Bridging Ages, Bridging Worlds

by BlueDWarrior

CH 6: Adjustments

=== BABW: A New (Old) Magic ===

=== Chapter 6: Adjustments ===

[ September 15, 2080 – St. Louis Conversion Bureau ]

The newly Ponified Andre, Twilight Sparkle, and Princess Celestia all made their way back to the elevators that would lead the trio back to the ground floor of the Conversion Bureau. Despite the psychological pressure of standing next to what many Ponies regarded as, at the very worst, a demi-god, and the fact he was in a body he was very much unused to, he managed to walk with a gait that was fairly close to normal for someone his relative age.

"So have you started thinking of a second name for yourself when you get to Equestria? Andre?" Twilight asked.

Andre answered, with a bit of nervousness, "Honestly... I don't know... I mean I have ideas but, well, I kinda want to feel things out before I put anything on paper."

Meanwhile, the gears in Celestia's head were spinning wildly, due to the events on the Astral Plane. Most of the thoughts concerned the origins of that voice that spoke to them all and issued the relevant visions to herself, her sister, and the Bearers of Harmony.

Judging from how ancient and exhausted that voice sounded, we don't have much time to find the other Conduits... Celestia began to reason to herself.

Despite the exhaustion she and her sister could feel in the voice of that apparently ancient entity, it still either held or managed a great deal of raw force. Therefore, Celestia felt she needed to expedite the search for the other three Conduits.

At the same time though, to start converting humans en-masse would lead to incredible resistance, if not outright war. I will require some kind of precise lead… Celestia thought to herself, needing to balance this search with her wider mission.

"Man when I tell them what happened, they’re gonna flip. I mean, I thought that dream we all had was crazy, but none of us thought it was some kind of omen..." Andre said, talking to Twilight and wondering just how the other three Amigos were all going to react.

Dream... a collective dream... no wait. It was a Vision. That ancient voice was trying to contact Andre... Celestia thought after hearing Andre's passing remark.

Celestia stopped walking, deep in thought surrounding this revelation. The other two Ponies soon stopped once they ceased hearing the metallic hoofsteps of their Princess. Celestia looked at Andre to ask a question, trying her best not to seem intimidating; but there was some information she needed and needed quickly. "What was this dream that you speak of, and who were the others that you shared it with?"

"Oh yeah... you know the Trial that - whatever - put me through? Well I've been having something similar to that as recurring nightmare, and my three friends in the waiting room have been going through similar issues. I guess the difference was that the proverbial dam broke for me," Andre answered, sighing as he did. He had no idea what might have been plaguing his three friends while he was going through his own tribulations.

Well this certainly will expedite things. Those other three are most likely the other candidates. Hrm, very interesting indeed... Celestia thought to herself. Andre and Twilight could swear they saw a smirk on her face.

----- -----

"Oh my God..."

"He is so... so..."

"HE'S SO CUTE I JUST WANT TO HUG HIM!!"

No sooner than Andre stepped out of the elevator with Princess Celestia and Twilight, he was bowled over by Kyoko. Ethan and Natasha stood stunned by the sight they saw, while Kyoko was as giddy as a 5-year old girl being handed a plush toy she had been begging for, for weeks on end. She had Andre in a veritable bear hug around his upper chest and neck while kneeling on the floor, completely overcome with emotion. Andre, for his part, appreciated the affection as much as he could, while marveling at Kyoko’s iron grip despite her slender frame. Andre also groused somewhat that he now only stood at slightly above Ethan’s hip, and was probably only half his weight on top of that.

"Wow, squeezing pretty hard there Kyoko..." Andre said, thankful his neck was incredibly sturdy.

"But you're so soft and cuddly and you smell like blueberries I think..." Kyoko said, clearly not wanting to let go of the living plush she had in her grip.

Hrm... she's right, you wouldn't think this place was staffed mostly by equine-derivatives... wonder if that's a part magic as well... Natasha thought to herself, also noting the lack of smell of livestock.

"I'm pretty sure he doesn't smell like blueberries Kyoko, I mean that's just..." Ethan started. He was going to say it was silly to think that, but then again he was talking to three talking equines of various sizes and colors, all quite capable of very strange things. To think they'd smell like fruit, or whatever the heck, wouldn't have been surprising all things considered.

"So, you thought of a new name for yourself yet, Artist Formerly Known as Andre?" Natasha asked, almost jokingly.

"Actually, Twilight asked me that while we were walking here, but no, I hadn't settled on anything yet. I was gonna take a couple of days to let it rattle around in my head. I don't want to have to fill out any name change petitions or anything when I get to Equestria and formally register as a citizen, or whatever I might have to do when I get there," Andre responded.

Celestia then cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the three humans and other two Ponies there.

"Not to be a 'buzzkill', I believe the term is, but you will not be going to Equestria just yet. Although you will be taking the introductory classes here in the Rehabilitation Center, I will have Twilight personally tutor you in the use of basic Unicorn Explicit Magic until some other business has been taken care of."

Everyone there stood (or knelt) in silent shock, especially a certain mulberry Unicorn.

Wait what... I'm gonna be somepony's private tutor?! Twilight thought to herself. Always having been someone's student, she had no idea how she was going to teach somepony else, and then a Newfoal on top of that.

Celestia then continued, "Although I am trying to figure out the details myself. There was a complication during Andre's Conversion that required my full and undivided attention. As far as I can tell, whatever this being is, is attempting to preserve its legacy. It also appears that our Ponification project tied into the preservation of said legacy. Andre here will have a hoof in that, but there are three others, that are in similar situations, that we will have to keep a close eye out for."

Ethan, Kyoko, and Natasha suddenly went pale. The words Celestia was speaking began to resonate in their minds, reminding them of the lurking darkness that bound the four of them together to begin with.

I... I just wanted to fly... but... I... why...

No... I'm real... I'm a real girl... I'm not some experiment... how could...

Mother? Did you really... how... no... none of this makes any sense...

They snapped out of it as quickly as those thoughts came, however. The lurking darkness receded back to its hiding place; but it was now clear - some more things were due to change before long.

==========

[ September 23, 2080 – St. Louis Conversion Bureau ]

It had been a week since Andre’s Conversion, and as he got in a final bit of rest before he left the Bureau for good, he thought over the last week he had with the rest of his Conversion-mates, as it were.

I’m glad that they are all squared away to go to Equestria now. As much as I am nervous for still being on Earth, I’m fairly sure that… experience I had and Celestia’s judgment to have me remain here with Twilight will work out in the end.

His gait was much more solid now, and he could even run a little bit. He trotted over to a mostly one-way window and look out at the sickly-yet-still-hanging-on trees as his eyes tracked toward the wilderness area.

A sight like this used to make me angry, but now… I really don’t feel rage; annoyance for sure, and a deep urge to do something yes, but not really… angry. Is that the new Pony body? Maybe it’s just me starting to mature from that experience… who knows…

As he trotted back to his bed and looked at the things he had packed, including a prototype hoof-board Dr. Jun had worked on with a few of the Pony technicians. He looked at the slim, very-durable, mat-like keyboard, and marveled a bit how something even as oblique-looking as his own, newly-acquired hooves could still have such precision.

“I wonder what other changes are going to come out of this. I mean key-mats have never really caught on in all these years. Maybe it’d take a total loss of digits for it to this time.”

Andre chuckled a bit as he let his mind drift some more, lying on his back in his bed.

----- -----

Twilight Sparkle sat in her office, glad for the few moments away from the ever increasing hustle and bustle of the Bureau lobby. The fact that she saw a few more under-thirty people walking through her doors meant the word on Conversion was starting to penetrate deeper into the public consciousness, especially the always mercurial online communities of those who human society considered ‘young adults’.

While she would have thought more of the matter, there were some more pressing issues on her mind, mainly the new project dropped directly into her hooves by her mentor and Princess.

“I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but… why does Princess Celestia think I should be taking on a private student at this stage of things. I mean I have the Bureau to run, and I have my own continuing studies in Friendship. I mean my mind is tied down constantly trying to figure out how humanity ticks from a psychological perspective,” Twilight mused morosely as she twirled around a bit in her swiveling chair. She chuckled a bit, internally, at how well the humans’ furniture could scale up or down, depending on whom she needed to interface with and what kind of authority she needed to project.

Spike continued tapping away at a portable game console, a refurbished and upgraded older model, courtesy of Dr. Jun. He needed something while he was Earth-side with Twilight, and spending all of his time having Dr. Hayato poking at him (being the only live Dragon he’d have access to) did not strike his fancy as a worthwhile passage of time. He noticed the tension in the voice of his adoptive sister, and attempted to throw out a nice softball for her to belt over the nearest metaphorical fence. “So what do you think of Celestia’s whole ‘Student being the Teacher’ bit?”

“WHAT DO I THINK ABOUT IT?!” Twilight shouted, before realizing who and what she was talking about. “I’m sorry Spike; but I am a bit flustered, as you can tell. She knows I’m trying to run this place and I’m still a student myself and…” the mulberry Unicorn began to ramble, letting her words get out ahead of any logical organization her frontal lobe tried to place upon said words.

“Ok, Twi, just stop. Do you really think the Princess would drop this on you if she thought you couldn’t handle it? You just need to calm down, and think of a good way to get Andre to realize his own abilities. I really don’t think you are gonna have to hoof-hold somepony like him through this,” Spike said reassuringly, doing his best to seem like a wise younger brother.

“I know, I… I do need to calm down about this. But then there is that alternate Element that Andre has, too…” Twilight thought, as she was looking up at the door, to see if anyone was going to interrupt this potentially sensitive conversation.

“Wait, ‘alternate’ Element? He’s not holding some kind of hidden Element of Harmony is he?” Spike replied with a highly surprised tone, getting him on his feet out of his lounging basket.

“What?! No NO NO… this is something related to, probably, but not an Element of Harmony. It doesn’t feel like our magic at all. But at the same time, it feels like it would match up with our magic perfectly. It’s… it’s really hard to say for absolutely sure…” Twilight groaned, inwardly furious there was a magic she knew nothing about.

“So the new Pony you’re now in charge of… is holding an artifact of power that nopony seems to know exactly what it is? Sounds very odd to me,” Spike mused as he leaned back in a reclining position, using the bean-bag like cushion in his basket like, well like a bean bag.

“I know. That’s why I’m so nervous. I just don’t want something to happen to Andre while I’m trying to help him through this,” Twilight said with a returning measure of worry in her voice.

“Look, Twilight, you’re gonna figure this out. You eventually sort everything else out. And I’m sure the Princesses and the other Elements are going to be right there with you as you do. Knowing the Princesses, they’re probably going to lump any-pony else that comes along like Andre with you all, to get you all in the same place,” Spike concluded, reasonably sure in his prediction.

“Well… yeah I can see that happening. I guess I should hope we find the other three Elements that are related to Andre’s Water Element quickly. Dunno how the Princesses are gonna pull that off though,” Twilight concluded for herself, not without grumbling at the last part though.

“Twilight, I don’t want to sound too crass, but you really need to learn how to let the right Ponies worry about something. The world isn’t going to spin off its axis if you don’t solve every problem yourself, you know…” Spike said, patting Twilight on the back as she was looking out of the window toward the slightly off-color blue sky above.

Twilight motioned as if she was going to respond to her more-or-less adoptive younger brother, but decided it was better to just let the idea wash over her some.

I really do need to let things sort themselves out more. But I… I dunno… am I really that much of a control freak?

----- ----- ----- -----

Do you think Twilight Sparkle will be safe with that unrealized source of Power in her care?

I won’t say there is no risk involved. But I don’t believe there is strong chance for anything, I would guess, explosive happening.

In a past life ‘Tia, we were the ones sitting on a powder keg waiting to go off.

True, Lulu. It was only a matter of time until we found the actual source of the power that helped us shape our own land.

Hopefully we will have time to help the Earthlings do the same for their homeworld…

----- ----- ----- -----

-= Later that Evening =-

“You lose half your height, and suddenly your perspective on everything shifts,” Andre mused aloud, as he walked through the hallway with Dr. Jun as he returned to his refurbished room on the inn-side of the Isegawa’s facilities.

“Well dear, I am fairly sure you contemplated that before you underwent the procedure, no?” Dr. Jun asked, hopeful Andre didn’t just blindly dive into Ponification as she feared some of the younger would do.

“Well of course I thought about it. Then again I also assumed that I would be on the way to Equestria right now as well. Turns out fate has something else in store for me,” Andre sighed as he slipped out of the saddle-bag he was carrying the whole time.

“Ah yes, Twilight did tell me there was some kind of incident during your Conversion, and now she is to personally assist you in learning Unicorn Magic, correct?” Jun recalled, having gotten advanced word from Twilight after she finally settled down and started thinking on what to do with Andre in the near future.

“Yeah, I dunno how exactly the whole… ‘tutoring’ thing is going to work. I trust Twilight to figure something out though, she looks good for it,” Andre responded, as he clambered in the bed to set his keymat and his monitor to his liking alongside.

“Hey Andre, you mind if Kyoko and myself join my lovely wife in there with you?” Andre heard from a familiar slightly gruff middle-aged Japanese man.

“Sure Dr. Hayato. I mean it is your facility and all, I can’t exactly make you stay out if I really don’t want to,” Andre started with some bit of nervousness.

“Oh come on Andre, this is as much your home now too,” Kyoko said as she bounded onto the slightly shorter than usual bed, landing with a bit of an ‘oof’ and forcing Andre a few inches toward her.

The Doctors Isegawa smiled a bit at the scene of their daughter beaming next to a somewhat nervous blue Unicorn that was still her not-quite-boyfriend, before Hayato decided to get to the gist of his mild intrusion.

“Now then, Mister Andre, care to regale us with your out-of-body-experience?” Hayato asked, playing the part of the interested potential father-in-law to perfection.

“Yeah, well, you will have to forgive me if it sounds a bit too psycho-babbly and abstract; it is kind of a personal reflection or something. Anyway…” Andre started as he began recounting his harrowing internal struggle.

----- -----

“I must say, if I can think one English word to sum up that story, it would be tribulation,” Hayato stated with heavy sigh, starting to appreciate more why Andre was so reticent to not speak in clear terms about his parents those weeks ago.

“The thing I am trying to figure out, just as someone looking at this for the first time, is why your parents saw fit to keep the absolute bare minimal contact with you in all these intervening years?” Jun asked, concerned for Andre’s future should word about his new ‘status’ leak to his parents somehow.

“I honestly cannot tell you, and I am really struggling to find the nerve to care at this point. I just want to move forward as best as I can, because that is what I have been doing to this point. The more I sit here and wonder what my parents would have said about my life until now, and what my life might be going forward, the more I think I’m going to be stuck,” Andre said, with a resolute firmness in his voice.

“You know I’m gonna be right here with you, right Andre?” Kyoko added, as she stole another hug from the Pony now slightly more than half her size.

“Ahh! Yeah! Right!” Andre quickly responded, not wanting to accidentally say something (or make some noise) that’d give anyone any untoward thoughts.

----- -----

Meanwhile, Twilight hummed to herself as she tapped away at a keymat, rummaging through various fictional media properties the humans had preserved and developed to find a good analogue for Unicorn Explicit Magic. She couldn’t wait to move into a bigger room that the Isegawa’s were having put together for the rest of the Elements of Harmony and the prospective Elements of Terra; feeling a bit constricted by the piles of books and several monitors she had commandeered from unused terminals.

Hrm, this looks interesting… Twilight thought to herself as she chanced upon a good slate of characters. After some further research, she found that she had found an old web encyclopedia for Pocket Monsters (aka Pokemon). Especially one type of Pokemon in particular.

Yeah, I can use the descriptions of these Psychic Monsters as a good example; this should work really well!

===== ===== =====

[ September 24, 2080 – Earth ]

A couple of days later, after managing to wrangle a day off for herself, Twilight and Andre were standing out in a field in the back of the clinic-complex. They wanted to be out of the direct line of sight of any passers-by, seeing as the clinic still had a respectable human patronage trying to get some treatment without having to wait an interminable length of time in a horribly overcrowded hospital. Wanting to avoid damaging any expensive equipment, Twilight and Andre set up a portable terminal outside, so the Doctors Isegawa could watch the proceedings. What Andre saw before him were several blocks, the same size but each a different color as to be easily recognized.

Twilight began, adopting glasses to give the effect of a schoolteacher. "Alright Andre, Today we are going to commence your first lesson in Unicorn Explicit Magic. Explicit Magic is drawing the Mana of Equestria in order to will something to happen. Generally, we use it with tools to perform tasks that require precision, such as working with fine materials or intricate weaving. Anyway, the spell you've been using so far is known as Grab and Hold. Knowing this spell will certainly allow you to survive in Equestria, but it won't allow you to thrive."

She will make an excellent professor one day, should she choose that route… Dr. Jun thought to herself as Twilight continued on with her introductory remarks.

Twilight duly continued, "I want you to recall the older video game franchise of 'Pocket Monsters', or 'Pokemon' as it was more commonly referred to."

Andre's mind perked up at this comparison, his grandfather having quite enjoyed the game series for much of his life, and he did as well to large extent.

"Recall the Psychic-class of Monster. Their techniques depended upon any combination of three ideas: projection of force, manipulation of a target's mind, and/or alteration of space and time within a discrete area. Now the Grab And Hold spell is actually a very well designed beginners spell - for it teaches to project one's force, but also the ability to stabilize that force so that one can continually interact with the target. That brings us to today's lesson. We'll be practicing projecting force as a Unicorn. So the basic premise is for you to levitate each block and then 'throw' it as far and as straight as you can down this marked field"

She then pointed out to the 10-yd markings going off into the sickly-looking backwoods, all in all about 200 yards worth of 10-yard lines with 1 yd. markings down the center.

With a brief snort, Andre looked at the blocks, and the field. He could tell by the size that they were all different weights. And seeing as this was basically a diagnostic exam, he saw no real reason to dawdle. So with his electric blue magical grip, he began throwing the blocks downfield: the one lb. block went 70 yds, the three lb. block 63 yds, the five lb. block went 32, the ten lb. block traveled 25 yards, and the 20 lb block only got a scant 10 yds. before he had to stop out of exhaustion.

“I… I had no idea that casting drained a pony so much, physically…” Andre managed to ‘gasp’ out as he sucked in as much oxygen as he could.

“That was a good attempt, especially for someone only a couple of weeks into being a Unicorn. But if you’ll indulge me…” Twilight said with a bit of playful tone.

Andre wondered where Twilight was going with this as she teleported all of the blocks back to their normal positions. That is until he saw Twilight’s face go from jovial to deadly serious in an instant.

Oh boy… was all the blue stallion could think.

All five blocks went flying downfield, one after another, as if they were launched out of a trebuchet. The one and three lb. blocks went flying past the marked field into the woods, which had to be have been at least 250 yds., the five lb. block went 190 yds., the ten lb. block 175, and the twenty lb. block about 160 yds. downfield.

The scariest thing to Andre was not the force exerted by Twilight Sparkle, but the almost nonchalant ease by which she exerted that force.

“No wonder you’re the Element of Magic,” Andre said with an awe-filled tone, once he got over his momentary speechless-ness.

“That was just a bit of the strength I’ve developed over the years. I don’t say that to intimidate you, but you do have to understand that you have only been in your body for a couple of weeks, so you will end up straining and stretching to perform like that,” Twilight started, her tone even and supposedly non-judgmental, though Andre was visibly soured by her choice of words. “But that is the whole point. Magic is like a muscle: it has to be stressed and exercised before it can grow.”

Andre sighed as he looked out at the field, and the blocks that were returned to the end line in front of him. “I guess I better get to ‘stretching’ then…” he thought aloud as he picked up the twenty lb. block in his grip, and did his level best to throw it as far and as straight as he could.

A short while and lots of physical exhaustion later, Andre stared at the twenty lb. block, almost trying to get into its non-existent mind.

You are going past that fifty-yard line even if I pass out doing it!!

Twilight could tell Andre was physically and spiritually strained, and her concern regarding her new charge was evident. “Andre, I really think we should just take a break now, there is no sense in going until you collapse from exhaustion.”

“Just give me one more crack at it, I know I can hit the fifty yard line.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and trotted slowly out to the indicated marker. “If it will help things along, I’ll just sit here and act as a marker for you!”

Andre waved in acknowledgement, not really wanting to shout downfield. As Twilight moved off the center line, he turned his attention to the block again.

Alright, let’s see what I have left for this…

Andre’s muscles tensed, as his horn lit up, wrapping the 20 lb. cube in his aura for his last throw of the day, either way. He searched in his mind for any remaining reserve of mana, anything at all he could use to launch this cube to the goal line he set for himself.

I’m almost out of energy as it stands. I’ll barely be able to lift a pen or a stylus at this rate…

He continued searching, hoping he didn’t run empty before he even had a chance to make a throw.

I just… I just… wait…

He began to feel a source of power that was right there for the taking within him, but it felt like it was walled off. In his desperation to reach his goal right then and there, he began to mentally break the wall down.

All I need is just a little bit, so I can call this done!

Twilight, stood out at the fifty-yard line, just far enough for the exact facial features of Andre to be obscured by distance, but still close enough to feel his spirit and mana flow.

This is weird, did he have some kind of second reserve?

Before long though, she figured out what was going on.

Wait a minute, that mana doesn’t feel Equestrian at all… oh no…

In the moment she took to formulate a final assessment of what Andre was dealing with, she heard a rather loud bang.

“Oh no…” she quietly said to herself as she watched a flare of blue energy fly out from Andre like he was sitting in front of a geyser.

Boy that didn’t sound goo— Andre thought before he was interrupted by the sudden onset of rushing water…

… a LOT of rushing water.

Which was then joined by the sound of a frightened Unicorn newfoal suddenly finding himself at the crest of a rushing wave of the purest water anyone had seen outside of a Dome in sometime.

“SOMEONE GET ME OFF THIS THING!!”

---

“SOMEONE GET ME OUT OF THE WAY OF THAT THING!!” Twilight shouted before she was swept away along with Andre into the woods behind the Isegawa Clinic.

---

“Well, that was unexpected,” Dr. Jun thought aloud.

“I should go get the truck started; we might have to go looking for them…” Dr. Hayato added.

I hope they’re gonna be alright after this accident… Kyoko thought to herself, fraught with concern.

---

“WHAT DID YOU DO?!” Twilight shouted as she could not think of anything except holding on to the blue stallion and pray there were no trees directly in their path.

“I don’t know. I felt something go BANG, and then this!” Andre shouted as some of the latent magic was allowing them to ‘float’ along the edge of the wave instead of being swamped underneath.

The two Unicorns, still holding on for dear life, were slung and sloshed around dead and dying tree after dead and dying tree. At least they were until they reached a brief clearing. And saw one tree that was far more robust than the rest that the wave easily pushed aside or knocked over entirely.

All Andre saw was a flash of magenta, and all he could feel was a thud before he was knocked out cold.

-----

“Well they stopped; I guess we should be thankful. At least somewhat,” Dr. Jun sighed, as she could guess to what their sudden cessation of motion probably meant, along with the wave of water near them petering out.

“Thankfully the bands I asked them to wear are still working and reporting they are still alive. Let’s hope they aren’t too badly injured,” Dr. Hayato added, as he turned the truck into the woods now that the rushing water had ceased.

-= Later that Evening =-

“Owww, my everything hurts…” Andre moaned as he awoke, briefly catching a glimpse of the flashing blue timer on his far-side monitor.

“I’ve been… out for five hours?!” Andre shouted before wincing in pain. Finding he couldn’t get to his hooves like wanted to, between the lack of stability on his bed and the searing pain along his side, starting from his chest and his abdomen going back toward his rear.

“Hey Andre, I heard you shouting from the hall. You know you aren’t supposed to be moving around so suddenly!” Kyoko chided, as she walked in with a fresh set of bandages and some solvent to help dissolve the glue so that she wouldn’t pull up any of Andre’s newly acquired coat changing them; along with a super-cloth towel to clean him up otherwise.

After a few moments of failing to get to a vertical base, Andre just resolved to lay on his belly (gently) and receive his impromptu guest. “Like I shouted, I’ve been out for five hours? Last I could remember it was about 2 PM, and now it’s almost 8.”

Kyoko put some on of the solvent on a super-towel and began dabbing it against the old tape still on Andre’s body, which caused him to wince due to the chill and the sting of the chemicals. Thankfully the solvent worked as intended as she gently peeled the old tape off and began rubbing down Andre with a topical pain reliever and some old-fashioned soap and water.

“I bet that feels a lot better doesn’t it…” Kyoko said, as she continued massaging the pain reliever along with cleaning around Andre’s abdomen.

“Y… yeah it really does…” Andre said, much more calmed down.

Once Kyoko was done with her cleaning, she noticed how Andre’s blue coat was rather scraggly looking, like someone had mussed up strip of velvet.

“Say, do you have a hair or coat-brush I could use? I guess I didn’t clean you right if your coat is all mussy like this,” Kyoko asked innocently as she looked around the floor and the dressers for anything with blue hair in it that would have telegraphed it being his brush.

“I… um… I keep in that drawer, top on the left hand said,” Andre said haltingly, embarrassed at his leering at Kyoko when she bent over occasionally.

Kyoko rummaged through the drawer a bit, and found what she was looking for. After a quick step into a nearby bathroom to clean and rinse the brush in warm water and soap, she returned, almost with a devious glint in her eyes.

“In any case Andre, seems that your coat is rather, out of place. Would you want me to brush it~?” Kyoko asked as she sat next to Andre on his bed again.

“I… sure… go ahead!” Andre replied excitedly, which caused him to blush through his blue coat.

Kyoko chuckled as she started along his back, which got a nice soft moan out of the stallion.

“So… what exactly happened to you two out there,” Kyoko asked as she ran the brush along the Andre’s back and spine.

Andre swished his tail reflexively, each two beats matching one of Kyoko’s brush-strokes, his mind calmed greatly by the sensations. “Eh… I was trying to pull up energy for throwing that heavy block I had in my grip, and then I must have pulled the wrong kind of energy because it turned into a literal washout after that. Twilight said she hadn’t felt anything like it, so we’re at a loss to explain it.”

Kyoko motioned for Andre to roll over, which he eventually complied with despite some consternation. He folded his forelegs across his chest as he laid on his belly, shifting his weight as to not put pressure on the side of his ribcage that was in pain.

“This is really embarrassing, Kyoko” Andre groaned in discontent.

Kyoko just giggled as she put the brush to his belly, which quickly flipped Andre’s discontent into giggling pleasure.

“Stop it, it tickles~!” Andre choked out, laughing because of how weird his highly sensitive ventral side was making him feel.

“Oh come on stop kicking~, I’m never gonna get this belly fur straightened out~” Kyoko teased, as she managed to brush quite effectively despite Andre’s constant squirming.

After finally getting Andre’s back and belly smoothed out, Kyoko decided to be a little daring. “Oh Andre… could lie right here across my lap for a bit~”

Andre was understandably choked up (a lot). “R-r-r-really, but I… I… just… can… well…”

“Something the matter, Andre~” Kyoko teased.

“N-n-no, just… I… um…” Andre continued the stammer as he gently laid his head and neck across the soft skirt Kyoko was wearing.

“Alright, see that wasn’t so bad… now just let me do this…” Kyoko said with a soothing tone as she quietly brought the brush near the base of Andre’s ears.

----

Twilight walked down the hall, near Andre’s room, still rubbing her back near her flanks while a cooling pack was gently strapped near the same spot. She was briefly startled when she heard a half-masculine yelp from the half-open door.

I know I shouldn’t pry… but I can’t help myself…

She peered inside, and saw a surprising but comforting sight. Andre laid out on his bed in about the most relaxed state a Pony could be short of being asleep, and Kyoko smiling gently ‘overhead’, as she ran the brush along his neck and through his mane.

“That’s so nice…” Andre said airly, all of the strum-und-drang from earlier in the afternoon now the furthest thing from his mind.

They make a really good couple… I hope it all works out for them in the long run… Twilight thought to herself, as the sight took her mind off her more minor aches in her literal backside.

----- ----- ----- -----

It seems you are getting used to your new body now... Andre.

Yeah... I am.

Have you chosen a new name for yourself, when you cross to over the Aurora Barrier?

Yeah... I did

Well, my little Pony, what is your new alias?

Blue Vague, I'd like to be known as Blue Vague, vague being French for a wave of water, deriving from the language of the ancestors of my home.

Well then, Andre, also now known as 'Blue Vague', this news shall be relayed to Twilight Sparkle and the other Bearers.

Wait... the other Bearers?