Sunset drummed her fingers against her desk, her mind a million miles away as she stared at her computer screen. Time passed, she continued to think, and her computer continued to do nothing, the same word document that had been opened an hour ago remaining untouched. The girl stopped the incessant drum of her fingers and planted a palm against her forehead.
“How?” She muttered, obviously aggravated by the strange and seemingly nonsensical set of numbers on the screen.
Oh sure she understood them all, knew the theory behind them and could probably even recall the units of measurement behind all of them, but that wasn't what had her aggravated. The numbers themselves should have been impossible, yet no matter how many times she ran the same experiment she got the same exact readout, right down to the tenth decimal place.
The girl sighed, and pushed her way out of the chair and walked over to the other side of the lab peering within the small purple and orange box sitting on the table. The multitude of wires, cords, and pipes leading into it were all silent and still for the first time in a long time. The table the box sat on was dominated by these miscellaneous wires that seemed to flow over every square inch of available space, connecting to several computers, instruments, and machines that even Sunset Shimmer didn't wholly understand.
She pressed a hand against the glass box, staring within as she pondered what she could possibly be missing. Magic was strange in this world, it reacted like any other force, but had it's own rules and laws that didn't fit with any other force in this dimension. In her home reality, magic wasn't a force so much as it simply was, it was omnipresent to the point that magic and everything else was intertwined. Everything, living and dead had some sort of magic in it which all reacted to other magic, to the point that magic itself was often described as alive, as it saturated everything and seemed to move on its own whims.
Sure there were ways of making it work the way you wanted it to, but at the end of the day, there was always a chance, no matter how small, that your spell could simply backfire, or fizzle. Emotion played a roll in casting, and the mental state of the caster could dramatically alter even the most basic of spells. Growing up in Equestria had taught her to simply not question magic, and it's inner machinations, as it was simply out of the realm of mortal understanding.
Here it was different, it was reliable, able to be studied, and thus quantified, at least most of the time anyway.
Staring into the box made Sunset Shimmer wonder just how true her new assumptions of this world’s magic truly was.
Within the box itself was a small fragment of the statue that housed the mirror to Equestria, having come loose completely by accident. Also within the glass box was a small mote of Sunset’s magic, just enough to make the ‘mirror’ react, but not enough to do anything else. The test had been relatively simple when Twilight and her had initially thought of it.
Send through a mote of their magic, then recall it, and then see what happens, the results of that test would similarly destroy all their expectations and leave the two girls scratching their heads.
What had come out of the mirror had not been the little bit of magic, but rather a pair of lacy, and rather racy, lingerie. Initially Twilight had thought this was due to the fact that the portal gave the individual who passed through, clothes, or in the reverse instant, took them away. Yet, when they measured it, the mirror had completely destroyed their working theories of magic in their entirety, leaving the girls stumped, and admittedly, kind of angry.
Sunset herself theorized that this was the interaction of this world’s magic, and Equestria’s causing weird fluctuation, but that was just a fancy way of saying she had no idea what was going on. In the end, she had donned the surprisingly comfortable set of underwear, and though she felt quite sexy when wearing them, that seemed to be about the extent of what the underwear did. Which was doubly strange, as the clothes themselves were indeed magic, yet they didn't seem to do anything, and every attempt at forcing a reaction out of them accomplished nothing.
Shaking her head, Sunset walked over to where the lingerie sat on a bench, the black bra and panties laying on a table beside several sticky notes of questions and ideas that the pair of girls had written down. She sighed and gently picked up the clothes and stared at the lacy, set of perfectly form-fitting undergarments and chuckled at the absurdity of it all while trying to ignore a nearly overwhelming urge to put them on. It wasn't a magical compulsion, but rather one borne of the fact that they were just that perfectly suited to her body, supporting her curves with such elegance and comfort that it was hard to ignore just how good it felt.
That and they looked incredibly good on her, but that was a little besides the point.
Looking around the room, Sunset wondered if she had the time to dawn the lacey undergarments before someone came by and bothered her. With a shrug, she figured no one would be by anytime soon and quickly slipped off her clothes, and donned the lingerie, sighing contently as she felt the plush fabric caress her every curve perfectly. She then redonned her clothes and shuddered as she felt just how different the lingerie was on her skin compared to her normal underwear.
She tucked away her bra and panties in a drawer and turned back to the computer, intent on restarting her research, only for a knock at the door to grab her attention. “Who is it?” She called.
“It's just me, Twilight! Or more specifically not princess Twilight.” A voice yelled back.
Sunset walked over to the door and clicked off the lock, allowing her close friend to enter their shared laboratory and briefly embrace. “What brings you by the lab so late?” Sunset asked.
Twilight pulled back and looked around the room. “I was hoping to find that extra pair of lingerie that we were going to give to Rarity for testing. You haven't seen it have you?”
Sunset shook her head. “I haven't seen it in over a week. I thought you brought it back to your place for study.”
Twilight frowned. “I thought about it but I never ended up doing it.” She turned and looked around the admittedly messy room, reaching for a familiar handle. “Are you sure it's not-”
Sunset quickly stepped forward and grabbed her hand, stopping her before she could open it. “Trust me, it's not in there.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow but relented. “Uh okay. Do you mind helping me look for it?
“Sure.” Sunset offered.
Together the pair searched through the many drawers, containers, and machines that filled Sunset’s garage to the point that you'd have a hard time parking a bicycle nevermind a car inside it. As the minutes ticked by, their hope dwindled and eventually the two girls fell into a pair of chairs, sighs on their lips.
“Where in the world could it be?” Twilight mumbled.
Sunset shrugged. “Maybe it aperated. This is some weird magic after all.”
Twilight took off her glasses and began to clean them. “Still, it shouldn't have vanished without a trace.”
“It's not exactly a big deal right?” Sunset chuckled. “It's just a pair of really, really nice underwear.”
Twilight coughed nervously and placed her now clean glasses on her face. “They are really nice aren't they…”
Sunset shook her head and stood up, dismissing the sudden awkwardness that had fallen over the room. “So. Are you going to the costume ball later?”
The other girl’s blush vanished in an instant. “I will, but I’m afraid I’m going to be a bit late.” She stared off into the distance, suddenly unable to meet Sunset’s gaze. “I have another um, experiment to run.”
Sunset lifted an eyebrow. “What kind of experiment? Do you need a hand?”
“No!” Twilight smoothed out her dress and awkwardly stood up. “I mean, no. It's fine, just something that turned out to need more time than anticipated is all.”
Sunset eyed her friend cautiously, only now noticing that the girl’s usual outfit was a bit more revealing than normal, and that she was also wearing a strapless bra. “Someone’s confident today.” Sunset pointed out, giggling.
Twilight crossed her arms over her chest and turned away. “I don't know what you're talking about.”
Sunset rolled her eyes and walked over to her friend, throwing an arm around her shoulder. “I’m just teasing you.”
Shrugging off her friend's arm, Twilight stepped forward. “I better get going. See you at the costume ball later.”
Sunset watched her friend go with a confused expression on her face. “See you later I guess.”
The shorter girl slipped through the door and disappeared, leaving a stunned Sunset to stand there in silence, thoughts swirling about in her head. Now that she thought about it her friend not only acted a little different but also seemed to look a little different. Her regular clothes were slightly more elaborate, losing some of the hard-line utility that every outfit Twilight owned seemed to exemplify.
Her dress was also a little more poofy, for lack of a better word, which was quite odd, as Sunset had seen her friend’s wardrobe before and she didn't own a dress quite as elegant as that. She shrugged and reached for her jacket, having already noticed that the hour had grown short.
The girl stopped as her hand reached for the door, her thoughts lingering on the magical undergarments she still wore. For a moment she considered changing back and redonning her normal underwear, but that sentiment only lasted a second. She felt nice, comfortable and even confident in these clothes and that was not a feeling she wanted to give up.
“It couldn't hurt, right?” She asked the empty room.
The girl shrugged and grabbed the keys to her motorcycle, figuring it couldn't be that bad, the magic was stable as far as they were aware. Plus they looked really, really good on her.
Stepping into the school, Sunset smiled at the gaggle of girls she passed, noting the myriad of costumes that seemed to be on display. There were the obligatory sexy nurse costumes, but there were also several other far grander, and more elaborate costumes as well. Ranging from the average pirate, to a rather elaborate big daddy costume that towered over the other students.
Sunset chuckled at the sight of so many people getting into the spirit of the season. Equestria had something similar, but nothing quite to the extent that the human world did. If Sunset thought of it, she would have to say it was something about humans fascination with fiction that although also existed in Equestria, wasn't quite as common. It probably had to do with magic existing in their world, but Sunset put that thought on the back burner for now, as she caught sight of a flash of pink which meant-
“Pinkie!” Sunset shouted, stumbling back.
The blindly pink person had somehow managed to appear directly in front of Sunset wielding a cartoonishly large knife dripping with blood. “Gotcha!” She yelled triumphantly, flipping back the blood covered hockey mask and revealing her face splitting smile.
“You sure did,” Sunset mumbled, with one hand over her still rapidly beating heart.
“So what did you think? Pretty scary eh?” Pinkie Pie asked while doing a little spin and showing off her torn up jacket, raggedy undershirt, and scuffed pants, all of which was sprayed with fake blood.
“Quite.” Sunset chuckled nervously and pointed to the knife Pinkie carried. “Rubber or cardboard?”
“Rubber!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed happily, waving the knife in a way that made it bend and wobble.
“Nice attention to detail by the way Pinkie, you even got the boots down and the right style of the hockey mask.” Sunset pointed out.
Pinkie Pie’s smile grew wide. “Thanks! Nice uh, biker outfit?”
Sunset opened her mouth, intent on telling Pinkie that she hadn't had the time to dress up, but a sudden tingling caught her attention. It started at the base of her spine, and spread up her back while defusing down her limbs, leaving her feeling stronger, more confident and taller?
“Who are you supposed to be anyway?” Pinkie Pie asked, plucking at Sunset’s outfit.
Sunset shook her head, the last of the strange feeling had begun to fade. “Just me I’m afraid.”
Pinkie Pie pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. “Daw come on Sunset, it's a costume ball! That means two things, costumes and balls and you got neither!”
Sunset chuckled, patting her friend on the shoulder. “I’m sorry Pinkie Pie. Next year I will definitely have a costume.”
“Eh, no biggie.” Pinkie Pie grabbed Sunset by the arm and spun around. “Come on! The others are already here and we are missing out on valuable scaring time.”
The pony turned human rolled her eyes and allowed herself to be dragged away by the hyperactive person. “Is Twilight here by chance?”
“Nope! But she already texted ahead and said she be here later.” The pink human stuck out her tongue. “But she wouldn't tell me when.”
“Well she did say she wanted to get some big secret experiment done beforehand,” Sunset added.
“Experiment shmer shmeriment this is the costume ball!” Pinkie Pie threw up her arms. “It only comes once a year!”
Sunset chuckled, following her friend through the door of the gymnasium and into the room itself. All around her people mingled in variously sized costumes, once more ranging from the mundane to the fantastical. A brief look around the room told her that just about everyone in her grade, and several above and below had already showed up. She even caught a glimpse of Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo all dressed up as vampires chasing around a terrified-looking Twist dressed as a blood bag of all things.
“Ahh there you are darling!” Rarity announced, drawing Sunset’s attention to a spot nestled near the bleachers where the rest of her friends stood.
“What are you supposed to be?” Rainbow Dash asked. “And don't say something lame like ‘I dressed up like myself!’”
Sunset rolled her eyes. “For your information, I got busy and didn't have time to find a costume.”
The flaming haired girl took a glance at her friends, noting that Rarity was dressed like an elegant princess from some Disney movie Sunset definitely had never seen before. Rainbow Dash was leaning on the bleachers, a drink in hand, and was dressed as what looked like a space marine of some kind, with large bulky cardboard armor.
Applejack chuckled, pushing back her hat and grinning. “Aww shucks. Not dressing up ain't so bad.” She was, of course, dressed as a scarecrow, same as every year.
Fluttershy smiled and nodded. “Some people just don't like dressing up and that's okay.”
Sunset smiled back, noticing that like her, Fluttershy had not dawned any kind of costume and instead wore a rather bulky sweatshirt and a dress that went down past her knees. “Why thank you, girls.”
Rainbow Dash grumbled. “Still.”
Rarity tutted and glided over to Sunset. “Well I think Sunset looks lovely this evening, don't you agree Rainbow Dash?”
The girl grumbled, attempting to cross her arms over her chest only to find that her bulky armor made such an action impossible. “Fine, whatever.” She muttered. “You look nice.”
Sunset opened her mouth to speak only to once more find herself overwhelmed by the sudden rush that flowed through her. It was a little stronger this time, and the girl found herself standing a little taller all of a sudden, though it was barely noticeable. She also felt a slight pressure on her chest, as if her clothes were beginning to grow a little constrictive around her bust but it- “Darling?”
Sunset looked down at the concerned expression of her friend. “Oh uh, sorry Rarity. I kinda spaced out for a second there.”
“Don't worry about it, darling. I believe Fluttershy was merely inquiring as to what you were so busy doing today that you forgot to don a costume.” Rarity pointed out, earning a nod from Fluttershy.
“It was uh.” Sunset stopped, scratching the back of her neck. It wasn't exactly a secret what they were testing, but something about casually bringing up magic underpants in a conversation didn't exactly sound like the best idea. “Just some magic study stuff, lots of numbers and calculations.”
“Booring.” Rainbow Dash groaned, pushing herself off the bleachers and walking away. “I’m going to find Spitfire and see if she's doing anything funner then this.”
Sunset watched her friend vanish into the crowd. “I didn't even talk about anything in specific though…”
Fluttershy sighed. “She just got news that she flunked math… again.”
“Ahh.”
Applejack shook her head. “I told her she needed a tutor but nooo.”
“Anyway.” Rarity smiled a little nervously before pulling Sunset away slightly. “I am just going to steal Sunset for just a moment.”
Before she, or her friends had a chance to say anything, the princess pulled Sunset a little further into the bleachers, obscuring them from view. “What is this all about Rarity?” Sunset asked.
Rarity rubbed her hands together nervously. “I don't suppose you brought it with you by chance did you?”
Sunset lifted an eyebrow. “What are you… oh that. No, unfortunately, it seems to have gone missing.”
Rarity sighed. “Oh poo. And that was such a nice fit too.”
“It shouldn't be long before we can whip up another pair.” Sunset smiled. “Twilight is just a little concerned that it may have spontaneously apparated.”
The other girl blanched. “I can understand your concern. That would be quite awkward if it were to vanish when worn.”
“Right.” Sunset nodded, only to realize the full depth of what Rarity implied and she glanced down nervously, wondering if her own undergarments were going to vanish in the middle of the party.
“Oh, you didn't.” Rarity giggled, playfully punching her friend in the shoulder. “You sly dog you.”
The fiery-haired girl blushed. “It is a really good fit.”
“That it is.” Rarity agreed.
“You two done making out?” Applejack hollered.
Sunset rolled her eyes and walked back to her friends, with a blushing Rarity in tow. “We were not making out,” Sunset announced. “And if we were, you are not invited next time.”
Rarity slapped her friend in the shoulder. “Well, I never. I am going to go check in with my fellow judges, hopefully when I return you two will have found some class.” She threw up her nose and stomped away, or at least tried to, as stomping wasn't exactly an easy thing to do in heels.
Fluttershy sighed. “At this rate, we are going to run out of friends.”
“Oh, Rarity will be back, probably with punch.” Applejack replied.
Sunset was less sure. “Sorry Fluttershy. Rarity is a little too easy to tease.”
The sweater-clad girl chuckled. “True.”
A sudden hush fell over the crowd, instantly grabbing the attention of the three friends and drawing their eyes towards the door, where everyone else seemed to be already looking. “What is going on, did someone get covered in pig’s blood again?” Sunset mumbled as she turned left and right, trying to see through the crowd towards whatever was going on.
“I dunno.” Applejack muttered while pushing back her hat.
Sunset hopped up onto the lowest levels of the bleachers and stared out over the crowd, and towards whatever had so fascinated everyone. What she had expected was a truly magnificent costume, or perhaps a fight but what she saw was definitely not that. In the door stood a tall, nearly six and a half foot woman with truly inhuman proportions.
Contained within a long, flowing ball gown were two massive breasts that seemed only barely held in check by the fabric stretched across them. Long flowing hair cascaded down the girl’s shoulders and seemed to flow perfectly into her elegant dress of silver, white and grey. Yet the bizarre changes didn't seem to end there, as she also looked quite physically strong, with large arms that seemed easily big enough to lift Sunset over her head.
“Woah.” Sunset muttered, staring in disbelief as the woman waved at the crowd, a wide, cocky smile on her face.
The longer she stared the more she couldn't help but think that something was definitely off about this strange woman. She definitely was not a student here, so what were they doing at the costume ball? Someone’s parent perhaps? Then it clicked when she noticed the tiara suspended in the woman’s purple and white hair.
“Diamond Tiara?” Sunset remarked. “But how?”
She watched as the formerly five foot nothing girl glided through the crowd, making her way towards the stage and disappearing behind the curtain. “Whoowee, that's quite the change.” Applejack pointed out. “Do you think it's all prosthetics or what?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “If it is, she got a professional to attach them as that is very, very well done.”
Sunset frowned, her gaze lingering on the spot Diamond Tiara had disappeared behind. “I don't know girls, but I feel like there is magic afoot.”
Applejack scratched her head. “How can magic be afoot? It's an inanimate thing, er force.”
Sunset rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.” The girl waved a hand in the air. “There is another magical problem afoot.”
Fluttershy leaned pulled her way up beside her friends and looked out over the crowd and towards the stage. “How do you know it's magic?”
“Fluttershy, a girl grew over a foot and at least a dozen cup sizes overnight. Of course, it's magical.” She held up a finger, silencing the response she already knew was coming. “Plus, with our track record do you really think it's something normal, like a really expensive costume?”
The shy girl paused. “Point taken.”
“I suppose when you put it like that,” Applejack added before hopping off the bleachers and setting aside her drink. “Right then, let's go see shall we?”
Sunset hopped off, before lending a hand to Fluttershy who whispered a soft thank you.
Catching up to Applejack, Sunset placed a hand on her shoulder, making her pause. “Would you mind letting me talk to her alone?”
Applejack eyed the girl cautiously before shrugging. “Alright, but me and Flutters will be right outside if you need us. Maybe even see if we can't rustle Pinkie Pie, wherever she went.”
“Thanks for trusting me,” Sunset replied.
The scarecrow shrugged. “I figured you'd know more about this magical hooey anyway.”
Fluttershy however, seemed on the verge of saying something, only to stop herself at the last second. “Just be careful.”
Sunset nodded. “I will.”
The girl stepped up the side of the stage and ascended the stairs, slipping past the curtain and into the area she knew the judges were getting ready in. The instant she slipped past the obscuring curtains she could hear the distant sound of two people arguing.
“I will not simply give you the award Diamond Tiara!” Rarity all but yelled.
“Uh oh,” Sunset muttered, running around the corner and catching a glimpse of the now enormously tall girl looming over Rarity, who in turn, tried her best not to be intimidated.
“And why not? I have the best costume here!” The larger, and younger girl yelled back. “What's the point of a competition if the winner has already been found?”
Rarity sighed, running a hand down her face. “Well for one not everyone is here yet, someone else might arrive with an even more impressive ensemble.”
That seemed to take some of the wind from Diamond Tiara’s sails. “Hmph, like that will happen.”
The fashionista smiled faintly at Sunset. “Now if you’ll excuse me, the other judges and I had some things to go over before the competition could begin.”
As she slipped away Rarity gripped Sunset’s arm and shot her a worried expression, one Sunset shared, squeezing the other girl’s hand in turn, hoping to reassure her.
“And just what are you supposed to be?” Diamond Tiara huffed, pointing a muscled arm down at Sunset.
“I don't have a costume.” Sunset shook her head. “But that doesn't matter. You stole the underwear from Twilight when we used the school’s lab, didn't you?”
Diamond Tiara’s smile vanished, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you accusing me of theft little miss demon?” She scoffed. “And how would you even know anyway, unless your a pervert and a monster.”
Sunset wilted slightly. “That's low Diamond, even for you.” She straightened her back and stood to her full height. “But that doesn't matter now. I know because I’ve felt it! The height increase, the tightness around your chest. You’ve been feeding on compliments haven't you?”
The taller girl’s eyes narrowed and her arms fell to her sides. “So what are you going to do about it little one?”
“Well for one, I would ask you why?” Sunset gestured to the crowd behind her. “There are no magical artifacts being offered as trophies it's just the same plastic awards they hand out every year.”
“You wouldn't understand.” Diamond shot back.
“I’m an interdimensional being from another reality where magic is real and the fundamental forces of my world are controlled by ponies with wings and a horn,” Sunset smirked. “Try me.”
The other girl seemed to wither, even more, her gaze becoming less intense until she suddenly sighed. “Do you have siblings, Sunset?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’m an only child.”
“Lucky you.” Diamond Tiara sighed. “I have a brother, and he's better than me at everything and never lets me forget this fact. More than anything he always gloats about winning this stupid award. With him being in his last year of high school this is my last chance to beat him, so when I overheard you two talking about magical clothes I swiped em, hoping they would give me an edge.” She smirked. “And what an edge it is.”
The smaller girl ground her teeth, equally mad at Diamond as she was herself as it was genuinely difficult to stay mad at the younger girl. “What is it going to take to get back my property?” She asked, defeatedly.
Diamond Tiara tapped her chin and seemed to mull it over. “How about this. If I don't win this stupid costume competition I’ll give the clothes back, but if I do win, which I will, then I get to keep it, and you don't do anything foolish like call the police or something.”
Sunset frowned. Though it would be relatively easy to prove that they were hers, as Rarity, Twilight and her all knew she had created the undergarments, it wasn't like she had a sales receipt or anything concrete and if it did come down to it she doubted the police would really help her in such a situation. The fiery-haired girl sighed and extended her hand. “It's a deal.”
Diamond Tiara smirked and shook the smaller girl’s hand, her grip making the bones in Sunset’s hand grind together. “I knew you would see things my way.”
“Yeah whatever, good luck,” Sunset mumbled.
Diamond Tiara merely smiled smugly, watching as Sunset turned and left, slipping through the curtain and back to her friends, who all looked up at her expectantly. “So?” Applejack asked.
“How did it go?” Fluttershy finished.
“Not bad.” Sunset frowned. “She has a magical item me and Twilight were studying and won't give it back unless she loses this silly costume competition.”
Applejack looked her friend up and down slowly, her frown deepening by the second. “Well shoot, why not just give her the win?”
Fluttershy shot the scarecrow a glare. “I’m sure Sunset has a plan.” Her confident smile faded somewhat and she looked up at the jacket wearing girl. “Right Sunset?”
“Of course!” Sunset stepped down and pulled her friends off to the side. “All you have to do is give me lots of compliments.”
Applejack looked from Sunset to Fluttershy and back again. “Are you serious?”
“Deadly so.” Sunset smiled. “I have one of these items as well, and it will make me look just like her.”
Fluttershy’s face grew red and she glanced down to Sunset’s chest. “Even…”
Sunset blushed slightly, rubbing the back of her neck. “Probably.”
“Well alright then.” Applejack gripped her friend by the shoulder. “Great plan Sunset.”
After several seconds of silence, Applejack looked her friend up and down. “Shouldn't something be happening?”
Sunset shrugged. “Maybe it doesn't work that way.”
“Oh I know!” Fluttershy smiled. “You look lovely tonight Sunset.”
The fiery-haired girl smiled, feeling the familiar sensation flow through her, adding another minuscule addition to her height and bust. “Good thinking Fluttershy.”
“Oh I get it.” Applejack smiled. “You got a real nice ass Sunset!”
The other girl rolled her eyes as she felt the familiar sensation of growth come over her once more. “Augh, I can't believe that worked.”
Fluttershy chuckled. “I think it's only physical compliments that work.”
“Right.” Applejack nodded. “You also got a bangin pair a legs.”
Sunset frowned, looking herself up and down. “Huh, it didn't work.”
“Your dress is very nice?” Fluttershy offered.
Again, Sunset frowned, feeling none of the tingling sensations from before. “That's strange. Maybe it only works one time from each person?”
“Makes sense.” Applejack shrugged. “So what's the plan, go around and fish for compliments all night and hope you get even bigger and poofier than her?”
“I guess,” Sunset muttered. “Unless you girls have a better idea?”
“Why don't we start by getting a compliment from Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy offered. “I think she was near the drink table with Spitfire and Soarin.”
Sunset nodded. “Good thinking. Let's start there.”
Together the three girls made there way through the crowd and towards the drink table, stopping only briefly to let a wall eyed dragon girl in a maid outfit to cross paths with them. Breaking through the crowd, the trio saw Rainbow Dash in the middle of a vehement argument with Soarin, who seemed to be wearing an identical set of armor as the girl, save the addition of spikes and blood.
“And I’m telling you there is no way the blood ravens would lose to some no name chapter like the minotaurs!” Rainbow Dash spat, pointing a finger in Soarin’s face.
The male rolled his eyes. “They have the backing of the lords of Terra of course-”
Spitfire suddenly threw up her hands. “Oh my god, who the heck cares!”
“Are we interrupting something?” Sunset asked awkwardly.
“No!” Spitfire yelled, silencing her friends before they had a chance to speak.
“Err, I guess not.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “What's up Sunset?”
“Oh you know the regular, magical problem popping up when you least expect it.” She remarked offhandedly.
“Neat!” Soarin remarked. “What is it this time?”
“Magic clothes that make you taller and your tits bigger.” Applejack replied, smirking. “Something you could use R.D”
The shorter glared up at her tall friend. “Yeah whatever unibrow.”
Applejack frowned, a hand going up to the space between her eyebrows. “I do not-”
“Girls.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “Magical calamity potentially on the horizon, remember?”
Fluttershy giggled, putting a hand on Applejack’s shoulder. “Maybe save this for later.”
Applejack and Rainbow Dash both exchanged a glare before shrugging. “Alright, now that we are on track once more.” Sunset pointed to Soarin. “Pay me a compliment about my physical appearance.”
The male shrugged. “I really like your jacket, looks good on you.”
Sunset shuddered, feeling her pants grow looser, as if they were changing into something else. Pushing past the feeling rather quickly, Sunset turned and pointed to Spitfire. “Now you.”
The older girl shot Soarin a quick glare. “I think your hair looks lovely this evening.”
The feeling returned once more, and Sunset looked down to the bottoms of her pants that had grown significantly, the fabric of which had grown lighter, with more wrinkles and lines becoming more evident. She also felt a little taller, and when she looked down that the top of her jacket had opened slightly to allow her slightly larger bust a little more room to grow. The people standing around her all looked on in awe, noticing the way her clothes seemed to shift as her body grew.
“Woah.” Rainbow Dash muttered, her eyes glued to her friend’s now slightly enlarged bust. “It worked.”
Applejack shook her head. “Well don't wallow in it too long, we gotta get you more than that, or else you ain't gonna beat, Diamond Tiara.”
Soarin perked up suddenly. “If that's what you're going for you should try the gaming club, they are over there in the corner.” He pointed to said corner where a small group of people sat huddled around a table playing cards. “Their the ones that look like they are going to a renaissance fair.”
“Thanks.” Sunset jerked her head towards her next target. “Let's go.”
“Right.” Applejack responded, following after her friend.
The gaming club subsequently offered up their heartfelt, and awkward, compliments readily, thrilled by the fact that not one but four girls had wandered over to them. By the end of it, Sunset had grown an inch, and her pants had fused at the center, becoming a rather odd skirt that still retained some of the appearance of the jeans they used to be.
Her jacket had also begun to grow smaller, lifting slightly as her undershirt merged with the dress and, leaving her with a top that had slowly begun to join her skirt, becoming long, flowing dress. She also felt stronger, more confident, and with the addition of the extra inch of height she was able to see over most of the crowd with relative ease.
After that the changes began to slow, and though she grew stronger, taller, and her clothes became more elegant by the second, there weren't quite as many drastic changes. Fishing for compliments grew easy as her friends worked out a system in which they were able to pull polite words of admiration from anyone after mere moments of conversation.
Unfortunately, Diamond Tiara had begun to notice their little plan, and after emerging from the stage she glared at the small group before beginning to go around and fish for compliments as well. “Think you can slow her down?” Sunset asked, leaning towards Applejack and Rainbow Dash.
The two girls exchanged a smug look, puffing out their chests. “You betcha.” Applejack announced confidently.
“Were on it boss.” Rainbow Dash added.
Sunset nodded, watching closely as her friends weaved through the crowd and began to infiltrate the group of people Diamond Tiara was talking at. With her plan now in the works Sunset turned back to Fluttershy and made off for the next group of people.
Time passed quickly after that, and though Sunset made a lot of headway over the course of the evening, she didn't seem to be able to catch up to the now eight foot tall Diamond Tiara. Sunset’s dress was truly a work of art, no one would be able to argue that, but compared to Diamond’s shimmering dress it was nothing to write home about.
“Ten minutes Sunset,” Fluttershy whispered nervously, looking up at the nearly seven foot tall girl with a mix of apprehension and fear.
Sunset sighed, and ran a hand down her face. “Don't look now but I think she's going to go talk to Rarity and the drama club.”
Fluttershy gasped. “Oh no. They are far too nice!”
“I know. We have to try and get there before them.” Sunset responded with before making her way over to the small group of brightly colored partygoers.
Unfortunately for her, Diamond Tiara was watching, and noticing where they were going and began to move as well. Together the two Amazonian women glared at each other as they made their way through the crowd, which parted around them.
Before them, the drama club shared a collective gulp, wondering what had prompted the appearance of the strangely tall women. Rarity took a step forward, glancing from her friend to Diamond Tiara and back. “And how can we help you girls?”
“Simple, you can tell me I’m pretty.” Diamond Tiara stated, quite matter of factly.
“Actually you should tell me which one of us is the prettier.” Sunset countered with, smirking at the other girl’s disgusted expression.
“Err…” Rarity lifted an eyebrow at Sunset, who merely nodded her head, urging her friend to go along. “Okay then.”
“Well, Diamond Tiara’s dress is very-” Rarity began, only to be cut off by Fluttershy who blurted out.
“Pretty!”
“Yes. Err thank you, darling.” Rarity added weekly, looking at her shy friend awkwardly.
Diamond Tiara stood there for a moment, only to realize the familiar sensation wasn't going to come this time. “Hey!” She pointed an accusatory finger at Fluttershy. “Interrupting someone is rude you know.”
Fluttershy cowered, hiding close behind Rarity and muttering a weak. “I’m sorry.” That no one save Rarity heard.
“Hey lay off my friend!” Rainbow Dash yelled.
Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “Whatever, now are you going to say who is the prettiest?”
Rarity looked around at her group of friends, all of whom seemed to be waiting patiently for Rarity’s judgment. The fashionista frowned, realizing they weren't going to be of any help. “I think….” She looked back and forth from the ball gown-wearing women while tapping her chin and biting her lip. “I think….”
“Oh come on already.” Diamond Tiara whined.
Sunset shook her head. “Be patient Diamond Tiara, it's important to analyze every feature of an individual. Right Rarity?”
The much smaller, ball gown wearing girl nodded. “Yes, that's quite right. We have to look at things like color composition. Which is pretty equal across both of you…” The girl tapped her chin, her eyes narrowing as she looked from one girl to the other.
Diamond Tiara stood silently, tapping her foot as she waited, shooting a glare at Sunset every few seconds. Who in turn stood silently, thinking of something she could possibly add to swing favor to herself.
“Okay, I got it.” She announced, raising a hand in the air. “I believe the prettiest person here is-” She blinked, turning to her right, where an older girl had grabbed her arm. “Yes?”
“One-minute miss Rarity.” The girl whispered, before slipping away.
“Terribly sorry darlings, I must be going.” The fashionista turned and left, swiftly vanishing into the crowd and leaving behind an irritated Sunset and a triumphant Diamond Tiara.
“Ready to throw in the towel?” Diamond Tiara asked a smirk on her lips.
“It's not over until it's over.” Sunset spat back.
The younger girl merely chuckled before turning away. “Come, Silver Spoon, we had better get ready for when they hand me that first prize.”
“Coming.” Silver Spoon replied, scampering after her friend.
Sunset ground her teeth together, her muscles flexing as her hands balled into fists. “Well that was a waste of time.”
Fluttershy sighed, glancing at the fleeing forms of the drama club which had quickly scattered when Rarity left. “Any other ideas?”
Sunset shook her head. “What about you girls?”
Rainbow Dash and Applejack both shrugged. “I got nothing.” Applejack remarked.
“Ditto.” Rainbow Dash added.
“Would all contestants please make their way to the forefront of the stage!” A voice announced from atop the stage. “We will now begin a round of audience judgment before the final pass!”
“Audience judgment?” Sunset muttered.
Applejack shrugged. “Beats me sugar cube. Best of luck out there.”
“We’ll be rooting for you,” Fluttershy added with a smile.
“Thanks girls,” Sunset muttered, making her way up to the stage and taking a spot to Diamond Tiara’s right, earning her a prideful smirk from the younger girl.
“So you showed up after all.” She remarked flippantly. “That's a surprise.”
“I told you Diamond Tiara, it's not over yet.” Sunset shot back.
“Oh but it is.” Diamond replied cryptically.
Sunset was about to fire back, but the voice of the principal returned. “Is everyone in place? Good! We will now begin the audience round of judgment so when your favorite person is called out please be as loud as you can!”
Sunset’s eyes went wide and she looked up to a smirking Diamond Tiara who chuckled darkly.
“Now, starting from left to right.” The voice began. “Derpy with her maid dragon outfit!”
Sunset ground her teeth together, barely listening to the dull roar as the crowd yelled compliments and clapped their hands, drawing a blush to Derpy’s face. Turning to her right, Sunset Shimmer pulled aside a thin, wiry young guy and whispered in his ear. “Can I skip one to the left?”
The young man looked up at Sunset’ with wide, scared looking eyes. “I err, you really shouldn't move until the judgment is over.” He gulped. “The principal said that if you move away you will have forfeited.”
The fiery-haired woman growled and pushed the man back into place. “Dammit all.”
Diamond Tiara leaned a little closer. “It's not too late to back out you know.” She whispered. “Maybe you could even save a little face.”
“Would you be quiet already.” Sunset hissed back.
Her rival merely shrugged, laughing at the other girl’s obvious distress.
As time passed it became obvious that there was no way she was going to be able to skip in line without potentially losing her chances entirely. Thus she was forced to stand there awkwardly as they went down the line until finally, it came for Diamond Tiara’s turn.
“Near the end we have Diamond Tiara and her lovely princess outfit!” The principal announced.
A deafening cry of adulation drowned out most of the sound, but what little words Sunset could hear were not ones that gave her confidence in her chances. Compliments galore seemed to shower her rival, and the taller girl revelled in it, spreading her arms wide as her stature slowly grew.
The top of her head crested nearly nine feet by the end of it, with a bust that would put anyone to shame. Her gown, which had already sparkled like a thousand tiny stars seemed to grow with her, becoming ever more beautiful. Though all that paled in comparison to the strange changes her face had undergone.
Her nose had extended, morphing into a more equine appearance, and at the centre of her head which was a horn that had started small but had quickly grown to over a foot in length by the time the crowd had fallen silent. Diamond Tiara herself blinked nervously, looking up at her horn then down her now longer nose. “What the hay?” She muttered.
For a moment the crowd was silent, and just as Diamond Tiara began to grow nervous, the audience exploded with noise. The now enormously tall girl looked around in confusion as people everywhere clapped their hands and yelled compliments at what they assumed was little more than a flashy display of prosthetics and pyrotechnics.
Beside her, Sunset Shimmer fumed silently, grumbling to herself as she watched her rival grow taller then she had ever thought possible. The light display that accompanied her most recent change certainly hadn't helped the fiery-haired girl’s chances and by this point it seemed as though she would need a miracle to win.
“And last but not least Sunset Shimmer!”
A slightly duller roar of compliments and clapping accompanied the announcement, and though Sunset felt taller, stronger she couldn't quite seem to reach the level that Diamond Tiara now stood on. Worse yet, it seemed like she didn't have quite enough to gain the strangely equine features that Diamond Tiara now had.
The girl ground her teeth together, her arms flexing as she held in her anger.
“Now, if that's everyone we will now announce-” A sudden clang stopped whatever the principal was about to say, drawing all eyes to the door of the auditorium.
“Twilight?” Sunset muttered.
In the doorway stood the tallest, buffest, most buxom creature Sunset Shimmer had ever laid eyes on. The dress she wore seemed like an oversized version of her normal clothes, with the top half being a teal shirt striped with lines of pink, on the front of which sat a large bow. This shirt was barely able to contain the girl’s massive endowments however, and judging from the awkward looks Twilight gave her chest, she was unamused by this change.
Her hair was perhaps the strangest part of her new look though, as it was incredibly long, and though Sunset was sure it could easily reach the ground, it seemed to flow on an unseen breeze, hanging in the air behind her. She also seemed to have the same equine features that Diamond Tiara had gained, including a large horn growing from the centre of her head, as well as a pair of pony ears popping out of her hair, nestled right behind a gold crown. As she walked, her deep purple dress billowed around her, the two oversized pockets on either side working rather well with the entire ensemble.
The girl herself seemed strangely nervous, but she seemed to brush aside this notion as she strode through the crowd, making her way towards the stage and the line up of costume wearing people standing before it. As she walked the hush that had fallen over the crowd seemed to lift, and applause and compliments came trickling in, turning the nervous expression on Twilight’s face to fall away completely and be replaced by a small smile.
“It seems as though we have a late contestant.” The principal began. “I suppose we could allow it, as the judging had yet to conclude anyway.”
Sunset Shimmer could feel the annoyance rolling off Diamond Tiara in waves, the girl’s dress straining audibly under the flex of her muscled arms. It was strange to see Twilight in such a get up, but it was also strangely hot. Sunset quickly wiped the blush from her cheeks and tried not to show the fact that she had probably been staring at her friend’s rack for the last thirty seconds without blinking.
Twilight smiled down at Sunset, stepping into place to the other girl’s right before leaning down towards her. “Fluttershy told me everything. Don't worry, I got this.”
Sunset chuckled, and flashed Fluttershy a wide smile as thanks, making a note to properly thank the shy girl after Diamond Tiara lost officially.
“Alright then.” The principal announced. “Please give it up for Twilight Sparkle and her princess costume… thing.”
The crowd seemed to have nearly run out of energy by this point, but it hardly mattered, as Twilight was larger, stronger, and more beautiful than even even Diamond Tiara. When the sound died down, Twilight stood slightly taller, though the rest of the changes she went through seemed minor in comparison.
“Okay, that about wraps up the audience part of the judging process, I will now adjourn to speak to my judges before announcing the winners!”
The principal turned and walked over to the judges who began an intense, and hushed conversation that was largely unheard by anyone else.
“This doesn't count.” Diamond Tiara hissed. “If she wins, then you will have lost.”
Sunset smirked. “Actually you said and I quote ‘If I don't win this stupid costume competition I’ll give the clothes back.’” The girl smirked up at the girl, watching in amusement as her face contorted into one of barely contained rage.
“It's not over yet!” She spat.
Sunset shrugged. “I’m pretty sure it is.”
The girl grumbled, grinding her teeth absently, and glancing over at Twilight every few seconds.
“The judges have reached an agreement!” The principal announced. “I will now begin with the fourth place runner up award which is this basket of muffins donated by from the local bakery.”
Sunset found herself tense slightly, her nerves getting the better of her.
“Derpy and her dragon maid costume!”
“Oh my gosh!” The dragon maid squealed, sprinting up to the stage.
Twilight and sunset turned to watch as the excited girl awkwardly hugged the principal before taking her place off to the side, basket in one hand and muffin in the other.
“In third place we have Sunset Shimmer and her princess costume!”
Sunset shimmer frowned, looking up to the stage where smiling middle aged man was gesturing to the three tiered podium. With a sigh, the girl walked past Diamond Tiara, tried her best to ignore the self-satisfied smirk shot at her and ultimately climbed the steps and took her place at the lowest part of the podium.
The principal walked up to her, looked down to the medal in his hands, frowned, and ultimately decided to simply hand the giant woman her medal. Turning around, the principal swiftly made his way back up to the microphone.
“It was a tight race for first, but ultimately only one can win!” The principal extended a hand dramatically. “And that winner is….”
Sunset stared down at the expectant face of Diamond Tiara, and the nervous look on Twilight’s face.
“Twilight Sparkle! Which means Diamond Tiara has taken second place!” The principal smiled and gestured to the podium. “Come on up and accept your medals!”
Diamond Tiara stomped her way up the stairs, shooting everyone who met her gaze a glare. Twilight followed close behind, bumping into everything, unused to her new height and width. Together the two girls took their places, the podium groaning under their combined weight. Twilight looked triumphant throughout it all, though awkward when anyone seemed to give her attention, Diamond Tiara simply seemed defeated more than anything, but was determined to stay standing.
“You know, with all of us taking up the top four slots that means your brother didn't even get on the stage this year,” Sunset whispered.
Diamond Tiara blinked, looking down at the other girl in confusion. “What are you…” A sudden smile spread across her face and she slapped a hand against her forehead, narrowly missing her new horn. “Oh my gosh your right!”
Sunset chuckled as the girl suddenly stood a little prouder, smiling a little wider.
In turn both Twilight and Diamond Tiara accepted their medals and waved to the crowd.
“And that concludes this year’s costume contest!” The man waved a hand towards the four people still standing on the stage. “Let's give one last hand to our four wonderful finalists!”
Sunset blinked, leaning towards Twilight nervously. “Do you know what happens if we keep getting more compliments and attention?”
The purple girl frowned. “I don't know, there should be a point where our bodies can't handle the increased magical energy and a spontaneous resonance cascade-”
“English, please!” Diamond Tiara shot back.
Twilight shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Wonderful,” Sunset muttered, turning back to the audience just in time for everyone to begin clapping and shouting praises.
The tingle that usually accompanied the increased growth returned, this time it was not the slow trickle she experienced before, and she found her entire body energized by the influx. By the looks on Diamond Tiara and Twilight’s face they felt it too, as both girls looked on with a mixture of exhilaration and nervousness.
Sunset decided not to think about the negative possibilities and chose instead to stand tall as she felt her body change. Her face extended, growing into the vaguely muzzle shaped look that Diamond Tiara and Twilight both had. Next her horn grew, longer still then even Diamond Tiara’s, which was followed closely by her hair growing to the point that it flowed behind her like Twilight’s. Then, just when she felt as though the changes had stopped, she felt something extend from her back.
Giving these strange new appendages a test flap, the pony turned human quickly realized that they were wings, not only that but they were enormous!
Looking around she quickly discovered that Twilight had gained wings, as well, in addition to several more cup sizes and several more inches. Diamond Tiara didn't seem to grow wings, though she did grow taller and gained some additional endowment as well.
The sudden addition of wings drove the crowd wild, and even the quietest of person was now standing up and cheering. Which had the cunfrotuente affect of causing the changes to increase tenfold, or at least that's what Sunset would have assumed.
Instead, she merely began to feel a little light headed and a glance over at her fellow medal winners told her that they felt similarly. By the time the urge to panic began to overtake her, a sudden explosion of smoke and glitter obscured everything.
For the next several seconds everything was chaos.
She could hear the curtain being pulled, the sound of someone hitting the ground, coupled with many feet running this way and that. When the colored smoke began to clear, Sunset found herself sitting on the ground, propped up by a nervous looking Derpy.
“Are you okay?” the wall eyed dragon asked.
Sunset shook her head, noticing that her wings, horn and entire ensemble had suddenly vanished, leaving her feeling oddly, small. “Yeah I’m okay. What about the others?”
Derpy motioned to her right. “They look okay. What was all that stuff?”
Sunset looked over to where Diamond Tiara lay on her back, being attended closely by a wobbly looking Twilight and a fretful Rarity. “More magic stuff.”
“Ahh.” Derpy shrugged. “Want a muffin?”
“I would love one.”
Together the two girls ate muffins and watched as Twilight and Rarity calmed down Diamond Tiara, who was now sporting a rather simple white dress and stood on shaky feet. “What happened?” She muttered.
“Magical feedback,” Twilight remarked. “Too much attention.”
“Your lucky we have so much experience with this magic business, you could have been hurt,” Rarity added.
“Yeah…” Diamond Tiara stood suddenly. “Where's the bathroom?”
“Over there.” Rarity pointed to the back of the stage. “To the left is the dressing rooms and the right is the bathroom.”
The girl nodded before taking off, leaving the three friends to exchange a worried expression. “Is she going to be alright Twilight?” Sunset asked.
Twilight nodded. “She should be. I still want to keep my eye on her just in case though.”
“Probably for the best,” Rarity added.
A second later an out of breath Diamond Tiara returned, underwear in hand. “Here. I don't want anything to do with this whole magic business.”
Sunset smiled, taking the undergarments from the girl. “Probably for the best, magic can be nothing but trouble sometimes.”
“Oh and thanks.” Diamond Tiara muttered, smiling awkwardly, before taking off.
Leaving behind three now quite relieved friends, and an utterly baffled Derpy.
Sunset walked over to Rarity and extended her hand. “Here, these were for you after all.”
Rarity looked at Sunset’s hand as if she were offering the fashionista a dead rat. “Err thank you, but I think I’ll wash them before I put them on.”
“Probably for the best,” Twilight added.
“So, crisis averted, magical nonsense contained, and the day saved,” Sunset announced. “Wanna get back to the party?”
“You bet!”