Tabitha woke in a cold sweat. She'd had a haunting dream, but not in the usual way.

She staggered towards the dimly lit kitchen, her stepping made all the more awkward for her new hooves. Some parts of her refused to play along. Still, it did bring some things to mind. "Why?"

Why had Spring done what she did? Why hadn't Tabitha kicked her right out onto the curb to...

Well, there was one thing. She didn't know of any other... nexi? The way Luna talked about it, they were far from common. Did she really want to unleash the spiteful elf on those smiling horses?

But that was just one reason... She got to cooking breakfast even as her pony half fidgeted softly. "Was it on purpose?" She was talking to herself again. She chastised herself internally for doing it, but it never really slowed her down.

She imagined Spring. That haughty sneer that made her want to kick that elf in the face, those curves that...

Tabitha was blushing alone. She blamed the new parts, but she couldn't entirely dismiss thoughts of that elf in that light. Even if she was attracted, damn it, Spring didn't deserve it!

Her thoughts slid to venting her desires and urges in a violent way, which only made her turn more and more red as she went. "This is ridiculous."

"Good morning, Caretaker." It was her. Tabitha slowly turned to face the intruder. "Even beasts need their breakfast. Don't let me intrude on that."

"You already did." Tabitha scowled at her unexpected guest. "This isn't your room anymore."

"I'll go if you want me to, horse lover." She rolled a naked hand. "I don't think you do."

Had it been on purpose? Tabitha found herself wondering all the harder instead of focusing on kicking Spring out. "You keep calling me that, horse lover."

"I speak it as I see it. Am I wrong? I doubt it."

"I think you're looking the wrong way when you say it." She advanced on Spring, who looked all the more defiant, but didn't retreat. "One of us is a horse lover."

"Hmmph, as if I'd ever allow myself to be sullied by the touch of a rank beast that way," she scoffed even as Tabitha closed the distance and stood before her. "All they think about is filling their disgusting faces and slaking their unthinking lusts."

"On you, I imagine you're hoping." Tabitha suddenly grabbed Spring's left arm. She wasn't shoved away, and no horrible elven magic blasted her.

"Look at you," sneered Spring. "Already giving in to those equine thoughts. You're practically a stallion now." Her eyes darted down a moment. "Already ready, I see?"

"You gave this to me. You can--"

Tabitha roused from sleep with an aborted snore. She blinked as she looked around the darkness. That dream didn't flee as quickly as some others, and she was filled with thoughts of it even as she slowly slid free of bed.

Did Spring really want that? Did Tabitha? Holy Christ on a stick, it was all messed up. Tabitha shook her head as she advanced on her kitchen, looking around carefully for Spring as she went. She had to speak to her tenant. There was too much unfinished business between them.

With breakfast filling her belly, Tabitha trotted to the elevator and onwards to Spring's floor. She slowed to a walk as she approached the door, imagining the entire place was one big forest. Steeling her nerves, she knocked firmly.

There was quiet for a time before it swung out to reveal Spring standing there. "Yes, Caretaker? It is not time yet for payments."

"I want things between us to be crystal clear." She thrust up a finger. "What you did was entirely wrong. However you felt about the speed of asking a favor, it doesn't excuse turning me into a half horse."

"So you don't like it?" Her eyes roamed down over Tabitha's clothed equine half. "I see you've found something to cover that shame with, but you needn't have. The other animals seem to hardly mind."

Tabitha's wings unfurled on their own as she became annoyed. "Wipe that damned sneer off your face! I didn't ask for this and never would have. You can call it a 'favor' all you want, but it was a fuckup, and nobody would argue that besides you."

She raised a brow slightly. "And what will you do about it?"

Tabitha recoiled faintly. What would she do about it? "You report to someone."

"I do," agreed Spring.

"Give me their name and address."

She raised two hands in a large shrug. "Basic letters have no chance of reaching him, horse lover."

"I want it anyway. I'll figure out how to get a message to him and tell him what you've done."

Spring paled just a little. "Y-you wouldn't... Hmmph, you're all bluster! You couldn't do that in your wildest dreams."

"I couldn't," agreed Tabitha with a smile. "But I have friends. A talented magician is coming to help out around the building. I bet they could manage it. Now give me that information or get the hell out."

She was drawing a line in the sand, clearly and firmly. Spring clearly didn't like it, squirming a bit. "Fine! Fine..." She produced a scrap of paper and quickly jotted the information with a very fluffy quill. "Here! Tell him, if you must. I did what was right, horse lover."

"Stop projecting! God, you keep hoping I'll be more of an elf lover."

Spring paused a moment. She didn't argue the statement, which seemed to say a lot to Tabitha. "I gave you what you didn't know you wanted."

Tabitha raised a brow. "As far as you guessed. And if I really don't want it?"

Spring glanced away and back. "If I... promise another boon, in two moons, should you still not favor my gift, will you not send that letter? I will return you to your original form, no strings."

Tabitha had some power over Spring, and it felt heady. The elf wasn't immune to everything. "Why not now?"

Spring flashed a smile. "You need time to properly decide. Even he wouldn't argue that condition. Horse lover, I think you'll find I've given you a fine form, to say nothing of the side benefits."

"Such as?" Tabitha raised a brow. Was there more?

Spring reached forward, placing a hand right on Tabitha's chest even as she tried to dance away. "Feel this." Tabitha settled down. She could feel the elf's hand, but besides that, not much else. "There is a heart here," explained Spring. "And one below. They are bound by powerful magic. You will not hurt for circulation, and should one fail, the other will continue. That alone should add years to your life."

Tabitha blinked at the news. She wasn't old, or young. She knew what death meant, so having it shoved back wasn't a meaningless offer. With an almost angry swish of her new tail, she demanded, "What else?"

"There's the obvious... You are built for being a horse lover. You can love any horse." She leaned in perilously close. "As I promised, you have a scent that drives them wild. Subtle, but potent. Even they don't realize."

Tabitha paled at that. Is that why Bubbles had followed her without complaint? Is that what made Razz still like her so easily? Is that...

"You look quite thoughtful, Caretaker..."

Tabitha frowned at the elf, trying to measure her ragged breaths. "Does it stop them from thinking?"

Spring rolled her eyes. "They can think as well as they could before, for beasts. I'm sure some horses will decline your presence even with it. Have some already?"

Tabitha saw no right answer for that query, so she didn't answer it. "Anything else?" She didn't want more surprises.

"Oh, yes... But I won't speak of them, not yet. You look overwhelmed, Caretaker." She put a hand on her chest. "You'll see. My gift isn't as bad as you seem to think."

"Why do you even pretend you care what I really think?" demanded Tabitha, clopping a hoof to the ground.

"Because I do..." The elf smirked faintly before she took a step back. "A good day to you, horse lover."

She pulled the door shut, leaving Tabitha in the hallway to consider that verbal battle and if Tabitha had won or lost it. She had the name and address of Spring's direct report, at least. She had to have confidence that whatever pony Luna sent would be able to use it, if she decided to.

Tabitha returned to the elevator, grumbling a little. She got off the elevator in the lobby and moved for the office. The frown on her face was washed away to see an earth pony seated there patiently. "Hello there. Have you been waiting long?"

"Huh?" His eyes went a little wide on seeing her, all of her. "N-no, ma'am... I heard... I mean, seeing it..." He put a hoof in his mouth a moment. "I'm really messing this up. I want a room, please? I heard you don't mind... unusual tenants?"

She looked him over, confused. He was about the most average horse ever. She swung open the door to her office and headed inside, with him following after her. "You'll have to work a lot harder to match some of those I already have."

"It's my marefriend... She's a siren."

Tabitha settled behind her desk. "Like the singing people into rocks kind of siren?"

He looked lost at the reference. "An aquatic kind of pony that can influence the emotions and minds of others. She's good though, promise! Please believe me... Nopony else will."

Tabitha could imagine that poor horse going from place to place, being shut down for being married to what was likely considered a monster. "Bring her here. I'd like to meet everyone that's moving in."

He brightened at her phrasing. "You mean?"

"I want to meet her first. Assuming she's a good person and you have the bits, this shouldn't be an issue."

He dashed off, but it was only half an hour later that he returned, a mare at his side, covered up in a cloak and looking quite nervous.

Tabitha rolled a hand. "You probably don't look freakier than me, let's see it."

She glanced at her boyfriend, then at Tabitha before she shrugged the cloak off to the ground, revealing a pony with smooth lines and sharpest teeth when she spoke. "Hello. My coltfriend has told you all about me?"

"We have a strict rule about tenants using magic on other tenants. If you'll abide by that, you being a siren shouldn't be a big deal." Tabitha smiled a bit. "So, what do you do?"

"Do?"

"For a living."

The siren turned a bit red. "Of course... I'd like to do a lot of things, but ponies don't want to hire a siren... I live off my coltfriend's generosity right now." She leaned over and kissed his cheek firmly. "He is my everything."

The stallion smiled brightly at the compliment. "I... Oh, you must think so little of us. I swear, she's not controlling me! I'm the one that talked her out of the sea to live with me. It's my idea... The least I can do is pay for it."

Tabitha wasn't getting any bad vibes from the two. They seemed like a genuinely caring couple. In fact, she kinda wanted to help the siren... But what could she do? She had no jobs that needed a siren's touch. "We just have to do some paperwork." She pulled one of her sheets out and got to filling it. "One thing to warn. If you think sirens are weird, we have stranger in this building. They won't hurt you, but they are strange. I need you to at least tolerate them, and they'll return the favor."

Author's Note

The building grows closer to occupied. Tabitha has some words for Spring! Did it work?