The Worst Night Everby The Blue EM2ChaptersAct IAct IIAct IIIAct IVAct VCreditsAct IScootaloo rifled through her wardrobe, desperately searching. "Come on, something must be in here!" she asked, in frustration, looking for something that didn't seem to be there. The Fall Formal was always a time of frustration for the students of Canterlot High, mainly because it meant having to wear something different to normal, and the dress code for the event was very strict; tuxedos or grey suits for the boys, and skirts or dresses for the girls. This presented a challenge for Scootaloo, as she normally detested wearing the very items of clothing required of her that night, but her friends were going, as was Rumble, and so she didn't want to miss out. Just then, she came across the outfit she had worn a year ago, at the previous Fall Formal; a pink (ish) skirt with a purple blouse, with sleeves that fell to her elbows. "Found it!" she exclaimed. It was what she had worn previously, but she didn't really care. After all, she could move in it pretty easily, and at least she could see her feet. That, admittedly, was extremely important for her, and Scootaloo would never be comfortable wearing something in which she had no clue where she was going. Slipping the shirt of the hanger and unfolding the skirt, she quickly got undressed and slipped the shirt over her head, sliding her arms down the sleeves with a little difficulty. She then pulled the skirt on and added the boots that went with it, before adjusting her wardrobe door and looking for a moment in it. It then ocurred to her that something somehow didn't sit right. In response, she rolled the sleeves down a bit to see if that corrected the problem, but somehow there was something that didn't seem quite right about her outfit. Maybe a second opinion would help, and so Scootaloo went through the corridor to find her mom. Cheerilee was in her room, which also doubled as her office at home, hastily preparing things for the Fall Formal. Paperwork, notices, boxes, orders to sign for, things to check, plastic for fridges, metal for bridges, quotations from the 1988 British Rail advert, and many other myriad and odd things were lying around. Cheerilee's pen was working double time in order to keep up, when the pile at last seemed to grow a little smaller. "Why does paperwork never end?" Cheerilee grumbled to herself. "I swear the only time I sign things three times is because the first two signatures somehow get lost!" She fired off some more signatures, and the pile depleted some more. "Hi mom!" Scootaloo called. Cheerilee swung her chair round, and her frown dissipated almost immediately, as it was always a delight for her to spend time with her daughter. "Good afternoon Scootaloo!" Cheerilee called back. "Did you want to see me?" "I'd like a second opinion on something," Scootaloo said, before stepping around the bed and stopping, so Cheerilee could see her clearly. "How do I look?" she asked, striking a pose as she did so. Cheerilee frowned, getting up and taking a quick look at Scootaloo's clothes. She also pulled on the sleeves of her shirt, to see if there was any bunched material. But there was not. That was them at full length. "If I were to be honest Scootaloo," she said, "the sleeves and skirt look a bit short on you. Have you grown since you last wore that?" Scootaloo went red almost immediately. "Err, maybe?" she replied. "Maybe Rarity could put something together for you," Cheerilee suggested. Upon seeing the sad look upon her daughter's face, she spoke quickly again. "I understand that outfit means a lot to you-" "Are you kidding? I had my first kiss wearing this!" "-if I may finish Scootaloo," Cheerilee continued. "But we did throw it together at very short notice. Maybe something purpose made would suit you better." Scootaloo sighed. "OK mom. I'll go get changed and over to Rarity's place. I'll check in with Sweetie Belle whilst I'm there." There was a loud click as Scootaloo left the room, and Cheerilee turned back to her work, sighing. "Maybe I'll get this lot done before Doomsday or the Fall Formal, whichever comes first," she groaned, her hand feeling sore again from writing her name over and over again. Seriously, there were people still calling her Miss MacLeod! Her train of thought was interrupted by the sound of the main door closing. She got up, and ran over to it, opening it and saw her daughter sprinting down the path to the streetcar stop. "Scootaloo!" she called. Scootaloo skidded to a stop, and looked over to her mom. "Yes mom?" she asked. "I think you've forgotten something," Cheerilee sighed. "As a matter of fact, you've forgotten several things, the first of which being what you're wearing." Scootaloo looked down at herself, onto to suddenly realise she was still wearing the shirt and skirt from last year. "Oh!" she said. "Right!" Before she could say anything else, or anybody else could say anything for that matter, she ran past Cheerilee and went back indoors. A few minutes after that, she re-emerged, dressed as she normally did; hoodie, turquoise shirt, green shorts, and grey boots, and sped for the streetcar stop. "Don't forget your wallet!" Cheerilee called. "I've got it!" Scootaloo called, and hopped aboard the waiting streetcar, which then pulled away from the platform and off toward school. Cheerilee simply laughed and went back indoors. She loved Scootaloo to bits (frankly, what mother wouldn't love their daughter?) but even with her husband now based out of Canterlot, he wasn't about as much as he could be thanks to the Air Force. As a result, she was the primary caregiver for Scootaloo, and boy could she be a handful at times. "Oh well, those papers won't finish themselves," she sighed, and went back indoors, to wrestle with yet more papers to sign. It was a thankless task, but somebody had to do it! Carousel Boutique, as Rarity's house was sometimes nicknamed, was the usual hive of activity it was before the Fall Formal. She had a backlog of dresses to distribute, and the order pile was at last coming to an end. Sewing machines hummed and clattered as fabric was stitched together, every conceivable combination of colours rattling through the rapidly working needles that attached them into new forms. Rarity had to keep on her toes in order to ensure that all worked efficiently. A single jammed needle could result in delays, and that was simply not acceptable. In the other room, Sweetie Belle was checking her dress from last year still fitted her. "That seems fine," she said, with a smile. Just then, there was a knock at the door, which she went to answer. Forgetting she had no footwear on, and was simply in her socks, she sprinted over and pulled the door open. On the other side was a very hot Scootaloo. "Hi Sweetie Belle!" she said, pulling her hoodie off, and wrapping it around her arm. "Is Rarity in?" "Yeah, she's in the sewing room," Sweetie Belle replied. "Why?" "I need a new dress for the Fall Formal," Scootaloo replied, shrugging her shoulders. "My one from last year didn't fit." "Well, you do eat a lot," Sweetie Belle joked. "Hey!" the violet haired girl exclaimed. "So do you, according to Rarity." "Point taken," Sweetie Belle sighed. "She's possibly not in the best of moods at the moment, so go carefully." There was a loud bang. "Do not tell me who to be annoyed with!" shouted the voice of Rarity. Sweetie Belle shook her head. "If she's shouting at the machines, she must be cross." Scootaloo stepped to the door, and opened it slowly. "No time like the present," she sighed, and stepped in. Rarity was standing in the midst of what could only be described as organised chaos. Clothing was lying all over the place, and her hair was all over the place, sticking out in every direction of the compass and yet more. "Erm, hi?" Scootaloo asked. Rarity turned around, with anger on her face which was almost immediately replaced with a forced smile and a vague attempt to look somewhat presentable. "Why hello, Mistress Collins!" she exclaimed. "Tell me, what can I do for thee today?" Scootaloo shook her head. "Rarity, you can call me Scootaloo," she sighed. "Anyway, I'm sorry that it's such a short notice request, but I was wondering if you could make me a dress." The look of surprise on Rarity's face said plenty about how she felt about what had been said. "Oh darling!" she exclaimed. "I knew one day you'd discover your feminine side!" The younger girl sighed. "It's for the Fall Formal. My one from last year no longer fits properly." "Ah, that monstrous carbunkle!" Rarity snorted. "I must say it was an exceptionally poor match for you, to be honest. Something longer would work better." "You know, I was just hoping you could make the same thing in a bigger size." Scootaloo hoped her request would be listened to, waiting for a moment until Rarity seemed to be ready to reply. That hope was shattered a few moments later, when Rarity finally answered her question. "Most certainly not! A lady such as yourself deserves to look far more fabulous. Whatever would Rumble think of you turning up in something as trashy as that?" "He seemed to like it last year," Scootaloo replied, but it seemed Rarity had not paid any attention to a word she had said, as she set about drawing something on a board. It had curves in it, which caused Scootaloo to start to dread whatever it was Rarity had planned. "All done!" Rarity exclaimed, and flipped the board over. Scootaloo facepalmed at what was on it. The suggestion that Rarity had done was something that looked like something out of a Disney movie, with a huge skirt and overblown sleeves that vaguely resembled something she had seen somewhere before. "It's a look that's loosely inspired by the gown worn by Giselle in Enchanted. What do you think?" Scootaloo growled. "First, I've never seen that film, so I've no idea what that means. Second, I'd rather be able to see my feet. Finally, it's far too girly." Rarity looked sadly at her. "That's a pity, but I understand. But if I don't know what you want, I cannot make you anything for the Fall Formal." "That's fine," Scootaloo replied, going through the door as she did so. "I'll just go as I'm dressed now." On her way over to the streetcar stop, Scootaloo walked into a familar face. The sweet face and purple eyes of Rumble always made her blush a bit. "Hey Rumble," she said, with an awkward grin. "Nice to see you too, Scoots," Rumble replied. "So, how are you going to the Fall Formal?" "As I am now," she replied, with a sigh. "What I wore last year doesn't fit me anymore, and Rarity came up with some ridiculous frock I wouldn't be seen dead in." Rumble sighed, looking at the floor before looking into her eyes and definitely not at her chest. "That's a pity. You looked cute in that." "You really think so?" The boy nodded. "Seriously, you should try wearing dresses more often." "No way!" Scootaloo exclaimed, suddenly looking quite hot and bothered. "I would never wear one of those things by choice!" Just then the streetcar rumbled in, and Scootaloo hopped aboard. "See ya there Rumble!" she called, as the streetcar pulled away. Rumlbe nodded sadly. "Yeah, see you," he sighed. He worried she wouldn't be let in, and he had happy memories of that Fall Formal a year ago, the day he kissed a girl for the first time and that very girl confessed her love to him. He set off down the street, strolling toward his home to get his suit ready for tonight. Elsewhere, Rarity was getting her own outfit on, which was one of her classy yet elegant pieces that was simple and yet not overblown. "Well, let us be on our way!" she said, heading out of the door. As she did so, a spark flew out of her hand and hit an item of fabric behind her. Author's Note Cheerilee's experience is loosely based on my experience in education. The number of forms we had to sign was ridiculous... Next chapter: the Fall Formal! Act IIThe Fall Formal was just as busy as it had been the previous year. Students were piling off the streetcars and heading indoors, looking wonderful in either smart suits with bow ties or beautiful dresses, depending on the subjects gender. Except Scootaloo, who was dressed in her usual ensemble of turquoise shirt, grey hoodie, green shorts, and grey boots. Cheerilee was sat next to her, also dressed normally. Like last year, she was helping with security, and as the streetcar rolled to a stop, they got off. Truth be told, they waited for the streetcar to stop before they got off, as otherwise it could hurt a lot. "A pity that it didn't work out with Rarity," Scootaloo sighed. "At least Rumble won't judge me over how I'm dressed." "Don't worry dear," Cheerilee smiled. "I'm certain everything will be just fine, and nobody will mind how you're dressed." Scootaloo laughed at that. "Yeah. You'd need to be pretty shallow to judge somebody only on their clothes." Just then, as they entered the corridor and Cheerilee went on ahead of her to the hall, Scootaloo saw her friends Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, wearing the dresses they wore last year (which miraculously still fitted them); a purple dress with a ribbon around the waist for Apple Bloom, and a pink sleeveless dress with a ruffled skirt for Sweetie Belle. "Howdy Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom called, waving to her friend. "What's up with the clothin'?" Scootaloo sighed. "I tried to request something from Rarity, but what she came up with was too girly for my taste." "Yeah, I saw that," Sweetie Belle sighed. "Sheesh, she doesn't seem to appreciate some people like to be able to see their feet." "Why not wear what you wore last year?" Apple Bloom asked. "It no longer fitted me," Scootaloo sighed. "Oh," Apple Bloom replied. "That musta sucked. Ya looked great in that skirt." Scootaloo nodded. "You know guys, go on ahead. I'll follow you up soon." "OK Scootaloo, see you in a bit," Sweetie Belle replied, and she and Apple Bloom headed off in the direction of the school hall, where the party was currently ongoing. Scootaloo shrugged her shoulders. "See you guys," she answered, looking around her as other people bustled into the hall. Eventually she was left in the hallway on her own. With a sigh, she started to step forward, when suddenly in the distance she heard a quiet, yet familiar, voice. "Life is a runway, When you see it my way; Take all the good inside Make it beautiful! Fashion is a way to start, Showing what's in your heart; Call it superficial I call it irrefutable!" The voice was slowly getting closer and closer. Scootaloo then recognised it as that of Rarity, who was somewhat late, and she was in a rush. She continued with her song, apparently oblivious to the freshman standing near her as she rushed past. The entire thing turned into a dance number, magic shooting from her fingers and crashing into objects. Lockers gained dents, padlocks were blown off, and the lights flickered like faulty bulbs in a horror movie. "You can be the girl That you want to be; With a little love And some accessories! Don't be scared to show you have Personal style; Just go do your thing You'll make everyone smile!" With that last line, another blast of magic flew from Rarity's fingers. And Scootaloo had been standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. The blast of magic collided with the freshman like a meteor, leaving her stunned and confused. As Rarity headed off into the distance, apparently unaware of what had just transpired as the words of her song continued, Scootaloo started to change... Firstly, her hair began growing, until it had at least reached down to her shoulders, and then it suddenly curled back on itself, piling up upon the top of her head in what resembled a French twist. The girl had felt all of this, and was confused and shocked. "Wh-what's happening to me?" she asked. She had no idea what was coming. The next thing to occur happened to her hoodie, which merged with her turquoise shirt to create a single garment. The zip vanished and the gap sewed itself up, followed by her sleeves shrinking back until they sat on the side of her shoulders. The hood shrank back into the material, and the back of the jacket dropped, exposing her upper back. At the same time, the neckline dropped to just above her breasts whilst the front round to the back of the shoulders began to ruffle up, forming a sort of zigzag of material across it. Then the chest area started to tighten a bit, giving Scootaloo an hourglass shape, as well as leaving the girl gasping for breath. "What... the... hell... is... happening?" she gasped, heaving air into her constrained lungs. The garment that had once been her favourite hoodie sudenly began to change more, the material changing from cotton to something much softer, something Scootaloo couldn't identify, but was definitely girly. She was sure of it. Shortly after, her shorts merged with her former hoodie, which now looked like some sort of bodice, before the legs of the shorts stiched themselves together. The material separating the legs shrank back into them, turning it into a mini-skirt of some description, leading to an incredibly strange mismatch of fashion. But that was not to be the case for much longer, as the skirt suddenly began growing longer, proceeding toward the floor until Scootaloo could no longer see her feet. It seemed to gain volume, layer after layer of petticoats appearing underneath the outer skirt, before something else appeared underneath them, which felt like some sort of cage, based on how it brushed against her legs. Then it seemed as if somebody had attached an air hose to this skirt and the other garments, as the skirt began to inflate, growing wider and wider at great speed, the fabric creeping across the floor and making a rustling noise, until the skirt seemed to be almost as wide as the corridor. Thankfully, after a few seconds it slowed down and then, mercifully, stopped, floating as the largest hoop skirt Scootaloo had ever seen. Each layer seemed to have gained volume as they had grown in size, and to Scootaloo it felt as if somebody had put several 20 ton weights right onto her hips, as they suddenly began to change in appearance, the material softening and becoming more girly. The world seemed to grow shorter as Scootaloo's boots morphed into a pair of heels, shrinking down along her legs and pushing her up. It felt as if her feet had been put through a pencil sharpener. Finally, the entire ensemble changed colour, from their original mish mash of colours to a royal blue. Scootaloo looked around her at what had just happened. "Just my luck!" she exclaimed. "This looks so girly!" It was just then she realised that several people were looking at her... Apple Bloom looked around her on the dance floor in concern. "Where's Scoots?" she asked. Pip called over to her. "Why? I haven't seen her anywhere!" "It's been a few minutes since she said she'd be in here in a few minutes!" Sweetie Belle answered, as the beat continued to pound through the night and echo across the floor. "Should we ask Miss Cheerilee?" "Good call!" Button Mash shouted. "We'll hold the floor for you, you go and ask her!" "On mah way!" Apple Bloom called, as she and Sweetie Belle sprinted over to Cheerilee, who was propped against a wall with her hand on her forehead. "Miss Cheerilee!" called Sweetie Belle. The teacher instantly snapped to attention. "Hello girls!" she called. "How can I help you?" "We ain't seen Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom told her. "She said she be in here in a few minutes, and she ain't!" Cheerilee sighed. "She's probably a little embarassed she has nothing to wear," Cheerilee sighed. "I'll go find her, don't you worry. Now why don't you girls go and have fun?" Sweetie Belle sighed, as Rumble took the stage and began to sing some old Elvis numbers. "C'mon, let's go," she said to Apple Bloom. Both girls headed back to the dance floor, as Rarity brushed past them, energy surging from her hands... Cheerilee walked down the corridor, hearing clustered voices talking loudly. "Doesn't she look silly!" "I had no idea she was this girly!" "Ha ha! Scootaloo the Princess!" Cheerilee's blood ran cold as she saw a cluster of students merrily taking pictures. She raised her voice. "What are you all doing out here in the corridor?" she asked, looking at them. They all turned around and looked at her. "We-we were just complementing Scootaloo on her costume!" said one. "Yeah!" said another. "When I said she looked silly, I meant that she looks great!" "Go to the hall immediately, and hand your phones into security as you go in," Cheerilee sighed. "Your all late as it is, and mocking another student is never acceptable. GO!" Not wanting to face Cheerilee's wrath, which had been likened to facing a murderous swan, the student block scarpered and ran. Cheerilee stepped forward, and took a deep breath. "Scootaloo," she asked. "What in the world happened?" Far from the girl she had walked in with, Scootaloo looked like she'd stepped straight off the set of a period drama. Her hair was done up in a way that shouldn't have been possible with her short haircut, and her clothes had changed into the largest dress Cheerilee had ever seen, the skirt covering most of the corridor and Scootaloo's shoulders exposed, as well as increased cleavage. The girl's cheeks were red, fresh with complete and utter humiliation and embarrasment. "Thanks for the help mom," she muttered, before taking a deep breath. "God, it is hard to breath in this thing." Cheerilee shook her head. "How long have you been here?" Scootaloo looked to her wrist, only to see her watch had vanished. "This stupid dress swallowed up my phone and wallet," she said, tears in her eyes. "Can this night get any worse?" She tried to move forward, but there seemed to be some sort of resistance preventing her from moving. "It must be heavy, based on the difficulty you're having with moving," Cheerilee said. "Tilt forward slightly and try lifting the front of the skirt." Scootaloo gingerly reached forward, as if the fabric was a viper waiting to bite her, and lifted the skirt slightly. Then, leaning forward, she took a step. Everything fell over as she toppled forward, landing on her face. "Stupid heels! Who thought that these were a good idea?" Cheerilee reached down, and took Scootaloo's hand, lifting her up and straightening her skirts. "Follow me," she said. "I'll get you to the library and do some checks. And you need to tell me how this happened." Scootaloo, lacking the strength or will to aruge, simply nodded, and mother and daughter set off, one proceeding considerably slower than they would have liked to, the sound of fabric and skirt brushing along the floor becoming a recurring accompianament to their journey. Man, how she would give anything to have her old clothes back. Cheerilee unlocked the doors to the library, and stepped through, moving one of the tables as she stepped in to leave enough space for her daughter's dress. When she heard a voice. "Mom... I'm stuck." Cheerilee turned around, and sniggered. Scootaloo was wedged in the doorway, the skirt being slightly too wide for the space before it. "It's not funny!" Scootaloo cried. "I feel like a beached whale!" Cheerilee stepped forward, and took her daughter's hand, pulling as she did so. Scootaloo popped through, the frame of the skirt being slightly compressed and suddenly popping back into shape as she flew through. Both mother and daughter fell to the floor, Cheerilee being buried under Scootaloo and a mountain of fabric. Scootaloo got up uneasily, looking very silly indeed. "Sorry mom," she said. "Don't worry dear," Cheerilee said darkly. "I'll get a tape measure and other equipment. Whoever did this to you should be the one to worry." Author's Note Poor Scootaloo. This is probably her worst nightmare. Many of the pratfalls in this chapter were based on incidents I learned about in history (yes, we had an entire module on fashion through the ages, and these things came up). So, nice to see I can actually use this knowledge... Act III"Can you please keep still?" Scootaloo did her best to stop shuffling, but it was incredibly difficult given the circumstances. "Mom, could you at least work a little faster? I can feel my sanity declining by the second!" "If you were to keep still, I could do this faster," Cheerilee replied, exasperated. "But-" "Who can move quickly?" Scootaloo sighed. "You win." "I thought I would," Cheerilee smiled. She added another pointer to her checklist. "5 colours." Since closing the doors behind her, to reduce the chance of anybody seeing what was going on, she had been noting things down on a pad of paper, trying to establish precisely what this ballgown was, and how best to help her daughter. Not that it really mattered anymore. Scootaloo's self esteem, not to mention her image, was pretty much shot as it was. "How much stuff have you written on that list?" Scootaloo asked quickly, keen not to interrupt her mother's work too much. Cheerilee consulted the list. "Let's see; seven individual layers, 6 foot diameter skirt, more fabric types than I know of and care to name, a corset set like a boa constrictor, two high heeled shoes made of crystal." She paused. "I think they're made of crystal. I'd need to consult a jeweller. Most recently I observed that this thing has five different colours in it." "Blue, blue, blue, blue and blue?" Scootaloo asked. Cheerilee shook her head. "Very funny." She went back to her list. "I think that's more or less everything. Now then, what precisely happened after I left you?" Scootaloo sighed. "Well, I met up with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom in the corridor, and they asked me why I was wearing my normal clothes. I explained why, and they eventually went on ahead of me." "Why did you stay behind?" "I needed more time to prepare myself," Scootaloo sighed. Cheerilee sighed too. "You don't seem to be yourself tonight. Usually you're not this self conscious about your clothes." There was a look of exasperation on Scootaloo's face, which Cheerilee finally spotted. "Oh, continue." Scootaloo nodded. "I was left on my own, when suddenly Rarity went past, singing and sparks shooting from her fingers. I guess I got hit by one, and then this happened." She indicated to herself. Cheerilee looked over out of interest. "What song was she singing? This incident sounds a little familiar." Scootaloo tried breathing in, but her face went purple. "Co-could you loosen the corset a bit? I can barely breath." Cheerilee went over, and freed it a bit, making it easier for Scootaloo to carry out a crucial process for staying alive. "Thanks. Whoever thought such a garment was a sensible idea?" "What song was she singing?" Cheerilee asked again. "Oh! That," Scootaloo answered, before going into her best voice for the circumstances. "Life is a runway, When you see it my way; Take all the good inside Make it beautiful! Fashion is a way to start, Showing what's in your heart; Call it superficial I call it irrefutable!" "You can be the girl That you want to be; With a little love And some accessories! Don't be scared to show you have Personal style; Just go do your thing You'll make everyone smile!" Cheerilee stopped a moment. "That sounds like what happened to me." "What?" Cheerilee looked at her daughter. "Remember that time when I came in from shopping last November and my outfit was completely different to when I went out?" Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah. You think this is the same sort of thing? How long did the magic take to wear off?" "About two hours." Scootaloo looked miserable. "The universe hates me, doesn't it?" "Don't worry Scootaloo, we'll fix it," Cheerilee smiled, putting a hand on her daughter's shoulder. Scootaloo looked up. "You don't think that's a bit weird? You know, putting your hand on my skin?" "You weren't exactly wearing anything when I gave birth to you, so no," Cheerilee laughed, before her voice was interrupted by a loud knock. Cheerilee went over the door and opened it. "Hello? Who's there?" "I'm right here," said a voice. Cheerilee looked down to see that the person standing behind the door was none other than Rumble. Her eyes went wide when she saw how he was dressed. Rather than the usual suit and bow tie, he was dressed in brown boots, red dress trousers with a cream stripe up the sides, along the creases. As well as that he wore a formal army jacket, also coloured a khaki-brown colour, with a green belt to complement it. A band of gold ran around the neckline, and two dark gold epaulettes over his shoulders. A golden clasp over his neck completed the look, presumably holding his jacket in place. "That's not in keeping with the event clothing regulation!" Cheerilee exclaimed. "I know," Rumble shrugged. He then looked beyond and saw Scootaloo in the distance, somewhere in the midst of her ballgown. "Hi Scootaloo!" he called. "Did you just get back from the panto?" Scootaloo facepalmed. "Nice to see you too, Rumble," she sighed. "And you look like you stepped off the set of War and Peace! Or failing that, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band!" Rumble looked down. "I thought the Russian army wore green, and it sure has been lonely without you," he replied. "Was Rarity in your viscinity by any chance?" Cheerilee's head snapped up. "What did you say?" she asked, confused at what Rumble had said. "I said, 'was Rarity in your viscinity, by any chance'? Because she certainly was in my case." Cheerilee charged forward, and pulled Rumble through the door, closing it behind her. "TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU KNOW!" she demanded. Rumble shook slightly from the volume, and then recovered. "May I sit down and take this jacket off? It's a little hard to breathe or even walk in this lot. Seriously, these pants are so tight!" "You think you're having a hard time?" Scootaloo asked. "You're not the one wearing a corset!" "Oh yeah?" Rumble asked. "You're not the one who's neck is being squished!" Cheerilee released the clasp on Rumble's jacket, and he took it off, putting it on a chair, revealing a white long sleeved shirt underneath. Rumble walked into the centre of the room, wobbling about on his boots. "So, what happened?" Cheerilee asked him again, a look of concern on her face. She was keen to get to the bottom of this mess. Rumble sighed, as he sat down on a chair. "Well, I was up on stage performing my set with Pipsqueak and Button Mash, as well as a few others. We'd just finished 'Blank Flanks Forever' when I noticed that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle running out of the auditorium. I could have sworn their clothes were different to when they came in. I shrugged it off, and went on. It was shortly after we started 'With a Little Help from my Friends' that Rarity appeared at the front of the crowd, really into it. Then something flew out of her hands and hit me, and voila!" "Did anybody react?" Scootaloo asked. "Given we've seen bands with magic wings, ears, and ponytails, clothes changing in an instant is hardly the weirdest thing to happen around here. Besides, they assumed it was a stage effect. Once it had ended, however, I headed off and tried to find you. I figured Cheerilee would be in the library, as she often is, so I came here and saw you both." Scootaloo sighed. "Yeah. More or less the same thing happened to me, and everyone saw it." "Nobody has a picture of it though," Cheerilee replied. "I made each and every student that harassed you delete the pictures they had." Suddenly, the door flew open, and who should pop through but Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, both of whom promptly got stuck in the door. "Move back!" Sweetie Belle demanded. "Me move back? You move back, more like!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, before they both fell over in the door and landed on top of each other. It soon became clear why they had got stuck. Sweetie Belle was wearing a yellow ballgown, and Apple Bloom a red one. And both of them had huge skirts, which was how they had got stuck. Cheerilee and Rumble went over to help them up. "I'd ask how this happened to you," Cheerilee said, "but I think we already know the answer." "You do?" Apple Bloom asked. "We don't," Sweetie Belle answered. "Well, what happened?" Rumble asked. So Apple Bloom began to tell the tale, as the world suddenly went foggy... Apple Bloom continued to look about the dance floor, trying to spot Scootaloo. But such luck she was having none of, if indeed she was meant to have any luck today. Scootaloo was nowhere to be seen. "Have ya seen Scoots anywhere?" she called to Sweetie Belle. "No, not since the corridor!" Sweetie Belle called back, looking concerned. "She shouldn't be taking this long!" Apple Bloom went to Pip to alleviate her concerns. "Where's Scoots?" she asked. Pip called over to her. "Why? I haven't seen her anywhere!" "It's been a few minutes since she said she'd be in here in a few minutes!" Sweetie Belle answered, as the beat continued to pound through the night and echo across the floor. "Should we ask Miss Cheerilee?" "Good call!" Button Mash shouted. "We'll hold the floor for you, you go and ask her!" "On mah way!" Apple Bloom called, as she and Sweetie Belle sprinted over to Cheerilee, who was propped against a wall with her hand on her forehead. "Miss Cheerilee!" called Sweetie Belle. The teacher instantly snapped to attention. "Hello girls!" she called. "How can I help you?" "We ain't seen Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom told her. "She said she be in here in a few minutes, and she ain't!" Cheerilee sighed. "She's probably a little embarassed she has nothing to wear," Cheerilee sighed. "I'll go find her, don't you worry. Now why don't you girls go and have fun?" Sweetie Belle sighed, as Rumble took the stage and began to sing some old Elvis numbers. "C'mon, let's go," she said to Apple Bloom. Both girls headed back to the dance floor, when suddenly both became aware of something very odd going on. "Why do I suddenly feel heavier?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking confused. "It's suddenly quite difficult to move!" "Yer not the only one!" Apple Bloom replied, before looking down and gasping. "Sweetie Belle! Yer dress!" Sweetie Belle glanced down in confusion, to see the skirt of her dress start to grow longer, and suddenly she looked up again. "Apple Bloom! It's happening to you too!" she cried. Apple Bloom pointed for the exit as the hem of her dress reached the floor and began to turn red. Both students ran to where they couldn't be easily seen, and straight through the door, which they succeeded in closing just in time. And it was just as well too, as their skirts suddenly exploded outwards in a dome shape. "What just happened?" Sweetie Belle asked. "This has to be some sort of weird dream!" Apple Bloom pinched herself. "Nope, this is real alright," she said. Moments later, she saw Rumble vanish off down a corridor in the direction of the library. "But Rumble's lookin' a little off too." "Just like a handsome prince," Sweetie Belle said, blushing a little. "Scootaloo would be so mad if she found out you got the hots fer Rumble!" Apple Bloom replied. "Wait, what if this has happened to Scoots too?" "Let's go!" Sweetie Belle called, before almost immediately tripping over her skirts. "I think the factor connecting us all is Rarity," Scootaloo concluded, once Apple Bloom had finished speaking. "So, we need to find her, and get this put right!" "Let's go!" Rumble called, and they all went through the door... and fell over all at once. Cheerilee facepalmed. "One at a time," she said, shaking her head. Author's Note The plot thickens! Chazkopa suggested the idea of the same fate befalling Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle (the latter of whom wouldn't mind being dressed like that, I suspect) and I decided to incorporate it. The shenanigans you can get out of this are unlimited. If you are wondering, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom look like this; See you tomorrow for Act IV! Act IVRumble opened another door and looked through, a shimmer of gold from his collar briefly visible in the door handle as he peeked through. "OK, this way is clear girls!" he called, and calmly pulled the door open as he did so, briefly revealing his three friends in the full stage of their current predicament of trying to navigate in such attire as they currently wore. "Remember what mom said, right?" Scootaloo said to her friends, doing her best to turn with all the weight of fabric holding her down. Surprisingly, she was now finding it easier to move about in that blasted thing. Easier being the somewhat critical part. It wasn't easy at all to move about in, but it was easier than earlier, as she was not falling flat on her face as she had been earlier that evening. "One at a time, otherwise we'll just get stuck." "Because that worked so well at the library, didn't it?" Apple Bloom drawled sarcastically, her voice full of sarcasm. "Ya got stuck, right?" "Only because somebody didn't open the other door!" Scootaloo snapped back. "Now come on, the sooner we're out of these ridiculous things the better. God only knows what I did to deserve this." "God only knows what I'd be without you," Rumble answered. "You're such a gentleman, you know that?" Sweetie Belle smiled, her face blushing. "Back. Off," Scootaloo retorted, through gritted teeth. "Now come on! Let's get moving before anything else bad happens!" With that, she heaved her skirt through the door, and Apple Bloom followed soon after, a wall of purple and blue filling up the corridor as they proceeded on their way. Rumble then released the door- and it slammed into Sweetie Belle's face. "Oww," she moaned, and pushed it open as best she could. The diamater of her skirt made reaching for things like door handles and latches very difficult, and this was an obvious impediment to her getting through the door. The obstacle successfully overcome on her part, she headed onwards into the corridor after her friends, and then turned a corridor to suddenly see Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had stopped just up ahead, and seemed to be in conversation, with Rumble standing off to one side. "Any idea what's going on?" Button Mash asked Rumble. "I noticed you had that one whilst we were performing. No wonder you sounded so strained whilst singing!" "You're too kind," Rumble grunted. "Yeah. This all has to do with Rarity. Cheerilee mentioned something about her magic being able to mess about with the clothes that people are wearing, and I think she's gone on a Disney inspired design binge lately. That would explain why I look like Prince Charming, and my fine friends here look like Princesses. Just I have no idea which ones." "Possibly Aurora and Belle, from Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast respectively?" Button suggested, his eyes full of wild emotion and ideas. "How do you know that?" Pip asked, visibly confused. "An almost encyclopedic knowledge of Disney movies," Button smiled. "That, and my brother starred in a production of the latter as the Beast." "Who was Belle?" Sweetie Belle asked, now interested for some reason. She had always had a soft spot for those sorts of things, and now was clearly no exception. "Rarity." "Maybe," Apple Bloom suggested, "it's memories of those events an' other such thin's that is causin' her magic ta act in this way!" "Like when her magic made mom look like a college student," Scootaloo added. "Speaking of which, you guys don't seem to be at all shocked at what you're seeing. This is way too girly for me!" "Given the flying students, portals to other worlds, daemons, train robbers, and other weird things we've seen since last fall," Pip said, with finality, "wardrobe malfunctions are hardly the weirdest thing we've ever seen around here, and it could have been a lot worse. You could have ended up with no clothes at all!" "That doesn't bare thinking about," Rumble said quickly. "The news would be all over it, not to mention the ride to the police station on a public indecency charge." "Though we know Swift Order, so that helps," Button chimed in. "So, yeah, I don't really see the issue as long as we fix it, and I think Pip concurs with me on that." He then looked to Sweetie Belle, love in his eyes, and not in his face (a fact that Quick Quill will be relived to hear). "Besides, I think you look really beautiful." Unable to think of anything to say in response, Sweetie Belle simply went bright red and threw her arms around Button Mash as best she could without squashing him with her dress. Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Yuck," was her only comment. "How sappy." "You can talk!" Rumble scoffed, before going into an impression of her voice. “'I love you Rumble, now let’s get it done on the dance floor!' That's what you said to me a year ago.” "I do NOT sound like that!" Scootaloo protested, her face going even redder than Sweetie Belle's or Button Mash's. In fact, if you lined them up, you would get an even progression in gradient of colour from light peach to incredibly red. "You so do," Rumble teased. "Ah hate ta interrupt all the mushy stuff an' all-" "MUSHY STUFF?" Scootaloo, Rumble, Sweetie Belle and Button Mash all chorused together. "Yeah," Apple Bloom went on, "Ah hate ta interrupt all the mushy stuff an' all, but shouldn't we focus on gettin' turned back ta normal? This thin's squishin' mah lungs, and fancy frocks never were mah thin' anyways!" "Well then," Pip said, taking control of the conversation with efficiency. "Shall we head in there and get this over with? I can sense that the party is heating up, and the presentation is soon to start for Fall Formal Princess!" "Let's go!" Button Mash called, pulling Sweetie Belle along with him, the others following soon behind. "Go easy Button!" Sweetie Belle called. "I'd prefer for my arm to remain in its socket!" The music began to die down as the six of them entered, Cheerilee entering a moment later with the door closing behind her. It took a moment, but the rustling of fabric and frames bumping into things soon attracted the attention of the party goers, who looked over in confusion and bemusement. "Who invited the princesses?" one person asked, looking on at the bizarre sight before him. "Is that Scootaloo?" asked another. "No wonder she's been hiding the entire time; she looks ridiculous!" "Ignore them," Rumble hissed, as they went along. Unfortunately, things rapidly went wrong as somebody trod on the hem of Apple Bloom's skirt. They slipped, and their foot slammed into the back of the skirt frame, causing Apple Bloom to fly through the air, do multiple cartwheels, and crash into the drink stand, getting absolutely covered in fruit punch in the process. This turned her previously red dress a rather odd shade of orange. Rainbow Dash glanced over from where she was dancing with Soarin'. "Squirt?" she asked. "Is that you?" "Err, yes?" Scootaloo replied, utterly embarrassed her idol... no, her sister, was seeing her in this state. "Magic?" Rainbow asked again. "Yeah," Scootaloo nodded. Nearby, Applejack was helping clear up the mess from the demolished fruit punch stand, and suddenly recognised a certain pink bow in amongst the mess. "Apple Bloom?" she asked. "What on Earth are ya wearin'? Ya weren't dressed like this when we got here!" "Ah know," Apple Bloom nodded. "Somethin' ta do with crazy magic or somethin'." "Wearin' one of those thin's at the Spring Fling was enough of a reason ta never want ta wear one again," her big sister replied, before suddenly chortling. "But this ain't the first time you've crashed inta somethin' wet before!" Apple Bloom shook her head. "Very funny, sis," she replied. Rarity suddenly saw the commotion, and saw not only Scootaloo's, Apple Bloom's and Sweetie Belle's huge skirts, but Rumble's formal attire. "You're not dressed how you were earlier," she said. "Well observed, Sherlock!" Rumble snapped at her. "Thanks to you, we're all stuck in these ridiculous outfits!" "Whatever do you mean?" Rarity retorted, the fashionista somewhat hurt and confused at the accusation. "I'm sure they don't mean harm," Twilight said, interjecting into the conversation. "But you may have been overusing your geode again. Remember when Rainbow Dash overused hers and she ended up being able to run multiple times the speed of sound?" "Well yes, so my geode being overused is causing their clothing to change to such dramatic degrees," Rarity mused, her face the vision of horror. "But this has happened before, when in town in November last year!" She gathered her friends together, the other members of the Rainbooms coming together into a huddle. "We must fix this, and now, before my sister and her friends become the laughing stock of the entire town!" "We kinda already have," Sweetie Belle said sadly. "All the more reason to fix it then!" Rarity replied. The seven friends focused their energy, and four blasts of light shot through the air, and into the Crusaders and Rumble. Author's Note Apple Bloom falling into water and mud is something of a running joke in my stories. See 'An Apple a Day' and 'The Perils of Parties' for more examples. Will it work? Find out tomorrow! Act V"Well yes, so my geode being overused is causing their clothing to change to such dramatic degrees," Rarity mused, her face the vision of horror. "But this has happened before, when in town in November last year!" She gathered her friends together, the other members of the Rainbooms coming together into a huddle. "We must fix this, and now, before my sister and her friends become the laughing stock of the entire town!" "We kinda already have," Sweetie Belle said sadly. "All the more reason to fix it then!" Rarity replied. The seven friends focused their energy, and four blasts of light shot through the air, and into the Crusaders and Rumble. Now back to the main story. Scootaloo felt the same meteoric blast she had felt earlier, with the same level of energy as she had felt the previous time just about an hour ago. And as she stood there, the magic slowly began to work its effects, seemingly in reverse to what had transpired previously. Her hair pulled itself out of the French twist it was currently in, and shrank back into her head until it was back to its old length, followed by a blue flower appearing in her hair. That was it for what had happened to her body, and sure enough the magic began to work its way through her clothes. Her bodice separated from her skirt, and suddenly changed colour to purple. The sleeves grew longer as the ruffled material around her collar vanished, and her sleeves stopped around her wrists as the pressure on her waist decreased, until Scootaloo could breathe normally again. It felt like a ton of weight had been pulled off of her chest, and this relieved her. Several students watched in mild fascination as the process unfolded before their very eyes. Now it was the turn of the skirt to change. It looked like it was falling in on itself as it shrank back to being just around Scootaloo's legs. The extra layers and petticoats underneath the outer skirt vanished, followed by the frame inside it, and the skirt began to shrink back up Scootaloo's legs, before stopping just above her knees and turning a lighter shade of purple. Finally, her footwear (which they had finally determined to be somehow made of crystal) changed back to a pair of normal shoes, before abruptly growing up her legs and stopping partway up her calves. These 'boots', as they know were, turned two shades of purple with a blue gem inset into the boot. Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief as her friends also turned back to normal. "At least that's over," she said, with a sigh. "This is almost like a dream!" "It seemed like it at points," Rumble said, walking over to her in a fine suit and bow tie. "Felt a little like a fairy tale." Scootaloo glanced over at Cheerilee. "Did anybody get pictures of it? I'd hate for this to get out!" "I made those students delete each and every one," her mother replied, "so there's no official record of this ever happening." "Ah don't think we'll ever forget it, though," Apple Bloom added. "Nor will anybody else." "Shall we dance?" Pip asked, signalling the DJ, Vinyl Scratch. "Hit it, folks!" Vinyl cheered, spinning the record. "Happily Ever After Party, coming right up!" Scootaloo stood outside, waiting for Cheerilee to just finish up cleaning the hall of anything unwanted or unneeded at that time. Sure enough, her mother soon appeared and smiled at her. "Ready to go?" she asked. "There was one thing I was wondering," Scootaloo asked. "You know that whole 'gown' thing? How did you know how to move in it?" Cheerilee smiled. "Did I never tell you? You've seen my wedding photographs, right?" "Well, yeah. You mean that one of you on a swing where it's really obvious that you're-" Cheerilee quickly shushed her. "The fact I was pregnant with you has nothing to do with this. What does matter is the dress itself. I was wearing a crinoline under the skirt, so I knew how to move in it from then. Whoever would have known that would have come in handy later?" "Beats me," Scootaloo sighed. Suddenly, she felt a little light headed. "Mom, I feel a little off." "That's not a surprise," Cheerilee replied. "After all, it's time to wake up." Scootaloo had no opportunity to analyse the words, before falling forward and- -suddenly hitting a carpet. In her pyjamas. She pushed herself up, and looked around the room. It was a completely white room, with a very nice view of some green fields, some cottages made of stone, a stable, and a few former railway bridges in the distance. "Where am I?" she asked. God, that was a weird dream. Being turned into Cinderella, and then having the same happen to her friends? Had she eaten too much cheese last night? It sure seemed that way. Suddenly, the door opened, and Cheerilee looked in. "Are you OK?" "Mom, I had the wierdest dream," Scootaloo replied, looking her directly in the eye. "That teaches me to eat cheese before going to bed again." "Well, it seems I have to learn the same lesson," Cheerilee sighed. "As I had a seriously weird one as well. But you can tell me all about it over breakfast. After all, we have a train to catch, which leaves from Settle in about three hours." Then Scootaloo remembered where she was. She was in Yorkshire, in England, as they were there to catch a special train to Carlisle that very day, and to return as well. She grabbed her goggles, and ran for the breakfast table where she could already see Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sat, as well as Rainbow Dash, Pear Butter, Rarity, Applejack, and Cookie Crumbles (Rarity's mom). Naturally, the table went into conversation as they chatted and conversed with one another about the upcoming day. None of them noticed the glowing crystal slipper at the bottom of Scootaloo's wardrobe. Author's Note Cheerilee's dress is based on this one. Well, thanks for following along with this truly crazy ride. This is the strangest request I have ever received, but Chazkopa, I hope you enjoyed it. See you next week! CreditsMadeleine Peters-Scootaloo Nicole Oliver-Cheerilee Claire Corlett-Sweetie Belle Tabitha St. Germain-Rarity Vincent Tong-Rumble Michelle Creber-Apple Bloom Graham Verchere-Pipsqueak Blake Swift-Button Mash James Kirk-Various male students Shannon Chan-Kent-Various male sutdents Ashleigh Ball-Rainbow Dash, Applejack Tara Strong-Twilight Jessie Nowack-Vinyl Scratch
Act IScootaloo rifled through her wardrobe, desperately searching. "Come on, something must be in here!" she asked, in frustration, looking for something that didn't seem to be there. The Fall Formal was always a time of frustration for the students of Canterlot High, mainly because it meant having to wear something different to normal, and the dress code for the event was very strict; tuxedos or grey suits for the boys, and skirts or dresses for the girls. This presented a challenge for Scootaloo, as she normally detested wearing the very items of clothing required of her that night, but her friends were going, as was Rumble, and so she didn't want to miss out. Just then, she came across the outfit she had worn a year ago, at the previous Fall Formal; a pink (ish) skirt with a purple blouse, with sleeves that fell to her elbows. "Found it!" she exclaimed. It was what she had worn previously, but she didn't really care. After all, she could move in it pretty easily, and at least she could see her feet. That, admittedly, was extremely important for her, and Scootaloo would never be comfortable wearing something in which she had no clue where she was going. Slipping the shirt of the hanger and unfolding the skirt, she quickly got undressed and slipped the shirt over her head, sliding her arms down the sleeves with a little difficulty. She then pulled the skirt on and added the boots that went with it, before adjusting her wardrobe door and looking for a moment in it. It then ocurred to her that something somehow didn't sit right. In response, she rolled the sleeves down a bit to see if that corrected the problem, but somehow there was something that didn't seem quite right about her outfit. Maybe a second opinion would help, and so Scootaloo went through the corridor to find her mom. Cheerilee was in her room, which also doubled as her office at home, hastily preparing things for the Fall Formal. Paperwork, notices, boxes, orders to sign for, things to check, plastic for fridges, metal for bridges, quotations from the 1988 British Rail advert, and many other myriad and odd things were lying around. Cheerilee's pen was working double time in order to keep up, when the pile at last seemed to grow a little smaller. "Why does paperwork never end?" Cheerilee grumbled to herself. "I swear the only time I sign things three times is because the first two signatures somehow get lost!" She fired off some more signatures, and the pile depleted some more. "Hi mom!" Scootaloo called. Cheerilee swung her chair round, and her frown dissipated almost immediately, as it was always a delight for her to spend time with her daughter. "Good afternoon Scootaloo!" Cheerilee called back. "Did you want to see me?" "I'd like a second opinion on something," Scootaloo said, before stepping around the bed and stopping, so Cheerilee could see her clearly. "How do I look?" she asked, striking a pose as she did so. Cheerilee frowned, getting up and taking a quick look at Scootaloo's clothes. She also pulled on the sleeves of her shirt, to see if there was any bunched material. But there was not. That was them at full length. "If I were to be honest Scootaloo," she said, "the sleeves and skirt look a bit short on you. Have you grown since you last wore that?" Scootaloo went red almost immediately. "Err, maybe?" she replied. "Maybe Rarity could put something together for you," Cheerilee suggested. Upon seeing the sad look upon her daughter's face, she spoke quickly again. "I understand that outfit means a lot to you-" "Are you kidding? I had my first kiss wearing this!" "-if I may finish Scootaloo," Cheerilee continued. "But we did throw it together at very short notice. Maybe something purpose made would suit you better." Scootaloo sighed. "OK mom. I'll go get changed and over to Rarity's place. I'll check in with Sweetie Belle whilst I'm there." There was a loud click as Scootaloo left the room, and Cheerilee turned back to her work, sighing. "Maybe I'll get this lot done before Doomsday or the Fall Formal, whichever comes first," she groaned, her hand feeling sore again from writing her name over and over again. Seriously, there were people still calling her Miss MacLeod! Her train of thought was interrupted by the sound of the main door closing. She got up, and ran over to it, opening it and saw her daughter sprinting down the path to the streetcar stop. "Scootaloo!" she called. Scootaloo skidded to a stop, and looked over to her mom. "Yes mom?" she asked. "I think you've forgotten something," Cheerilee sighed. "As a matter of fact, you've forgotten several things, the first of which being what you're wearing." Scootaloo looked down at herself, onto to suddenly realise she was still wearing the shirt and skirt from last year. "Oh!" she said. "Right!" Before she could say anything else, or anybody else could say anything for that matter, she ran past Cheerilee and went back indoors. A few minutes after that, she re-emerged, dressed as she normally did; hoodie, turquoise shirt, green shorts, and grey boots, and sped for the streetcar stop. "Don't forget your wallet!" Cheerilee called. "I've got it!" Scootaloo called, and hopped aboard the waiting streetcar, which then pulled away from the platform and off toward school. Cheerilee simply laughed and went back indoors. She loved Scootaloo to bits (frankly, what mother wouldn't love their daughter?) but even with her husband now based out of Canterlot, he wasn't about as much as he could be thanks to the Air Force. As a result, she was the primary caregiver for Scootaloo, and boy could she be a handful at times. "Oh well, those papers won't finish themselves," she sighed, and went back indoors, to wrestle with yet more papers to sign. It was a thankless task, but somebody had to do it! Carousel Boutique, as Rarity's house was sometimes nicknamed, was the usual hive of activity it was before the Fall Formal. She had a backlog of dresses to distribute, and the order pile was at last coming to an end. Sewing machines hummed and clattered as fabric was stitched together, every conceivable combination of colours rattling through the rapidly working needles that attached them into new forms. Rarity had to keep on her toes in order to ensure that all worked efficiently. A single jammed needle could result in delays, and that was simply not acceptable. In the other room, Sweetie Belle was checking her dress from last year still fitted her. "That seems fine," she said, with a smile. Just then, there was a knock at the door, which she went to answer. Forgetting she had no footwear on, and was simply in her socks, she sprinted over and pulled the door open. On the other side was a very hot Scootaloo. "Hi Sweetie Belle!" she said, pulling her hoodie off, and wrapping it around her arm. "Is Rarity in?" "Yeah, she's in the sewing room," Sweetie Belle replied. "Why?" "I need a new dress for the Fall Formal," Scootaloo replied, shrugging her shoulders. "My one from last year didn't fit." "Well, you do eat a lot," Sweetie Belle joked. "Hey!" the violet haired girl exclaimed. "So do you, according to Rarity." "Point taken," Sweetie Belle sighed. "She's possibly not in the best of moods at the moment, so go carefully." There was a loud bang. "Do not tell me who to be annoyed with!" shouted the voice of Rarity. Sweetie Belle shook her head. "If she's shouting at the machines, she must be cross." Scootaloo stepped to the door, and opened it slowly. "No time like the present," she sighed, and stepped in. Rarity was standing in the midst of what could only be described as organised chaos. Clothing was lying all over the place, and her hair was all over the place, sticking out in every direction of the compass and yet more. "Erm, hi?" Scootaloo asked. Rarity turned around, with anger on her face which was almost immediately replaced with a forced smile and a vague attempt to look somewhat presentable. "Why hello, Mistress Collins!" she exclaimed. "Tell me, what can I do for thee today?" Scootaloo shook her head. "Rarity, you can call me Scootaloo," she sighed. "Anyway, I'm sorry that it's such a short notice request, but I was wondering if you could make me a dress." The look of surprise on Rarity's face said plenty about how she felt about what had been said. "Oh darling!" she exclaimed. "I knew one day you'd discover your feminine side!" The younger girl sighed. "It's for the Fall Formal. My one from last year no longer fits properly." "Ah, that monstrous carbunkle!" Rarity snorted. "I must say it was an exceptionally poor match for you, to be honest. Something longer would work better." "You know, I was just hoping you could make the same thing in a bigger size." Scootaloo hoped her request would be listened to, waiting for a moment until Rarity seemed to be ready to reply. That hope was shattered a few moments later, when Rarity finally answered her question. "Most certainly not! A lady such as yourself deserves to look far more fabulous. Whatever would Rumble think of you turning up in something as trashy as that?" "He seemed to like it last year," Scootaloo replied, but it seemed Rarity had not paid any attention to a word she had said, as she set about drawing something on a board. It had curves in it, which caused Scootaloo to start to dread whatever it was Rarity had planned. "All done!" Rarity exclaimed, and flipped the board over. Scootaloo facepalmed at what was on it. The suggestion that Rarity had done was something that looked like something out of a Disney movie, with a huge skirt and overblown sleeves that vaguely resembled something she had seen somewhere before. "It's a look that's loosely inspired by the gown worn by Giselle in Enchanted. What do you think?" Scootaloo growled. "First, I've never seen that film, so I've no idea what that means. Second, I'd rather be able to see my feet. Finally, it's far too girly." Rarity looked sadly at her. "That's a pity, but I understand. But if I don't know what you want, I cannot make you anything for the Fall Formal." "That's fine," Scootaloo replied, going through the door as she did so. "I'll just go as I'm dressed now." On her way over to the streetcar stop, Scootaloo walked into a familar face. The sweet face and purple eyes of Rumble always made her blush a bit. "Hey Rumble," she said, with an awkward grin. "Nice to see you too, Scoots," Rumble replied. "So, how are you going to the Fall Formal?" "As I am now," she replied, with a sigh. "What I wore last year doesn't fit me anymore, and Rarity came up with some ridiculous frock I wouldn't be seen dead in." Rumble sighed, looking at the floor before looking into her eyes and definitely not at her chest. "That's a pity. You looked cute in that." "You really think so?" The boy nodded. "Seriously, you should try wearing dresses more often." "No way!" Scootaloo exclaimed, suddenly looking quite hot and bothered. "I would never wear one of those things by choice!" Just then the streetcar rumbled in, and Scootaloo hopped aboard. "See ya there Rumble!" she called, as the streetcar pulled away. Rumlbe nodded sadly. "Yeah, see you," he sighed. He worried she wouldn't be let in, and he had happy memories of that Fall Formal a year ago, the day he kissed a girl for the first time and that very girl confessed her love to him. He set off down the street, strolling toward his home to get his suit ready for tonight. Elsewhere, Rarity was getting her own outfit on, which was one of her classy yet elegant pieces that was simple and yet not overblown. "Well, let us be on our way!" she said, heading out of the door. As she did so, a spark flew out of her hand and hit an item of fabric behind her. Author's Note Cheerilee's experience is loosely based on my experience in education. The number of forms we had to sign was ridiculous... Next chapter: the Fall Formal!
Act IIThe Fall Formal was just as busy as it had been the previous year. Students were piling off the streetcars and heading indoors, looking wonderful in either smart suits with bow ties or beautiful dresses, depending on the subjects gender. Except Scootaloo, who was dressed in her usual ensemble of turquoise shirt, grey hoodie, green shorts, and grey boots. Cheerilee was sat next to her, also dressed normally. Like last year, she was helping with security, and as the streetcar rolled to a stop, they got off. Truth be told, they waited for the streetcar to stop before they got off, as otherwise it could hurt a lot. "A pity that it didn't work out with Rarity," Scootaloo sighed. "At least Rumble won't judge me over how I'm dressed." "Don't worry dear," Cheerilee smiled. "I'm certain everything will be just fine, and nobody will mind how you're dressed." Scootaloo laughed at that. "Yeah. You'd need to be pretty shallow to judge somebody only on their clothes." Just then, as they entered the corridor and Cheerilee went on ahead of her to the hall, Scootaloo saw her friends Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, wearing the dresses they wore last year (which miraculously still fitted them); a purple dress with a ribbon around the waist for Apple Bloom, and a pink sleeveless dress with a ruffled skirt for Sweetie Belle. "Howdy Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom called, waving to her friend. "What's up with the clothin'?" Scootaloo sighed. "I tried to request something from Rarity, but what she came up with was too girly for my taste." "Yeah, I saw that," Sweetie Belle sighed. "Sheesh, she doesn't seem to appreciate some people like to be able to see their feet." "Why not wear what you wore last year?" Apple Bloom asked. "It no longer fitted me," Scootaloo sighed. "Oh," Apple Bloom replied. "That musta sucked. Ya looked great in that skirt." Scootaloo nodded. "You know guys, go on ahead. I'll follow you up soon." "OK Scootaloo, see you in a bit," Sweetie Belle replied, and she and Apple Bloom headed off in the direction of the school hall, where the party was currently ongoing. Scootaloo shrugged her shoulders. "See you guys," she answered, looking around her as other people bustled into the hall. Eventually she was left in the hallway on her own. With a sigh, she started to step forward, when suddenly in the distance she heard a quiet, yet familiar, voice. "Life is a runway, When you see it my way; Take all the good inside Make it beautiful! Fashion is a way to start, Showing what's in your heart; Call it superficial I call it irrefutable!" The voice was slowly getting closer and closer. Scootaloo then recognised it as that of Rarity, who was somewhat late, and she was in a rush. She continued with her song, apparently oblivious to the freshman standing near her as she rushed past. The entire thing turned into a dance number, magic shooting from her fingers and crashing into objects. Lockers gained dents, padlocks were blown off, and the lights flickered like faulty bulbs in a horror movie. "You can be the girl That you want to be; With a little love And some accessories! Don't be scared to show you have Personal style; Just go do your thing You'll make everyone smile!" With that last line, another blast of magic flew from Rarity's fingers. And Scootaloo had been standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. The blast of magic collided with the freshman like a meteor, leaving her stunned and confused. As Rarity headed off into the distance, apparently unaware of what had just transpired as the words of her song continued, Scootaloo started to change... Firstly, her hair began growing, until it had at least reached down to her shoulders, and then it suddenly curled back on itself, piling up upon the top of her head in what resembled a French twist. The girl had felt all of this, and was confused and shocked. "Wh-what's happening to me?" she asked. She had no idea what was coming. The next thing to occur happened to her hoodie, which merged with her turquoise shirt to create a single garment. The zip vanished and the gap sewed itself up, followed by her sleeves shrinking back until they sat on the side of her shoulders. The hood shrank back into the material, and the back of the jacket dropped, exposing her upper back. At the same time, the neckline dropped to just above her breasts whilst the front round to the back of the shoulders began to ruffle up, forming a sort of zigzag of material across it. Then the chest area started to tighten a bit, giving Scootaloo an hourglass shape, as well as leaving the girl gasping for breath. "What... the... hell... is... happening?" she gasped, heaving air into her constrained lungs. The garment that had once been her favourite hoodie sudenly began to change more, the material changing from cotton to something much softer, something Scootaloo couldn't identify, but was definitely girly. She was sure of it. Shortly after, her shorts merged with her former hoodie, which now looked like some sort of bodice, before the legs of the shorts stiched themselves together. The material separating the legs shrank back into them, turning it into a mini-skirt of some description, leading to an incredibly strange mismatch of fashion. But that was not to be the case for much longer, as the skirt suddenly began growing longer, proceeding toward the floor until Scootaloo could no longer see her feet. It seemed to gain volume, layer after layer of petticoats appearing underneath the outer skirt, before something else appeared underneath them, which felt like some sort of cage, based on how it brushed against her legs. Then it seemed as if somebody had attached an air hose to this skirt and the other garments, as the skirt began to inflate, growing wider and wider at great speed, the fabric creeping across the floor and making a rustling noise, until the skirt seemed to be almost as wide as the corridor. Thankfully, after a few seconds it slowed down and then, mercifully, stopped, floating as the largest hoop skirt Scootaloo had ever seen. Each layer seemed to have gained volume as they had grown in size, and to Scootaloo it felt as if somebody had put several 20 ton weights right onto her hips, as they suddenly began to change in appearance, the material softening and becoming more girly. The world seemed to grow shorter as Scootaloo's boots morphed into a pair of heels, shrinking down along her legs and pushing her up. It felt as if her feet had been put through a pencil sharpener. Finally, the entire ensemble changed colour, from their original mish mash of colours to a royal blue. Scootaloo looked around her at what had just happened. "Just my luck!" she exclaimed. "This looks so girly!" It was just then she realised that several people were looking at her... Apple Bloom looked around her on the dance floor in concern. "Where's Scoots?" she asked. Pip called over to her. "Why? I haven't seen her anywhere!" "It's been a few minutes since she said she'd be in here in a few minutes!" Sweetie Belle answered, as the beat continued to pound through the night and echo across the floor. "Should we ask Miss Cheerilee?" "Good call!" Button Mash shouted. "We'll hold the floor for you, you go and ask her!" "On mah way!" Apple Bloom called, as she and Sweetie Belle sprinted over to Cheerilee, who was propped against a wall with her hand on her forehead. "Miss Cheerilee!" called Sweetie Belle. The teacher instantly snapped to attention. "Hello girls!" she called. "How can I help you?" "We ain't seen Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom told her. "She said she be in here in a few minutes, and she ain't!" Cheerilee sighed. "She's probably a little embarassed she has nothing to wear," Cheerilee sighed. "I'll go find her, don't you worry. Now why don't you girls go and have fun?" Sweetie Belle sighed, as Rumble took the stage and began to sing some old Elvis numbers. "C'mon, let's go," she said to Apple Bloom. Both girls headed back to the dance floor, as Rarity brushed past them, energy surging from her hands... Cheerilee walked down the corridor, hearing clustered voices talking loudly. "Doesn't she look silly!" "I had no idea she was this girly!" "Ha ha! Scootaloo the Princess!" Cheerilee's blood ran cold as she saw a cluster of students merrily taking pictures. She raised her voice. "What are you all doing out here in the corridor?" she asked, looking at them. They all turned around and looked at her. "We-we were just complementing Scootaloo on her costume!" said one. "Yeah!" said another. "When I said she looked silly, I meant that she looks great!" "Go to the hall immediately, and hand your phones into security as you go in," Cheerilee sighed. "Your all late as it is, and mocking another student is never acceptable. GO!" Not wanting to face Cheerilee's wrath, which had been likened to facing a murderous swan, the student block scarpered and ran. Cheerilee stepped forward, and took a deep breath. "Scootaloo," she asked. "What in the world happened?" Far from the girl she had walked in with, Scootaloo looked like she'd stepped straight off the set of a period drama. Her hair was done up in a way that shouldn't have been possible with her short haircut, and her clothes had changed into the largest dress Cheerilee had ever seen, the skirt covering most of the corridor and Scootaloo's shoulders exposed, as well as increased cleavage. The girl's cheeks were red, fresh with complete and utter humiliation and embarrasment. "Thanks for the help mom," she muttered, before taking a deep breath. "God, it is hard to breath in this thing." Cheerilee shook her head. "How long have you been here?" Scootaloo looked to her wrist, only to see her watch had vanished. "This stupid dress swallowed up my phone and wallet," she said, tears in her eyes. "Can this night get any worse?" She tried to move forward, but there seemed to be some sort of resistance preventing her from moving. "It must be heavy, based on the difficulty you're having with moving," Cheerilee said. "Tilt forward slightly and try lifting the front of the skirt." Scootaloo gingerly reached forward, as if the fabric was a viper waiting to bite her, and lifted the skirt slightly. Then, leaning forward, she took a step. Everything fell over as she toppled forward, landing on her face. "Stupid heels! Who thought that these were a good idea?" Cheerilee reached down, and took Scootaloo's hand, lifting her up and straightening her skirts. "Follow me," she said. "I'll get you to the library and do some checks. And you need to tell me how this happened." Scootaloo, lacking the strength or will to aruge, simply nodded, and mother and daughter set off, one proceeding considerably slower than they would have liked to, the sound of fabric and skirt brushing along the floor becoming a recurring accompianament to their journey. Man, how she would give anything to have her old clothes back. Cheerilee unlocked the doors to the library, and stepped through, moving one of the tables as she stepped in to leave enough space for her daughter's dress. When she heard a voice. "Mom... I'm stuck." Cheerilee turned around, and sniggered. Scootaloo was wedged in the doorway, the skirt being slightly too wide for the space before it. "It's not funny!" Scootaloo cried. "I feel like a beached whale!" Cheerilee stepped forward, and took her daughter's hand, pulling as she did so. Scootaloo popped through, the frame of the skirt being slightly compressed and suddenly popping back into shape as she flew through. Both mother and daughter fell to the floor, Cheerilee being buried under Scootaloo and a mountain of fabric. Scootaloo got up uneasily, looking very silly indeed. "Sorry mom," she said. "Don't worry dear," Cheerilee said darkly. "I'll get a tape measure and other equipment. Whoever did this to you should be the one to worry." Author's Note Poor Scootaloo. This is probably her worst nightmare. Many of the pratfalls in this chapter were based on incidents I learned about in history (yes, we had an entire module on fashion through the ages, and these things came up). So, nice to see I can actually use this knowledge...
Act III"Can you please keep still?" Scootaloo did her best to stop shuffling, but it was incredibly difficult given the circumstances. "Mom, could you at least work a little faster? I can feel my sanity declining by the second!" "If you were to keep still, I could do this faster," Cheerilee replied, exasperated. "But-" "Who can move quickly?" Scootaloo sighed. "You win." "I thought I would," Cheerilee smiled. She added another pointer to her checklist. "5 colours." Since closing the doors behind her, to reduce the chance of anybody seeing what was going on, she had been noting things down on a pad of paper, trying to establish precisely what this ballgown was, and how best to help her daughter. Not that it really mattered anymore. Scootaloo's self esteem, not to mention her image, was pretty much shot as it was. "How much stuff have you written on that list?" Scootaloo asked quickly, keen not to interrupt her mother's work too much. Cheerilee consulted the list. "Let's see; seven individual layers, 6 foot diameter skirt, more fabric types than I know of and care to name, a corset set like a boa constrictor, two high heeled shoes made of crystal." She paused. "I think they're made of crystal. I'd need to consult a jeweller. Most recently I observed that this thing has five different colours in it." "Blue, blue, blue, blue and blue?" Scootaloo asked. Cheerilee shook her head. "Very funny." She went back to her list. "I think that's more or less everything. Now then, what precisely happened after I left you?" Scootaloo sighed. "Well, I met up with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom in the corridor, and they asked me why I was wearing my normal clothes. I explained why, and they eventually went on ahead of me." "Why did you stay behind?" "I needed more time to prepare myself," Scootaloo sighed. Cheerilee sighed too. "You don't seem to be yourself tonight. Usually you're not this self conscious about your clothes." There was a look of exasperation on Scootaloo's face, which Cheerilee finally spotted. "Oh, continue." Scootaloo nodded. "I was left on my own, when suddenly Rarity went past, singing and sparks shooting from her fingers. I guess I got hit by one, and then this happened." She indicated to herself. Cheerilee looked over out of interest. "What song was she singing? This incident sounds a little familiar." Scootaloo tried breathing in, but her face went purple. "Co-could you loosen the corset a bit? I can barely breath." Cheerilee went over, and freed it a bit, making it easier for Scootaloo to carry out a crucial process for staying alive. "Thanks. Whoever thought such a garment was a sensible idea?" "What song was she singing?" Cheerilee asked again. "Oh! That," Scootaloo answered, before going into her best voice for the circumstances. "Life is a runway, When you see it my way; Take all the good inside Make it beautiful! Fashion is a way to start, Showing what's in your heart; Call it superficial I call it irrefutable!" "You can be the girl That you want to be; With a little love And some accessories! Don't be scared to show you have Personal style; Just go do your thing You'll make everyone smile!" Cheerilee stopped a moment. "That sounds like what happened to me." "What?" Cheerilee looked at her daughter. "Remember that time when I came in from shopping last November and my outfit was completely different to when I went out?" Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah. You think this is the same sort of thing? How long did the magic take to wear off?" "About two hours." Scootaloo looked miserable. "The universe hates me, doesn't it?" "Don't worry Scootaloo, we'll fix it," Cheerilee smiled, putting a hand on her daughter's shoulder. Scootaloo looked up. "You don't think that's a bit weird? You know, putting your hand on my skin?" "You weren't exactly wearing anything when I gave birth to you, so no," Cheerilee laughed, before her voice was interrupted by a loud knock. Cheerilee went over the door and opened it. "Hello? Who's there?" "I'm right here," said a voice. Cheerilee looked down to see that the person standing behind the door was none other than Rumble. Her eyes went wide when she saw how he was dressed. Rather than the usual suit and bow tie, he was dressed in brown boots, red dress trousers with a cream stripe up the sides, along the creases. As well as that he wore a formal army jacket, also coloured a khaki-brown colour, with a green belt to complement it. A band of gold ran around the neckline, and two dark gold epaulettes over his shoulders. A golden clasp over his neck completed the look, presumably holding his jacket in place. "That's not in keeping with the event clothing regulation!" Cheerilee exclaimed. "I know," Rumble shrugged. He then looked beyond and saw Scootaloo in the distance, somewhere in the midst of her ballgown. "Hi Scootaloo!" he called. "Did you just get back from the panto?" Scootaloo facepalmed. "Nice to see you too, Rumble," she sighed. "And you look like you stepped off the set of War and Peace! Or failing that, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band!" Rumble looked down. "I thought the Russian army wore green, and it sure has been lonely without you," he replied. "Was Rarity in your viscinity by any chance?" Cheerilee's head snapped up. "What did you say?" she asked, confused at what Rumble had said. "I said, 'was Rarity in your viscinity, by any chance'? Because she certainly was in my case." Cheerilee charged forward, and pulled Rumble through the door, closing it behind her. "TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU KNOW!" she demanded. Rumble shook slightly from the volume, and then recovered. "May I sit down and take this jacket off? It's a little hard to breathe or even walk in this lot. Seriously, these pants are so tight!" "You think you're having a hard time?" Scootaloo asked. "You're not the one wearing a corset!" "Oh yeah?" Rumble asked. "You're not the one who's neck is being squished!" Cheerilee released the clasp on Rumble's jacket, and he took it off, putting it on a chair, revealing a white long sleeved shirt underneath. Rumble walked into the centre of the room, wobbling about on his boots. "So, what happened?" Cheerilee asked him again, a look of concern on her face. She was keen to get to the bottom of this mess. Rumble sighed, as he sat down on a chair. "Well, I was up on stage performing my set with Pipsqueak and Button Mash, as well as a few others. We'd just finished 'Blank Flanks Forever' when I noticed that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle running out of the auditorium. I could have sworn their clothes were different to when they came in. I shrugged it off, and went on. It was shortly after we started 'With a Little Help from my Friends' that Rarity appeared at the front of the crowd, really into it. Then something flew out of her hands and hit me, and voila!" "Did anybody react?" Scootaloo asked. "Given we've seen bands with magic wings, ears, and ponytails, clothes changing in an instant is hardly the weirdest thing to happen around here. Besides, they assumed it was a stage effect. Once it had ended, however, I headed off and tried to find you. I figured Cheerilee would be in the library, as she often is, so I came here and saw you both." Scootaloo sighed. "Yeah. More or less the same thing happened to me, and everyone saw it." "Nobody has a picture of it though," Cheerilee replied. "I made each and every student that harassed you delete the pictures they had." Suddenly, the door flew open, and who should pop through but Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, both of whom promptly got stuck in the door. "Move back!" Sweetie Belle demanded. "Me move back? You move back, more like!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, before they both fell over in the door and landed on top of each other. It soon became clear why they had got stuck. Sweetie Belle was wearing a yellow ballgown, and Apple Bloom a red one. And both of them had huge skirts, which was how they had got stuck. Cheerilee and Rumble went over to help them up. "I'd ask how this happened to you," Cheerilee said, "but I think we already know the answer." "You do?" Apple Bloom asked. "We don't," Sweetie Belle answered. "Well, what happened?" Rumble asked. So Apple Bloom began to tell the tale, as the world suddenly went foggy... Apple Bloom continued to look about the dance floor, trying to spot Scootaloo. But such luck she was having none of, if indeed she was meant to have any luck today. Scootaloo was nowhere to be seen. "Have ya seen Scoots anywhere?" she called to Sweetie Belle. "No, not since the corridor!" Sweetie Belle called back, looking concerned. "She shouldn't be taking this long!" Apple Bloom went to Pip to alleviate her concerns. "Where's Scoots?" she asked. Pip called over to her. "Why? I haven't seen her anywhere!" "It's been a few minutes since she said she'd be in here in a few minutes!" Sweetie Belle answered, as the beat continued to pound through the night and echo across the floor. "Should we ask Miss Cheerilee?" "Good call!" Button Mash shouted. "We'll hold the floor for you, you go and ask her!" "On mah way!" Apple Bloom called, as she and Sweetie Belle sprinted over to Cheerilee, who was propped against a wall with her hand on her forehead. "Miss Cheerilee!" called Sweetie Belle. The teacher instantly snapped to attention. "Hello girls!" she called. "How can I help you?" "We ain't seen Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom told her. "She said she be in here in a few minutes, and she ain't!" Cheerilee sighed. "She's probably a little embarassed she has nothing to wear," Cheerilee sighed. "I'll go find her, don't you worry. Now why don't you girls go and have fun?" Sweetie Belle sighed, as Rumble took the stage and began to sing some old Elvis numbers. "C'mon, let's go," she said to Apple Bloom. Both girls headed back to the dance floor, when suddenly both became aware of something very odd going on. "Why do I suddenly feel heavier?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking confused. "It's suddenly quite difficult to move!" "Yer not the only one!" Apple Bloom replied, before looking down and gasping. "Sweetie Belle! Yer dress!" Sweetie Belle glanced down in confusion, to see the skirt of her dress start to grow longer, and suddenly she looked up again. "Apple Bloom! It's happening to you too!" she cried. Apple Bloom pointed for the exit as the hem of her dress reached the floor and began to turn red. Both students ran to where they couldn't be easily seen, and straight through the door, which they succeeded in closing just in time. And it was just as well too, as their skirts suddenly exploded outwards in a dome shape. "What just happened?" Sweetie Belle asked. "This has to be some sort of weird dream!" Apple Bloom pinched herself. "Nope, this is real alright," she said. Moments later, she saw Rumble vanish off down a corridor in the direction of the library. "But Rumble's lookin' a little off too." "Just like a handsome prince," Sweetie Belle said, blushing a little. "Scootaloo would be so mad if she found out you got the hots fer Rumble!" Apple Bloom replied. "Wait, what if this has happened to Scoots too?" "Let's go!" Sweetie Belle called, before almost immediately tripping over her skirts. "I think the factor connecting us all is Rarity," Scootaloo concluded, once Apple Bloom had finished speaking. "So, we need to find her, and get this put right!" "Let's go!" Rumble called, and they all went through the door... and fell over all at once. Cheerilee facepalmed. "One at a time," she said, shaking her head. Author's Note The plot thickens! Chazkopa suggested the idea of the same fate befalling Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle (the latter of whom wouldn't mind being dressed like that, I suspect) and I decided to incorporate it. The shenanigans you can get out of this are unlimited. If you are wondering, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom look like this; See you tomorrow for Act IV!
Act IVRumble opened another door and looked through, a shimmer of gold from his collar briefly visible in the door handle as he peeked through. "OK, this way is clear girls!" he called, and calmly pulled the door open as he did so, briefly revealing his three friends in the full stage of their current predicament of trying to navigate in such attire as they currently wore. "Remember what mom said, right?" Scootaloo said to her friends, doing her best to turn with all the weight of fabric holding her down. Surprisingly, she was now finding it easier to move about in that blasted thing. Easier being the somewhat critical part. It wasn't easy at all to move about in, but it was easier than earlier, as she was not falling flat on her face as she had been earlier that evening. "One at a time, otherwise we'll just get stuck." "Because that worked so well at the library, didn't it?" Apple Bloom drawled sarcastically, her voice full of sarcasm. "Ya got stuck, right?" "Only because somebody didn't open the other door!" Scootaloo snapped back. "Now come on, the sooner we're out of these ridiculous things the better. God only knows what I did to deserve this." "God only knows what I'd be without you," Rumble answered. "You're such a gentleman, you know that?" Sweetie Belle smiled, her face blushing. "Back. Off," Scootaloo retorted, through gritted teeth. "Now come on! Let's get moving before anything else bad happens!" With that, she heaved her skirt through the door, and Apple Bloom followed soon after, a wall of purple and blue filling up the corridor as they proceeded on their way. Rumble then released the door- and it slammed into Sweetie Belle's face. "Oww," she moaned, and pushed it open as best she could. The diamater of her skirt made reaching for things like door handles and latches very difficult, and this was an obvious impediment to her getting through the door. The obstacle successfully overcome on her part, she headed onwards into the corridor after her friends, and then turned a corridor to suddenly see Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had stopped just up ahead, and seemed to be in conversation, with Rumble standing off to one side. "Any idea what's going on?" Button Mash asked Rumble. "I noticed you had that one whilst we were performing. No wonder you sounded so strained whilst singing!" "You're too kind," Rumble grunted. "Yeah. This all has to do with Rarity. Cheerilee mentioned something about her magic being able to mess about with the clothes that people are wearing, and I think she's gone on a Disney inspired design binge lately. That would explain why I look like Prince Charming, and my fine friends here look like Princesses. Just I have no idea which ones." "Possibly Aurora and Belle, from Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast respectively?" Button suggested, his eyes full of wild emotion and ideas. "How do you know that?" Pip asked, visibly confused. "An almost encyclopedic knowledge of Disney movies," Button smiled. "That, and my brother starred in a production of the latter as the Beast." "Who was Belle?" Sweetie Belle asked, now interested for some reason. She had always had a soft spot for those sorts of things, and now was clearly no exception. "Rarity." "Maybe," Apple Bloom suggested, "it's memories of those events an' other such thin's that is causin' her magic ta act in this way!" "Like when her magic made mom look like a college student," Scootaloo added. "Speaking of which, you guys don't seem to be at all shocked at what you're seeing. This is way too girly for me!" "Given the flying students, portals to other worlds, daemons, train robbers, and other weird things we've seen since last fall," Pip said, with finality, "wardrobe malfunctions are hardly the weirdest thing we've ever seen around here, and it could have been a lot worse. You could have ended up with no clothes at all!" "That doesn't bare thinking about," Rumble said quickly. "The news would be all over it, not to mention the ride to the police station on a public indecency charge." "Though we know Swift Order, so that helps," Button chimed in. "So, yeah, I don't really see the issue as long as we fix it, and I think Pip concurs with me on that." He then looked to Sweetie Belle, love in his eyes, and not in his face (a fact that Quick Quill will be relived to hear). "Besides, I think you look really beautiful." Unable to think of anything to say in response, Sweetie Belle simply went bright red and threw her arms around Button Mash as best she could without squashing him with her dress. Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Yuck," was her only comment. "How sappy." "You can talk!" Rumble scoffed, before going into an impression of her voice. “'I love you Rumble, now let’s get it done on the dance floor!' That's what you said to me a year ago.” "I do NOT sound like that!" Scootaloo protested, her face going even redder than Sweetie Belle's or Button Mash's. In fact, if you lined them up, you would get an even progression in gradient of colour from light peach to incredibly red. "You so do," Rumble teased. "Ah hate ta interrupt all the mushy stuff an' all-" "MUSHY STUFF?" Scootaloo, Rumble, Sweetie Belle and Button Mash all chorused together. "Yeah," Apple Bloom went on, "Ah hate ta interrupt all the mushy stuff an' all, but shouldn't we focus on gettin' turned back ta normal? This thin's squishin' mah lungs, and fancy frocks never were mah thin' anyways!" "Well then," Pip said, taking control of the conversation with efficiency. "Shall we head in there and get this over with? I can sense that the party is heating up, and the presentation is soon to start for Fall Formal Princess!" "Let's go!" Button Mash called, pulling Sweetie Belle along with him, the others following soon behind. "Go easy Button!" Sweetie Belle called. "I'd prefer for my arm to remain in its socket!" The music began to die down as the six of them entered, Cheerilee entering a moment later with the door closing behind her. It took a moment, but the rustling of fabric and frames bumping into things soon attracted the attention of the party goers, who looked over in confusion and bemusement. "Who invited the princesses?" one person asked, looking on at the bizarre sight before him. "Is that Scootaloo?" asked another. "No wonder she's been hiding the entire time; she looks ridiculous!" "Ignore them," Rumble hissed, as they went along. Unfortunately, things rapidly went wrong as somebody trod on the hem of Apple Bloom's skirt. They slipped, and their foot slammed into the back of the skirt frame, causing Apple Bloom to fly through the air, do multiple cartwheels, and crash into the drink stand, getting absolutely covered in fruit punch in the process. This turned her previously red dress a rather odd shade of orange. Rainbow Dash glanced over from where she was dancing with Soarin'. "Squirt?" she asked. "Is that you?" "Err, yes?" Scootaloo replied, utterly embarrassed her idol... no, her sister, was seeing her in this state. "Magic?" Rainbow asked again. "Yeah," Scootaloo nodded. Nearby, Applejack was helping clear up the mess from the demolished fruit punch stand, and suddenly recognised a certain pink bow in amongst the mess. "Apple Bloom?" she asked. "What on Earth are ya wearin'? Ya weren't dressed like this when we got here!" "Ah know," Apple Bloom nodded. "Somethin' ta do with crazy magic or somethin'." "Wearin' one of those thin's at the Spring Fling was enough of a reason ta never want ta wear one again," her big sister replied, before suddenly chortling. "But this ain't the first time you've crashed inta somethin' wet before!" Apple Bloom shook her head. "Very funny, sis," she replied. Rarity suddenly saw the commotion, and saw not only Scootaloo's, Apple Bloom's and Sweetie Belle's huge skirts, but Rumble's formal attire. "You're not dressed how you were earlier," she said. "Well observed, Sherlock!" Rumble snapped at her. "Thanks to you, we're all stuck in these ridiculous outfits!" "Whatever do you mean?" Rarity retorted, the fashionista somewhat hurt and confused at the accusation. "I'm sure they don't mean harm," Twilight said, interjecting into the conversation. "But you may have been overusing your geode again. Remember when Rainbow Dash overused hers and she ended up being able to run multiple times the speed of sound?" "Well yes, so my geode being overused is causing their clothing to change to such dramatic degrees," Rarity mused, her face the vision of horror. "But this has happened before, when in town in November last year!" She gathered her friends together, the other members of the Rainbooms coming together into a huddle. "We must fix this, and now, before my sister and her friends become the laughing stock of the entire town!" "We kinda already have," Sweetie Belle said sadly. "All the more reason to fix it then!" Rarity replied. The seven friends focused their energy, and four blasts of light shot through the air, and into the Crusaders and Rumble. Author's Note Apple Bloom falling into water and mud is something of a running joke in my stories. See 'An Apple a Day' and 'The Perils of Parties' for more examples. Will it work? Find out tomorrow!
Act V"Well yes, so my geode being overused is causing their clothing to change to such dramatic degrees," Rarity mused, her face the vision of horror. "But this has happened before, when in town in November last year!" She gathered her friends together, the other members of the Rainbooms coming together into a huddle. "We must fix this, and now, before my sister and her friends become the laughing stock of the entire town!" "We kinda already have," Sweetie Belle said sadly. "All the more reason to fix it then!" Rarity replied. The seven friends focused their energy, and four blasts of light shot through the air, and into the Crusaders and Rumble. Now back to the main story. Scootaloo felt the same meteoric blast she had felt earlier, with the same level of energy as she had felt the previous time just about an hour ago. And as she stood there, the magic slowly began to work its effects, seemingly in reverse to what had transpired previously. Her hair pulled itself out of the French twist it was currently in, and shrank back into her head until it was back to its old length, followed by a blue flower appearing in her hair. That was it for what had happened to her body, and sure enough the magic began to work its way through her clothes. Her bodice separated from her skirt, and suddenly changed colour to purple. The sleeves grew longer as the ruffled material around her collar vanished, and her sleeves stopped around her wrists as the pressure on her waist decreased, until Scootaloo could breathe normally again. It felt like a ton of weight had been pulled off of her chest, and this relieved her. Several students watched in mild fascination as the process unfolded before their very eyes. Now it was the turn of the skirt to change. It looked like it was falling in on itself as it shrank back to being just around Scootaloo's legs. The extra layers and petticoats underneath the outer skirt vanished, followed by the frame inside it, and the skirt began to shrink back up Scootaloo's legs, before stopping just above her knees and turning a lighter shade of purple. Finally, her footwear (which they had finally determined to be somehow made of crystal) changed back to a pair of normal shoes, before abruptly growing up her legs and stopping partway up her calves. These 'boots', as they know were, turned two shades of purple with a blue gem inset into the boot. Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief as her friends also turned back to normal. "At least that's over," she said, with a sigh. "This is almost like a dream!" "It seemed like it at points," Rumble said, walking over to her in a fine suit and bow tie. "Felt a little like a fairy tale." Scootaloo glanced over at Cheerilee. "Did anybody get pictures of it? I'd hate for this to get out!" "I made those students delete each and every one," her mother replied, "so there's no official record of this ever happening." "Ah don't think we'll ever forget it, though," Apple Bloom added. "Nor will anybody else." "Shall we dance?" Pip asked, signalling the DJ, Vinyl Scratch. "Hit it, folks!" Vinyl cheered, spinning the record. "Happily Ever After Party, coming right up!" Scootaloo stood outside, waiting for Cheerilee to just finish up cleaning the hall of anything unwanted or unneeded at that time. Sure enough, her mother soon appeared and smiled at her. "Ready to go?" she asked. "There was one thing I was wondering," Scootaloo asked. "You know that whole 'gown' thing? How did you know how to move in it?" Cheerilee smiled. "Did I never tell you? You've seen my wedding photographs, right?" "Well, yeah. You mean that one of you on a swing where it's really obvious that you're-" Cheerilee quickly shushed her. "The fact I was pregnant with you has nothing to do with this. What does matter is the dress itself. I was wearing a crinoline under the skirt, so I knew how to move in it from then. Whoever would have known that would have come in handy later?" "Beats me," Scootaloo sighed. Suddenly, she felt a little light headed. "Mom, I feel a little off." "That's not a surprise," Cheerilee replied. "After all, it's time to wake up." Scootaloo had no opportunity to analyse the words, before falling forward and- -suddenly hitting a carpet. In her pyjamas. She pushed herself up, and looked around the room. It was a completely white room, with a very nice view of some green fields, some cottages made of stone, a stable, and a few former railway bridges in the distance. "Where am I?" she asked. God, that was a weird dream. Being turned into Cinderella, and then having the same happen to her friends? Had she eaten too much cheese last night? It sure seemed that way. Suddenly, the door opened, and Cheerilee looked in. "Are you OK?" "Mom, I had the wierdest dream," Scootaloo replied, looking her directly in the eye. "That teaches me to eat cheese before going to bed again." "Well, it seems I have to learn the same lesson," Cheerilee sighed. "As I had a seriously weird one as well. But you can tell me all about it over breakfast. After all, we have a train to catch, which leaves from Settle in about three hours." Then Scootaloo remembered where she was. She was in Yorkshire, in England, as they were there to catch a special train to Carlisle that very day, and to return as well. She grabbed her goggles, and ran for the breakfast table where she could already see Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sat, as well as Rainbow Dash, Pear Butter, Rarity, Applejack, and Cookie Crumbles (Rarity's mom). Naturally, the table went into conversation as they chatted and conversed with one another about the upcoming day. None of them noticed the glowing crystal slipper at the bottom of Scootaloo's wardrobe. Author's Note Cheerilee's dress is based on this one. Well, thanks for following along with this truly crazy ride. This is the strangest request I have ever received, but Chazkopa, I hope you enjoyed it. See you next week!
CreditsMadeleine Peters-Scootaloo Nicole Oliver-Cheerilee Claire Corlett-Sweetie Belle Tabitha St. Germain-Rarity Vincent Tong-Rumble Michelle Creber-Apple Bloom Graham Verchere-Pipsqueak Blake Swift-Button Mash James Kirk-Various male students Shannon Chan-Kent-Various male sutdents Ashleigh Ball-Rainbow Dash, Applejack Tara Strong-Twilight Jessie Nowack-Vinyl Scratch
