Minty

>Consciousness comes to you slowly

>Like the corpse of an obese bastard rising from a sinking ocean liner

>Waking dreams tickle the edges of your consciousness

>Your first impression is that wherever you are

>It's warm

>Or at least, that's the conclusion you draw from the feeling of abnormal warmth that permeates your entire being

>And you're laying on your belly

>Eventually, your eyes flicker open, and you're treated to the visage of a wall

>Not just any wall, though

>This wall is the wall of Lyra's house

>Ah, Lyra

>Such a good friend

>A maddening sense of familiarity pokes you when you think of her

>Something you're supposed to remember

>But can't

 

 

 

>You groan quietly

>You don't want to get up, it's so nice just l-

>...

>That's not your voice

>Your eyes pop open, and you lift your head to look around

>The first thing you catch sight of is an ancient, cracked tome in your hooves that you'd been sleeping in

>...

>You go to lift your left hand, and the mint green leg in front of you lifts up, closing the book

What the fuck

>You mutter

>...In Lyra's voice

>the sense of familiarity niggles at you once again, and you look up

>Laying in front of you is your body

>Your human body

>Its eyes are open

>And it smiles at you

 

 

>"I knew we could do it!"

>Says your body

>"Woah!"

>It finally hits you

>You agreed to this

This is so fucking weird

>You quip, still getting used to your new voice

>Your body is examining your hands, opening and closing them

>Then it reaches down and pulls your pants out

Hey!

>The body smirks

>"So that's what it looks like..."

We agreed!  Get my hands out of my pants!

>"Nyeh!"

>It sticks its tongue out at you, but does as you ask

 

 

>You carefully pull your hooves out from underneath the ancient text, and stretch out a bit

>Ever since Lyra found it in the library, she'd been wanting to try it

>And you were sort of curious what it was like to be a p0ny

>So eventually, you agreed

>And now here you are

>In Lyra's body

>"Anonymous, this is so COOL!"

>And she's in yours

Yeah, just don't wear 'em out

>you say, experimentally trying to rise

>The front legs aren't that hard

>Hell, they could be arms, if it weren't for not having hands on the ends

>But the back legs take some getting used to

>Way, way shorter than you're used to

>You wobble half way up, fighting the urge to bend them at a nonexistent joint

>And finally, you find yourself standing on four legs

 

 

This isn't so hard

>You say

>It's weird looking at things from this perspective

>you're used to being way taller

>"Pfft, try standing on two hooves"

>Why the hell not

You're on

>You say as you take a cautious step forward

>This form of walking is really stable

>It takes rather... more concentration to manage all four legs at once

>You aren't gonna be winning any races anytime soon

>But at least you can move

>You walk over to a counter and brace a hoof on it

>Behind you, Lyra sits up to watch

>It takes you a moment to find the proper muscles

>But when you do, your torso slowly rises

>When you finally get up on two hooves, you wobble a bit

 

 

>It's just like your spring stilts

>With no solid base, just standing on your toes, you have to remain in motion

>Constantly readjusting the position of your hooves minutely to keep balance

Hah!

>You say after a second

>A few later and you go back down to four hooves

>Much more comfortable

>"My turn!"

>Says Lyra

Easy

>You say, worried

>You don't need to wake up to fresh bruises when you switch back

>"Pfft, you're looking at the champion two leg stander in all of Equestria!" Scoffs Lyra

>"How hard can it be?"

Just be careful.

>"Okay"

>Lyra gets on your hands and knees and crawls over next to you, bracing on the counter

>"Having knees is weird" She says

This whole thing is weird

 

 

>Lyra presses down upon the counter, putting one knee and one boot on the floor like she's seen you do so many times

>She presses down with the foot, rising up

>Rising, rising, lifting the foot

>She's almost got her other foot on the ground...

>Then she releases the counter

>"Aaah!"

>And begins to sway wildly

Put your other foot down!

>You say, jumping closer

>Lyra lands a hand on your head, using you for support as she puts her other foot down

Takes a little getting used to, doesn't it

>The hand on the counter moves to the cabinet on the wall

>"Woah.... Anonymous, you're tall..."

Uhuh

>You grunt

>The hand is heavy on your head

 

 

>Lyra releases your head

>Then, she reaches her hand up to touch the ceiling in wonder

>Her jacket rides up on her shoulders as she does so

>She frowns, and begins to remove it

Little warm for you?

>"Yes"

>You chuckle

Probably should have taken it off before the spell

>She finally gets the zipper open

>Then pulls it off and sets it on a nearby couch

>You frown when she starts taking off your shirt

Why are you taking that off?

>She shrugs

>"I never got why you always wear clothes, and I don't see any reason to now..."

Hmmm.

 

 

>When she's got the shirt off, you call out to her

>You're inside her house, so you hardly have to worry about being seen shirtless

Lyra, lay down for a minute, will you?

>"Uh, okay?  Where"

On the ground, on your back.

>She obliges you slowly, still getting used to the different form

>And she nearly falls over

>But eventually, she lays prostrate on the ground in front of you

>"Anon, what are we gonna do on the carpet~"

Pfft

>You canter up to her

Hold still.

>You purse your lips

>And blow a stream of air over your chest

>You start at the belt line and move up to the pectorals

>You have to suppress a chuckle when gooseflesh erupts all across the abdomen and Lyra shivers violently

 

 

You like how that felt?

>"I-I-I-I" she stutters

Now imagine that all over your body constantly, every time it's windy outside

>"I-I guess I c-can see why now..." she says as she reaches for the shirt

>You poke her playfully with your hoof before it's all the way on

Good to know

>She grabs your hoof

>"These are a lot more sensitive than my hooves..."

I know, isn't it great?

>"Yeah!"

>It's still so wierd to look at your own face and not be the one controlling it

So, how do you work this thing, anyway

>"Hmm?"

>Lyra's busy feeling her face

>Your face

>You reach up a bit too hastily and touch your horn

>CLUNK

>FUCK

>OW

>THAT STINGS

FUCK

>Lyra grins at you

>"Well, you don't do it like that"

 

 

 

>When the pain in your forehead mounted bony appendage finally recedes, you look to Lyra again

>She's practicing walking

So, how do I preform magic?

>She glances back at you, pacing slowly across the room

>"You just have to concentrate, I guess.  There should be enough residual magical memory left for you to do basic magic, and preform the switch spell."

Soo...

>"So just focus on what you want to do, and imagine it happening."

>Welp

>Time to take 'er for a test drive

>You search around the room for a suitable target

>Ahah!

>That super ball will do nicely

>You stare at the offending object and marshal your willpower

>You want it to levitate

>There's the tiniest feeling of... something in your horn

>And then a mind bending bolt of agony shoots from the tip straight down into your brain

Aaaargh!

>You shout involuntarily as you collapse, clutching at your face with non existent hands

 

 

>The pain is all encompassing

>Lyra's saying something, concerned sounding

>But you've lost the ability to comprehend exactly what it is

>The tiny part of your mind that is still functioning and rational tells you it reminds you of the way a cramp feels

>Except it's like you're having a brain cramp

Ohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuckowwwwww

>Your hooves frantically massage your forehead, in an attempt to rub the pain away

>And after an untold amount of time

>It begins to recede

>You feel hands on your shoulders

>"Anonymous!"

>She sounds near panic

>You muster your will once more, tears leaking from the corners of your eyes

Does it hurt like that every time you do magic?

>"No!  Of course not"

Then why...

 

 

>"I was afraid this might happen."

>You pry your hooves away from your face, and look up, tears in the corners of your eyes

What might happen?

>"Magical burnout."

And that is...

>"Essentially, I burned out my... your capacity for magic."

>A bubble of panic surfaces, but you fight it down

Forever?!

>"Nono!" She backpedals

>"Just a few days, at most."

Why didn't you tell me this could happen?

>"I thought I'd be able to handle the spell.  Besides, can it really be that bad?"  

>"Heh, is the valiant Anonymous getting cold feet?"

I'm not saying it's bad, but Bonbon comes back from her parent's tomorrow, remember?

>Lyra stops dead in her tracks

>"Oh.  Oh yeah."

>Her cheeks color rather suddenly

I don't know if I can pretend to be you for a few days.  I thought it'd just be a few hours of dicking around

>"I, uh... yeah.  Sorry."

 

 

 

>You opt to press onward, instead of dwelling on your annoyance

So is there anything that can be done about it?

>Lyra scratches the back of her head

>"Well, Zecora makes a balm that cuts down on the recovery time..."

Huh.  That could work.  How much time does it shave off?

>"Well, it's been a while since I've had to use it, but I think it works overnight, so you could swap back in the morning"

Okay, that sounds good.

>You pan your head about for a bit before stopping

...You don't have any around, do you

>"Nope"

Guess we'll just have to go get some then!

>"Heh, guess so.  Uuuh, I'll get some bits."

>Lyra gets up and goes for the door to the hallway

Uuh, Lyra, be c-

>KLONK

>She walks straight into the top of the door frame, making you wince

 

 

>"Oooowww buck" Moans Lyra, clutching her head

One thing you will quickly learn

>You note, cantering over to her

Is that the buildings are not designed with your new height in mind.  

>"Buuuuuck"

Don't feel bad, it took me two weeks to remember to duck

Are you going to be okay?

>Lyra sucks air in through her teeth

>"I think so."

Can I get the bits?

>"Uuuh."

>"There's a lockbox under my bed in my room with a handle on the top.  Can you go and get it?"

Yeah, I can do that

 

 

>You pass Lyra sitting on the floor and go down the hallway

>The handle on the green door yields to your hoof, admitting you into Lyra's modest bedroom

>A massive, golden lyre sparkles softly in the corner where the bright sunlight strikes it

>Trotting inside, you examine the bed

>It's just high enough for you to get under

>If you get down on your belly

>You head right up and plop down

>Nudging the curtains aside, you peer underneath the gloomy space

>There are a few boxes, but they're open topped

>Then your eyes light upon a solid looking metal box with a tumbler and a handle on the top

>It's juuuust within reach

>You're about to grab it in your mouth, when something stops you

>And yanks your head back

>Ooooh

>Your horn caught on the underside of the mattress

>You pull back and down, and free your horn

>And finally manage to catch the handle in your teeth

>It's well worn

>You back out from under the bed slowly with your prize

>It drags heavy, and you have to tug pretty hard

>When you're finally out, you try to rise

>but the weight of the box is too much for your beginner's understanding of quadrupedal mobility

>You instead opt to release the box and rise

>Then arch your head down and take the handle once more

>You trot back through the doorway, instinctively ducking

>And then head back down the hallway to Lyra

 

 

>Lyra has moved from the floor to the couch

>"Thanks, Anonymous" She says

Nu problemfsh

>You say, trying to articulate around the handle

>You set it on the coffee table

>Lyra spins the dials to three numbers you take care to not notice, muttering

What was that?

>"I said, this is so cool!"

Heh

>She tugs on the handle, and the lid pops open

>Inside, you see a plethora of objects

>A tiny golden lyre sitting on top of a sheaf of papers and a large, brown sack being the most prominent

>Lyra takes the sack just as you feel a familiar twinge in your belly

>You head out for the hallway

>"Where are you going?"  she calls

Answering nature's call

>You shout over your shoulder

>"Hey, be quick, could you?  It's getting late and I don't want to be in the Everfree in the dark..."

Can do

>You're at the bathroom door when she shouts one more time

>"HEY, DON'T PISS ALL OVER MY HOOVES, OKAY?"

HA HA HA

>You shout back, trotting through the door and kicking it closed behind you

 

 

>You have to admit, it's quite a novel experience being able to use the toilet without having to bend over, crouch, squat or kneel to keep from hitting your head on the ceiling

>Coming back into the living room, you find Lyra on the couch once more

>The lockbox on the table is gone, replaced with a pair of saddlebags

>Lyra picks them up and puts them on you

>The weight settles comfortably on your back

Why can't you carry the bits?

>"Because you're the one that's buying the balm" she responds

>"I'm just your friendly neighborhood Anonymous, along to help poor Lyra with her fine motor control since she went and burned her magic out."

Fair enough

>You respond, heading for the door

>Good thing Lyra lives on the edge of town

>If you're lucky, you won't have to interact with anyone besides Zecora

>And you know her well enough it shouldn't be hard

>Lyra gets up and snatches up your jacket, goofing through putting it on

>Then she follows you out the door

>She even manages to not knock your head on it

 

 

 

>You're on your way back from Zecora's

>And you pass by Sweet Apple Acres

>Big Mac's in the fields

>Working up quite a sweat, too, if you're any judge

>You almost wave to him, but you stop yourself in time

>You don't know what kind of relationship Lyra has with Big Mac

>And you don't want to presume

>Behind you, you hear Lyra

>She's been walking funny

>Her steps are off

 

 

>You finally get through the door to Lyra's house, and exhale

>You didn't run into any p0nies at all

>"Hey, uh, Anonymous..." You hear Lyra mutter behind you

>"Got a bit of a problem here..."

>You hear the door close

>And wheel around

What kind of -JESUS CHRIST!

>And nearly get a facefull of boner

>Kind of hard to miss, it being at eye level and all

>"How do I get rid of it?"

Uuuuh

>You say, backing up and playing for time

It should just go away on its own if you ignore it

>"It's been there all the way back"

Oh.  

>You're doubly glad that nobody saw the pair of you

Do you have to go to the bathroom?

>"I-Hm."

Give that a shot, then

>"I think I will"

>She heads down the hall as you shed the saddlebags

>And fish out the balm

 

 

>You push the balm across the coffee table with your hoof, marveling at the joints

>It's a clear, green looking goop in a glass jar

>One whose seal you won't be able to undo until Lyra gets back from the bathroom

>Speaking of which...

>She's been in there awhile

>You rise from your haunches and head down the hall

>When you get to the bathroom door, you raise a hoof and pound on it

Lyra

>There's a loud crash from within

>"What?"

Lyra, are you playing with my dick?

>'Nooooooo~" Comes the reply

Lyraaaaaaaaaaaaaa

>"Anonymooooooose" she replies

>You hear the toilet flush

>And then the sink running

>Eventually the door opens, and Lyra grins down at you

 

 

>"I had a little trouble... aiming, so I had to clean up."

>"And then I had to wash my hands afterward, of course"

>You have your suspicions

>But for now, you'll keep them to yourself

>You'll know tomorrow for sure

Okay, that makes sense.

>You turn around and head down the hallway

>Lyra passes you and goes into the living room

>She plops down on the couch and picks up the balm

>The seal comes loose with a pop as she opens it

>You know jars can be opened with hooves, but you're not experienced enough to manage it

>"C'mere" She says

Sooo...

>"Just C'mere"

>You canter across the living room

How's this going to work...

>"I'll tell you right now, this is gonna feel really weird.  but in a good way."

>"Now, hold still"

>She takes your jaw in one hand

 

 

>The jar slides down your horn with a wet schlorp

>You shudder involuntarily as a soothing coolness spreads throughout the appendage

>The jar finally comes to rest against your forehead

>Doesn't even feel too heavy

>The balm itself is somewhere between jello and vaseline in consistency

>So it stays in place, instead of running down into your eyes

>The coolness permeates your horn, alleviating an ache you didn't even know was there

Ooooohhhhh

>"It feels good, doesn't it?"

Yeahhhhh

>You sit down

>It feels, you decide

>Like Aloe Vera on sunburn

>If said sunburn was felt through the entire limb

>And the Aloe Vera was also

>Sudden motion causes you to open your half lidded eyes

>Lyra's consulting your watch

>"Fifteen minutes" she says

 

 

>Lyra leads you into the bathroom at the twelve minute mark

>And runs the bath water until it's hot

>Then she removes the jacket, and rolls up your sleeves

Lyra, what are we gonna do in the shower?

>you ask somewhat distractedly

>The soothing coolness has progressed to almost painful icyness

>"We're gonna get that off you" She says

>"Usually this is handled by another unicorn, but... well... yeah.  I've never done it that way, so I don't know how this is going to feel for you."

>The undertones of sympathy and concern in her voice remind you why she's one of your closer friends

I'll... heh, I'll do my best

>"Good.  Now, hop in the tub"

>You do as instructed, as she checks your watch

>"This IS waterproof, right?"

Damn straight

>"Okay, good."

>She reaches up, and you feel her grip the jar

>She begins to pull

>You brace your hooves in the tub

>But it's wet and slippery

>You slide down towards her, and she frowns

>Then she stops pulling

>"Back up again"

Okey

>You back up a ways, and Lyra dries her hands off and comes at you again

 

 

>This time she uses both hands

>One on the jar, one braced on your head immediately surrounding the horn

>She begins to pull

>More and more pressure she applies, until finally

>To an orchestra of wet sucking sounds

>The jar comes free

>But not the sensation of icy coldness

>You glance at the mirror

>There's a jar shaped blob of goop on your horn

>"I was afraid this was going to happen"

So what now?

>"Now we wash it off" she says, pulling the shower curtain partway across

>Determined to make yourself useful, you reach up and hit the hot water knob

>Lyra pulls the appropriate valve, and hot water rains down upon you

 

 

 

>It's an interesting feeling

>The water running down your coat

>You're used to it being bare skin

>"Put your horn under the showerhead" She commands, and you obey

>The warmth of the water and the cold of the gel produce an interesting contrast on your scalp

>You can feel the gel weakening, however

>Lyra reaches out and grabs it

>She squeaks in surprise as her fingers knife right through the softening goop

>And straight to the horn underneath

>For your part, you inhale sharply

>The horn is surprisingly sensitive

>And the sensation of rough ridges over soft flesh, where before there was only uniform gook is causing goosebumps to rise all over your body

>And tingles in parts of your nether regions that up until now you hadn't paid too much attention to

>Lyra immediately releases your horn

>And all the balm except an inch thick ring at the base falls away to the bottom of the tub

>"Wow Anonymous, you're strong..."

Yes, I lift

>you grunt, trying to distract yourself

>After a break, Lyra reaches a finger out and breaks the remaining ring

>It joins the rest of the balm in the bottom of the tub, dissolving in the running water

>"You, ah... you think you can handle the rest?"

Yeah.  Yeah, I got this

>You respond

>Lyra pulls the shower curtain closed

>"See you in a bit then"

 

 

 

>After the door closes, you have a shower to yourself

>A fair portion of which you spend recovering

>Eventually, you manage to work the pump on the shampoo

>And lather yourself up

>A not so quick rinse later, and you shut the water off

>You marvel at the mobility of the p0ny body as you towel off

>You've seen it before, but seeing it firsthand really confirms it

>No horse from Earth would be able to do what you're doing now

>You make one last use of the facilities, before heading back into the living room

 

 

 

>Lyra's on the couch

>"C'mere" she beckons, patting the cushion next to her

>You yawn, and approach

>Why not?

>It's getting late

>And it's not like you can go home

>You climb up on the couch

>And squeak when a pair of hands grab your sides and flip you over

W-what-

>"Ssssshhh" She shushes

>"No wierdness now.  Only dreams."

>You're about to protest further when the warm hands run up and down your exposed belly

>It's like you've never felt before

I-I... ooooohhhhh....

>"You see why I like your hands so much now?"

I-I g-guess... yeah...

>You've done this for her before, once or twice

>And you resolve to do it more in the future

 

 

>You're about to fall asleep when the hands stop

Hey!

>you say, yawning afterwards

What'dja quit for?

>"Roll over" she says

>You oblige her, and she pulls you up onto her lap

>You'd complain, but you're kinda sleepy

>Then the hands come again

>This time, they scratch briefly behind your ears

>Then, like a pack of jet skis on a green and white sea, the fingers run up and down through your mane

>You absolutely melt on her lap

I'm definitely gonna do this more often...

>You mutter

>"Good" she replies

>Then you hear her yawn

>You lay your head down on the couch on the far side

>And close your eyes

>Your final thought as you drift off to sleep is that hands are awesome

>And not having magic sucks