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 Note

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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