“Now, transformation magic is fairly straightforward at its baser levels,” Twilight explained, bringing attention to the chalkboard. Three figures, each one drawn directly below the other. Three more figures were drawn parallel from the originals, separated by an arrow; a stick to a ruler, a stone to a paperweight and a coffee mug to a delicate teacup. “It can rapidly grow considerably more complex in tandem with the nature of the transformation itself—animal to mineral, mammal to avian, bipedal to quadruped... you get the idea. So while it is theoretically possible to turn you into a pony, certain preparations are needed. That’s where Rarity comes in. She’ll be acting as our focal point during the process.”

Rarity cleared her throat. “Ah, Twilight?”

Twilight blinked, momentarily puzzled at the pointed look Rarity threw her way. “Oh, right.” She turned back to Anon. “Since you are clearly not of this world, it would be... unwise to transform you without taking certain precautions. That is why for now, I will cast a spell to,” She paused thoughtfully. “Scan you, for lack of a better word. Get an idea for your unique physiological and structural framework. After all, we wouldn’t want you to transform and revert back missing an important piece,” she finished with a nervous laugh.

Anon didn’t laugh along. In fact, he looked rather concerned. From the corner of her eye, Twilight could see Rarity facehoof and shake her head.

“That was a joke.”

He didn’t look convinced. “Is it?”

“That is why I’m here, darling,” Rarity said. “There’s something about you that can cause... interference with Equestrian magic. From my experience, it can be bypassed with enough concentration and practice. My own magic touch will act as a sort of focus; a way for Twilight to properly apply her spell without worry of interference or disruption.”

Anon shuffled in place. “Is that gonna be enough? I mean, no offense to you but, uh...”

Rarity smiled in understanding. “Not to worry. It’s a technique unicorn parents use to help teach their foals magic. My own parents used it to help me refine my spells and casting, back in my fillyhood days. It’s not particularly intensive or complex, but it does demand a certain level of precision and focus, both of which I have in spades.”

“Then let’s get to it.”

The three took their respective positions in the library’s main room—Twilight and Rarity next to each other, across from Anon. Twilight enveloped the modest area in which they stood within a force field. Unlike her typical one, this variant had some telling distinctions. Rather than taking the form of a bubble, its surface resembled a thin, swirling mist; sky blue in color. Small twinkles of light shimmered periodically within the swirling mist. She explained it as making a temporary ‘clean’ area, free of any possible residual magical effects or signatures.

At Twilight’s cue, Rarity extended a translucent tendril of her own magic, snaking its way across the air until landing on Anon’s chest. It steadily grew, spreading out, until his whole body was enveloped in Rarity’s magical aura.

A similar tendril shimmered from Twilight’s own horn, melding with Rarity’s just shy of halfway of the distance between themselves and Anon. Twiligt’s own distinct aura advanced within Rarity’s until she too reached and spread within the surface of Anon’s body. Twilight frowned, making some slight adjustments.

“How do you feel?” she asked Anon.

“Tingly. I taste... purple. Is that normal?”

Twilight nearly laughed. “There’s no precedent for any of this, using an otherworldly subject. I’d need to do rigorous testing, preferably with another human from your own homeworld to act as a control subject before I’m even remotely comfortable answering that question.”

Rarity sighed. “Twilight, dear...”

She blinked, regarding Rarity with slight confusion until realization dawned.

“W-what I mean to say is, ah...”

Anon waved a hand. “It’s alright. I got the gist.”

“There really is no need to worry,” Twilight assured him. “Like I said, we are only scanning you for today so we can see where to go from here. Simple procedure. Minimally invasive. Nothing to worry about. Are you ready to begin?”

He nodded. Twilight concentrated and sent another pulse of magic through Rarity’s connection. The magical field enveloping Anon rippled.

“Interesting...” Twilight mumbled. “Do you feel any different?”

Anon clenched his hand into a fist, experimentally pumping his forearm up and down. “It’s getting a bit numb now.”

Twilight hummed. “Let me know if it gets too uncomfortable.” At that moment, both her and Rarity flinched in surprise.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Nothing, nothing,” Twilight said quickly. “Just a bit of feedback. Let me... readjust the spell a bit and... there.”

The two mares’ magical aura immediately brightened and the two flinched back again.

“Twilight?” Rarity said, casting a sideways glance at her.

Twilight barely seemed to register the question. Her eyes were narrowed, peering at Anon’s shimmering form. “Hang on. I just need to...”

The brightness increased. There was a crackle in the air. The ponies’ arua rippled, blurring Anon’s form.

“Twilight!” Rarity said sharply.

“Maintain the connection!” she snapped, her teeth bared, eyes not leaving her target. Her features were twisted to a mask of focus and dogged determination. Beads of sweat pooled on her brow. “I can fix this! I can fix it, I just need...”

Twilight poured more power into the spell. The sheer amount of magic in the air was palpable. It made Rarity’s fur stand on end. She cast another sideways glance at Twilight. The mare was hunched low, as though ready to charge, stubbornly trying to maintain the unraveling spell. Their combined magic swirled around Anon’s form, enveloping him like a cocoon. Rarity bit her lip, unsure of what to do. Advanced magic had never been her forte yet even she knew throwing a sudden element or altering the process could have unforeseen consequences... especially with the amount of power Twilight was putting out. She made a split-second decision to cut the connection altogether.

Things happened before she could do so. Her magic connection faded and broke abruptly, overcome by Twilight’s superior output. Her magic tendril coiled back and forth like a thrashing snake; where before it was transluscent, it now became an energy beam of pure, incandescent magic. The cocoon shrouding Anon grew in intensity, becoming painful to look at.

The swirling, sky-blue shield covering the small area burst, blown away as though by a strong wind. The cocoon exploded outward, scattering countless motes of shimmering, residual magic that lazily trailed down like a thick winter snowfall, so dense that Rarity could barely see in front of her, her vision filled with glittering, sparkling lights.

“Anonymous? Darling? Are you alright?” she made her way past the receding motes of lights, bumping into his leg.

Anon blinked repeatedly, rubbing his eyes. He appeared dazed but looked no worse for wear. He looked down, as if just noticing Rarity’s presence.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

He looked away and coughed repeatedly, expelling dozens of purple sparks. “Oof,” he said, smacking his lips. He squinted, probably a result of being at the center of a rather bright lightshow. He patted his body from the top down, giving himself a thorough once over.

“Think I’m okay,” he mumbled, examining every inch of his face and head. “Nothing seems out of place.”

Rarity sighed in relief. “Goodness. I was worried it might be a bit too soon. I thought Twilight might need a bit more preparation to go through with this whole idea, but she insisted it’d be fine. She’s not one to miscalculate on matters of magic but...” She trailed off. There was a strange look in his face. Something she’d never seen before. She followed his gaze over to where... where...

Rarity gawped. Where Twilight had been not moments ago now sat a human girl. Rarity had seen enough illustrations of them to recognize her at a glance. She sat there, slack-jawed, naked, her face a mask of bewildered, wide-eyed astonishment. Her sole focus was on her fingers, which she wiggled experimentally. But unlike most illustrations Rarity had seen, this one’s skin color was off. Purple. Her eyes trailed up the girl’s face, noting the horn that protruded from her forehead. A pair of feathery wings behind her twitched anxiously.

“Twilight?” Rarity said faintly. She saw it, clear as day and could barely bring herself to believe it.

This new form of Twilight looked up, meeting her eye.

“I think,” she said, her voice an exact match for the erstwhile alicorn. “I might have miscalculated.”

Author's Note

Dun dun..........DUUUUUUUUNNN!!!

Now we're really cooking