood. It was dark, minus the many street lamps. "Jesus! What if someone sees us?"

"What if they did?" he countered. "Besides, we're not really here, so nothing to see." He looked around slowly. "Nice place. You live not far from here, am I correct?"

"That way," I replied a little weakly, pointing in the direction of my old home, where I wasn't. I felt the scene try to slip away and I grabbed onto the air, preventing it. "Stop it! No, Cindy. How is she?" I dove down through the air. Was I just a thought? Like an astral traveler? I willed my wings to flap and my tail to sway, propelling me as if through water to get to her bedroom window. "I'm being such a creep right now."

"Checking in on a friend is hardly the worst thing one could do." Discord was right next to me. I hadn't saw him move, he just was. "Well, we're here. Go on, take a peek."

I hesitated a moment before leaning forward, putting my face against the glass of the window. Of course, I had no physical body at the time. I went right through it.

The room was dark, but I heard soft breathing, fast? Little grunts. Thump. Thump. Thump. Rapid little thumps. What... was that? It was coming... from her bed. My cheeks began to go a bright red in the gloom. Was she with a boyfriend?!

"Lore!" she groaned. It was Cindy, flopping back suddenly, heaving and huffing. "Oh... Oh wow..." She snorted up a big snot collection and grabbed for tissues. "What the hell is happening to me?" She blew her nose and grabbed more tissues, cleaning something... else.

"She has it bad," noted Discord, still right next to me. "Or should I say 'he'? I imagine you'd need to ask them which they'd prefer."

"What?!" I basically screamed at him.

"Huh?" Cindy looked around as if she heard something. Despite me floating there all too close, she didn't act like she saw me, and returned to what she was doing. "This ain't right..."

"She's becoming a fine stallion," explained Discord patiently. "Well, a human-stallion. What do you call them... anthropomorphic? What a delightfully conceited word that is." He waved it was as if it were nothing. "Still, they have it bad. You going to help them?"

"You keep saying that. You keep acting like I could just... do whatever."

"Who says you can't?" he challenged with a little shrug.

"Uh... physics?" I started, counting on fingers. "Laws, biology, chemistry?"

"All boring." He looked me in the eyes. "Fix it, or don't. But don't act like you just can't"

"So... what? You think I can just grab her." I snatched at Cindy, taking hold of her night-time jammies. "And just throw her into my room." I made a throwing motion. Cindy got out a squeal of surprise as they vanished into a hole that closed up after them, popping with all the permanence of a bubble.

I floated there, staring at the spot where my friend had been.

"Congratulations." Confetti rained down around us. "You did it! Good job." He brought his hands together in a slow golf clap. "Now, you have company. Isn't that delightful? Of course, now I can't let you sleep all day, unless you want your friend wandering off without you."

I imagined her landing on or next to me back in my room, and the freakout that would--

We were back in my room. "Where am I?!" Cindy cried, falling off the bed where my body was snoring peacefully. "The hell is that?! What's going on?"

Discord clucked his tongue. "Well, you may as well wake up now. Still, congratulations are in order. You'll have to figure out the rest on your own. Oh! One last tip."

"What is that?" I was already reaching for my body. I didn't want Cindy to get into trouble. "Make it fast, please."

"A sharp snap helps things along. Distract the universe and it doesn't notice the changes you make as easily. Now, ta ta. Have fun making your own rules." He casually bowed so hard he folded in on himself, popping out of being.

I jumped for my body, crashing into... myself.

I woke with a start, gasping and looking around, squinting against the bright light. "Cindy! Please don't panic, Cindy!"

"Lore?" Cindy scrambled to her feet, sniffling with the same flu that still had me reeling. "Is that you? What did they do to you?"

I rolled over onto my belly and pushed up, scrambling closer to her. "I'm alright. Sorry! Sorry!"

"What are you apologizing for and how am I... wherever we are? Is this a dream? Is this why men jack off so often?"

I blinked at her crude words. "I hope not... I pulled you--"

The door suddenly slapped open. Heavy boots filled the room as three men in full hazmat suits charged in. I suddenly slipped up between Cindy and them. "I brought her here!" I squeaked. "She didn't sneak in. She needs help, please. She has the ponid."

One of them pulled out a small walkie talkie. "We have visual."

Revision: Subject Lauren has demonstrated worrying abilities, Keep under closer watch.

The words were being typed, somewhere. "I'll be good," I promised. "I just want to help her."

Cindy's hand landed on my side from behind. "That really is you, Lauren? You're... soft." She was feeling my sides with her finger tips and I felt my muscles flutter. I wanted to just... enjoy being pet. A pity there were several guards in my room.

Part of me wanted to shove them out, to send them far away. But they hadn't done anything wrong, just their job, and it wasn't even a bad job. "I'll make sure she starts filing reports."

"Tell her to keep the unidentified patient in lockdown until we've had a chance to enter them in the system." This was spoken to the man. I didn't hear it, but I did hear it. Internal hearing.

"Roger," he replied out loud. "Keep her here until we say otherwise." He motioned with a fist and they began to leave.

I sagged against the bed with relief, tail thumping the bed in the motion, nervous energy looking for a way out even as I sniffled, still clogged and miserable.

"Thanks... for saving me." She sat down on the same bed next to me. "Now tell me what's going on."

"This is where I live." I waved around my room. "And you're becoming a pony."

She blinked softly. "That... explains parts of me." Her eyes dropped right down between her legs before going back up to me.

I was not a very dirty person, promise, but enough hints had been given. "Are you seriously sporting... that, down there?" I pointed with a dragon's claw.

"Are you going to make fun of me?"

Make fun of her? It was... "You're a woman..."

"You were a human, Lore... What... are you now?"

I shrank at those words. Not a human? "I'm still Lauren..."

"I never said you weren't." She reached for my closer hand, rubbing it gently with her smooth fingers. "I'm still Cindy."

"But not a... woman Cindy?" That bothered me so much. It bothered me more than it had any right to bother me. "How do you feel?"

"Like I should be screaming, but I'm not. Instead... here I am, with you. I want to show it to you."

My cheeks darkened at the offer. "You're joking!"

"You're already showing off everything you have." She casually reached up to my chest, cupping my slender breasts, her fingers trapping my nipples and squeezing. "I still like what I see, even if you aren't as round as before."

"A-are you in heat?" I stammered out. It was not helping that being manhandled by Cindy was... a nice thought. But Cindy wasn't a lady! Which should just make that better, right? She was a he. She could do... guy things... I, a heterosexual freak of nature, should be happy about that.

Why wasn't I happy?

"Like an animal?" She... he? Was looking me over. "You're the big tall furry thing. You tell me. A sudden sneeze broke the romance, peppering my front as they slumped back with a miserable groan.

I knew that feeling. I grabbed for the tissues and stuffed the box in their hands. "Here. I'm going to wash up, then we're going to bed."

"Bed with Lore," she slurred out as if drunk, or just miserably sick. She giggled as I slipped away to wash up.

I took a little shower, enjoying the warm spray of water as I thought to myself. Why was I hearing more and seeing more? Discord implied pretty heavily it was all under my control. I just... had to do more. And snap. I made the motion, but, as it turns out, it's hard to do with wet furry fingers. Wet scaly fingers were only mildly better. When the sound emerged, I felt a strange little something. An instant that attention was focused, not on me, but on that sound. It was gone as quickly as it came.

I had distracted the universe, and that was a scary thought.

A huge snort interrupted the thought, my nose so full and miserable. Stupid flu.

Wait... That was a test worth doing. I had finished changing. I was a draconequus, hear me roar! What if I... I raised a dry hand up. "Look here." I waved the hand and snapped, my thoughts focusing. As the slow-instant sensation of attention sliding off me towards the motion and sound, I pushed the sickness out of me.

Time resumed, a great glob of snot splattered to the ground. I felt... clear. I felt... whole. I was cured! I giggled with a childlike joy, dancing from foot to foot, narrowly avoiding the mess I had made. I was all better! I mean, still a freak, but not a sick freak!

I scampered out of the bathroom, falling forward to all fours and scuttling along despite it, slowly getting myself back upright as I hurried back to bed, a huge grin plastered on my face. "Still there, Cindy?"

"Lore?" mumbled a voice, her voice. "You sound different, again."

"I feel better," I assured as I slid in under the covers. Cindy was already under them. It was so much nicer having someone to snuggle. "Hey... I need to know. Are you a he or a she?"

"Physically? About as he as you get, and more than that considering..."

I reached down and felt her hand. Our hands intertwined a moment before she began drawing me down the rest of the way, to feel things. Right into her pajamas, I soon felt the truth of it. She had an equine sheath, a tube of flesh that began to swell as I felt along it. Under it, big horse balls. She was a stallion... "But... are you a he or a she?" I repeated. "Be honest."

"You can't argue--"

"--You can," I flatly denied them. "Which are you? Which... are you, not your body."

She hooked one arm around me, pulling me closer. "Right now, I'm tired and horrible. Did you like the soup?"

I smiled in the dark, snuggling against her. Without really thinking about it, my hand was slowly exploring and playing with her, taking note of what made her jump, and what made it grow more. "It made my day... You saved me. Emergency soup, right in the nick of time. You... should be freaking out a lot more, just saying."

"This is a crazy, but sexy, dream. Is this what you meant by getting pets?" She stroked through my fur in slow motions. "Because you are very pettable... just like you promised. I'm going to enjoy it, and wake up, and wonder what kind of crazy dream I had."

Part of me wanted to push the sick out of her like I had myself, but there were so many questions. Like, she wasn't done changing. Would doing that mess it all up, leave her as a mostly-human with a big fat horse dong? Would that be an improvement or not? Would I hurt her trying it? It was one thing to risk myself, another to play master with her delicate form like I was some kind of furry god.

"Stop doing that unless we're going all the way."

My ears pinned against my head. "Cindy! Seriously?"

She flopped against me. "If I have a huge boner with my lady friend in a dream, why shouldn't I enjoy it?"

I pulled her up, rolling her right up on top of me, supporting her on my long fuzzy form, my hands on her hips. "Can you assume, for a moment, this isn't fake. If it was real, all real... what then?"

"I... would freak out a little," she admitted, looking less sure. "Laura... You would keep me safe, right?"

"With all my heart." I squeezed her hips. "Guy or girl, you've been a wonderful friend... Which is why I want you to trust me when I say what I say. I'm actually this. This is me, Lauren, the draconequus."

"Lauren..." She sat up on top of me. "This is scary as hell."

"You don't sound as scared..."

"You're here, at least." She sank down against me, curling up on me. "And I'm sick, I think... Gonna go to sleep now."

Her fitful sleeping sounds soon filled the otherwise quiet room. I held her, smiling a little. No matter how frightened I was for her, I had her. I had my Cindy. Life wasn't going to be so bad. I lapsed off myself without really thinking about it much.

"This cannot be allowed," spoke another scientist in a window on the screen. "We have room up here. Send the patient up here."

Doctor Miller spread his fingers. "The subject has already shown signs of social bonding and previous experience with the unknown. We have reason to--"

"--Be that as it may, you already have an unstable situation with your Type-DE. Focus on her, and send the other up here."

"As you order, but I am objecting."

"Your objection is noted." The window closed.

Doctor Miller sighed softly, opening a new window. "Get the new subject and bring them to floor four. Be gentle, and quiet."

Hopefully, Lauren would not be too upset about her new friend going away, but it was out of his hands. He resumed his typing.

I woke with a start. "No!" But she was already gone. But I had seen it. I saw the exchange. I got to my feet, tail lashing behind me. "Bring her back," I snarled, looking around until I found a camera, stalking towards it, fingers flexing. "Bring back Cindy, now!" I pointed at the camera. "I don't care who told you to take her, bring her back."

But the camera didn't reply. With a grunt of annoyance, I stormed right out of my room, click-clopping along.

Now, that was so far away from the time to be consider it, but I felt pissed at the universe. "Why is my goat hoof so... not goat hoofed!" I thrust the smooth hoof forward and clapped my hands. Distraction. My hoof touched the ground, cloven into two. My toes felt... so much better. They could wriggle properly. "One down..."

"Hey, Lauren." There was Flash, waving at me. "What was that you did?"

I didn't have time for him... "Just a little trick I picked up. I'm getting the hang of this. Where's the elevator?"

He suddenly looked super nervous, taking a step back. "Uh, I dunno."

He was lying. I could feel the lie. It was an oily thing, slithering against my ears. "I bet you were told. Did you forget?" I reached for him and he scrambled back, but not fast enough. I got a hold of him and casually pulled a DVD from his furry ear.

He gaped at the media I had created. "What is that and how...? Are you going to hurt me?"

"Hurt you? Of course not." I petted him gently with my free hand, turning to stuff the DVD right into the wall as if it had a spot to play it. "I just want answers." I snapped my fingers. "Ah, there it is." I casually hit the play button and a scene began to play of Starlight pointing out the elevator to Flash.

"But don't tell anyone," Starlight advised. "I wasn't even supp--" I smacked the stop button. I had seen enough. I turned away from the player and faced where the elevator was.

"I'll be back, with my friend." I began striding forward, a frown on my face.

And then Starlight. She scurried between me and the elevator. "Lauren, I know you're super mad, and you have every right to be."

"If you know that, why are you in my way?"

"Because I'm your friend?" She smiled nervously, but her words were not a lie. "Please, calm down... Let's talk this out. We can take care of this without... this."

"Without what?" I huffed out, feeling very ready to test what I could do, or not.

"Anything. Please... One day, that's all I ask." She held up a lone hoof. "Show them you can be reasoned with like a nice sane pony."

"I'm a very angry not-pony," I corrected, crossing my arms under my chest. But I didn't shove her aside. "One day..."

"One day," she echoed, slumping with relief. "All I ask."

Author's Notes:

We are rather close to the start of things, are we not? Discord has shown Lauren how to reach beyond, and Lauren seems ready to start grasping. A bad time to go snatching her friend, I think.

Join the special community of folks who like my stories here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

14 - Day Fourteen

"My hands! My feet!" Cindy crashed back against a wall, standing awkwardly against the wall.

"You're not going full pony," I reminded her in a soothing tone.

"I'm not?" Her hands suddenly sprang free of their hooven shells, the bone falling to the floor to be forgotten. "Oh yeah." As if reminding her was all it took. "Lore!" She suddenly hugged me. "How did you find me?"

"I'm dreaming, I think?" I tilted my head to the left before looking around. We were in another bedroom, similar to mine. "Or am I?"

"Only if I'm a dream." She snorted, grabbing for some tissues. "And I don't think I am."

Was it not a dream? "Cindy, are they hurting you?"

"They won't answer my questions, and they're keeping me away from you, or much of anything else." She sank against her bed. "And I'm changing..."

Of course she was changing. She was joining us, and I should be there, at her side, helping her... "I'm coming."

I woke up, if you could have called that a dream. "Enough." I was awake, not sniffly, and ready to act. I stormed for my door with a predatory gait. I was on fours as often as twos, practically flowing along the walls. Whatever I was, it was a sleek and magnificent body. Discord hadn't been lying. We were... pretty, when you got over all the strange parts. We were a predator that distracted the universe.

I threw open the door. Trick there being that the door normally opened inwards. Oops. I had already done it, I didn't worry about it, trusting it would fix itself sometime after I was gone and the universe noticed what I had done to it.

"Good morning!" There was Starlight, smiling at me so nervously.

"Morning." I reached out and patted her right on the head, the way she didn't want me to do unless I meant it. "You are a dear friend, but I have an older friend that needs my help right now. I promise I won't hurt a single person, but I am going to get her and bring her back."

Starlight recoiled at my words, backing out of reach. "Lauren, you're basically declaring war."

"Not a single person," I repeated. "I just want my friend, that's it. Tell Miller that."

She ran her tongue over the insides of her lips, glancing nervously around. "Lauren, you don't know how to do... all that yet. You could hurt yourself, or your friend. Please... Remember when I pulled you into the pool? That was an accident! What if you have an accident?"

"You're a unicorn." I held out a paw towards her. "I'm something worse." With a sharp snap, I felt the universe's attention sliding. I dashed while it was gaping at where I had made the noise. When it recovered, I was already by the elevator, mashing the call button.

Starlight blinked at where I wasn't anymore and turned in place. "Lore?"

The elevator hadn't arrived, not that it gave any hints as to what floor it was on by the time Starlight turned and saw me. "Lore!" She dashed towards me with a rapid clip-clop. "Please, stop it! You don't even know the password."

"There's a password?" That made sense, in hindsight. If anyone could just walk up to it, that wouldn't be very secure. "Well, won't be getting anywhere without that."

Starlight slowed in her approach, stopping just in front of me with a releived sigh. "Good, so let's--"

I casually reached out as if to pet her ear, but I went for what was just behind it. "Really, Starlight. Writing down your passwords?" I was holding a paper that likely hadn't been there a moment before. "That's a bad habit."

Starlight crashed to her haunches, eyes wide, scared. I felt suddenly bad. Starlight was a friend, I was like 90% sure of that. "I'll be back, promise. I'm just going to get my friend. Have a little faith in me."

Turning to the elevator, looking to the scrap, I saw the 'password' was more of a combination. You had to press a few buttons at the same time, then jab the call button. Easy! Poor earth ponies, it must be quite hard for them to figure it out even if they were told what to do. But I had fingers! The button lit up! It was on the way!

"They're going to be really mad," whispered Starlight, sounding so very shaken. "They may hurt you... It's not too late. Let's go back to your room, relax, talk?"

I brought around my tail and tickled under her chin with its fluffy tip. "You wait here. I'll be right back." I wouldn't be dissuaded, not until I had my Cindy back.

Elsewhere, Miller scowled at what he saw. There were plenty of cameras, and some of them were watching me and Starlight. "This is going about as poorly as predicted." He turned in place, swiveling his chair as he clicked quickly with his mouse. "You're about to get a visitor."

"Visitor?" came a familiar voice. "Nothing on the schedule for today."

"Type ED is on her way to your floor," explained Miller. "She has the elevator key."

"Where are your guards?" the other chastised.

"She hasn't caused any issues on this floor," replied Miller simply. "I will not engage her. She has done everything I asked and remains a good subj--"

I reached up, pointing at the camera watching me, piercing it, jabbing him right in the chest with a dragon's claw. "I'm a patient, not a subject," I snarled through the camera. "And you got that right. I'm going up to bother your friend and get mine back."

Starlight scrambled backwards. "What in the name of Celestia was that?!" She had one hoof raised, shaking but pointing at the camera I had just been shoving my arm through a moment ago. "What did you do?!"

"Miller's watching us." A soft chime sounded as the elevator opened. "You be a good pony." And in I went, slipping inside with a sudden rush and twirling in place, smashing the 4 button with my tail. Starlight looked so unsure, making a scramble towards me, but it was too late. The doors closed on her.

I could feel the elevator moving around me. The thought tickled at me. Why was I using an elevator? I didn't technically need it... But I wasn't reality itself. I tricked it. I fooled it. Who's to say if I didn't do it too often and too constantly, it wouldn't catch on? Better to do things the old-fashioned way sometimes, just to keep it on its toes.

A soft chime announced our arrival. I was out the moment the door began to open, flowing between the still-too-close panels and slinking out. There were no ponies in sight. No staff either. Had the warning of my coming sent them scurrying?

I slid around the corner, my body conforming to it like water for the instant I went around it, springing upright the moment I was past it. Bright red lights were strobing and a strange omnipresent alarm was making an electronic noise that wasn't really a siren, but was clearly an alarm of some kind. Despite it, I felt no particular worry.

With a low clop-clop, I walked forward, each step different in my ears. One hoof was cloven, the other the clack of sharp claws. One was thicker and had a dewclaw, and the other did not. I was no longer much good at matching left to right across my body. Even my eyes were different colors, though considering how many other things didn't match, it was perhaps a mercy that it followed the trend.

Despite all the mismatches, my gait was easy. I was balanced, smooth even. "Now where is everycreature hiding?" I called out, my tongue curling a little as a little smirk appeared on my face. "The hiding part of hide and seek can only last so long. I will find you."

The clean halls of the medical facility offered little cover to my sweeping gaze, but there were--oh, no, there was someone, several someone's. Another elevator door chimed with a simple beep before sliding open, revealing three men in full body armor. Two of them had billy clubs, the third had a gun. A stun gun?

They saw me, not like I was hiding from them. "Return to your room," shouted one of them as they spilled out of the elevator in a hurry, fanning out as if to surround me.

"I'm in the middle of playtime," I casually dismissed, my red scaled tail flicking behind me. It was still odd at times to think I had one of those, but, in perspective, it was perhaps the least odd thing about it all. "You can try asking a lady more politely than shouting at her like that. You're sending a bad message."

The one with the gun raised it and fired with barely a pause between. A loud pop echoed in the hard-walled area we were in and the barbs were flung at me with almost sonic speed. I grabbed them, but they weren't barbs, they were ropes. I pulled sharply and they fell from confused fingers as I laughed. "Now where are you hiding Cindy?"

The two with clubs advanced with determination. What did guards of secret medical facilities make? Probably not enough to have to deal with my flavor of nonsense. I almost felt bad for them, almost. That faded when they began to swing at me. "Hey, morons," I scorned as I bobbed and weaved back away from them. "This isn't a movie. You crack someone with one of those, you could really hurt them."

Perhaps play time was over.

I grabbed the wall and scrambled upwards away from them, digging in with claws and leaving little holes behind. They were shouting and looking for some way to reach me when my snap echoed out. I fell down as the universe recoiled and grabbed one of the security guards.

I was about to give him a taste of pony, but I saw he was married, even had a kid. I shoved him instead, sending him home to both of them. The universe caught up, the other guard getting out a muffled scream through his hazmat suit. In his eyes, I had snapped, then suddenly been right next to him, and his friend was just gone.

I reached for him, but he was faster. Pain exploded through my right arm as he smashed me with his club. Tears welled up. That hadn't been a light hit. Did he break something? He wasn't pausing. I had panicked him, and he smashed my startled chest. I felt something break, on the inside. Breathing was suddenly hard.

I had messed up. I snapped, or tried. Pain and staggering ruined the motion as he came on me, cracking my left shoulder smartly. An angry bruise began to form almost instantly. "Stop!" I shouted out, blood splattering the front of his visor. My blood? Shit, I was bleeding on the inside. That was bad. It was all bad.

He raised a big booted foot and just... kicked me. It was damnably effective, sending me sliding along the door. One benefit of being all nice and soft and pettable, I could slide along smooth floors pretty darn well. Though it hurt where he had just slammed his foot into me, I was thankful for the distance he had just made. I grabbed my broken arm with the other hand, ignoring the throbbing shoulder as I pulled it.

Fresh pain exploded through me, blinding my vision a moment, but I could feel it working. I had yanked the bone straight. It was set. Tears were streaming down my face. This wasn't fun. This wasn't a game. I could pull myself back together, but it hurt to do, and I had plenty of other injuries to see to. "Your friend's alright," I got out, scrambling to my feet in time to see him bringing his club down.

I slipped, the club whooshing inches from my face. I leaned into the momentum, sliding right under him and popping up behind him, scrambling away.

Suddenly I was crashed into. The second guard, the one that had been holding a stun gun, tackled me. We both tumbled to the ground in a heap. He was trying to hold me tightly, which made my insides scream in agony. There were broken things in there, damn it all! "Stop it!"

"Lay down," ordered the guard hugging me. "Stop resisting and I'll let go."

That... was an option I was willing to try. I went slack in his grip, flopping bonelessly against the floor. I could hear the other guard, the one with the club, stomping closer.

The one holding me slowly released me, likely feeling for me trying to make a move. "Where's Howard?"

"Howard?" Oh, right, the one I shoved. "He's home. Surprised, probably, but should be alright." An urge to cough came over me, blood speckling the ground near my snout. "I'm... going to take a deep breath."

A club prodded me, right on my angry bruise. "You ain't doin' nothin'," ordered the club-wielding guard.

"Noclip!" Suddenly I fell through the floor. I couldn't see them. I couldn't see myself. I was _in_ the floor. I also couldn't breathe, but holding my breathe was way better than fearing the next swing of that club. I grabbed my sore shoulder, wincing and sniffling as I wrenched it back into place. My insides were still knocked loose. How to fix that...

I flapped my stupidly small wings and wriggled my tail, swimming through the cement of the floor, away from the guards. Where was Cindy?

"Subject contact lost," barked the guard who had been holding a stun gun into a walkie talkie. "Went right through the floor."

"You're the one that gave her a chance," barked the club-wielder. "We should have kept hitting her."

"We're not here to kill people, shit." The gun-wielder shoved the other as he turned away. "She said Howard was sent home. Can you confirm?"

"He called," came the reply over the walkie talkie. "That's exactly where he was, and heading back to the lab."

I tried to shake the vision and sounds of the guards. The other one was safe, good. I didn't want to hurt him. The club guy, though... I could still feel the smashes he'd delivered. He...

I came up for air, gasping loudly as I emerged in what looked to be a kitchen. I pulled myself free of the floor and shook myself out, standing normally, the cheat apparently disabling itself the moment I was free. But... Discord floated, didn't he? I had dreamed of floating.

Maybe noclipping was just a thing I could do? "Noclip," I whispered to myself and I drifted upwards. I laughed, or tried. My insides screamed in agony and I ended up coughing up unfun red stuff instead. "Okay, okay..." How to fix myself. My arms were simple enough to just force back into position. Oh, right!

I took a deep breath. Agony rippled through me as I forced bones where they shouldn't be and exasperated cuts on my insides, but it was working. I could feel things shifting back into their proper positions. I just had to... hold it. With a great whoosh, I let the air out. The pain began to ebb. I was fixed...

"They're making this too dangerous." I opened a freezer and casually pulled out a padded helmet, popping it on my head. It had holes for my horns and fit properly. A vest came out next, slipping into its chilly but protective grasp. "Alright, maybe less broken bones now." What did they wear to protect arms? I didn't know. And not knowing would hurt me. I couldn't make things happen that I couldn't imagine.

I had to laugh. "The only limit is your imagination? That's scary..." I had a lot to figure through, but I needed to find Cindy.

Footsteps were coming closer, quickly. Nice heavy bootfalls. They knew where I was. There were cameras, of course. I could see someone watching me. Someone I didn't like.

Wait. I turned towards the closest camera with a wicked smile. "Didn't Miller tell you?" I suppose he hadn't, or maybe the other guy hadn't listened. Both were possibly. "Either way."

A different doctor was watching the situation unfolding. "Miller, I will be charging your floor for the damages she causes."

"That would be rude." Suddenly a snout burst through his monitor, the rest of her long form coming out after it, armored and smiling. "You're the one that made this whole mess. Also, turn on a light, it's too damn dark in here." That was me, of course. I snapped sharply, the lights of the room turning up to full brightness.

This doctor was... round. He was round like I used to be. He even had breasts like I used to. I would have called him cute, if he hadn't also been the cause of my frustration for the last day or so. His glasses fell off his face as he awkwardly stood up, his chair falling behind him. He was Caucasian, unlike little Filipino-me, but it somehow still reminded me of me, the old me.

It was like a twisted mirror. What if I had been a guy, and also white, and also a scientist, and also a jerk. That was a lot of alsos. Maybe he wasn't all that much like me. "Just tell me where Cindy is and I'll stop bothering you and your guards." I felt my ears swiveling around. "Speaking of that, are there cameras in here too?"

He needn't have answered. Thinking about it let me feel it. Someone else was watching me. I ignored them. "I won't hurt you, just tell me where Cindy is."

"You can't just--"

"Don't tell me I can't do what I just did." I rolled my mismatched eyes, crossing my arms under my chest. "Now point me in a direction so we can both have a better day."

"Lauren?" Miller's voice emerged from the monitor. He was still connected, and could see my butt. Lech. "Please return to this floor."

I looked over my shoulder. There he was, on the screen in a little web-cam window. "Hey, Millie." I wriggled a few fingers at him. "I'll be right back as soon as I have Cindy."

"I told you this was ill-advised."

"Be quiet," snapped the other doctor, glaring at the screen, then at me. "As for you, get out of my office!"

"You are very much not in a position to order me." I leaned forward, floating in the air. "I have a doctor." I hiked a thumb at the image of Miller. "He's a jerk too, but less of one than you. I'll go back to him as soon as I have Cindy. Do I need to use smaller words for you?" This was a simple concept! What wasn't he getting?

A thought suddenly hit me. "What is your name?"

"You don't need to know that," he snarled. "Security's already on the--"

I grabbed his fat cheeks between my hands, my eyes swirling as I gazed into his. I was looking not at him, but past him. "I see a mare, nice and round, just like you. You're a shitty human. Maybe you could be a nice pony."

He began to tremble. For all his bravado, I think he was starting to understand just how much of a threat I was to his state of being. "N-no, don't!"

"The next word out of your mouth is how to get to Cindy, or a loud distressed neigh. Your choice. One word. Make it count." I leaned in, touching my fuzzy snout to his little pudgy nose. "Make it good."

"Laura," spoke Miller, still on the screen. "You understand this makes you quite the security risk."

I flashed my teeth for a hot moment. "Too late for that. I have simple wants. Cindy." I turned my attention fully back on the quivering fat scientist in my hands, waiting for his potentially last words as a human.

A shaking finger raised, pointing the way. "At the end of the hallway. First left, second right, third left."

"Easy as one two three," I sang out, releasing him in a shove that sent him sprawling. "No hooves for you today. Pity, you would have been adorable." I left him there to get up on his own speed, darting to the door and shoving my head through it.

There was a guard approaching, a stun gun already in hand. I wrenched my head back with a frown. "Time to cheat." I ducked out of the room, sideways, right into the next room. I burst into the hallway behind the guard, grinning as I swam through the air. He charged right past me, banging on the doctor's door, unaware of how close he had come to me.

First left, second right. I was darting and bobbing along from cover to cover, but I knew they could see me. They were watching me advance through the lab. "Cindy!" Poor Cindy was likely feeling like hell. I had shaken off the sickness myself, but she didn't have that. She was probably in bed, feeling awful. "I'm comin'!"

I grabbed her door, third on the right, and pulled down the handle. Locked. I reached into the layers of my fur. "Where did I leave..." There it was. I pulled free a keycard. It wasn't my keycard, though it looked much the same. I slid it in. Click. "Cindy!" I wrenched the door open and flew into the room, the door closing behind me.

"Lore?"

I flowed around the corner, tail twitching. There she/he was, sitting up on their bed, eyes only partially open like they were just waking up. "Lore?!" They reached and flopped. "How'd you get here?"

I was on them in a flash, my hands cradling the one of theirs closest to me. "That is complicated, but I am here, and I'm going to take you down to my floor. Does that sound good?" Nasty scientists got threats, my friend would not. I wouldn't do anything without her go-ahead.

"You'll keep me safe?" They sounded so small, so scared.

I grabbed them up, hugging them close. "Oh Celestia yes!" I turned in the air, drifting back towards the door. "You heard that. She wants to go with me. I'm taking her back now. Let me go and this is over. Turn off that stupid alarm!" It was still going, flashing red outside the door as we floated back outside. "It's not helping anyone."

"About that."

I perked an ear at Cindy. "Huh? What, you like the alarm?" I was floating towards the elevator, eager to get 'home'.

"Not that... You called me a 'her', but I'm a 'he' now, I think..."

I came to a halt in the air, blinking with confusion. "Seriously?"

"You saw it, you felt it," he noted. "Guy... That's not the end of the world, is it? I get to go standing up now."

My cheeks warmed at the thought. "You're still Cindy though, right?"

"I think so." He raised a hand into view, fur swept up over it, along his arm. It was bright white in color. "I'm failing at being a human woman though. Are you alright with it?"

I wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that one way or the other. "Right now, let's get home." There was the elevator, and not a sign of a guard so far. Maybe they'd listened. I pressed the secret combination.

The door didn't open, nor did the light come on. I scowled at it.

"You don't have all the power," came a voice through the intercom of the call button. "You will need to be punished."

"Bite me," I replied with the utmost of eloquence. "Right on my furry butt."

"Return to your room and do not leave," ordered the voice. It wasn't the scientist I just scared, or Miller.

"I planned to do that anyway," I grunted, annoyed. "Talk to Miller. I only have the bandwidth to deal with one manipulative mad scientist at a time."

The elevator door suddenly opened without a chime. I was free to go, for the moment.

I took Cindy home, guy or girl.

Author's Notes:

Well, that chapter had a lot going on. How'd I do on the action? Action scenes always make me nervous! The noodle awakens.

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15 - Day Fifteen

I felt like my body was infinitely long. My front was pressed against the soft bed, and Cindy was behind me, grabbing my hips that felt like they were so far away. He was making love, rocking against me, our sounds of mutual delight filling the darkness of the room. I was a hetero girl, I said that!

We were... doing what a hetero girl and a hetero guy, who happened to used to be a girl, do.

"Hey."

I looked up at the new voice. Another draconequus, just like me, was looking down at me with a big silly grin. "Wow, you're having fun."

I went quite the shade, glancing back at Cindy still doing his best to please the both of us. That felt good! But it was hard to focus on that with a visitor. "Why isn't he reacting to you being here?"

"Dream, duh." She snapped her fingers and we were suddenly alone in a starry void. "Hi, I'm Penny."

"Lauren," I offered, righting myself with no lover to let rut me anymore. "And you're like Discord too."

"Who?" She squinted at me. "Look, you're me, well, a could be me. I could be you, but I'm not, and you're not. We're from different, what do you call it, layers?" She shrugged expansively. "Noodle life is complicated."

"Noodle life?" I looked her over. She was long, like I was. "We are... not noodles."

"Ugh, not literally," she laughed out. "We're longer and bendier than everyone else. Get it? Whatever." She waved it away. "I have a reality to deal with, but I wanted to see how you were doing."

"How did you even know I was there?" I put my hands on my sides. "I didn't know you even existed until you were here."

"That's because you're self-centered."

"What?!" I blurted, face going a bit red. "I am not!"

"Oh wow, you super are." She prodded me right on the nose. "You only see when it's about you. You only hear when it's about you. Nice defense, really. Keeps you from seeing the whole picture, but it also keeps you from seeing the whole picture. Get with the real noodle program, open wide, and let the whole thing in."

It hit me then. "Hey, you're a woman, like me."

"You're just noticing that." She pouted a little. "What did you think I was? Learn to look around you. The world's full of stuff that isn't you. There are people who need you, and people you need. Learn which is which and be a great person." She snapped her fingers and the universe slowed.

But I didn't. I saw her starting to dart off and flew in her way. "Stop!"

She came up short, looking confused a moment. "Huh? Oh yeah! We're both noodles. No noodling away from you," she laughed. "That's actually kind of crazy, having another noodle around. I like it." She thrust a hand at me. "Penny, to remind. Let's visit sometimes. Just because we're a world away doesn't mean much for supreme noodles like us."

"You sound so confident. Doesn't... all this scare you? We can do anything, which is a lot of possibly awful things." I threw a hand wide. "And we can still be hurt."

"Yes, and yes," agreed Penny. "But I'm a good person, and I bet you are too. You don't want to hurt people." She made a sudden duck face at me. "So if you make a mistake, fix it, and learn."

"Won't it hurt them? If I make a mistake that involves someone else..."

"That's when you use the secret weapon." Penny drifted in closer and her arms slipped around me, drawing me in for a warm fuzzy embrace. "A hug can make so many hurts get smaller."

That was, for lack of better words, an A+ hug. I returned it and drifted there, just enjoying the touch, the innocence. Neither of us were doing anything but hugging.

I woke up.

I heard Cindy coughing into his pillow, still asleep at a glance. I grabbed for my laptop and got to typing my daily report. Just because I had been on a little adventure didn't mean I wasn't expected to do my reports! Besides, doing them made me feel better...

I mentioned Penny from my dream. "Met another me. She called me a Supreme Noodle. Curious, isn't it? She was a lot of things I wasn't, so confident in herself. I hope I can grow into that, to lose the fear of this new... me." I smacked send.

The computer began playing a new note. Someone was voice-calling me on Discord? I quickly alt-tabbed over and saw it was Miller. I hit the answer button. "Hey Millie." I wriggled fingers at the camera. "Cindy's still sleeping, so let's keep it quiet."

"Good morning, Lauren," he replied far more officiously. "Good to see you in positive spirits. I'll review your morning writeup shortly. Thank you for being timely about those." I had been late the day before, but I had gotten it in! "I wanted to try something new that I think you will like."

My brows went up together. "You have my curiosity."

"Glad to hear it. Do you remember the younger su--patients? Apple and Sweetie Bloom? Scootaloo?"

"Oh yes!" I clapped my hands together. "They seemed so cute in the text."

"They wish to visit you. How do you feel about that?"

Little pony fillies, visiting?! "I admit... I'm surprised. I would have figured, after my little stunt, there would be no rush to let me talk to any new people, especially in person."

Miller's webcam sudden came to life, showing him smiling at me. "Lauren, that was unfortunate, but I don't think it's a terminal mistake. I meant what I said, you've been nothing but a cooperative subject. How do you feel about that visit?"

"Patient," I reminded with a little huff. "But, yes. Send them. That sounds... really sweet. I'll be good."

"I have very little fear that you won't be. Two of them are adults, or were, physically, one of them was a child to begin with. They'll be down later today to come say hello. I hope you have a pleasant visit."

And the call was over. It occurred to me that he had been monitoring me. He knew when to call. It was kinda obvious, looking back on it.

"How did I know?" My thoughts went back to the other doctor who hadn't shared his name. I was about to make him a mare. I had... seen past him, to a chubby mare. I was about to make that reality. "Where had she come from...?" I looked to the still slumbering form of Cindy. "What are you becoming?"

I was still unsure what effect there would be, chasing away his sickness while he was changing. Would he keep changing? Would he just... freeze right there? Who knew! I reached and cupped his cheeks, gazing into his closed eyes. "What lurks past," I whispered to myself, trying to see through him, past him, to get a glimpse.

I imagined a stallion, white, with a confident smile. He had a big horn and blue/cyan mane and tail. He was also partially human, with hands! He had a picture on his butt, on either side, but I couldn't get a good look at it. The more I tried, the harder it became. I gave up. He was tall and strong and I knew, somehow, he'd give the best hugs. This is what Cindy was becoming.

"Mornin'." He woke up and was staring right into my eyes as I stared into his. "What, do I look that bad?"

"No!" I blurted, backing up so hard I fell off the bed. I never hit the floor, just kinda drifting away until I got my feet to the ground. "Sorry. How do you feel?"

"Like mildly warmed hell." He pushed upright, then paused. "Huh... wow... that is not cool..."

"What is it?" I darted in, flying to his side. "I'm here."

"You're here, but these are not." He raised his hands to his chest. They hadn't moved, like Starlight's, but why should they? He was a boy pony. Boy ponies had... nothing, and neither did Cindy anymore.

"Oh... no, sorry." I wrapped an arm around him, rocking softly. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, I think... It's... just really... strange. More proof I'm a guy now." He swung his feet over the side and began to stand up. "I should wash up."

"I can help," I offered, floating after him.

"I need to use the bathroom," he more flatly stated, though he was smirking. "Are you that dirty, girl? Let a fella have a moment, then we can--" He had to pause, sneezing violently. "Ugh, nevermind, still out of it..." He hurried to the bathroom to take care of things.

The temptation to yank the sick out of him redoubled. "Miller? I know you're watching." My tail twitched softly behind me. "I got rid of the sick in me. I seem to be alright. I could do the same for Cindy, but I don't know if it'll turn out the same or not. Should I? Email me or something."

I got no emails. I got a sick Cindy instead as a booby prize. I tucked him back into bed to rest and recover from the illness burning at him. I even got a little peck, but I left him there for the moment. He was safe, and just needed peace and quiet.

I emerged from my room.

"The lady of the hour." There was Flash, trotting towards me. "Wow, the Discord went nuts talking about you. You know that?"

"It did?" I said and thought at the same time. "How many of them even knew what I was doing?"

"Rumors spread, especially on Discord." Flash nodded softly. "Starlight ran onto there, hoping everycreature wouldn't get mad at you. She was really--"

"That's enough of that," cut in Starlight, approaching from down the hallway. "Hello, Lauren."

"Starlight." I went to give her a morning petting, but she danced away from my reaching hand.

"You scared me, Lauren," she said flatly, not meeting my eyes. "I thought you'd get hurt, or worse... You broke so many rules... Was it that important?"

"I did get hurt," I sighed out, remembering the injuries I had suffered, even if I had fixed them since then. "But, yes. I got my friend and I know he's safe now. He's miserably sick, but we've all been there."

Flash grinned lopsidedly at that. "Oh yeah, the ponid flu's just the worst. Don't miss it, not one bit."

Starlight pointed up at my face. "Speaking of that, why aren't you knocked over on your butt? You should be being nursed to health, not storming another floor and setting off basically every alarm they have to set off."

"I used my, uh, noodle powers." I shrugged softly as I said it.

"Noodle powers?" they both echoed.

"I'm a noodle, I'm told. It's a silly name, but it works." I smiled a little. "Like it?"

Flash raised a hoof. "It's silly. Love it."

A soft chime sounded and all three of us looked over. My heart melted.

Three little ponies charged off the elevator, looking around with eyes way too big to be legal. One of them, a little pegasus, pointed at me. "There she is!"

"Aw, yep, ya done found her." A normal pony with a big bow approached with a smile, the white unicorn filly just beside her. All three moved for us.

Starlight blinked softly. "What the... Why are they here? Shouldn't you be... on super lock down?"

The unicorn thrust up a hoof, squeaking as she practically shouted, "We're here to talk to her and help her calm down!"

The normal pony gestured at herself. "Ah'm Apple Bloom, we met on Discord, remember? This here's Sweetie Bloom." Sweetie dipped her head. "And that there's our best friend, Scootaloo. Say hello, Scoots."

"Heya!" Scootaloo waved eagerly at me.

That didn't sit quite right. "You mean your friend Scootaloo and Sweetie, right?"

Sweetie burst into giggles. "We may be fillies on the inside."

Apple Bloom gestured at Sweetie and herself. "But we were both adults before. We still have some adult wants."

Sweetie nodded. "Nothin' dirty, we promise. We just wanted to have partners."

"Lifetime partners," continued Apple Bloom. "So we got married."

I blinked owlishly at the two children that were lesbian married. "Wow..."

Scootaloo waved it away. "Gross, right?" She trotted right up to me. "Wanna play something fun? You look like you like a good action game."

Starlight shook her head slowly. "Huh, well... good. Guess they're not too mad at you then."

"Are you?" I smiled at Starlight hopefully.

"Right this moment, yes..." She looked away. "Give me a day or two to calm down, alright? Glad you're alright." She trotted away without another word.

Flash raised a hoof. "I'm up for an action game."

I had to laugh. "Count me in. Something multiplayer so we can all play at once."

We started as a big group to the game room. Trick! There was only one actual _computer_ in there, and only one of any console either. Multiplayer with all four of us seemed out of grasp.

Scootaloo looked really let down. "Aw man. They have four player setups on our floor."

Apple Bloom shook her head. "Well, they have us on that floor, so they'd be nuts not to have that ready. Oh well, nothin' fer it."

But there was something for it. "One moment. I bet it's just buried." I stuffed an arm down into the darkness, through the tangle of cords. "I bet..." I felt something brush against my fingers and grabbed it, starting to work it free of the cords on the way back out. "Here's something."

Sweetie Bloom inclined her head. "What? The likelihood of that is very--"

Out came another console, with several joysticks dangling from it. We were suddenly ready. Flash cheered and grabbed the console in his wings, rushing to plug it in and get it set up. "I'm a pro at this, just to warn you. I won't take it easy on you just because you're a filly."

"I won't take it easy just because you're an old pony," countered Scootaloo, sticking out her tongue at Flash. "Prepare to go down."

"We're on a team." Sweetie leaned over against Apple Bloom, the Blooms united, even in a death match.

And the shootout began. I won some, I lost some. I had no particular complaints. FPS wasn't my specialty, but I could have fun with it. A small hoof poked me in the side. There was Apple Bloom. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," I replied, smirking a bit. "What's up?"

"That wasn't in there." She pointed at the box the new console had emerged from. "You're not like unicorns, are ya?"

"No... not a unicorn." Not much point arguing that. "Twice the horns and half the sense."

Apple Bloom waved that off. "Don't be like that. Even with all the mess ya were in, ya didn't hurt not a single person." She smiled bright at me. "Yer nice, if also a bit scary."

A hoof came down on her head, Sweetie Bloom rolling her eyes. "Don't call someone frightening when you're trying to cheer them up. I swear." She smiled at me so sweetly. "Ignore that part. You're a nice person."

Scootaloo waved a hoof quickly between rapid movement. "You're alright I guess." A sudden shot sent Flash flopping over to his side. Scoot's smile deepened. "You're better than Flash at least."

"She's so young. I should be smashing her," whined Flash, hooves pedaling in the air. "How is she so good?" He looked over to me. "Noodle, save me."

All three of the fillies joined in looking at me. "Noodle?" asked Apple Bloom.

"Just a name I heard," I answered lamely. "I'm kinda noodly." I began to undulate and wiggle in place, showing off my maximum noodliness. "Hate it?"

Sweetie Bloom threw a hoof. "Don't be absurd. You may not be a pony but you're a lovely creature all the same."

"Yeah," joined Scootaloo. "Besides, that was pretty cool." She was giving a big grin. "They showed me some tapes, said I should know what I was getting inta. Pfft, just made me want to meet you more."

Apple Bloom quickly applied a hoof to her face. "And you weren't supposed to mention that part."

I quickly shook my head. "I'm more surprised they'd share it than that they recorded it... Wait, how far and wide are they showing people yesterday? That wasn't me at my best..."

Flash looked between the others, rolling up to his haunches. "I have no idea what you're all talking about."

Sweetie pointed at Flash. "Question, answered. I do believe they showed us specifically."

Apple Bloom shrugged her shoulders. "Well, guess they thought we should know what we were walking into, but it was purdy darn clear what was goin' on. Ya just wanted to help your friend."

"Yeah!" shouted Scootaloo, bouncing in place. The game had been entirely abandoned at this point, I should note. "So, you can do anything?" She approached, not clipping or clopping on the soft floor of the game room.

"I imagine not anything," corrected Sweetie. "Or why would she even be here anymore?"

Apple pressed a hoof to Sweetie's nose. "Because she's a good creature and is followin' the rules. Ain't nothin' wrong with that."

They did bring up a good point. The lab was, if I got a decent grip on things, a 'suggestion' at best, for limiting where I went. "You little girls aren't scared at all?"

Flash tilted his head. "What's this about leaving now?"

Right, poor Flash, out of the loop. I mussed the top of his head, petting his mane. "I got lucky, or unlucky. What I am comes with a lot of strange perks besides flying." Speaking of that, I drifted into the air to show that off. Which meant noclip was still going? I could dart into a wall to check, but that felt rude.

Flash crossed his arms, hooves dangling. "You can fly without flapping? Unfair."

Scootaloo rolled her eyes suddenly. "Your wings actually work. Suck up your old man tears."

Flash's color drained before rushing back, going red. "You take that back! I'm a perfectly normal stallion adult, not an old pony."

"Prove it." Scootaloo lifted a joystick with a grin. "I'll take it back when you get a point. Nothing like a bullet between the ears to get a pony to change their mind."

The game was back on, Flash struggling to prove his youth.

Apple Bloom looked away from the two of them. "Don't mind her none. She's just makin' fun. So, uh." She reached out and ran a hoof over my belly. "Yer a might curious of a thing."

"Undoubtedly," quickly agreed Sweetie. "But we're not doctors."

"Or scientists." Apple nodded firmly. "So, we'll actually ask, polite like."

"We have so many questions." Sweetie bounced in place a little. "You alright with that?"

I was being watched. Of course I was. I almost didn't bother to mention it. It should have been pretty obvious. How many, that was the part I wasn't sure. They didn't want me doing anything odd to my guests. I reached and gently petted Sweetie and Apple Bloom since they seemed to be pressing in on my space. My hunch proved correct as neither complained about being touched. The contact seemed to be invitation for them to come closer and soon I had two fillies sniffing and nosing around me.

"Here it is," announced Apple. "Ya weren't lying."

There was a little filly with her nose where fillies had no business. I nudged her back with a foot. "Watch it."

"Sorry, didn't mean nothin'." She sat down, a foot back. "I saw the video and I bet, to myself, that if I was lookin' in person, I could find it. You weren't lying."

Sweetie raised an ear at her... wife? Little kids getting married, so weird. But they were both adults too, just in kid bodies. That made it... less... or more strange? I wasn't sure. "You should show some more faith. If she says she has lady parts, then she does. Why would somepony lie about that?" She waved it off and looked up at my face. "You can float, and go through walls and make people go places." She tapped her hooves with each thing named.

Apple Bloom hopped. "Oh yeah, what else?"

Had they not been shown the part where I threatened a doctor? Probably for the best, that... "I cured myself." I took a nice big breath through my nose, phlegm free.

The two of them frowned at me. Sweetie pointed at me. "This is the part where you're adjusting, up here." She pointed to her head. "You shouldn't interfere with it, even if it isn't much fun."

"Yeah, what if ya never get a grip on what ya are?" She inclined her head. "Seems kinda important."

"It's a bit late..." Not like what I did seemed to come with an undo function. "Besides, I'm getting a grip, a little at a time."

"Did you get a new name?" asked Apple, then pointing to herself. "I wasn't always Apple Bloom."

"I wasn't always Sweetie Bloom. Hay, I was Sweetie Belle before me and Apple decided to marry."

"Gross," noted Scootaloo. But it was a vital moment of distraction. "What? Nooo!"

Flash pumped a hoof with a victorious grin. "Ha, now you have to take it back."

"That wasn't fair." She sulked, pushing the controller away. "Fine. You're not a complete waste." She stuck out her tongue at him. "Still need practice though."

This did bring things to mind, wobbling a finger between Apple and Sweetie. "You two, you mentioned you don't have much going on back there." I couldn't see a thing. "So do you two... what, snuggle romantically?"

"Yup," they echoed in unity, throwing an arm around each other, faces pressed against one another from the side as they smiled at me.

I had to smile. They were so darn cute, and together, it was amplified. I wanted to protect them from the world, not that they seemed to need my help for anything. "Thanks, for visiting. You're all adorable."

Scootaloo stuck out her tongue, less impressed by that praise.

The other two giggled, accepting it as it was. Sweetie suddenly brought her forehooves together. "I had a favor I wanted to request. Feel free to say no. You don't owe us anything."

Apple perked. "Oh yeah, since you have special magic." Both came in closer to me. Apple produced a little phone she had tucked in a little bag that hung from her. She nosed at it, booping it with her cute little nose until she found what she was after and she turned it towards me.

There was a listing for a scooter, all shiny. "Can you get this?" she whispered.

Sweetie pointed at Scootaloo, joining the whisper, "It'd make her quite happy. We can't afford it."

They wanted me to... conjure a scooter? That wasn't on my list of abilities.

But my abilities didn't really have a list. Discord had said I made my own rules. Penny had implied a lot of the same. Shoot, she casually jumped between realities, like Discord, just to visit me. And there I was balking at a scooter. I reached for the phone and they let me bring it closer for a good staring at. "One scooter for a little filly that'd love it to pieces." That sounded like a chore worth doing.

Requested by her two friends even! It was so pure... I had to at least try... Alright, so... I could... yank one over, but then I'd be stealing it. Wait! "Be right back!" I darted off, stealing Apple's phone. In another room there was a lonely computer and, more importantly, a printer/copier.

I took a slow breath and reached out my hand. "I'm not stealing. I'll put it right back," I said mostly to myself. I could feel the cold metal. I yanked back and out came a fully formed scooter. I slapped it down on the copier without delay. "Copy copy copy!"

The machine jumped and bounced in place, trying to obey me. Bit by bit, a scooter began to emerge from its tray, disgorging it despite the impossible nature of the sizes involved. There. Two scooters! I shoved the original back where I had found it. Ta da, no theft!

With my prize, I hurried back into the game room to surprise a little filly.

Author's Notes:

Today was a nice day! 10/10, Lauren has zero complaints. But the questions it raises...

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16 - Day Sixteen

"After calling around, we were able to find where the scooter was procured from."

"So it wasn't fabricated?"

"No. It was a display model in a closed bike store."

I could hear voices, speaking about me. Was I being self-centered?

"Their security footage shows it being taken and placed back a minute later. The owner was convinced it was a glitch in the recording."

"No reason to argue that assumption."

The voices faded, my mind wandering.

"We aren't your harem." There was Starlight, in my house, sitting on the edge of my bed in an outfit clearly designed to be sexy, if you were into ponies with big ole crotch boobs like she had. "I'm not sure I approve of this at all."

Cindy peeked in from the kitchen. "A harem only has females, but here I am, not complaining. Lunch will be ready soon." Cindy was covered in soft fur, like the rest of us. He had a smile on his snout and his blue tail was swaying behind him.

"Picking one of us is probably a good idea," threw in an orange-haired biped pony. Oh right! Jake. It was Jake in her completed form, approaching me. "I'm flattered you care for me this much."

Starlight prodded me from the side. "But at least two of us aren't big on the poly thing."

"Stop being wet blankets," called Cindy as noises of food creation drifted in, flatware striking metal. "She can literally give you anything you want and all she wants is cuddle time. There are so many worse arrangements. I thought you all liked her anyway."

"I do!" hotly defended Starlight. "All the more reason I'd prefer having her to myself."

Jake reached out and tapped Starlight right on the nose. "Sounds selfish to me."

"This dream is too on the nose," I suddenly objected, drifting upwards. "I will do the responsible adult thing." They were all looking at me, Cindy from just around the corner. "I'll talk to you all, when I wake up."

So I woke up.

The lights in the room blinked on for just a hot second. I made a downward gesture just as they came on, flicking them back off again. Trick there being that I hadn't touched anything and they weren't motion controlled in any way other than turning on.

I had noodled the problem without realizing it. "Oops," I whispered to myself, peeking at Cindy. He was sleeping soundly, thank goodness. "You wouldn't say no... I don't think..."

Let's be real. I'd already held him by his personal parts, and he liked it. He wanted more of me... I wondered if that had been true even before things had shuffled...

"Hey." He flopped over onto his back. "G'morning."

"Good morning to you too." I smiled at him, my own tail swaying through the air as I floated there above him. "Are you open to talking Adult Stuff."

"Girl, I'm always up to talking 'Adult Stuff' with you." He reached a hand upwards towards me. "Want to come down?"

"If you want?" I lowered a few inches and he grabbed me, pulling me the rest of the way down. I could have resisted, but I didn't. "Cindy, you're very sick right now."

"You don't say," he laughed out. "But it's... not all bad."

"Cindy..."

"Lauren?" He leaned in and touched the end of his snout to my cheek. Snout? Oh! He had one of those, like my dream, like he hadn't had the day before. Shoot...

"This may be an awkward time to ask this... But did you... Were you attracted to me, before?"

Cindy propped himself up on an elbow. "It was a different kind of thing. Besides, you were such a shut-in... I tried to not even really think of it much. The only times I heard you made a move was with a guy, so I figured you were straight as white bread to start."

"But were you," I countered, reaching to rest a hand on his belly. "You seem to be pretty straight right now, for a guy, but as a girl...?"

"I am very straight, right now." He smiled at that. "And you're still my Lore." He rolled over right onto me. "So, tell me, did you get stupid horny too?"

"I was told I literally went into heat, like a, well, horse." I shrugged, adjusting beneath him. I liked his warmth. "Even if I'm more dragon, and goat, and lion, but hey, two of those have heats."

"Are you in heat right now?" He sat up on me, a new tail twitching behind him, still small, but that would change, I knew it. "That would be kinda hot."

"That was a bad pun and you know it."

He looked lost a moment before it hit him. "Christ, ha! Lore, you know what I meant."

"I mean it though... Tell me more about before-this Cindy... Were you eyeing me? Were you straight, gay, a little both?"

"We'll go with 'open to possibilities'." He shrugged as he reached for me, running a hand down my furry front slowly working ever downwards. "You're missing important things."

His fingers were starting to approach where it was hidden, and I won't lie. I was getting turned on. Which made hiding it harder and harder. When he actually brushed that fleshy portal, it yawned open just for him and a flash of delight tingled through me. I had exposed myself, ready to be intimate with this man I'd struggled to reach. "Oh, there they are," he half-giggled.

He was still sick and perhaps a bit loopy. Was I taking advantage of him? "Cindy, you're still not all there."

"I'm not sure I ever will be." He suddenly flopped against me, nibbling through my fur but bonelessly melted against me in a graceless display. Not the hottest thing, and yet, we were close. "I feel like I'm changing, all over... Inside and out in some ways. What about you? Did you look my way, little girl? Were you as straight as I thought?"

"She is a walking security nightmare." These words were not spoken, they were typed. "We can't even discuss her out-loud without fear of her monitoring."

Did they not know I could see them typing?

"She was going to make me into a pony!" Well, I could guess who typed that.

"You would have been respectfully cared for."

"And likely cute, if her description was accurate."

"She is as dangerous as we make her," added another person. "When handled carefully, she is eager to cooperate. You saw my report."

"She casually ignored several laws, including laws of science, to please another subject."

"Girl? Girl? Lauren?" He kissed me on the cheek and I started. "There you are. You went all five mile stare on me. You alright?"

I was still under Cindy. He was more aware, perhaps scared to that state by my spacing out. "Cindy, I can see and hear things I shouldn't."

"Mmm?"

"The scientists... They're talking about me, and I saw it." I leaned up to touch noses. "And they probably know now, since I said that out-loud. Cindy, I'm a little scared..."

"Shhh." He wrapped his arms around me and held me close, rolling over so we were side by side instead of on top. "I'm here."

While true, he was there. I was the only one that could actually even dream of countering the scientists in any meaningful way. My eager little stallion there was powerless. And I didn't get to finish my stupid little relationship question!

Feeling suddenly annoyed, partially at myself, I just blurted it out, "I am attracted to several people right now and I don't want to cheat on anyone but I also haven't, you know, married or even gone steady with anyone. Does that bother you?"

Oh, wow, he looked so confused, or maybe just surprised. "That was... out of nowhere." He sank against the bed. "You're... kind of a god."

"That is super not an answer." I put a hand on his side. "Whatever I am, I don't want servants or worshipers, god, that sounds creepy."

"A little." He kissed the end of my snout. "But, right now... I just want you."

"To yourself? Most boys want their girls like that," I reasoned. I set a hand on his hip, rubbing gently. "I'm trying to be open and honest."

"You're doing both of those, girl." He leaned in and sniffed me. Ugh, was I in heat? It hadn't been that long. Though, thinking of it, I probably could turn that on and off... "I appreciate it, but I'm still... fucking sick for lack of better words. Right now, I just want you, and I can't think about the other stuff. Who are the other people? Other guys? I don't think I'm ready for male gay love right now."

Well, actually... I started to color, deepening shades of red showing through my fuzzy cheeks.

"Not guys? Is my little Lore learning to widen her horizons?"

Ugh. "Yes! The other two are girls." I crossed my arms under my slender chest. "Happy?"

"I want to meet them."

"You want to fuck them," I countered.

"If they're nice enough to attract you, probably." His turn to color a little, but just a little. He was shameless! Ugh, that was pretty Cindy. Cindy was Cindy, guy or girl, and shame was never high on their list of feelings.

"Alright, so... you, not at all worried about my considering feelings about other ladies then." I sat up and floated right off the bed. "So long as you get a chance to say hello and make friends too."

"That's the size of it." He looked suddenly less-sure. "You won't leave, will you?"

"Huh?"

"You could leave. You could get anyone you wanted, anywhere you wanted. Why settle for me?"

Oh sheesh! I zipped back in close and smooched him on the forehead. "You stop that right now! Cindy, that's not you. I want Cindy."

"Sorry..." He raised an arm to wipe his face, ugh. I casually pointed to the bathroom and I heard a thump.

"Lore!"

Oh, I had thrown him in there. Oops! I rushed in after him. "You alright? I didn't mean to hurt you!"

"I'm not hurt." He was standing in the shower, looking awkward and surprised, but not hurt. "Hint received, girl. Next time, just ask."

"Sorry." I zipped in and started grabbing his clothes, peeling him free of his hospital gown so he could bathe properly. He was still a bit erect, showing off that horse tool of his. I specifically didn't look there, fleeing from the room once he was ready for shower--

He grabbed my hips just as I was drifting way. "You ever take a shower with someone?"

Oh god. If I let him, we would do things. Things... that would probably feel really nice for both of us. But he was sick, and loopy, and his arm had snot on it. "Get better, then we can approach that again." I gently swatted his hand with a thick dragon's tail. "This isn't a no."

"Just a 'not right now,'" he finished with a little smile. "Be that way."

I left him to the sounds of running water. He would soon be clean. Report time! I grabbed my laptop and got to typing.

Eris. It surfaced in my thoughts. Discord had offered it as a name. It could be my name. But I was Lauren. I would remain Lauren. What was Eris anyway? One Google later... Oh. No. No no. I was not Eris! The world didn't need an Eris roaming around.

"She knows we're discussing her." Floating words, being typed somewhere private. Not that private to me, however.

"We can't even pretend to run a secure environment this way."

"She is more occupied with her pack structure than anything else. Allowing her to select her mate(s) and nest would likely result in a significant calming effect."

"Could you cross over a few more wildly different animal mannerisms in there? Most of them are ponies, to begin with, so she would be dealing with herd structures, which are significantly different than packs."

"Would that make her the alpha female of this herd?"

"We are being distracted." I'll say! "She is not an animal." Damn right! "She has full sapience." Yeah! "Which makes her much more dangerous and difficult to predict." Crap...

Ugh, watching the letters flow was getting annoying. I raised my hands and set them down on a keyboard that hadn't been there a moment before. "Hello."

I got the impression that several people were typing.

"Who is this? Is this a joke?"

"Lauren, if that really is you, please leave. This is a confidential conversation."

I shook my head, not that they could see that. "Can't do that." I slapped enter and resumed typing. "I didn't ask to see this, but I do."

"Lauren, since you're here, I'd like to do a few examinations. Can you report to the same room you had the X-rays taken in? At 1pm."

"Sure," I typed. "Miller?"

"Yes. Just like the name says." I couldn't see the names! Just what they typed. Shoot.

"Hello Millie." I wriggled fingers at his letters. "Why are the other doctors being so... creepy? I'm not here to hurt anyone."

"I know that, Laura. Could you please leave?"

I tried to do as Miller requested, turning my mind back to the physical world and ignoring the echoes of thoughts.

Something brushed against my hoof, then yanked. I was being pulled downwards. Looking there, my lower leg was glowing. "What the?"

"You awake?" There was Starlight, her horn glowing the same color. "You were just floating through the hallways, looking really distracted. I thought I'd catch you and bring you back to your room."

There she was, person number two I needed to talk to. "Starlight, I was hoping to find you." I smiled brightly, tail wagging with a puppy's energy. "Can we talk?"

"Uh, sure?" She glanced off and back. "Sorry, for exploding at you... I hear you and the foals had a really nice time." She hiked a brow. "That ended with a gift. How did you manage that? The local store doesn't have a scooter, and if you ordered one, it'd be a while before it got here."

"That's complicated..." I tapped my fingers together. "I'm a Supreme Noodle." I wiggled to show off my noodliness. "And that comes with it."

"Are you taking requests?" She hiked a brow, looking at me slyly.

"Are you... forgiving me because I can be helpful?" I wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"Maybe a little," she admitted just as shamelessly. "I can't stay angry at you anyway. I was scared for you. So, little thing." She sat down and brought up her forehooves close together. "Tiny, really... But it involves something I know you have a personal interest in." She grinned so brightly.

"What... would that be?"

She set her hooves on her pony udders, running them around and cupping her breasts. "These. I want a bra. I want a bra that supports them properly, holds them in place, and looks good. Can you do that? I make it look easy, but these are actually a huge pain. You can save me a lot of suffering."

I inclined my head. "Why haven't you ordered one?"

Starlight rolled her eyes. "Because she thinks I'm exaggerating every time I bring it up. She doesn't have them so large! She doesn't know my pain." She thrust a hoof at me. "You were a big lady to start. You know what it's like to be big! It isn't fun! It isn't sexy on the inside. It's a big pain in the flank. A pain you could help with."

On one hand, paw, talon, whatever, Starlight wasn't angry at me. On the other, she also wanted a favor. On the other other, it wasn't that unreasonable a favor. Being big without a good bra sounded super unfun... "I'll help."

Starlight squealed, er, more of a squeak from how widely she smiled. "Thank you! What do you need? Do we have to go back to the copier?"

"Well..." I reached and she didn't stop me from resting my lion's paw on her pony rack. "Option A would be to make them smaller. If you're smaller, the problem goes away. But, if you're like me at all, they're a part of you. You don't want them smaller."

"Tempting," she admitted without hesitation. "But yeah, they're me. I just want them to not hurt all the time! That's not too much for a mare to ask for, is it?"

"No no..." I felt in a slow circle, cupping each of them. "Do you have a measurement? Never mind." I saw some measuring tape literally fall from between my fingers and grabbed them with both hands, taking proper size of her grand spheres. "You are the proud owner of E breasts." Sheesh! And they hung differently than on a human. She needed a specific pony bra to handle them.

I couldn't steal them, as they did not exist to steal, so far as I knew? Oh! I held a paintbrush in my hand. "Hold still." Starlight looked confused, but didn't stop me as I began to slather her with paint from a bucket that hadn't been there before. I painted a bra right onto her, lifting them up as I did it. When the last swatch was covered, I snapped my free fingers.

The universe slowed and I focused on the paint. "Bra. Cloth. So soft. So comfortable. So clean and supportive! With wires that never dig in. So perfect!"

The universe resumed and Starlight fell backwards, hooves flailing as she squeaked. But her breasts were not flying. "Wha...?" She rolled up to her hooves and bounced up. "How in the...?" She began to take steps in a wide circle, testing things out. "It's like they're being hugged just right." A silly smile began to spread. "I feel like I can gallop without grimacing." She turned on me suddenly. "Tell me they're waterproof!"

"That... wasn't even a thing I considered," I admitted, rubbing behind my head. "They can do most of what you expect a bra to do. Handle them carefully and they'll return the favor." I reached to pat her on the head and she didn't resist it that time. "Enjoy it."

"I already am," she breathed out, taking a deep inhalation. "Wow... You have just transformed my life." She suddenly refocused. "Oh! You said you were looking for me and I got carried away hoping you could do a miracle, which you did! What did you want? Was it to apologize? Ha! Forget it." She waved a hoof dismissively. "Forgiven!"

"It wasn't that..." How to segue... "I've been thinking, about ponies I like."

"You have a crush on somepony?" she gushed with a big smile. "Who? Tell me! Is it the friend you rescued?" She leaned in, brow raising. "Is it Flash? C'mon!"

Did she not even see herself as a potential target. "You." I pointed right at her fuzzy snout. "You're smart and nice and you've been there, for me, when I needed it. You aren't afraid to stand up to me. Well, maybe a little afraid, but you did it anyway."

Starlight began to color swiftly. "Oh! Oh... wow... I mean, when you were in heat... I kinda figured that was the hormones talking..."

"If you're not into mares, that's fine," I quickly added, hands up. "Just let me know and I'll never bring it--"

She put a hoof on my leg. "I didn't say that. Don't be so quick to shove words in my mouth. Also, you're too complicated." She sat down on the smooth floor. "There's no way you're just proposing to me. There's a catch."

Well... "You aren't the only person I have any feelings about, though one of them is pretty immature."

"Immature?" Starlight's brows fell. "If you tell me you have a thing for any of those fillies, I swear."

"Not that! Celestia forbid... Jake. I barely know her, even less than you in a lot of ways, but I've been helping and..."

"Oh, that." She laughed, waving it all off. "That's common. That isn't love."

"Isn't... love?"

Starlight hiked a brow. "Hay no. You just said, you don't even know her. You're just feeling close to her. But you said 'one of them'... Tell me there's only one other one?" She pointed past me. "Is it that friend of yours?"

I put a hand to me face, my snout between two fingers. "Ugh... That's all three."

"Ok, good... good..." Starlight put a hoof to her cheek. "You understand, I have to assume this is still you-on-drugs talking. I mean, you on Ponid, still changing, up here." She pointed to her head. "I'm flattered, really, but I have to be sure this is a long term thing or if it'll fade with a little time."

"That's reasonable... but you're really not going to be upset about my just casually naming three people I'm interested in?" I swear to god, was I the only not poly-amorous person in the place?! "It's alright to call me out on being a pervert."

Starlight's eyes half-closed, eyeing me shrewdly. "Look, you don't get it, alright. You can, apparently, do whatever you want." She rolled a hoof in the air. "I bet you could throw me over something and show me how a stallion does it.

Oh god! "I would never!"

"But, you could," she repeated with a smirk. "You could do a lot of things, but you don't, because you want to be a good pony. I see that. Miller sees that, I think." She raised a hoof to her chin. "Unless I say it's on, it isn't. I feel 100% confident in that. I feel safe around you. I sometimes don't feel safe for you, but you won't ever hurt me. On purpose, at least."

"I'm not a monster," I weakly muttered, feeling so awkward at that point.

"But you could be. That you aren't is a good mark, for you." She turned away. "And why I trust you completely. You didn't even want to fib about your feelings and came to tell me all about them. We'll work it out, or go our separate ways, but you won't hurt me." She looked over her shoulder at me. "And I'm kinda curious, I have to admit. What's your friend like? We have to meet. Are they up to coming outside?"

When I was at that stage of Ponid, I was outside basically every day... "I'll encourage him to come out tomorrow, promise..." I rubbed behind my head. "I told him there were others, but not about you specifically."

"So, introduce us." Starlight rolled her eyes. "I promise to be nice so long as he is. He was a she at first, right? That coulda happened to you. Crazy to think about, right?"

"Insane..." And, according to Starlight, a thing I could do to myself if I wanted to. A big fat horse dong of my own to use on mares I liked. I shook the thought free. That was too strange! "You are taking this way too calmly."

"They picked me for this floor for a reason." She trotted towards me, her eyes on mine. "I help ponies who are having it rough, or going through strange changes. I can offer a hoof when others get scared."

"What's Flash's excuse?"

"He's easy going. He won't always connect, but he never upsets anyone too much either." She inclined her head. "This is the 'it's complicated' floor. Miller took one look at how you were going and had you assigned here. Makes sense, right?"

It's complicated... "Yeah... But then I'm just one lost little pony among so many." I felt my heart sink a little. "Like a teacher smiling patiently at a student that swears undying love."

"Well, yeah, there is a little of that." She raised a hoof behind her head. "But you're an adult, not a random kid. I will not just shut you down, but I also won't take another step until after you're settled and can make real decisions."

Her reactions to my heated state made so much more sense. No wonder they trusted her so much.

"I feel guilty just looking at her," echoed in my mind in Starlight's voice. "How can I know if any of my feelings are mine or just what I was asked to do? Damn you, Miller. Why did you have to poison this well?"

Author's Notes:

Tomorrow, we bring Cindy out to meet the rest of the floor. Will it go well? What did the gathering of scientists conclude about Lauren? Will it end well?

Is Lauren a big fat perv?!

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17 - Day Seventeen

I had been studied. Doing my job was a thing I just did, even if 'my job' was being a worrying test subject/patient. There was a blood pull and x-rays, but little more than that. I had returned to my room for some Cindy cuddles and eventually bed was a thing.

"The way I see it," spoke another me, floating with her head resting against her lion's paw. "We could just reshape the world the way we want it."

"We could," added another me, her head against her dragon's claw. "But then we'd be in charge of it all. Who needs that kind of responsibility?"

"Who said we have to watch it afterwards?" asked yet another me, dancing in place like she didn't care.

"Our friends seem faster on the uptick than we are," noted the first of my clones who floated right up to me. "We can do anything, and at least two of them are turned on by that idea."

The second was on me. I could smell their breath, which was surprisingly pleasant. "Some people like the idea of knowing there's something stupidly powerful out there, that actually cares about them."

The third poked me in the center of the chest. "When we were a girl, didn't we wish to god a lot? It's not that different, except--"

"Here she is," noted the first.

"In the fur," added the second.

"And she already said she likes you?" completed the second.

"Of course they're interested," all three spoke at once.

"Do I get a turn?" I asked, glancing from one of my faces to the next.

The first laughed. "Silly girl, of course you do."

"I am you," noted the second. "So you're getting a turn right now."

"We're just different thoughts." The third shrugged. "Speaking of that, this place looked nice." Suddenly we were inside the homey cottage. There was a confused yellow pegasus peering at us.

I threw up a hand. "Discord called dibs on this spot." And we were just as quickly not there, instead back in my house, which was mine! I had the deed and everything. "That's better."

The first inclined her head. "Speaking of that, you're not making money, how are we making the payments on this place?"

The second clapped her hands. As she separated her hands, piles of gold and jewels rained down. "We could just fix that."

The third broke into laughter. "Why do that when you could just check your bank account and add a few zeroes?"

"That'd leave a really obvious paper trail?" I objected, imagining how terribly that could go. "So would just showing up with pounds of gold and diamonds."

"Boring," all three of... me? complained at once.

"I'll handle it," I assured. "But, for now, maybe it's time to wake up?"

And I did.

Cindy was hugging me from behind, sniffly and miserable, but apparently happy to have a Lore-doll to hold. I flowed free of the grip, as if I was water instead of solid just long enough to reform in the air, looking him over. He had a horn atop his head, long fuzzy ears. He was becoming that unicorn. Well, a unicorn-man. He was covered in fur except his belly where it was still spreading towards.

He was well on his way. All white fur, except the blue hints around the mane and tail. A pretty pony, I decided. Well, handsome? Lots of guys got skeevy about being called pretty. I had a feeling Cindy wouldn't mind it much.

Ideas! I had them. I grabbed for my laptop and got it running.

Good morning!

How are you doing, Doctor Miller? I had an idea! I need something, you need something, we can both win. Namely, I know there are supply issues around the lab. Let me address those. All I want is simple, cash. I have mortgage payments to do. I have enough cash to float a month or two, but then, poof, my house goes from mostly paid off to not-mine way too fast.

So, the way I see it, why don't I help out around here, and you can pay me, and everyone wins. You need meat? I can get you meat. You know I can do it, you've seen me do it.

PS: Anything interesting from the poking and prodding?

I attached the usual morning report. I didn't have any physical changes to report. I was pretty sure I was done, physically, minus whatever I did to... myself? I was about to say that was new for me, but the old dream resurfaced. I had decided to be a lady-Discord instead of a guy-Discord. I gazed in a floating mirror that hadn't been there before. "I do like this look better." Not that guy-Discord was ugly, but she-Discord was better. I blew myself a kiss.

And I heard a little chuckle. Spinning in mid air, I saw Cindy watching me with a too-amused face. "G'morning, Lore," he greeted, starting to slip up to his feet. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than you," I stated obviously. "But doing alright. You?"

"I need to go to the bathroom but that's a morning thing." He scooted on past me towards relief.

"Look in the mirror," I called after him, "And do your morning report."

"She contacted me this morning with a proposition."

"She who must not be named?"

"Don't even start that," added a third person. I still couldn't see names. "Using her name or not doesn't seem to matter, so just use it. What did Lauren suggest?"

"She offered to enter the employ of the lab to assist in supplies," expanded Miller. I was pretty sure it was Miller. Who else would it be?

"Supplies? How can we trust her?" asked the second.

The third quickly typed, "Unlike you, she doesn't seem to hold a grudge. She also made her desire simple. She wants a job, to get paid. Is that right, Miller?"

"That appears to be correct. She has been nothing but fastidious about her work. I suggest we accept her offer. It will give her something to do and calm her down. She needs a little stability and I think she likes being needed."

Ugh, I was being psychoanalyzed. That he wasn't that far off was the worst part. I liked being useful!

Scaredy Scientist typed, "What are the odds she's watching this conversation?"

"Probably somewhere around the league of 80%. Does that scare you? ;)" added the third.

Miller began to type, his words appearing all at once. I couldn't see his words before he hit enter. "She could see our typing the other day, and her response was to apologize, not get angry. She is as dangerous as we make her."

I was being kissed. I blinked rapidly, coming back from nowhere land to see Cindy had hopped up on the bed and grabbed me and was holding my fuzzy cheeks as he planted a big one right on my lips, waking me up. "There you are," he called happily. "I finished my report. Why are you so anal about that?" He slid down to a seated position, fingers leaving me to float as I was.

"Good morning to you too." I drifted down after him, tail swaying behind me. When had I gotten so used to that? It even felt kinda nice to have that thing swishing around back there. "It's our job, silly as it is. They're trying to learn how this works. All we have to do is report what we can."

"Sneaky idea." He hiked a thumb at my laptop, which wasn't locked. I didn't even have a password set on it. "But clever. Think they'll go for it."

"I hope, and it's not sneaky!" I sat down next to him. "Hey, want to go out today? I know you're not feeling good, but making a few friends actually does help."

"Sure."

It was... that easy? "Good then! Let's get some breakfast. Hopefully Starlight or Flash will be roaming around to run into." I took his hand in one of mine and soon we were both standing. "I'm here, if you feel too blah. You just tell me, alright?"

"With you as my nurse, I'm set." He wrapped an arm around me and set his hand right on my far hip, drawing me close. I felt jealous a moment. It would have been really nice to have had someone willing and able to be close to like that when I was feeling miserable.

But I could at least do that, for him. I was like a parent trying to make sure their kid didn't have to go through the same nonsense they did. "Onwards, to food!"

And out we went. There was a Starlight, literally a few steps away from the door. I didn't buy it. "Did they tell you to be here?"

Starlight laughed nervously. "Maaaaybe?" she half-sang, grinning just as nervously. "Look, didn't I just tell you yesterday? I'm here for a reason." She tilted to the right, her whole body. "And you have someone with you. Hi there." She pointed to herself. "I'm Starlight. Starlight Glimmer. Nice to meet you."

"Your friend has the biggest breasts I've seen outside your old ones."

I started to turn red so quickly. "You did not just start the conversation with that!"

Starlight burst into laughter. "Oh, wow, hi... You are either a very cheeky person, deep in the ponid flu, or maybe both." She turned in place and began trotting towards the cafeteria. "Want to get something to eat?"

We started after her. Cindy leaned in to whisper, "Is she wearing a bra? Looks good on her."

I decided to not mention I had created them. "Are you that fascinated with what she has down there?"

"A little," he admitted. "Is she one of the ones you were considering? Because, if so, sure, she has my vote so far."

Good to see that part was easy... Why didn't I feel reassured?

There was a face! It was Jake, behind the counter, back at work. She smiled at us as we came closer. "Hey! Lauren, how are you? And who's your friend?"

She was a pretty orange-haired pony-woman. I didn't have to work that hard to see where Cindy was looking. "Or is it her?" he said not as quietly as I would have liked.

"I'm fine." I gestured to Cindy. "This is a friend of mine, Cindy, who's going through what you just went through. Cindy, this is Jake--"

"Carrot Top," once-Jake interrupted. "That's my new name. It fits." She gestured up to her bright hair and swayed her equally vibrant tail. "Nice to meet you both. They let me start a garden and everything, so we can get some real carrots going."

I had to smile at that. "That sounds entirely wholesome. Can I see it, the garden?"

Starlight waved from a table. "I'm over here. Come on over once you've ordered."

"Speaking of that." Carrot Top leaned forward, her arms going on the counter and her breasts resting on it as if it had been placed for that specific purpose. "What can I get you two?"

Thinking on it, Starlight really wasn't wrong. I didn't know Carrot Top. She was pretty enough as ladies went, but I didn't know them. I had helped them, but that was about it. "You still making those carrot omelettes? It's been a while since I had one of those."

"Carrot omelette?" echoed Cindy. "That sounds bizarre, and now I want one too."

"Two Carrot Top specials!" She twirled away and strode into the kitchen to get to work. "Go sit down. I'll bring it out."

We joined Starlight. I sat across from Cindy, with Starlight to my left. "So, good morning, but also, Cindy, this is Starlight. Starlight, Cindy. You are also the two I've talked to the other about."

Starlight looked at Cindy with a new sort of examination. "You're a little rough..."

"Sorry about that." Cindy reached for a tissue to blow their nose. "I do not feel right. Worst flu ever."

"Ah, yes, we've all been there." She looked towards me. "Isn't that right?"

"Too damn right." I tapped the top of the table lightly. "I do hope you two get along. I'd prefer my friends were also friends of each other. Besides, the whole floor is like a family, right?"

"I'll do my best," sang Starlight with a little smile. "Oh, speaking of that. You." She looked towards me. "You're coming at about the point that you'll get a new love for music."

"I like music already?"

"Nothing like a good bit of soul in the morning." Cindy nodded with certainty.

"More than that." Starlight rolled a hoof in the air. "You experienced it, briefly, once. Sometimes, we just hit the right note, and we gotta sing..." She raised a hoof to her chin, just under her mouth. "You get a little tickle, you gotta let it out. I can feel a little fickle, but there's no reason to pout," she sang out, her voice becoming so delightfully melodic. "But you just roll with it--"

"There's no fighting the spirit," joined Carrot Top from the kitchen, her voice clearly audible despite being around a corner.

"Because it's just what's right," concluded Starlight with a firm nod. "There, a little taste. You have about a week." She pointed at Cindy. "You're practically there." She pointed at me. "It's a pony thing. We sing."

"I'm not a pony," I pointed out, hiking a lion's thumb at myself. "Do I still do that?"

"So far as I know." Starlight shrugged lightly. "Everyone does. Dragons, griffons, ponies, whatever. Of all the symptoms, it's pretty harmless, but I figured I should give a warning."

"Expect music," mused Cindy. "Did you two practice that?" He waggled a furry finger between Starlight and the hidden Carrot Top.

"Breakfast's up!" There was Carrot Top, approaching with an energetic step and a platter across each arm. "I feel so much better! Not 100%. 90%?" She set down the trays in front of us, one for me and one for Cindy. "Enjoy."

"Eat up," bade Starlight. "Thanks, Carrot. Go on, we didn't practice that, promise."

I started in on carrot-eggy goodness. It was just as good as I remembered it. "You need to never get sick again."

"On it," she half-sang, moving back behind the counter.

"This is strange, but good." Cindy was getting food in their snout, but not entirely gracefully. "Which about sums up this entire experience. Strange... but good."

I wobbled a claw in the air. "Even the being locked up in a strange lab part?"

"I'm locked up with my Lore, oh no." He flashed a grin, eyes trailing to Starlight. "And meeting new friends. So, Starlight was it? Hi."

"Hi yourself," she returned. "How are you feeling?"

"Inside out a little." He got a fork almost entirely inside his snout that time. "But I also feel... strong? I'm a guy now, and a horse. A horseguy. I'm liking the power, hating the flu. What's up with this?" He reached out and tapped Starlight right on her horn. "I have one too."

Starlight burst into laughter. "So I see. This is a horn." She eyed a spoon that wasn't being used and it floated towards her, wrapped in the same glow that her horn was throwing off. "It lets me do things like this."

Cindy's hands came down, slapping the table. "Get out!"

I pointed up at my straighter horn of the two. "I have one too."

"We're the horny squad," he giggled, moving to get some more food off his plate. "Can you do magic too?"

Starlight suddenly snorted, looking away. "You don't know the half of it..."

"Your favorite color, it was Orange, right?" I asked Cindy, smiling at her.

"I love it, why?"

"Is that why they gave you an orange gown?" I waggled by eyebrows with a little smirk.

Now, Cindy had been wearing a nice normal blue gown like the rest of us. But it had gone bright orange, bright as Carrot Top's hair. He almost fell over with surprise. "What the hell was that?! Lore!" He leaned in towards me. "You're a wizard, Lore."

Starlight giggled, a hoof over her mouth. "Your friend, they may be alright. That reaction... Anyway, yes, that is Laura's special talent." She waggled the same hoof. "She can make what she wants, do what she wants..."

I really didn't like how Starlight was phrasing that. "Not anything... But most things, so far?" I awkwardly deferred. It sounded lame even to me. "I'm still Lauren."

"You are Lore with More, and that isn't bad." Cindy crossed his arms over his chest. "So when can I do things?" He raised his hands and wriggled them at his fork, probably trying to make it move, but it wasn't moving.

Starlight snickered at the attempt. "I'll show you how it works when it's finished growing in."

"Aw nuts, I have to be the only one without magic?" He rested his chin on his folded hands. "Lame. Lore, bedazzle me and cheer me up."

Both sets of eyes were on me. Make that three sets. Carrot Top was also watching from the counter. I was the star of the show, yay? "What do you want to see?"

Starlight held up her hooves. "Let's keep it simple and small. No targeting each other, to start."

"Narc," prodded Cindy. "What are you afraid of, her giving you a second head?"

Oh god, could I do that? I couldn't prove I couldn't do that. "Alright, not on anyone breathing... "

I heard myself say that again. I could see myself at an angle. A camera was watching me. Someone was watching the camera. Several someone's. "How does this not bother you?" asked a male voice.

"She is well socialized and in good temperament. All present want to be there." Was that Miller? I was fairly sure.

I shook away the voices and echo vision. "Why not something to show off we're all friends?" All three of those there physically looked interested, but said nothing, watching. I reached into my gow... I wasn't wearing a gown, but then I was. I hadn't been, but my will to reach into it had produced one. I hesitated a moment.

I was not used to it always working like that. Go with the flow... I let out a little breath and grabbed at an inside pocket, pulling out hats! One was purple with one big horn. "Who wants Starlight?" It had hair attached, giving an impression of her mane.

"Me!" called out Carrot Top. I sent the hat flying and she caught it with a happy laugh, popping it right on her head. "Now I'm a unicorn."

"Only fair." The next one I offered was Carrot Top. "Bouncy locks included. Who's the lucky pony?"

Cindy raised a hand just before reaching to claim it. "I always wondered if red heads had all the fun." On it went, though its feminine appearance of hair didn't quite match his well-cut masculine body. "How's it look?"

Starlight snickered softly. "Well, that means I get Lauren." She held out a hoof. "Let's see what two horns are like!" And I hung it on her hoof. She brought it back and wriggled her head into it. Her horn, like Cindy's, prodded from the inside, but the hat stretched around it, giving her what seemed to be three'sh horns. "It's breathtaking, admit it."

And I got Cindy, with one horn. My horns did not push up through the fabric, hiding to help the illusion of my only having one unicorn horn. "There, now we're all officially friends. We've gotten in each other's heads."

"That was harmless," noted Miller, sounding satisfied. "You were saying?"

"She's a loaded gun. Just because she hasn't hurt anyone yet doesn't mean she can't, and won't."

"What do you suggest then? She has no drive to harm others. Simply leaving her alone seems the wisest course of action."

"What do you do with a loaded gun?" asked the other voice. "You turn on the safety and you lock it."

"Lore?" Cindy reached across the table to tap me on the shoulder. "You're looking spacey again."

Starlight turned an ear away. "Are they watching you? I'm sorry..."

I forced a smile. "Now isn't the time to be stressed. We all have nice new hats." I reached up to pat mine lightly. "And you've all met my friend and didn't hate each other on sight, so that's nice. Let's do something fun."

Starlight wobbled a hoof at Cindy. "As much as I like fun, I think you need to meet another member of the floor first."

"Who's that?" he asked, moving to stand up, his food abandoned, though also mostly eaten. "Not too far, I hope. Still feeling wonky."

"Not too far. Lauren, can you guess who I mean?"

Only one person came to mind. "Our favorite french tailor?"

"Oui!" called out Starlight with a faked accent, trotting along to show the way. "This way. We'll get you fitted for a new wardrobe. You're looking mostly finished."

As we head off, I waved to Carrot Top, who was on duty and wouldn't be joining us. I thought back to the last thought of Starlight I heard. "Cindy isn't nearly as bad as I feared," I heard her think and immediately frowned. There had to be a way to adjust that. Maybe if I...

"God, why did I even bring that up?" What? "I'm glad she forgot about it..." Forgot about what?

"I'm a straight shot. Her friend's a fine slice, and she's a great person..." Oh god, why hadn't she just told me? "But she could be whatever she wanted! Ugh, I'm not thinking clearly. Can a boy pony's heat throw a mare off?" She was glancing over at Cindy, apparently trying to figure it out. "Ugh, I'm here to help them, both of them. Keep it in your pants, Starlight. They trust you to be an even hoof."

And there I was wondering a moment if boys had heats? I mean... was that even a thing? But wait, there was more important things on the table. I reached for her, floating over her as I tapped her on the mane. "Starlight, little question?"

"Hm? What's up?" She looked startled but focused up at me quickly. "Sorry, my turn to be a little distracted."

"I'll forgive you if you forgive me." I smiled uneasily at her. "So... Be honest, are you straight? I'll totally forgive you if you are! I mean, jeeze, we can still be friends, right?"

Starlight's cheeks lit up like christmas trees. "What brought that on! I mean..." She glanced off and back. "Oh god, she'll figure it out. I'm going to die of embarassment..." That one had been a thought, not spoken. "I didn't turn you away for being a girl, Lauren. You're just fine..." Her thoughts crashed and mixed with her speech, making it a bit of a chore to sift through, "But you could do so many things and ugh, Miller! I would have loved her without you telling me to! Why?!" She glanced at me, trying to face forward again. "She's watching me. Does she even know how hot she is?

"I'm hot?" I asked, realizing my own mistake a moment later. Starlight was gaping up at me, her eyes were so wide, her body was trembling.

And there was Cindy, looking lost at the exchange. "So you can swing both ways? That's cool, sister."

"You..." Starlight crashed to her haunches, a strained little laugh escaping her. "Of course. You're a god, a noodly god. May you have mercy on us..." She suddenly threw herself to the ground facing me. "Forgive this supplicant, for I have sinned."

I wasn't sure what to say. "Uh, Starlight... I'm not mad at you, but I'm very confused. Can we just... talk? Assume I'll handle whatever you want to tell me, and tell me everything."

Author's Notes:

What is with these endings? Is this a bad habit I should try to shake, or does it work?

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18 - Day Eighteen

That evening, I had two ponies. Starlight had stuck to us firmly, through Cindy's new clothing getting right on back to our room. I had slipped in some headphones along the way that had little brain symbols on either side with a big slash through them, keeping me from hearing all her thoughts.

People did not need me listening directly to their thoughts. But, I also didn't need to hear her thoughts to get the implications when she just casually hopped up onto the bed and got to cuddling the heck out of both of us. I was hot stuff, a god, and she wanted to worship me, not as some distant idea, but something she could wrap her arms around and run her hooves over.

"You have magic too," I gently discouraged. "I bet you could do some of the things I do, if you practiced."

"I can make things float around," she rolled her eyes. "I haven't figured out a thing past that. Twilight has theories, but that's all they are."

Sleep came, and found me wedged between two people that were ready and willing to be as physical as I let them.

I contemplated what that meant, one arm wrapped around a guy I liked, the other a mare.

"Thanks for coming." Miller looked up from his computer, thrusting a hand over his desk. It was met by a female who sat across from him.

"Not a problem," she assured. "Not every day we get an HR request internally like that. I'm glad you realized there are a lot of specific laws at play." She set down a slender folder. "You mentioned they can source food, and that sounds great, but there are obstacles to that. Food has to have a known source, and, from what I've read, this isn't a known source. How do you plan to get around that while remaining above board? Our funding comes in no small part by direct government grant, so..."

Miller tapped his fingers on the desk in a thoughtful way. "So she needs a food sourcing license?"

"Basically," she agreed. "For now, I suggest she just not do that. There are plenty of things we need that do not need licensed sources. Her producing meat means she has to explain where the meat came from. If she just gives over a box of pens, nobody cares where a box of pens comes from. No medicine, no food, no drink. Basically, if it goes inside someone, the paperwork involved makes it unlikely to be worth the trouble."

Miller rolled a hand from palmside down to palmside up. "Alright, accepted. What if we didn't hire her?"

"You sound like you have an alternative?"

Miller nodded firmly. "What if she just became a vendor? We put in orders to her, and we pay her what we would normally pay a vendor to get it to us. Less paperwork that way, right?"

She sat up, obviously considering the angles there. "You're pulling her right back out of my hands, but that isn't an awful idea. If she's listed as a vendor, you don't have to worry about a lot of things, including benefits. You just order things, and pay for what you get."

Ugh, why couldn't I have normal dreams anymore? There I was, just kind of loosely 'there', watching the conversation go back and forth. Still, Miller! Man, he was going to bat for me, even if he was also arguing I wouldn't get any sweet benefits, boo.

On the other hand, my work could be done in a flash, so if I wasn't doing full time work, what benefits did I really deserve?

"We already have price sheets," continued Miller. "If she can match or beat them and provide superior service, why not let her have the chance?"

"Again, no food," warned the HR lady firmly. I floated up to her, despite not having a real body. I had checked, I wasn't there, but I had a point of view and moved up to have a look at her. She was in her forties, seemed nice enough at a glance.

I could imagine her as a pony. Unicorn, still would have the glasses she had. She'd be so cute!

She could be that pony. I could do that. I could make her just fall off the chair right onto hooves.

That would have been an incredibly terrible thing to do.

"Right." Miller typed something on the computer and I wasn't watching what it was. "I'll send her an email then. Let's see if she can fill an order. Thank you for coming."

"Thank you for having me." She stood up and suddenly I was inside her, my face seeing squishy internal bits doing what they do. I yanked myself free, but I had seen something in that precious moment.

They shook hands and she moved to leave, but I was on her, darting in. "I don't know if this is a good idea..." But I tried it anyway, reaching inside of her. She gasped and fell against the frame of the door she had been trying to walk through.

I gave a sharp pull before I could change my mind, yanking out a little ball of slime from inside of her. "Let's not let this have a chance of growing."

Thankfully, Miller was right there to help the lady recover from my impromptu surgery. She would need a little help, but she wouldn't get cancer. A fair trade?

I awoke with a shudder, not from what I had experienced, but for the fact that there was literally a snout pressed right into me. Cindy was mouthing at my chest in a lewd way, but he was also crying, making that a confusing set of signals. "You alright?" I asked, waking up in a hurry.

"No!" He lifted a leg behind himself.

Looking at it, I could see why. His human foot had gone partially-hoof. Ugh, I could remember when that happened to me. I couldn't even walk. "Poor thing... It passes in a day, then you can walk normally again."

Starlight yawned as she blinked her eyes open. "Hm? What? Oh." Her eyes settled where mine were, seeing the misshapen hoof-feet that Cindy had. "You got it right in the middle."

Cindy reached for my right hand, only to recoil. I was still holding a little slime ball.

I threw it in an arc, thump, right in the trashcan, two points! Cindy was right back on me. "Fix it! Do that crazy magic." He wriggled his fingers at me. "Go ahead, just get it over with."

Starlight shook her head quickly. "Do you want hooves, or feet?"

"I'm not arm-wrestling with Ponid," I stated flatly. "I don't know what that could cause, and I don't want you getting hurt, Cindy."

"Then help it instead." He sat up and folded his legs just so to be able to put a foot forward, giving me a face full of not-quite-hoof. "Fix it, please, girl. I know you can do it."

"This is not how I wanted to greet the day." I took his hoof-foot and ran fingers over it, feeling where one ended and one began. "Nice big hooves for a big stallion?" I was already imagining it as I worked, as much playing clay with him as anything else. "Nice and round and clip-cloppy..."

He moved, rousing me to full awareness and also making it clear that it left an indentation of my finger on the side of his hoof, oops! I reached back to yank him closer. "No moving!" And back I went to getting it right. "I was never that good at drawing..." But sculpting! I... would have to get good at in a hurry.

The other hoof, I cheated. I pulled out a mirror and held it up between the two feet, showing a reflection of the first foot where the other foot would be. "A perfect match." Drawing the mirror away, it was just as such. Pow, two lovely hooves.

Cindy was eager to put them to work, setting his hooves on the ground and standing up. He wobbled dangerously, but he could stand properly, it seemed. "You are a literal life-saver. Now... bathroom."

"Race ya!" Starlight hopped down and galloped with wild laughter, beating poor Cindy to the restroom. The slamming door marked her victory.

I grabbed for my laptop as they formed an unruly queue to the bathroom.

Good Morning, Doctor Miller,

I may have been naughty. Your friend, the lady from HR? I saw something that shouldn't be there and yanked it out. Is she alright? I was pretty sure it was... bad. Let me know.

There was an email waiting for me that I noticed as I sent in my daily report.

It was that order. It was entirely as if I was just Amazon and they were putting in an order. There was a list of items, a price per unit and a total price per line. There were totals, including expected shipping.

If I could make it all, I'd make the money. Simple! I pulled straight the jacket I hadn't been wearing, feeling super businessy at that moment. "Alright, we can manage this." I reached up and adjusted my glasses. "Nothing like a little logistics to get things going."

He must have been listening to the nice HR lady. The very first thing on the list was Pens (Black) x 200. I grabbed a pen off the bed table and held it up. "Just like one of these..." I dropped it in a bag that hadn't been there and gave it a shake before turning it upside down, allowing a little waterfall of identical pens to rain free. "That... looks like 200."

Wait, cheat! I slapped down a scale and put down one pen. A little under a gram! Easy. I grabbed a bunch of the fallen pens and began piling them up on the scale until it was just shy of 200, 198 or so. There, That'll be 200 pens, maybe a few extra. I swept the extra pens under the bed, confident they'd never be seen again. "Two hundred pens!"

"What are you doing?" There was Cindy, standing by the bathroom impatiently.

"Filling orders." I waved a pen at him. "Two hundred pens was the first line."

"Shouldn't they be in boxes or something, girl? Who wants 200 loose pens?"

He... was not wrong. I spread my fingers to stretch out a rubber band that I had just decided was there to be stretched and began adorning the pens, making bundles of twenty each, ten of those. Oops, I did have some extra, just a few in their own little bundle. Close enough. "Next!"

Paperclips, straight up paper, and other sundry items that were taking up more and more room as I created stacks of them. I was smiling. Creation was fun!

Hands grabbed my hips and I looked over my shoulder to see Cindy there. "You look really happy."

"I am." I smooched him right on his furry snout. "Making things is fun, and it's work, and I like getting work done, so double points." I looked past him to see Starlight lounging on the bed, watching us. "Starlight, what's next on the list?"

"Looks like you got the basic things." Starlight's horn glowed as she tapped at my keyboard. "Office supplies, down. Next section seems like recreational things for other patients, like us. Three medicine balls."

"Why do they call them that?" I pulled out a big pill and blew into it until it was nice and round. "Ta da, medicine ball."

Cindy laughed and reached to grab it. "Wow, it feels like one too." He was turning it around and bouncing it off the ground. "Two more to go."

They were having fun, and so was I. We created things, some of them normal-looking, but plenty with a little extra touch. It was a silly, and productive, way to spend the morning. "And one controller," I declared with finality, setting it atop the pile of other things. "Alright, all done! What did I make?"

Starlight squinted at something on the screen. "Well, if they're paying you the total here, that's a few hundred dollars. Not a bad take for a day. How about we celebrate with some food?"

If they kept sending me orders, my bills would get paid. Hirrah! "Breakfast time." I grabbed up both of my precious ponies and floated from the room with them caught under my arms. Neither strongly opposed it, even if they were a bit surprised by it.

I set them down at a table and looked around for Jake. Nope, another cafeteria worker, in a hazmat suit, boring. I ordered lunch anyway and sank down to sit with them. "Thank you both for helping out. I have a house and I don't want it foreclosed on while we do this, so keeping employed was a high priority."

Cindy shook his head. "I was renting." Then it hit him. "Shit... They're going to take all my things."

Starlight glanced between us. "You could just grab his things?" She swept the air with a hoof. "Just reach out and, you know, your thing."

She had such complete confidence in me... "By the way, just to be clear, I am not a god."

"You're a friend that can do whatever she wants. Call it whatever you like." Starlight crossed her arms and sat back. "I like it. If you don't, punish me."

The way she said that almost sounded like she kinda wanted it. I wasn't sure how to feel about that. Fortunately, there was a Cindy there to distract me. "You gave me nice hooves." I heard them tapping on the ground out of sight. "I mean, hell, girl, they're hooves, but if you're going to have hooves, at least good ones?"

Starlight rolled a hoof in the air. "By the way, I know you're nervous around Cindy, still changing and all, I get that! Totally get that. But I'm all done." She smiled lasciviously, brows giving just a hint of a wag. "I am a willing canvas. What do you want? You spent all morning working for the lab. Get some you-work done."

"That is too trusting," I stated flat out. "You do not wander up to a person and just casually surrender bodily autonomy to them. That is..."

"Kinky?" she attempted to finish my thought.

"Kind of odd," threw in Cindy. "You alright over there, girl?"

"Starlight... You said not to touch living things, remember?"

"That was yesterday." Starlight waved it away. "You already shaped Cindy this morning, remember? You can do it, and it didn't even look like it hurt."

"It didn't," confirmed Cindy. "But I did it because I couldn't walk. What's your excuse?"

I heard the elevator opening. Peeking that way, I saw four folks headed directly for my room. They were all dressed for hazmat, with heavy carts at the ready. In they went with their own key and they entered, grabbing all the stuff I had produced for the lab. Huh... guess I didn't need to report it was ready. Convenient, but also a reminder that privacy sure wasn't a thing at that moment.

Starlight raised her hooves to her chest. "I know you like those, down there. You could put them up here, or make a second set?"

I slapped down my hands. "Woah, you can stop that line of thought!" My friends were not silly putty for me to work out kinks with! "If that's something you want, that's one thing, but you're really creeping me out."

Cindy was eyeing Starlight. "That is... super kinky."

"You can read my thoughts." She was looking at me directly. "You know why I'm asking."

Actually... I pointed to the headphones I was still wearing. "These keep the thoughts out."

Her magic glowed on them and yanked them right off of me. "You are the manifestation of my deepest, lewdest, not-very-secret-anymore desires." She hadn't moved her lips or said anything out-loud. "Use me gently. Use me lovingly, but go ahead, use me. I want to be your willing toy, to know without a doubt that I am your most prized little possession."

I grabbed the floating headset and jammed them back on my head, blocking out her silent whispers. "Don't do that ever again! I didn't ask to hear thoughts, and forcing that on me isn't nice. I didn't make friends with a blow up doll," I exploded at her so loudly she fell over.

And rolled off the chair, her mouth in a permanent O shape. She had no fur, just a lustrously smooth plastic hide. She was an embarrassingly perfect pony sex doll. Cindy stood up with equal shock, just to fall over backwards on their new hooves, scrambling away a few inches.

"Starlight?" I squeaked, terrified. "Oh, god, tell me you're alright." But Starlight didn't reply. Sex toys didn't talk. They just waited to be used. "This isn't funny anymore!" I grabbed my headset and yanked it off. "Think at me."

I could hear screaming. Starlight's screaming. She was alive, in there, unable to move. "I'll help, just be calm." I threw the headphones aside. "Okay, we went to this, we can come back from this..." I lifted into the air, going over the table and down at Starlight, grabbing her by the cheeks. "Nice and furry," I demanded. "With that little scent on her breath." I could remember it, one of her appealing features. "With eyes that could blink..."

The Starlight Doll blinked suddenly, but was still plastic. Her O-mouth closed partially just to open again. A little voice issued from inside of her. "This is... Wow..." I reached for her ears, rubbing them as fur began to return. This was too damn slow. I snapped my fingers and the universe paused, focused.

I ran my hands over the Starlight Doll, quickly reshaping it back into the lovely unicorn it had started as, mumbling little apologies as I did so. Time resumed just as I tapped her restored horn.

Starlight's eyes focused on me. "Why'd you stop?"

Cindy threw a hand aside, standing. "You were... Did you die?! Girl, that wasn't funny."

"That wasn't funny," echoed Starlight's thoughts, but she sounded way more interested in it. "Now we know you can do that," she said out loud, like it was all good news. "And undo it too. See, nothing to be scared of."

With a chime of an arriving elevator, a new set of people arrived, familiar people.

Oh god, it was that jerk with the club. They were all armed guards from other floors. Had they watched what happened? Well, of course they did. I just would have thought Miller wouldn't have called for them. Did I just miss that part?

Fearing the return of pain, I grabbed a helmet from nowhere and popped it on my head. "I surrender!"

They shoved Cindy and Starlight away, sensibly enough in my view. "It was an accident, I swear. Everything's fixed. We're all good," I hurriedly blurted out. "No hitting, please."

The guard that had broken several bones already prodded me with his club. "You're really bad at keeping out of trouble."

I was being watched, of course. Doctor Miller was there, shouting into his computer. "Get off my floor. That is my subject--"

"Patient," I corrected from the window on his monitor that showed me.

"--And I did not request assistance." He took off his glasses. "This is a complete breach of protocol."

"I made the protocols," spoke another scientist I didn't know on the screen. "Don't quote them at me. She's too dangerous. We're taking her, and her friends."

"That will only--" He didn't get to finish. I was too busy popping out of his monitor.

"The hell you will!" I roared at the other scientist on the screen I had just come through. "What did they do?! You're mad at me, fine, but you keep it between us."

I could see the guards all looked confused, as they should, seeing as I just vanished into one of the cameras. Good luck finding me, suckers. Despite my vanishing act, they were handcuffing my friends. Cindy behind his back, while Starlight had all four of her hooves bound together and she was hoisted upside down, held like a random furry child. They were taking them away! "Put them down!"

"I will not. Go with them and you get to keep an eye on them. I am ending this call." And the window closed. Smart, I realized after the fact, because I could have hopped over through it. Well, too late to do that.

"Miller..."

He set his glasses on the desk. "I feel confident you're already aware. This isn't my idea, Lauren. You are happy with your friends and being productive. You are not a meaningful threat to me or my floor. I will not tell you to go with them, or not to go with them."

"It isn't really your floor, is it? This whole place..." I waved at the walls around us, floating there. "There's a boss. You're here so long as he's happy."

"That is typically how it works," he agreed with a thin smile, reaching for his glasses. "We performed a biopsy on the sample you extracted. 80% accuracy for cancerous cells. There was some damage done, but even a surgeon would have been hard pressed to cut it closer. She will make a full recovery. Thank you. I can't pay you for that. You don't have a medical license."

Yeah... that would have been super illegal. I was a walking, floating, illegality. "You're welcome... I need to get my friends back." I looked around the office. It was the same I had imagined Starlight in. Was that imagination? "Hey, question. Did you ever tell Starlight to like me?"

"I did," he admitted without preamble. "A mistake. You two were entirely compatible to begin with."

"She's still hung up on that," I noted with a little frown. "Doc, keep with being a doc. Docs don't play matchmaker, alright." Lashing my entire body around like a snake, I dived into the camera window I had started from, reforming in the middle of the guards. "Let's go."

My vision swam, pain throbbed. That right asshole had smacked me on the head on the helmet hard enough to still knock things loose. "You." I threw a hand out at him and he slammed against the far wall. By the time he hit the ground, it was with much smaller hands. "Grow up," I huffed. "I give up, no more hitting and we can do this smoothly."

The other guards, thankfully, didn't press. They handcuffed me, too damn tight, but didn't hit me again. I could hear the bawling of the new infant behind me as they led me to the elevator. Maybe that guard would have a better second childhood...

As we rode the elevator, one of the others poked me in the side lightly. "Why are you wearing that?"

I looked down and realized I had, at some point, put on a very sciency-doctory top. A nice clean white shirt and a stethoscope dangling. "Huh, oh, saved someone before." I wriggled my trapped arms, realizing I could break free any time I wanted. I was playing along with them.

Just playing.

I could be free the moment I wanted to be. "Where are we headed?"

"Bottom floor," replied the same one that had asked me a question. "Your friends are already there."

Author's Notes:

Let's go to a different floor! Surely this will work out.

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19 - Bottom Floor(day 19)

With a soft chime, we stepped off the elevator. I felt like I was walking into something. It was like the universe was watching me, closely. The hell. Did that mean I couldn't get away with what I usually did? Fear. I had avoided it on the ride down, increasingly confident that I held all the cards.

But did I?

I lashed my tail behind me, working on my smirk as I followed them. No reason to tip my hand that anything was wrong. Looking around, I could quickly see that the floor was laid out just like the one I started in, but the rooms were used differently. That sort of made sense. They probably built all the floors first, then furnished and refurnished them as needed.

There was no bright and clean cafeteria, or clothing depot. None of the nice features were in sight as they led me along. A security room over there. Lots of closed doors everywhere. "So, my friends?"

"Get in." One of them was pointing with their club at a door. "And stay in."

"Are they in there?" I had to roll my eyes. "Opening doors with handcuffs is a bit tricky. If you don't want me doing odd things, which you made crystal clear you don't, maybe take them off?" Ugh, was good security that hard to find? Where was that nice, oh, there he was. "Hey." I smiled at him, my longer tooth shifting position in the grin. "Nice to see you again."

"Uh, hey," he replied without the confidence I was faking. "Will he turn back?"

"Over time," I replied as truthfully as I knew. "I didn't change him, just made him younger. Can you?" I turned to offer my hands, claws hands wriggling at him. Another guard shoved against me, sending me thudding against the door by my front. "Asshole, that doesn't get me through the door. I swear..."

I felt hands take mine. "Stay calm." It was Mr. Nice. One of the few guards that acted like he didn't want to escalate the situation. Hirrah. He soon had the cuffs off. "Nice and slow."

"Nice and slow," I echoed as I reached with the tingling wrist, blood returning to it. That's when I noticed, there was no card slot on the outside. Cheeky devils, they'd reversed the locks! You needed a card to get out of the room. Little hotel prison rooms. Nice... I pushed down the handle and stepped inside before they took it as a sign of my 'resisting'.

The door slapped shut behind me, likely yanked by one of the many guards actually terrified of me. A glance showed, yep, there was the card slot. "Cindy? Starlight?" I walked around the corner, my noclip seeming to be off. I couldn't will myself into the air, and tapping the wall was enough to know I couldn't slip through it as I had several others.

There was a single twin-sized bed. There were no friends, or anyone else for that matter besides me.

They had lied. Of course they had. I threw up my hands with a suffering groan. Why did I even think they'd just do the nice thing when being dicks was so clearly part of their standard operation? At least Miller had tried to do right. But there I was, with the universe breathing down my back. How had they pulled that off?!

It was only then that we entered day nineteen. I actually had a normal amount of sleep without a single dream of places I wasn't actually in, doing emergency surgeries or conversing with gods of other realities. Just a quiet time of darkness. It was almost relaxing. Then I woke up and remembered where I was, locked up at the basement of a lab, my friends? Who knew...

"Hey, dicks." I didn't normally curse so much, you should know that by now, but I was on edge. "It's time for me to do my morning report. Bring my laptop, unless your power trip includes making sure I don't do my job."

"Let me go," I heard as if through half a foot of wool. "I'm an agent of the lab!" Starlight? "I've followed all the reg! So she made a little mistake. She fixed it too."

The voice wasn't coming from a specific direction, like it was bouncing around in all that wool I mentioned. I looked around as if I could home in on it, which I couldn't. As if I could slip through a wall to get to them, which I also couldn't.

"Where's my Lore?" came an angry male voice. "If you hurt my--" A sound? Did they hit him!? "Bastards, when I--" The voices cut off, as if the wool got thicker. My poor Cindy was trying to fight for me when he was in need of his own saving!

So the universe wanted to stare at me? Let it! I brought my hands together in a sharp clap. The eyes of reality flickered towards the sound, barely looking away from me. I had a brief time, even for me. It would have to be enough. I dove into the nearest wall, emerging into pure darkness and intense crushing discomfort in my midsection.

The wall had caught my noodly body right in the middle as I was going through it. My hands were free. With a sharp snap, I burst free and hit the ground, panting. That muffled feeling was just a little lesser. Were they focusing it on the room they put me in? That sort of made sense.

The room I was in looked much the same, minus every shred of hospitality. Cold stone floors echoed as I stepped forward. Boxes of...stuff were around me. It was just a storage room. I was being watched. I turned and glared at the camera, and the impression faded instantly. They were learning, but that meant they also knew where I was, crap.

What if I just wasn't there? The door thundered open from around the corner. I could hear booted feet slapping that hard cement. Did it have to be my noise? They were making plenty. The universe's attention was wobbling, like a high pitched humm. Between one stomp and the next, I just ceased to exist, at least there.

I hit the ground, hoof and claws clacking as I bent and twisted. I was in my work room. There was my computer, unused for weeks. I approached it, flooded with nostalgia. "One day, we'll get back to work." I gently ran a fuzzy finger over the monitor. "But not today..."

My friends were locked up in a creepy lab, and who was going to rescue them? Call the cops? Oh, man. I could already imagine them laughing as I spun that story, which could elevate to being shot if they saw me. No, no. I was a little quasi-god. I had to handle my own mess!

The mothballs in my head had lifted. I was away from whatever was jamming up the works. Time to take advantage of that. "First priority, not being hurt." I sat down at my chair which was... too wide. It was made for my plump old self, not my new noodly incarnation. Regardless, I stirred the computer to life and got to browsing. I plucked advanced armor from web pages and casually put them on, outfitting myself from things that were still not even released fully for soldiers to have.

Why the heck not? Not like I had to pay for manufacturing or anything. My vision was shades of green before I reached up and flicked off the night vision mode. "That's kinda cool." I was ready to wage a war. A war for my friends! But wars were not won with defense alone. Not being battered or shot to pieces was a plus, a big plus! But it didn't equal victory.

A gun? I shuddered violently. I didn't want to shoot people. I didn't even really want to hurt them. But they were big angry men and I was just a nice noodle lady. I tapped my chin with a draconic finger. "Something to take the fight out of them..."

I could zap them, like they had been ready to do to me? But that was less lethal, not, you know, just not lethal. Being electrocuted can mess someone up. Kind of half the reason you don't poke light sockets with metal things.

My phone rang, I literally hopped out of my skin, leaving my armor and outer layer to crumple into the chair. "Jesus..." And that felt really weird! I had spent all that time being not naked, not really naked. I could feel a breeze tickling my raw flesh. "Creepy..." I grabbed for the phone I hadn't used in ages. Who used land lines anymore? Well, I had to fax once in a while, okay, so I had a landline...

"Hello?"

"Lauren." It was Miller. "I was hoping you were there."

Shit. "You ratting me out?"

"No, but they've likely already figured it out. Lauren, you're endangering innocent people by being outside of containment. You understand that, right?"

His call was monitored. They knew what number he dialed. It would not be hard to figure out my address. He wasn't wrong. He didn't have to actually rat me out at that point. "I'm not here to bother anyone. I won't get near to anyone. I'll be right back anyway. There's no one in here but me. Give me a few minutes and I'll be back, alright?"

"I'm glad to hear that. The safety of the community at large is the priority. We can handle our issues without endangering them--"

"--Release my friends," I hissed, my skin back on me, armor over that. "Let them go. They didn't do a damn thing wrong and you know it."

"You know I know it," he countered, and he wasn't wrong. He wasn't the problem. "We inspected your goods. They passed. Payment has been made, expect it to arrive in your checking account in 1-3 business days."

I had to laugh. "Great, so tell your boss to shut up and let me get back to work. I'll fill out the next invoice, get paid. Everyone can be happy!"

"I am certain he's heard your offer." Jerk. Of course he has. "Please return. Miss Sheila sends her confused thanks."

Miss... who? "HR Lady? Oh, that's sweet, really." I was smiling. I was legit happy she was alright. "I'd much rather be talking about how she's doing than all of this, but I'd better be going."

"Back here?"

"Yeah." I hung up. I'd be back there, I had to be. Not like...

Wait.

Why couldn't I just yank them out? I turned to an empty part of the room. "Practice makes perfect." I reached out a gloved hand which had four fingers for my four fingers despite the original having five. With a nice crisp snap, I reached between spaces in a great big scoop and pulled free an incalculably massive-feeling blob of stuff and let it crash to the ground, filling my room with Cindy's various belongings that fell over themselves and rolled every which way.

I had become the owner of Cindy's life. A theft, on some levels, though he had said he wanted me to rescue them, right? They were safe in my house. "If I can get all of you, getting two people should be relatively simply."

Besides, I'd gladly return them the moment he was safe from the lab and could return to something approaching a normal life. Even if he had hooves, and a big horse nose, and a big horse tail... and a big horse package... He was a big bipedal horse. It would take time before 'normal' entered the equation.

I reached up and clicked the night vision on, then turned it further in the direction it had no business turning further in. My vision became shades of pinks and purples. I was in noodle vision, under my control. I turned in the direction the lab was in. There, amidst the sea of pinks was a bright blue blob that extended downwards. I reached up with both hands, adjusting the focus that the goggles didn't have before. I zoomed right in to get a better view of the facility.

I could see the shapes of people coming and going upstairs, where I had gone and never come back out. The elevator ran up and down. The first floor or two were different, but then became the hotel-looking blocks I had gotten used to. A little 'Home' sign floated in green just over a room. Yep, that was my room. Home? Well, I supposed it was for the moment until I could set my home back to my actual house! It was something. Further down!

That was when I noticed something else. The various shapes had different hues, a sparkling purple that filled some of them, in others it was spotty, spreading from their limbs inwards towards their cores. Others were entirely clean of it. Ponid. I was seeing their Ponid. The ones still changing, and the others who were entirely given to the way of pony, griffon, or whatever else.

For just a moment, I wanted to see myself, but I had to focus! I was looking at something miles away. Looking away would cost time I didn't have. Amid all the colors and shapes, a little icon popped up, pointing at a shape. It was a smiling Starlight icon, winking eternally. Not far away from it, Cindy's equine face was grinning and offering a thumbs up. Each pointed down to a specific shape. I had found them.

Cindy had been hit. Starlight worked for them. They seemed to be treating her a bit better. My choice was clear. I stepped forward, not across my room, but entering what I saw, slipping right beside the shape that owned the Cindy icon.

My vision was lost to purple as I heard alarmed gasps and cries. I smacked the switch, flicking it to normal vision. "Step away from him!"

"Lore!" There was Cindy.

There... was Cindy. I felt numb. His face was swollen, eye puffed out where he had obviously been struck one time among many more. He was tied to a wall like a dangerous psychopath instead of a harmless social butterfly. Blood. He had it, and it wasn't all on the inside. "Lore..." He sounded so happy to see me, but also scared. So scared...

I was punched in the side. No, they had shot me. The bullet-resistant armor I wore had done just as it promised, spreading the impact of the pistol across my entire side, making me rock as if I had been shoved instead of being stabbed. "What did you do?!" I roared out, feeling my body swell, new armor plating growing beneath the soft mesh that had turned away the initial hit. "Cindy deserves nothing but love," I hissed out, not a drop of love in my own voice.

The guard that had took the shot took a step back, but there was another, firing wildly. I could barely feel them, my skin growing harder by the moment, the flesh underneath racing to catch up. The mothball sensation was there, but I was cutting through it like a red hot knife of pure rage. "You don't even deserve that." An image of him as a pony had come and was brushed aside just as quickly. "Tell me your worst fear." I was on him. Another loud bang filled the room as his friend fired wildly into my growing form, but they were helpless. I tore his friend's head open to reveal its secrets. "Oh, that's nasty," I rumbled, shoving him forward as he screamed.

His screams became broken, his body falling apart as I turned on his friend. "Do you have a nicer--" I paused, a bullet hovering just in front of my eye. "Son of a whore, that could have hurt." I reached up, casually plucking the incoming munition. "Like you hurt my friend. I'm just returning the favor."

The pressure was immense. I felt like some inside part of me was rubbing against sandpaper. It hurt, but I also didn't care. Nobody would hurt Cindy again. "Pathetic slug," I growled at him as he made a break for the door. He slipped on slime that hadn't been there before, slamming face forward. Blood and pus spread as he scrambled helplessly, his body losing definition as his clothing gathered on his back, becoming a brightly-colored shell for his new life. By the time he reached the door, he was a huge helpless slug, oozing against it impotently. "You're lucky I didn't bring salt." I stomped on him, kicking him aside and knocking him over. His friend had broken apart into countless scurrying ants. He was dead, and I didn't much care.

"Cindy." I wheeled on him. "You're safe."

He didn't look safe. He was trembling, terrified. "You're safe," I repeated. "They can't hurt you. Let's get out of here."

"Lore?"

Did he not recognize me? There was only one noodle. There was also a lack of time. "Yeah, let's go." I grabbed him and wrenched him free, the chains popping as if they were made of little more than a single sheet of cardboard. "We're leaving." I hurled him backwards, his form lost to a portal as I sent him home. "One more."

I grabbed the door handle and wrenched it with such force that it came off, the door unmoving. Crap. I grabbed the edges of the door with two different great ape hands and crushed it inwards. I felt so powerful. I felt unending pain. I would share that pain. I threw the door aside with a dull thud of metal on the cement. "Starlight!" I howled as I charged into the hallway, tail lashing.

Something bit me right on the right rump. Then the electricity flowed from the bite downwards towards the ground. My goat-hooved leg twitched but twice before the whole thing went wet and slimy, the entire leg becoming that of an electric eel, as if fish had legs. With a low grunt, I sent the electricity right back down the lines, exploding the shock-gun another guard had dared to fire at me. "Brown pony." I waved dismissively, ignoring the startled whinny as I coiled around a corner. "Red pony." I grabbed a guard that was passing the same corner and threw them forward. By the time they hit the ground, it was with all fours, startled neighs filling the hall.

In front of the door I could smell Starlight behind, four men stood side by side, grim determination on behind their visors, as if they were putting up some grand last stand against some terrible foe. They were the terrible people. I was just speeding along karma a touch. I slammed down a draconic paw. "So many ponies, waiting to be born."

"Her bones can be broke," reminded one of them, all of them clutching their batons as if their lives depended on it. Silly little men. Their lives were not in trouble, just their humanity. Such a little thing. They'd get used to it, eventually, and maybe emerge better for it. I was doing them a favor.

I bumped into the wall with an annoyed grunt. Why did the whole hallway feel too small? I let our an ursine howl and lunged for them, bear claws tacking the ground alongside tremendous clomps of rhino hooves. I didn't realize it at the time, but my stability was looking especially... unstable, for lack of better words.

They screamed back, maybe hoping it'd scare me off. It didn't. One of their batons struck my right arm as I was raising it, the two meeting with such force that the baton exploded on contact, peppering us both with splinters. I grabbed him with insectoid pincers. "Boy pony." I threw him aside, slamming him into the wall as his bones popped and creaked, becoming a little pony far more quickly than the comparative mercy of Ponid.

"Girl pony." My voice was alien even to me as I grabbed his baton in my jagged, uneven teeth and crunched it in half. I charged through him, running him over. As my huge heavy feet crushed him beneath me, I could feel that sparkling purple welling up. He wasn't dying, even if it hurt like hell. He was becoming a mare, his groan becoming a feminine cry of pain.

One of the guards took a step back, faltering. "Please..."

"Big pony." I grabbed the second to last guard, giving him a big kiss with lips that didn't quite fit with his, not that I cared. I blew powerfully, his fingers popping out into big hooves, his limbs straightening as he became a big pony just like I imagined, a stallion earth pony that was left reeling, their insides on fire from the forced change they had endured. "Little pony." I closed with the last one, drool splattering to the ground beneath me.

"I'm just doing my job!" he wailed pitifully. I drove him to the ground, growling, but he was still human, for the moment.

"Your job sucks," I noted eloquently. "The mare in there is on your side, the stallion you beat up didn't do a damn thing wrong." I grabbed his hand that was trying to swat at me and smashed it into the ground in a gorilla's grip. I could feel bones cracking. His chocked gasp of shock was clear enough. "If you had balls, you would have gone for me. At least I'm the trouble."

"Don't kill me. Don't... kill me," he sniffled out, losing it entirely.

"Kill you?" My laughter, oh god, in that moment it unnerved even me a little. It was like an entire zoo was cackling. "Change." I ate him, one big bite, chomp, gone. I chewed, hearing him scream, then spat it out, a little ball of fur with curly locks on her horrified little head. "Cozy Glow," I announced. Where I had got the name, I wasn't sure, but it was his, er, her name then. "Get out of my sight."

She squealed in maddened horror, tripping over herself and scrambling to get away, but doing a really bad job of it. Her little wings beat erratically, not helping her move. I didn't care. I ignored her. I threw myself against the door and it crashed inwards along with a great portion of the wall on either side. "Starlight!"

Starlight looked up from where she had been sitting, reading a book? "Lore? What in Celestia's grand plot happened to you?!"

I reached for her and she shied back. "We don't have time. We have to go, yesterday." Could I yank her out yesterday? There was no time to consider that. Everything was pain. "Let's go."

She leaned to the side, getting a peek into the hallway and the sounds coming from it. "I'll go, but you need to calm down, right now."

They had picked such a good pony for freaks like me... "I can't calm down until you're safe. After that..." After that, I imagined passing out for basically forever. "Let's go, now." I didn't wait anymore. I lunged for her, grabbing her with a raccoon-like arm. "You wanted a god, and now you have one."

Starlight trembled in my grasp, perhaps realizing just how bad it could get to be in the reach of a god. Space folded around us as I dived for safety, away from that accursed floor and its equally damnable tyrant of a boss. He'd get his, some... other...

Day...

Author's Notes:

That escalated...

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20 - Day Twenty

I was seated at a table. I was also seated at the table. "This looks really bad," I said to another of myself, seated to the side.

The other me nodded gravely. "We've ground the gears down pretty good." She waved at me. "How are we going to fix this?"

I could see the gears of power, what made me the noodle. Many of them were stripped and haggard. I had pressed so hard against what had tried to stop me, I had hurt myself, badly. I could just... feel that. "If I'm feeling lively enough to chat with myself, I must not be entirely out of it yet."

"How do you know that?" I doubted myself, but I took my... hand in my hand and I squeezed gently, looking into her, my, eyes. We smiled a little, and I felt a little calmer.

"I am the noodle," I reminded myself as I turned to my prone and torn form, alone besides that inert form. "I can get through this."

I became aware I wasn't alone. They were there, Starlight and Cindy. They were talking about me, on top of me. I couldn't hear their words, but I felt sure that is what they were doing. Were they worried about me? It seemed likely. To them, I must look even worse...

I reached for the first stripped cog and gentle began to knead and shape it, giving it a crude groove like the screw it once was. "Like that," I muttered to myself as I worked.

I woke up suddenly and hissed with the rattling noise of at least three different animals.

I heard Cindy say something, but I couldn't make out the words. Starlight said something too. I felt them sitting up, looking at me. Scared.

I growled with irritation and my body shuddered. I was still full of anger. Not at them... I loved them. I wanted to protect them from everything, but how? I felt certain I couldn't just hop away. "What did I miss?" or, at least, that's what I had meant to say. It came out as confused animal noises, as if a bear and a cat were having a conversation with a pig.

That's when I saw it. My form was unhinged. Whenever I stopped staring at a given part, it would change and flow. Even my overall stats were in flux. I was a man, a woman, both, neither. I was a mammal, a lizard, or something else new entirely until I got distracted and kept shifting.

Cindy hugged me tightly even as I shifted in his grip. He just kept hugging, as if to remind me he was there.

I was... happy that he was. I just breathed, trying to calm myself, to still the raging, thumping, heart inside me.

A voice talked, neither of them. I couldn't grasp the words.

Starlight looked towards it and replied before resting a hoof on my mutable shoulder.

"You hurt a lot of people," she said, her voice suddenly clear. With no warning, it was gone. I could hear her talking, but there was no meaning.

An idea came to me and I smiled, the left and right side of my lips not matching. I reached out and pulled a big microphone out of nowhere. Sure, it was yellow at the base and a bright pink at the top and it wasn't straight at all, but a microphone! I shoved it against Starlight, brushing her snout once and pointing at the mic. Please, please understand, I begged softly, knowing I was making no noise that could be understood.

Cindy snatched the mic away! "Girl?" he asked into it, and I could hear it, past my shifting ears, in my mind, or my soul, or whatever I had! Oh, the relief that it had worked. I think he noticed it, talking more, "You understand me? You kinda messed up a lot of people. They're super pissed at you."

Starlight leaned in. "Miller's trying to keep them away, but that's a big ask. A big big ask..." She glanced away and back at me. "I don't want to ask anything right now but if you're alright."

"She's not alright," cut in Cindy. "But if you can get us out of here?" he finished far more quietly. "That'd be fine."

Sure, we could hop to my house, where they'd show up a bit after and drag us back. No, that wouldn't work.

"Stuck?" There was another me, floating over me. That other me wasn't metamorphing wildly, and obviously could talk. "They warned you this would happen."

Who? All I got out were strangled animal noises for my effort.

"You cleaned yourself up before you were ready," chastised the floating me. "Look, I'm what you should have been. You can call me Eris. You remember that name, don't you?"

Eris? Eris! Discord had given me that--

"Yes, Discord, and he wasn't lying. I am Eris, and so are you. Just admit that and you can stop hurting." Her snout was upturned in a wicked smile I wasn't sure how to feel about. Her tail curled and swayed as she swam in a little closer. "You are Eris," she whispered seductively, running at odds with how everything I was feeling.

Was she the cure? "Yes." Could I trust her? "You don't have a lot of choice, but I am you." My name was Lauren. "That's a crappy attitude," she sang above me. "Put it aside and let's get better."

Not being a mess would be-- Movement? Guards. They had guns, I think? It was hard to focus.

"Enough wasting time. I'm coming in!" She easily wrapped her arms around me. "As if I have to ask myself, pfft."

And we were one. I was Eris. I sat up sharply as a bullet came at me, but it was following the musical composition I was doing with my restored fingers, directing it around in a circle. The original firer slumped to the ground, completely unable to handle having a bullet thrown back at him. "Don't throw out what you don't want returned," I sang with a sly grin.

There were several others, most with larger munitions. Where had they shopped, an army surplus store? "You saw what happened to your friend. You've gone and scared my friends and I don't want to traumatize them with more bodies. Wanna put them down? Besides, snakes are dangerous."

Oh, the look of surprise when I called them that. One of them yelped in fear, seeing that he was indeed holding some kind of huge snake. I rose sinuously from the bed as the would-be soldiers dropped their former guns in a hurry, the snakes slithering off to find a new life at least until I forgot about them. "Cindy, Starlight, let's go."

Starlight thrust a hoof at the ground. "You get right down here, Young Lady," she barked at me. Which is why she had a waggy tail and a lolling tongue, panting. She yipped, realizing what had happened to her. "Hey!" she objected, still able to speak despite being given a rapid dog-over. "Please, calm down."

"But I am calm," I objected. "Oh, but we haven't met." I reached for her, gently mussing her hair and petting her floppy dog ears. "I'm Eris, and you, especially, are my little toy."

Something was coming at me. Ah, a club, a baton really. It seemed to be pushing through molasses, time slowed as I watched it approach, no fear in my heart. I swam around the arc of the slow club and time sped up the moment I was out of the way of it. "That's just rude," I noted of the human who had swung it. "Well, I'm feeling generous today. What do you want to be?" I pressed my nose to his, even as he tried to back away. "Go on, say it, admit it. Whatever."

I could hear him, fearful thoughts at war with manic attempts to rally himself. "I won't kill you," I reminded. "Whatever you want, the world's the limit." And I wasn't even sure that was true.

"Bring back Thomas," he got out.

Thomas? "Who?"

"The one you turned into ants," he clarified. "Bring him back."

"He hurt my friend," I said as if I was correcting a small child. "He got what he deserved. Why should I do that? Really, you could get anything and you want to ask for your friend?" I suddenly smiled brightly. "That's actually kind of sweet. Aw, such a loving soul." I grabbed his cheeks, pinking them roughly. "You're in the wrong job. What did you want to be before you took--"

I stopped my question as I felt hands grabbing me. Another guard had thought my talking was a lowered guard. It wasn't. I tickled his front with the tuft of my tail, and his laugh was a loud bleat as he fell back, a nice rolly polly sheep. "We were talking," I chastised, keeping my eyes on the guard in front of me. "Go on."

"Thomas wasn't a bad person," they insisted, still stuck on that topic. "Fix him. You can do anything, right? Show it."

"A challenge?!" I grabbed his shoulder. "Oh fine, but I want something for it." I swiveled an ear towards Cindy, who had been quiet. "This guy's going to become something, so, what do you want while I fix his friend, assuming you're alright with that jerk being back."

"Y-yeah," stammered out Cindy. "Girl, look, calm down."

"I am calm," I reminded. "So what do you want this boy to be, or girl, whatever. You ever wanted a pet, or a child, or a toy? Just name it..."

"Lore," he shouted as much in a frantic yelp as a mean to be assertive. "If you can un-kill that person, you do that!"

"Really." I shoved the guard away and swam up to Cindy. "You're lucky I like you. Dead naming me like that. Did you not hear?" I tapped him right on his cute pony snout. "I am Eris. You'll get a name--" It hit me. "Oh, there it is. Try Shining Armor on. It'll feel better soon. That's a handsome name for a handsome stallion."

Starlight gestured for the door with one of her newly-given paws. The guards weren't entirely stupid and most of them took the advice. "Eris, nice to meet you... We made a promise. Do you remember that?"

I twisted in the air to face her. "Did we? What was it about?"

Starlight put a paw on her chest, tongue still drooping out. She was such a cute little dog. "When you got a new name and you shared it with me, I'd tell you my old name. Remember?"

I could remember that, and how confused I was at the time. I was so sick and awful and ugh. "Well... Are we still on?"

Starlight put her paws out close together. "Two little things. I want to be my pony self as I do this. Also, please fix Thomas. Even if he was a complete jerk, killing them isn't the answer, is it Eris?"

"You are a pony," I reminded her, patting her with her horn poking up between my fingers. "You are such a chore sometimes. They're all ready to break my bones and shoot me, but if I hurt them, I'm the bad guy?"

"Yes," she replied without even a hint of delay, standing up tall on her restored pony haunches. "Because you have the power. You could take away their weapons, put them to sleep, or even just make them prefer to get a nice big hotdog instead of fighting with you, but you killed them instead. They're wrong, but you could be better, and you're not. I want more from you, Eris."

I tapped her nose. She was lucky I still thought she was so cute. "Is that how you address your noodle god." I put my hands on my hips, my entire body wriggling before her. "I thought I was your alpha and omega, start and end. You were ready to give up everything for me, and now you're telling me how to feel bad? You're not a very good supplicant."

Starlight turned a hoof to point at herself. "I can make decisions, like an adult. If I roll over and let you have your way with me, that's on me. That doesn't make it alright for you to end people, Eris." She stood up and pointed across the room to where the dead guard was slumped against the wall, a bullet in their head. "Fix that. Come on. If you can, you should."

"He shot me!" I hissed out, crossing my arms. "You're the worst sycophant ever."

Starlight rolled her eyes. "I'm not one of those. I am here to tell it to you straight, even if I get turned on by a few things."

"Can you do it?" asked Cindy. "Fix him?"

They sounded so sad. Huff, fine... "You two owe me!" I shouted as I snapped loudly, reversing time in just one little space. The man un-staggered to his feet, bullet un-piercing him as it zipped over to land obediently on my extended paw, panting like a new little dog. "Who's a good boy?" I smiled at the little friendly bullet. "Go on, back into your kennel." I underhandedly lobbed it and the bullet zoomed right back to the gun it had come from, nestling itself comfortable. "And you, get out and thank them."

The restored guard fell back, muttering something. "Get out," suddenly barked the one that had been making requests, who had not fled. "Go on!"

Why was he still there. "Maybe you should take your own advice?" I twirled in the air, giggling softly. "Shoo, shoo." I made little motions with my fingers. "We have things to discuss, family things."

"Did you fix Thomas?" asked the brave little guard even as his friend took the smart route and got out of there. "Steve was a bit of a jerk," he suddenly admitted. "But Thomas was cool."

I was suddenly curious. "Thomas is ant boy, is Steve slug-pal?"

"Yeah..." He looked over to Cindy. "Steve's the one that did it."

Ugh, I killed the wrong one?! "Fucker, but Thomas didn't stop him, and he was right there. That makes him pretty guilty..." I looked to the guard's chest where a nametag was hanging where it hadn't been. "Robert."

"He was--"

"Oh, my, me," I cut him off with a wheezing laugh. "You are not going to use that tired line on me!" I put my hands next to my head as I leaned it. "I was just following orders," I petulantly mocked with a grin. "Give me something better."

"Eris!" There was Starlight, trying to be my conscience. Oh. I plucked her up as she squeaked and parked her on my left shoulder where she floated, a halo floating over her head and little angelic wings beating. "Not funny." She crossed her arms, but she was stuck there as my shoulder angel. "Really, come on. He's trying to save someone, that's not being a bad person."

I glanced over at Cindy. "You want the other side?"

Cindy looked far from sure. "Uh, hey, they were both jerks, in my book." That was consent! I soon had him placed on the right side, little horns poking from his hair and his tail gone red and spade tipped. "Great... Look, Lore--"

"Eris," I stated firmly. "You're dancing on my nerve, even for a shoulder devil. Eris. E R I S, mistress of chaos." I fluffed myself a little. "Now, you were saying?"

"They were both jerks," he continued. "But I didn't want to kill them."

"What did you want? You didn't say. That makes it your fault." Ha, pro-level logic.

Starlight put a hoof to her face as she bobbed up and down. "Eris, please. We're all stressed. Let's just.... wind it all back." She rolled her hooves. "Put everyone where they started, we can do the day over again?"

I buzzed with all the force of an alarm. "No can do! I can change them, but rewinding, that's a limited game. We're past it." My shoulder squad was annoying! "All this trouble for an anthill." I pointed to where a sizable anthill was on the floor. It hadn't been there before, as if I cared. Ants crawled all over it. "Your friend makes a great ant colony, so industrious."

Robert recoiled from the sudden new ant hill. "Jesus... that's... him?"

Cindy squeaked, covering his mouth with his fuzzy hands. "L...Eris, you don't feel bad at all?"

"I feel annoyed my friends aren't thanking me for rescuing them." I crossed my arms under my chest, tapping at the air with a foot. "What's a noodle have to do to be appreciated around here?"

"We do appreciate you," assured Starlight, running a hoof along one of my ears. "But we'd appreciate it even more if you could be a good god for us instead of a naughty one."

"You don't want me being naughty?" I hiked a brow. "Now I know you're lying."

Starlight colored vividly at that. "That kinda naughty's alright! I'm talking about the 'kills and hurts people' variety."

Cindy grabbed the other ear, giving a little tug as he pointed to the anthill. "Can you put them back together? Please..."

"Monster!" Robert was making a last ditch rush at me. How brave. Also kinda dumb... I snapped my dragon fingers, the universe's attention somewhere else. I considered making him a monster, since he has asked for one so desperately.

But Starlight had just told me. If I did that, she'd yell at me again. Ugh... "Go get a hot dog," I grunted as time resumed.

Robert staggered forward before turning in place. "I'll be back, need a snack." And off he went, hunting that beefy treat.

"There, see, I can be reserved. Congratulate me." I didn't turn to Starlight, just speaking as I instead pivoted in the air to the anthill. "And you want this put together?"

Cindy scratched at the ear he held. "Please? Come on, girl. This isn't you."

"None of us are ourselves these days." I rolled my eyes hard enough that they came loose. Fortunately, I was able to catch them before I got ants all over them. "Fine, whatever. I bet you even want them to be boring human?"

"If you can?"

"Are you doubting me!?" I huffed at that. As if I couldn't do what I wanted! With a sharp snap, in their eyes, there was an anthill, then there was a very naked man sitting on an anthill, minus the ants. Sure, he had a thousand yard stare and was shivering, but he was there. "Ta da. Thomas, I presume?"

He tried to stand, but apparently forgot how to human correctly and barely accomplished more than flopping over at a new angle. He made noises, but they weren't words. "Speak up," I huffed. "This guy is a bore." I made a dismissive wave, sending him sliding out of the room with a nice bang of the door behind him. "They can take care of him, not my problem anymore."

I casually set my friends back down, restoring their height and erasing their celestial markers. Though Starlight still had a halo, little goodie two-hooves she was. "There, everything's fixed. No dead people at all. Not a one."

Starlight forced a smile, I could tell. "Good, great, even, thank you, Eris... Now, let's just calm down. Everypony, let's do a little mindful breathing." She sat up, crossing her legs in a way I didn't think a pony could, crossing them with her hooves pressing together. "Close your eyes and follow with me."

"Your goddess is already bored," I complained, looking to Cindy. "You still hornier than a teen that discovered he has a working penis?"

"I never called you my goddess," he denied hotly. "You're my girl, my friend, and you're not being you right now."

"Is that a no?"

"No sex for crazy people," he confirmed. "You did a lot, for us, thanks... but you went way off the rails, and you aren't even worried about it."

"That's the part I like the least," admitted Starlight. "Eris, I like you. You know that... You know know that... You need to slow down and consider what's happened so far."

Oh, right, hearing. I wasn't wearing the cancelling headphones. Why wasn't I hearing her? Focusing on it, that changed.

"Let's get through this," came her floating voice. "I don't know what the top man's going to do, but if we can get through this, we can go back to being happy. Don't run away from us, Lore."

Ugh, dead named, in a thought. Did that count? It was just as annoying. I stopped listening to her thoughts. "I'm still me," I defended. "The old me would have done anything to save her Cindy. You." I looked to Cindy. "You mean so much to me."

Cindy's guarded face eased, a little smile spreading. "And you do to me... We can get through this, together."

"Of course, together." I grabbed them both, pulling them in for a big noodle hug, the best kind. "We're a team!"

Starlight wobbled a hoof. "And a team calls it as they see it for the good of the team. Eris, I'm putting you on a time out."

I had to just kind of peer her a moment. "How do you plan to even dream of making me do that?"

"By saying it and knowing that you respect and trust me and know that I'm on your side." She pointed down. "Sit down. It's time to relax, all the way relax. You have a lot to decompress, and it won't be fun, but it has to be done."

I let go of Starlight and she slid down off of me, thumping to the floor with an oof. "Hey."

Cindy shook his head. "I never did much with meditation, but I'll do it, with you. It'll be a group thing."

"A group thing, yes." Starlight nodded from where she sat on the floor. "We're all doing it, not just you. This isn't a punishment."

"I'm not a kid." I threw away the pacifier that had been in my mouth. "I feel great, energized!" I threw my hands up. "Like I could do anything."

"You already could do anything," noted Starlight in that gentle tone of hers. "It's more that you would do anything that bothers. Sit with us, let's think it through, slowly, peacefully." She spread her fore hooves slowly. "Give it a try."

Cindy landed so much more gracefully when I let him go. I sank down to join the three of them, giving Starlight a bit of a glare. "This isn't fixing anything."

"It may not." She reached up, tapping her halo. "But would I be me if I didn't try?" My little angel Starlight. She was trying...

I heaved a great big sigh. "Oh fine... I'll give it a chance."

So I let her lead me into a relaxed state, drawing me deeper and deeper away from the pressing desires, to abandon the physicality. I was led to a place where I'd be facing the most troubling opponent I'd faced.

Myself.

She could be a real drag...

Author's Notes:

Hello Eris. We knew your name for a time, but you hid away from us.

Join the special community of folks who like my stories and/or get your own here at atreon!

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21 - Hello, Me (Day 21)

"I'm tired of this."

It took me a moment to realize I hadn't said that. I had said that. I mean, the other me, a plump lady that used to remote work for a living and was a shut in.

"I'm still you," she/I corrected. "Just because we can do things doesn't mean we should."

"Oh, so we should just let them abuse us and our friends?" I retorted hotly, waving off her weak little words. "You did such a good job. Literally a god, and here we are."

"We should be human first." She pointed at me. "Look at you, you've lost all of your old self." She brought out a mirror from nowhere. "Look at you!"

I squinted at the image, two bright yellow eyes staring back at her. "Wow that's a wrong answer." I zoomed up to me, my tail swaying as my whiskers lifted. "I mean, really, look at me. I'm a noodly god, not a human."

"I'm inside you," I retorted, waving a pudgy naked finger. "I am you. You don't get to just call 'not it' on humanity. You ask Starlight or Flash, they didn't stop being what they were, just... some extra baggage on top." Alright, alright, I'm being a bit unfair. We should talk.

Look, I wasn't in a good place at that point. I'm trying to show just how divided I was. You think it's bad for you? I lived it! Both sides felt like me. I could see me looking at me from both of me's perspective, at the same time. Both sides were pissed at the other, and they were both me!

Alright, I try to not be a complete jerk. How about I call the round me Laura and the fuzzy me Eris, for the time being? That means we're going to third person, which makes as much sense, seeing as I wasn't sure who the first person was right that second.

Eris curled around Laura, squeezing her with her long body. "Admit it."

"Admit what?" huffed out Laura, looking more angry. "Let go of me."

"You were turned on, by your friends. The idea of a god taking a personal interest in you? You want that." Eris leaned in, touching her fuzzy snout to Laura's nose. "Part of you is jealous. You can't have that if you are the god. You have to be the responsible one."

"So try being responsible." She shoved Eris away, putting an arm's length between them. "If my friends want me to be their comfort, fine. I can do that."

"But do you want to?" taunted Eris, curling in place, chin on both of her hands as she gazed at Laura. "It was pissing you off. I could tell, hard not to really."

"Life sometimes has that." Laura threw up her hands. "You do some things you don't want to, because it's the right thing to do."

"But you don't have to, not anymore. Don't feel like pants today? Who's going to stop you?" Eris waggled her rump. "Cry and moan, little prudes, because I'm going for a walk and letting it all hang out."

"That's just being a kid." Laura crossed her arms under her chest. "I won't do it. I'm an adult, dammit. Great powers, responsibilities, yadda yadda. Now get out of my way. I have to get up and clean this mess you made."

"You made it," noted Eris, twirling upside down. "You were so eager to remind me that you are me, which means I am you, so we both made a mess."

"Great, so I'll fix our mess. Either way, shove off!"

"Not happening." Eris was on her, rubbing her cheek to Laura's. "You pushed me down for so long, didn't let me come out. Repressed feelings aren't healthy, didn't anyone teach you that?"

"You admitted you are me!" Laura moaned out, stomping in place.

"And so did you, but you're not living it." She put her hands to her cheeks, making kissy faces. "You aren't Lauren anymore."

"Well I won't be Eris!" she snapped back, turning half away with her head alone. "That isn't what I want."

"Well, then what do you want?" Eris waggled a claw up and down at Lauren. "That's probably not happening. You're not going back to that life any time soon."

I, both of mes, were dimly aware that our friends were talking about us. Not due to any special sense. They were literally seated next to us. We were just deep inside our own head, arguing it out. They were talking, but neither of me could pick out the words, just that they were talking.

Lauren threw up a hand. "What's up with that, in specific? The whole 'I can't understand you' thing is annoying as hell."

"No real argument there," confessed Eris. "We might have stressed a few little things while springing them out..."

"Will it get better?"

"I dunno, will you?" Eris shrugged as she drifted around Lauren. "First you have to get better, dummy, then that can start to get better. You are a creature of raw potential, of chaos manifest! What are you going to be? And don't say Lauren. Lauren isn't that."

"But I'm not chaos either," she sank down onto a chair that hadn't been there a moment before, but it was her thoughts. She could have a chair if she wanted one. "Hey, wait, what did you say?"

"Raw potential? Chaos manifest?" Eris shrugged. "Why?"

"That first one." Lauren smiled, a genuinely warm expression to break up the others. "That's me. I like that. I want to be a source, of good things, of new things." Lauren brought her hands together in a sharp clap. As she brought them apart, toys and gadgets began to rain to the ground, creating a swift pile of electronic debris. "I felt so good, making things."

"And who was that?" asked Eris with a slowly arching white brow. "You were using my power while shoving me in a hole. I'm not going back there, it stinks."

"My brain is nice and clean," argued Lauren, only to be given a raised brow. "Hey look, I only browsed that once." Lauren crossed her arms. "Look, just sit down and let's figure this out. Neither of us want to be cooped up in here when there are things to do."

"Well, now at least you're being civil. Still, I'll float. I like it better anyway." Eris twirled, arms extended to either side. "You know you have fun as me."

"And people get hurt and I do things to regret later," she argued back, sitting back against her chair.

"Like it or not, you're mostly me." Eris gestured to herself. "This is your body, and it's a nice one, admit it. We're a sexy slice of noodle."

"When we're not randomly shifting along the zoo's lineup," bitterly noted Laura.

"Small details. Either way, I'm not wrong." Eris wobbled a hand in the air. "Admit it. You like it."

"I do like being mobile," confessed Lauren. "I like the twitchy ears. I don't especially like when fur gets itchy, which it loves to do."

Eris pulled free a back scratcher and began running it over her own back vigorously. "But then you get to take care of... mmm... it, and that feels good."

Lauren laughed, a moment of levity. "You're not wrong there..."

"So you're me," She hiked a thumb at herself, her other limbs spreading wide in a joyful stance. "Welcome to Eris land, population, us!"

"Not so fast." Lauren tapped at the armrest firmly. "I said I wasn't going to be Eris, and I meant it!"

"But you aren't Lauren," noted Eris flatly. "If you aren't either, then what are you?"

The two met eyes, locking gazes as if they were both challenging the other, dueling minds clashing with visible sparks dancing between the both of them.

But then I understood. "I am Eri." Sure, I had only lopped one little letter off, but the smile on my fuzzy face was genuine. That was my name, what I'd accept, what I had given to me, and also not a goddess of mischievous trouble and causer of the Troy fiasco.

There was only one of me left in that dark place. Both sides were inside me, wanting their things as a part of me. I wanted to run wild, and be responsible, and protect my friends and make things and experiment with chaotic magic and...

Get some sleep.

I awoke to day 21. There were one presence pressing against me, though they were doing it twice at the same time. Cindy was hugging me close in their arms, and also prodding me with what a male horse has. It was charming, and lewd, all at the same time. It helped that he was asleep. Not like guys could control that while snoozing.

I rolled against him, ending up on top of him with that little guest pinned between us. "Hey," I whispered, just realizing then that I could speak. A good night's sleep was so helpful! "Hey, Cindy..."

"Not Cindy," he mumbled, eyes opening to witness me atop him. "Lore!"

"Not Lore," I fired back with a smirk. "And I already told you that, but it ain't Eris either, so I'll let it pass."

"Shining Armor," he introduced, moving his hands to grab my hips and gently squeeze. "And what is your name, enchanting woman?"

"Eri." I inclined my head. "You seem calm today... Where's Starlight, what'd I miss?"

He ground his hips upwards, running sensitive bits through the soft fur of my belly. "I could get very used to waking up like this... Starlight snuck off in the middle of the night, said she had to report in." He lifted an ear, still rubbing at me with his hands. "Feeling better? You look better, sound it too."

"You're lucky I'm just not open for business unless I want to be." Not entirely true, but close enough. Still, I was so happy to be back in one piece, I wasn't angry at Shining's morning amorousness. "You do know we're being watched, recorded, and almost assuredly judged, right?"

"Let 'em," he laughed off. "We're a thing, right? They can know that."

We were a thing? I supposed it was hard to directly argue that. "When did you become an exhibitionist?"

"When it stopped being an option not to be?" He shrugged a little, but did start to wriggle upright. "Still, bathroom first."

I let him go, floating up and twirling in place to the camera. "I'm going to do today's update, sorry about yesterday. You know what happened there."

"She's just going to do a morning update, like nothing happened?" asked who I thought was the head honcho?

"She's a psycho, I warned you!" raved the scientist I hadn't turned into a pony but had threatened the idea.

"She finds comfort in routines. Her disrupted routine is the cause of most of the 'issues' of the last few days," argued Miller, typing diligently. "Thank you for giving her time to recover. It worked perfectly. Intact and re-balanced, she is eager to resume those routines."

I could feel the boss leaning forward, but couldn't see them. They were typing and all. "She caused a severe increase in the rate of Ponid infections. Thomas is in remedial therapy and is likely to be let go on permanent disability as a result of this, to say nothing of the condition of the rest of the affected staff."

Coward piped up, "It's a miracle Thomas isn't infected!"

"It's a miracle Thomas isn't dead," added a new person. "Do you have any idea what the paperwork on that looks like? At least Ponid-related infections were already thoroughly covered. Being reduced to a swarm of ants? How do you even start on that."

I could see they were still typing. "They are a force to be reckoned with, but not an evil one. They didn't ask me before operating--" HR Lady?! "--but the results were clear after the fact. If I could talk to her personally, I would have quite a few words for her, but they would end with 'Thank you.'" Aw... You're welcome, HR Lady.

Miller was typing, "It seems clear to me. She can help, or get in the way, and the choice is literally ours. Which will it be?"

I hit send, firing off reports for both days, my focus slipping back into the present with my job done. "Hey, Millie." I didn't expect a response, nor got one. "Tell HR Lady she's welcome. She must be feeling alright, if she's typing with you guys..." I set the laptop aside and heard the bathroom door close. "Shining?"

"If you want a turn." He hiked a thumb behind himself as he clopped towards me, wearing a towel. "All free."

"Thanks." I took his hand when he got close enough and squeezed it before continuing to speak at not-him. "Starlight deserves a raise, by the way. She never gave up, even when I had. Does she even get paid?" Besides inter-floor wandering rights, that was. "Pay her if not. She's doing good work!"

I pulled Shining's hand, propelling myself. He went with it, twirling with me and sending me flying towards the bathroom. I laughed as I soared through the air, casually noclipping through the door and landing on my mismatched feet to get to work preparing for the day.

"You know what? It's time I started expressing myself more." I ran a finger along my brows, coloring them bright rainbow hues. "Today, rainbows!" I shook myself down, then stepped into the shower. "But who knows what tomorrow will bring."

I ran hands all over my strangely inhuman body, but it was my body, and I felt pretty alright with it. It was even better when it was clean! I began to sing a little song as I thought about the last few days and how it went. "Millie, if you can hear me, feel free to send another invoice." I paused a moment. "If you want to sign me up for a therapy license test, I could help the people I gave rough lessons to." An ear twitched, sending water flying. "That last one, was she guilty?"

I emerged from the shower and shook off even as I reached for a towel to finish the job. There, on the big mirror that filled the wall, I could see my face, one eye bright yellow, the other nice and human white. I was both, and that was alright. "If they weren't involved, in hurting Shining, I owe them an apology. I wasn't quite myself."

I dried, then got to powdering lightly and curling my lashes, not that they had given me either of those tools, and not that it mattered to me. "I do hope you're listening."

"Yep," came Shining's reply. "Though I am wondering who you're talking to. Pretty sure it's not me, girl."

"This is a no stallion zone," I called out in a half sing-song. I emerged from the bathroom and showed my displeasure by giving him a big hug that he returned without delay. "Thanks for not running and screaming into the night."

"Thanks for coming back to us." He set me down on my feet, patting my on the head. "And for being awesome. I always figured I would be the one showing you things you don't expect."

"Pretty sure you still have that chance," I assured. "Soon as we get out of here. I owe you a concert, don't forget."

That was when he threw me on the bed. With clear eyes and a big smile, he did what he had been waiting so long to do. Won't lie, I enjoyed it. We didn't explode the universe with sex so good it defied definition, but I liked it, and he liked it, and I made sure to leave him a good Yelp review afterwards.

He got five stars for snuggling and nuzzling afterwards. Ponies were good at nuzzles, pony people counted, and we gently touched our sensitive snouts, sharing breath and hugging tightly. I didn't imagine I'd one day be doing that with Cindy, but maybe I should have seen it coming with Shining Armor.

I couldn't think of too many reasons to complain.

"Knock Knock!" came a sang voice, the door opening. "Your favorite unicorn is here with good news."

"Starlight," we both called at the same time, sitting up.

"Don't let me interrupt." She came into view, an envelope floating beside her in her magic. "I pulled a few strings."

Shining peered at her. "You sound like you were up to no good."

"Who, me?" She turned a hoof to point at herself. "Perish the thought. I just reminded the board what the head manager's been up to." She leaned forward, smile growing. "They were quite curious about the report..." Starlight tossed her head, sending the letter sailing in a toss.

I grabbed it from the air and sliced it open. "What did you do?"

Inside was, to put it mildly, a job offer. "What?"

Starlight sat on her haunches. "Well, you are not qualified to do a lot of things, but management? Turns out there aren't a lot of required licenses for that. They want your eyes." She slowly rolled a hoof. "On the whole thing. They want you at the top, managing things. Not being the scientist, you aren't one of those. But you are uniquely capable of addressing problems across the facility."

My fingers dug into the paper, arms shaking a bit. "You're kidding..."

Starlight inclined her head faintly. "Don't like the idea?"

"No! I mean, yes! I..." I threw the paper aside and dropped to my knees, hugging Starlight close, not that she complained one bit. "You adorably clever little horse! Now, explain something... Why is the board so willing to forgive someone that... just finished doing what I did?"

Starlight rolled a hoof. "I told them. There was no point in lying. You spotted a plethora of violations in the protocols set way ahead of time and you jumped into action." She turned her hoof to lean her head on it. "Nothing could stop you until you had it all in order. Also!" She turned that hoof upright and thrust it into the air. "You're stuck here, with the rest of us, so your loyalty is pretty solid."

"What... about the old manager, who's probably watching this?" There were multiple people watching us, I could feel it, but couldn't rip them apart and figure out which one was witch. "I can't imagine he's happy about this idea."

"Tough apples." She rolled her eyes and pointed to one of the room cameras. "Check your email. You're a floor director now, under Lauren Keibin!"

"My name changed," I noted.

Starlight waved that away. "We can update the paperwork, that's the least of our problems. Eris, do you accept this job?"

"Eri," I corrected with a little smile. "And I do. I'll do the best I can."

"Fantastic." Starlight began to clop her hooves. "Sign that paper you just threw and I'll get it back to the board. It'll be a pleasure serving under you, ma'am." She saluted sharply, barely hiding a snicker.

"Yes! No more lies, just the two of us, doing our best, and possible the best playtime ever. Score!" came her mental voice.

Ugh, knowing what I didn't need to know was getting trying. It was time to fix that, but not with a silly Discord thing or an Eris thing. No, a Lauren solution, er, an Eri solution! I flicked my hands, unfolding glasses that hadn't been there a moment before. Slipping them gently onto my snout, I blinked through them. I could only see what was in front of me, and could only hear what my ears picked up. They were glasses of mundane vision, at least +2.

As a positive side effect, I felt like I looked way more like a proper manager sort. "Time to celebrate, who wants some Arby's?"

Both Shining and Starlight peered at me oddly. Not that this stopped me from reaching into the nothing and fishing out a bag full of salty, fried, goodness. I flicked a $20 through the same hole to pay for what I took and set down the bonanza of fries. "Eat up!"

Starlight's horn glowed as she floated out a small bag of fries to start sampling from. "Mmm, been a while since I had these fresh... Okay, so, real talk, sign the paper and I'll get galloping back with it. After that, remember, you're in charge, so you have to set a good example." She pointed to the very bag she was eating from. "Which means keeping our cooties to ourselves."

"I promise, not a single bit of Ponid was involved." I raised a hand over my chest before grabbing a handful of fries, mmmm. Soon I had the paper signed, several times. There was not just one line that needed it. They also needed my identification information and what not. I was being hired, and that needs documents. Fortunately, drawing out my social security card was easy. While I was at it, I yanked a passport whose picture matched me perfectly. I had bought the passport fair and square! I just had a change of appearance...

That reminded me. With Starlight rushing off to deliver the paper, I pulled my laptop over and started filling out online forms. "Official name change request..." Sure, it had to be handed in at a court, but I could get around that. Not like Space was really much of a barrier...

I filled it diligently, signing the document and plugging in the information. I hit print without remembering that the computer wasn't connected to a printer. I made little printing noises and held my hand beside it, accepting the paper as it came out. "Now to mail this..." I stuffed it in an envelope I decided was there, but I didn't create a stamp.

USPS needed my support. I paid for a stamp like a good citizen, then the envelope vanished, whisked away to where it could finish the mailing process. "And off it goes!" I set the computer back down and flew up and around, facing the bed with Shining on it. "So, what's your job?"

"Huh?"

"I'm the facility manager, I got that. Starlight is a trouble patient liaison, and she's good at it." I counted fingers as I went. "What do you do?"

"Girl, that ain't funny." Oh, he pouted so cutely. "I'm still getting over this Ponid thing. Give--"

The door suddenly slammed open, several sets of feet rushing in. I was ready for them to come around the corner, but they didn't. They just shot through the wall. Who does that? Seriously? Who? I wasn't expecting that!

But I wasn't punched full of holes either. A bright shield was around me and the bed. Most of the room was covered in a shimmering hemisphere that reflected the incoming bullets, denying them entry. Shining was concentrating, their horn flared bright. "Good boy," I purred. "Think I found a bodyguard." Job, found!

I ceased to be, appearing behind the group of men. "You're interrupting," I sternly chastised them. "Also, I'm the boss, so shooting at me isn't a good way to get a positive performance review."

They wheeled around to get their guns into view, but I made a nice grand sweep of a leonine paw, sending the guns skidding away. "Cut that out. Pretty sure firing those isn't even legal. HR, could you look into that? Now, since I'm being elevated to management of the facility, I have to do things by the book too, so no pony time for you." I raised a brow at them. "Unless you want that?"

None of them volunteered, but one seemed just a touch unsure, and I had to smile. "Alright, shoo shoo." I looked to that one outlier. "Except you, let's talk."

Would they be the first new patient of my facility? I was willing to listen.

Author's Notes:

THE END, except not. The patron would like this story to continue. The tone will shift. New patients will get camera time, and Eri will watch from above like a good noodle.

The old boss tries a hail mary to keep his position in a super illegal way, but Eri and Shining handle it professionally!

Join the special community of folks who like my stories and/or get your own here at atreon!

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22 - Like a Boss

The tale of how I grappled with my transition was, by and large, done. I was Eri, and Eri's a neat person, at least so I say. Eri isn't exactly Lauren, but Lauren isn't Lauren from just a few years back. She isn't dead, promise, just changed, as we all do.

I was typing busily, finishing a report on the facility. "Most things are in order."

Most things.

The floor bosses that had run into me and experienced my anger still remembered me, and they weren't happy. Mister could-have-been-a-cute-pony was certain I was still itching to ponify him. I'll admit, part of me was, if only to calm him down. He ran a floor decently, and the people under his care didn't have a lot of complaints. Besides, he was a trained scientist. He would stay.

The one that had tried to kill me... Man. I'm sure you're already wondering why he's still working there. For one, Cindy being beat up wasn't his idea. The guards took that lunge without him, thinking it was some hot shot way to get back at me, which he had forbidden, trying to get at me. He wasn't a total moron. He knew trying to come at me directly would have caused a huge problem, so he told them not to do that.

So they went after Cindy, er, Shining Armor. That was their mistake, their last mistake as a human for most of them. A lot of the guards I'd rampaged through weren't even directly involved. Some of them didn't even know it was happening. I did feel a little bad for them. I didn't turn them back though. Did that make me a bad person?

But you're still wondering how that led up to trying to kill me. He told the guards it was my fault, all of it. Every one of their number I had left as confused ponies, his loss of his position, all my fault. I mean, he wasn't entirely lying there. I did do it. Not much to argue about it. Either way, he made it sound like I was some monster to be crushed, for their honor or whatever.

"Boss?" A pony set her head on my knee, looking up at me with big cute eyes. I reached down and scratched behind her ears gently, which just made her smile. "Hey. Starlight wanted me to let you know she was greeting a trouble patient on floor six." I nodded at the pony, once a guard, one who had actually asked me to plunge him deep into ponid, right past the usual steps, to rearrange his body. He was a small pony, female, by the name of Silver Spoon. "Shining said he's secured the place up tight." Her tail was wagging eagerly, looking at me like an affectionate pet as much as any person, though I knew she was a person.

"Thanks for the update." I trailed a finger along the middle of ear, which never failed to get a shiver from her, a weak spot of hers. "Say, how's the new you treating you?"

Silver tilted her head. "Hm? Oh, like, I love it." She raised a hoof to her chest. "I get a new lease on life, and I'm... this." She threw her hooves wide. "I miss fingers sometimes, but these hooves are surprisingly good at it once you get used to it, Boss, Sir."

I was her boss, it was true, but I felt... more possessive than that. Her happiness was my, what, responsibility? I had helped them get to that point. "Good to hear it. Go get yourself some lunch and say hi to the girls." She cheered and charged off to find the other young ponies, likely to frolic and play until she was needed.

I called up a video chat. It rang twice before a dour expression appeared. He didn't dare hide from the camera with his boss. Bottom floor man, he was the one that set me over the edge, and called the fury of the real bosses down. "How are they recovering?"

"Poorly," came the curt reply. "We had to let the one you shattered go entirely. We'll be paying on that for as long as they live."

That was a pity. Part of me considered reaching in there and 'fixing' it, but I didn't like reaching into heads. I loved creating new things, or modifying things, but not minds, not brains. Those were... special... "Thank you for doing your best. The others?"

"Cut the idle chat," he groused, scowling so heavily. "I'll send reports regularly, as usual. Nothing unexpected has happened."

"Let's move to the future," I prompted, ignoring his outburst. "We need replacement guards, and they need to be responsive to the needs of the patients. We don't need rogue cops, we need--"

"--babysitters."

"Well, yes." I raised a brow. "These are people in vulnerable states. They need comfort and support, not macho warriors. Is that in your skillset, yes or no?"

"I'm not quitting." He slapped his hands down on the desk. "You had your chance to get rid of me, now you're stuck with me."

I smiled at his defiance. "I look forward to your work." I hit the end call button, confident he was inspired into action.

I flicked through the cameras. "Let's see how Starlight is doing."

"Hey," interrupted another voice, a furry hand wrapping around me, arms following as Shining Armor squeezed gently. "How are you feeling?"

"I could ask the same. Ponid all the way gone?"

"I told you." He kissed one of my fuzzy ears, making it dance. "Right after that last attack, felt better, and I got a sweet tat for it." He inclined his rump. The rump was not exposed, but he had it added to his clothes, the shield mark he had on both of his butts. "Fits what I did pretty well."

"My hero," I admired with a little laugh, twirling the chair around. He sat down in my lap and soon we were snuggling on the company dime, hugging. "I hear you have things secure?"

"Yep." He pointed up to his horn. "Not a single thing coming or going without our permission." He touched his nose to mine, our breath mingling as he began to nuzzle gently. "Even you'd have to ask nicely to get out."

"Is that a challenge?" I hiked a brow, doubting that he could keep a noodle that tried from getting in, or out. "You're cute when you're confident."

Our lips met in a soft exchange, only broken when he spotted something on the screens. "Hey, there's Starlight."

"Look... Starlight?"

"That's me." She had her award winning smile on. "Feeling better?"

"No." He crossed his arms over his chest. "I lost it, a thing I didn't think about most of the time, but I really want it back."

She inclined her head, eyes wandering over him. "What would that be?" Her eyes delayed on his forming hooves, his hands and feet already gone, becoming cloven hooves. Not ponies, not griffons... something else? He had a horn, like a unicorn, but it was bent.

"My junk," he casually corrected. "When I came here, when I agreed to be part of phase 3, I didn't know 'junk removal' was a possible side effect!"

Starlight spread her hooves slowly. "You are exactly why we need to go through the phases, to make sure other people don't run into these side effects un--"

"--How does that help me?!" he roared, flames erupting from his eyes. "Are you going to fix that, or is this just another case of 'shoulda read the fine print!'" He was on his feet, er hooves, fuming and angry.

Starlight made little placating motions with a hoof. "Calm down, you'll get--"

"--don't you dare say used to this." He threw a cloven hoof wide before he fell forward awkwardly, body half combusted as he struggled to rise again. "I'm feeling things I never felt before."

"If you need help with... womanly things." Starlight kept her voice nice and even, speaking calmly despite the rage being shown.

"Not that kind of thing," roared the confused patient. "I had anxieties before I got here and they've only, what, tripled! I can't stop thinking about the things going wrong, big or small."

"Hey, I've been there," she assured. "A lot of us have. No sour feelings, promise. Ponid is--"

"--That's a stupid name." He waved at her suddenly. "Am I going to get big horse boobs like you?"

Starlight colored. However professional she was about most things, attention to that part of her anatomy always seemed to get right to her. "Are you... hoping for, or against?"

"I'm not like that," he suddenly spat, his fires dying out in a rapid gutter. "Shit, sorry, sorry... I don't normally get all worked up about things." He sank down onto his chair, sighing loudly. I'm just... angry... And I don't even know what at."

"Well, there is the sudden gender reassignment you didn't request," offered Starlight. "It's entirely acceptable to be upset about that. Being upset is normal."

"Being upset won't make it go away." He leaned forward, looking Starlight over all the more intently. "I'm a guy. I don't need boobs at all, but nobody asked me... so, all the lady ponies get them or not?"

Starlight rolled a hoof slowly in the air. "Well, yes, the adults. Some are big, some are small. Mine are on the, uh... larger side." She coughed softly into the same hoof. "With any luck, you'll be in the normal range, so we can get you--"

"A bra, like you?" The flames around his brows burst up, eyes going white. "I should never need a set of bras in my life!"

"Some mares just don't ever wear them. I need them because I'm... you know, large." Starlight shook her head, watching him work up. "I can come back later, if you need a moment to vent."

"I don't know what I feel," he admitted, sounding small and vulnerable despite the obvious anger burning visibly. "When does it stop?"

"About two weeks from the onset," advised Starlight. "Then you're all changed. Three weeks and the mental stuff is done too. You're a special case, you know."

"I'd rather not be." He put his hooves on his face. "What even am I? I don't look like any of the others."

"You have hooves," reasoned Starlight. "Good enough for me. You're welcome here, promise."

Starlight sank against a panel. "He is a mess," she admitted.

"I saw that," I agreed. "But he hasn't shut you out. You're more vital than before."

"Like somepony else I remember." She stuck out her tongue a little. "Did you see their tail?"

"Actually no." I hadn't reviewed personal tapes. That was mostly for the floor manager. Speaking of... "What does Tom think of him?"

Starlight threw up her hooves. "I haven't the foggiest. That guy only cares that people have what they physically need. Don't get me wrong, he's good at that. Nopony on this floor suffers a lack of supplies. A+! But when it comes to the mentals, he's very hands off. This isn't the ideal floor for an emotionally heavy patient."

Well, that was good... "What about Millie? He's gotten better."

"He had," she sighed out. "But it isn't fair to lump all the trouble cases on him either. Besides, Tyrone's settling, just not all a once." She sank down, smiling a me through that intercom. "I think they'll talk, and adapt." She raised a finger. "The less we try to nudge, the better it will be."

"Just working through my feelings," came a melodious tune from around the corner. Starlight glanced that way and back to me, but it kept right on going. "Didn't ask for these proceedings, but maybe it's for the best. I can pass this test..." The music became more focus on notes, rising and lowering.

Starlight leaned in. "That's something I forgot to mention. He's not a usual transition, part of why they called me. He's not growing the usual parts at the usual speed and he's already in the hold of song magic and he isn't even done yet. The worst you had was being swept up in a number or two, not bursting into your own jingles without warning." She flipped an ear back. "Poor guy, well, girl."

I swayed a hand to the beat of the song that could still be heard. "They carry a good tune. Star, I know you can handle this as she--"

"About that." Starlight pointed into her camera, at Eri. "You could skip past this, get them in their new form at least."

"And I won't."

"And you won't," sighed out Starlight. "Can you remind me why not? I know you can. Hay, one of your proud converts is skulking around your office."

"Hay!" came the voice of Silver Spoon, just getting back.

"Nailed it," declared Star, looking smug in her victory. "So, why not?"

"Because, for one, researching how Ponid works is what we're here for." I wriggled fingers at the camera. "If I mess with it, that throws all the variables off and how will we actually learn? Now, if they need anything, I'm happy to help."

Starlight quirked a smile. "When did you become a scientist?"

"I'm in charge of making sure a whole building of them are on the right course," I reminded. "Now, I'm not rated for proper scientisting, but I can, at least, avoid making it harder for them." I casually reached through the screen, tapping Starlight right on her cute little snoot. "Now, ask nicely, and we can do that sort of play, later, in private and off the records."

Her cheeks lit up even as she backed up a step. She was obviously not expecting my through-screen boop, her mistake. "Hey... um, not going to say no. I'm just worried, for them."

"And that's what makes you so good at your job." I leaned forward, head resting on my palms. "Not joking, you take each patient in your care, total care. I never felt safer than when you were right there next to me."

"Speaking of that." She glanced off. "I'm going to see if they want a bit more company." She waved and trotted away without properly ending the call, so I did it for them. Starlight was busy doing what she did well.

"She works hard," noted Shining, who had never left. "Hey!"

Silver danced back, looking up at him with a big not-so-innocent grin. Shining reached, shoving her back. "Not my speed, little filly. Don't care how old you are upstairs, you're riding the body of a little thing. Finish growing first."

She tittered and looked instead to me. "I just wanted to be small and innocent, to not... to put all that behind me, the violence, the... macho everything. People used to look at me and they assumed, they always assumed. The way I looked, what was the other option?"

I tapped her on the end of her nose. "There's always a choice. Most don't unlock the secret 'become a small filly' option, but you went the extra mile, congratulations." She pressed forward, nuzzling my hand like an affectionate cat. I gently returned the gesture, petting over her almost purring little body. "You really like your new you, don't you?"

"Love it." Silver Spoon pointed up at her face. "I can just be... nice, and, like, nobody thinks that's weird. I can be... touchy, and people think it's cute instead of horrifying." She reached up to adjust her glasses. "Even these add to me looking less... scary. I like not being scary."

Shining's brows fell together. "It's cute until you touch certain places."

Silver looked to me. "If you call dibs, I won't argue it." Her little eyes half-lidded. "You made me, pretty sure you can unmake it. High mistress, I will obey."

That was, perhaps, a bit too on the nose for god worship. "Obey this, if someone says no, that means no. Adult, filly, doesn't matter. You made your intent clear, and they turned it down." I tapped two clawed fingers together with a smirk. "Harassment is a serious thing, so let's not go down that road."

"Oh fine..." She glanced away and back at Shining. "I'd just like to be held by somepony with fingers. I want to be pet and massaged. I bet you give way better ones than most ponies could dream of." Her eyes were on his fingers, imagining what hedonistic pleasures they could bring.

"Dibs," I called with utter finality.

"Aw." Silver Spoon did turn away as commanded. "Going back on duty." She trotted off, little filly on patrol. She was still part of the guard force, despite her small stature.

"Strange filly." He pulled up a second chair to set next to me instead of trying to park himself on me. "I'm not into that pedo stuff, even if there's a technicality."

And yet, maybe she was... They were, by all definitions, over 21. I put the thought out of my mind. That wasn't my problem precisely. I flicked through the cameras to find Starlight. She was knocking on a door.

"Derek?" she called gently. "Wanna talk? Have you eaten today?"

The door opened an inch, permitting a mildly snouted face to peek out at her. "I think I need a bath."

Starlight blinked rapidly. "Well, I won't stop you from having one of those."

"My back!" Derek suddenly spat out. "How do I... god, I feel so useless."

"I suggest a shower." Starlight gently nudged the door. "If you like, I can help."

Derek backed up, allowing her to come in. "There aren't a lot of ways to help someone take a shower. All wet, so wet," he began to sing. "How do you help me, I don't know yet." He swallowed, stamping the urge to continue the song. "Seriously, what are you offering?"

Her horn glowed, grabbing a brush from the shower and yanking it over to float in her magic. "I can reach those scales. I'll give them a nice little brush, make them sparkle. Speaking of that, how do they feel?"

"Still itchy." He reached awkwardly to scratch at his own back. "Having... You know what, sure, fine." He reached for the door, slapping it with a cloven hoof to close before heading towards the shower. "A girl can watch another girl shower. That's not that strange."

Starlight trailed after him(?). "Oh, you're alright with being a girl now?"

"No... but it is what I am," she admitted. "Some hairy lady named Derek." She smirked a bit, stepping into the bathroom. "At least I got a handle on walking on hooves." She leaned left and right, testing that balance as her cloven hooves supported her. Starlight's eyes drifted to the displayed tail, still small, with a big tuft at the end and some fluff leading towards it.

"Why do you hide that?" she asked. "Your tail, I mean. It's... interesting." Starlight flicked her own. "Mine is basically just a waggy stick with straw on it. Yours is all... ornamented. I like it." She hurried forward, nipping at one of his dark brown fur tufts on his otherwise pale green furred legs. "Here too. Your fur is so... neat, for lack of better words."

She darkened, stepping into the shower. "I didn't ask for this," she sang, just to cough suddenly, avoiding finishing the ditty. "Seriously, I was happy as a normal human guy."

Shining leaned in from the side. "Are we going to watch her take a shower? Seems a bit skeevy."

Well, shoot. He wasn't wrong. I dismissed the view and leaned back a little, considering a moment before I turned, swiveling back to start typing busily. "Hey, HR Lady." Yes, I knew her name, and yes, I did say the words as I typed them. "How are things? I was just checking to see how things were going, any complaints I should know about? We're on the same team, so just checking in."

I could see her typing a reply on the chat program. "I'm just fine, recovered from your intensely illegal, if appreciated after the fact, surgery. Just to remind, operating on people without their consent, to speak nothing of your lack of medical license, could get you in a lot of trouble outside of the most dire emergency situation." Well, shoot... Why did people keep saying things I didn't like that were also annoyingly true? "I think morale is climbing slowly. Perhaps ironically, your presence has been a sign of stability. Besides, people didn't like your predecessor all that much. By the way, you are still authorized to fill work orders."

Ah, right, the work orders. "Any idea if there are any pending?"

"Always. We know you've been settling into your new position," came her typed reply. "But I'm HR, so that's outside my field of view. Reach out to warehousing and they'll be glad to get you a list of what needs restocking. Just remember, nothing that is applied to people or goes inside them, and you should be fine."

"You are just the best," I sang out as I typed it.

Shining put a hand on my shoulder. "Go on. You had a lot of fun when you were doing those."

Making things? I rated that a lot higher than admin work. "Oh, sure, pin my arm behind my back." I smirked as I got to typing out a request for a new list to work. "Does it bother you? I mean, my settling into corporate work with a little swan dive?"

"Girl, you were like this before you got the pelt." He reached under my chin, scratching gently just the way I liked it. "If I didn't like that part, I would have moved on way before now. You still owe me that concert though."

"Concert, One(1)," I read off as if it were on the upcoming invoice. "I didn't forget. As soon as we're allowed to, we're going to make that happen." A thought came to me, "Hey, since Derek has the song magic all deep inside, maybe they'll just like performing. As they settle in, we should check on that, maybe letting them give a show would cheer them up, and get us a little in-house concert."

"Clever," admitted Shining, nipping at my closer ear. "That won't count as the one you owe me. If my ears don't hurt at least a little from hundreds of people in a tight space, it isn't legit."

I typed a quick email to Starlight for her to notice later, bringing up the idea. Starlight had a closer look at Derek. She'd know if it was a horrible idea or not. How different things would have been if other doctors had just listened to her as she tried her best to do right by me.

"Now... you've finished your rounds?"

"Every one." He raised a finger to tap his horn. "One truck came in, on the schedule, I let it past. One of our pegasi tried to fly off, hit the wall."

I cringed at the mental image. "They alright?"

"Dizzy, but they didn't break anything," he assured. "They pulled him back inside and gave him a chastising."

"You are the best." I patted him on the shoulder. "Now, with our duties complete for the moment... How about we relax?"

"Listen to music relax, watch a movie and relax, or... relax relax." His brows waggled salaciously.

"That last one," I agreed, a sly smirk on my face as I casually plucked him up by the nape of the neck despite him being a fairly large hunk of a human-pony. "I feel certain we can while away a few hours."

"Just a few?" he sighed as if disappointed. "A quick session it is."

Note, he was a horrible liar. Like a real horse, if you let him, he was pretty fast with the main course, but, at least, he had a lot of other ways about it, and the follow up rounds got longer and longer. I wasn't left unsatisfied.

Author's Notes:

Eri settles into her new role and position in the grand pecking order of the lab. They want to run it right!

Say hi to Derek, our new patient in need.

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23 - Hum a Few Bars

Starlight nodded appreciatively as the other pony rambled on and on. "That's a bit... dense."

Twilight inclined her head. "Oh, it is, sorry." She reached a hoof and her magic bridged the gap, bringing over a book. "But I need you to understand it, at least some of it. If only I can do it, not much has been proven. It's time to learn how to use your horn."

Starlight pointed up at hers. "I have. I'm a lot better at it than I used to be. Accident free for over a week!"

Twilight adjusted the red polo that covered her front. "Not the telekinesis. This goes further, and deeper. Look." She turned to an X-Ray on the wall of a unicorn's head, horn included. She brought a pointer in her magic, tapping at darker portions inside the horn. "These muscles allow us to control what's going on in there. Very specific motions can produce specific effects."

"But you still have something to prove," noted Starlight. "What is that?"

"I made a specific effect." She glanced over her shoulder towards Starlight. "If you can reproduce the same effect with the same internal effort, then we know it's not just a fluke. I think we're on the edge of something new, and fantastic. Magic, for lack of a better word for it. I may have discovered our first spell."

"That's great," gushed Starlight genuinely. "One thing, a tiny thing." Twilight was looking at her expectantly. "Why are you wearing that?"

Twilight looked down at her polo, then back up at Starlight. "I have no idea, but please, focus."

Derek's tail had grown longer, her legs and arms transitioned up to her torso. She scampered on two legs as often as four, but was currently seated on her haunches, looking at Starlight . "A friend?"

"Besides me," Starlight qualified. "A fellow convert to talk to. They'd like to meet you."

Derek brought her strong thighs together. "They won't make me clothes," she grumbled. "Not anymore."

"Because you're changing too quickly?" guessed Starlight.

"I'm not changing so fast a hospital gown wouldn't work," she spat, her voice sounding far more female than it had a few days before. "But when I get too... upset... I kind of light on fire, and the gowns don't like that. It's not fair!" Flames rushed over her form, fading out as quickly as it came, but if she had been wearing something...

"Well... he is a perfect gentlecolt, and changing just like you are. His eyes will be on yours, not anything past that unless you ask him to," Starlight gently assured. "Would you like to meet him? He has a horn too."

Derek smirked at that. "We are the horn club," she sang without trying before taking a soft breath and rising to all fours, the song continuing, sweeping Starlight right along into it so powerfully that both lost all track of time until they realized, at some point, a third person had joined them, a human male with a horn and hooves clearly of pony origin. He wore not a gown but a blue starry robe like a wizard that draped over his form.

Sunburst sat as the music died away. "Oh, um, hi!"

"Sunburst?" guessed Derek. He had announced it during the musical number, she remembered, gathering her wits back up. "Er, hey, why are you in my room?!" Her form exploded in fire and heat, a pool of it collecting just beneath her.

"You were singing and suddenly I was inside," he hastily explained. "I can go, if you want. I just wanted to say hi."

"Oh, yeah, hi." She crashed as the flames withered away. "Sorry, I'm... Ugh, this sucks, a lot. I'm turning into this... thing, and apparently I can mind control people? That's more than a little weird."

Starlight gestured at Sunburst. "This is Sunburst, that friend I was mentioning before. Neither of us are upset about a little song, are we Sunburst?"

"Huh? No! No..." He stroked his little beard with a hoof. "You remind me of a kirin."

Starlight and Derek both blinked at him. Derek pointed a cloven hoof at herself. "You know what I am?!"

"I'm... a little of a myth nut," he admitted with a shy smile, reaching up to adjust his glasses. "I'm a unicorn, but not a classic one. Myth unicorns look more like you, minus those tough scales. With the scales, kirin, I feel confident." He held out an arm, only the end of it fuzzy and sporting a hoof. "Proper unicorns have cloven hooves, like yours. And I don't usually have either one, but here I am."

Starlight smiled as she patted Derek on the shoulder. "Well, now we know what to call you, not that you weren't just fine without a name."

"Kirin." It was like Derek was tasting the word in her mouth. "I heard of those once before. Weren't they... magic? Like good magic." Her eyes were settled on Sunburst. "You're a myth nerd, tell me more. Make me happy to be a kirin."

Sunburst blinked owlishly behind his glasses. "Oh, well, Kirin hail from the east." He pointed a hoof in what he hoped was an Easterly direction. "They bring many things, good fortune, acting as heralds of coming good events, fertility, protection, and success."

Derek giggled at that. "Wow! I'm a good luck charm!" She looked happy, a big grin spilling her changing face. "That's kind of great. East? Like China?"

"Exactly," he quickly agreed, reaching to rub a hoof against his chest, though his chest was still entirely human and bare of fur, a fact he noticed when he did it. "Hooves are weird."

"You're telling me?" Derek shoved a cloven hoof in his face. "Check this out."

Sunburst brought up his hooves awkwardly to hold the hoof being shoved against him. "It's, um, fascinating." His eyes wandered past. "Oh, um..." He began to color, glancing away.

Starlight saw where his eyes had made contact. Derek had moderate breasts, but they were halfway down her chest, still in the act of migrating to where equines typically held them. She coughed into a hoof softly. "Your hooves are perfectly fine."

"And strange." Derek set her hoof back down, covering the view somewhere with her arms back in the way of it and none the wiser for what she had shown off. "So... you got the Ponid too? Sorry, sucks."

"It's not, uh, all bad." He rubbed one hoof along the trim of his cloak. "I was a... It isn't like an... alien thing. On some levels, it's really kind of exciting." He looked skywards. "Starlight tells me, eventually, my horn will start working and I really will get magic." His tension seemed to ebb, thinking about future magic. "I can't wait."

Starlight gestured at Sunburst. "Oh, something else, Derek. Just in case you're feeling too strange. Sunburst here had his name come to him on the first day. Can you imagine that? All he had was changed eyes and a new name."

Sunburst blushed at being called out, but also didn't deny it. "I liked it..."

Starlight stepped over and touched her nose into his human cheek. "That was very brave of you. You must have been so confused, I can only picture it." She turned towards Derek. "You'll get a name too."

"I hope it's a good one." Derek raised a hind hoof suddenly, batting at one of her new fuzzy ears. "I like Derek."

Sunburst inclined his head. "If it's like me, you'll know it when it comes to you, it'll fit... If it doesn't fit, nobody's forcing it on you. So, uh, you light on fire. Kirin are known for their elemental connections, but not typically..." He frowned, plumbing the depths of old knowledge. "No, wait, breathing holy fire is on the--"

"--holy fire?" cut in Derek. "That is... metal." She sounded pleased.

Starlight started for the door. "You two seem to be getting along just fine. Call me if you need me, but I should get on." The two waved as she departed and she fled with a little smile, confident the two were getting along famously.

I patted a closed box. "All done." Another batch of lab supplies, down! "You were saying?"

Starlight nodded, eyes wandering over the piles of things I had assembled. "Kirin, that's what Sunburst said she was becoming, and she liked it, so I logged that as a species name suggestion, and it was accepted. So, ta da, she's a kirin."

I leaned against the pile of boxes lightly. "You look satisfied. Everything going great?"

She was perfectly happy to go over the details, which I already shared with you. "You weren't watching?"

"I don't watch you all the time, Starlight." I reached for her, gently stroking her soft mane. Ponies were so pettable, and when they liked you, it felt good for them too, so win win there. Soon she was almost purring like a cat as I worked her with my claws. "I trust you."

"I appreciate that," she sighed out, leaning against the petting and scratching. "Really, I do... You have every right to keep an eye on me, and my patients, but..."

"Been on the receiving end of that," I huffed. "I trust you'll let me know if I'm needed really badly, but mostly, I let people handle themselves. You're not prisoners, you're all... we're all patients, as I liked to remind no few times." I crossed my arms under my chest. "I'm not reversing that the instant I get a taste of power."

"Good!" She stuck out her tongue a little. "Oh, little thing... but if Derek is comfy being a girl, which I think she's becoming, she may end up doing... things... with Sunburst. Sunburst is a guy, and awkward, but also easily pushed into things. If she gets aggressive, I doubt he'll resist for long."

That brought a thought to me. "Hey, but have we had any pregnancies? I mean, we're not the randiest bunch out there, but we're far from puritans either, overall, through the lab." I raised a hand, a finger twirling. "There are natural consequences and the orders for condoms are nowhere near enough to explain it."

Starlight coughed into a hoof. "I don't remember wearing one..." She glanced away and back. "I didn't really think about that."

"We're both exactly the people that should be thinking about that," I challenged. "Now, I could cheat, but I don't... think I would."

"Again?" Starlight hiked a brow at me. "You have the power of a god, but don't use it so often."

"I was never a mother before... I'd want to experience it, properly." I moved to perch myself on a seat. "All the ups and downs, then probably just not do it again."

"Just... not do it again?" Starlight trailed after me. "I guess you could just make that decision, but it's still strange to hear... and a little sexy." She licked over her lips. "So, stupid request time you'll probably shoot right down."

"Yeah?" I watched her squirm with some question in her head, probably salacious. I'd learned to tune out thoughts without needing big headphones, which was good. I didn't want to hear what she was thinking all the time.

"I'd like you to do it." She looked me up and down. "Shining Armor is great, don't get me wrong. I like him a lot, but I want your foal. If I'm not already occupied, I'd want you to... do it."

Well, shoot. I really should have seen that coming, without mind magic. She had basically mentioned that before. It wasn't like I didn't have the power... "I wouldn't fast forward you either," I warned.

"Then we'll do it together," she brushed off. "Besides, I happen to enjoy a little pain delivered by somepony I like, and I happen to like you quite a bit, so, go ahead, make me uncomfortable." Starlight's eyes half-lidded. "Make me cry, I'll thank you afterwards."

I knew she was a well balanced adult female, and she was perfectly happy to roll over and surrender entirely to me. I reached out, scratching her cheek fluff just the way she liked it. "I could never hurt you, Starlight."

"Not directly," she sang in defiance. "But you will, and I'm ready. As was mentioned before, natural consequences. I just want to choose mine..."

There was an easy way to pause that, and I took it. "You're not in heat. Unlike a human woman, we can't just 'keep trying' and hope for the best."

"That's half the fun," she groused. "Besides, you could, snap, make me so in heat I literally competed with Derek for combustion levels."

I could do that... "But you have work to do, and you waddling around with a lady boner that won't quit sure won't help with that."

"It'd be hilarious... but no," she admitted, though it looked like she didn't want to admit that. "Well, fine, then next time we get two days off in a row, first day, you set me on fire, then we spend the rest of it dousing me down, hard." She licked over her lips meaningfully. "Then I go to work with a satisfied smile that'll have everypony asking questions."

"There is literally no way of doing this without Shining noticing."

She raised a brow. "So tell him? A healthy poly relationship requires honesty. You're letting him knock you up. You're knocking me up. Everyone's involved! One big poly family." She threw her hooves wide. "No secrets. Secrets make it all awkward. You need me to tell him? I will, don't test me!" she said as if she was threatening to shoot a hostage, a grin on her face.

I gently, but firmly, pushed her back. "I'll talk to him, promise. Still, seriously, you want to be plowed by a magical horse dong?"

"Yes?" she replied without a hint of hesitation. "It doesn't have to be a horse. You can be whatever you want. Experiment. It'll be fun for both of us." She turned and started trotting off. "Back to work for me," she sang as she went, looking happier than when she had come in.

I let her go, watching her trot away, considering what she was promising. Damn crazy woman, she wanted me to become a mom and a dad simultaneously, while running an entire crazy secret facility. And also crazy sex. Lots of that. Shoot.

I hated that I didn't immediately have a no on my lips.

"So, uh..." Sunburst rubbed his cheek with a hoof. "You were a normal person, like me, right?"

"Was," agreed Derek. "Now I'm shrinking, and all fuzzy everywhere." She moved a cloven hoof to rub at a furry arm. "And, hey, just to make it worst, I stopped being a guy." She half-lidded her eyes. "Is Derek a name that works for a girl?"

"Not really," he admitted with an awkward smile, adjusting his glasses. "Oh... do you think that'll happen to me too?"

"Hope not," she said before even noticing the tone she said it with, blushing and pushing that emotion far away. "Maybe? You'll still be you, right?"

"We'll both be here," Sunburst promised, reaching to put a hoof on her shoulder, then noticing something. "You're warm."

"Huh?"

"No, really." He let the hoof run down her arm. "You're warm, really warm. Curious. Do you feel cold?"

"Why would I feel cold? You just finished saying I was hot..." She hiked a brow at him, peering.

"Well, if you're warming, everything else should feel cooler, you know, relatively." He shrugged at that, his cloak flowing in the motion. "Sorry, not trying to bother you." He suddenly sniffled, reaching to grab a tissue. He was still in the mild stages of Ponid.

She was much further along and took the prompt to grab a tissue herself, or try. "How did you manage that with hooves?" she challenged, bits of flame wafting over her as she tried to get a better grip.

He clapped his hooves together, trapping a tissue between and raising it up. He held it in front of her and she buried her face into it, blowing a big nasty blob into it. "Oh... thanks," she sighed, sitting back with her flames dying away, the frustration ebbing with her less clogged nose. "Seriously, how?"

He looked to his hooves and waved one at her. "If you press them flat and imagine you still have fingers, inside, and clench them real tight, they can stick to things."

"Huh?" She reached out a cloven hoof and rubbed it against the topmost tissue, slowly working it out. "Hey, you're right. That's a great trick!" She grabbed the next one, wrenching it free, even if it just ended up fluttering to the ground. "I saw you looking, by the way."

He blinked rapidly. "Saw me looking at what?" he asked, nervousness rising.

"Me." Derek leaned in a little. "You're a guy, lucky you. You checked out the goods... I would have too, if I was a guy..." She raised a hoof to roll it. "God, what, am I supposed to look at guys like that? What do you even look for? How big their bulge is?"

"I... uh... Starlight probably could answer that far better than I could... sorry." He rubbed at his beard softly. "Why are you getting longer?" he chastised it.

"Hm? The goatee? Good look." She nodded softly before she realized she had stepped in it again, glancing away.

"Thanks," he accepted without realizing anything at play, an innocent boy. "I really like your tail." She colored, and that he noticed. "I mean, it's... neat."

"Yeah," she allowed, glancing at it. "It is kind of neat, isn't it." She rose up to her hooves. "Look, glad we met, really, maybe tomorrow? Today, a nap is calling me."

"Am I going to get that bad?" He stood up, taking a step towards the door. "I hear Ponid gets really rough."

"You have no idea." She hopped up onto her bed, watching him go. "See you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow." He gently shut the door behind himself. He had made a new friend. "That... went well."

"Well?" Twilight leaned forward with an expectant expression. "How are you coming along?"

"I have the first ones worked out." She concentrated, Starlight's horn glowing, that glow shifting in subtle ways. "A... B... C!" She said each part as the glow shifted. "Ta da?"

"Perfect. That's the first part down." Twilight nodded firmly. "Now that you have those, do it."

"It?"

"The spell." Twilight slapped a pointer at a hanging piece of paper that read, 'A C C A B'. "Nice and quickly. Doing it slowly causes nothing to happen but wasted time. While you play that, focus on this." She levitated a pencil over. With a loud wooden snap, she broke the pencil in half and placed it down, the two halves pressed against one another, but clearly still broken.

Starlight looked at the letters there, playing the magic letter A, then C, then back to A. "Alright, so... It'll put it back together?" Twilight hadn't told her that, but the broken pencil seemed like a hint. "Let's give it a try." She took a slow breath. "This'll be nice, if it works." She began to play the notes of magic, unheard of outside the gentle usual hum of unicorn magic.

The pencil began to shake and quiver. Then went still. "Did I do it wrong?" Starlight looked up from it to Twilight, who looked like she was holding in a joke. "Did I miss something?"

"Oh, nothing..." Twilight's magic brought over a mirror for Starlight to see.

Starlight squeaked at what she saw, a hoof rising quickly to her mane. "What did you do?!"

"Just a little spell, and you did it, technically," she coyly defended. "Still, it worked!" She brought her hooves together in a rousing clopping. "It worked! Starlight, do you know what this means?!"

"It means you will get my mane the right color right now or I will be cross with you, Twilight." Her magic grabbed Twilight by the scruff of the neck, yanking her closer. "Now."

"Hey hey hey... relax." Twilight gently pushed back at her irate friend. "It'll wear off on its own in a few minutes. Still, the effect is exactly what I experienced when I found the spell, which is important. Same spell, different pony, same effect, which is vital. Entirely, 100%, vital. Magic, we have magic." She giggled with growing excitement. "Actual magic."

Starlight's eyes fell at a flash. Adorning Twilight's flanks were new marks. "Hey, yo, Twilight. You... feeling alright?"

"Never better," she sighed out, taking a deep breath. "Huh, my cold wore off."

Starlight rolled her eyes. "That was the lingering effects of Ponid, which you were holding onto for record amounts of time, and you just threw off with the arrival of--" She grabbed Twilight's head in her magic and turned it carefully to see. "--that." She pointed for emphasis.

Twilight blinked at the sight of her mark. "Oh! Like yours." She coiled on herself. "Stars? Mmm." She raised a hoof to her chin. "Magic? I was... celebrating our achievement with magic. It's magic, or science, or collaborative achievement!" She squinted in thought. "There are multiple stars arrayed around the center. That collaborative element seems even more likely." She unwound, smiling at Starlight brightly. "Still, we did it!"

"We did do it," Starlight echoed, not as manically excited. "Next time, tell me the truth of what spell I'm practicing though if you want me to be a happy participant. I will sic Eri on you." I did hear that. It was hard to avoid hearing when people were speaking of me specifically. "And invite her to be creative."

"I promise." Twilight rose and trotted towards a book. "Now I just need to start finding other spells, confident that they can be replicated. Oh! We should try sharing the spell we do know to others." She looked over her shoulder at Starlight. "You have contact with many more unicorns, share the spell? It's harmless, making it great for a first spell."

Starlight peered at the reflection of her discolored mane. "Mostly harmless... But I will tell them what to expect at least. I will not lose trust in patients for your cause, Twilight. And you shouldn't want that either."

"That wasn't the intention." Twilight waved it away. "It was a practical joke, with a friend I trust."

Starlight smiled a little. "Well, if that was the intention... I can accept it as that. It is a little funny, now that I know it'll wear off." She reached out and booped Twilight. "But not a joke I will be repeating."

"Not angry anymore?" She smiled a little nervously.

"Aw, no." She wrapped a leg over Twilight and pulled her in. The two shared a nice friendly hug a moment before Starlight slid back. "Keep me posted, and no sharing spells until you throw it past me. Depending on what you find, we may not want some of those spells ever being shared." I could imagine a few spells that sharing around the lab would cause all kinds of trouble.

The question was if there was a limit to it. There was no limit to me, but I wasn't a unicorn, so there was only one of me, thank goodness, right? Unicorns we had a lot of, so if they had a worrying spell, we could get into a lot of trouble really quickly. Starlight was doing things right by keeping it quiet until they were sure it was safe.

I'd agree with her, later. For that moment, I had gotten myself distracted, and Starlight was not talking about me, so tuning back in wasn't something that happened by accident. I respected her privacy enough to not tune back in. She did tell me later what happened though.

Author's Notes:

Developments continue. I do like this setting. Hi Sunburst!

Join the special community of folks who like my stories and/or get your own here at atreon!

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24 - Warmhearted

"I keep shrinking!" huffed Derek, tail lashing. "Why aren't you shrinking as much?"

Sunburst turned a hoof on himself, the fur going all the way up to his shoulder, his hind legs equally changed. He had progressed to the point that he could sit on his haunches, which he was doing. "I am shrinking," he assured. "But, I'm told, males shrink a bit less than females, and you were a guy to start, so..."

"So there's more shrinking to do," she huffed, flames licking as if she were ready to combust, but she was fighting it. "Still unfair." Her horn began to glow as she grabbed a tissue from a box from across the room and it flew towards her needy nose.

"Hey." Sunburst's eyes followed the glowing napkin. "Since when could you do that?"

"Huh?" She dropped the napkin out of surprise. "Woah." She pointed at it and raised her hoof, the napkin coming with the motion, glowing again. "Cool..."

Sunburst began to clap softly. "Congratulations!" Then he sneezed, barely having enough time to turn his face away from Derek before it happened. "Really..." He staggered to grab a tissue for himself. "Oh, man, Ponid sucks."

"I'll drink to that." Not that either of them were drinking. "I think I'm gonna... pass out."

"Good idea."

She hopped up onto her bed and curled there. The bed jostled lightly as another form hopped on it and thumped down into a curl next to her. "Silly boy," she sang out. "Don't you have your own bed?"

"My bed is all the way over there," he said through a sniffle. "G'night."

"Good night..." She didn't have the heart to chase him away. Besides, it felt kinda nice to have him there, pressed against her back. She closed her eyes with a little smile. Sleep buddies!

"Guess who has two days off," sang Starlight, her tail wagging behind her as she grinned down at me.

I was in bed. Shining was next to me. We had both been waken up by her sudden arrival when she had just pounced on me. "Starlight, good morning." I took off the sleeping mask I hadn't been wearing. "But I don't have the next two days off."

Shining was laughing and getting to his hooves. Without really thinking about it, he scratched the agitated Starlight behind her ear. "Girl, you are thirsty as hell. Tell her when your schedules match up so she can be put out of her misery."

I reached out a fuzzy hand, my schedule zipping across the room to be caught easily. "Well, let's see." I sat up, a pouting Starlight in my lap. "I don't see any matches this month."

"Take--" She thumped me in the chest. "A--" She leaned forward, bonking her forehead against mine. "Day--" She inclined her head, forcing mine when our horns met and she kept going. "--Off."

Shining's hand came down, rubbing around the horn that wasn't in contact with Starlight's. "You better do what she says, doesn't sound like she's ready to take a no."

"And you're too scared to make me say no, so, pfft, you're stuck with opinions you don't want." She reared back, hoof at her chest. "I am being naughty, and you won't discipline me, so there. Take a damn day off, make it match one of your day offs with one of mine. Do it!" She thrust a hoof at me. "Do. It."

I grabbed her, right at her hips. My fingers pressed into her warm flesh, feeling the powerful muscles of her legs as I rubbed gently along her cutie mark. Her eyes half-lidded, a little smile on her lips. "Are you that desperate to have a weekend under me?" She bobbed her head without delay. "Ugh." It wasn't as if I didn't get time off. I could request one basically any time, being the guy near the top of things.

But I was used to not being that, of giving people proper notice, a few weeks ahead of time... "You have another weekend... In two weeks. I'll schedule my time off to match with that. How's that?"

Oh the mighty rolling of her eyes. "And, today, you're telling me to buzz off."

"Oh, no." I gently pushed her aside to be sitting on the bed as I floated right out of it. "You're quite welcome to hang out with us, but we have work to do. Shining, you up for a Belgium breakfast?" I drew a plate piled high with exotic cheeses, my other hand bearing a platter of freshly baked bread. "Mmm, fresh."

So she was denied fun times, but she got to eat some good food, and hung out with us as we got back to work.

Speaking of that! I had a visitor not long afterwards. "Hiya!" chimed a smiling Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Bloom nodded as she walked into my office. "Nice to see you again."

Coming last, but not least, Scootaloo came flying through the door, her little wings beating in a blur that propelled her forward. "Yo!" She hit the ground at an angle, skidding to a stop. "I have-a question!" The other two blinked, looking to her, apparently not part of the plan.

Scootaloo pointed at the other two. "Why are they so weird?"

The other two gasped in shock, but I had a more neutral smile. "What makes them so strange, Scootaloo?"

"They hug and they kiss all the time." Scootaloo stuck out her tongue. "I mean, I get it. They were adults before... all this." She waved her hooves vaguely. "I wasn't. Am I gonna hug and kiss and stuff when I grow up? 'Cause, no thanks."

I had to fight the urge to laugh. Adults were pretty odd, when you thought about it, especially from the eyes of a small child, er, foal. "Scootaloo, just to be sure, they never bother you with that mushy stuff, right?"

Scootaloo inclined her head. "What? No! We wouldn't be friends otherwise." She waved it off. "They only do that stuff with each other... all the time. They don't try to get me in it, 'cause they know I ain't interested." She half turned, showing off her wings. "I have these bad boys and they're pretty great, especially with the scooter you gave me!" She pointed at the scooter that she had one arm draped around. "Love this thing, by the way. I can go so fast!"

Speaking of that... "While I can undo the damage you cause right around me, most people don't have that advantage, so crashing through doors into offices, maybe tone that down." I held up two fingers close together. "In return, I'll ask they keep their wild displays of adoration a bit down, hm?" I looked to Sweetie and Apple.

Apple huffed, crossing her arms as she stood up. "You just had ta ask!"

Sweetie nodded in agreement. "We didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, Scoots."

"Yer our friend," added Apple with a smile.

"Our best friend!" gushed Sweetie in strong agreement.

Scoots rubbed behind her head. "I know that... I just... wanted an outside opinion." She made a grand wave. "Alright, go ahead."

Sweetie advanced a step towards me, clearing her throat. "That matter settled, we all wanted to talk about something that's actually related."

"Too related," noted Apple Bloom with a bit of a squint. "It's about that guard."

"Silver Spoon," added Scootaloo. "She takes their weird and dials it to 11."

Sweetie coughed into a hoof. "She is different than us by a few... key... points."

Apple leaned forward. "You made her, didn't you?"

"I did," I agreed. "Did I mess something up?"

"Ya sure did," quickly snapped Apple Bloom. "She's got all the parts."

"The ones we don't have," added Sweetie.

Scootaloo shrugged lightly. "They were stupid parts anyway."

I didn't like which way the conversation was going. "I want you three to be absolutely honest with me. I am not angry at you, and nobody will be able to bother you without my say so. This aside, what, exactly, did Silver Spoon do."

Sweetie Bloom shook a hoof in the air. "Woah, hey, adult here, remember? If she was... molesting any of us, I would have filed a report ages ago."

Apple's face twisted into disgust, and Scootaloo looked adorably ignorant. "Sure woulda!" Apple cried in agreement. "It ain't that."

Well, alright. "Good, so what is she doing?"

Sweetie glanced sidelong towards Scootaloo with Apple following the look, the Blooms of one mind. I got the hint. "Scoots, could you let us talk boring adult stuff? There are a few tax forms I really wanted their help with."

"Taxes?" Scootaloo stuck out her tongue in repugnance. "No thanks. How long's that gonna be?"

"Oh, you know, taxes can take a while. I'll send them to find you. Where will you be?"

She thrust a hoof downwards. "I'll be in the game room, unless Silver's there." And off she went, powering herself on her buzzing wings.

Sweetie wiped her brow clear. "Alright. I love her to pieces, but this isn't appropriate talk for fillies."

Apple nodded in agreement. "Darn tootin'. Alright, Silver. She isn't doin' anythin' wrong with us, not really. She's even kinda fun to play with, but whenever an adult is around she fancies..."

Sweetie's brows fell. "She isn't subtle."

Images leaped into my head. Legally, Silver was an adult playing the part. She had a social security belonging to an adult citizen. She had a career path! She... was also a little filly pony, which threw all legal precedent right out the window. "Now, wait... She's still potentially infectious. Are people looking back at her?"

Apple shook her head. "None of the still human ones, thank Celestia."

Sweetie shook her head in unison. "That'd be something else... No, but she does give stallions looks, and some of them aren't entirely put off by her... small stature."

Well, shoot, I'd messed up. I gave Silver exactly what she wanted, and she was using it. She a pony loli, and she liked it, and it was my fault. Crap... I had to do something, but what would be the right thing to do... What law was being broken? Well, none, technically... Who was she hurting? It was... her body...

I let out a slow breath. "As offensive as it may be... she isn't... actually doing a thing wrong. She is the child we would be protecting, and she's old enough to give informed consent... which she's doing. Pressing past that is me telling an adult who and where they can do things, and..."

"She's doin' it on the clock," noted Apple Bloom, brows lowered.

Well, that changed things. "We'll talk then. That is improper behavior for any member of the facility, on duty. I'm not here to police your off hours, but..."

Sweetie nodded. "Please? We don't want to be mean. Like we said, she isn't all bad. She's even kinda fun, when she isn't thinking about that stuff." She flumped down onto her haunches. "If you ever make a young pony, be sure to take away the parts, like ponid does."

The Blooms trotted off together, their sides touching the height of their lewd tendencies.

I had a Silver to write up.

Derek opened her eyes with a wide yawn, stretching and noticing something was off quickly as her legs pushed into something laying half on top of her. She twisted her neck and saw it, er, him. Sunburst was laying on top of her, his face nestled into her side as if he had been nuzzling her ribs.

She took a slow breath, thoughts racing. There he was, more pony than ever before. He had shown no signs of becoming less stallion, more of it, in fact. Her eyes darted over him, noting he still wore that wizardly getup, and that was literally it. He had embraced the nudity-taboo absent lifestyle of ponydom. Being half under him, her eyes could see that he was a stallion.

He was even enjoying a bit of mid-sleep action. She licked over her lips and squirmed a bit, looking away from that. She was a guy! Why was she even looking at that? "Sunburst," she whispered harshly. "Wake up!"

"Mmm?" He reached both hooves around her, hugging her close and nuzzling in. "Mmm, so warm..."

She didn't feel warm, to herself, but that sorta made sense. It wasn't fair... She huffed, a bit of flames tickling at her mane. "Sunburst, you are a friend, and I don't want to set you on fire. I am doing my best to remain calm. Wake up."

"Hmmph?" His sleepiness was interrupted with a sudden hoof applied to his face. He jerked back, squeaking on his way to fall off the side of the bed in a pile. "Ow." His face popped back up over the edge. "Um, hey."

"Hey yourself." She rolled upright and sat up. "Stupid stallion."

"What'd I do?" He climbed back up onto the bed, yawning softly. "Feel better?"

"No." She smiled a little. "But a little less tired at least." She reached out to prod him on the noose, booping. "You know what it's like."

"Yeah," he miserably allowed. "Hey, you know you can order in, right?"

"What?"

"Like a hotel." He half climbed over her, grabbing the phone receiver stuck to his hoof. "You just have to call and ask and they'll bring most stuff."

"You are absolutely shitting me," she sang out melodically, her smile deepending. "There must be some hidden fee," she continued the song, rhyming without noticing. "You sit there giving casual glee, it makes me want to go on a shopping spree!"

"I would never lie to you. My adoration awaits no further proof." He was singing too, drawn along by her tune into the melody awkwardly. "Hello, yes please. I would like twoooo." Unheard, the person answering joined the song, managing a perfect rhyme. "Thank you," he sang, slamming down the receiver before noticing something, the magic fading. "What did I just order?"

Derek sat up, rubbing behind her head with a hoof. "I don't know, but you ordered two, so we both get one."

He laughed at that, nudging the kirin on the shoulder. "You have me under your spell."

"You don't sound that torn up about it." She stuck out her tongue a little, considering the stallion. Why was he so gosh darn cute?! "I need your honest opinion."

"Huh, oh, sure, always." He bobbed his head. "What's on your mind?"

"When you look at me." She turned a cloven hoof at herself. "What do you see? No thinking about it."

"Thank you for coming." Twilight trotted towards her fellow unicorn. "Starlight mentioned your horn was just starting to show signs of activity."

"And I wanted him to learn from one of the best," noted Starlight, who was already there, seated.

"Stop that." She waved it away as she leaned to the side. "You have no mark yet."

His eyes followed her eyes to his rump. "Um, oh, the picture?" He adjusted his glasses as he peeked at the two mares in the room who both did have a picture on their rump. "Not yet. They represent what you're good at, right? Hope it's something to do with magic."

Twilight raised a hoof high. "Then the first thing you need is to attain mastery with the basic functionality of your horn. Without that, you'll never realize your magical potential. Now, this will not be easy." She shook her head. "But it will be rewarding." She reached suddenly, adjusting his glasses for him. "Are you prepared?"

He squeaked, backing away from the hoof at his glasses. "Yes! I mean, that's why I came here. Please, show me how to do it."

"We will start with the easy things, move on to telekinesis, and, if you're still ready, your first spell." She brought together her forehooves in an excited clopping. "I can't wait!"

"Neither can I!" he quickly joined, looking to Starlight. "Thanks for bringing me here. I wasn't allowed to leave my floor."

"I have a bit of an 'in' with the head noodle around here." She polished a hoof on her chest. "Told her what I was doing and she was all for it, so we got things straightened out nice and fast."

"Well, thank you!" He looked back to Twilight. "What's the first--" He didn't get to finish his words, her magic glowing about his horn. "Huh?" She manipulated something inside, poked a muscle he never knew he had. "Woah!" His horn began to glow a different color, his magic and hers competing for space. "What's going on?"

"You've felt this before." Twilight inclined her head as her magic poked at the strange internal muscle. "I'm just letting you feel what's in charge of this. Flex that for me--perfect." Her magic withdrew from him. "When you get it down, you'll be able to start glowing on demand."

"The first spell is light, of course. Of course..." He smiled a bit, looking up as his horn as it glowed and stopped, testing its ability. "Can I change its color?"

"Mmm? No." Twilight shook her head. "I'm still working to unearth other spells, but I haven't found one to create light outside of whatever color your horn's shape creates by merit of its physicality." She reached up and tapped beside her own. "For now, we all have one color."

"It's still light, and I'm making it," he admitted with obvious wonder in his voice. "Thank you!"

"I knew you two would get along." Starlight clopped softly. "Speaking of that, you and Derek, how are things going?"

"Well..."

"I see a confused person," he got out quickly.

She skewed an ear at that. "Really, that's your first impression?"

"Well, you are... You're also nice, and I like being around you. We like a lot of the same stuff." He tapped his hooves together. "I actually... really like your songs."

Her cheeks lit on fire, literally. "You do?! I mean, man, they make you do things. You're just saying what you think I want you to say." She took a step towards him, her features awash in flames, becoming fully a Nirik. "Tell me the truth!"

"Even if you take my thoughts away, you won't chase me off today," he rhymed, trying to capture that elusive song magic.

It wasn't terribly effective, but Derek felt the urge to follow it despite that. "I'm on fire, confused desire. You don't know what, sit down, shut up!" she said in more of a rap than a song, advancing on him. "I'm throwing down rhymes, it's about time, you listened for a second, you got a moment to reckon." She thrust a cloven hoof at him, burning and thumping him, knocking him backward onto his haunches.

"I'm on fire," she repeated, louder. "Confused desire" She stalked around him, heat washing away from her. If the bed was not fire proofed, it would have long ago given up to the abuse. "Sittin' there with a big horse dick, has me thinking, what a prick..."

"Check out this chick," he got out quickly. "Fire's getting thick. That thing ain't a control stick. I like her even if she's homesick."

"And I kinda blacked out," he admitted. "I think we rapped at each other for a while... Next thing I knew, we were hugging. She's..."

"Warm?" proposed Starlight with a wry smile.

"Yeah," he admitted with a silly smile. "But when she came to, she shoved me away and asked me to leave, so I did... she's, uh, going through a lot. I understand that."

"She was a guy," reminded Starlight. "She hasn't forgotten that. You're a big threat to her identity." She lifted an ear. "Speaking of that, you're alright with her having been a guy not even a month ago?"

"Uh..." He worried his hooves together. "She is what she is. What she was... doesn't matter, unless she says it does. I didn't have hooves a month ago, and she likes them now, am I going to hold that against her?"

Twilight's magic flicked his horn. "Keep practicing," she prodded more verbally. "You need complete control of your light before we advance to the next stage."

Starlight snickered at that. "We, Twilight and I, had to figure it out on our own. Now that she knows more, she's not taking anything but the most effective path. You're a cruel teacher, Twilight."

"It's for his own good," she defended, huffing. "As interesting as hearing of your social issues, we're here to learn magic, not establish your romantic life."

"I do appreciate it." He resumed the soft glow, seeming to have somewhat of a better grip on its control. "Sorry, Starlight asked, and I didn't want to not answer her."

"And that's perfectly fine, so long as you keep practicing." Twilight crossed her arms, a hoof bouncing in the air. "I'm eager to have another student with enough skill to attempt spells with. So many of the ones we've tried have no particular aptitude or desire. I don't even understand it. How can you resist magic?!"

"Beats me," he admitted. "Magic? Sign me up! Well, I already signed up, I suppose." He let out a soft breath. "I'm getting a little tired, up there. Can I have a little break?"

Twilight groaned with impatience. "Fine... But as soon as you've caught your--"

Starlight's hoof came down between them. "Twilight, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but let's not chase away our first eager student. Sunburst, head on back to your room, practice as you can, and we'll come back when you have light mastered. Sound good?" She glanced between the two.

Sunburst nodded easily. "Sure thing. Twilight?"

"I suppose," she allowed less eagerly. Her magic wrapped around a book and brought it towards him. "Here are a collection of meditations I have found to be effective at increasing your stamina. It's surprisingly on point for unicorns, though the author had no idea one would be using their techniques."

"Huh, what are the odds?" He grabbed the book between his forehooves and slipped it into a big pocket of his cape. "Thank you. I'll head back."

Starlight waved, letting him go, then looking to Twilight. "Unicorns are people first, Twilight."

"I know that," she sighed. "But I'm so eager to advance!"

"For now... help each unicorn we have learn the basics. Get their light working, get their telekinesis working. No spells there, and everyone seems able to do it, when shown how." Starlight bobbed her head slowly. "And don't push them. See where they go. If they want more, they'll ask you." She looked towards the door Sunburst vanished through. "Pretty sure he'll want what you're selling, Twilight. Relax."

"I'm not selling anything," she huffed defensively. "But, yes, he did seem eager to learn more about the workings of magic. I don't understand how anypony would not be, but at least his head is on straight. I can't wait to show him a proper spell." She began tapping her hooves together, a silly smile on her face.

"He's looking forward to it too," Starlight assured, rising to her hooves. "So look forward to that. Speaking of, Sweetie Bloom wanted to learn how to perform basic unicorn functions. She has light going, but telekinesis is a bit slower going."

"I'll have her floating things in no time," assured Twilight, hoping it would go beyond that. "She's an adult, right?"

"Despite her size, yes." Starlight softly shrugged. "But I don't think you'll insult her by treating her as a filly, unless you want her to not do something specifically because she's a kid. She can make her own decisions."

"And one of those was to mention she needed help with her horn." Twilight inclined her head. "Excellent decision! Who knows, maybe she'll really be into magic..."

"We can hope." Starlight trotted off, leaving Twilight to consider lesson plans and machinations for the future.

Author's Notes:

Development! We have it in this chapter I think. Silver is being naughty, and Twilight is impatient, but what will it mean?

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25 - Disciplinary Measures

"What... is that?" Silver Spoon's face was a blend of curiosity, disgust, and horror. Her tail lashed behind her as she cocked a brow at it. "Like... who messed up bad enough to need one of those?"

I gestured at them. "These are pants, and they are now mandatory clothing for all ponid-infected members of the faculty." I reached over to the pony-shaped doll and clicked closed the buckle. It beeped.

"It... beeped. Like, what?" She inclined her head at it. "This isn't funny! What's the deal?"

Starlight suddenly leaned against me. "Only adults..." She trailed off, frowning. "Actually, nocreature is allowed to be stuffed while on duty."

Silver thrust a hoof at Starlight. "Then where's yours?!"

Starlight's ears wilted and she looked to me for reprieve. But... "You're getting one too. You're faculty, you're ponid-infected. When you're on the clock, you should not need to be doing anything down there." Ah, right. "Important note, it will let you take them off in the bathroom stalls. We're not trying to torture you."

"Kinky," noted Silver, her eyes dropping to half-mast.

"Silver," I practically shouted at her. "Look... You're making things awkward, for me, for a lot of other ponies. You're enjoying your new body, great, fantastic even. At least keep it off the clock. There are basically zero jobs I know of where that's alright."

Silver nodded at the metal shorts. "Like, fine, but you could ask first?"

"You didn't ask?" Starlight was gaping at me. Crap, I was the bad guy.

"I didn't think of that," I lamely defended. "Alright, consider this a final warning. Be good, or everyone gets a nice set of security-enabled shorts." I hiked a thumb at the display model. "Okay?"

Silver half turned away from it, tail flicking. "Fine, whatever! I can keep it in the pants I don't want to wear while I'm on the job." She raised a brow of the eye closer to me, the one fixing on me. "You made me this way, and I like it, alright? Speaking of that... You do know I'm not against--"

"Nope! You stop that right there." I held up both arms in an X formation. "I am in a faithful bond. Sure, we may be poly, but we're a closed group."

Starlight shook her head at Silver. "Glad it works for you, but I'm really not into... little kids, even if they have adult brains. Alright, that all settled, going back on patrol."

I let her trot away, my eyes on Silver. "We all clear?"

"Crystal." She reached up and fiddled with her glasses a bit. "Don't be a jerk... You gave me something wonderful, I want to like you."

I reached to gently tap her nose. "That goes both ways." I felt her tongue dab my hand and she turned, trotting off.

Ugh, I created a lolita.

So, there I was, prancing, bouncing, pronking? I was jumping and singing. I could see the notes escaping me as I just let it all out in joy. I was... so happy. The world around me was... so pretty, I can't even... It was like it was singing back to me, welcoming me. Like it was me, and I was it, and it just made me sing louder and louder.

There weren't any other ponies around, or kirin, or anything but some birds that tweeted along with me, oh, and some squirrels! I stopped and spread my hooves and they just scurried up onto my arms. They weren't scared of me. Heck... I think they mighta sang with me too? Not words, they could only squeak and stuff, but they did it along with me, and I was so happy, so I sang back. Everything was just right.

Then a pony showed up. At first I thought they were another kirin, their horn emerging from the bushes, but it was all straight, not like mine, you know, curved and striped and stuff. Kirin have better horns, sorry, just the truth of things. Aw, don't look like that, so anyway, this other pony comes closer...

Huh? No, I didn't recognize them. They definitely did not look anything like you... Anywho, they met my eyes and the song... stopped. I swallowed heavily as they circled around me. "Sweetest of Autumns," he whispered as he went. "You could light on fire, but you already have, a blaze, right here." They raised a hoof to their own chest. "Autumn Blaze, I am ready to throw myself on your pyre, to be consumed entirely."

Don't look at me like that! It was a dream! I'm not normally so poetic, you know that. God, stop staring. Can we go on? Okay.

So, in dream logic, all his mushy words sounded lovely. I was ready to buy what he was selling... God... I'm...

Sunburst gently held Derek close. "Shhh, it's alright... I know you're going through a really difficult time. I'm at least still the same gender I started with, so I won't claim I 'know what you're going through', but I am here. I will say you're a great person."

She smirked oddly. "So... I got a name." She tilted her head. "Autumn Blaze... What a corny name... Derek's my name, Derek. I was born a guy."

Sunburst touched his nose to her warm cheek. "I was born a human. We're both changing a lot... I will be your friend, wherever you land."

She suddenly shoved him away. "What if I decide I'm still a guy, and I'm not interested in guys?"

He inclined his head. "Then I'd never lack for a gaming buddy? And I'd still be here."

She groaned, rolling her eyes. "Alright, I did mine. Your turn! How'd magic classes go?"

Well, so I was with Twilight and Sweetie Belle. We were both working on our telekinesis. I had the advantage for a change. The way Twilight put it, Sweetie's little horn was still working up durability and strength, so she couldn't lift things very smoothly, and if it was heavy at all, she got tired really quickly.

I was floating blocks around. They were those little letter blocks you played with as a foal, er, kid, whatever. Except they were made of metal! I could feel their heft, but I could move them around too. "Alright, mage hand. That's two cantrips down. When do I get a level 1?"

Twilight peered at me like I had grown a second head. "What?"

I set the block down on top of another and moved a third atop that in a nice little tower. "Sorry, a little roleplaying humor. Light and Mage Hand are both cantrips, level 0 spells. I'm super excited to have them, don't get me wrong, but when do we move on to level 1?"

Twilight nodded, looking happy I think. "Then it's time to begin learning the alphabet."

I pointed to the blocks, which read A, B, and C. "I think I have that down."

She squinted at the blocks. "No, the magic alphabet." She drew a book over, hoof reaching for it as her magic pulled it over as I had the blocks. "Entirely different, but it does A, B, C, and as of recently, D and E. You will need to learn the alphabet and how to do them." She pointed up at her horn. "Up there. Playing them in specific orders, quickly, is how magic is made."

So she sent me home to study them.

"How's it going?" Derek asked, looking up at Sunburst. She was entirely a kirin. Which made her about half a foot smaller than the still dwindling Sunburst. Her ornamented tail swayed left and right behind her, watching him. "I have A through D worked out. E's a little trickier, but I think I'll have it down."

"I... How?"

"What do you mean how?" Derek raised a brow at her fellow quadruped. "Just, here." She pointed up at her horn as it began to glow in subtly different ways. "A... B... C... and... D!"

"I get the idea, intellectually. In fact." He coiled on himself, his magic grabbing a book out from his saddlebag, Twilight's book. He set it between them. "I can see the patterns, and what's going on. That makes sense. I think I could make a new spell, with a little trial and error." He rubbed his cheek softly. "It's not random. The letters have a meaning. But..."

"C'mon! A!" She glowed, showing it off. "Show me an A. Just cup it in your head like you're holding water and whistle through it and bam, A!"

"I tried that," he snapped, then began to go red swiftly. "Sorry, sorry..."

"Hey... it's... alright." She reached to set a cloven hoof on his shoulder. "Not even C? C's the simplest one. Let the magic glow, like you're just trying to glow, then tighten up, clench!" She was grinning as if trying to infect him with a little positivity. "Forget A, go for C."

He began to glow softly, his horn lighting up. "I know it's in there, I move it when I start glowing and relax it when I stop, but..." He began to grunt and clench his teeth, the glow shifted in strange ways.

Derek inclined her head, watching it. "Uh, you're making new letters. Come on, just clench up all over!" She brought her hooves together. "Like you're trying your best to not fart!"

He burst into laughter, the light going out instantly. "Seriously?" He shoved her, only to be shoved in kind, the two sharing in laughter at the silliness of the moment. "But, really," his voice took a more serious turn. "I'm trying, I promise." He peered at her and her big red horn. "Yours is so much... bigger, and it has that nub, and you can control it?"

"Yeah?" She hiked a brow at him. "The way I hear it, the muscles are like your lips, and the horn is the flute you blow magic notes through." She reached up and ran her cloven hoof along her horn. "So I have a pretty horn, but that isn't the issue, is it?"

He closed with her, eyes on her horn, studying it. "Not precisely." He looked up and down, towards the base, where those muscles hid, the lips. His warm breath washed over her, their faces so close together. His eyes on the base of her horn meant he almost met her eyes, sitting so close to her.

She ran her tongue slowly over her lips, nose flaring as she took in his scent, different from her own, or most other ponies in little ways. He as a stallion, a masculine presence, but so gentle and warm, welcoming, never commanding. He wanted to be close to her...

"Mmf?" His words were cut off, as his lips were pressed against something. No, someone... Derek was pressed against him. Sunburst's ears went up rigidly, then slowly fell down to either side as he let out his breath through his nose in a slow sigh. It... was nice, good, and strange. He had not a clue how to kiss. Was he supposed to do something? She was doing all the work of kissing him like a statue, a happy statue, but still a statue. He inclined his head a little, letting their kiss get deeper as their mouths fit together.

So close, his senses were filled with her scent, her spicy alluring scent. Though he didn't know it, her body was signalling him in a way his body couldn't misunderstand. This was a mare, in heat and ready. This was a mare, showing her willingness.

This was a mare.

She suddenly shoved him, sending him rolling backwards with a squeak. He hit the ground on his back, his erection wagging in the air in an ungainly display of her effect on him. "Uh?"

"I'm in love with my best friend, oh god, this is so wrong." She turned away from him on the spot. "Gotta go! Maybe, uh, gotta go!" She scurried away in a frantic scramble, leaving Sunburst laying there with a dazed and confused expression.

"W-wait!" He awkwardly scrambled to his hooves. "Uh, we're in your room."

She applied her hoof to her face. "Shit," she cursed, coiling around towards him and marching up. "Get out! Get. Out." Flames erupted over her, mane going black, flames blue, eyes blanking. "Get out of here!" Her angry approach had him scrambling backwards away from her. Her horn glowed, hurling the magic book at him. "Take this with you. Go!"

He grabbed the book in his magic before it could collide with his face, tucking it away quickly. "Derek, please. We're friends."

"Friends don't do that," she roared, heat washing away from her in a pulse. "Get out, out out." She pointed past him to the exit. "Go."

He withdrew from her. "I'm going... because you asked me to. I'm not afraid of you, Derek... and I still--"

"Go!" She glared at him with furrowed brows, looking ready to charge him if he tried anything. She thumped against the door, making sure it locked after he was gone. Her fire went out as she sank to the floor in a quivering mess, trying to sort out her feelings.

This left Sunburst just outside her room, dazed.

A passing mare huffed, Bon Bon squinting at him. "Put that away!"

Oh, right. He pulled his cape around, trying to hide his stallion-ness from vasual view. "Sorry!" He smiled awkwardly at Bon Bon as she trotted past him with a withering glare. "Didn't... mean anything."

Derek watched him slink off, cracking open her door once she was fairly sure he was gone. "Starlight!" She hurried off to find a mare she needed to talk to.

Sunburst sat in his room with a frown, his horn glowing and flickering as he stared at the pictures in the book. "B..." he repeated under his breath over and over in a slow intonation. But it wasn't much of a B. More of a.. T? J? They hadn't even invented those yet, but there it was, his inner muscle fluttering when he tried to make it do more than just open wide or relax.

There was one stance he could assume, one. He could grab things. His telekinesis was working just great.

He would be stuck with cantrips, forever...

He reached for the phone in his room. It flew the distance towards him and parked beside his ear. He imitated pressing the keys with a hoof as his glow appeared long enough to press at the phone. He could hear the dialed beeps.

It was ringing. "Pick up... Please..." But she didn't pick up. It just kept ringing. He couldn't do magic and he'd lost his best friend. "Man..."

"Thanks for coming in." Twilight tilted her head to the right. "I admit, with your inability to advance through the alphabet, I thought you'd drop out."

"Ah, yeah..." Sunburst rubbed one leg with the opposing hoof. "I can't... do magic, but it does make sense to me... The spells you've discovered, there's a logic there." His horn glowed, pulling out her book. "I was hoping we could compare notes?" He smiled timidly as if scared he'd be chased from another mare's room.

"Certainly," she agreed without hesitation, ignorant to his issues. She saw notes scribbled all along the inside of his copy of the book. "You've been quite busy, I see."

"Oh, yes... um..." He nudged the book towards her. "Did you want to try that one?"

Her magic twirled the book around to face her. There, on the first page, another spell. A D D C D A A D. "What does it do?"

"Well, in theory." He began tapping his hooves together. "It should let you change the flavor of the target."

"Magical flavoring?" she laughed out. "That's amazing. We need something edible to test with..." She buried a hoof in her labcoat and dug out a pack of gum, slapping it down. "Here we are." Her ears perked. "Before I start, I have to know. How did you think this up? You can't try random letters. You can't try any letters."

"Thanks for reminding me," he grumped, glaring at her.

"Sorry, but it is true, so how?" She rolled a hoof in the air. "This isn't just a guess, is it?"

"No! No... I'm trying to decipher this... language, for better word? We're missing words, letters to be specific. A through E? I have a hunch there's more to learn there, but I can't help with that. This is just me trying to logically approach the letters you have and the combinations you've already worked out." He tapped at the book from his side. "Please, try it? I'd... like to know if it works or not."

"Fair enough. I am also curious." Her magic swept over the gum, lifting it up. "Mint? What was I thinking? How about... Cherry? Yes, cherry gum, real cherry, not that artificial flavor." Her horn began to play the notes of the musical song. "Cherry," she repeated as she went, imagining big ripe cherries exploding in her mouth. The gum shuddered and shook under the effects of whatever she was doing, then went still.

The glow around the gum shifted as Sunburst took a grip and pulled out a strip of gum. "Well, my spell. Might as well be me that tried the result in the end." The gum looked unchanged, bright pale green mint gum. "Hm..." He brought it over despite that and sniffed it. Cherries tickled his senses. "Hm!" his magic peeled away the wrapper even as he tossed it onto his waiting tongue and snapped it up, starting to chew eagerly. "Hmmmmm, wow... you made a really nice cherry."

Twilight did not wait long before starting to chew on her own stick. "You're right, wow... This beats the feathers out of the competition." She snorted softly. "A pity we could never sell this. Imagine what the FDA would say about 'magically altered ingredients'? Not in my lifetime, I bet... Still!" She suddenly thudded her hooves down on either of his shoulders. "You did it! You made a new spell. I had been doing it the brute force way." She pointed to a board covered in letters. "Random generation, hoping for the best, and praying to avoid the worst."

She began to laugh, sitting up tall. "Now that you've joined the cause, I can slash off 'do not accidentally create a fireball centered on the caster' off my worry list."

Sunburst allowed a smile, spirits lifting. "Oh, cause? You mean--"

"Oh, yes." Twilight nodded firmly. "You will be our official spellchecker."

"You can do a better name than that," he chuckled out. "But I would be delighted to check some spells, and make some new ones." He pointed at her. "You can actually cast what I come up with."

"And that is something I look forward to doing." She nodded softly. "Speaking of spellcasting, Starlight and Derek are doing quite well at memorizing each letter I've discovered so far. They can also be consulted when you want to try a spell."

He looked away awkwardly, rubbing his cheek.

Twilight inclined her head. "What's wrong? I understand Starlight can be a bit intimidating with her position and connections, but she really is quite approachable and kind." She laughed as she turned a hoof on herself. "She calls me out when I get a little too excited. You can--"

"--It's not her," cut in Sunburst. "Um, how... is she doing? Derek, I mean..." He rubbed his forehooves together, looking increasingly awkward. "She alright?"

"She's doing great," gushed out Twilight. "One of my best students. She has a very precise control over her magical movements. Do you think it's related to singing capability?" She inclined her head faintly. "I was told, when I'm under the effect of song magic, I have a very melodious singing voice."

Sunburst quirked a smile at that. "I'd like to hear that, sometime, uh, not today."

"Not today," easily agreed Twilight. "Today, I need to see this." She pulled his book closer, starting to flip through it. "Ah ha! More spells, I knew it... What does this one do?!"

They spent the rest of their 'study' time with Sunburst explaining what he thought each of the spells he had invented did. Many even worked! Twilight could not have been more happy about it.

Derek tapped at her chin softly. "So... Autumn Blaze..."

Twilight perked an ear. "Hm?"

"What do you think of it, as a name?"

Twilight pointed at herself. "Seems thematic enough. I'm Twilight Sparkle," she reminded. "Not exactly 'time of day, special effect', but close enough. Time of year, special effect. What brings it up?"

Derek smiled awkwardly. "I didn't think of it like that. Starlight Glimmer... Wait, Starlight isn't exactly a time of day, but it makes you think of one. Close enough!" Her smile eased. "Sorry, got distracted. Uh, so... that... could be my name..."

"Congratulations, Autumn," accepted Twilight without hesitation. "Or would you prefer Miss Blaze?"

"Autumn, for sure. Wait!" She squinted a little. "I just said I was thinking about it."

"It's a nice name." Twilight shrugged softly. "One of the better I've run into so far. Go for it."

"Autumn Blaze," she whispered to herself, tasting the word. "Autumn... I... I like the fall. The leaves falling, the crisp taste in the air." She clopped her cloven hooves together with a silly smile. "Thanksgiving is the best!"

"What about Halloween?" ventured Twilight with a gentle smile. "Free candy, an excuse to dress up, and enjoy a few spooky stories."

"Oh yeah... that's a great time too. See, autumn gets all the good holidays." She nodded with growing confidence. "Autumn Blaze..."

"You look like an Autumn Blaze," continued Twilight. "You have the colors about right, and you do literally combust."

"Yeah," she didn't sound as excited about that part. "So, alright, what are we going over today?"

"Glad you asked!" Twilight was more than happpy to shove away talks of names and holidays to get down to magic. "Time to try a new spell, designed by your friend."

"My friend?"

"Sunburst." Twilight's horn glowed as chalk wrote the letters down on the chalkboard. "There's the spell. Cast it while examining something edible and focus on the desired flavor and, like that, it will taste different! Near as we could discern, it mostly overwrites the previous flavor, so don't worry about mixing flavors, just focus on the desired one."

Derek began to giggle. "Sun, burst. You're right, that pattern comes up a lot. Day burst would have been even more on the nose." She reached up to tap her own nose. "Autumn Blaze..."

"I'm glad to see you feeling better." Twilight tossed her head at the writing. "But, if you could, the spell?"

"Ask nicely." She stuck out her tongue at Twilight.

"Autumn Blaze, please, continue?" She raised a brow. "We're here to study magic, right?"

That was not the name she excpected to be used, but it didn't feel so bad, that time... "Autumn Blaze," she repeated to herself as her horn began to glow, playing out the notes one by one precisely as she looked around for something to test on. "Ah ha." She snatched an apple off the desk and set it down in front of herself.

"Chocolate apple, let's do it!" She played the song much faster, staring at the apple, imagining sweet milk chocolate melting on her tongue.

The apple shook and vibrated a moment before going still. "Did it work?" She leaned in and sniffed. She chomped it a moment later, agreeing with the smell. It was like she had just made the biggest milk chocolate bar she ever had, crunching noisily on the apple that didn't taste like an apple. "Wow, you were right," she muffedly noted, sampling the treat of her own creation. "Does this add calories?"

"I don't think it does?" Twilight inclined her head. "But I lack the tools to be certain of that." Not that it mattered. It was much more important to see that Sunburst's spell worked for more than one unicorn.

A new chapter of magic had opened.

Author's Notes:

This chapter had a lot of Twilight in it, and also Sunburst and Derek. Less plot hopping in this chapter, approve?

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26 - I Accept Me

"Twilight."

Twilight looked up. "Yes, Sun?" She inclined her head a little. "Did you invent a new spell?"

"Not what I was going to talk about," he admitted. "Tell me, uh, as a mare."

Twilight's ears danced. "As a mare?"

"Well, you are one..." He rubbed behind his head awkwardly, glancing away. "Have I... acted oddly?"

"Besides being unable to do magic? Not to my knowledge." She leaned in a little. "Why?"

His cheeks warmed. "Well, you see, Derek is going through a lot."

"Autumn Blaze," gently corrected Twilight.

"Huh?"

"She accepted her name." Twilight nodded with certainty. "Look, I get it. I'd rather be focused on magic, but I do get it." She rose up and thrust a hoof back alongside her barrel. "I used to be a guy too, all waggly and whatever. I know what that's like." She sank to her haunches. "I... might have buried myself in magic to forget about it."

Sunburst slowly inclined his head, adjusting his glasses as he did so. "Oh... I'm sorry. Am I digging at a sore--"

She set a hoof on his chest. "You're a stupid guy, just like I was. Stupid stupid stupid." A little smile spread on her lips. "She's stupid in love with you, you know that, right?"

"I..." His glasses fell askew from his shocked face. "Really?"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "She has basically sent you a hoof-written letter at this point. And it scared her."

"And she ran away," he sighed out, pushing his glasses back into position. "What can I do?"

"Let her feel her feelings." Twilight waved it away. "Celestia knows I have more than a few of those." A brow raised. "Pity I don't have another pony with romantic interests to distract me."

"Um."

"That was a joke." She poked Sunburst on the shoulder. "You're quite distracting as a research assistant. I won't move in on Autumn's territory. That'd be rude, and might cost me two research assistants. That'd be counterproductive." She raised a hoof to her chin. "Speaking of that, I have an idea, a new line of research if you're up for it."

One of his ears shot up, the other joining it a moment later. "Hm? What's on your mind?"

"Eri, our Leader." I heard that. "What she does, I have it well documented." She floated a book over to rest on the table in front of him, one hoof tapping just ahead of it. "See which of them you can duplicate. Her list of accomplishments can be considered a sort of 'what if', inspiration, if you'd prefer. I'm not promising we can do it all, but trying..."

"It's what we're here for," agreed Sunburst, his glowing horn lifting the book. "Is she alright with this?" Sheesh, at least one of them had some sense. "Some of what she did is... out there. Starlight's told me a few stories." And I got to hear them. She had focused on the parts she liked, which were still enough to make Sunburst nervous.

Twilight waved the concern away. "Don't do the ones that hurt anypony. That isn't either of our goals. But, the rest? Why not? Better than just trying to randomly think of things to do. If she can do it, it means it can be done. The question is just, can we do it?"

Ugh, would I need to take him aside later? "I'm not sure, uh, I'll start with what looks to be harmless." The book flipped open under his power and he began to read it in a skim. "Are we done for today?"

"For today," sang Twilight. "Lyra's getting a lesson next."

"Oh, good luck to her." He tucked the book away and looked ready to leave, but hesitated. "So... question, has... any other unicorn had my problem?"

Twilight inclined her head. "Hard to say. Many of them simply have no interest in pushing past the basics, which means they could have your issue, or not, and we'll just never know. Lyra seems to have some interest, thankfully." She nodded firmly. "But we're getting the basics down before trying the alphabet." Tossing her head towards the door, Twilight waved Sunburst off. "Good luck."

"Like a song," he mused as he trotted off.

Autumn took a slow breath. "Alright, girl, you have this. He's just a guy, like you once were. If some girl just walked up to you and said 'Hey, I like you', what would you do? Be happy! That's what you'd do. He thinks you look awesome and you are kinda awesome and he's a dork and you're just gonna knock on the door and he'll open it and you'll explode his day." She threw her hooves wide in imitation of poor sunburst's mind being shattered. "You got this."

She thudded a cloven hoof on the door. "Hey, open up. Unless you're not there. You might not be there. Shoot, I didn't think this through at all. Maybe you're busy or something and I should just come back--"

The door suddenly opened, revealing Sunburst, watching her, staring into her soul.

Or at least it felt to her. "H-hey," she squeaked out, her confidence shattered.

"Hey, Autumn."

"Y-yea! Autumn Blaze, that's me! My name..." She burst into nervous laughter, taking a step back. "Good to see you." She thrust a hoof forward, but it was on fire, burning with the blue flames of her nirik form. "Oops!" She turned the hoof up and blew across it, snuffing the flame casually. "Um, later!" And she fled, clip-clopping away in a panic.

Sunburst watched her go, unsure what to do. Chasing her felt wrong... "I'll be here," he whispered out, willing the door closed.

"I freaked out!" wailed Autumn. "He was right there and I just... panicked! I'm the worst kirin ever..."

"You're the only kirin ever," noted Starlight, brow raised. "Which makes you the best."

"And the worst," huffed Autumn. "Look, you've been showing me how to be a mare, even if I'm not technically a mare." She inclined her head, "What even are female kirin called?"

"A lin," noted Starlight. "But we're getting off topic. You're a lovely lin. Do you feel like one?"

"Y-yeah...." Her tail wagged nervously. "Which feels odd saying, but... yeah... I'm a girl, mare, lin, whatever, fine, whatever." She turned on Starlight. "Ain't no reverse on this train. Went away without a pain. Unless you count, the head in doubt" She pointed to her head, voice lilting melodically as she sang on, "I want him bad, it'd make him glad, but I'm really not quite sure."

"There is no cure," continued Starlight, drawn along with the song magic that Autumn wielded so naturally. "That aching heat, your strong heartbeat. You're ready to spread wide."

"I'm not a whore! But him I adore. I liked him even before this. The last time I tried, I almost died, pressing into a french kiss!" Autumn sprang right over Starlight, flames touching the air behind her, burning hot with her mixture of emotions. "I want a friend, not to display my end. I want to talk, not this sidewalk."

Starlight followed after, a light canter to her steps. "The best mates are partners too, I'm still waiting for my screw. Mine loves me but won't finish the deed, I'm wide open, go on, breed." She blinked softly. "Getting off topic, let's not be myopic. This is all about you. He wants only the best, he's acing this test, he's waiting for you to come through."

Autumn suddenly pounced Starlight, driving her to the ground and grinding against her in a way that left little to the imagination. "What about you and me, we could try even if you're a lady."

"Enough!" Starlight rolled right back over, pinning Autumn instead. "Enough." The song was disrupted, ended. "Autumn, you in there?"

"Yeah?" Autumn tilted her head faintly. "That... a no?"

"That's a no," noted Starlight with a sour look. "I'm taken by a certain someone that could really get angry and not in fun ways. I'll avoid their name so they don't know, but can we cool off a moment?"

"Yeah..." She sagged onto her back. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bother you like that. Ugh, I'm messing it all up." She applied her cloven hoof to her face. "Why can't I face him?! He's my friend... He was ready to be guy-friends with me even when I was smoking hot in his view and very not ready for... any of that. He'd a damn nerd, the good kind."

Starlight smirked a little. "The kind you were?"

"Ha!" She sat up, Starlight stepping off as she did. "Hay no. I was cool, thanks. I had girlfriends before." She pointed at her own chest. "I know how to hook up for Friday night, and how to party. I was a cool dude, not a nerd. He's a nerd... But an adorable one." She sighed softly. "God, is that hormones talking?"

"Uh huh." Starlight rubbed softly at her chin, considering Autumn. "So, when was the last date you had, before coming here?"

"Oh, uh..." Autumn paced in place in little fidgets. "Not that long... ago... Uh..."

"That's what I thought." Starlight prodded Autumn in the side. "You're looking back through Autumn eyes. I don't think Derek was as outgoing as you've become. Now, look. Sunburst is more like Derek. He's afraid to overstep, terrified of chasing you away. So do you want his company or not, make a choice."

"Ugh." Autumn shook herself out, from her mane down to her adorned tail. "I want him as a friend, yes... maybe more? Look, we need to talk." She pointed back at her own rump. "I'm new to this. Are you a virgin?"

"Pardon?" She raised an ear at Autumn. "That's quite the question."

"And still the one I asked," was sang in response. "The way you were talking, guessing no."

"No," affirmed Starlight with a flat expression of annoyance. "Why?"

"What's it like?" She turned to keep starlight directly ahead of herself. "I mean, sure, I get the idea. Guy goes around, hops up... He's all stiff and whatever, been there, and he just... shoves it inside? I never worried about it from the other side, but now I'm on it and I'm not afraid to say that sounds kinda painful."

Starlight burst into snickers. "Sorry, sorry, not laughing at you, but... yeah, any stallion that 'shoves it inside' deserves the kick you'll give him." She inclined her head. "They're not animals, and neither are we. He cares about you a super ton. You tell him to go slow, or just not go at all, and he's on it. Any good partner would too. Tell him to take it easy."

"Take it easy," softly echoed Autumn. "Nice and gentle." She made quite the lewd noise, like wet sliding. "So we can both enjoy it."

Starlight huffed. "Wow, you're... yeah, that. Assume he'll do what you say."

"That doesn't tell me how it feels," countered Autumn. "I don't have the part I used to. What does it feel like? Reversed?"

"Oh, no. No no no." Starlight shook her head quickly. "I've helped enough new stallions to confidently say no. For a stallion, that little stick of theirs is the center of their universe, like everything is pulling in tighter and tighter to a point, then it explodes." She threw her forehooves wide. "And they're shattered and happy. There, the male experience."

"Okay, sure." Autumn nodded quickly. "Been there, so the girl experience?"

"The girl experience is... a state of being." She tapped at her chin, considering it. "The contact is great, don't get me wrong. But thinking about what you're doing, how much you love the guy, how hot it is that he's doing what he's doing, how great your future is, how great he is, and you feel. A girl's thinking a mile a minute, reaching out and out and out instead of in and in and in. When it's really good, it's like we're... all over the universe at once." She leaned in suddenly. "And I didn't even get to the fact that orgasm doesn't mean the end for us girls."

"What?"

Starlight inclined her head. "Seriously, you never heard about that? You hit orgasm, and that's great, real great, trust me, but the guy doesn't have to stop, and you don't want him to. You're floating on cloud nine and man, I'll take another half dozen of those, thanks." She suddenly smirked. "Watch out though, stallions are not really known for their endurance. You'll have to teach him to use other parts of his anatomy too."

"Other... Oh!" Autumn began to blush furiously, flame licking at the tips of her ears. "God, I have to teach him that?"

"What, do you just... instinctively know how to dive between a lady's legs?" Starlight turned away. "Doubt it. If he's your boy, take responsibility and show him how it's done."

"But I don't know how to do that!" she quailed.

"But you'll know what feels good." Starlight peered over her shoulder. "Just guide him to what's good and away from what's not. Shoot, I don't even know if kirin have... exactly the same anatomy, so don't go asking me. You'll learn on your own, and I bet he'll come for the ride if you let him."

"Right..." She suddenly sagged to her belly. "So... how do we do... things... safely? I'm getting used to being a girl, sure. That doesn't mean I'm ready to be a mom."

Starlight turned suddenly back to Autumn, surprise on her face. "You get a gold star. One of the first mares to really ask about that. Well, not the first, but a minority." She shook her head. "I'll take him aside, get him some condoms. Pills aren't guaranteed to work on mares, or lin. We're not human, go fig..."

Autumn burst into delirious laughter. "Oh, wow, of course." She clopped a hoof to her forehead. "How else do guys avoid that? Look, thanks, really." She closed in and touched noses with Starlight. "I know I'm a mess, but you're great."

Starlight gently rubbed the tip of her snout against Autumn, returning a warm nuzzle. "You go on, and go say hi to him. You two are impossible, and I doubt I'll get him to move."

Autumn crashed back. "Wait, you've been talking to him?"

"Duh?" She hiked a brow. "I introduced you two, remember? Poor guy thinks you must hate his guts."

"No! No... I don't..."

"I told him that." She rolled a hoof. "But you keep avoiding him. Go make his day already."

Autumn scurried off, desperate to get somewhere.

"It's been a few days." I reached for her head and patted it gently. "And not a single complaint."

Silver looked quite smugly satisfied. "Now, not complaining, but you're asking me to cool it, but you have your hand on, like, my head." She ducked back and touched her snout to the hand before I could draw it away. "Not that I mind, but, like, crossed signals, you know?"

"Silver..." I crossed my arms, considering her. "I made you--"

"--You can unmake me?"

"Technically, yeah? But that wasn't what I was aiming for." I lifted both hands in a shrug. "I feel responsible for you. Even if you aren't the only person I've ponied, you're the one that asked, that I talked to." I gestured between us. "I feel like there's more there."

"Probably helps that I'm one of the only ones that day that doesn't hate your guts a lot or a little." She huffed softly. "Sucks for them. Ever consider letting me talk to them? You made one other little pony, bet she has all the parts too. I could maybe turn her around."

"No turning any fillies around by you!" I huffed out a little louder than I intended. "Look, Silver. I'm like a parent."

She suddenly sat and began clopping her hooves together. "Finally."

"Finally...?" I peered at her, confused as hell.

"I've been waiting for you to realize, like, I'm ready to be your daughter." She smirked softly. "Benefit, daughters and mothers don't do 'things'."

"You're an adult," I reminded. "Adult adoption is..." To be honest, I had no real idea. "I'd have to even look that up. But, still, you barely know me."

"I know you're powerful, but kind." She hopped suddenly, pouncing my lap and curling there. "I know I feel completely safe around you, even when you're, like, telling me I've been bad."

"Like now?" I gently rolled her off and she landed on her feet, tongue stuck out at me. "You are an imp."

"Your imp." She pointed at me then leaned to the side. "Where are your SOs? I mean, I really should talk to them too. You're a family. If they... hate me, well, that's that."

That was surprisingly mature of her. "I doubt Shining 'hates' you, but they're both a little odded out that you specifically chose the lolita path of all things."

"Really?" She rolled her eyes. "I'm not a kid, so no Lolita. I just like being small and cute. I think that's fun, and a little sexy." She half turned away. "I'm an adult, you said that. I'm either an adult, or not. Which is it?"

"You're an adult," I sighed out.

"And adults can have sex lives," she concluded. "Two consenting people, not a single pony, like, hurt, so relax." She polished a hoof on her chest. "Besides, eventually I'll find Mister Right."

Wait. "You're looking for a permanent thing?"

"Duh?" She hiked a brow. "What, did you think I'd just, like, slut around forever."

I didn't need that little filly using words like that... "You seemed to be enjoying yourself," I noted as tactfully as I could.

"And I am, but I'm not totally stupid." She waved a lone hoof. "I want a family. Look... It's like this." She let out a slow breath. "My parents already know what I did... they were not happy. I don't have a family anymore. They weren't the sort that could take a trans daughter, let alone a cross-species one." Silver Spoon pointed at me. "You are my chance to have a mom, and you're already way better than the first one I had. I... know I've annoyed you."

"Silver, we're both on the clock." I gently shooed her away. "Let me think on it, and we'll both earn our paycheck."

"Alright," she allowed more quietly than her other words. She trotted out, leaving me there.

I flopped onto my chair and began typing rapidly. There was something I needed to see. Sure, I didn't have a hacking program... 10 minutes ago, but I did then, double-click. There we were. I typed in Silver Spoon and her file came up. "Communication," I said to myself as I browsed to the proper file. "Let's see."

Hey Guys,

It's your boy, well, girl. I've been through a lot, and now I'm a ponygone through a transition.
Don't worry! I'm fine, and I love you both a lot, okay. I'll be stuck here while I'm infectiousI'm adjusting to the new hormones. I'll see you when I can.

I scowled at the message. It wasn't... against regulations. That didn't mean I had to like it, even a little. I clicked the scroll wheel along. They had replied.

The hell?

Did you go gay on me? I told you working there would get to you. Did they inject you with some kinda gay drug? Bloody fucking hell. I'm going to sue them into next year. Don't bother, you're dead to me. They're gonna pay for this.

A little note was attached. The message had been forwarded to HR, who reported the likelihood of successful legal action was small, but not zero. It was far more likely they wouldn't actually jump through the hoops to bring it that far.

Shit... Poor Silver, thrown right out, just... abandoned, instantly. I checked the timestamp on that. She had emailed them a week ago, and got the reply a few days ago. No wonder she had gotten a bit more... reserved. Shit... I couldn't just admit I saw what I had no business looking at.

Sure, she was an adult. Adults didn't need parents the same way kids did... Still, damn... damn... That couldn't have been anything short of agonizing to read. I could imagine my parents scowling at my new look. They wouldn't have been happy...

I still had to tell them...

I could be next on the dispossessed line, though I was also looking down the barrel of a huge promotion! And I was married! To... a horse man, and a horse lady...

Yeah, that could get ugly.

What was the outside world doing? We were in here failing to cure the big disease. I flipped over to some news sites and began browsing around curiously.

"Stage 3 trials are well underway," noted one reporter.

I clicked onwards. "Look, I'm telling you. All this hurry for a vaccine is costing lives." A haggard man was wearing a mask, shouting through it at a reporter. "A friend of mine went in for trials, never came back."

Oh geeze, was that us? I copied the link and forwarded it along. That was above my pay grade. I kept the facility running. PR? Not my thing.

Fortunately, the news seemed to treat it more as a singular oddity rather than any grand conspiracy, like say a secret lab full of horses and stuff...

That reminded me... I started a new search for my company. It was on a site listing the great many others that had collapsed under the weight of the pandemic... Great, lost to a bookmark in history. I rather liked that place...

California was on fire? Huh...

"You could fix that." There was another me, a really small me, on my left shoulder. "Just a little snap, done, fixed. No more fire. Snap, no more global warming. Snap snap snap. Just one would make a big difference."

Another me appeared on my right shoulder, arms crossed with a frown. "That's taking a lot of agency away from people."

"Ugh, sure, but most of the people who want to fix it, also can't. You're 'stealing agency' from rich pricks who don't care."

"And how will this convince them?"

"Snap them too," offered leftie with a wicked sneer.

"You can't listen to her," huffed Righty. "You know there's nothing good that way."

"Yeah, I know, I know." I stood up, the shoulder mes vanishing without a sound. I was not the same person I had arrived as. I was a godling. I had a husband and a wife and maybe I'd be getting an adopted daughter?

I was a mess. But I liked that mess. That mess was me, and I was alright with that.

"Um, I don't... have anyone I plan to be with." He rubbed behind his head, eyeing the selection in front of him.

"Relax." Starlight gently nudged him. "It's too late if you're already ready and you don't have protection." She inclined her head. "Now sit down, close your eyes, and let me measure you."

His eyes went wide, glasses fogging. "Starlight! We're... friends, um, at best, and you're offering to--"

"--Provide a medical service." Starlight hiked a hoof as a measuring tape floated over. "Now think of England."

He squeezed his eyes tight. "If you say so!" He was fidgeting, but it was soon over, and Starlight was back in her own space. "You do know I'm American, right?"

"Yeah, so am I." She pointed. "That one right there."

He set a hoof on the condom box. "Really?"

"That'll fit you," she assured with a little nod. "Then if a nice mare does happen to make a move, well, you're ready. Now... do you actually know how to put one on?"

He suddenly fell over, unconscious. "I will take that as a no..."

Author's Notes:

Phew, welcome. The story in motion. Silver Spoon wants to be adopted. Did you know you can adopt adults?

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27 - Step This Way

Silver nudged open the door with a hoof. "Thomason?"

"You can call me Peter," assured the voice from within. Inside was a man dressed in a hazmat suit, as people who worked in that place who didn't want a tail tended to. "Come on in." He sounded friendly. As friendly as a man in a hazmat suit could.

Silver Spoon let out a slow sigh as she walked inside, her tail swatting the door on the way, causing it to close behind her. "So you're my jailkeeper?"

"Far from it." Peter gestured to the closed door. "You're not being forced here. I'm just here to help. But I can't do that if you really don't want it."

"Yeah yeah, the first change comes from admitting there's a problem," she quoted in sarcastic tones. "Like, I get it." She hopped up in the seat across from the man, adjusting her glasses. "So, hey, my name's Silver Spoon."

"Peter Thomason," he introduced, even if that was known information. "Nice to meet you." He offered a gloved hand, wrapped in the plastic of his suit. They shook, hoof held in that hand. "You're not the first pony I've talked to."

"I would hope not." She inclined her head at him. "Reminder, I, like, work here. Hey, I've taken a few ponies to your office before."

"Forgive me for asking, but I thought people who were exposed second hand didn't go... all the way." He rolled a hand as he noted that. "You couldn't go much more pony than you are."

"100%," she chimed, tail wagging, as if she were nakedly proud of it. "Long story. Look, we're obviously here to talk about my... Shoot, what was that word again... slutting around?"

"Promiscuity," offered Peter. "That is one thing we could talk about. Do you see it as a problem that needs talking about?"

"I'm onto you." Silver wagged a hoof at Peter. "You're digging into my head."

"I'm just here to ask questions and maybe lend a hand." A brief pause lingered before, "You seem to be short of any."

"That joke was bad and you should feel bad." Silver Spoon rolled her eyes, though a little smirk was on her face. "Anyway... I just want to find somepony."

"A specific person, or any person?"

She pushed up her glasses, fidgeting with them nervously. "I think the right one... The one that... sees more than a momentary fun thing, fun as it is."

"Have you considered that approaching them with the fun part presented first may be coloring things?"

"Yeah..." She sighed and crossed her arms. "But if I don't, people see a little kid, which I am, like, not. I've worked here for over five years! I don't want to be ignored because I'm small."

"But you're not just small," noted Peter gently. "Despite being an adult, mentally, your body is still growing and maturing. It will get much larger."

Silver's voice fell to a whisper, "wish it wouldn't..."

"Why is that?" He made little notes on his pad. "Do you like being small?"

"I..." She put a hoof behind her head. "I want..."

Sunburst took a soft breath as he reached for the door. "You let her think about it. It's time to act like a stallion! Just... say what you feel. Just put it on the table and let her respond. You can do this." His hoof trembled, just shy of knocking.

He brought his hoof in, knocking twice with a clop.

"One moment," came the melodic reply. The door swung open to reveal a smiling Autumn Blaze. "Oh, Sunburst! You finished your change." She came right out, starting to circle him. "But your glasses still fit? That's great!" She suddenly reached, catching his glasses right in the gap in her cloven hoof and bringing it to her own face. "Wow, everything looks so strange."

"Hello," he stammered, flummoxed at her aggressive greeting. "Have a moment to chat?"

"For you, always." She threw a leg over Sunburst's withers, hugging them in as she started back into her room. "So how are things? Sorry for ghosting you. I was a mess. Feeling better now though!"

With a glowing horn, Sunburst gently reclaimed his glasses without objection, blinking as his world came back into focus. "Funniest thing, really. I still have the same prescription. They say the odds of that are... basically zero. Maybe that's why I got my name right away?" he ventured. "I mean, shoot, people normally have one eye go off, but mine never changed. I guess I already had the right eyes?"

Autumn released him just to circle in front of him. Her horn glowed as the door closed behind him, her eyes on his face. "But they both got bigger," she noted as she raised a cloven hoof to tap. "You can see mine are slightly off, one just a little bigger than the other. Face it, you're a freak." She laughed, clearly not bothered at all by it. "Like I'm one to talk!" It was true though, her eyes didn't match, in color and slightly in size. But that was standard for Ponid. "I like you just the way you are."

"About that..." He worried his hooves together, sitting up on his haunches. "Autumn, I like you too."

"Aw!" she gushed, going red in her cheeks. "Be honest, did you like me the entire time, even when I was all, you know, part guy human flailing around?" She wobbled an arm for emphasis.

"Even then," he confessed, though he looked confused. "You're alright with it."

"Give me a moment." She stepped away to the far corner of the room, facing away. With a sudden roar that shook the walls, heat and blue-white fire exploded from her in a great display of energy. She turned around and trotted back as if nothing had happened. "That's better. Now, as you were saying."

"What... was that?" He eyed the spot that looked like it had weathered several such blasts with bits of soot and ash dusting the ground and walls. "Are you alright?"

"Never better," she assured before moving in to touch noses. "So you like me?"

"Y-yes?" His right ear skewed a bit. "Does that bother you?"

"Nah." She reached in and grabbed him in a full hug about the neck with both arms, snuggling in close. "I'm just sorry I was so out of it I couldn't just, you know, accept that. Seems silly, looking back at it now. You're a great friend, waiting like that."

"What are friends for?" He reached up to adjust his glasses as she snuggled him fiercely. That was all going not as he had imagined it, though not badly either. He was being held by the warm and soft mare he had wanted to talk to. "H-how are spells going?"

"I hear you're the one making them up." She shoved him back suddenly. "No fair! I'd love to be able to make up spells like that. I could think of a thousand spells that'd be great." She danced from hoof to hoof. "Like how about one to make a unicorn look like a kirin or the other way? We're kinda similar, right?" She tilted her head. "That'd be fun, and we could match!"

"You'd have to cast it," he noted with a hint of sullen bitterness. "I can't cast spells."

"What? No fair!" She clopped down a hoof, a little ring of short-lived fire flaring from the impact. "You were trying so hard! Why not?" She leaned right in, almost mashing her face against the length of Sunburst's horn. "I don't see anything wrong. You sure you're doing it right?"

He shoved her away, his magic sliding her evenly away. "I am quite sure I'm doing it right."

"It's like singing," she went on, seeming to ignore his insistence. "Have you tried just--"

He put a hoof on her lips. "Do not start singing."

She pouted, backing away from the hoof. "Hey, look... Singing? I like that. If we're going to be friends, songs will be involved. Kinda my thing? You get a singing kirin, or no kirin. Not much room for outside that."

"I didn't... mean it like that." He looked over Autumn, transformed as she was. "You've... changed, a lot, and I feel like I didn't much at all."

Autumn blinked rapidly, moving to close back in. "Well that's what I was saying. You became a pony that you already were, mostly. Your name just slipped in and, pow, you were there! I had... to walk further." She put a hoof behind her back. "Permission to sing?"

"Granted," he allowed with a quirk of a smile.

Her face exploded into a bright smile. "I was a confused man," she got out, launching into a musical number that had her prancing and bouncing off the walls, bed, and anything else that could support her weight, which included Sunburst. "Didn't know if I could be a mare!" she sang out much later, sliding on her knees just in front of Sunburst. "Technically, that's a lin." she winked even as she pressed on in the song.

"I'm still Derek," she noted suddenly. "But he became a she. Her name is Autumn Blaze." She thrust a hoof at Sunburst. "Nice to meet you, again."

Sunburst met the hoof and the tickle threatened his throat, beckoning him to play his part in the musical number, but he backed away shyly.

"Go on," bade Autumn with that happy smile. "Let it out. Let the magic wash over you and wipe away your fears. Let me hear you!" She was clopping her cloven hooves, cheering her friend to sing. "C'mon!"

"I don't want to!" he got out, and the sensation faded, the spell broken. "I'm not good at singing." He hung his head a little. "Sorry..."

"You should be, for yourself." She tapped his shoulder. "Only one way to get better, and that's to do it. So you might stink, so what? We all stink before we get kinda alright at something and there ain't a soul out there that's good at something that didn't get to 'kinda alright' first." She inclined her head. "Besides, if it's related, getting better at singing might help your magic."

"Now you're teasing me." he licked over his lips, nose twitching. "Autumn?"

"Yeah?"

"I hate... to ask this, so feel free to just tell me to shut up, but..." He sat up, watching her. "Are you... done with being in heat?"

She inclined her head at him, one brow raising. "As a kirin, I don't think I'm ever not in heat." She laughed even as she combusted, blue-white flames licking over her form as she began to circle him, flaming tail flicking. "That's me, a smoking hot mare. Like it?"

"Well, yes... you are that." He followed her movement with his eyes but kept his head forward, meaning there was time she was out of sight. "I'm just... feeling a bit off in a... specific way." He reached up to adjust his glasses. "And this is odd to... talk about, but..."

"But you're turned on, without the obvious special effects." She brought her flaming tail close to him, the blaze tickling at his fur as it faded, slowly revealing her normal form, ears witching to shake off the last bit of flame on them. "Look, Sunburst. It's me. Hey, I got a present for you." Her horn glowed as a drawer slid open and a box popped out, floating over quickly. "Starlight said I should have it."

There, floating in the air, a box of condoms. "Just the thing!"

"W-what?!" He scrambled back a step, only to stop and come in closer. They were the same size as the ones Starlight had selected for him, which meant... "She.... told you what size I am?!" he squealed out, voice giving in his shocked dismay.

"You know what that means, right?"

"She has no respect for privacy?" he ventured.

She waggled her brows. "Well, maybe that, but, more importantly, she wants us to have a good time. A good safe time. Look, let's be real. Neither of us are ready to be parents." She put a hoof to her chest. "I'm just getting a grip on myself, and you won't sing. What kind of parents are those? Lousy ones! But we can improve, bit by bit... Maybe, one day, in the future, we won't need 'em..."

"I thought... You were still unsure about that?" He inclined his head at her.

But she was coming in close, touching nose to nose. "Look, I'm this." She waved her ornate tail about. "I trust you. I want to know how this all... works, so, if you can promise me you'll take it slow and be a gentle stallion, maybe we can both... try it?"

"You're a stallion," he silently reminded himself. "She's a mare, lin, kirin, and she wants you. Do the manly thing!"

"This is too fast," is what came out of his mouth. "Let's be friends first." He raised a hoof at her. "Hi, I'm Sunburst."

Autumn inclined her head a little, ears falling with her head. "Oh, I mean, hi... I'm Autumn Blaze..." She touched a cloven hoof to his solid one. "Wanna watch some streaming stuff?"

"I'd love to."

And then nothing lewd happened at all. I can assure you, I was monitoring them on Starlight's request. All they did was watch some shows and get cuddly. He seemed to think she was the best pillow around, resting on her and cuddling. Fortunately, she seemed to like being used as a pillow, so that worked out. They hung out for the rest of the day, talking about a lot of nothing... but isn't that what relationships are? They were taking it slow, but they were going for it.

I was alright with that. Good for them. I cut the feed, giving them some privacy. They didn't need me watching over their shoulders.

"How's it going?" Shining's hands came down on my shoulders, rubbing them firmly. Sure, I bristled a bit at the sudden personal space violation, but, for him, I forgave it. "You done watching them?"

"They're doing fine." I swiveled to face him and soon he was in my lap. "You know, we're going to see a bit less of each other on the weekend."

"Is it already that time?" Oh yes, Starlight had waited so (im)patiently. "I won't pretend I'm not a little jealous."

"Well, thank you." He looked confused at my words. "I'd rather you were honest about it." I tapped him on his wide nose. "You got your turn, mine now."

"Oh fine." He crossed his arms with a huff. "Still... have you even... done it like that before? So far I know, you've been 100% female your whole life."

"It's not that complicated," I demurred. "Tab A, Slot B, repeat until both parties are satisfied."

"Way to make that sound boring as hell." He prodded me right dead center of the chest. "You know there's more to it."

"I do, and I'll make her happy enough, promise. I mean, seriously." I raised a bone white brow. "I can re-write reality, and you're worried I won't be able to manage this? Really?"

"I'm worrying for you." He had an arm around me, hand dropped across my chest as he nestled in nice and close. "You're both family, the way I see it. We're a little bike with three wheels, a tricycle, yeah that was the word, forgot a moment. Girl, you know what I meant."

"I did," I chuckled out, guiding him to his feet as I got up myself and began to float. "We need to do something. Something fun, as a family. Speaking of future problems, we can't all be married, literally not legal."

"Dibs."

"I refuse to be married on account of dibs. What are we, 10?" I huffed at Shining softly. "We have to come to a more reasonable solution than that."

"While we're on the topic of the After Times." He rolled a hand and leaned back against a wall. "When do we get out of here? You're the boss, didn't they tell you anything?"

"No." They really hadn't. "I just want to know how they've kept the lid on this tight. Really, people vanishing into a trial? That's kind of Big News, you think? So, where's the news?"

An idea struck me. I knew Starlight's full name, she'd whispered it to me. I flew to my computer and began to type without sitting, stretched out to it as my fingers danced in an excited click-clack. "Everything is just a Google away." I mean, sure, I wasn't actually asking Google. More of the entropy of the universe for a hint. Same thing, right?

--died today of Covid complications. She will be missed. She is survived by--

An obituary. The most recent article that mentioned Starlight, an obituary? She was... dead? That couldn't be right! Afterall, I checked my bank account. I did business. I did a lot of things that would be awkward for a dead person to do!

But did Starlight? She lived within the facility pretty entirely. She had no outside life.

"You alright?" Shining set a hand on my floating side. "You look like you just saw something awful."

"Starlight is dead as far as the world knows," I announced with a small voice. "I think the only reason I'm not is because I'm too loud. I keep paying all my bills. I keep moving my money. I keep..." I sank down onto my comfy chair, though it didn't feel that comfortable. "They're writing off as many patients as possible as dead, to avoid questions." And what could I do about it?

"Shit." He set a hand on his own hip, a scowl on his face. "Am I dead? Wait, that don't even matter. Are they ever planning on letting us out?" He swiveled my chair so we were facing. "Are we working for the bad guys?!"

"Calm down." I set a hand on his chest. "Deep breaths... You're partnered with a Power Noodle. I can figure this out."

"That's still a stupid name."

I rolled my eyes at that. "Then come up with a better one. Until then, I am a Noodle, deal with it." I began to float out of my chair. "I'm going to do some digging, alright?" He nodded, and I vanished.

"One advantage of being a horny pony." She casually wrapped it down with her magic. "You can do things carefully, while watching, without fingers getting in the way."

"I... thought we were slowing down," noted Sunburst in uncertain tones, but there he was, armored, ready to do his part as the stallion of the relationships.

"You can say you don't want to." She met his eyes. Silence grew between them. "Look, real talk. Silence is not consent, stallion. Speaking of that! You are so cute!" She suddenly clapped his head between her hooves. "Who gave you permission to become such a cute pony!"

He smiled awkwardly in the grip, held in the grasp of the mare he had thought so much about. "Can guys even be cute?" he demurred, his ego a little bruised at such a soft adjective being applied.

"You are adorable and I love it," sang out Autumn, starting to nuzzle under his chin as her magic gave him a squeeze where he began to squirm and fidget. "Now give me a clear answer. We do what you want, nothing more. You want me to put it back in the pants I'm not wearing, done. Just like that, done."

She was pushing, but was shy of running over his input and agency. He appreciated that, smiling awkwardly. "Autumn, I don't want... to... do things... with any mare... just for fun. If we... did that... it's because we're serious about... maybe something permanent..."

She lowered her face to his, noses touching, her eyes on his. "Little stud--" She suddenly snorted. "I mean, you literally are one of those. Congratulations! Living the guy dream!" She rubbed her nose against his, a big grin on her face. "Maybe you're being smart, too damn smart... I... the new me wants to run straight forward and... we can work it out afterwards, I guess..." She fell onto him, the two both sprawling over onto Sunburst's beck with her biting and nipping his throat. "You're yanking the reign, but this equine's so hot to trot..."

"But you're not an animal," he gently counseled, not that it stopped him from rubbing a little back against her, to feel that thrilling tickle of her belly fur against his sensitive parts with the delightful pleasure that came with it. "We're both adults, humans with hooves, cloven or not. We have to have boring thoughts."

"Ugh, so boring," agreed Autumn with a little smile. "What's next, gonna go over my taxes?"

"If you let me." He gently tickled her sides with his hooves, the two laughing at the idea.

She snuggled against him, her belly to his. "That doesn't seem that awful... We could get a little house, a rockin' video game system."

He ran his hooves up and down her sides more gently. "A huge television, but a nice back yard too... I think we'll both want one of those."

"Yeah... nice and big, with a stone path, where I can flare up when I need to." She giggled softly, gazing into his eyes. "Two stories, with a bedroom or two for visiting friends, or maybe little ones, if we do that."

"If we do that." His tension returned, thinking about it, trapped between them. "I'll be happy if we do, or we don't. Autumn."

"Sunburst?" she tilted her head.

"I think I might love you."

She burst into a grin. "You don't sound sure."

"Because I'm not." He trailed his hooves to her hips, holding her. "Autumn... let's be friends. Let's learn each other. Let's fall in love, the slow way, maybe forever."

"Forever," she sighed, gazing into his eyes. "That sounds kinda nice..." She wriggled a little on top of him, rubbing her hips back against his hooves. "Slow... forever. I think that could be... really nice." She hiked a brow. "You are leaving me with a wicked lady boner, just to make that clear."

"I'll make it up to you," he promised, hugging her from below, quickly returned, the two flopping and rolling to the side, neither on the other anymore. "As many times as I have to."

"Naughty boy." She licked his chin and nuzzled the damp spot. "Naughty naughty stallion, cute, mine, wonderful." She nestled close. "Fine, we'll do it your way, and you get to make up for it, later... So... color of the fence?"

"Red."

"Blue!" She stuck out her tongue. "Red, really, c'mon..."

"What about a powder yellow?"

She inclined her head, considering it. "That could be nice..."

They spent the rest of the day fantasizing about the house they'd get someday, in the future. To put the perfect ribbon on a nice day, they played a fighting game. Turned out Autumn was pretty good at them. She didn't stand a chance against Sunburst's first person shooting skills.

Both went to their own beds, happy, that night. It was the start of a relationship both felt confident in.

Even if the odds of their fantasy home were even smaller than they had thought at the time, when it already seemed like a whimsical future that was far enough away as to not exist.

Author's Notes:

This is a chapter mostly about Sunburst and Autumn, being SO CUTE, the two of them. I want to hug both of them and deliver all the headpats they want.

Join the special community of folks who like my stories and/or get your own here at atreon!

Don't want to do an ongoing thing? You could

Join my discord to chat!