Discord was humming as he watched Pinkie's antics through his looking glass, chuckling now and then at a particularly good one. As of now; Pinkie was on a “rampage” through Ponyville, turning all the buildings into functional regenerating gingerbread houses that instantly repaired themselves by replacing whatever was damaged within moments. As expected, everypony was running around, screaming in hysterics about “THE HORROR” that was happening, whilst all the fillies and colts instead were cheering Pinkie on as she conjured them sweets, and did tricks on demand.
It was a party, and everypony was invited.
'She's so much fun! I should've done this sooner, but then again things were always in the way. I was just lucky that after that whole debacle with Tirek that anypony was willing to give me another chance. Now then, time to get things in...ugh...order....' “Pinkielicious, my sweet.” Pinkie paused in the middle of juggling chainsaws, rubber chickens, and papayas, making them all fall to the ground and suddenly turn into gumdrops, to the amusement of the children. “As much fun as it is watching you spread merriment, we must get on with our plans. Do you have it?”
'Yeppers!' Pinkie replied mentally as she waved goodbye to the kids she was entertaining, and then warped into Rarity's boutique. 'Is this REALLY a good idea Dissy?'
“Pinkie, once this is through; you and all your friends will be so much better off than before, you'll see.” 'Oh yes, you'll see....' Discord looked down at a sack that was hidden in the corner, behind the sofa and end table. He sadly remembered what was in said sack, and hardened his resolve. 'I am doing this for more than myself, after all....'
(<^>)
After calming down, Twilight laid out the plan for everypony. Since Dash's transformation was completely unexpected, unprecedented, (even by her own ascension) and unpredictable, it was unanimous, (aside from Dash) that Dash should go to Celestia and get her assistance with her new state of existence. Dash complied, but would now and then pop in from a flash of multi-colored light to convey messages between Celestia and Twilight on the matter, which was even faster than dragonfire mail, beings even without the pendant; Dash was now essentially a living mass of light, able to enter and leave physical form at will.
Thus effectively cementing Dash as not only being the fastest living thing in known existence, but confirming with Celestia that her ascension is absolutely genuine. As Alicorns govern an aspect of existence, Dash represented Light. Which was confusing to everypony, beings Celestia governs Light with her bearing the control of the sun. But Celestia further explained that there is more than her Light of Life, but also the Light of Sight, among other things. It was also important that Rainbow Dash represented Loyalty, and like the element itself; was bound to react in defense of those she's loyal to faster than lightning.
Needless to say; Dash was very smug about all of this.
She was currently hovering to the side of Celestia's throne, making a literal royal ass of herself, doing twirls and flips to amuse herself as Celestia smiled in shared amusement, while the rest of the court tried and failed to ignore the suddenly newly ascended Duchess Rainbow Dash shaking her flanks like it was her birthday. “Aw~ yeah! My coronation or knighting or whatever, is going to be so, awesome~!” Dash gushed, and Celestia tittered in contained laughter, whilst the nobles all grumbled about how wings and horns were being given out like candy lately.
“Duchess Rainbow Dash. I know it is quite fun and amusing to tease the other nobles, but we must seriously be carrying on with business. You may go wherever you please, beings I see nothing else happening to you.” 'And please leave, you're making it so hard not to laugh so loud I deafen my subjects.'
“Alright then, so we're absolutely sure, that if my friends are in any REAL danger...that I'll sense it and come flying to help?” Rainbow needed to clarify this, seriously, Loyalty ain't no joke.
“I am positively certain. Should something endanger someone you care about, you will be impulsively drawn to protect them.” 'Really, even without the actual elements, these mares are shockingly identical to the elements themselves, no wonder they could bear them.' “Also...would you please remove those tights? I feel it is unbecoming of a mare of your station to wear something so...scandalous....”
Celestia was referring to Dash's lederhosen, which, as stated; REALLY drew attention to her flanks. “Hey, as far as I'm concerned; if anypony's looking, they know quality.” Dash wagged her eyebrows as several stallions in the room all blushed and coughed, cleared their throats or just looked away. “Yeah that's right you horn-heads, I saw you looking. These cerise eyes aren't about to miss lookie-loos, I have a lot of practice.” Rainbow then spun around and lifted her tail, shaking her green tight-wearing plot at them all, making them all yell in surprise and mostly turn away, but plenty of them stared without regret.
“Miss Dash! I must ask that you not be so...provocative in my courtroom.” 'Darn it, leave already you silly mare, you're making it very difficult to keep a straight face.'
“Oh alright, you spoilsports. I'll just take my royal flanks elsewhere. Now then...hmm...haven't been to Zebrica yet....” Dash flashed away, leaving everyone taking breaths and sighs of relief.
(<^>)
Rarity entered her home and business, a groaning Sweetie Belle on her back. Said filly was moaning as she rubbed her bulging belly, the multiple colored stains around her muzzle displaying that said tummy-ache was the result of overindulging in a multitude of sweets. “Now, Sweetie, I know Pinkie's little chaos spree is an opportunity for you foals, but now you face the consequences. Perhaps this will teach you a lesson.”
“I-urp-regret NOTHING!” Sweetie shouted in defiance, before her cheeks fill with air and she promptly leaps off her sister's back, and runs for the restroom. Shortly, the sounds of retching are heard. “I regret everyth-*blegh*!”
“Oh, the poor dear. I'll have to stop by the clinic and get some stomach medicine. Where did I leave my saddle-ah! There you are.” Rarity trotted up to her bags and was about to put them on, but stopped and reexamined them. “Hm...I don't remember the strap having such a beautiful black diamond on it before....” Rarity cast one of her signature spells, this one letting her accurately and thoroughly identify all aspects of a gem. If Rarity hadn't become a tailor, then she'd have been a jeweler, but she didn't have the patience for the metalwork involved in making more complex settings for the jewels. “Hm...it is indeed a diamond, an impressive pure black diamond that could easily be mistaken for jet, were it not for the fact that light does penetrate through it. I'm not sensing any impurities, or foreign magics...well, Pinkie must have put it on my bag for some reason, but I don't sense any way this can cause me harm.”
“Ugh...it burns....” Sweetie cried from the bathroom, followed by more vomiting, making Rarity wince.
“No time! My sister needs me!” Rarity put on her bags and quickly cantered out the door. Because it was on her back however, Rarity could not see the shimmering deep purple aura that flashed, and spread from the black diamond to cover her. “Oh dear...some sort of nausea medicine for certain, but what will soothe the pain?”
Rarity was so concerned with considering what medicine to buy, that she didn't notice that it seemed like everything was getting shorter, ponies were looking at her in awe, the stallions and the known filly-foolers especially. 'Hm...I don't want to just give her that pink medicine, that would completely throw her abused system off-track....' Rarity paused at the clinic entrance because she had to open the door, and didn't notice that the color of her magic aura had changed from a shimmering light blue, to a velvety purple. “Hello Healthy Herb, I need to purchase some stomach medicine for Sweetie. The dear has consumed far too many sweets, and is violently paying for it at the moment.” Rarity didn't notice that her voice had gotten slightly deeper, and had a husky breathy tone to it.
Healthy Herb, the pharmacist of the clinic, was an older but not-quite-that-old ginger-maned earth stallion with a brown coat and eyes. Although he wasn't as skilled as Zecora, he'd been the primary medicine provider for Ponyville for decades before she came along, and he was tendering retirement in favor of offering the zebra his position at the clinic. Also, he was currently gaping at the beauty before him. “Um...miss? Might I first ask your name?”
Rarity was confused, she'd visited the clinic plenty of times to buy medicine. “Why would you ask that? It is I; Rarity.” Rarity reminded him, wondering if he was suddenly becoming senile, as rude as the thought was.
“Wha-Miss Rarity?! B-but...what happened to you?” He looked her over, and tried very hard not to ogle the young mare, as he was far too old for her, and he noticed that Rarity looked genuinely perplexed. “You must've been caught by that rampaging draconequus without your notice. But I'm not sure how “bad” this can be considered.” HH produced a large hand mirror from under the counter, and held it up, making Rarity gasp in shock.
“W-w-w-what~?!” Rarity took the mirror into her new deep purple magic aura, and used it to examine herself. She was now easily as tall, if not taller than Princess Luna. Her figure was comparable to beauties such as Fleur de Lis, her coat was now a dark, velvety purple with a lustrous shine to it, her mane and tail the same style as before, but long and flowing light purple with a single silver streak through them, and shined like her coat. Even her very cutie mark had changed, her diamonds having become brighter with what seemed like an inner light, and were joined by smaller diamond-like stars. Her last bit of focus was on her eyes, which seemed to have diamonds like her new cutie mark in her irises, and her corneas were now a light silvery blue instead of white. “I look...AMAZING!”
“Indeed.” Health nodded in affirmation, but then got back to business. “Now then, a medicine to cure nausea, as well as soothe the burn of vomiting from mouth to stomach coming up. That'll be ten bits miss.” HH turned around and went to work gathering the components and measuring them to make the medicine.
“Oh, yes. Sweetie matters more than a...wondrous makeover.” Rarity fished out her bits, but paused when she saw the black diamond on her saddle was now gone. “Hmph...some prank this is Discord...what are you up to?”