Twinkle wandered outside with Spike. Good, distracted. With them out of the way, I made my way to Twilight. "Got a moment?"

"Of course." She put the book down she had been reading. "What's on your mind?"

She raised a hoof. "Before you ask, it's my fault you're here. I'm not sending a foal of my own creation out into the world on their own. You're staying where I can see you until you're an adult."

I blinked. "Not what I was thinking about, but thanks?" Part of my prickled. I was an adult, dang it. An adult in a teen's body. "About Twinkle. She puts out a lot of crossed signals. Is she an adult or not? She's fired kid signals and adult signals and all I can land on is dumping her in the kid bucket and calling it a day."

Twilight perked her ears as she sat back. "Oh, well... She is, mentally, an adult." She curled a hoof at herself. "But, by nature of her upbringing, she is immature. Much like you, if you think about it. You know a lot of different things, but you lack a lot of information even a foal half your age would know as a matter of fact."

"A foal half my size, Twinkle aside, wouldn't casually ask me about adult games I wrote before," I noted flatly. "That isn't cool."

"That is... not 'cool'." Twilight cocked a brow. "I'll talk to her. I'm sure she doesn't mean to make you uncomfortable, but that's no excuse for her. Are you mad?"

"I'm not." I sat up with a little huff. "I just want to be clear. If she wants to be my niece, great. Niece she is. If she wants to be an adult, then she has to be an adult full-time, not sometimes. We'd have to reset our relationship from the start before that even became an option."

Twilight inclined her head slowly. "Is that possible?

I pondered carefully. "I suppose if Twinkle consciously chose that route, we could rebuild the whole... relationship... appropriately from scratch. But she seems less specifically attracted than just craving unconditional affection."

I sighed, shoulders slumping wearily. "I don't wish to deny her joy discovering herself or risk spoiling innocence just charging ahead. I feel I could mess it all up. I don't want that."

I met Twilight's eyes earnestly. "For now, I'm honored by her trust and wish only to nurture her safely at her pace. Does that make sense?"

Twilight smiled gently. "It speaks well of you - caution that guards rails not bonds. Shelter her growth, and in time her path forward will unveil itself."

She patted my hoof. "Cherish this opportunity, awkward as it can be. Together, we'll guide life's next phase once she's found her footing."

I covered her hoof, smile returning as nerves settled. However strangely composed, this patchwork family seemed so warm and welcoming. Feeling nervous about it seemed... silly in the end.

I nodded firmly, resolve restored. "You're right - this family offers more than I'd dreamed possible." I would focus on planting seeds, not judging fruits prematurely.

"I have a class." I stood up. "I should head to school. I'm done with my daily writing."

"Glad to hear that." Twilight waved past to the door. "Good luck then. See if they have your accessibilty tool ready."

Oh! That! I had entirely forgotten it. "Good idea!" I hugged Twilight before fleeing out onto the road. It was only when I got there that I realized, I hugged Twilight. That was not a permission given specifically to do randomly.

Why had I hugged her? I wandered towards school, pondering that. Twilight was like the mother of our family. Hugging my mother was entirely alright. But she wasn't my mother. I didn't even want her to take that role with me. I'd rather be way more on even footing.

Still, I had hugged her. I'd apologize later, or so I assured myself. It was time to go to school.

I continued towards the School of Friendship feeling lingering self-consciousness over my presumptuous display of uninvited physical affection. What right had I to such casual contact with Twilight so quickly? The reminder of my current adolescent state brought uneasy pause - new dynamics clearly still left much to navigate in this second social upbringing.

And yet...no offense lit her eyes in those startled moments afterward. Had my impulsive gesture landed differently than pony propriety would predict? I knew human cultures maintained contrasting intimacy standards and cues. Perhaps I afforded more leeway as an alien still learning the relational ropes?

I shook my head with a wry snort. Either way, apologizing for any misstep later seemed the proper path rather than ignoring potential discomfort. Consent culture spanned dimensions regardless of my awkward reacclimations.

Still...an unlikely new herd welcomed me without qualifications as one of their own. If opening fresh emotional avenues meant occasional faux pas along the way, patient guidance waited back home. For now, weren't wonders awaiting within academy halls to unwrap fully the mysteries of this world and myself reborn brightly upon its stage? My smile returned picturing mentors eager to aid dreams, not douse overzealous sparks still seeking purpose.

The crystalline spires of magic and knowledge soon glittered ahead through pleasant autumn trees as I crested the last wooded hill separating village from institution. With classes awaiting and inspiration still lighting my gaze, I put aside tension allowing fresh eagerness to reignite. The dean surely had curiosities to share from Twilight's unusual requests on my behalf! What fantastical insights or custom tools this day held in store I could but trot briskly onward to uncover.

"Hey." Gallus spotted me, but he wasn't alone. Next to him was Yona and Ocellus. "There's the guy."

Yona thundered towards me, her considerable yak frame making the ground tremble beneath her. "Hello! Yona happy to meet you." She thrust forward a hoof. "Hear you from another world."

I met her hoof with one of my own. "Let's not focus on that. I'm here to live in this one."

Ocellus fluttered closer. They looked like, well, a wasp. They were a pleasantly colored wasp pony. "Hello. I know what that's like. My family changed their situation quite recently. We don't like talking about the past either." She put a hoof on her chest. "So consider that dropped."

Gallus chuckled softly as he joined his friends. "That was a lot of words putting it down. So..." He looked me over appraisingly. "Earth pony, figures. That's where ponies start, right?"

Yak shrugged unknowingly. "Still learning how ponies work. Ask Sandbar?"

I was a little excited. People I knew, sorta. I knew all their names, and their general attitudes seemed intact. "It's nice to meet you all. I'm still learning pony tricks, but I am learning. Oh, wanna see?"

Yona gasps. "You know pony magic? Show."

Ocellus bobbed her head. "I'll show you some changeling magic if you show yours. Fair trade."

I rubbed the back of my neck shyly, keenly aware of how paltry my novice abilities likely appeared set beside changeling shapeshifting or yakian brute strength. Still, fair was fair. And this was the first step, right?

"Alright, here goes." Closing my eyes, I visualized the stony throwing projectile exactly as before. Arcane pressure built behind my eyes faster this time as magical logics clicked - soon a dense pebble hovered inches from my muzzle encased in a wavering hoofprint aura. I opened my eyes with a concentrating grunt and flung the stone across the empty yard to clack solidly against a distant flagpole, scuffing the metal with a resounding clang.

As my friends turned back from observing the impact, I let the aura dissipate with a tired yet proud smile. So I had more to progress up to compared to some students here, big deal. Magic flowed in my earth pony blood all the same!

"Well, small magic, but earth pony magic always gladdened Yona's heart!" She thumped me approvingly on the back, staggering me slightly with casual yak strength.

Gallus sniffed, betraying hints of impressed acknowledgement beneath his standard aloofness. "Not bad slinging pebbles, buddy. Bet I could chuck things faster with these claws though."

Ocellus, however, cocked her head, seeming to study me with deeper scrutiny. Her broken horn flashed as in a blink a perfect replica of myself stood there, eyeing me up and down. "There, glimpse for glimpse - your turn again!"

My jaw dropped, seeing this doppelgänger turn and swish its tail at me with an impish grin. Clearly changeling talents had adaptable applications well beyond mere disguises! Envy stirred brighter than ever towards such easy transformation...

But before I could respond to the wonderous display, a nearby clock chimed the quarter hour, signalling my first class commencing soon. "Whoa, would you look at the time!" I exclaimed. "Really gotta hustle but let's definitely continue after school?"

With excited promises to share and explore magic further, I galloped off thinking how even small steps here somehow felt grander when taken with newly budding friendships lighting the way forward together.

I hurried towards my class, my mind wandering towards my spellbook locked in my mind. I flipped through the first pages, blurred nonsense.

I grabbed the earth-magic bookmark and gave it a tug. There was 'throw rock'. It felt glossier somehow.

What did that mean? I didn't have time to ponder it, sinking into a spot behind a desk.

Starlight poked her head into the class and looked around. She spotted me and hurried over, a heavy contraption floating behind her. Without a word, she set it in front of me with a 'ta da' gesture. "Here you are. You can take that home, but bring it to school every day. If it's too heavy, leave it in the office."

My eyes widened, speechless delight welling as I took in Starlight's floating offering - a genuine antique typewriter, ivory keys peeking out from under a rich oaken case ornately engraved with vines and flowers along metallic frames. It looked straight out of an historical drama backdrop!

I reverently ran a hoof across the slick black body adorned with elegant golden lettering spelling "Remington" amidst serial numbers and patent seals in flowing script. This had to be museum grade craftponyship...

"Starlight, this is..." I shook my head slowly looking back up. "It's beautiful work but too fine a treasure just for some writing rough drafts!" I hesitated imagining imperfection mussing such exquisite engraving. "Are...are you certain the school goes through this just for me?"

But she simply smiled and nudged the gorgeous machine closer gently tapping aged keys with a hoof. "Oh it's had plenty active years service already - a little more scholarly creativity won't spoil anything. I know a collector who was happy to loan this out to a good cause."

Her eyes grew fond regarding carved surfaces. "Besides, just because something is old doesn't mean it can't still serve proudly given right conditions. That's true for machines and ponies both yes?"

I nodded slowly considering her words as my own hoof returned almost reverently to framing engraved edges where legions of brilliant ideas had first flowed into physical form just as mine now could thanks to generosity spanning ages to aid one small struggle.

"Yes..." I murmured. "Yes it can." I looked back up meeting her eyes directly. "Starlight I can't thank you enough, seriously, thanks." I reached my hoof to grasp hers. "I owe you a ton."

She flushed faintly but warmly returned my hoof clasp. "Most sincerely you're so very welcome. Now let's get your lesson underway, hm? I'll get out of the way before the teacher tans me."

She nodded at the teacher, scurrying out of the classroom and blocking the way no further.

The only challenge that remained was figuring out how to type with hooves. I knew how to grasp something, but typing? I tentatively mashed at it, trying my best not to damage it. This would require... practice. I should just thank all the gods out there that it had a QWERTY layout.

Author's Note

Keyboard! What is a writer without a keyboard? Sad, that's what. At least this writer.

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