Chapter 10: Adjustments

=== The Conversion Bureau: A New Age, A New Life ===Chapter 10:  Adjustments===== ----- ===== ----- =====

[ Earth, September 13, 2081, 7:45 PM CST ]

        Twilight Sparkle, Andre, and Celestia were trotting up from the labs and back to the waiting room, Andre moving under his own power a little better than the other Newfoals.

"So have you started thinking of an alternative name for yourself when you get to Equestria? Andre?", Twilight asked.

Andre answered, with a bit of nervousness, "Honestly... I don't know... I mean I have ideas but I dunno how I wanna phrase it..."

        Meanwhile, the gears in Celestia's head were spinning wildly, due to the events on the Astral Plane. Most of the thoughts concerned the origins of that voice that spoke to them all and issued the relevant visions to herself, her sister, and the Bearers of Harmony. Said voice was ancient, and seemingly exhausted; though, even in her exhaustion, was still clearly powerful.

Judging from how ancient and exhausted that voice sounded, we don't have much time to find the other Conduits... Celestia began to reason to herself.

She needed to expedite the search for the other three Conduits, but she couldn't exactly start converting humans en-masse to figure out which ones they were. She needed a clue, a hint, some kind of lead to pinpoint them.

"Man when I tell them what happened, they’re gonna flip. I mean, I thought that dream we all had was crazy, but none of us thought it was some kind of omen..." Andre said, talking to Twilight and wondering just how the other three Amigos were all going to react.

Dream... a collective dream... no wait. It was a Vision, that ancient voice was trying to contact Andre... Celestia thought after hearing Andre's passing remark.

Celestia stopped walking, deep in thought surrounding this revelation. The other two Ponies soon stopped once they ceased hearing the metallic hoofsteps of their Princess. Celestia looked at Andre to ask a question, trying her best not to seem intimidating; but there was some information she needed and needed quickly. "What was this dream that you speak of, and who were the others that you shared it with?"

"Oh yeah... you know the Trial that - whatever - put me through? Well I've been having something similar to that as recurring nightmare, and my three friends in the waiting room have been going through similar issues. I guess the difference was that the proverbial dam broke for me," Andre answered, sighing as he did. He had no idea what might have been plaguing his three friends while he was going through his own tribulations.

Well this certainly will expedite things. Those other three are most likely the other candidates. Hrm, very interesting indeed... Celestia thought to herself. Andre and Twilight could swear they saw a smirk on her face.

"Oh my God..."

"He is so... so..."

"HE'S SO CUTE I JUST WANT TO HUG HIM!!"

        Ethan and Natasha stood stunned by the sight they saw, while Kyoko was giddy like a 5-year old girl being handed a plush toy she had been begging for weeks on end. In fact, Kyoko was already on her knees, engaged in a near-bear-hug around Andre's poor neck and shoulders. Andre was now only about half as tall as Ethan, a little over 3 feet tall to the shoulder, while Ethan was a shade under 6'3" to the top of his head.

"Wow, squeezing pretty hard there Kyoko...," Andre said, thankful his neck was incredibly sturdy.

"But you're so soft and cuddly and you smell like blueberries I think...," Kyoko said, clearly not wanting to let go of the living plush she had in her grip.

Hrm... she's right, you wouldn't think this place was staffed mostly by equine-derivatives... wonder if that's magic as well... Natasha thought to herself, also noting the lack of smell of livestock.

"I'm pretty sure he doesn't smell like blueberries Kyoko, I mean that's just..., " Ethan started. He was going to say it was silly to think that, but then again he was talking to 3 talking equines of various sizes and colors, all quite capable of very strange things. To think they'd smell like fruit, or whatever the heck, wouldn't have been surprising all things considered.

"So, you thought of a new name for yourself yet, Artist Formerly Known as Andre?" Natasha asked, almost jokingly.

"Actually, Twilight asked me that while we were walking here, but no, I hadn't settled on anything yet. I was gonna take a couple of days to let it rattle around in my head. I don't want to have to fill out any name change petitions or anything when I get to Equestria and formally register as a citizen, or whatever I might have to do when I get there," Andre responded.

"Not to be a 'buzzkill', I believe the term is, but you will not be going to Equestria just yet. Although you will be taking the introductory classes here in the Rehabilitation Center, I will have Twilight personally tutor you in the use of basic Unicorn Explicit Magic until some other business has been taken care of," Celestia said, not necessarily wanting to destroy the mood.

Wait what... I'm gonna be somepony's private tutor?! Twilight thought to herself. Always having been someone's student, she had no idea how she was going to teach somepony else, and then a Newfoal on top of that.

Celestia continued, "Although I am trying to figure out the details myself. There was a complication during Andre's Conversion that required my full and undivided attention. As far as I can tell, whatever this being is, is attempting to preserve its legacy. It also appears that our Ponification project tied into the preservation of said legacy. Andre here will have a hand in that, but there are three others that are just like him that we have to find as well..."

Ethan, Kyoko, and Natasha suddenly went pale. The words Celestia was speaking began to resonate in their minds, reminding them of the lurking darkness that bound the four of them together to begin with.

I... I just wanted to fly... but... I... why...

No... I'm real... I'm a real girl... I'm not some experiment... how could...

Mother?  Did you really... how... no... none of this makes any sense...

They snapped out of it as quickly as those thoughts came, however. The lurking darkness receded back to its hiding place; but it was now clear - some more things were due to change before long.

==========

[ Earth, September 22, 2080 ]

        Andre was a lot more sure on his feet now, finally starting to develop some muscle memory for normal-speed moving. He also figured some of the more psychological changes were going to take longer to get used to. It seemed like he was slower to rouse to anger than he was before; not knowing if that was because the brain chemistry of the Ponies was radically different, or him having the equivalent of an intervention while in the middle of his body being reformatted. He also noticed he was a lot more empathic now, he could just sense how people felt even if he couldn't pinpoint the source. One thing he was thankful for was that his voice and manner of speaking were relatively untouched.

Hrm, wonder how much the mind is a plaything of the body? Always wanted to know the answer to that question... he thought to himself while starting to consider all the changes he had already undergone, and was probably still to undergo. He marveled a bit at how his mane and tail looked all the world like human hair; with a really severe dye job yes, but still pretty close.

        Twilight was sitting in her office at the Bureau, musing over Andre and his Newfoal-mates before they (minus Andre) were due to cross the Bridge to Equestria. She was quite impressed with how quickly he was able to start adapting his electronic devices to his fresh Equestrian body, after losing the implants and other 'add-ons' (with considerable help from Kyoko and Dr. Jun). At the same time though, she was still fretting over how to start teaching her charge how to use his newfound gifts as a Unicorn, and over the role that medallion with the Symbol of Water was going to play. She was also thinking about the last thing Celestia told her before she returned to Equestria a week ago, after Andre got resettled in the rehab area of the Bureau: "Be sure to learn something from your new student, I am sure he will have some things to teach you."

"Teaching the teacher, doesn't that seem kinda strange to you Twi'?", Spike asked, fluffing the pillow in his basket. He got far more sleep while Twilight was on her shift at the Bureau than he did in the Isegawa's Clinic.

"This whole situation is strange. I mean, I'm the student of the Princess, I'm still learning about Friendship in general, and now apparently I have to teach while learning myself. It's all very confusing...," Twilight said, telekinetically rearranging some books she brought for herself to read while the Center was slow and quiet, which was still most of the time.

        Andre for his part was dreading heading back to the Isegawa Clinic, though. The problem for him wasn't so much room and board - the Isegawas repeatedly assured him that he'd be able to stay at the Clinic for the foreseeable future. He was more dreading what Dr. Hayato might try to do to him in his zeal to research Magic in general.

"Ugh who knows what that crazy fool might try to do to me... oh well hopefully his wife can keep him in check like usual," he said to himself, putting his things back into a saddle bag he was given by Celestia. "At least the bag is comfortable, probably better than slinging a duffel bag over one shoulder back in my old body. Feels strange to say that...," he added, wondering what his grandfather would think, rest his soul.

Andre went to the dorms to say his goodbyes to the recent Converts, they were heading off to Equestria to begin their long journey of self-discovery tomorrow; he however was to remain on Earth, there was something he had to finish before he was allowed to leave.

        The first night back for Andre at the Isegawa Clinic was rather eventful. Dr. Hayato marveled at the story Andre told, hoping that he run some experiments on Andre once he learned a good deal of Magic from Twilight. Andre was already starting to work on telekinesis, now able to lift and move objects up to a couple of pounds in weight. Twilight figured it would be enough for the moment to teach him things like that, since she was still trying to come up with a solid definition of a Unicorn's Explicit Magic. She had spent the last week trying to find some sort of inspiration; looking through some of the human's fiction for a close analogue to what Unicorns almost knew innately.

Hrm, this device for data entry that Dr. Jun and Andre came up with is certainly handy, it's better than having to actually tell the computer everything I want to do... Twilight thought as she scanned media entity after media entity.

She finally stumbled onto an old video game franchise, Pocket Monsters a.k.a Pokémon. She found the franchise involved humans controlling creatures, and giving commands to invoke what could only be described as Magic out of the creatures; and one particular sub-class of creatures had a set of spells that looked suspiciously like Explicit Magic.

Hrm, apparently these Psychic-class Techniques are just like many forms of Explicit Magic... I think I hit the gold mine. Twilight began to commit the technique descriptions to memory, hoping to invoke the same kind of insight in Andre.

Why can't I fly?  The skies are supposed to be for anyone... so why won't you let me fly?!

Father... why... Mother... how could you... what is going on... Please, someone...

I am real... I'm real aren't I?... Why do you keep saying I'm not a real girl?... Father would never do something like that... would he?

==== ====

[ Earth, September 24, 2080 ]

        A couple of days later, after managing to wrangle a day off for herself, Twilight and Andre were standing out in a field in the back of the clinic-complex. They wanted to be out of the direct line of sight of any passers-by, seeing as the clinic still had a respectable human patronage trying to get some treatment without having to wait an interminable length of time in a horribly overcrowded hospital. Wanting to avoid damaging any expensive equipment, Twilight and Andre set up a portable terminal outside, so the Doctors Isegawa could watch the proceedings. What Andre saw before him were several blocks, the same size but each a different color as to be easily recognized.

Twilight began, adopting glasses to give the affect of a schoolteacher. "Alright, Andre. Today we are going to commence your first lesson in Unicorn Explicit Magic. Explicit Magic is drawing the Mana of Equestria in order to will something to happen. Generally, we use it with tools to perform tasks that require precision, such as working with fine materials or intricate weaving. Anyway, the spell you've been using so far is known as Grab and Hold. Knowing this spell will certainly allow you to survive in Equestria, but it won't allow you to thrive."

Dr. Jun thought how wonderful a teacher Twilight would make, if she had more confidence in her knowledge and ability to communicate to others.

        Twilight continued, "I want you to recall the older video game franchise of 'Pocket Monsters', or 'Pokemon' as it was more commonly referred to." Andre's mind perked up at this comparison, his grandfather having quite enjoyed the game series for much of his life, and he did as well to large extent.

"Recall the Psychic-class of Monster. Their techniques depended upon any combination of three ideas:  projection of force, manipulation of a target's mind, and/or alteration of space and time within a discrete area. Now the Grab And Hold spell is actually a very well designed beginners spell - for it teaches to project one's force, but also the ability to stabilize that force so that one can continually interact with the target. That brings us to today's lesson. We'll be practicing projecting force as a Unicorn. So the basic premise is for you to levitate each block and then 'throw' it as far and as straight as you can down this marked field"

She then pointed out to the 10-yd markings going off into the sickly-looking backwoods, all in all about 200 yards worth of 10-yard lines with 1 yd markings down the center.

        With that, Andre saw no reason to delay the lesson. He picked up the red 1 lb. block, and tossed it a good 70 yards downfield; the orange 3 lbs. block 67 yards; the yellow 5 lb block went 40; the green 10 lb block 35; and the blue 20 lb block only managed to get about 22 yards downfield. Andre was mildly exhausted after this exertion, not realizing just how much strain channeling mana put on a Unicorn physically. "Wow, I... I didn't know that casting magic... could make you physically tired..., " he said, huffing and puffing all the while.

"Indeed. Now you did well for someone only a week or so into using Magic, which I grant to having the potential of an adult Unicorn already. Now let me show you how someone who has been practicing for years does. Dr. Hayato, are the tracking chips working as intended?", Twilight said, an air of confidence about her now.

"You're good to go Twilight," Dr Hayato confirmed.

In a flash, Andre saw each block wrapped in Twilight's magenta aura, and flying away as if being launched out of a trebuchet. The red, orange, and yellow blocks flew clear past the marked field, landing about 250 yards somewhere in the woods. The green and blue blocks stayed in the proverbial field of play, landing about 190 and 170 yards downfield respectively. Andre also noticed something else - they all flew in nearly straight lines, the only deviations being caused by a slight westward wind. Twilight looked somewhat blasé about the whole exercise, knowing that Andre would have to do a lot more to learn Unicorn Magic than throwing blocks down a field. The exercise was still useful though, as a mild demonstration of what high-class Unicorns could pull off.

Andre was suitably impressed by the display of raw strength. "Wow Twilight, I... I dunno what to say really..."

Twilight responded in her schoolteacher voice. "Well Andre, I've had my entire lifetime to practice. Don't worry though, I did not do that to intimidate you. We just need to exercise those magical muscles of yours as much as your physical muscles."

With that, Twilight set Andre back to lifting and throwing the blue 20-lb block. They spent an hour on this combination of strength and endurance training; Andre repeatedly throwing the block downfield, resting a bit, and Twilight teleporting it back to be thrown again. He was making steady, albeit slow improvement - 30, 32, 33, 27, and 35 yards his last five throws. What happened next, well, let's say that neither were ready for.

        Andre was prepping for his latest throw, body covered in sweat, panting all the while. He was determined to at least crack 50 yards with a throw today, but his rate of progression versus his mana depletion and physical exhaustion was making that goal look more and more unattainable. "I'm going to do this, I'm going to throw this damn block or I'm going to pass out trying..."

Twilight was directly in front of Andre, at the 50 yard marker, acting as a living flag so that Andre would have something to aim towards. He's looking really tired, I'm going to have to end this lesson soon or he's gonna pass out from mana exhaustion... she thought to herself, looking at her charge obviously straining.

Andre then focused as best he could, trying to visualize his mana reserve. He figured he had enough left for one hard throw and that was going to be it for the day, so he had to make it count. Andre drilled down, like a prospector looking for oil, to see if he could find any more reserves left to tap. What he didn't realize was that he was slant drilling, and heading straight for a reserve of something that neither of them were ready to tap yet.

Twilight felt a strange surge of... something. She couldn't exactly place what kind of magic was starting to well up, not at first anyway. She looked around trying to figure out where it was coming from, all the while Andre was continuing to slant drill into this unknown magical reservoir within himself, also not knowing much of where he was going. He kept drilling down, not noticing the bright blue Magic Circle underneath him. Not noticing how the ground under him was getting soft and mushy... like it was turning into mud. In fact, he didn't notice anything until he heard a loud BANG, like a water main bursting... which is effectively what he just did.

"Wait, what the hell was that noi...," Andre said, cutoff as the Magic Circle manifested a giant wave of water; conveniently pointed out in the direction of the wooded area he was trying to throw the block towards, and towards a certain lavender-furred and violet-maned Unicorn tutor.

"Hey Andre what are you AAAAAAAAAAH," Twilight said-then-shouted, as she saw Andre being propelled toward her, 'riding' the wave of conjured water out directly towards her.

Soon both Ponies were being washed out into the forest by the giant, seemingly unyielding wave of magically conjured water.

"What the hell is going on!" Andre shouted as he and Twilight were being carried around and past the sickly looking trees.

"I have no idea! Where is all this water coming... OH MY CELESTIA!", Twilight shouted, looking dead ahead at a remarkably healthy tree standing remarkably directly in their path.

Then there was a very, very loud crash, partially from the large tree being felled.

"Well that was... interesting?" Dr. Hayato said somewhat dryly, as they watched whatever it was generating that wave cease and the remaining water flow over the grounds, trying to find its way below the surface.

"I'll go get the truck. The tracking bugs on Twilight and Andre are still working, so it shouldn’t take me long to retrieve them. Probably will need to get some medical supplies out though..." Dr. Jun said as she went off to the garage to start up her vehicle.

Dr. Hayato sighed heavily. He knew that Kyoko would have a fit when she heard that Twilight and Andre were literally washed away during Andre's first formal lesson under Twilight's tutelage.

===== =====

        "Ugh... my chest... feels like I just got hit in the belly with a wrecking ball, " Andre managed to say through somewhat strained breaths. He noticed all the medical tape around his sides. He felt around his horn, which was still sensitive to the touch but thankfully nothing there was missing. He saw Dr. Hayato looking over him with a look that somehow combined bemusement and concern.

Dr Hayato then began to recount what happened to Andre after he and Twilight were washed away. "Well, Andre, bad news is that your first lesson with Twilight ended with a total washout, a flooded forest, and several trees lying on the ground like someone was bothering to cut for lumber. The good news, both yourself and Twilight are very much alive. According to her, she threw up a shield right before you two impacted the tree we found you by. The both of you only have mild internal bruising, although you needed to be wrapped up still. All in all, a few days of not being slammed into large inanimate objects should be all the further treatment you need."

Andre was just thankful he didn't have to explain to Celestia and Luna that he didn't more severely injure himself or his tutor their first day on the job, so to speak.

"Um, excuse me, can I see him now?" said a sheepish sounding voice from past Andre's room's doorframe.

"Yes Kyoko, Andre is awake and again and can receive company, I'll leave you two alone," Dr. Hayato said, quickly excusing himself as Kyoko was letting herself in.

        Andre did not know how to start explaining how that surge of water he accidentally conjured nearly jackknifed himself and/or Twilight into one of many trees. He just wanted to make sure to convey that he was still alright, so why not a joke to lighten the mood. "Hey Kyoko. Um... eventful day, huh?" His ribs stung him as he tried to laugh.

"I was so worried about you. I mean I'm talking to Ethan on the video-link, and suddenly I hear what sounded like a water main breaking. And then I heard that you had managed to wash yourself and Twilight out into the woods behind the Clinic," Kyoko said, with a ton of concern in her voice. She had gone over to sit on the bed that Andre was laying in, noticing his blue coat had been cleaned up pretty well considering not an hour ago he must have been a muddy, slightly bloody mess. Despite all of that, she still noticed the slight fragrance of blueberries about him, not knowing how or what was causing it.

"Yeah I guess I was straining too hard doing one of Twilight's lessons; before I knew it I was pulling up this whole other pool of magic and BOOM, surfs up!" Andre said, trying to lighten the situation, each laugh stinging him in the chest.

"Hey just relax, you know you can't physically strain yourself, you've only been in that body for what, 2 weeks or so?", Kyoko said, beginning to stroke along Andre's back.

Andre began to feel a sudden spike of sensation, and suddenly his mind began to melt with a sensation of most base pleasure.

Oh man that feels so good, I know I would have liked her to do this to me as a human, but this feels really good with this body... he thought to himself. He really had no idea just how sensitive his new body was to touch, much like his equine counterparts on Earth. He especially had no idea just how compounded the feeling would get when grooming, especially with a nice, firm brush.

"Uhh, could you get that brush out of my saddlebag, I-I.. I really haven't had time to re-groom myself. I don't even know who cleaned me off for that matter," Andre said, struggling to maintain an even tone of voice.

Kyoko did as she was asked, gently motioning for Andre to roll on his back to attend to his underbelly first. Although the medical tape was a bit of an obstruction, she began brushing along the edges and center of his chest and stomach first. Andre had to use every single ounce of self-discipline to not grin like cat; when he brushed himself it felt really good, and to have the girl he still liked despite his form do it, well, it was riling him up even harder.

Ahhh... I... can't even think straight... I hope I don't... oh... Andre barely managed to think to himself, the pleasure so deep he could hardly keep a cogent thought together. He definitely didn't want to have some kind of pleasure-induced spasm and kick Kyoko with his now quite strong legs.

Kyoko motioned him to roll back over on his belly, and he complied, trying his best to avoid the stinging of his bruises. He ducked his head down into the covers as Kyoko began to brush through his mane and neck and down along his back. His face was half obscured in the bedsheets; he didn't want anyone, especially Kyoko, to notice that dumb grin only a mind with its pleasure center being repeatedly stimulated could produce.

Hrm, he really seems to like me brushing him. I guess being a Pony means a lot more changes than just shape... Kyoko thought to herself. She then began to brush in behind his ears, not realizing how sensitive they were, even when compared to the rest of his body.

        As this was going on, a not-quite-so-bandaged Twilight and Spike walked by the half-closed door to Andre's room. They stopped and turned around, though, when they heard a half-masculine yelp erupt from the room. Fearing that Andre might have done something to injure himself further, they carefully peered inside. The sight that greeted them was dramatically different than what they expected, however. It was Andre, head along Kyoko's lap as he just stared off into some unknown horizon, mind awash in the intensely good feeling of a good brushing by the lady he had a strong thing for.

"Feels... so... good..." he said slowly and airily, voice somewhat coming back to its normal tone and weight. His mane and fur was now totally flattened out; tail swishing in the air slowly and rhythmically. He had a look on his face of absolute contentment - like everything was exactly how it should be in the world, and nothing could happen that'd upset him. Kyoko, for her part, was still running her finger along the outer edge of his ear; just appreciating this pseudo-intimate time with the guy she still had a thing for, despite his change in form.

"Wow I've never seen anyone on this side look like that, he looks so happy," Spike said, as he and Twilight walked away, leaving the two totally-not-lovebirds to their own devices.

He's probably starting to come to a realization of who and what he is now. Hopefully this will help him in his own studies... Twilight said to herself, wondering if she'd ever find that special somepony.

It seems you are getting used to your new body now... Andre.

Yeah... I am.

Have you chosen a new name for yourself, when you cross to over the Aurora Barrier?

Yeah... I did

Well, my little Pony, what is your new alias?

Blue Vague, I'd like to be known as Blue Vague, vaguebeing French for a wave of water, deriving from the language of the ancestors of my home.

Well then, Andre, also now known as 'Blue Vague', this news shall be relayed to Twilight Sparkle and the other Bearers.

Wait... other Bearers?