All Tomorrow's Birthdays: After School Special

“Eyup,” Applejack said as she sipped some cider.

“Ayup.” AJ agreed while pouring herself a glass, though stopped when seeing Applejack’s expression at her pronunciation. “What?”

“Hmn. Nothin’” Applejack replied then put her arms behind her head. “Just find it funny to play guardpony to a cake.”

For such a big gathering, Pinkie had opted to use Canterlot High’s gymnasium. Earlier during their initial setup they had set the main cake out on two tables pushed together. It was a huge cake, with three layers and was adorned with candy in the shape of cutie marks in pairs as well as pony statuettes.

“Pinkie certainly did spend a good deal of time on it,” Rari said, reaching for the small white horse on the cake and giving it a squeeze. “Oh! It’s made of marshmallow!”

Applejack frowned and swatted Rari’s hand. “Quit that! I made a Pinkie promise to protect that there cake and I ain’t keen to find out what happens if I break it on this side.”

Rari puffed and looked between Applejack and AJ. “I see one thing is not at all that much different.”

“Oh don’t be sore. Imma sure that the real one will bring her pretty self around and you can pinch her as much as you’d like.” AJ teased.

As Applejack and AJ shared a grin, the Rainbows above stretched out a banner between two ceiling lights. A simple task for the winged pair.

Rainbow tilted her head over and tried to read the banner. “Hey, me over there, what’s this say anyway?”

RD on her end of the banner looked down. “I dunno! It’s damned long, though.”

“It says ‘Happy Super Duper Stupid—err.. Stupend—” AJ stuck out her tongue.

“Stupendously, Duplicate Double Day of Fun.” Rari assisted.

“Times Two.” Applejack finished.

“That… is a lot of words for just us, isn’t it?” Fluttershy said, entering the gym with Flutter. They both carried salad platters made from the garden vegetables.

Applejack shrugged. “Twelve of us plus Sunset. Thirteen is a good enough number to throw down a jig or two.”

Rari looked about and crossed her arms. She felt lonely seeing the three with their mirror twins. “Oh, it’s just fine when you have a partner to pair up with.”

“Heck, I’ll dance with you if it means that much,” AJ said with some playful exasperation.

Rari flounced her hair and kept up her primadonna air. “No, no. I don’t need charity! I’ll just dance with Sunset or a Twilight. It’s not like those three are joined at the hip or anything.”

“Umm…” Applejack began, wondering if she should tell this version of Rarity what inspired all of them to go through the mirror in the first place.

Both Rainbows suddenly landed then and provided an interruption. Applejack was quickly on guard, glowering at the pair as both of them tried to stick a finger in the frosting. “Hey! No pokin’! Shoo you two!”

RD gestured to the other Rainbow. “Over here. Let’s set up the instruments.”

AJ peered over as Rainbow and RD picked up the guitar and bass, watching them scoop and gesture with their wings. “Hey, how long you two been half-a-pony?”

Applejack looked at AJ. “Thought ya said that always happens when you go ‘n sing a song over here?”

Rari mused. “Well, it usually doesn’t last as long as this, minutes at most really... how strange.”

“It’s not always a song either, me and… umm… me sang together, and we didn’t get our wings,” Flutter said while Fluttershy nodded in confirmation.

Rainbow and RD shared a knowing look between each other and then grinned at the similarly ponified Applejacks. “Must be something else, huh?” Rainbow commented while strumming a chord on her guitar.

Applejack and AJ shared their own glance and slight fidget. “Erm… yeah... somethin’ alright,” AJ admitted. Though they were spared any more wondering when newcomers joined the gathering in the gym.

“About dang time you showed up!“ Applejack cried, seizing on the opportunity to change the topic. Though she soon tipped her hat back in disbelief. “Oh for Celestia’s sake, Pinkie! Is that another cake?”

Cream Pinkie giggled as she wheeled in a small trolley with the secondary cake. “Principal Celestia would love this! Maybe we should invite her?”

AJ took stock of the group of twins and half transformed members. “Maybe we should just keep it between each other. Less explainin’ to do.” She blinked at Cream Pinkie’s appearance. “Whatcha do, get hungry on the way? You got some of it on ya.”

Cream Pinkie shrugged. “They say it’s better like this!”

Sunset, Sparkle, and Twilight brought up the rear with grocery bags laden with party favors and supplies.

Rari looked hopefully amongst the group, but pouted when she didn’t see Rarity with them. “Oh, foo!” She thought for a moment before sweetly asking, “Need any help with those, darlings?”

Rainbow chuckled to RD after observing yet more ponygirls enter. “That’s nine of them now, heh.”

RD winked back and strummed another chord on the guitar. “Probably won’t even need to do the song at this rate.”

After catching everyone and everypony up while distributing the party favors, Twilight finally asked a question that had been nagging her.

“Where’s Rarity?” Twilight asked, before adding, “My Rarity, that is.”

Cream Pinkie lifted her phone up, “She should be coming any minute! She sent me a text.”

“Oh? What’d she say?” Applejack asked.

“We’re coming,” Adagio answered.

Cream Pinkie nodded. “Yep. That’s what she said.”

A collective gasp ran through the group as they looked towards the gymnasium entrance. There stood Rarity, along with Adagio, Sonata, and Aria.

“Hello, dearies!” Rarity cheerfully called out.

Applejack gasped. “Rarity! Where in Tartarus have you been?”

“And what happened to your hair?!” Rari added, aghast.

Rarity reached to flounce her poofed out hair. “Like it?” she asked happily before frowning at their serious expressions. “...you don’t like it.”

“Your Equestrian friend is under our control, Rainbooms! And if you want her to rem—” Adagio started.

AJ scowled and ignored Adagio, talking over her exposition. “Rarity, get your behind over here! Them’s the villains!”

“Villains?” Rarity blinked and looked at the sirens. “These three?”

“YES!” cried Twilight, Sunset, and five of the CHS main six in unison.

“There must be some sort of mistake. They are like… like Sweetie Belle and her friends… well okay, not exactly, and much more grown up, but just as harmless really!” Rarity insisted.

Applejack glowered. “Rarity, if you don’t get over here amma gonna go over there and pick you up instead. Just look at them! They gots red eyes and I-dunno-what coming out of their shoulders!”

Rarity sighed and turned towards Adagio. “I'm sorry, Miss Dazzle. It has been a grand time, but apparently, I need to be over there now.”

Adagio stared dumbfounded as Rarity kissed her on the cheek, then simply walked over to join the others.

Sonata quipped, “Told you our magic didn’t work on them.”

“Great plan, Adagio!” Aria exclaimed, sourly. “I don’t think more muff diving is going to get us out of this.”

Adagio closed her mouth and turned on them with a snarl. “Shut up, both of you! We don’t need her, we just need the magic. They are all brimming with it already. Just… just sing something!”

Aria and Sonata both shrugged and started with their chorus. “Oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh.”

Adagio focused her thoughts on the gem and sang, “Listen to the sound of my voice.”

“Oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh.”

“Even… even if you do have a choice.”

“Oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh?”

“Grown from the fruit of your love.”

“Oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh.”

“Your magic fits me like a glove.”

As the song formed, so did the light from the trio’s gems. Light also started to run off the ponified members features. Rainbow’s wings fluttered and struggled to catch air before she fell. Applejack hurried to catch her while AJ did the same for RD.

“Adagio! Don’t do this!” Twilight called, feeling the drain from her own wings and changed eartips. With so many of them ponied up the majority staggered under the magical siphoning.

“Too late, it’s done!” Adagio replied with a throaty laugh. Her voice became louder, huskier. The magic grew her out from her teenager’s body. She felt the strain at the bra as her breasts filled out and the rest of her outfit squeezed as she changed adult and voluptuous.

A sharp sound of ripping fabric had Adagio gasping. Her tail! Never had the magic been this powerful! She threw away the remnants of hose and skirt, flexing out her changed lower half. A glance to Sonata and Aria showed them in similar mermaid-like shapes.

“Mmm. After them,” Adagio said, her backfins splaying out and she took off into the air. Sonata and Aria followed suit. The three sirens splitting up and then coming at the group from multiple sides.

Applejack grabbed one of the plastic chairs and held it out to fend off Aria’s approach. While on Cream Pinkie’s side she quickly took slices of her second cake and flung it at the menacing Sonata.

Sonata corkscrewed in the air, dodging cake slices until one splattered on her bare and now bouncy breasts. She paused in place, taking a moment to taste some of the frosting off a nipple with her finger. “Oh! That’s really good!” she remarked happily.

Cream Pinkie giggled. “Thanks!”

Aria growled as she floated forward and back from Applejack’s chair jabbing. “Damn it, Sonata! Stop thinking with your stom— augh!” Aria was interrupted by a small explosion of glitter, silly string and streamers when the other Pinkie gathered up the party favors and set them off all at once.

Adagio in her own approach towards the group had picked out Sparkle as an easy target. Her tail swung out in a wide sweep, aimed at Sparkle.

Sparkle gasped with her eyes widening behind her glasses but Sunset pulled her back at the last second. The fishtail swung over them both, having missed by mere inches.

Adagio kept the momentum and adjusted her aim for Twilight instead.

Twilight flapped her wings on reflex, but with her flight magic drained, she stumbled. Adagio’s tail quickly coiled around her middle and hoisted her clear off the ground.

“Rather have you than her, anyway. You were the one who spoiled everything before.” Adagio gloated, flying out of reach of Sunset and the others who were recovering from the song.

“Listen up, Rainbooms! I have your friend! If you care anything at all for her, then you will be obedient little ponies and humans.” Adagio declared, tightening her coils around the struggling Twilight.

“And for you. You just keep sti—” Adagio turned to her captive… moments before a purple fist struck her square on the jaw. Reeling from the punch, Adagio’s tail loosened and Twilight slipped free.

“Whoa! Twilight?” Sunset said while holding a microphone upsidedown. She and the other girls had made a mad scramble for the band instruments, but they were all caught in varying states of half-readiness at this sudden stop.

“Y-You hit me?” Adagio said, still shocked and holding a hand to her reddened cheek.

“I’m not going to let you use me as some kind bargaining chip against my friends!” Twilight answered back hotly.

“You hit me!” Adagio repeated, angrily.

Twilight puffed and waggled her aching hand. “Well... you had it coming.”

Sunset tapped the microphone on her palm. “That’s not much of a ‘Friendship Speech’, Twi.”

Twilight shrugged at Sunset. “I know, but I’m not feeling very friendly right now.”

Adagio snarled and loomed over, ready to launch into another attack when her gem’s light flickered out. All at once, she was a teenage girl again. She fell and landed bare-assed on the gym floor. “W-What? Why?!”

Twilight tapped her chin as she looked on. The little details were starting to add up. “The magic we’ve been using to transform is positive emotion magic, Adagio. You can't force it to act in a negative manner. Push your luck, and you might just break your pendants again.” She glanced over to Rarity. “I’m guessing those are the rubies Spike gave you?”

Rarity blushed. “Well, yes. How I was supposed to know they were some terrible creatures? They hardly look like... like Tirek or Cerberus, or whomever.”

Twilight shook her head and smiled. “It’s fine, Rarity. If anything it’ll force them to play nice.”

Sonata mumbled around a spoonful of cake that Pinkie put on a plate for her. “Whut doh weh doh nawh?”

Aria floated over by Adagio, dusting off confetti and silly string. “Yeah, what’s the plan now?” Adagio? Hey, Adagio!”

Adagio had remained quiet, still sitting on the ground staring at her legs. It had been so fleeting, all that power, to nearly be herself again. Her true self. Her lip trembled and she slapped the floor in frustration. Her hand stung. Her stupid, fleshy human hand. A tear threatened to fall from the corner of her eye.

A pair of hands gently moved through Adagio's hair and wiped away her tear while another pair brought a napkin with some ice in it to her bruised cheek. Adagio jolted in place, looking up in astonishment. “Wha…”

“We haven’t forgiven you for trying making us fight... not yet. But maybe you might try to be a little nicer now?” Fluttershy suggested, keeping the ice pack in place while Flutter continued to stroke Adagio’s hair.

Twilight studied Adagio. “There is a way to get our magic without draining it, and I'm willing to give it if you're willing to play nice.” She turned to her friends. “And considering how many of you’re wearing ears already, I suspect most of you’re okay with that too. Any volunteers?”