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 Note

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?

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