//------------------------------//
// Pinkie Strikes Back! 
// Story: Six Trans Mares 
// by pertelote345 
//------------------------------//


Twilight


Like so many things in science, Rarity's discovery had raised more questions than answers. Still I couldn't help but get a little spring in my step when I confirmed it.

"Well Twilight? Did that help? Can you fix this?" Rarity asked.

I squinted at the readout from the machines, "Maybe... You've opened up a whole other avenue to look into. I thought we were dealing with mind magic and transmogrification magic. Teleportation magic is something else entirely."

The magical spectrographic radar spit out a ream of paper and I gathered it up in my hooves.

I got a big fat grin when I saw the readout. "Got you now you stupid little enchantment! That proves it. Reality has been warped." I felt like dancing with joy! " The MBR pattern is completely off!"

Rarity eyed me warily. "Um... MBR pattern?"

I nodded. "Magical background radiation. Think of it as the stitching pattern left over from when the universe was sewn together. The local pattern is completely different from what it was before we woke up as stallions."

I clapped my hooves together. "I was looking for transmogrification or mind alteration spells on us when really all of reality has been rearranged via teleportation. Now I just have to find the anomaly and fix it. Spike! Take a-"

I paused. The purple dragon was nowhere to be found.

Rarity looked about. "Twilight... I don't recall seeing Spike when I came in."

"He was here a minute ago..." I said lamely. I considered casting a divination spell to find him, but considering he was he'd just gotten me some coffee and could easily have been in the bathroom... I decided to give him some privacy.

I shrugged. "He must have gone to get a snack or something. I'll check in on him later. It's not like I can't write my own letters."

She tilted her head. "Don't you need him to send your letters?"

I smiled, "This one's not going to Celestia." I pulled out a quill and some parchment. 

"Dear University of Fillydelphia Magical Survey Department,

Princess..."

I paused... they'd need my legal name.

Wincing, I crossed the last word out.

"Prince Dusk Shine requests your assistance in a matter of national security. Enclosed are my latest readings of the MBR in the Ponyville area. You will clearly note when comparing it to your records that it has become heavily distorted, possibly due to the use of rearranging teleportation magic. If you could conduct surveys to determine the extent and nature of the damage you would be doing the nation a great service.

"From the desk of Dusk Shine, Prince of Friendship"

I considered adding a paragraph about how urgently the data was needed... But that would just lead to inaccuracies and an order from a prin... An order of royalty was reason enough to work quickly.

I teleported the note away. "Now we just need to observe how much the damage has spread and I can figure out a counterspell!"

Rarity's eyes went wide. "So... So this is over? We can get our old bodies back."

I smiled. "Yup! Once I get the data back I should be able to counter the spell and put us back the way nature intended." I thought of the last six times I thought I had cracked this puzzle. 

I gulped. "Hopefully." I amended.

Rarity's expression fell.

"It will be okay!" I said trying my best to sound reassuring. "Even if I'm wrong about this, and I'm not, you've helped me a ton today. I was looking in the wrong direction this whole time an now we just need to-"

"GIRLS!!!" An explosion of confetti launched a cheerful wad of pink right between us. For the first time in months the element of laughter's hair was actually curly. "You'll never guess what I found!"

I shook myself. I was glad that Pinkie was feeling better, but I had to readjust to her energy level. "What did you find Pinkie?"

"Only the bestest, most super awesome thing in all of Equestria!" She reached into her poofy mane and produced a small, black and white flier.

I blinked, "The Ponyville Area Transgender Association?" Since when did that exist?

She nodded. "It's a support group full of ponies like us! It's a chance to talk to people who'd actually understand our problems! We should totally go!"

I grimaced. I'd need to tread lightly here. "Pinkie... We aren't like those people. What happened to us was magical, not biological."

Her hair drooped slightly, "But the result is the same.These are ponies who we can actually talk to about all the dumb stuff we're dealing with. And we could make new friends!"

I shook my head. "Pinkie I'm sure they're nice ponies, but I have a lot of research to do here and honestly I'm not sure what they'd be able to do to help us."

Rarity looked away, uncomfortable.

"What?" I asked.

"Sorry Twilight," The Fashionista began "It's just... That sounds a lot like what you would have said before you met us." 

I winced. Okay, they had me there.

I caught a glimpse of myself in a beaker. I'd learned the value of friendship a long time ago, but that wasn't why I was hesitating. So long as I looked at the beaker and not the reflection I was okay. Research provided a distraction and I wasn't sure I could handle talking to a bunch of strangers about how I felt. I wasn't sure I could handle talking to myself about how I felt.

"I..." I began, weakly.

There was a pause.

"I hear it looks good to your therapist." Pinkie mentioned.

Rarity and I blinked.