> Alternate Geoverse #2: Transformation > by GeodesicDragon > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prologue (Edited) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amongst the books of the Ponyville library an Earth pony stallion sat with a nervous look on his face, his mountain meadow coat stained with sweat. He blew an errant strand of mustard yellow mane out his eyes and drummed his forehooves on the floor. The sound of a door opening, followed by voices, shocked the stallion into a statue-like state. Hoofsteps resonated throughout the library as two ponies came downstairs, talking as they walked. "Is he even here yet, Twilight?" a male voice asked. "Because if he is, he's being very quiet." "Spike told me that he arrived some time ago," Twilight replied. "But it has been a while, so perhaps he's reading something? You know how I get when I'm engrossed in a good book, Geo, so perhaps our guest is the same?" The two of them entering the room prompted the stallion to leap from his seat and smile at the two alicorns now looking at him, each of them sporting a smile of their own. One was Twilight Sparkle: the personal protégé of Princess Celestia, and recently crowned Princess of Equestria. At her side stood her husband Geo: a former human who was the first of his kind to set foot in Equestria for a thousand years. He had been transformed into an alicorn by Princess Celestia at the same time Twilight had been, and was now light grey with a brown mane and tail. His cutie mark – a shield with a heart on it – symbolised his willingness to protect the ones he loves, such as his family and friends. "Let me guess," Geo said. "You must be Sweet Tale." The stallion nodded and bowed. Geo rolled his eyes and chuckled, motioning with a forehoof for Sweet Tale to stand. "There's no need for that." He sighed. "I may be a Prince now, but I still don't consider myself to be above my fellow man... er, I mean, my fellow ponies." Sweet Tale straightened himself up and grinned. After a moment of silence, Twilight spoke. "Now then," she said softly. "We understand that you wish to hear the story of our transformation, so that you can write a book about it?" "That is correct, Your Highness," Sweet Tale replied. "I think that everypony needs to know your story. And speaking as a writer, I would be honoured if you would let me be the one who writes it." He gestured to his cutie mark, a yellow quill in front of a blue crescent moon, and nodded towards a nearby saddlebag which was full of parchment and ink. "I see that you've come prepared," Twilight giggled. "I guess I'm not the only one who is serious about their note-taking." Sweet Tale chuckled and walked over to the saddlebag, taking out the items he needed before sitting in the middle of the floor and putting the quill in his mouth. "Could we get started?" he asked. "I don't want to take up too much of your – no doubt valuable – time." Twilight and Geo both sat in front of him. Sweet Tale pointed at Geo and opened his notebook. "So, Prince Geo, how did you cope with the sudden change? Being turned into an alicorn after being a human for so long can't have been easy for you. Would you like to tell me about how the two of you worked around it?" "I'd be happy to," Geo replied. And then he started his story. > Foal Steps (Edited) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The morning after my transformation I woke up to a bright new day. As I lay in bed, I didn't realise what had happened to me for a moment — until I rolled over and whacked my horn off the headboard, my groan of pain waking Twilight. She looked at me for a moment and smiled wryly. "Let me guess," she said. "You hit your horn, and now it hurts like hell." I rubbed the sore spot with a forehoof and nodded, sticking my lower lip out in a small pout. Twilight giggled and tenderly kissed it before sitting up and stretching her wings. "These are going to take some getting used to, she said. "I have no idea how to use them." "Um, hello?" I teased. "Former human with no idea how to use any of his new appendages here!" Twilight blushed sheepishly. "Oh, yes, of course," she replied. "You're new to the whole 'being a pony' thing. Well don't you worry, Geo, I'll be here to help you." I smiled and leaned in to kiss her — only to poke her in the eye with my horn instead. She yelped in agony and I drew my head back as quickly as I could. "Holy shit, Twi!" I stuttered. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Twilight rubbed her eye and nodded. "Horns are a lot more dangerous than they look." I muttered. "I'd better add mine to my 'list of stuff I need to deal with'." Twilight giggled and climbed out of bed. I went to follow her, only to end up on the floor in a heap. "Oh come on!" I shouted into the floorboards. "I thought I'd mastered the whole 'standing up straight' thing last night!" I slowly got to my hooves and take a tentative step forward, only to wobble slightly. I looked pleadingly at Twilight, who was trying hard not to laugh. "Aww," she cooed. "You're just like a foal who is just learning how to walk! It's so cute!" "As cute as it may be, I can't very well stay here all day," I replied curtly. "How in the hell do I walk on four legs?" Twilight rolled her eyes. "Just watch me," she said. "Then you can simply copy what I do." I did as I was asked and looked diligently at Twilight. She put on a smile and started walking. After watching her for a while I had made a note of how she moved. "Okay, I think I've got it," I said confidently. "Left front, right rear, right front, left rear." Twilight nodded. "Good," she replied. "Now give it a try and see how you fare." I slowly put my left front hoof forward. When I didn't fall over again I followed it up with the rest of the movements I had copied from Twilight. Soon I was trotting around the room with all the grace of an overexcited foal on Hearth's Warming morning, complete with a gleeful expression on my face. Twilight simply giggled at my antics and opened the door with her magic before walking into the hall. She stood in the doorway and watched me as I continued making a fool out of myself. "Are you coming?" she asked. "Or are you content with running around the bedroom all day?" I stopped walking and chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry," I said. "But it just feels so good to be able to walk... on four legs, that is." Twilight giggled and walked out of sight. I heard her going downstairs and proceeded to follow her — only to discover that while I was able to walk on a flat and smooth surface, stairs were a different matter entirely. But at least I managed to avoid hitting my horn as the floor once again rushed up to meet my face for the second time that morning. > Family And The Future > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I groaned as I picked myself up off the floor and headed towards the kitchen, where I could hear the happy babbling of Azure Hopes and Evening Whisper — Twilight and I's children. The two of them were in their high chairs at the kitchen table with a bowl of something or other in front of them, munching away without a care in the world. But as I trotted into the kitchen the two of them eyed me warily while I took a seat and smiled at them. "Morning, kids!" I said cheerfully. "Daddy still isn't used to walking on four legs and fell down the stairs because he's such a klutz!" Azure and Evening looked at each other for a moment, and then back to me — at which point Azure said three words that cut me to the core. "You're not daddy," he said bluntly. "Mm-hmm," Evening added. "Daddy isn't a pony, he's a man." I was shocked. A part of me had expected them to know who I was by the sound of my voice, but they've always had a face to go with that voice. Now that the face is different they clearly thought that I was somepony else, which hurt — a lot. "Where's daddy?" Evening asked, somewhat sternly for a foal. Twilight came over and, seeing the crestfallen look on my face, nuzzled me affectionately before turning to the two. "This is daddy," she said softly. "Princess Celestia made him an alicorn, just like me, so that we could be together for longer." Evening looked at her brother — who simply shrugged, dropping some of his breakfast on the floor. She then turned to look at me. "If you're really daddy, then prove it," she said, crossing her forelegs. "What is the one thing Azure and I really like?" It's times like this when I curse the fact that the two of them are pony/human hybrids. When Haywick broke the news to Twilight and I, we were stunned. Though, thankfully, instead of a humans looks they got the natural intelligence the species possesses. This has made them a lot smarter than your average foal and – it would seem – a hell of a lot more logical. "Well?" Azure said. "Evening asked you a question, maybe fake daddy. Are you going to answer it or not?" "I'll do more than answer her question, son," I said, walking over to the two of them. "I'll show you what you both like." After praying that I wouldn't fall on my flank, I reared up onto my hind legs — and began to mercilessly tickle the two foals with my forehooves. They squealed with laughter as they squirmed in their chairs, gripping the sides in an attempt not to fall out. I continued the assault for about thirty seconds before I finally stopped, getting back onto all fours. "Does that answer your question?" I asked. The answer came in the form of two sets of forehooves being wrapped around my neck. "It really is you, daddy," Evening said. "We're sorry for thinking you were a fake." "It's okay, sweetheart," I replied, gently kissing her forehead. "I guess Auntie Celestia should have had the common sense to tell you what she was going to do beforehand." Azure nodded. "Should have, but didn't," he grumbled. "But I'm glad it's really you as well, daddy." "See, kids?" Twilight asked as she came up to us. "I told you it was really daddy in there. Now finish your breakfast, granny and granddad are coming over with Uncle Shiny and Auntie Cadence." She looked at me. "They need to know as well — but prepare for a lot of questioning, especially from Shining Armour." As the two foals detached themselves from my neck and resumed demolishing their breakfasts, I smiled warmly at Twilight. "I put up with enough questions when I was a human," I replied. "I'm sure I'll be able to handle some as an alicorn." Twilight smiled back and I was finally able to sit down for some breakfast of my own — although, without knowing how to use magic, most of it inevitably ended up on the floor. *** With everypony fed and watered, Twilight and I settled for playing with Azure and Evening. We were in the middle of a tense game of Hide and Seek when the doorbell rang, which in turn led to Azure poking his head out of a plant pot. "It's granny and granddad and Uncle Shiny and Auntie Cadence!" he squealed. I pointed at him. "I guess it is, Azure," I said. "But here's a quick tip — never reveal your hiding place. Consider yourself found." He thought for a moment before he sighed and held his forelegs up so I could take him out the pot. Placing him on my back, I went to answer the door. As soon as I opened it, I heard a sharp gasp of shock. "Who on Equestria are you?" Shining Armour demanded. "And, more to the point, why do you have my nephew?!" "Silly Uncle Shiny," Evening said, as she popped up from between the cushions of the couch. "It's daddy! But don't worry, we didn't know it was him at first, either." Shining looked at her, then to me. "Jeez, Geo," he said. "Celestia told us that there was a surprise waiting for us here, but we sure as heck weren't expecting this!" Twilight, hearing the commotion, came downstairs. She levitated Evening onto her back and beckoned her family in with a forehoof. "He's not the only alicorn around here, you know," she said. "Princess Celestia, in her infinite wisdom, made me one as well." "Wait..." Shining Armour looked at my sides. "You're both alicorns?! I thought the surprise was that Geo had been turned into a unicorn!" He wobbled on his forehooves. "I... I need to sit down." "You and me both, honey," Twilight Velvet said, pushing past him and flopping onto the couch. "My daughter and my son-in-law are both alicorns... if anypony needs to be shocked, it's me." "Celestia always said she had plans for you, Twilight," Cadence said warmly. "I'm proud of you, sister-in-law... and fellow Princess." "Thanks, Cadence," Twilight replied. "It means a lot to hear you s— Princess?" She paused. "I'd completely forgotten about that..." Cadence giggled. "Don't worry about it," she said, patting Twilight on the back reassuringly. "Your coronation isn't until next week, so I'm sure you and Geo have plenty of time to prepare." She looked at me. "Perhaps now you will stop referring to me as 'Princess' Cadence... Prince Geo?" I nodded meekly and swallowed a lump in my throat. "You bet my flank I will, Cadence," I mumbled. "But I still need to learn how to fly and use magic before then." Cadence nodded and soon the whole family was gathered around the fire, talking away as if nothing had changed. *** Waving everypony away, I closed the door with a heavy sigh and trotted back to the couch. I sat down next to Twilight, who leaned into me with a contented sigh. The kids were in bed, and the two of us were simply happy to be in each other's company. "I still can't believe that this is happening," Twilight said suddenly. "I keep thinking that I'm going to wake up as a unicorn, next to my wonderful human husband... but I know that's never going to happen ever again." She looked at me. "So much has changed so suddenly, Geo, and I worry about what it will mean for us." I kissed her forehead gently, making sure to avoid any horn/eye contact, and nuzzled her cheek softly. "I worry as well, Twi," I replied. "But I know that whatever happens, we'll face it together. Sombra, Trixie, reforming Discord... if we could face all of that and come out on top, then this will be a walk in the park." Twilight smiled and kissed me back. "You're right," she said. "We'll face it together, come hell or high water." I nodded. "Learning to fly is going to be fun," I grinned. "Though I can't imagine what kind of teacher Rainbow Dash will be." "If she's anything like the kind of teacher I'm going to be when it comes to teaching you magic..." Twilight leaned in closer and whispered in my ear. "Then you're in for one hell of a wild ride." I grinned back and we sat in peaceful silence for a moment, eventually drifting off to sleep.