Michelle gaped around in awe as Twilight led her out of the basement door and into the main body of the library.
“You really weren’t kidding. You… live in a tree,” she breathed, grinning slowly at the sheepish expression on Twilight’s face.
The amount of books circling in the shelves around her was staggering, and Michelle couldn’t help but imagine herself in some kind of fortress of knowledge, surrounded by arcane tomes of a long-forgotten world. ...hey, she said she was a nerd already. Glancing down at her hooves, Michelle slowly began to walk forward again, whispering softly to herself.
“Okay… left, right, left right… left, right, left, right…”
She peered sheepishly back at a bemused Twilight, ears unconsciously flattening atop her head, “S-sorry.”
The bemusement rushed away, shoved aside by sheer kindness as Twilight leaned in to nuzzle Michelle’s cheek.
“It’s okay,” she whispered soothingly, “You were a bipedal race, with those weird… feet things. You have to get used to hooves, and four of them at that. Let me help you onto the couch.”
Warmness rushed over Michelle’s body, and she gave a soft, breathy gasp. It was like she was enclosed by a giant, warming pillow, and there was no stress on any one place of her body as she was lifted into the air. Wiggling her hooves, Michelle giggled a bit as she floated through the air, then settled down on the plushest couch ever. Of course, sitting took a bit of work- her legs shouldn’t bend like that!- but the end result had to be rather cute, she admitted to herself. And if Twilight’s stare was anything to judge by…
“Would you like something to eat?” Twilight asked suddenly, smiling warmly, and Michelle gave a small grunt, doubling in on herself as the hunger hit with the force of a freight train.
To be honest with herself, she hadn’t eaten in… days. Nerves, mostly, and meticulously going over that portal ritual. Anything she had put in her mouth had just tasted like ashes, and wasted time. But now… Nodding silently, she blushed as Twilight rushed into the kitchen with a clatter of hooves on wood. This gave Michelle time to go over the most major addition to her body. Her wings were… in a word, beautiful. The feathers were perfectly formed, and Michelle was absolutely certain that she could see a glimmer of light down the center of each and every one. Concentrating hard, a surge of happiness ran through the new pony as she flexed her primaries, feeling all the world like little fingers. Swishing them around between her giggles, Michelle almost didn’t notice the gusts of wind her wings were creating till one blasted a sheaf of papers off one of Twilight’s many study desks.
“Oops…” she mumbled, sheepishly settling down to wait till lunch was done.
Michelle had so many questions. Of course, she knew alot about Equestrian history from Twilight’s letters and books, and she knew about Twilight’s friends, but she wanted to know… everything. What were the people, err, ponies like, as a whole? Could she really fly? Do sky magic? Walking on a cloud sounded fun. Would it be improper to- A deep boom shook the treehouse, and a rainbow-colored ball of feathers and fluff plummeted inside, slamming right into a carefully stacked tower of pillows.
“Hi Rainbow Dash!” Twilight called out from the kitchen, seeming perfectly at ease.
Michelle, on the other hand, had practically burrowed herself into the couch cushions, trembling violently.
Oh shit. Oh shit it’s one of her pony friends! They’re gonna hate me, I know it, oh god, oh god-
“Uh, Twi? Who’s on your couch? I thought you had closed the library today for that… ritual…”
Sniffling nervously, Michelle slowly peeked her way around the cushion she had used as a shield. Rainbow Dash was smaller than Twilight, and more slender of build, with lean muscles rippling down her furred chest and legs. Her eyes were a ruby-red, and were gazing down in shock at Michelle’s neck. Or more importantly, the lightning bolt pendant hanging around it.
“No way,” Rainbow breathed, “Michelle?”
Here goes. “Y-yeah… hi Rai-EEP!”
Rainbow was fast! With a single flap of her powerful wings, the pegasus had launched herself at Michelle, practically tackling her to the couch. Her forelegs were as strong as they looked, and Michelle closed her eyes, smiling shakily as she was hugged so strongly.
“You really made it!” the multi-chromatic pegasus cheered excitedly, wings flapping and tossing papers all through the air, “This is so cool! And you’re a pegasus! I so have to teach you how to fly now!”
That got Michelle’s attention. She really wouldn’t mind teaching her to fly? A smile slowly banished her nervous frown, and her ears gave an excited perk.
“Y-you’d really want to?” she asked shakily.
Rainbow snrked, playfully nooging her fiery hair and ears- it actually felt really good to scratch there, and Michelle could practically feel herself vibrating in pleasure- before stepping back.
“Well duh!” she replied easily, flaring her wings, “I’ll be right back, Michelle! I have to tell the others!”
To Michelle’s stunned eyes, when Rainbow Dash launched back through the window, she could see a corporeal trail of rainbow just behind her new friend. The magic of this place was just… incredible. Twilight Sparkle returned not but a few moments after, chuckling to herself. Floating around her were several steaming bowls, and a plate stacked high with waffles. Waffles… strawberries… whipped cream… Yep. Yep, this was heaven. Totally heaven.
“That saves me an extra trip,” Twilight told Michelle happily, settling the bowls and plate in front of the practically starving… only to blink as Michelle tore into them with all the urgency and need of a truly starving pegasus.
Slowly, as to not frighten her, Twilight reached with a hoof to carefully feel along Michelle’s barrel. Her fur seemed smooth, but the bumps of her ribs to come too quickly, and as her hoof smoothed past her ribcage, it dipped… Twilight paled a bit, head whipping up to her pen pal in shock. Michelle blushed as their eyes met, glancing off to one side.
“T-times were… getting kinda tough,” she admitted slowly, ears flattening atop her head, “I-I didn’t want to scare you anymore in the letters.”
Twilight frowned slightly, reaching forward to hug Michelle’s neck tightly, braving her cream-covered muzzle to plant a soft peck.
“It’s fine,” she replied after a moment of thought, “But your health is very important to me now, Michelle. We’ll need to get some weight put back on you.”
SLAM! The door practically buckled in on itself as a group of ponies, including a powerful farm-mare, bucked it open, all trying to fit themselves as one.
“She’s here!?”
Twilight grinned widely, violet eyes twinkling as she sat back, looking the suddenly incredibly sheepish Michelle over.
“And I think I know JUST the ponies to handle that.”