Twilight and Twi settled comfortably on the sofa settled in Twilight's living quarters. "Well, that was an ordeal." Twi groaned.
"You hungry? I can have Spike make something," Twilight replied with concern, rubbing her twin's back.
"No, I'm good. I'm just exhausted. Professor Kazumi's tests are becoming more and more difficult. On purpose, it feels like as well." She touched her crown. "She even had me wear this. Said I should stop running from it and that it looks good on me."
Twilight giggled. "Well. She is right. I know you don't like wearing it in public. Understandable with what could go wrong. But if it's among those you know you can trust. Why not wear it more?"
Twi blinked as she shifted uncomfortably as something in her saddlebags was poking her before she could respond. "What is this?"
"What is what?" Twilight quirked an eyebrow as Twi lifted an acorn carved with various symbols from her saddlebag's pocket. The second her beloved did so her form shimmered and was in seconds a full Hippogriff.
"What? How?" Twi blinked as she turned around in a circle several times before looking at Twilight. "Why now? I thought I was still a pony?"
Twilight looked at the acorn and groaned. "Oh, he didn't..." she grumbled.
"What? Who did what?"
"Did Kohaku do anything before you stepped through?" Twilight looked into Twi's eyes. "You said he was waiting for you by the portal."
"No, he..." Quirking an eyebrow she bit her lip. "Well, he did give me a hug and wished me luck. I thought he might have grabbed a quick feel. I mean who wouldn't? My ass.. well flank? Always has been my best feature, and it wouldn't have been the first time. I just put it down to him being well... him."
Twilight's eyes narrowed before Twi gently poked her with her claws. "Oh, relax Twily. Kohaku doesn't mean anything by it. He knows where my heart lies. And if there is one thing I've learned about kitsunes? It's that they're not homewreckers. Not unless you've done something exceptional to piss them off."
Twilight relaxed slightly as she fully examined her beloved's new form. Her fur was the same as her pony form's coat, as were her mane's colors. Her beak was more the color of those beautiful lips she loved so much, and even her tail tuft had retained their pony colors. The crown now sat even more comfortably on her head than it had before. "So this is what a hippogryph looks like. Do you feel any different?"
Twi thought for a moment. She did feel different now that she thought about it. Stronger than she had before, faster. And her hunger had returned with a vengeance. Especially that for meat. It had to be her griffon heritage talking. "I do actually. Faster and stronger. And hungrier for meat than I thought."
Twilight nodded as she produced parchment and ink and began to write this down. "Interesting. Griffons do eat meat, and you are now part griffon. Your pony half is what's holding you back I presume. Ponyville has no place that sells meat. So you will have to wait to return home to satisfy it.
Twi nodded. She had thought that might be the case, as she stretched her wings, which were now almost as large as Princess Celestia's. "So, now what? I'm not sure if I can fit back through the portal. And I'm too comfortable to try and change back into a pony to try." She hugged herself tightly. "This feels... So good. A part of me I always wanted, but never knew I did until now. I might do this more often."
Twilight smirked. "You tell me, your highness. I can't tell a princess what to do. Can you change back, however? Not if you want to. But we need to know if you can at all."
Twi closed her eyes and concentrated. The Pearl. No... Her Pearl's magic was now wholly merged with her own. Intrinsically linked to herself. As much a part of her as any body part, and no more able to remove it as to remove a vital organ. Focusing on her pony form once more, Twi felt herself shrink back down to Twily's size.
Twilight sighed with relief as Twi's alicorn form was revealed once more. "That is good to know. For a moment, I was afraid you would not be able to at all."
Twi smirked as she changed back into her hippogryph form and booped Twilight's snout. "Give me some credit, princess. This is part of who I am. My Pearl still has all the powers you know it to have."
Twilight pouted as she scratched her nose. "And will you please be careful where you point those? I'd rather not find out the hard way how sharp your claws really are."
Twi eeped and retracted her claws. Her heart sank as she heard the fear in Twily's voice. It took the fight right out of her. "I'm so sorry, Twily. I don't know what came over me. This is just so new and exciting that I can't help it. I just feel so good like this."
Twilight's own heart sank at the despondent tone in her lover's voice. She smiled softly as she kissed her beak. "I know, my love. You are still the most beautiful pony, human, or hippogryph, in Equestria or Earth. Anyone who says otherwise is too stupid for their own good. Just remember that not all of us have this as you do."
Twi nodded, feeling better at the kiss on her beak. It felt just as wonderful as one on her lips. "So. Now what?"
Twilight smirked. "You tell me. I have nothing planned for today, and you are not meant to be back home till tonight, am I right?" Twi nodded. "Then I say we find out what this new body of yours can really do. I wanna see what a true seapony looks like. Not just what I turn into."
Twi smiled widely, squeeing at the idea, as Twilight wrapped a wing around her and led them to the bath.