Chapter 3: A Pony Called Lyra
Jen didn’t want to get up…and certainly not at the early hour her stomach was insisting she get up. But she couldn’t resist the heavenly aroma’s wafting from Twilight’s kitchen. It took her a few moments to get her bearings once she sat up…realizing she was in the unicorn’s own bead upstairs. Somepony (Fluttershy most likely), must have moved her after she fell asleep.
Plodding passed her shield to the bathroom she didn’t bother to drag it along. After a little bit of experimenting she learned that being within about a hundred feet or so of it kept the jewel silenced. Running a hand through her (now greasy), hair she made a face and hopped in the shower. With a huff she crouched down to better fit under the spray and relaxed under the hot water.
She definitely loved Twilight’s shampoo, that was for sure. It had a faint floral scent, not overpowering but enough to keep her smelling lilacs all day. Watching the purple foam run down the drain her eyes drifted to the charm bracelet on her wrist again. She never took her eyes off it as she scrubbed herself down. Chewing her lip she slowly reached toward one of the charms with thumb and fore finger.
-Pinkie Pie-
Pinkie was humming cheerily to herself as she whipped up pancake after pancake. The stack on the table was starting to approach tower status. With a sigh Twilight cantered in separating the massive pillar of cakes. “Honestly Pinkie Pie the eight of us can’t eat all this…I think you can stop.”
She halted in her humming/baking with a little start and whirled to face the table. “Oopsie!” She gave a little giggle. “I was in the zone. The pancake zone!”
With a chuckle of her own and a roll of her eyes Twilight went about setting a place at the table for everypony (and human and dragon). “It’s fine, I’m sure we’ll manage. And with the way Jennifer and Applejack eat I suppose you really didn’t make TOO many.”
“Well my Jenny-bean’s a growing filly! She needs to eat a lot!” This caused the unicorn to raise an eyebrow but she decided not to comment. Slowly the rest of her pony friends were filtering in, drawn by the wonderful smells. The pink mare eyed everyone and tilted her head toward the stairs. “Is she still asleep?”
Still blinking a little sleep from her eyes Fluttershy shook her head. “Oh no, I heard the shower running when I went up to check on her.”
If anypony noticed the quick twitch of annoyance flashing across Pinkie’s face they didn’t comment. “Oh! Well I’m sure she’ll be down any second now. She used to say she felt ‘funky’ if she didn’t shower first thing after waking up.”
This elicited a round of sleepy laughter as the tightly knit group of friends settled at the table. Casual conversation flew around as quickly as the dishes of juice, syrup, and butter. All conversation halted as a sudden crash came from upstairs. Pinkie was the first to the stairs, finding the bathroom door locked she pounded on it, causing a very startled Jennifer to shriek from inside. “Jenny are you alright?!”
“Gah! I’m fine I just…slipped! Jeez you gave me a heart attack!”
“…you’re SURE you’re ok?”
“Yes Pinkie I’m fine! I’ll be down in a minute!”
Hesitantly she backed from the door, eyeing it nervously as if expecting the girl to come screaming from the bathroom with a horde of changelings nipping at her heels. With a sigh she descended the stairs, her friends all waiting. “She slipped in the shower.”
They all seemed to accept this. Rarity sighed dramatically. “It’s no surprise what with her wobbling about on two legs. She always looks so unsteady I feel like she’s going to topple over all the time.”
Twilight looked from Rarity to the still sleeping Spike curled up on the sofa. “Spike walks on two legs.”
The other unicorn accepted the point with a nod. “True but his are so short and thick…Jennifer’s are tall and…gangly.”
Pinkie bristled a bit. “She’s not gangly! She’s just coltish. She’ll grow into them.”
Patting her fellow earth pony between the shoulders Applejack chuckled. “It means th’same thing sugarcube.”
A little ‘oh’ was all she offered by way of apology. All eyes turned again to the sounds of someone coming downstairs…in what sounded like a very uncoordinated manner.
*THUNK* “Sonnova…” *THUMP BUMP* “Stupid stairs!” *BUMP-BUMP-BUMP-BUMP….WHUMP*
Everypony at the table gasped as a long legged, green furred filly bounced her way down the stairs, landing in a heap on the floor. One wing flung up in the air flapping uselessly while the other was sprawled at her side.
“Ohmygosh!” A faint outline hung in the air where Pinkie had been sitting, as she streaked from the table to the filly’s side. “Jenny! What happened?!”
“I learned walking downstairs with four legs and hooves is a lot trickier than with two legs and feet.” With a groan she worked her forelegs under her slowly, than slid her hind legs into position. With a few flaps of her wings the young suddenly turned pegasus filly got onto all fours, standing shakily. “Pretty cool huh?”
By now the other ponies had rushed over to better view the spectacle of the girl-turned-pegasus. They gave her a wide berth as she took a few shaky steps. A now wide awake Rainbow Dash seemed torn between guffawing at her awkward attempts at quadruped locomotion and examining the new wings dragging along the ground at her sides.
Naturally Twilight was wearing an unhappy frown. “What did you get into Jennifer?”
Eyes wide and innocent Jen shook her head. “Nothing! I tried out my charm bracelet that’s it!” She lifted a foreleg to display the silver chain hanging from the end of it…then toppled over onto her side much to Dash’s delight.
The frown never leaving her face, Twilight’s horn flared to live and lifted the leg to examine the bracelet more closely. “Oh how clever, the pegasus charm is a little human now. You must touch that to change back. Well undo this before…you break something.”
A little bit of flailing got all four legs back under herself and she was up on her hooves again. “No way! I just got these babies I’m gonna fly!” She gave her wings a few uneven flaps to punctuate her point.
“Whoa there nelly! Didn’t the Princess tell ya t’start with earth pony an work yer way up?” Applejack retrieved her hat after it was swept from her head by an errant wing beat.
“She's right Jenny-bean…you don’t want to just jump right into the deep end. You could get hurt.” Pinkie leaned against the filly, allowing her to drape a wing over her back as she helped her walk to the kitchen.
“Still her wings are very beautiful…” Fluttershy gently ran a hoof over the one still dragging along the ground. “With that span she must be a drifter like me.”
This got Jen’s attention. “What’s that mean?”
It was Dash who answered, zipping ahead of the slow moving group to get back at her breakfast. “There’re a few kinds of pegasus ponies. They got all sortsa egg head science names for us, but basically there’re racers…like me. Drifters like Fluttershy. Then like…uh…”
Her fellow pegasi giggled softly. “There are mostly just the two kinds. Drifters tend to have a larger wingspan. We don’t have to flap as fast as racers like Rainbow Dash, we can fly with slow gentle beats.”
Jen had never really paid close attention to her pegasus friends’ wings before. But looking at the pair flying next to one another it was glaringly obvious there was a difference. Fluttershy’s wings were nearly twice the size of Rainbow Dashes, and she did indeed keep herself aloft with one beat to every four or five or Rainbows. Looking at her own wings they were clearly bigger than Rainbows, though not quite Flutter’s size.
“So I guess I’m not gonna be a champion race horse huh?” She grinned at her own joke, getting a round of groans from the ponies.
Dash landed and resumed stuffing her face, as Jen joined the group at the table. “Probly not. Drifters can still get some serious speed, but it’s nothing like us racers. Hey after chow why don’t me an Fluttershy take you up!? We can push some clouds around, maybe make a little weather. It’ll be a blast.”
Jen’s eager nod slowed, than withered up and died under Twilight’s stare. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. She can barely coordinate her limbs to walk, let alone fly. Princess Luna was right, she needs to start small.” Seeing Rarity and Applejack nodding along with Twilight’s words, and Fluttershy tucked safely behind her mane to avoid the confrontation the filly turned to her last ally.
Big blue eyes darted from one face to another as Pinkie worked her mind furiously to think of a way to agree with her more level headed friends and not further alienate Jennifer. The girl was already spending more time with most of her other friends then her…if she said no here would she just flat out stop hanging around with her completely?
“Well I’m sure if she’s with Rainbow and Fluttershy it’ll be okay.”
She wanted to slap her hooves over her muzzle as soon as she said it. Twilight and Applejack were giving her an incredulous look (so was Fluttershy not that anypony could tell). Jen gave a whoop of delight and threw her forelegs around Pinkie in a tight hug. Instantly all thoughts of denying her request evaporated and Pinkie knew she’d made the right choice. All too soon the embrace ended as the filly whirled to face Rainbow Dash. “Well? Let’s go!”
The daredevil chuckled, but it was clear she was almost as excited as Jennifer. “After we eat. You can’t be flying on an empty stomach it takes a lot of energy kid.”
That’s all she needed to hear as Jen turned her attention to the plate in front of her. Reaching for a fork and…not grabbing it. Brow furrowed she clop’d a hoof over it several more times. Lips began to purse and eyes narrowed, threatening to vaporize the offending utensil with her rage alone. This fork was now her greatest foe! It stood between her and flight. Finally with one last baleful glare she just stuck her muzzle in the plate and wolfed her food.
“Good heavens!” Rarity lunged back away from the table looking about ready to faint at the display. Twilight just rolled her eyes in disgust…everyone else seemed thoroughly amused. Plate empty Jen turned her attention to the glass, gripping it gently in her teeth she tilted it up, chugging the juice in one go.
“Breakfast eaten! Time to fly!” She took off at a gallop for the door. Or rather…she intended to. She actually turned to the door, took two steps and fell flat on her face…pointedly ignoring the huge sigh from a certain purple unicorn.
The pegasus pair made their way to either side of the eager filly, helping her back to her hooves. “Alright first of all, you gotta tuck those wings in. You’re gonna hurt em draggin em around like that.”
With a sigh of her own Jen glared back at the new appendages. “I’ve been trying. I can make em go up and down but…”
It was Fluttershy who came to the rescue now. “Hmm. Try to imagine you’re tucking your elbows against your side. Only your arms are attached to your back rather than your shoulders.”
Eyes crossed comically as she concentrated on Fluttershy’s instructions. She jumped nearly a foot in the air as her wings snapped closed and tucked tightly against her sides. “Ha!” She spun to face Twilight with a smug grin. “Ha ha! You see that?”
The unicorn just raised an eyebrow. “Now walk to the door, open it, and step outside.”
With a huff the filly spun back to face the door. Glaring down at her hooves she slowly lifted one, and took a step forward. Remembering the awkward canter she developed from the dream with Luna she began slowly making her way forward…then her wings flared up and open again. “Gah!”
“You’re thinking about it too hard Jennifer. Just relax. Tuck in your elbows.” At the soothing voice of the yellow pegasi Jen took a deep breath and did as she was told, her wings snapping shut again. “Good…now…one hoof at a time. If you can walk on two legs and keep your elbows tucked in you can walk on four and do it.”
Of course Dash had to lean in toward Fluttershy. “She doesn’t HAVE elbows anymore.”
With a sigh Fluttershy dropped to a whisper. “I know but she needs a way to visualize what she’s trying to achieve. If we use terms she’s familiar with it’ll work better.”
Finally catching on Dash gave a nod and backed up letting the filly pick her way to the door, and clumsily fumble with the handle before it sprang open. Whirling she again smirked at Twilight. “Ha….” Seeing the unicorn had gone back to her breakfast she didn’t bother with the other ha, instead staggering outside.
Pinkie didn’t bother to hide her sigh as the trio left the library. The air in the kitchen was almost electric as Twilight rounded on her. “Pinkie Pie what were you thinking?! You saw her, she can barely walk…she’s CERTAINLY not ready to start flying! You’re her guardian. GUA-DI-AN. Your job is to specifically keep things like this from happening.”
“Darling I think you’re being a little harsh on Pinkie…obviously there’s something bothering her.” Rarity rested a comforting hoof over Pinkie’s, drawing a wan smile from the pony.
“No…Twilight’s right. I should have laid down the law and told her no.” Heaving a heavy un-Pinkie like sigh she turned an apologetic look to Twilight Sparkle. “I just don’t want her to be mad at me. Lately it seems like all she wants to do is hang out with Dashie or Applejack over at Sweet Apple Acres. I don’t see her at ALL some days unless I go and find her…and then she’s always busy doing something else!”
The trio listening all began to frown a little. “Well have you tried sitting her down and having a frank and open discussion? I find that’s all that you need to get through little things like this. She’s probly not even aware that she’s hurting your feelings. You have to remember she’s suddenly in a whole new world. I’m sure she’s very interested in everything going on around her.”
Pinkie’s eyes were lowered as she processed this. “…you’re absolutely right Twilight. I just need to talk to her! Not be all mopey-dopey! That’s not helping anypony! Thanks girls!” Bolting from the table, Applejack stood and made to follow.
“Thanks for the fun night Twi’, reckon I’ll be seein’ ya soon.” Applejack hustled to catch up to her fellow earth pony. “Hold on there Pinkie! I need ta talk atcha!”
Pinkie slowed her pace allowing Applejack to catch up. The three pegasi were in clear view due to Jen’s unsteady pace. “What’s up Applejack?”
Now the normally collected pony was looking a bit uncomfortable. “Well it’s about you an Jenny there. Ah know ya probly ain’t gonna wanna hear somethin’ like this but I got a bit of experience lookin’ after a little filly.” Sensing the gravity of the conversation Pinkie halted her movement altogether, giving Applejack her full attention.
“Th’way Ah see it ya gotta decision t’make. D’ya wanna be her friend…someone t’pal around with all day. Or d’ya wanna be y’know…a uh…parent.”
Pinkie’s brow furrowed. “You can’t be friends with your parents?”
“Well now Ah didn’t say that sugar cube. But yer in a bit of a tricky spot just now. Now ya’ve seen me an Applebloom. She talks back at me plenty right?” As Pinkie nodded she continued. “Well ever see her do that t’Big Mac?”
Tilting her head Pinkie Pie had to ponder the question for a moment. Big Mac rarely talked at all, but the few times he had bothered to vocalize his thoughts, his youngest sister always paid rapt attention and obeyed without question. “I guess not…”
“Exactly. When our folks passed on an it was just us an Granny Smith…well she does her best but she’s been gettin’ on in the years since AH was a little filly. Big Mac’s been doin most of the parental duties fer as long as Ah can remember. Now they have their fun t’gether, it ain’t all business but that’s cause they got themselves an established relationship. That’s where yer at right now sugarcube. Jenny don’t see you as an authority figure…yer still just the fill in foalsitter from back home. Someone to keep her outta TOO much trouble…but at th’end a’the day yer an older playmate.”
Bright pink rump planted in the snow as Pinkie sat to digest this newest wisdom. “So…if I want her to respect me, I can’t look at us as friends? For now?”
“Just fer now Pinkie Pie. It ain’t gonna be fun, an she probly ain’t gonna thank ya for it anytime soon. But if ya don’t lay down the law NOW, it ain’t ever gonna get laid down. Just stand yer ground, be firm. An’ no matter what she says ya can’t back down. If ya back down at the first sign’a her standin’ up to ya, ya might as well not bother.”
New determination sparked in her eyes, and Pinkie gave a firm nod. “You’re right Applejack. I need to be an adult and do what I KNOW is best for her. She’s mature for a filly…but she’s still just a filly and she’s going to make bad decisions. Someone has to tell her no.”
Applejack gave her friend a firm pat on the shoulder. “Well go git yer filly an keep her head outta the clouds…til she’s ready fer em.”
-Jennifer-
Ever so slowly her walking was beginning to even out. It wasn’t TOO bad once she studied how the others were walking. Right foreleg…left hind leg. And vice versa. Than just repeat. It was tricky but once she eased into a pattern she was soon ambling along at a semi-normal pace. There were still stumbles now and again but she was actually doing it.
“You’re doing wonderfully Jennifer…in fact why don’t we just spend the day walking around town hm? Maybe we can get you to a canter by the end of the day. Save flying for when you’re more comfortable?” Fluttershy offered an eager smile.
“Pft! That’s boring! We got her walking, now let’s get her in the air!” Fluttershy suppressed a sigh. It almost seemed like Jen was listening to her before Rainbow went and got her all excited again.
“Actually girls could you excuse us for a few minutes? I need to talk to Jenny privately.”
All three winged ponies turned to see Pinkie Pie trotting toward them. She wore an easy smile…though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Rainbow Dash seemed about to protest before Fluttershy laid a hoof on her shoulder. “Of course Pinkie. We’ll go check on my cottage.” She drug a quietly protesting Dash away, leaving the pair alone.
Jen flicked her eyes from the departing pegasi and back to Pinkie Pie. “What’s up Pinkie? We were just about to fly!” Her wings flared open again…catching a gust of wind and bowling her over. She picked herself up quick enough, snapping them shut again.
This just strengthened Pinkie’s resolve. “I don’t want you to fly yet Jenny.”
This seemed to surprise the filly, and her wide smile faded. “What? But you said it was fine.”
“Well…I wasn’t thinking clearly. But Twilight’s right, it’s too dangerous. Princess Luna even said so Jenny-bean. You need to walk before you can fly.”
Now her smile was gone, replaced by a growing spark of anger. “I can walk just fine thank you! I walked from the library all the way to…” Craning her neck she saw she wasn’t as far from the library as she’d hoped. “To here!”
Pinkie could feel her will beginning to falter under Jen’s increasing anger. “Come on Jenny, I’m just worried about you. I know you’re excited to start flying…I would be too! I really, REALLY get it! I mean you’re not the only one who wasn’t born without wings Jennifer. I’m proud to be an earth pony but do you think I never wished to have magic, or wings of my own?”
She was calming down a little at Pinkie’s soothing tone. “I…I guess. But Rainbow says-“
Pinkie cut her off. “Rainbow Dash isn’t your guardian Jennifer, I am. And I say it’s too early to fly. I won’t make you change back right away…if you want to be a pegasus for the day you go ahead and do that. But your hooves are staying on the ground.”
Her mouth worked open and closed trying to come up with an argument to poke holes in Pinkie’s annoyingly valid and level headed words. “…fine. I won’t fly today.”
It took all of her willpower not to gasp aloud at the filly’s sudden submission. Instead she gave her a warm smile. “Thanks Jenny-bean…I don’t like having to be a grump. Now c’mon silly-filly, let’s get back to the library. We can get your things back to Applejacks farm and then you have a lunch date right?”
Jen’s eyes widened at that. “Oh man I totally forgot I promised to meet Lyra! What time is it?”
Pinkie laughed now. “It’s barely passed breakfast, you have plenty of time! Come on, I’ll race ya!” Pinkie took off like a rocket...a clumsy pegasus filly stumbling along behind her, but both were smiling widely.
-Later-
Lyra fidgeted in her seat at the café, constantly scanning the crowd. Beside her sat a cream colored earth pony mare, her mane an eye catching deep blue with pink swirls here and there. A trio of wrapped candies adorned her flank. “Lyra I know more ponies have been talking about humans, just because I’ve been out of town doesn’t mean I don’t keep up with the news.”
Her filly friend gave a deep harrumph. The mint colored unicorn always drew a number of stares when she was sitting in public. Rump planted in her seat, hind legs dangling over the edge while her barrel was upright, forelegs resting on the table before her. “I DID meet her Bon-bon and she IS coming to lunch! Just you wait!”
Bon-bon sighed softly and checked the clock tower. “Well your human’s got an hour and then I have to get back to work Lyra. Sweet shops don’t close for winter like some of the shops do.”
“She’ll be here!” Again the unicorn lifted her neck looking left and right.
Her filly friend gave a wry grin. “Maybe you DID meet her. I bet you totally gushed all over her and scared her off, that’s why she’s not here.”
Lyra’s retort was cut off as a green pegasus filly came trotting up. “Hey Lyra! Sorry I’m late I had some craziness this morning.” The poor musician’s mouth fell open. The metal teeth…check. Sword of Harmony…check. Bipedal furless mammal with beautiful hands…definite not check.
“What happened?!” This drew another round of stares to Lyra’s table, much to Bon-bon's chagrin.
The earth pony turned a gentle smile to the filly. “Well hello there…you must be Jennifer? That’s a very unusual name for a filly.” She offered a hoof. “I’m Bon-bon.”
The filly smiled and took a seat across from the couple, tapping the offered hoof with her own. “Yup! Nice t’meetcha, I’m Jennifer. Just Jen’s fine. You’re Lyra’s girl…fillyfriend?”
“Mmhm. We’ve been together almost as long as Lyra’s been living in Ponyville. What is it…three years now?” She looked to said fillyfriend only to find her still staring open mouthed. “Lyra…your mouth is hanging open.”
“She’s a pony! Why are you a pony?!” The unicorn was on the verge of a panic attack.
Bon-bon looked ready to rebuke her again before Jen piped up, resting a foreleg on the table and showing off her charm bracelet. “The princesses made this for me. It lets me turn into whatever kinda pony I want. Luna said I should spend time as each to learn which I liked the best.”
The friendly smile was fading from the earth pony’s face…though one was forming on Lyra’s. “Oh jeez! That’s a relief for a second I thought I’d lost it! So can you turn back whenever you like?”
Jen gave a distracted little nod as she looked over her menu. “Sure I mean…I assume so. The pegasus charm turned into a human charm, so all I gotta do is hold it and I should pop right back.” When the waiter came by the filly beamed up at him. “Iiii will have the hay fries and a tulip sandwich please.”
“Ooo good call I haven’t had tulip in forever. Same for me!” The unicorn chimed in.
“Just a garden salad for me.” The third member of their party ordered. The waiter took the menus and trotted to the back.
Bon-bon seemed about to say something before Lyra’s focus snapped back onto Jennifer. “Can you change back? I want Bon-bon to see.”
Glancing at the earth pony Jen could tell she was getting annoyed, but Lyra looked so excited. Even the adult ponies could wield those puppy dog eyes the little ones had. Idly she wondered if she could learn to unleash the pony weapon of mass destruction, maybe she’d be flying right now if she had. With a resigned sigh she raised a forehoof and rested it against the human charm.
Her body was engulfed in a bright, white light forcing any pony to look away. When the light faded there was a very winged, very naked human girl sitting in the seat. With a strangled yelp she grabbed at her wings and folded them over her front. “Forgot I’d be naked…”
Lyra was giggling softly and clapping her hooves together, while Bon-bon regarded Jennifer with shock. “So…you really ARE…a human?”
Jen offered an apologetic shrug. “For the next year or so, yup. Luna said it’d take about that long for me to naturally settle into an Equestrian shape.”
The confectioner tilted her head to regard the girl. “Why’s your face so red when the rest of you is so pink.”
It was Lyra who chimed in. “Oh I know! She’s embarrassed! It’s a taboo among humans to be nude in public!”
Of course her shouting was drawing a lot more attention from the patrons. While Jennifer wasn’t so unusual a spectacle for them by now, watching her go from pony to human certainly was. Lyra’s words were drawing amused chuckles and giggling from the other patrons.
This just seemed to confuse poor Bon-bon further however. “Well she was perfectly fine being naked as a pony.”
The musician nodded. “Well of course! You see humans are the dominant species on their world. They use non-human animals as a form of heavy labor and food! So to her being a pony is basically stepping into the shape of a lower life form, and being naked is fine for them.”
Now the laughing had stopped and everypony was staring at the human in their midst with emotions ranging from shock, to anger, to disgust. Sometimes flashing between all three.
Sensing the sudden shift in mood Jennifer cleared her throat. “W….well that’s TECHNICALLY true…but I mean…no other animal on my world thinks and talks. They’re just y’know…mindless animals…? I mean if they had thoughts and feelings and stuff of course we wouldn’t…y’know…do stuff…to them…”
Bon-bon had crossed her forelegs, fixing the poor girl in a steely glare. “So is that how you look at us? As…lower life forms? So that makes it ok to be naked when you’re a pony? Because we’re not as GOOD as you?”
Eyes wide the girl shook her head rapidly. “No! No of course I don’t think of you guys like that! It’s just…you’re pretty much naked ALL the time so I just…got used to seeing it. I mean it was a little odd for me at first, seeing Pinkie Pie and the others like that but it didn’t take long at all to get used to it. Really, I REALLY don’t see anypony like that at all!”
Her earnest words seemed to be having a positive effect on the crowd. “But you DO basically use ponies for slaves and food?” It seemed that Bon-bon wasn’t warming as much as the others.
“W…well…I mean…sort of? It’s not like we whip the uh…ponies back home. They’re very well cared and…” She blinked. “You guys do the same thing! I’ve seen ponies with pets. Applejack has Winona and Pinkie has Gummy right?”
Through it all Lyra was silent, apparently finally realizing just what kind of position she’d thrust the human into. Bon-bon did not look mollified by this argument. “So you’re saying we’re pets.”
“Yes! I mean…no! Not exactly! I mean…the ponies on our world don’t have the same thoughts and feelings the ponies HERE do. They’re the same as the critters you guys keep as pets and companions. Yes we use ponies to pull ploughs and carriages and stuff, but they’re well cared for friends to their owners. BELIEVE me if the ponies back home talked and did all the things you guys do they’d be equals. But they’re just animals, the same way your critter friends are animals here!”
Jen could tell it was a tough concept for the ponies to wrap their heads around, but more than a few were nodding slowly.
“So…do you EAT your ponies?”
This brought a very real look of disgust to the girl’s face. “Ew, no not at all! I mean…yeah we eat meat…I’m not gonna lie…” This brought another chorus of gasps. “But not pony. You guys raise chickens and pigs and stuff, and I’ve seen the cans of dog and cat food. I know you don’t EAT them, but they’re the same things I used to eat, and you feed them to your pets just fine right?”
The murmuring in the café was turning in her favor, much to her relief. “Alright…so if you don’t think you’re better than us, move your wings. Just sit like the rest of us are.”
Lyra seemed to be going from embarrassed at what she’d done to Jen, to angry at Bon-bon’s constant attacks on the girl. Eyes darting from face to face Jen chewed her lip…took a deep breath, and slowly eased her wings away from her front. She still had her legs firmly crossed, but she sat there exposed…if a tad rigidly. At that point most of the crowd went back to their meals.
Jennifer sat there, face red as a tomato (the rest of her rapidly darkening to match), as the waiter returned with their orders. He’d been standing at the entrance to the kitchen during the exchange, and had wisely decided to wait before bringing the food. “Your meals please enjoy.”
The girl looked down at her suddenly very unappetizing meal and hastily clasped the pegasus charm again, with another flash she was back in filly-form seated in the chair.
This elicited a snort from the earth pony. “What you can’t eat our food as your normal self?”
“That’s enough Bon-bon. I invited Jennifer here to get a chance to talk to her and introduce her to someone I care about a lot. But if you’re going to keep acting like this…I think you should leave.” Lyra’s voice was low now, to not draw the eyes of the café again.
Bon-bon’s mouth fell open, eyes wide she looked from an increasingly uncomfortable Jennifer and back to the mare at her side. “I…you…fine Lyra! Just FINE. Enjoy your lunch with the meat eating monster!” Of course that ruined Lyra’s attempt at keeping the exchange private. Bon-bon collected what dignity she could salvage and trotted briskly out of the café.
Jen was busy poking at her sandwich with a hoof, a little frown on her face. “I’m sorry Lyra; I didn’t mean to cause all…this.”
The unicorn rested a hoof over the fillies. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Bon-bon was in the wrong here, and she’ll apologize to you or…well…I don’t know.” She sighed heavily. “Let’s just eat huh? These tulips look nice and fresh.”
This brought a little smile back to the fillies’ face. “Heh…yeah I guess they do.” She leaned in taking an experimental bite, then brightening and chewing with more vigor. “Wow these’re really good! I mean…I can kinda taste the grassiness of it, but there’s…a really interesting flavor over that.”
A bemused Lyra watched as Jen attacked the sandwich with vigor…not using her hooves to hold the food brought more amusement from the few patrons who had taken notice of her antics. After awkwardly scooping a few of the fries into her mouth (mostly with her tongue), she crunched down the rest with a satisfied groan. “Jeez I’ve never seen someone go at hay fries like that.”
Jen offered an embarrassed shrug. “They taste a lot like French fries back home, and I’m a huge junk food junkie. I’ve been having a serious craving for some of it and this really did the trick.”
Lyra was enjoying her meal at a more leisurely pace. “Tell me about your favorite foods.”
“Oh jeez where do I start? Well I love fries of course. Most people say McDonald’s makes the best but I’m a Rally’s girl. The seasoning on them…mmmm sooo good.” She leaned in a little closer. “And I go crazy for a spicy chicken sandwich. If the food’s not burning my mouth it’s no good.”
To Jen’s delight Lyra’s reaction wasn’t typical of a pony hearing about meat eating. “What else?”
“Hmm. A whopper from Burger King. I think I miss beef a ton. And the deep fried fish at Long John Silver’s, THAT’S to die for. And pizza! Oooo pizza. …come to think of it I bet you guys could do pizza.”
“Oh! I heard of that! It’s what your college students eat! Pizza and ramen and…mountain dew…I always thought that last one was a little odd. All your food and drinks have such colorful names, but than a typical drink is regular old dew off a mountain. I mean I always thought it was impressive you guys would gather enough to bottle it bu-“
Jen interrupted with a laugh. “It’s not THAT kind of dew. It’s just a name. It’s actually a super sugary soda drink.”
“Ohhhh! That makes a lot more sense!” Her horn glimmered as her saddle bag flipped open and the notepad floated out, the unicorn making some quick notes. “It all sounds so wonderful. I’d give anything to see where you live, even just a day.”
The waiter returned and Lyra happily paid the tab, even leaving a generous tip. The pair got up making their way from the café. Jen was quietly contemplating something it seemed.
“You alright? Sorry I’m getting creepy again aren’t I?”
“Hm?” The girl lifted her head to look at Lyra. “Oh! No I was just…thinking…” She looked around and nodded toward an alley between the buildings, curiously the unicorn followed. “…maybe there’s a way.”
Lyra’s eyes got so big they seemed about to roll out of her head. “Don’t even joke about that.”
Jen lifted a hoof in a calming motion (nearly face planting in unbalancing herself so). “I said there’s MAYBE a way…you’d have to be human of course. But…” She let her eyes drift down to the bracelet around one leg.
“Oh Jennifer…I’d do anything. ANYthing to see your world. And I’d never tell a soul! I don’t know how we’d get there and I don’t care.”
Now Jen was frowning. “Well…I’m glad you said that because you really CAN’T tell anyone. Not Bon-bon…none of your friends, absolutely nopony can ever, EVER hear about this. I could get in like…so much trouble. Like banished forever trouble.”
The serious look intensified on Lyra’s face as she lifted a hoof crossing her chest. “Cross my heart, hope to fly,” She tapped said hoof against her eye. “Stick a cupcake in my eye.”
Knowing the weight that the all-powerful Pinkie promise carried among the ponies of Ponyville (and possibly beyond), Jen gave a little nod. “Meet me at…” She wracked her brain to figure out a private spot. “…at the edge of the Everfree forest just east of Sweet Apple Acres in an hour. No notes either Lyra…if anyone finds out…”
Lyra gave a firm nod. “I understand. I’ll see you soon!” She dashed from the alley into the streets. Slowly Jen made her way back to the farm.
“I hope this wasn’t a bad idea…”
-Soon-
Jen was sweating bullets, craning her head left and right constantly searching for the unicorn she was supposed to be meeting. She had her heavy pack over one shoulder, wearing a fresh change of clothes with her hoodie thrown over the lot. Granny Smith had been busy in the kitchen, but she’d run smack into Big Mac on her way out. After an overly cheerful hello and an embarrassingly hasty goodbye she’d dashed by the huge stallion. She knew he wasn’t stupid, and that he’d think something was up but she’d hoped his taciturn nature would keep him from informing his much more proactive sister.
She was about to give up when a loud ‘pssssst’ came from her side, nearly giving the poor girl a heart attack. She whirled back and forth looking for the source. “Wh…who’s there?”
A little shimmer and Lyra appeared at her side. “Oops, sorry…invisibility spell. I didn’t want anyone to see me.”
Jen grumbled a bit…something about wanting an invisibility spell of her own; she quickly stepped into the thick tree line.
Lyra followed without hesitation, despite all the fear the Everfree held for the ponies. “So…how are we doing this?”
Jennifer didn’t speak until they were well surrounded on all sides by the trees. She slid the charm bracelet off her wrist and offered it to Lyra. “First, we need to see if this will work for you.”
The unicorn couldn’t hide a grin as she gripped it gently in her magical aura, moving it to her leg. “I THOUGHT this might be what you had in mind for the ‘I have to be human’ part.” Slowly she eased it over her hoof and onto her foreleg; both girl and mare watched in anticipation…and were rewarded as the unicorn charm shifted to a human.
“Whew…alright well that’s step one. Now just push your hoof against it.”
Lyra complied without delay…Jen had to look away as a bright flash filled the forest. When she looked back there was a nude human woman, with Lyra’s yellow eyes and mint green hair streaked with white. Jen’s delighted grin faded just a bit as she noticed the unicorn-turned humans’ well-endowed chest. But she hid it quickly enough. Peeking out of Lyra’s hair was her horn. Like Jen it seemed some part of her pony aspect always remained.
Lyra for her part gasped softly. Almost reverently she lifted her arms, flexing her fingers slowly. “I have hands!” She looked down lifting a leg. “And feet!” Of course this upset her balance and sent her rump first into the snow…she only laughed. “And no tail! And…” She suddenly shivered mightily. “And this snow is COLD!”
The younger human couldn’t hide a grin now (despite raging jealousy), and dropped her bag. She took out a spare set of pants and one of the shirts Rarity had made for her. “Well then you better get some clothes on Lyra the human.”
Scrambling back to her feet Lyra took the pants with a grin. She had to lean against a tree to get one leg, than the other in…but she managed. Gripping the shirt she tugged it over her head. “How do I look? Am I totally human?”
The frown returned seeing how tight the shirt was over Lyra’s chest, but Jen’s sour mood couldn’t maintain at the exuberance of the other woman. “Well you need shoes.” She pulled out a pair of slippers Rarity had crafted. “They’re not the best for winter weather but it’s better than barefoot.”
“Shoes! I need shoes! For my feet! Because…wow they get REALLY cold!” She hastily tugged them on. “Ooo that’s much better.” She was dancing around the clearing happily.
“Hey how come you’re walking so easily? I still fall on my face half the time I try to walk when I’m a pony.”
“Oh I practice bipedal walking. Like…a lot. It drives Bon-bon NUTS!” The mention of her fillyfriend brought a frown to the exuberant woman’s face. “I wish she could see this…”
Seeing Lyra was still shivering (and a thin t-shirt is not exactly something a chesty woman with no bra should be wearing in cold weather), Jen shrugged off her hoodie offering it up. Lyra tugged it on without delay. “It’s so warm! It’s like I have my coat again! Well…on my top half. Ohh and look! A pocket!” She stuck her hands in grinning goofily. “Wait aren’t you cold?”
Jen shook her head. “No I don’t get cold as long as I wear this.” She lifted the jewel around her neck to show Lyra,
The older human tilted her head, as her horn began to glow softly. “Wow that’s…some REALLY powerful magic Jen. Where’d you get it?”
With a shrug she dropped the gem against her chest. “From Discord.”
This brought a gasp from Lyra. “Is…is it dangerous?”
“Crazy dangerous. It turns out Discord was human originally and this drove him crazy and turned him into what he was a little bit ago. The Sword of Harmony keeps it from doing that to me. Now it’s like a body heater that lets me cross dimensions.”
“Cross di….so…so you can REALLY take us…”
“To Earth?” Jen grinned. “Yup. You ready to go?”
“Oh my gosh yes! But wait! I have a horn and YOU have wings…BIG wings. Humans don’t have horns and wings.”
“True…but you have a hood and I’m gonna borrow one of my uncles heavy coats.”
Lyra blinked and flailed around behind her head, grabbing the hood and tugging it over her head. “Ha! Neat! How do I look?”
Jen looked her up and down for a minute. “Like a gang banger. But its fine we’re not gonna be causing trouble.” She
offered her hand, which Lyra eagerly gripped. “Now hold on tight, it’s a bit of a wild ride and I dunno if like…we just need to be close or touching or what ok?”
When she clapped her other hand over Jen’s in an even tighter grip, the younger closed her eyes, focusing on the jewel. As the swirling motes of light began to pick up and wrap around the pair, Lyra couldn’t help but squint her eyes shut. She let out a shriek as the ground dropped out from under her…she could feel the wind whipping around her mane…no it was HAIR now…not a mane…but she kept a firm grip on Jen’s hand…as quickly as it began the wind stopped…alas the screaming did not.
“Now what in the hell is all this….Jen? Jenny izzat you kid?”
Lyra peeked an eye open. The first thing she noticed was that everything was…dull. Not the vibrant colors she was so used to seeing. The snow, the trees, the cabin…herself…the grizzled human man pointing the big metal tube at her. Wait that didn’t seem right…
Jen firmly extracted her hand from the vice grip. “Hey Uncle Derek! Been awhile.”
The big man slowly lowered his weapon, looking from Lyra to his niece. “S’pose it has…you’re lookin’ a helluva lot better than last time I saw ya.” He noticed the feathered appendages on her back. “…and birdier.”
“Ha! Yeah I forgot about those. Sorry for just popping in, figured you’d just be watchin’ whatever game was on and drinking a beer or six in front of the TV all day.” She grinned at her teasing.
Her uncle gave her a grunt, that she knew meant she was spot on. “Who’s the broad with the funky hair?”
“Oh! Yeah this is Lyra, Lyra Heartstrings. She’s a unicorn. …usually. She’s also a HUGE human enthusiast and it’s been like her dream to come see our world. So…I brought her to visit for the day. Lyra this is my uncle Derek.”
Lyra seemed to be slowly recovering from her shock. “O…oh! Oh sorry I’m a little…frazzled! It’s such a pleasure to meet you sir! You have a great niece.” She stepped up to the man and offered her hand, her grin widening almost manically as he took it in his own shaking firmly.
“Well…nice t’meetcha I guess. Let’s get inside, cold as hell out here.” He had to yank his hand away from the eager young woman’s, leading the pair into the cabin.
To Jen it wasn’t anything spectacular. She’d been here dozens of times in the past, but Lyra took in everything with wide-eyed wonder. Her uncle went back to his arm chair, and Jen sat on the couch across from him, letting Lyra gingerly poke and prod just about everything.
Eyeing the older girl from the corner of his eye Jen’s uncle leaned toward his niece. “…she ok? In the head I mean?”
Jen laughed a little and nodded. “Yeah she really is…but remember they don’t have like…any of this stuff in her whole wide world. Everything is new and exciting to her. You know…you’re kinda like an ambassador. The first person to greet an alien…and know it anyway.”
The normally collected man’s eyes widened a tad at that. “Christ kid, what’m I supposed to do?”
With a shrug Jen went back to watching Lyra. “I dunno. I mean she wanted to learn about us…can we go into town?”
He eyed his nieces’ impressive wing span dubiously, then looked to the horned girl wandering his kitchen. “Uh…if you can do something about yer…oddities. I don’t see why not. Long as she doesn’t freak out or anything.”
With a nod Jen got to her feet. “I figured I could borrow one of your big coats. And she can just pull her hood up…or…hmm…hey Lyra!”
The other girl jumped and turned to face her, nearly dropping one of Derek’s knick knacks. “Uh huh?”
“Can you make PARTS of us invisible? Not just your whole self?”
Making her way to the seated pair she shrugged. “Sure that should be easy, why?”
Jen grinned wider. “How’d you like to get something to eat?”
Soon the trio were in her uncle’s old pick up. Lyra practically bouncing in the seat in excitement. “A car! I’m going to ride in a car!” She let out a little shriek when the engine roared to life, causing the human pair to jump as well.
Jen’s uncle cast her a baleful glare as he backed out of the drive and onto the road into town. “We’re going so fast! How do you keep it under control?!”
Derek shrugged helplessly. “I dunno…m’not exactly big on science. I just do it. Where we goin Jennifer?”
“Wendy’s! I NEED a spicy chicken! I am not meant to be vegetarian!”
Lyra gasped. “Oh…we’re going to get meat. Can I eat meat? I mean I’m human now I suppose I could…and this is probably the only chance I’ll ever have!”
Her uncle again eyed the strange girl dubiously…but he trusted his niece. “Yeah that’s fine…haven’t eaten yet anyway.”
Lyra was constantly chattering about everything they passed. From the buildings to the crowds of people. “Wow your foals are so cute!”
Jen was mostly pointing out a landmark here or there, or answering the seemingly unending stream of questions. “Ok we’re goin inside…you can’t act y’know…not human. If you have questions save em for when we’re back in the car alright?”
Her mood sobered a good deal as the group piled out and made their way inside. Her uncle got his usual three patty burger layered with bacon and pretty much everything else they offered. Jen grinned as she stepped up. “Two number six’s! And two quarter pounders!”
With a grunt her uncle handed over his card. “You better eat all that.”
Lyra stayed quiet, though her nose was working overtime taking in the unfamiliar scent of cooking meat. …it smelled good.
“C’mon it’s Lyra’s very first try of any kinda meat. She’s gotta get variety in there. …and I haven’t had any in like forever.”
Her uncle rolled his eyes. “In like a month?”
“Exactly!”
The trio soon had their trays and found a booth in the corner. Jen wasting no time digging right in. Lyra gingerly unwrapped the paper and looked at the still sizzling burger. “…you promise this didn’t talk?”
Derek choked a bit on the bite he was swallowing, but Jen just shrugged. “Pinkie promise. I wouldn’t make that stuff up.”
Oh so slowly she raised the burger, and took the tiniest of bites, eyes squinted shut as if expecting it to explode in her mouth or something. The pair of humans sharing the booth with her watched quietly as she chewed once…twice…then swallowed. Blinking her eyes open she looked at the burger in her hand with a new light, and took a bigger bite. Bringing a grin to Jen’s face.
“Not bad right?”
Chewing in comically exaggerated motions Lyra shook her head. “This’ great!” Jen’s poor uncle glared at the flecks of food decorating his tray from across the table, but Lyra didn’t notice. Then she grabbed her cup taking a long drink of the Mountain dew within. Instantly her pleased look vanished. “Oh my gosh you guys drink this ALL the time?”
Jen gave a shrug. “No I drink lemonade all the time…but you wanted to try it.”
Now Lyra was eyeing Jen’s lemonade…and her uncle heaved a sigh handing the girl his card. “Go ahead, get one.”
Taking the little plastic gingerly Lyra looked from him to the counter. “Are you sure?”
The big man made a shooing motion and Lyra approached the counter. “What size do I want?!”
Jen couldn’t help but laugh as she looked back and shrugged. “How thirsty are you?!”
“Pretty thirsty!”
“Get a large then!”
“Okay! Thanks!”
By now the other customers were staring and her uncle groaned. “Yeah she doesn’t stand out at all.”
“Oh whatever, when we’re gone tell people we’re from that thar big city and we’re all kindsa abnormal.” She forced out an obnoxious hillbilly drawl.
Her uncle chuckled a bit despite himself as Lyra rejoined them. “THIS is much better!” Plopping back in the booth she wasted no time attacking her burger again.
“So…Lyra…what do you do? D’you work or is it like…all happy playtime over there?”
Swallowing another bite Lyra sighed happily before looking to their host. “Oh! No I have a job…we all do once we finish school. I’m a musician.”
“The hangs around on the street with her hat in front of her musician, or the kind who gets real work?”
Jen shot him a warning frown but Lyra didn’t seem bothered. “Oh no I usually perform in the orchestra. Sometimes I do private functions; I got to play for Princess Celestia once…now THAT was an honor. I do gigs in the park for the foals now and again.”
“Well that’s good I s’pose. How’d you meet Jen?”
“Well! Like Jen said I’ma BIG human enthusiast…probly the only one really. Most of the other ponies think I’m a little weird.” Jen’s uncle shot her an ‘imagine that’ look. “So when I found out there was one LIVING in my town I just had to introduce myself.”
By now she’d finished her burger…and moved on to the chicken. She didn’t hesitate to take a big bite from this, and Jen couldn’t hide a grin as her eyes widened. “It’s burning my mouth!”
Now even her uncle had to laugh aloud at that. Lyra gulped down the bulk of her huge drink with a gasp. “…but it’s still really good.” She went back to taking more reserved bites, now prepared for the burning sensation the spicy food brought about.
Now her uncle had shifted his focus from Lyra, to Jen. “Yer dad’s been askin aboutcha.”
It was Jen’s turn to choke on her food, almost spitting a wad across the table. “What?”
“Whaddya mean what? You ran away kid, left him a nice little note an that was that. Didja think he wouldn’t put it t’gether that if he’s gettin’ one I’m gettin’ one?”
“Oh…” Jen poked a fry about in a little pile of ketchup. “What’d you tell him?”
Her uncle shrugged. “What you told me. Alla it. He didn’t believe me a’course. Accused me of hidin’ ya or some such nonsense. Then I showed him yer letters on the fancy paper. Then I had him come sit down an WATCH one of em pop inta my living room, since ya seemed ta be sendin’ em like clockwork every week.”
“Guess he believed you by then huh?”
Another shrug. “Sorta. He spent an hour lookin’ around fer cameras an th’like. When he couldn’t find one he admitted MAYBE it was true. Him an yer mom split by the way. He was only stickin’ with her for yer sake a’course.”
Jen wasn’t surprised they split up; she knew her dad wasn’t happy for a long time. She was more surprised that she didn’t really seem to care. “Yeah I can see that.”
“Look kid…I can’t make ya do anything. Hell th’way you pop around I doubt anyone can. But you should go talk t’him. He’s a reasonable guy…an he’s just worried.”
“I…jeez Uncle Derek I dunno…”
The big man lifted a hand. “How about you go talk to yer old man, an I take greenie here I dunno…around town. Let her poke around the shops or somethin’. Maybe just go back to the cabin an she can poke around on the internet.”
Jen raised an eyebrow. “YOU have the internet now?”
He just grunted softly. “I like the slot machine games.”
Jen looked from him to Lyra. “Are you ok with that?”
Lyra had kept quiet during the exchange, but she looked up now. “Yeah…yeah of course. He’s right you should go talk to your father. It’s not fair to him for you to just vanish like that. If he’s so worried you need to at least put his mind at ease a little. I’ll be fine with your uncle. We’ll have fun.” Her cheerful smile returned.
Jen doubted THAT very much but she wasn’t going to argue. “Alright…I’ll go see dad. Don’t cause trouble for my uncle Lyra.”
Scooting out of the booth Jen slipped into the ladies’ room. No one noticed the colorful flash from inside one of the stalls.
-Elsewhere-
Jonathon Allen was sitting in his study going over some papers from work. Papers he’d been having less and less patience with every day. The house was just so damn quiet. He was even starting to miss Jennifer’s dog. With a sigh he slid his glasses from his nose and onto his desk, rubbing at his temples. Reaching for the now empty mug of coffee he gave a dissatisfied grunt and rose to head to the kitchen for a refill. When he turned to the study door, the mug fell from numb fingers, to shatter unnoticed on the ground.
“Hey dad.”