"Despite that being correct it still sounds wrong."

Craft groaned. She had said what needed to be said. Taking a breath and letting the warm water ease her muscles a bit, she said it again with a bit more confidence.

"I have a vagina and teats."

She still felt a twinge at the words but overall felt better for being able to say it. In her time here she had been very methodical when ever it came to her more private area. She already understood for the most part how to handle it, not exactly having been all the innocent before, and never explored it, simply doing what needed to be done when she needed to. Now she was going to take her time and try and more personally understand her new parts. While she had a basic understanding of her private flower, the small teats she had where whole other thing all together. At most she knew that they became extremely sensitive during heat.

She decided to actually start and very slowly dipped a hoof under the water. It paused about halfway to its target as craft had to let some tension drain before she went on. With the same speed as before she reached down further until at last she made contact with her left mammary. With her body being fresh and new plus the anticipation that had been building she ended up shivering uncontrollably as small sparks were sent up her spine from the touch, the experience making her let out a small hiss.

("Jeeeeesussss, this is defiantly something else.")

Holding her hoof there she waited for the feelings to pass before she dared to move again. As delicately as possible she felt around it, pausing when ever she felt to much pleasure. When she felt more comfortable with her body she thought she might get a bit more "Adventuress", but for now wanted to keep this wholly exploitative. Brushing against her nipple was like having a car battery hooked straight up to her spine. She retracted her hoof a bit and took a deep breath, letting her body calm down a bit.

("Medi wasn't kidding about the sensitivity. I might end up humping the water if this keeps up. I have to be careful....")

Building up the necessary courage again she lowered her hoof to her nipple again. Her touch, more careful than ever, sent another, albeit, smaller jolt through her. Forcing her hoof to stay she rode out the feelings of electrified pleasure. It was intense just how much the small touch could nearly drive her mad, but she understood why and was determined to see this through. It was HER body, as strange and new as it was to her, and she was not going to let it control her. Again, she steadied out her heart rate and began to slowly rub her nip.

("Thank god I chose the tub to do this in.")
In her little journey of self discovery her lower lips had become rather excited. The water of the tub made it easy to hide the evidence, even if she only hiding it from herself. She worked on the process of feeling herself, rubbing one teat until it felt bearably sensitive instead of pure bolts of lighting,, doing the same with the other just as meticulously. With that done she stopped there and took a break. she got out of the warm embrace of the tubs water and let the chilly air bite at her damp fur and skin. Walking around the bathroom a bit, she let the cold do it's job, cooling the fire the had been stoked as she did her business. After a short time she felt ready to brave the chasm that was trying to understand her body again and got back into the water. She laid out in the most comfortable position she could find and looked down at herself once again.

("Alright, this is the moment. You were a man, a being typically stereotyped as nothing more than a horn dog, and you were and still are a complete weirdo that's barley in touch with reality. You can handle this.")

Having mentally prepared herself, she reached for her most sacred area with her right hoof. With no idea how to start she went with the idea of just placing the flat of her hoof right on top of it, and was surprised to find that she wasn't immediately sent into overload.

("Huh....It feels like...like.........a pair of freaking lips. Really soft ones too.")

Still cautious of what may happen, she began to rub it. While she had never had the personal chance to explore one before, she knew thanks to the now far off wonders of the internet what normally was done to elect lust from a girl using their flowers, and so took great care to use this limited knowledge to avoid exciting herself as much as possible. The waters hug and her own bodies sensitivity made sure to make her job just all the harder. Thankfully it seemed that while still sending all those wonderful yet new feelings through her, her virgin folds were not as easily moved as her teats.

"Maybe I should talk to Medi about this, I thought it was goin-AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?!?"

That is until she brushed against her clitoris.

It made her have a small spasm, the pure bliss nearly making her jump out of the tub in the brief fear that some highly skilled pervert had sneaked under the water somehow. She gripped the edge of the tub tightly with both hooves a she took deep breaths. Eventually she was able to calm herself. The great shot of joy had been so sudden and unexpected that was almost sure her body had some how had a latent defect from her surgery. With her mind clearing she realized what she had done.

("Okay, found the "Happy Button". Now to make sure I NEVER press it again.")

In her surprise and shock she had not noticed something floating in the water. It was white fluid that took her a full three seconds to comprehend it's existence and origin. She had managed to trigger her first ever orgasm as a girl.

"...And that is officially the end of my bath."

Avoiding the happy juice, she drained the tub and got out, grabbed a towel, dried off, struggle with brushing her mane and tail, and at last left the bathroom.

To only have a giant camera lens shoved in her face with a quick voice on the other end.

"Ah, you must be the mysterious manic mare that made a muck in the castle. I'm Swift Pen and I was hoping that I could possibly get a quick talk with you?"

Craft tried in vain to back paddle and ended up on her flank staring wide eyed at the mare in front of her. The mare was a pegasus with a blond mane that hung just above her eyes but was kept short cropped near her neck. Her tail looked like a bent spike, not one air out of place. Her coat is a soft green that brought thoughts of veggies to mind. Around her neck was a strap that held the camera that previously had almost had it's lens lodged in Craft's eye. Her wing were currently extend and holding a notepad and pencil, something nearly eligible written on the pad.

Craft was left surprised and uncomprehending, staring blankly at Swift as her brain tried it's best to put itself back together. Just as she was getting together a sentence that wouldn't sound insane Swift to initiative.

"Not much of a talker are you? That's fine, just let me follow you around a bit I can get all I need!" She said this all while writing down more on the pad.

With just one last brief thought to the idea that pegasus wings might work the same as hooves Craft force herself to speak before any more of this disaster could unfold.

"That won't be necessary Miss Swift, I'm perfectly capable of speaking. You just caught me off guard is all." She said while she stood up.

"Oh terribly sorry about that. It's just I had to find a way to talk to you and that was to come in through your balcony. I did try knocking first, but you never answered and the doors were open."

Swift's face betrayed no signs that she knew just how creepy and intrusive that was, just an innocent smile.

("As if you would come in any other way you freaky son of-")

"Right, well I'm sure if you just take the same route back out you'll be perfectly fine and won't run into ant guards."

"I know, I had planned to take the same way."

("Take the hint so I don't have to yell.")

"It's a good thing it's such a nice day. I can't imagine what making that trip again would be like during a storm."

"Right? I had to get here fast just so I could miss the rainstorm the weather team had scheduled for tonight."

("Oh for the love of-")
"I'm not doing an interview."

The smile that Swift had held this entire time finally fell.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not doing any interviews. Nothing against you personally, but I'm just not doing any interviews with anypony."

Swift looked ready to cry, her cherry mood going downhill fast and making Craft do a double take at the speed of the transition.

"But, but I was going to get the big scoop for ounce!"

"Well I'm sorr-"

"I was finally going to get some recognition!"

"Look, It's jus-"

"Please let me get an interview! Please, please, PLEASE!"

"WOULD YOU CALM DOWN!?!"

Swift was taken back herself, her wings popping out in surprise as she fell onto her flanks. She stopped the river of words coming from her mouth, but she still had tears in her eyes and sniffled occasionally, avoiding direct eye contact. Craft had to take moment before she talked.
"Listen, we'll do this. I want to hear YOUR story first. The way the news as been betraying me as not made me the most trusting of the media as of late, but honestly, I just really hate seeing people-I mean ponies, sad. So I'm gonna give you the chance to earn my trust. If I haven't kicked you off the balcony by the time you're done, then I'll do the interview with you, okay?"
Swift dared to look up at her again after wiping her eyes with a hoof.

"You really want to hear about me? And you'll do the interview?"

"Like I said, I don't like sad ponies, and the best way to get me to like you is to tell me about yourself. If I don't like afterwards then that's that, but If I do then I'll consider you my friend. And I don't mind doing stuff for my friends."

Swift practically exploded with excitement, warping Craft in a huge bear hug with both her forelegs and wings.

"OH THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!"

"He-hey, it's fine, really. Just calm down a bit."

Swift quickly pulled back with a huge blush across her face.

"Heh-heh, Sorry about that."

"Again, it's fine. Come on, we can talk on the bed. It's big enough to fit at least ten of both of us."

"Okay!"

Swift took to the air and glided to the bed with a huge grin on her face, Craft just shaking her head following.

("I need to ask if she's related to that pink ninja. Insanely energetic and unbelievable happy. Plus they both snuck into my rooms through a window.")

Craft took a seat, with a wide divide between her and Swift, on the bed as well. Swift looked had everything but her camera laid out to her sides, looking as excited as if she was in a slumber party. Craft, pushing away second thoughts, started the conversation.

"So, I guess where I'd like you to start is why it is you wanted to become a reporter anyway."

Swift nodded vigorously.

"Okay! When I was just a little filly my mom would take me to work with her a lot, my dad was a construction worker and was out of town a lot to work on big projects, and I started school late because my parents moved around Canterlot a bunch and they wanted to wait until we had a home we could stay in. My mom could always get the biggest scoops before anypony else could, always managing to get to a celebrity or a big event first. She would always rush out the door with me on her back, taking all these back alleys and weird turns before, somehow always getting exactly where she wanted to be. She said it was all thanks to her "Journalistic Instincts". If she was reporting a crime scene she would leave me with one of her friends at the the office."

"And you wanted to do the same job when you grew up?"

"Yup! The way my mom could move and get things done, it was like she was an adventurer. Kinda like Daring Do!"

("Daring who?")

"It was so cool! Eventually we settled in at a nice big house close to the edge of Canterlot. My worked at the Canterlot Collective, a really big news company that's only second to Equestria Daily."

"Canterlot Collective? I've heard that name before..."

"Their the biggest newspaper company in all of Canterlot, and they reach as far as the Griffon Kingdom!"

"Wait, I remember now. They're the ones that have been saying I'm in a relationship with Luna!"
Craft turned a sharp eye towards Swift who shrunk back a bit.

"They've been saying all sorts of insane things about me when I haven't even had a single day outside the castle yet!"

Swift rubbed the back of her head as she spoke.

"Ye-yeah. It has been like that for a while. You see, my mom and a bunch of her friends kept to a very strict code. Always be truthful, always be strong. She told me that if you can't trust the news, then how are you supposed to know anything about the world? She always made sure, even when big stories were slim to come by, that a boring paper was better than a fake one. But after she retired it got a lot harder for everypony else to keep up moral and money. They wanted to do their jobs with pride, but they needed money to stay alive. So eventually they broke down and started blowing stories out of proportion. Without my mom to keep them strong until something juicy came along, they just couldn't keep it together. And that's how it's been ever since. Ridiculous stories that have nothing to do with anything but still make money."

Craft let out a breath and looked away.

"And, if I can be so bold, you wanted to get a real story that had a lot of potential so you could start trying to get them back to the way things were?"

Swift, seemingly drained of all her excitement, nodded.

"I wanted to be like my mom, not only getting the big stories and going on little adventures of my own, but getting REAL news out to ponies again. And when I heard about you I-"

"Saw your chance. I get it."

Swift looked away herself. It seemed clear what Crafts decision was. Swift was just starting to collect her stuff when Craft looked back to her and spoke.

"That just leaves the interview then. Where do ya want me to start?"

Swift was getting up and nearly fumbled at those words, tumbling to the ground onto her back with an upside down face of pure joyous surprise.

"You want to do the interview?!?"

Craft had to catch her breath, having laughed so much, before she replied.

"Yes, I want to do it. Swift, I am a brutally honest pers-PONY when I think I need to be, and my first thought of you was that you were a ditzy news hound that had gotten lucky. But I'm also a sucker for heartwarming stories like you just told me. I mean come on, wanting to follow in your moms hoof steps and bring back the integrity of news? It's like a book, and one that I'd read wholeheartedly."

Within two seconds Craft was enveloped in a bone breaking hug as she was left staring at an empty spot on the the floor.

"THANKYOUTHANKYOU THANKYOU!!!

Craft was more surprised than hurt even with as tight as Swift was hugging.

"Yo-you're welcome."

Swift pulled back to show the absolute happiness that was plastered to her face. Craft couldn't help but smile back. Quickly gathering her stuff and getting back on to the bed, Swift was very eager to get the interview started proper.

"Alright, so I guess where I'd like you to start is with who you are. I mean so little is known about you despite everything you've done, except the fact that you don't seem to have a cutie mark. Which is really kinda weird you know."

Throwing a quick glance at her bum Craft felt the slightest touch of warmth come to her cheeks.

"Yeaaaaah, I can see why that might be confusing. Well, you see I really don't know. The farthest back I can remember is when I woke up in the castle gardens."

"You have amnesia?!"

"Mmhm, plus when I woke up I-”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"-and that's why I have this room."

The last hour had been filled with conversation. Not only did Craft, with a white lie here or there about how she used to be a man, tell Swift about herself, but they would deviate whenever a subject of interest would come up, the two of them just talking like they had always known each other. Over this time Craft came to see Swift extensively different from their first encounter. She had extended her trust to this quirky pegasus mare, but as she talked with her she found herself opening up to her. Swift was very over energetic and seemed to do faster then think, giving an air of oblivious innocence. This could be no further from the truth. As it would turn out, she had covered an array of stories, some mundane, some abnormal, and some sicking. Swift had told her that it had been hard at first to report on crime scenes, but that she got over it with time and practice. She had been working for Canterlot Collective for three years, learning all the ins and outs of the media world. Over all for as bubbly as she was Swift could be strong willed when needed, knew how to deal with a-holes and just in general looked to have her heart set in the right place and was following it without fear.

And liked to play video games, which were apparently in their arcade cabinet era here, when she had the extra bits. Craft liked her a good deal more than she would have thought sixty minutes pryer.

Swift got up off the bed, stretched out out her wings, and gathered her stuff before turning a warm smile to Craft.

"Well Craft, I really am glad I got this chance to talk with you. Not just for the interview, but for being able to meet you in general. You're a very nice mare. I just can't imagine who would want to do something so terrible to you. Beating a pony to near death, I could just cry that anypony could be capable of doing something like that."

("If you knew how I thought then you wouldn't be so shocked.")

Kicking herself in the stomach with a back leg at the stray thought, Craft stood up as well.

"It doesn't matter now. While there's still things I'm getting used to I know I'll be getting answers soon. I'm going to be talking with Luna the next chance I get. Hopefully to get her help on finding some things out."

"That's good to hear. I'm sure Luna will be a great help. The only thing I think could be better is if you somehow got all four princesses to help you."

"Four? Yeah that would be great." ("There's four of them? Is there no queens or kings? The only "Prince" I've seen was that black hole of attention BlueBlood.")

Swift walked over to the balcony and Craft followed. Swift held out a hoof out to Craft once she was standing outside.

"Welp, this is goodbye for now. I promise that the next headline will read "Revelations of a Mysterious Mare". "

Taking Swifts hoof in her own Craft shook it firmly.

"Hey, if nothing else I know who to look for if it turns out you lied to me and release some crazy story about me."

Craft smiled warm to let Swift know it was a joke, Swift smiling lopsidedly back. With one last good shake Swift let go and crouched down on her front legs before jumping up and taking flight. She shot Craft one last look before she was off, flying towards Canterlot. Craft watched her for awhile, marveling at the possibility of flight before walking back into her room. She looked around herself, not sure what to do now. Looking behind her back out the balcony window she saw the sun setting. She hadn't noticed it before.

("...Luna's probably going to have an answer for me by tomorrow. I need to figure out what it is I want to ask her specifically. I can't just go in there accusing her with a bunch of coincidences.")

She walked over to the large desk near the balcony doors. Just as she was sitting down her stomach growled at her.

"Oh, right."

She had forgotten to eat all day, use to Medi bringing food with her.

"I guess it's time for me to go and figure out how I get food around here."

Craft got up and made her way out of the room. She set about finding a guard, quickly using the elevator to get to the ground floor. She only had to walk out of the living quarters and make a turn down the first hall she had gone down to find one. She ran up to him, calling for him to stop for a moment.

"Um, excuse me, Can I ask you something right quick?"

The guard paused mid march and turned around to face her, giving a quick nod to go on.

"I'm really new around here, just got moved in to the living quarters, and haven't had time to get a proper tour of the castle yet. Could you please tell me how meals work? Do I need to work a job for money, is served somewhere, all that."

The guard, a light black*1 unicorn, took a moment to think it over before he offered a question of his own.

"That depends, just who are you? Obviously your not part of the staff or you'd already know to head down to the employee cafeteria. Depending on your status it can very different how you can obtain food living here in the castle."

Craft blanked. She had no idea just what her official status was.

"I...Really don't know."

The uniguard, the title bequeathed to him by Craft’s subconscious imagination ever at work, raised an eyebrow at that.

"You don't know what you are?"

Craft could feel the more powerful than normal need to flee beat at her chest just as fast as her heart.

"Like I said, I just moved in...from the medical wing. I'm the...the.......the mad mare that's been running around."

Craft kept eye contact even has it felt like a Japanese drummer going at it on her heart. The uniguard at first looked confused, then surprised, then neutral again.

"Right, I was informed about you. While you have the same freedoms as any other resident, the guards have been instructed to keep a watch on you for the time being. I hope you understand why."

Despite having a reputation Craft was relieved that it wouldn't get in the way of her doing stuff for now.

"I understand. I'm just looking to get some food is all, I promise."

The uniguard nodded.

"Very well. I'll tell you about statuses, which one you are, and what that entitles you to."

("A little lengthy sounding, but knowing more never hurts. To much.")

Craft nodded.

"When living in the castle you are given one of six different statuses. Princess, guard, Staff, resident, high profile guest, and visitor. Yours would be resident if I remember correctly. I won't go into everything a resident may and may not due, but as far as meals you can either head to the dining hall during one of the meals of the day. Breakfast is from six to nine-thirty, lunch is from twelve to two, and dinner is from six to nine."

Looking out a tall window noticed the nearly completely lowered sun.

"And I'm guessing that if it's not already past nine it will be by the time I get to the dining hall."

"I am afraid so ma'am."

"Dang." ("BUCK!")

"But you can also order room service if you can pay for it."

"I can't."

"You can."

"I can?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"You have thirty bits."

"Thirty Bits?" ("Whats a bit?")

"Yes, in your account."

"Okay, enough. For now just go along with the very likely idea that I'm an idiot that has no idea about anything. Why do I have an account and with who, how do I have thirty bits in it, and how do I order room service?"

"Every resident automatically has an account with the castle personal bank, though if you wish to use another banking service you may, and if you, as many others were, are homeless and get approved for housing in the castle then you given thirty bits to help start you off. As for ordering room service, just find a staff member, give them your order and name, and they will bring you your food to your room as soon as possible. The cost will be taken out of your balance after your food has been delivered."

Craft thought it over. It sounded pretty good as far as she could figure. Rearing to go find somepony to give her order to she got into action.

"Thank you so much for putting up with me. Have a good day!"

"No problem ma'am, it's my job to serve and protect."

She flashed him a smile, nodded her head a tiny bit, he returned it, and trotted off. She went back the way she came, remembering she had seen some maids earlier down the other side of the hall the living quarters resided in the middle of. Of course they weren't in the exact same place, and began her search in earnest. The last of the day faded away as she looked through hallway after hallway for any member of the staff. Paying extra attention to every turn she made so she could make her way back, she made a left at a four way to see a maid walking her way. Happy to have found a pony that could get her some food Craft made her way up to the mare and greeted her.

"Hello? Could I get your help please?"

Looking her way the mare maid seem irritated, likely from how late it was, but she hid it behind a smile.

"Of course, what do you need?"

Even though Craft could easily detect how irked the maid was, her hunger outweighed her need to not be a nuisance.

"I'm sorry to bother you so late, I haven't had a chance to eat most of the day ("Seeing how I completely forgot that food was still necessary to live") and I was told I could talk to a staff member to get some room service, if it's not to much trouble."

The maids eye twitched, making Craft wonder if she should be getting ready to run again.

"Oh, it's NO trouble at ALL. Just tell me what you want, your name, and your room number."

Craft was a little unsettled with giving this mare the location of where she would be sleeping, but again a small growl from her belly pushed her forward. Not knowing exactly how much thirty bits really was or what ponies ate other than grass, oats, and fruits, she went with something simple.

"I'd like a peanut butter sandwich with some milk, my name is Art Craft, and my room number is... three-fifty-eight."

The maid looked like she was trying to figure out what she was, if she was glad it was such a simple order or that she was being bothered with such a redundant thing so close to the end of her shift. Seeming to just go with slight annoyance she nodded.

"Right, that will be about ten bits ma'am. I or another will have it sent to your room shortly."

Not wanting to overstay her welcome Craft thanked the mad maid and left. She made her way back to the living quarters, up to her room, and flopped onto her bed. Laying there for a moment she entertained the idea of going asleep right then and there, though her stomach greatly disapproved of it. With nothing else to hold her back Craft got up and made her way over to the desk where she promptly sat down.

"RIGHT, no more fooling around. I can't wing the whole thing with Luna."

And so she began to work on what to ask Luna. She knew she wanted to make sure that it really was some coincidences that she got here and that there wasn't anything more sinister going on, but what else? What to do about her family back on earth? Why didn't they say anything about if it was possible to change her back now that she wasn't in critical condition, or sending her back? She worked to filter these questions along with any others she may have had. She slowly realized how bad it might of turned out had she really gone in playing all by ear. She worked long, writing out questions and ideas, throwing out pointless or irrelevant ones, only stopping to occasionally use the bathroom or to answer the door for the butler that delivered her food, which she ate as she brainstormed. At last at some time past midnight she had a list of questions that she felt covered everything she needed to ask Luna. She left the paper and its many crumpled comrades where they laid to drag herself to bed. She slipped in and got cozy, her nights efforts out for the world to see on the paper, the topmost question reading:

"Can I be human again and go home?"

*1-It's not gray. Black can be light too. Colors are weird like that.

Author's Note

Hey everypony. Man, it feels good to get another chapter out finally. I have a bit of news for y'all. With x-mas rolling around, consuming thanksgiving in the process, Loopis is getting swamped at work meaning that chapter output is going to get even slower. I feel like I'm turning into a reverse Rainbow Dash. But as always that doesn't mean it's not being worked on at all, so be sure to be on the look out for the next chapter. Remember to judge freely & fairly and thanks for reading!