Trixie sat opposite Twilight at the table in the library. Each were reading a different book about magic spells, and comparing notes. Twilight was just going right along at her usual brisk reading pace, not even looking at her notebook as she simultaneously wrote notes with her quill, multitasking. Trixie looked on, feeling intimidated. She had been going over the same page for the past twenty minutes trying to get her head around this Teleportation spell.
"I just can't understand how this works. It should be impossible." Trixie huffed. Twilight looked up.
"What? What is it?" Twilight asked.
"Your Teleportation spell. It goes against every natural law..." Trixie resigned. Twilight could see her confusion.
"Well, yes, you're right. We certainly can't break the laws of nature..." She began, taking a fresh sheet of paper, "but we can go around them. First try to imagine our three dimensional world as this two dimensional analogue." Trixie nodded, "Now look, lets say you want to teleport from point A..." Twilight made two Xs on the paper, "to point B?" Trixie listened intently. "What is the shortest distance between two points?"
"A straight line." Trixie answered confidently.
"Wrong. With magic, the shortest distance is zero, and that's what the spell does, it folds our space until the two points coincide with each other and then you just hop though the hole." Twilight stabbed through the paper there the two dots touched for effect. "And in an instant, you are there, and space returns to normal." she finished as she unfolded the paper.
Trixie stared at her with a blank face.
"Ok, so maybe your a bit more of a hooves-on learner." Twilight got up and moved over to Trixie's side. "Embrace me!" Twilight said up on her hind legs with a bit of theatrics, her forelegs outstretched. Trixie craned her neck back in her seat and elevated one of her eyebrows by an obscene amount. "Just get over here and make contact at least." Twilight said, more level. Trixie got up and extended her hoof to hold Twilight's when the purple mare made a sudden lunge.
"SURPRISE!" Twilight jumped onto Trixie, wrapping her hooves around her and in a violet flash they both vanished from the room.
In an instant they reappeared in another flash of light outside the front of the library. Twilight was no worse for wear. It was a spell she had done many times. Trixie on the other hand looked a little rough around the edges after her first teleport. "Twilight, PLEASE warn me next time you are going to do something crazy like that!" Trixie said, a bit indignant.
"I did. I yelled 'surprise!'" Twilight giggled and smirked.
"That hardly counts as fair warning." Trixie huffed, trying to un-frizz her mane. "Perhaps something more along the lines of, 'Hey Trixie, do you mind if I do something crazy?'" She said as she finished straightening herself out.
"Well, anyway, do you think you have a handle on the spell?" Twilight asked, a bit more serious.
"Um, well let me think. After what you told me earlier and that... field experience, I think I can piece it together." Trixie said as the gears turned in her mind.
Twilight took her hoof in hers. "Here, you lead this time and I'll help guide you if you need it. You know, to make sure we don't end up inside a wall or something."
Trixie looked a little worried. "Can that happen?"
Twilight reassured her, "It won't. I promise." She squeezed her hoof tighter. It wasn't meant as a romantic gesture, but it was starting to feel that way as they gazed in each others eyes for a long moment.
"Okay." Trixie said, "Here I go." She focused her magic in her horn, focused on the spell, the intended destination. And in a flash they both vanished.
Trixie opened her eyes. The world around her swirled iridescent pinks and purples and electric blues. In front of her was a clear doorway. On the other side was the inside of the library.
It's just a hop, skip and a jump a voice said somewhere, or everywhere. It was hard to tell in this place. Wherever it was.
Trixie stepped forward. Or at least, the thought of willing her hoof forward occurred in her mind, and in that instant of thought she was there. Back in the library. Holding Twilight's hoof. Perhaps a little tighter than she meant to.
"Did- did you do that?" Trixie asked.
Twilight was beaming a wide smile, "No Trixie, that was all you. I didn't have to help you at all. You got it on your first try."
Trixie was positively radiant now, "Well- well of course! Trixie- er I excel at all things magical!" Twilight sighed. She could no longer tell if she found Trixie's brash pride irritating or endearing. Still, it was fun teaching and learning spells with someone who was at least somewhat close to her own level. Trixie certainly had the raw potential. If only she could apply a little discipline to her studies.
"Although, I seemed to have misplaced my hat in the process." Trixie said, motioning to her hat on Twilight's head.
"I... might have had a little hoof in that part." Twilight said as she giggled, taking it off to hand it back to Trixie.
"No, no, that's alright." Trixie said putting a hoof up. "You can wear it for now. It' looks good on you actually." Twilight was about to thank her, "Not as good looking as me. But really, who can." Twilight smirked,
"Come Twilight, what other spells may we learn today?" Trixie asked excitedly. Twilight was caught off guard at the question. 'Come Twilight?' Oh, she didn't mean- Twilight blushed, embarrassed at how she interpreted that. She would have to be more wary of such thoughts.
"Um, yes, we have lots of time this evening. The library has been rather slow today. What else would you like to learn?" Twilight asked.
"Well, why don't we see if we can actually do some of those Alicorn Amulet spells without cheating this time?" Trixie said with an edge of challenge.
"Oh, Trixie I don't know." Twilight said with hesitance, "Those spells that we were slinging around were really advanced. I tried to do an aging spell myself while I was... exiled-" Trixie looked at her hooves in shame for a moment. "And I just couldn't pull it off no matter how hard I tried. I just don't have that level of power yet."
"But I could help you!" Trixie cut in, "You've said yourself how much raw potential I have! I know that together we could pull off those advanced spells off. What if we tried one of the other ones? Like that duplication spell?"
"Well, Trixie, you know that all those 'spells' I did were all really just illusions and sleight of hoof right?" Twilight tried to reason.
"I know that. But I'm sure that together we could figure out that duplication spell for real. What's the worst that could happen?" Trixie asked.
"Duplication spell? Ooh do me! Do me!" Pinkie said from the library entrance.
"NO!" the unicorns said in stereo.
"Aw." Pinkies smile faded.
"Pinkie, what do you need?" Twilight asked.
"Oh, I was going to go help Applejack- Ooh hi Trixie- I was going to go help Applejack with some baking idea for her family reunion in a couple weeks, and I wanted to do it - with a mustache!"
Twilight sighed. "Okay, fine." Twilight's horn zapped Pinkie's nose with number 25. In a flash, there sprouted a regal mustache. "There. That should last you all day."
Pinkie's eyes crossed as she tried to look at her own mustache. Trixie levitated a hand mirror over to the bouncing earth pony. Pinkie inspected herself and busted out giggling, "Ooh, fancy pants! I look so regal." Pinkie struck a pose as though holding an invisible wine glass, "Quite! Indeed! Cheerios! LIKE A GENT!"
"Okay, Pinkie, you look great." Twilight said trying to send the pink mare on her way. "You don't want to keep Applejack waiting now, do you?"
"Oh. Applejack. Right!" Pinkie said as she zoomed out the door in a flash.
Twilight breathed relief, "Okay, now that that's over with-"
"Twilight do you have a monocle I could borrow?" Pinkie asked, reappearing in the doorway.
"A- what- I don't even- No. I don't have a monocle. Sorry." Twilight said, exasperated.
"Trixie?" Pinkie asked, hopeful.
"No. No monocle." Trixie said, even toned.
"Oh... okay." Pinkie said before bounding away.
Both unicorns waited a moment, making sure the erratic pastry chef was gone for good.
"OK." Trixie admitted, "I can see the danger in a duplication spell, however temporary. So that leaves, what, that gender spell?"
Twilight thought a moment. "Well... I guess. But like healing spells, magically manipulating living flesh is very hard to actually pull off. I don't think we have the technical expertise required, even IF we had the combined powers."
Trixie walked over to the library's book shelves, searching them. "Well then," she said, pulling down a couple equine anatomy books, "Let's get us some expertise!"
________________________________________________________________________
Upstairs two ponies laid on the bed, propped up on their elbows, each reading the anatomy book, studying the pages. It was very detailed in the specifics of stallion parts and the physiology. Twilight tried her best to maintain an academic atmosphere. Trixie kept giggling at the pictures and terminology like an immature grade-schooler approaching the subject. Twilight wanted to correct her about keeping a serious attitude, but it was just too cute for her to resist watching.
Twilight had to admit, the whole thing was getting herself a bit... worked up. But she had the presence of mind to keep above it for the time being. Trixie on the other hand was visibly flushed. The images in the book and the idea of the spell had clearly gotten her... excited. It was something Twilight had been trying her best to ignore, but despite her best efforts, her gaze kept returning to Trixie's eyes, as they scanned back and forth over the pages. Her violet eyes were just like her own.
"Aren't you excited to try this? I think we could really pull this off. Twilight? Twilight!"
Twilight was pulled from her dreamy gaze. "Oh, yes. I think we have the physical parts of the spell down well enough. I practically have these pages memorized now. I suppose it just comes down to powering the actual execution of the spell itself."
"Well, leave that to me. With my help, we should be able to pull it off without any problems." Trixie said confidently.
"I'm sure of it." Twilight said with a smile. Trixie just had a way of making her feel like no matter what happened, everything would be okay. She just radiated that 'assured' feeling. "But now we just have to decide who will be the volunteer."
"Well it was my idea to try this, so it should stand to reason that it be me." Trixie said matter-of-factly.
"No. I'll be directing the spell itself with the help of your power. But if anything goes wrong, I don't want it to be with anypony else. I'll do it on myself just to be safe." Twilight said, a little nervous.
"Very well, Twilight. I know you're impossible to talk out of something once you've set your mind to it." Trixie resigned. "Shall we try it now then?"
"I suppose there's no time like the present." Twilight said. "Okay, just like we rehearsed, I'll get the spell started and formed, and when I give you the signal, you touch your horn to mine-"
Trixie giggled.
Twilight continued, "Seriously now, this is important. We have to get this right or it won't work at all. - So I'll give you the signal, and you touch your horn to mine and feed your magic power into the spell. Once it's ready, well... I guess we'll see." Twilight trailed off. Trixie smiled weakly, suddenly a little nervous about the whole thing.
"You ready? Twilight asked. Trixie nodded solemnly. "Okay, I'll begin. You charge up your magic and stand by." Twilight planted her hooves on the floor and began to form the spell in her mind. She began to feed her magic into it as her horn started to glow. Trixie began to charge her own magic in her horn. Raw, shapeless energy, just waiting for a conduit to shape itself.
Twilight remembered her magic 'muscle' memory of giving Rarity wings, manipulating flesh, muscles, bones, nerves, veins. She applied it to her own... anatomy. The air around her began to hum and crackle with energy, a wind began to stir. Twilight had the final spell crystallized in her mind. It was time! Twilight clopped her hoof on the floorboards twice, hard. The signal! Trixie moved in and carefully put her own horn's tip to Twilight's, the magic arcing across. Twilight felt the weight of the spell on her metaphorical shoulders lifted away. It suddenly felt as easy as magically tossing a snow ball.
Twilight 'tossed the snowball', the spell released, enveloping her in magical energy, morphing her body. To Twilight's relief, the spell was both quick and painless. Twilight was actually concerned if it had worked, now that she thought about it. She had expected to at least feel something. Though, truth be told, all she felt was exhausted. Not physically, but magically. Looking at Trixie once the magical energy cleared out of the room, she could tell she was feeling the same. Perhaps more so.
Twilight stood up from where she had found herself laying down, looking to her flank trying to see... if the spell had worked. She felt like a curious little filly again, 'exploring her body'. She lifted her tail and looked, but couldn't see very well from her angle.
Trixie was also just now recovering from the joint spell. "Did it work?" she asked from the other side of the room.
"I- I can't tell. I can't really see." Twilight said, a little frustrated, fearing the spell had fizzled. She certainly didn't feel any different for her part. She wasn't any taller, or stockier. Her voice was the same feminine voice it always was. She looked at Trixie, feeling embarrassed already at what she was about to ask. "Could you- um. Could you look to... see if it worked." Twilight asked, turning crimson with embarrassment, as she turned her flank to Trixie lifting her tail for her.
"Oh, would you relax. It's not like it's something I've never seen before-" Trixie stopped mid sentence.
"What. What is it? Did it work? Is there something wrong?" Twilight began to panic.
"No. I mean, yes. I mean, it's fine. Nothing's wrong." Trixie reassured her, glancing back up to Twilight's eyes, smiling, "I think, uh... I think it worked. How long will it last?"
Twilight still struggled, contorting to see what part of her changed. "It'll only last a day at most."
Trixie held up a mirror for Twilight to see. Indeed her mare bits were missing and were instead replaced with their male counterparts. Twilight craned her neck under her front legs expecting to see something hanging underneath her, but there was nothing but a small flap of skin.
"This is nothing like the pictures." Twilight pouted, disappointed. "I thought it would be... you know, bigger."
"Come on Twilight. I thought you we reading those books, not just looking at the pictures!" Trixie said, feeling smug in her knowledge. "Weren't you paying attention? The book said that a male requires stimulation for... it- to... you know, come out."
Twilight face-hoofed. "Right. I'm a dummy. So I need to be... aroused? Now there's just the matter of how..." Twilight tapped her chin with her hoof.
Beside her, Trixie piped in, "This might work." Twilight turned to look at what Trixie was talking about, only to have her lips smack into hers. Twilight tried to back away to apologize, but Trixie held her head in place, kissing her more deeply now. Twilight closed her eyes and relaxed into the kiss. Trixie led the advance, parting her lips slightly, beckoning Twilight to do the same. Twilight immediately understood. Her tongue slid forward to meet Trixie's advances, battling for dominance in the kiss. Trixie moaned softly, her lips vibrating, sending chills down Twilight's spine. Trixie nibbled tenderly on Twilight's lower lip, as she ran her hoof through Twilight's striped indigo hair. Trixie continued to suck on Twilight's lip until she broke the kiss with a little pop, releasing it, leaving Twilight breathless, her eyes still closed.
"surprise." Trixie whispered.
Twilight opened her eyes, still heady with desire from the kiss. "Trixie," Twilight looked at her with a coy smile. "you should warn me next time you're going to do something crazy like that." she said facetiously. Trixie smiled back, her eyes darting below Twilight's legs.
"I think it worked." she whispered seductively.
Twilight followed her gaze, "So it has." she purred with an almost predatory tone.
Her eyes returned to their deep stare into Trixie's. "SPIKE!" she yelled downstairs, "Go sleep over Sweetie Belle's tonight!"
From downstairs they could hear Spike's muffled voice, "Woohoo, a sleepover at Rarity's!" before they heard the door close. Twilight's horn glowed, as she continued to stare into Trixie's eyes, locking the door and pulling the blinds.
"Hey Trixie, do you mind if I do something crazy?" Twilight asked. Without waiting for an answer she pushed Trixie backward onto the bed, before climbing in on top of her.
"Oh, Twilight!"