*******At Twi’s place*******
Twilight Radderson was pacing in the garage of her home where she, Pinkie, & Micaela where waiting for the others to arrive. A few minutes later, Ayumi and Flora arrived in Flora’s car. Flora parked her car on the side of the street then got out of the passenger side after Ayumi. As they walked up, they noticed that Pinkie was being Pinkie by rolling out an actual cannon that was painted pink. Of course it was happening literally behind Twilight and Micaela’s backs. “Uh. Little Sis,” Ayumi said with a knowing smirk. “Pinkie has a cannon pointed at the Buffet.”
Twilight turned around saying “WHAT?!”
The Pink Anthro pony shouts “FIRE IN THE HOLE!” and fires the cannon.
“KABOOM!!!!!”
The entire garage was filled with smoke for a few seconds until it was blown away by a fan that was mysteriously there, revealing a couple of cupcake platters and a banner that read
“Welcome Alex!”
“Finally got the mark one Party Cannon working Pinkie?” Ayumi asked as she grabbed a few cupcakes and a can of pop.
Twilight brought her hands to the bridge of her nose as she fought off a migraine and she shouted,
“PINKIE!!”
*** at the same time in Carousel Boutique*
Alex was waiting as Rarity finished altering one of Sweetie Belle’s Sunday best dresses. She felt bad about one of her unfocused surges had changed her from a human into her current form.
She dusted off her new dress, glad she had some clothes. “Why do I have to come, Rarity? I got to meet my friends in two hours!” Sweetie Belle complained.
Rarity sighs “This morning you were begging to come to this party. Why the change of heart?”
Sweetie Belle’s response was, “I want to show my friends the new body Alex gave me.”
Alex’s response was, “It was my magic acting on its own during a surge. I'm sorry I robbed you of your humanity.”
She hid her face behind her knees. She had feared this would happen ever since the surges started to happen when she turned 13 and when they started to happen in her sleep, her fear doubled.
Suddenly she felt herself being picked up and carefully hugged. She up looked into Sweetie Belle’s face who said, “I forgive you Miss mouse and I’m sorry for throwing my math book at you. Friends?”
“ I forgive you.” Alex replied. “And yes, friends” Sweetie put Alex down when suddenly a Persian cat that bore an uncanny resemblance to Opalescence from MLP pounced at Alex. Alex disappeared in a flash of green. Opal skidded to a stop against Rarity's legs.
“Opal?” Rarity said as she bent over to look at the cat. She saw Sweetie looking around frantically and that Alex was nowhere in sight. “ALEX!!!” She shrieked out of concern for the mouse when she heard “SQUEEK SQUEEK SQUEEK!” Rarity looked it the direction of the squeaks and sighed with relief as she saw Alex sitting on Ashley’s stetson. She watched as her American friend pointed next to Sweetie Belle. Rarity saw Alex's translation coin who walked over and picked it up. Rarity then looked at Opal and said, “You're lucky Missy. If you had eaten that Mouse, I would be looking for a new cat and burying a friend. No tuna tonight when I get back.”
With that out of the way everybody climbed into Ashley truck and went to Twilight's.
***At Twilight's place***
Alex was feeling low. When Ashley parked at Twilight's house. Alex looked at the buffet and found her mouth watering and stomach growling. “Hey guys!” Twilight said as she hurriedly walked up to them. “Did you bring…. Sweetie Belle?!?” The Alicorn morph said when she saw the unicorn filly. Sweetie Belle timidly waved at twilight before sidling closer to Rarity. Twilight asked Rarity, “How’d this happen to her?” Rarity was torn between telling Twilight the truth and coming up with a cover story to protect one friend from the wrath of another. Fortunately, Alex said, “It was my fault Miss uh… Radisson.” Before Twilight could answer, Pinkie shouted. “FIRE IN THE HOLE!”
“KABOOM!”
Twilight was once again blinded copious amounts of smoke and confetti this time. Twilight noticed the small Flash of green in front of her and a larger flash of green behind and two voices shouting in Surprise. When the smoke was blown away by the fan which reappeared she saw Alex's small form curled up on on Alex's hat shivering in fear. Twilight then look behind her and saw the reason why Alex was afraid. Her older brother who promised to pop in to enjoy the party with her was standing right behind her. Instead of the human brother of John Radison standing there, an anthro of Shining Armor Ayumi and Twilight's Big Brother. “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry!” the mouse girl repeatedly said. Ayumi looked at Shining Armor and smiled, “He’s going to have mare troubles of the good kind when he gets home.”
Ayumi had seen a third flash from behind John’s car. “Hey big bro and little sis I think we may have a new Alicorn on our hooves.” Excalibur Edge walked up with Princess Cadence in tow. “Hay there Edgy!”
Alex leapt from Ashley’s Stetson with the intention of finding a place to hide. Only to be caught in a purple aura. Alex lost her grip on her translator coin. Twilight brought Alex to her eye level who had curled up into a ball shivering. “I CAN’T TAKE IT QUIETLY ANY MORE!” She shouted in despair. “I CAN’T! THESE SURGES STARTED HAPPENING WHEN I TURNED THIRTEEN. THEY SCARED THE FRIENDS I HAD BEFORE I TURNED THIRTEEN. I STARTED GETTING DRAGGED INTO ADVENTURES JUST AFTER THEY STARTED. EVERY FRIEND I MADE WAS SCARED OFF WHEN I HAD A BURST. FOR THREE YEARS I GOT DRAGGED INTO ONE ADVENTURE AFTER ANOTHER, MY SOCIAL LIFE HAS BEEN DESTROYED, I HAVE BEEN EXPELLED FORM THREE SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF MY BEING DRAGGED INTO ADVENTURES AND MY SURGES. AND TOP IT ALL OFF THE LAST TWO SURGES ENDED UP CHANGING RELATIVES OF A FRIEND OF MINE AND HER FRIEND INTO ANTHRO PONIES FROM THE SHOW!“
The next thing Alex knew she was gently taken out of Twilight’s aura and hugged by Pinkie Pie. “Aw don’t be sad.” Pinkie said. “You have had a hard time. But cheer up because you have seven new friendships!” The next thing the distraught moussette knew, she was taken by Rarity's magic and brought over to the fashionista who hugged her carefully saying, “Those who claimed to be friends were not true friends. You were just too fabulous for them to stand. I won’t throw away the friendship we have, darling. ”
She was then carefully handed to Ashley who carefully hugged her saying, “You can count on me, sugarcube. That’s the honest truth!”
Flora then simply hugged her.
She was then passed to and hugged by Ayumi, Candice, Excalibur, and the new Shining Armor.
Alex then found herself blinded by pink as Pinkie hugged her again saying, “I won't run away from you if your surges happen, like those meanie pants did!”
“Besides we now know what caused them. I'll be teaching you how to use them and how to prevent them in the future remember?” Ayumi said smiling a gentle smile. “I'm pretty sure Shiny and Cadence's anthrofying would have had to happen anyway, so don't feel too bad at least their transformations were instant and painless unlike mine. Besides your surge didn't actually change Cadence. I think that was an accident with my Equestrian mom, Nightmare Moon meeting my human Mom after she anthrofied. Edgy just teleported Cadence to her fiancee.”
Alex soon found herself in a clumsy hug by Micaela, who then said, “I won’t leave you hanging like those dorks who called themselves your friends before. Besides you're an actual adventurer. Like Indy and Daring Do.”
The cyan anthro handed Alex to Twilight who hugged her as well. Then held out a finger for her to shake and said, "As the Princess of Friendship, as is my official title here, I welcome you to our little get-together. You know the rest of the girls, right Alex, is it?"
“It is.” Alex replied. She was going to say more when her stomach growled. “Can we eat?”, Everypony laughed!
While the group began to collect their food, the doorbell rang. Ashley answered the door and saw the anthro version of Starlight Glimmer standing before her. “Sarah? Is that you?” Ashley asked.
“Yes, I had some changes. Also, I heard something about a party you’re throwing. Is there any problem if I join?” Starlight asked.
Ashley nodded, “Well, shucks, you can surely join our party! Ya know all the rest o’ the gals from school, right?” The farm girl offered to allow Starlight to enter Twilight’s home.
Starlight entered, thanking Ashley. “Yes, I already know them.” Then, she saw something else. “Wait, is that a mouse?”
Ashley smiled, “That mouse is Alex, who we are throwing a party for. She’s Rarity’s friend who came to stay with us. She even has a Cutie Mark.”
Starlight cracked a smile, “Oh, ok then. Alex, I’m Starlight Glimmer. Nice to meet you.”
Ashley looked over to Twilight, who was talking with her brother and fiancee, “Hey, Twilight! Starlight Glimmer’s here for the party. Hope ya don’t mind me invitin’ her over. She really needs some friends right now.”
“That would be a good way for me to forget what happened days ago. You know, the Hollywood thing…” said Starlight, looking down.
Ashley came beside Starlight and gave her a side hug, “Listen, sugarcube. We all make mistakes from time t’ time. The best thing to do is learn from them and move on. That and trust in your new friends. Which o’ mah friends would you like to meet? Flora’s really good with animals; Ah have an apple farm where ya can come over and pick some apples or make some o’ mah Granny Smith’s homemade apple pie. There’s Pinkie Pie, who loves to throw parties. She did all the decorations here. Then there’s Rarity. If ya need some new clothes, she’s your go-to fashionista. Twight’s really good with magic and friendship; after all, she is the Princess of Friendship. And, Micaela loves to fly and show off her skills.”
“I have Pinkie as one of my classmates on Arts, so I know some things of her. Every picture she draws is… how to say it? Like she has a different party each time,” said Starlight. “And I didn't want to admit it, but it made me laugh a little.”
Alex tore a chunk out of cupcake that Rarity placed next to her and ate. She then noticed something was missing.
“Does any mouse have my translator coin? Without it, all I sound like is a squeaking mouse!”
Ashley looked around the area, “Where did ya last have it, and what does it look like?”
Starlight asked “Wait, you understand him?”
Ashley looked over at Starlight, “Uhm, Alex is a girl mouse, Starlight. And, yes, Ah think it’s because of the magic translation coin she needs. Ya may want to ask Alex or Twilight on that.” She looked Starlight over, “So, yer a unicorn like Rarity and her sister, Sweetie Belle. Ah have a little sister o’ mah own named Apple Bloom. She’s ‘bout Sweetie Belle’s age.”
“Ok. Sorry. I guess I’m a little confused about this.” said Starlight.
“You’re confused?” Alex said. “Think what it's like for me?”
“Just a little. I heard squeaks before, but now I understand you like there is no problem.” said Starlight.
“Wait, wait, wait!” Alex said in surprise. “You understand me?”
“I think it has something to do with my transformation. Oh, by the way, sorry for thinking you were not a girl.” said Starlight.
Alex replied, “It’s okay.” She takes a thimble and drank soda out of it. Alex looked around then said, “I just realized a couple of things. One, whether I wanted to or not, I just immigrated to Australia. I no longer look like my passport photo. Two, I have to enroll in a high school if I want to graduate. Three, unless I chose to live on the streets, I got to find a place to live.”
Rarity sighed. “Due to Opalescence’s presence at my place. We can safely say it’s ruled out.”
Alex looked at her friend and said, “I agree. I rather not end up as mouse tartar for that cat.” Alex thought about it and asked, “Ayumi Sensei may I share your abode?”
“Wait did you say Ayumi?! As in Tempest_Flare Ayumi! I'd heard from Ashley that she was an anthro but I thought she was going to be in Russia settling in!” Starlight said.
“After I got anthrofied I headed here. I'd already signed up for a student exchange program and I kept to it.” Ayumi said.
Star blinked at that, but shook her head. Things were pretty crazy, considering everything. But, just as the party was starting to pick up, the door opened up once more. The anthro that walked in seemed to be speaking to somebody as he entered. “... And remember, we meet up tomorrow for the collab piece.” He waved at the person he was talking to, then entered. The door closed behind him, and he spoke nonchalantly. “So, what’d I…” He blinked as he looked at Star. He raised an eyebrow. “A Starlight anthro? Didn’t think I’d see one, considering who it is behind all this…” He walked closer to her, his eyes judging. “Then again… I’ve seen stranger things, I suppose.” He reached her, and the crowd stared. Star herself was a bit anxious. He spoke cautiously, measuring something. “But, I want to know something... “ He paused for a moment, letting his words hang in the air. He then picked up where he left off. “How can I be certain that you’re on our side?”
Time seemed to slow for Star, as she considered this strange anthro. He was a unicorn, but not one she recognized. He was taller than most everyone in the room, but seemed… guarded. She decided to put the rest of her musings for later, and ask a question of her own. “Just who are you, anyway?”
The dark teal anthro sighed theatrically, his eyes closing. “Oh, the shame it is that I have to do this so often.” But judging by the grin he had as he opened his blue-green eyes, he actually enjoyed doing this. He adjusted his blue glasses with his turquoise magic, and held a hand to his chest as he stood taller than before. “I am called Maestro Spectrum Star. You might have seen my emporium out of the corner of your eyes once and not recalled.” He then looked to her, and stopped posing. “Now, back to my question. How do I know if I can trust you?”
Before Star could get in a word edgewise, Alex pulled on one of Maestro’s pant legs. He looked down, curious. Alex spoke out. “I think you’re judging a little too quickly. Can’t you give her the benefit of the doubt?”
Maestro blinked. He then chuckled softly. “Maybe I could, if things were different. But alas, things are the way they are…” He then thought of something, and turned to Star. “That being said, I am about fair play. So how about this: I’ll give you a bit of leeway. I won’t act as if you’re the bad guy or anything. I’ll treat you like a decent associate, at least for now. Prove to me that you deserve better, and I’ll treat you better. But, if you mess up, well… Let’s just say that you don’t want to see me angry. Deal?”
He stretched out his right hand to Star, and she grasped it without hesitation. “Deal.”
After the handshake, she noticed Maestro slouch just a tad, perhaps relaxing. He then turned his attention to Flora. “Hey, we gotta jet. Xavier’s not gonna wait much longer, ya know.” A small “eep!” from her, and she went out the door.
Before Maestro could follow, Alex got his attention by yelling up to him. “Hey! I need to talk to you!”
He once again looked down to her, expression neutral. “Yes? I’ve got to be somewhere, so can you make it quick?”
Alex sighed, and spoke up to him. “How is it that you can understand me without the translator coin? I thought that was a privilege for very few.”
Maestro chuckled, shaking his head. “Just one of my many enchantments. I call it the ‘Universal Understanding’. Pretty self-explanatory, really.” He then turned to the door. “Now, unless you want to tag along, I best be going.” As he exited, he muttered something, dragging a hand through the reddish-brown portion of his hair, just missing the turquoise streak in the center. “Xavier, how much longer until you’re back to your old self?” The door closed behind him, just missing his seven-colored rainbow tail.
Alex took a couple of steps before she tripped on something and went sprawling. “OOF!!!” she squeaked. She looked towards what she tripped over and gave cheerful squeak as she got up and tried to pick up the quarter-sized means for more people to be understood by more than a few people. She sighed as she found the damn thing was to unwieldy to pick up she took a deep breath and stepped back. She then place her hands so they framed the coin as she looked at it through them. Her hands began to glow and emerald green. The translator coin was surrounded by an aura of the same color.
The feel of magic being gathered caught the attention of all the unicorns and alicorns alicorns present, Twilight, Starlight, Ayumi,and Excalibur Edge eyes widened and their irises shrunk to pinpricks. Ayumi made to warn alex but Alex said, “Reducere.” and started moving her like she would to reduce and image on a computer. At first the coin began to shrink but when it got to the size of a nickel, it began to oscillate before snapping back to it’s original size. The backlash knocked Alex on her rump and a surge of magic flew out of the garage and out of sight. Alex held her head and moaned, “OW! Would somemouse please explain why I could shrink my cellphone with no problems but when I but when I try to shrink my translator coin I get knocked on my butt?”
Alex stood up and rubbed her butt next to her tail. She devoured more of her cupcake then looked longingly at the soda as filling a thimble was a pain.
“There, let me help,” said Starlight, filling the thimble with some soda. With that generosity, Alex’s face was priceless. She walked up and jumped up to her shoulder then walked next to Starlight’s head and kissed her cheek.
Suddenly two stacks of books appeared in the garage. One stack next to Twilight and the other in front Micaela. Unfortunately, Micaela was walking back to the buffet table to get another helping and, as a result, tripped over the stack. “HEY!” The Cyan anthro said. “what tripped me?” Looking back she saw the front covers of several books. All of the ones she could see read, “DARING DO and the …..” Twilight Looked at the books in shock. How did these books get here? She thought. Then her mind as she remembered a few things. Wait! First the energy released by one of Alex’ Surges flew out the garage door, second, these book exist on Equestria in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Third, Twilight sparkle and Rainbow dash both own copies of them. In fact Twilight owns the whole collection. Oh shit! They were brought here through that last surge. “uh … Micaela I think my last surge either created them or ,brought them to you and Twilight”
Alex hopped off the table she had been on to the floor. She walked to the pile Micaela tripped over and looked at the covers. One cover however caused her to freeze and her to shoot out streight. Alex, & Micaela (as well as Lyra Heartstrings & Rainbow Dash in Equestria) said in disbelief, “No way."