For those of you who were wondering, I whipped up a quick pic of what Specter looks like now:
***Wednesday, Day 32, morning***
I blink my eyes a few times in stunned silence at the door that was recently shut in my face as the final punctuating end to a rather sudden and unexpected end to my trip to the library.
My mouth opens and closes a few times uttering no sound until my voice finally manages to find its way out with slightly less than its usual coherency, “…huh…” My body feels like its running itself as I turn around and begin walking away from the arboreal abode.
About a minute passes before I feel some stirring on my head as my little passenger decides to speak up, “Well, at least she doesn’t seem mad anymore.”
I respond carefully, “I almost wish she was, anger, volatile as it is, can at least be predicted to some degree. This new attitude though… scares me far more, if only because I have no idea if I’ll be able to tell when she actually is in a forgiving mood.”
More shifting occurs before Specter responds, “So if we can’t get the book… how else are we going to learn about… well, new me?”
I look at my watch, “Well, it’s about time for work, and so we really don’t have time to track down Iroh again.” I rub the bridge of my nose with a hoof, “I suppose we simply take things as they come. It’s not like you’re too different, to be honest I was just worried in case nimbats have a special diet or something, but Iroh seems to do fine with normal food. Other than that, the only really big thing is if you breathe fire like him, but I guess you can just let me know if that happens then we can work on it. Of course, you have an opinion in this too. Anything you’re curious or have concerns about?”
A few ponies pass by us as I walk and Specter waits until they pass until he responds, “I… don’t know. This doesn’t feel bad or anything, just different. Though,I don’t think I’m ready to talk around anyone else yet.”
“You seemed to talk fine when Hydro and Atom were around this morning,” I say as I idly scratch near his ears with a little magic.
“I’m still getting used to the whole… talking thing. I spoke then because you needed to know it was still me,” I feel a slight increase in drag as I see his wings unfurl out of the corners of my eyes, “despite everything.”
I nod slowly as to not throw him off, “I suppose that’s the next challenge: seeing how everypony at work reacts to your new look.”
Turns out, everypony reacts pretty well. All I do is lead with a shortened version saying there was a ‘magical mishap’ and then show them Specter’s new form. Manila doesn’t even look shocked, she simply squees loudly and fawns over Specter saying how he is ‘even cuter now than he was before.’ Dr. Goodall takes a more logical approach and gives him a checkup along with the resulting clean bill of health and a recommendation of more fruit since nuts will likely not be enough for sustenance. Fluttershy is also in the office today, wearing a nurse’s hat that may or may not have distracted me a number of times with the … endearing effect it had on my marefriend’s appearance. Her reaction was a bit frantic at first, but after the checkup and convincing Specter to talk with her when the other two mares were out of the room, she seems to be at least comfortable with the situation. However she does tell Specter to take it easy since he is probably getting used to his new body.
The rest of the shift goes by relatively as normal as every day. A small surprise comes during lunch when Fluttershy asks me if we can have the double date with AJ and Hydro tonight seeing as AJ had approached her early this morning asking about it. I readily tell her that it’s no trouble and the plan is set.
***Evening***
Oh come now, this closet isn’t that big. Where are you hiding?
I finally spot my target hiding among some of my winter gear and levitate it out to see it clearly. It’s a simple black jacket for informal settings. I put it on over my red shirt and give myself a once over.
I look to Specter lying on the bed, “What do you think?”
He glances at me and puts a paw to his chin in thought before nodding, “Looks good!”
I smile at the encouragement, “Thanks Specs. Now, I’m not sure how late we’ll be out, but we should be back before too long. If you feel anything weird, let me know when I get back because with Iroh telling us to ‘experience the joy of discovery for ourselves’ with your new form, we can’t be too careful until I can find a way to get that book from Twilight.”
Specter nods again with a small dip in his smile from remembering the teasing lack of an answer from the elder nimbat.
I smile, “Good, be safe, and I’ll see you when I get back.” I grab my keys and such and put them into my pocket as I join Hydro outside.
The earth pony taps his hoof on the ground in impatience and says in a slight teasing tone, “Come on, I know you get attached to things but it’s only for a date. He’ll be fine.”
I look at my friend in his white collared shirt and black stetson, “Sorry, couldn’t leave without saying goodbye. Let’s go meet the girls.”
A short time later finds all four of us sitting at a table at Stable and Gardens, one of the informal restaurants in town. Applejack and Fluttershy are both wearing simple dresses, Applejack’s being a golden yellow sundress type, and Fluttershy wearing a spring green affair with a small blue flower clip in her mane. The restaurant is a quaint place, with themes of nature and rustic taking precedence as the low murmur of chat from the other tables along with the usual clanking in dining patrons lends a low background noise to the scene.
Soon our orders are taken and the Apple mare, her usual headwear lying on her bags next to her seating cushion the same Hydro’s is doing, decides to break the ice, “So, I suppose ya’ll have heard about Twi and yer friend Volt?”
I nod, “Oh yes, it was quite literally written all over him. Did Twilight tell you about it?”
She shakes her head, “Nah, good news travels fast around these parts. That and gossip. Hard to tell which is which sometimes. Whatever this is, Rarity decided to talk mah ear off about it yesterday when Ah was in the market runnin’ the stall.”
Hydro perks up, “Glad to see he finally got the hints, that or Twilight finally stopped beating around the bush.”
Fluttershy quietly adds in, “I’m happy for them, it’s wonderful having a special somepony, and they deserve to be happy.”
Applejack’s smile fades, “Long as everythin’ goes fine that is.”
I give her a curious glance, “Do you have some reservations about them being together?”
She waves a hoof, “Now it ain’t like that. I wish em both luck. Ah’m just sayin’, Twi’s a bit inexperienced with relationships and this seems like something she can’t learn from her books. Ah just got a little worry in mah head that Volt might take advantage of that.”
Surprisingly it’s Hydro who comments, “I wouldn’t worry too much Applejack. Considering how long it took him to even realize she was interested, I don’t think Volt is going to be the one doing a whole lot of pushing.”
I add in my two bits, “Volt’s a good stallion. A bit silly with his puns, electrical or not, but from what little I’ve seen, he is head over hooves for that mare. Plus, from what I’ve heard, Twilight has more than enough power to take care of herself, as for the inexperience… well what better way to learn than first hoof?”
The farm mare’s smile returns, “Alright alright, maybe Ah’m just being a bit protective. Like Ah said I wish em the best.”
I raise my glass slightly in AJ’s direction, “Hey, I, for one, say there’s nothing wrong with being protective. As long as it stays within reason, all it does is show how much you care.” I give a knowing smile to Fluttershy who blushes and smiles right back.
Hydro nods, “Good, now if we could, I would like to change the subject, as talking about Volt seems to make him appear and I would rather not make this a triple date.”
Fluttershy looks out one of the windows and giggles lightly and she motions toward it, “It looks like you may have stopped just in time.”
The rest of us look at the window and indeed see the unicorn couple in question walking by, both in more formal attire than us and looking like they are enjoying themselves. Our party simply laughs at the coincidence the two graced us with.
Our food arrives shortly so conversation dies for a bit as we partake. Eventually the pace slows down enough for conversation to be viable. After a time of the usual things of ‘how have things been’ the Apple mare brings up a question, “So what did you boys do before you came down to Ponyville?”
Hydro and I look at each other before I motion him to go first. He clears his throat and begins, “Well, both of us were in school. Beyond that though, I actually worked a part time job as a mechanic for the airships used by the Royal Air Force, mostly low level things, but it was still a great time. I got a few free flights out of it too.”
Applejack looks at her date curiously, “Ah’ve gone up on a few flights, but ya sound like you went up on plenty. Not sure how ya could stand it, Ah prefer having all four hooves on solid earth.”
Hydro chuckles, “Oh the usual call of the earth gets me eventually too, but I always did enjoy flying more than most.” He glances to me, “Rhino being one of those who aren’t too thrilled about it.”
I roll my eyes at his statement, truthful though it may be, “Pegasus mom or not, I don’t see anything wrong with being scared of falling from heights. As long as I don’t think about it, am distracted, or am on something large like and airship I’m fine.”
Fluttershy responds, “So, what did you do then Rhino?”
“Well, believe it or not, I worked in customer support. It was a bit difficult at first, me not being the most social of ponies, but in the end I suppose it helped me get a little more comfortable talking to ponies I don’t know. I basically was a pony that other ponies who used certain magical devices would call to help walk them through it when they didn’t understand something or had questions. They would come in, they assigned one of us to help until they were satisfied. Honestly glad when my time was over there, useful as it is to be able to put on a mask for other ponies, having to do it for hours on end just made it eventually feel like I just wasn’t myself there.”
Applejack comments, “Sounds a bit like lyin’ to both them and yerself.”
I think on that, “It pretty much was at times, at least when it comes to what I was thinking, but the important thing is that they went away as satisfied as we could make them. Personally, I prefer having friends who you can be yourself around.”
The whole table raises their glasses to that.