Bright extended his fingers just to wriggle them and bring them back. "I have a paw."

Rarity watched him exploring his form. "I have a hoof." She extended one just to make that clear. "Your paw is also a hand, darling."

"Your hoof isn't." Bright looked a bit smug at that. He grabbed a mug off a nearby table in their dark little office. "But I got small..."

Rarity lifted an ear, circling around Bright. "That you did..." She reached out, measuring that Bright was about her height, but so much less mass, as all that height had no depth to it, like a pony would. He was a slender little rabbit-person. "Does it hurt?"

Sweetie rolled her eyes. "Of course it doesn't hurt. He'd be complaining. Right now, looks like he's enjoying it."

Bright stretched out in all directions, a little chittter escaping him without thought. "That sounds odd, but I don't hate it." He grabbed for his own throat, feeling the chittering noise from the other side. "Cute."

Rarity laughed at the antics. "Yes, you are even cuter than you had been before. My little..."

She trailed off, which gave Bright a chance to cut in, "Familiar."

"Familiar?" Rarity cocked a brow. "What brought that word to your fuzzy lips?"

Rarity pursed her lips curiously as Bright tested his new fangs against a fingertip. "I admit, when I pictured accepting a familiar, I imagined some sort of bat or nocturnal avian. But I must say, the lapine look rather suits you, darling!"

Bright flexed his long ears. "I have to admit, becoming a vampire's magical servant wasn't exactly top of my bucket list," he quipped, tone still more intrigued than concerned. "So what does this familiar business actually mean for me?"

"It means a symbiotic bond has formed between us," Rarity explained matter-of-factly, "Our life forces are intertwined. As I grow in power, so shall you. And you shall aid me in return."

Sweetie Drops snorted, rolling her eyes anew. "Great, so it's kinda like you're married now... Fantastic."

Rarity shot her fellow agent a wry glance as Bright's nose twitched. Still... "I rather like this idea." She grabbed Bright, hugging him close and nuzzling in against him. "Dear little familiar, a vampire and their familiar are quite, well, familiar. I hope you're ready for that."

Bright froze, pulse quickening at Rarity's sudden closeness and the implications simmering beneath her words. This was dangerous uncharted territory in their partnership. But the vampire’s cool skin and the brush of her long silken mane only heightened his burgeoning senses.

“Oh I’m ready alright...” he managed, trailing off with another helpless throb of awareness in his heightened lapine form.

Sweetie Drops rolled her eyes again at the display. “Down girl, don’t overwhelm our changed recruit five minutes in. This arrangement’s going to take some managing on all our ends.” Turning her attention back to Bright she smirked. “Here’s hoping you’re a quick study at balancing multiple areas of...talent, Agent.”

The two mares’ matching cheeky smiles made Bright suddenly grateful his fur hid any rising flush. Just what had he gotten himself into? These partners looked hungry to push all sorts of boundaries with their eager new pet project...

It felt like moments later that he was parked in front of a new unicorn in a room that was just as bright as the last one had been dim. It was made for science, so it was clean, well upkept, and so bright.

Just the thing for the pacing Twilight Sparkle. "What a fascinating specimen..." She reached out, brushing across Bright's front as he wriggled and giggled. "You say he was an extraterrestial simian of some kind? There's no hint of it left."

Sweete snorted softly. "You're not paying attention." She swatted at Bright's closer hand. "Look at that. That isn't a rabbit hand."

"Hm?" Twilight's horn glowed, as did both of Bright's hands, brought closer by her magic. "Fascinating. They do have simian qualities, now that you've brought my attention to them... Intruiging... Thank you for bringing me this specimen."

Rarity hopped between them, breaking Twilight's magic as she glared at the scientist unicorn. "He is my familiar, not anypony's specimen! You keep your distance, dear. I have my eyes on you..."

Twilight eyed Rarity curiously, horn still aglow as she blatantly scanned Bright with it. "There's no need for possessive threats, Rarity. I merely want to understand your familiar's unique physiology. This isn't natural vampire magic at play, the energy readings are off the charts!"

Bright shifted under the invasive scan, both unnerved and reluctantly fascinated himself at the cycling feedback of magical data about his altered form.

"The environment he was changed in matters too," Sweetie interjected. "Can your equipment detect residual rift particles or cross-dimensional debris? The ruin interior was coated in Alarmian gateway discharge."

"Hmm, a transformative contact event across planar boundaries? Plausible given these exotic quantum signatures." Twilight's eyes glittered. "I definitely want a hoof in studying this unprecedented phenomenon!"

Rarity bristled, curling a protective wing around Bright. "And I want assurances you won't be treating my familiar like another clinical test subject, Ms Sparkle. He will not become your personal quest for power like some ponies I could name..."

Twilight waved the complaint away. "Bright." Bright perked at his name. "Don't you want to know how you work? I feel certain you must have at least half the questions I do. We can explore, together."

"I am kinda curious..."

"Don't listen to her." Rarity curled around Bright protectively. "Darling, I have everything you need."

"Rares, chill." He kissed her cheek, but pushed her back in the same motion. "You brought me here, remember?"

"I did..." she lamely admitted, letting Bright push his way free from her surrendering grasp. "Just remember, if she hurts you, even a little, just let me know. I am not leaving you behind."

Twilight's horn shone brightly as she put Bright through a series of tests, monitoring everything from pupil dilation responses to paranormal energy absorption. For his part, Bright seemed enthralled by each glimpse at enhanced power or sensitivity within himself.

Rarity kept a wary eye nearby as machines whirled, testing touch and hearing acuity. When Twilight measured his quickening pulse next, glance lingering on his sleek furred chest, curiosity stirred.

"Altered biology translating into awakened primal responses as well?" Rarity murmured dryly, one elegant brow arched.

Bright flushed under his purple fur as Twilight traced a clinical hoof lower. But despite the professional context, each brush of contact sent his newly sensitized nerves thrumming treacherously.

Finally, the hoof reached his thigh and paused as Bright let out an involuntary chittering groan. Stepping swiftly between them, Rarity gave a knowing smile. "I think that's quite enough hands-on research for one session, don't you darling?"

Catching his breath, Bright nodded hurriedly. But his eyes lingered on Twilight's intrigued expression a tick too long before he turned away.

Twilight caught it, working around Rarity with a smile. "I disagree. He's in the throes of science."

Rarity thumped against Twilight, knocking her off balance. "He's in the throes of something, darling, but it isn't science." She fixed Bright with a look. "Dear, you already have me. You needn't be distracted."

Sweetie coughed into a hoof. "Send me the report when you're all done." She trotted from the room, fleeing that awkward moment.

Twilight cleared her throat as Sweetie beat a hasty retreat. "It seems my bedside manner could use some fine tuning. Apologies, Bright."

With the stimulated lapine out of direct contact, rational thought was quicker to return. Still, the revelations of his body's awakening responses intrigued almost as much as Rarity's territorial possessiveness.

"No need to get jealous, I already have my forever vampire," Bright managed, straightening his rumpled fur. Rarity gave a "humph" of approval, mollified.

"So could we call this an, ahem... biological breakthrough?" He smirked shyly. "I'd love to monitor these changes more, purely for scientific discovery."

Twilight nodded, nonplussed by the tension. "Indeed! We've unlocked fascinating insights into cross-species transformation impacts. Further observation could prove invaluable." She turned an inquisitive eye on Rarity. "What do you say we all work together moving forward?"

Rarity pursed her lips, but a small smile crept through. "I suppose I can restrain my caution for progress's sake..." The familiar bond thrummed comfortingly. "What's next on the agenda then?"

Twilight gestured to herself, then Rarity, then finally Bright. "There is a fact that can't be entirely ignored. You said Bright was originally a simian alien. We are not simian, at all." She reared up on her hind hooves. "Even like this, I couldn't fool an innate biped into thinking this--" She fell to all fours with a clop. "--is my natural locomotion. Yet... He showed interest. Is this a consequence of their transformation, an innate pecularity, or a natural tendency of their species?"

She smiled at Bright so wide. "Please, tell me what you can. What is the natural level of mating drive in your species, and how often does it fixate on other species?"

Bright flattened his ears, flushed at suddenly fielding such blunt inquiries into his alien biology. But scholarly fascination won out over flusterment.

"I mean, generally humans have...healthy drives," he managed. "Attraction isn't always species-specific - depends on the individual. Compatibility's complex." His tail twitched shyly under their intent gazes.

Rarity tilted her head. "We ponies lack such evolutionary impulses normally. We are civilized creatures, dear. But spend any time around in the springtime and you’ll find more than a few focused stallions chasing mares... Scandalous!" She winked playfully before turning inquisitive eyes Bright's way.

"Yet you bedded me readily enough, darling, despite the differences.” She smiled, all teeth. “Not that I’m complaining... But this rabbit shape does seem to have you doubly sensitized, no?”

Bright swallowed, very aware of their smoldering focus. He was her familiar, and he liked her to start with. He didn't want to deny her, but things had turned. There were two mares looking at him quite penetratingly.

“Shall we move our experiment somewhere more...private?" Rarity purred.

[clop]
Twilight raised a hoof. "I'm quite curious, but science first." She put a hoof between Bright's legs and examined his excited anatomy. "I had wanted to inspect this, and now..."

Bright blinked softly. All that had been a cunning plan to get at his excited parts? That he felt nothing but excited... Her hoof was quite soft as it wandered over him, trailing over his tense flesh. "Oh... Um... Go right on ahead..."

[/clop, I didn't promise it'd be much]

Twilight took notes about things Bright would never have mentioned, muttering as she walked away on her other three legs.

Rarity slipped in. "I got carried away... Darling... dear familiar, I'm so sorry."

Bright sat up and slid to his feet properly, the heat of the moment entirely fled. "What... are you sorry about?"

"Before you're a familiar, or maybe even because you are one, I shouldn't just... push like that. that was quite unladylike of me." She fanned at herself with a hoof. "Let's only... approach that when you want. You can start it, hm, somewhere more romantic." She fluttered her lashes. "I expect to be wined and dined first."

Bright took Rarity's hoof, squeezing it gratefully as his pulse settled. "Thanks - going slow sounds really nice actually. This is all still so weird and new..."

He trailed a tentative hand along one of her folded wings, making her shiver. "But I know I feel safest figuring it all out with you. However long it takes."

Rarity gifted him with a tremulous smile. "We shall unravel these mysteries side by side then. Partners in all things." She drew him close, nosing through his downy fur till his racing heart steadied against her.

They stayed curled together as the stars wheeled past the window, simply breathing each other in.

"Fascinating." Twilight turned back, waving the clipboard at the end of her hoof. "It'll take some time to go over these figures. I'll let you know if I require Bright for any further examinations."

Rarity snorted softly. "Really... Come, dear. Let's find something else to do."

Author's Note

Things got a bit steamy, but Bright and Rarity are a solid team, I say.

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