The Rainbow Falls Exchange was in full bloom it seemed, and Rainbow Dash was more than happy to take Starlight Glimmer along for this year, not to mention Chara and Huey, the Monster Kid. The four were together with various items for trade with the many vendors, and everyone was looking forward to what they might find.
"Chara... what is that?" Starlight asked. Chara smiled as he held a knife similar to his own, but was in truth more meant for plants than what Chara usually used his knife on.
"Request from Frisk. He wanted me to see if I could find someone to trade this for something better. He hoped maybe Magical Cards and Comics had a stand and maybe we could find another book or game from them."
Rainbow Dash chuckled. "You really like going into those don'tcha kid." He ruffled Chara's hair some and nodded. But as he walked he kept staring at Starlight. Lately he had been dreaming of the magical mare, or turning into a pony and spending his life with her: as her colt, as her husband, as something, he didn't know. But he knew he would love to share his life with the pretty pony. He looked at the one thing he brought for his own to trade.
It was a copy of Beauty and the Beast, which he read and was read to by Dr. G to help him get back to normal. As valuable to him as it was, he would trade it gladly for some way of... of...
"Excuse me, you would not happen to be one of the ones from the Underground, would you not?" A voice said. Chara turned, finding out he was so focused on his wishes he got seperated from the group. He looked about and followed the voice to a stand filled with various strange and beautiful items. At the head of it was a rather impressive looing ebony pony, with a long red cape.
"Yes...?" Chara replied as he approached. The pony smiled.
"Welcome to my stand. I specialize in magical artifacts. But I caution you before we make any trade... some may have dire consequences." He motion to an amulaet with a ruby red gem in the center. "This for example grants magical power... but corrupts the wearer." He then turned to a dragon shaped statue. "And this summons a dragon familiar to work for you... but it demands sacrifices." He turned to Chara. "You must be careful around magic."
Chara nodded, his eyes freezing on three very similar necklaces, each with a gem that was always swirling witrh color. The pony ahhed as Chara looked them over.
"Ah, you have a fine eye! These are Dreamer's Stones. They grant one wish to the one who wears them, then turn back into ordinary gems. They are made using substantial effort and power, but using them is easy. But be warned. You only get one wish, and once done... there is no going back."
Chara hmmmed. "Is it hard to make them?"
"Very. Granting wishes takes a lot of time and effort, and even Starswirl himself only ever made seven of them. Two of these were his, and a third, this one in the middle, was made by King Sombra himself."
Chara froze. "Sombra?"
"Oh yes. A little known fact is that he was not totally evil. His slaves worked so hard one year that he actually made one of these to grant his strongest follower a wish. However, in that very time the Crystal Empire was sealed away. This necklace was recovered shortly thereafter and was hidden away for years, many fearing it was an evil talisman. Now that the truth is known... well, it is now in my shop."
Chara pondered what he was about to do. Finally he produced the book. "I'll take it for this... if you will make the trade."
The pony smiled. "Why, its a copy of Beauty and the Beast, and one not bound totally to this plane of existence! I'm impressed! Very well, you have a deal. But remember.... no unwishing."
Chara nodded, putting the necklace on and going off. As he left, the pony glanced beside him, hiding his less... ponylike features. "Ten bits Gaster, I won fair and square."
Gaster grumbled and coughed up the gold, giving it to the pony. "You SURE about this? I mean, selling these artifacts?"
The pony smiled, his one tooth showing. "Kid deserves some happiness, given what we both know is coming.Besides... I think they will make a cute couple."
Gaster smiled his freaky smile. "No argument here. But you still have two left. Who are they for?"
The pony smiled. "Oh you'll see."
***********************
"Spikey, how did your trade go?" Rarity asked, waiting by a cart of items to trade. Spike smiled as he revealed a perfectly cut gem in the shape of Rarity, diamond mixed with sapphire and clearly worth a fortune. Rarity blushed as he gave it to her.
"Why Spike... It's..... it's...."
Spike smiled. "I had to wait a bit for the gem molder to finish it, and it cost me five of my power pony comics, but it was worth it for you."
Rarity began to cry, finally embracing Spike. "You are the sweetest, kindest, most wonderful dragon in the world!" She said, finally kissing him. Spike blushed red, then fell back, sighing happily. "Now Spike, no time for dramatics. I still have to trade my out of date dresses and supplies for something more chique. Be a dear and haul the cart please?"
Spike smiled. "Anything for you." He said, pulling the heavy cart. They said love was blind, but Spike sure would do anything for Rarity, and likely has. Rarity knew that, and in her mind she gazed at the statue. She remembered her dreams, and how they usually were going these days... and how much she liked them. She smiled and wished there was a way to make them come true.
"Excuse me." A deep voice said. Rarity looked and saw a dark pony at a stand full of amazing jewelery. The pony smiled some, two necklaces in front with swirling gems.
"I may have something your looking for."
*******************************
Alphys and Undyne smiled as they walked with Barkbark, the timberwolf getting some spooky stares and eventual pets from the ponies, the timberwolf as harmless as a newborn foal. Alphys looked at her figurines, then back to Undyne.
"You really surre someone will want to trade for these?" Alphys asked. Undyne chuckled.
"My adorable little sex toy, those things are COOL. Someone is sure to want them, especially the one with the giant mallet!"
Alphys held the one in question up, MewMews best friend Nikorita, who used that hammer often if she was in a bad mood. "I hope so, I really wanna get some parts for an upgrade to Mettaton."
Undyne chuckled. "Always thinking of work huh? Well I am going to go trade a suit of my armor for something hot. Later Alphy!" She kissed Alphys, licking the roof of the inside of her mouth, then moving off, leaving Alphys blushing and stunned.
"get a room!" Someone shouted. Alphys could only whimper. She was nothing like Undyne, and honestly she never knew what all Undyne saw in her. More than anything she wished she was less geeky and more..... gorgeous.
"Wish? Did someone think wish?" Alphys turned and saw a stand of antique jewels and gems, including one very interesting necklace...
*******************
Chara held the necklace he had just traded for, looking over at Starlight from the shadows. He sighed deeply and held the amulet tight.
"Okay...... here goes.... I wish I was a stallion a mare like Starlight could fall for." He watched as the jewels light faded, changing into an ordinary black onyx, and felt magic encase him, warping his body. Despite drastically altering his anatomy the process was painless, and thanks to going into the books by Magical Cards and Comics he was used to the form. When it was over, he quickly glanced in a mirror.
He was a DREAM of a stallion, with a flowing dark mane, a trim and muscled form, and a long bushy tail the same color as his mane. He had a sword and shield cutie mark, brown eyes, and a tan coat, but still wore his favorite green and yellow shirt that Toriel had given him. He smiled and nodded, looking firm.
"Alright Chara, now you can be the stallion Starlight wants!" He said, stepping out... but soon was spotted by a couple of mares.
"Oh my, look at HIM girls!" One said. Another nodded, grinning.
"Oh what a stud! Where has HE been all my life?"
"Keep dreaming Berry Punch! I saw him first!"
"That's what you think Carrot Top!"
Soon, several mares crowded around Chara, the boy gulping and wide eyed in fear as they looked at him lovingly. He looked and saw Starlight walking into a stall, knowing he had to go. He tried to leap over.... but a mare caught him by the tail.
Imagine his shock when he saw that it was Spitfire from the Wonderbolts!
"Hold it flyboy!" She said winking. "Old Hotflanks has something she wants to show you!"
Oh for the love of....
*********************
Rarity, meanwhile, looked to the owner of the "toy" shop, the mare smiling some. "Good luck sweetie!" She said, Rarity nodding as she went to an alley between two very busy stalls.
"Ok necklace. This is it. Good thing Princess Celestia has a means of reforming us thanks to Asriel, because when Spikey Wikey gets this, He will see the love is NOT one sided. I cannot think of a better thank you for that adorable widdle dragon. As someone once said, when you give yourself to another, there is no greater gift!!" She smiled. "I wish I could be an absolutely ravishing Crystal Pony, one dragons would consider a delicacy!" She smiled as she felt her body crystalize, shimmering in the light. She looked herself over and smiled her form changing color based on the light, her every part made of shining jewels. Knowing the kind of gems Spiked like most, she knew this would be one he would love. "Okay Rarity, your all dressed for dinner, time to take that dragon out for the best meal he ever had, and tell him you lov-"
"Excuse me miss!" She heardf a voice say as she went to leave the alley. She turned and froze, seeing a rather dapper looking red dragon, who sniffed the air about her. "Forgive me, but I am a BIG fan of crystal ponies, and I cannot help but notice you seem to be the best of the lot. Might we have a chat?"
Rarity scoffed. "Hmph! I am not for the likes of you, I am for a very special....EEP!"
She turned and saw tha the stall suddenly closed, leaving her trapped with the dragon.
"Oh I INSIST. I have a lot to trade for you my sweet gem delight." The dragon licked his chops, Rarity backing up, dropping her toys on the ground: all the fixings dragons love with crystal ponies.
"Oh no... what have I done?!"
********************
Alphys clutched the medallion she had traded a lot of machine parts for, hoping she could do the wish right. She held the medallion and sighed. "I wish I was big and strong for Undyne!"
She eeped as she felt magic wrap around her... but rather than gain muscles, she began to grow in size! She eeped as she busted out of her clothes and glasses, growing taller and taller, until she had to be about 20 feet tall! She eeped as she looked herself over, loking like a cross between a dragon and a female godzilla!
"Oh no!" She boomed, making the ground shake, several ponies running for their lives. Alphys ran in the opposite direction, trying to figure out what had happened. "Oh Undyne, what have I DONE!!!?!"
She asked that over and over as she felt magical bolts hit her, several royal guardsman from Canterlot blasting her with magical energy.
Alphys eeped and went to run, but every step made the ground shake ad even crushed a house.
"Oh sorry! I'll pay for it when I get back to normal!......... if I get back to normal....."
*****************************
Chara eeped as he hid under a stand, several female stallions looking for him. This was way worse than he wanted. He wished to be a stallion a girl like Starlight would like, and it seemed every girl was now after him in spades! To make matters worse, every time he went to get close to Starlight to confess his love, some other random pony was in his way.
A factor confirmed as he was yanked out by the tail in between Octavia and Vinyl Scratch. He blushed as they smiled at him.
"Well hello there handsome..." Octavia began, but Vinyl finished it for her.
"Wanna have a three way?"
"Vinyl! Have some respect! But.... since you broguht it up..."
Chara eeped and ran for his life, right into a vast mob of female ponies, many making sudden trades for lassos or stun spells or what have you to catch him. Chara eeped as he ducked into another tent....
To be met by a rather unsettling sight, seeing a red dragon glazing a crystal Rarity, who was balling like never before.
"Oh stop whining cutie. It will make you far too salty." The dsragfon said, adding some oregano. Chara huffed.
"Hey! What;s going on here?!" He shouted. Rarity looked up.
"Well.... I kinda used a wish to turn into a crystal pony fit for a dragon so Spikey Wikey could see how I feel, but I bumbld into this dragon and... wait.... who are you?!"
"it's me, Chara!" The pony said, giving his trademark creepy smile. "I may be different looking after my wish but after it all it is still me."
Rarity shot up, the dragon blinking. "What?! You made a wish too? why are yopu a pony? And an adult one at that?!"
Chara blushed. "Well... I kinda have a crush on Starlight and.... I wanted to be a stallion she could fall for. Apaprently so can every other female in Rainbow Falls!"
The dragon spoke up. "Forgive me for uinterrupting, but I WAS about to have crystal pony for dinner."
Chara thought and hmmed. "Can I trade you for her? I mean... she really wants to be someone else's treat."
The dragon hmmmed. "Whatcha got?"
Without thinking, Chara removed his favorite sweated. The dragon hmmed and sniffed it, mmming some.
"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... I like the smell of it! It has some pony sweat residue on it I assume?"
Chara nodded. "I have been running for awhile."
"I love the taste of pony sweat. It adds a fine seasoning, better than any salt! Alright, I'll make the trade, the crystal pony for the sweater.:"
Rarity ran to the now shirtless Chara, hugging him. Then she remembered. "Wait a minute! If you bought one... and I bought one... and there was one left when I did... that means someone else may have bought that other one!"
Chara blinked. "Yeah but who?"
BOOM.
BOOOOOOOM.
BOOOOOOOOOOOM.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
RRRAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rarity and Chara ran out to see what was making the noise, and blinked as they saw a giant dinosaur monster, trying to swat Pegasi guards away like flies.
"Alphys." The two said in unison. The two decided to go find that odd pony asap. They had the feeling if they did not find the pony in time Alphys would turn the Rainbow Falls Exchange into a warzone!
*******************
In the princess stall, Celestia was nomming happily on a cake that had been traded for thanks to the other just wanting a little bit of her mane. The admirer was already turning it into a locket to keep it close, and the cake was more than worth it, Luna beside her sister and groaning.
"I swear sister, if your not careful your going to look more like a COW than a PONY!"
Celestia smiled. "Just enjoying a gift from an admirer dear sister, like you got from Little Pip?"
Luna stammered, her mane having a homemade braid in it now, a trade with the smallest of colts for a mere kiss from the princess of the moon. Pip had worked for days on it and it was cute as a button, and Luna had no trouble making the trade for the kiss to her little admirer. She sighed as she went to answer, when she heard a lot of commotion from the main stalls of the exchange.
"What in Equestria?" The two said almost in unison, then were wide eyed as Alphys ran at them, the two eeping as the giant sized scientist almost squished the two of them flat under her massive feat, only just missing by inches. Just behind were Chara and Rarity, who the princesses had to do a doube take on.
"Princess Celestia, did a giant accidentally rampaging dinosaur frightened for her life and making everyone freak out pass by here?"
Celestia looked at the ruined stall and her squished cake, then back to Chara. "Do you REALLY want me to answer that?!"
Luna snickered some, then blinked. "Wait. A. Minute. Whaqt happened to the three of you?"
Chara and Rarity both explaine dhow they had met a mysterious pony who sold magical artifacts, including the Wish necklaces. Celestia nodded.
"Well, the spell can be undone, powerful magic wishes are but not infallible, especially as they are based in Chaos magic."
"Chaos magic?" The two transformed ones said at the same time.
"Yes, wishes coming true is somewhat of a disruption of the natural order, so countering the spell requires similar power." She then smiled. "I think I know who is responsible."
She breahed deathed, and used the Canterlot voice, making when Luna did it seem so.... quiet.
"DISCORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The shout knocked over stands and made everyone go to their knees in fear, even Giant Alphys, as suuddenly a familar looking pony poofed before Celestia, quickly removing his skin like an overcoat to reveal the being beneath.
"Whoa! No need to shout Celestia. I think you broke my eardrums doing that!" He literally pulled out two tiny base drums and quickly repaired them before sticking them back in his ears. "Now, what is the issue?"
Luna spoke up. "Selling wish granting artifacts are we?!"
Discord chuckled. "Hey, its not MY fault the wishes were not like they should be. I think Chara's wish of being a stallion for Starlight to date is really cute! Not my ideal shipping for either of them but certainly not unliked. And Rarity! Even you admitted she took advantage of Spike, so how is he FINALLY getting thanks? With his favorite food! Now how sweet is that?!"
Celestia pointed at Alphys, who sneezed, blowing a tent of Daring Do memorabilia over. "And Her?!"
Discord shrugged. "Hey, she can't accept she is loved for what she is, not my fault." He poofed on Alphys head. "I mean come on! She already is brave enough, given her mecha battle thingie." The he poofed in the hand. "And what about their mutual interest in dirty anime? So what if she is a little tubby in the tummy, or soft on the soles. " he poofed next to her ear. and whispered, though everyone heard it. "It makes you more huggable really, like a teddy bear."
Alphys blinked. "Really?"
Discord smiled. "Now, I can undo the spells in the wishes, but YOU cannot undo the wishes themselves."
Alphys nodded quickly, eager to find her love and go have some terapy cuddles, but the other two were hesitant. Celestia blinked, than smiled.
"We will take care of Alphys. You go fulfill your wishes."
The two nodded, going off. Luna shook her head, watching as Discord shrunk Alphys back to normal. "You are too soft on him sister."
Celestia smiled. "He gives me cake." She winked. "And flowers. and jewelry. and..."
Luna facehooved, giggling some. "Something awful is happening in my mind."
"Not in MINE!" Discord said, making a big red rose appear before the princess of the sun.
*****************
Spike sat with the new ruby he had just traded for, giving some gentle licks as he went into a tent. He sat at a table and chair that he had no idea why they were here as several candles lit up. And when they did, he dropped his ruby.
There on the table, like a roasted piggy, was Rarity as a crystal pony, a big skull sized pearl in her mouth and several opal rings on her back, imitation ruby sauce all over her. Spike was wide eyed at the sight.
"Rarity?!"
She removed the pearl, and he smiled, ready to cry as she spoke.
"I wanted you to have something that says, simply, I love you, and would do and be anything for you, my adorable little dragon."
Spike let the ruby lay in the grass as, sobbing happy tears on hearing her proclamation, he leaned in and kissed her. She would not release the kiss as she suddenly held him, making him get all messy, but he didn't care. Crystal pony, regular pony, dragon, even if she turned into a banana slug by some weird spell, she would always be his Rarity, and he loved her with all his heart.
And she loved him. He knew it now.
"Now then Spike.... Shall we share a private dinner?" Rarity offered, but Spike amazingly refused.
"Nah.... your too pretty to eat Rarity. But I may have to kiss you all over to clean you up."
Rarity smiled sweetly. "Oh Spike...."
**********************
Elsewhere, Starlight had finished her trades and was looking for Chara, but the boy was nowhere in sight. She sat by the rainbow waterfall, watching it quietly, as she heard hoofsteps behind her. When she turned to see the stallion, she knew right away who it was.
"C..... Chara?!" She said in shock.
"You helped me come back to the light." Chara said as he sat near her. "You share so much time with me. I wanted to be more than a little kid.... because... wel... I kinda...."
Starligth smiled, putting her hoof on his mouth. "I already know. I admit I wish circumstances were different that I was a philly again, so we could grow up together. But are you sure this is right? I don't want you giving everything up for me..."
Chara was silent. Being a pony was great, and he would be happy with Starlight. But...
"I know..." He said. "I just wish I could be yours. Your love, your friend, even your child."
Starlight smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek. "You are already all that and more. I would love to share a life with you. But it doesn't have to be as two ponies. Even if you turn back into a human, I will always care for you, because you care for me."
Chara smiled, the two sittng by the falls, nuzzled together. Chara was saddened it would not go further, at least not yet, but he was glad Starlight was his friend. Maybe someday it would be more.
Someday.
***************************
Gaster laughed as he got back his money. Discord grumbled some.
"Say it." Gaster said with a creepy smile of humor.
"No."
"SAY IT."
"You can' t make me."
"Just seven words. Beware the man who speaks with hands..."
Discord hmphed, speaking in a neyh neyh style of voice. "Fine, Better to be glad with what you have than wish for what you don't. You happy now?"
Gaster smiled. "Very."
Discord sighed. "You had to admit though, it would have been cute to see Chara and Starlight as a couple."
gaster watched as they walked away from the falls. "Oh we may yet. Their story is not over." He sighed. "But why Rarity and Alphys?"
Discord smiled. "Honestly? I was eager for some fun. Though imagine who else may have gotten a wish. I mean, what if Twilight had gotten it? Or Toriel? OR ASGORE?"
Gaster blehed. "Oh please no on that last one. I saw the fanfics he had."
Discord laughed and walked with his friend to get some goodies, unaware another form had just fed on what had happened, a red smile watching from the shadows...