Magical Curiosity

by Comma Typer

Flower of the Herd

Two-thirty in the afternoon and as the sun was shining down on the now crowded Canterlot High, whispers and murmurs abounded. Gone were the questions of quizzes, tests, or even almost anything about Floral Week. Instead, there were more pressing matters: Why were classes still going as planned despite one of the strangest colds in world history? Where were the principals and Cheerilee on this important day? Why was Cranky Doodle Donkey not even present, with much of the activities now being relegated solely and entirely to Gardening Club—or, rather, what’s left of it?

At any rate, most of the students were gathered at the front of the school, waiting for the clock to strike three as they struck up chit-chat, used their phones, or told a joke that was either funny or not. Wallflower, Rose, and Derpy were offering a variety of flowers to just about anyone they passed by, with Wallflower herself advertising a tour of shrubs at the school’s garden scheduled at four. Some accepted it, much to Wallflower’s relief as her interest and effort were further vindicated.

It also smelled really good, with various scents and aromas wafting around and mixing together to form a perfume pleasing to just about anyone’s nose, tickling them with the freshness of green and dew while topped with the pleasant smells of lilies, lavenders, and mock oranges.

By the statue’s broken base now void of construction moments, Octavia leaned on one of its corners, waiting for her phone’s call to connect. Then, with a click: “Bon Bon, what’s going on? Any updates?”

“Yeah. Flash won’t be coming.”

Octavia sighed. “As expected; he’s not the kind to miss this. Anyone else out of the picture?”

“Four Shadowbolts. Sugarcoat left early, though I think she’s a pony now, too.”

Sandalwood was running onto school grounds; on the way, he budged her, making Octavia almost drop her phone. After: “Never mind that. Are you coming?”

“No. It’s getting harder to make every—“ paused for emphasis “—pony stay inside.”

“You know it’s unfeasible to keep this up. You have to get outside soon.”

She heard a sigh from Bon Bon. “I know.”

“And what if you become…one of them?”

A nervous chuckle. “No matter how much I prepare, I’m still afraid. Magically becoming something else sounds horrifying.”

Octavia winced. “Alright. Anything else?”

“Hey, Octavia!” Micro Chips yelled, stopping to point both hands at her. “Nice...hair?”

She put the phone away, though keeping the call on. “What’s with my hair?”

Micro Chips gulped, then slinked away while mouthing the word “pony” at her.

He then ran into the school building, avoiding a run-in with Wallflower which would have ended with ruined, dirty flowers on the concrete.

Octavia looked at her hair, noticing that it had grown to her ankles; it even had a hair tie that turned her style into that of a pony tail.

She brought her phone up to her ear. “Bon Bon?”

“Yeah? What’s the hold-up?”

“I think I’m next on the pony list.”

“At school?!” she shouted. Then, after some quick and uneasy breathing, “OK, you need to get to a safe place now!”

Octavia picked up her cello case and, with phone in her hand—

Bumped into someone.

“Ay!” rang the thick-accented voice. “You’ve almust dropped my camerah!”

Octavia struggled to stand up, then saw Photo Finish glaring at her through those thick shades despite helping her up. “Sorry, Photo Finish but I’ve got to—“

And the necklace on Photo Finish glowed. She looked down, saw the main jewel lighting up. “What is zhis?!”

Octavia slung her cello bag on her back. “Really, I have to—“

And was zapped by the necklace.

She screamed as she glowed.

Phone dropped.

Photo Finish took a step back, staring at the bright light before her in dread.

And then, right there in front of the school, stood a gray Earth pony, cello bag around her torso.

All the noise from the floral celebrations ceased as everyone looked at Octavia.

The pony’s eyes shrunk.

She whispered, looking at the phone, “Cover’s blown.”

What followed were screams and calls for help. Students ran around, some trampling over the flowers. Many dispersed, headed as far away from the school as possible; others went inside to find safety there.

Then, Photo Finish picked a blubbering Octavia, slinging the cello bag on her back instead, and then ran inside, silent but fearful as she ran with Wallflower into the main hall.

Now, the facade of Canterlot High was deserted. Screaming could be heard in the not-so-distant distance.

---

Photo Finish locked the door and, with shaky hands, gently put Octavia down on the floor. She ran past the student desks, closed the curtains, plunging the classroom into semi-darkness. Then, she turned on a flashlight and aimed at the gray pony who closed her eyes at the sudden glare.

In a trembling voice: “V-Vhat happened to you? I-Is zat r-really you?!”

Octavia was shuddering in place, terrified at her new everything—her mane, her snout, her tail, her cutie mark, her hooves—

Photo Finish ran to sit down beside her, resting on the wall and putting the flashlight down.

Octavia blinked, looked at her, and, in awkward silence, shifted her hooves about and sat down in a rather uncomfortable way, almost tying her forelegs into a knot.

Photo Finish resisted the urge to move away from the strange being. Pointing at Octavia and then at herself,“A-Are you g-going to turn me into a pony, too?”

Octavia shook her head, though slow and heavy. “No. It just feels...weird.” She looked at her hoof, then cringed, teeth bare. “Having to go down to four legs...I’ll have to re-learn walking! I-It’s like starting over with e-everything….” She looked down on the floor, seeing all her four legs, and gulped, also seeing her cutie mark. “And what is this thing?!” as she pointed at her flank.

Photo Finish shook her head. “I have no idea.”

They both leaned on the wall, though the tension lingered: Photo Finish was sitting beside a pony who used to be her friend and classmate, Octavia had suddenly become a magical talking horse with all that came with it.

Meanwhile, more screaming and shouts emanated from outside.

Photo Finish removed her thick shades, put them on the floor. “Well, vhat can I do for...y-you?”

Octavia scratched her head and touched her ears now a little higher on her head. She sniffled. “I...I don’t know. P-Perhaps some time alone while I...get u-used to b-being a pony.”

That pony stood up, wobbling on her four legs. Then, she whispered to herself the pattern, “Fore-right, back-left, fore-left, back-right. Fore-right, back-left, fore-left, back-right,” as she slowly raised and lowered the correct hooves in the correct order.

Photo Finish watched Octavia move about, first in a straight line and then going around the chairs. Yet, despite being a fast learner, the pony still displayed fear. Her whispers stopped at times to give way to sentences like, “This isn’t happening, this isn’t happening….”

Then, Photo Finish looked at her hands, wriggling her fingers. She looked at Octavia whose legs were faltering—now moving her tail a little to the left, a little to the right.

She stopped right beside Photo Finish.

Eyes watery, head hung, pleading, “Help me, Ph-Photo. This is t-too much!”

Fell into her arms, leaving the woman surprised.

Photo Finish let her cry, the pony reduced to tears and sobs at what she lost. The sorrow filled the room, and the screaming and shuffles from outside only deepened the mood, stirred Photo’s heart.

She rubbed the pony on the head. “You schall be a-alright, Octavia.”

And Octavia lifted her head up from her messy eyes and mane.

Nothing said.

The pony stretched her forehooves out and hugged Photo Finish.

Taken aback at first, she replied with stretching out her arms and hugging her back.

A minute later, they let go, Octavia unsteadily trotting to Photo’s side again to sit down.

As the screaming and the shouts continued, now hearing names and the words pony and horse a lot.

“I guess more of us are changing into poniez,” Photo said, looking at the door behind her.

Octavia brought a hoof to her eyes, sniffling and moaning. “It’s all c-coming together….”

Photo raised a brow.

Octavia blocked the tears from pouring. “Don’t you get it? The cold, the strange behavior, everything else?” Then, noticing the jewelry around Photo’s neck, she snapped, “Break that!”

Photo Finish looked at her necklace. “’Cause thiz turned you into a pony, huh?”

So, she tore it out of and smashed it with her foot, not quite realizing that boots do not have an easy time breaking topaz. Having failed that, she stood up and put it inside the teacher’s desk. Clearing her hands from dust, she sat back down with Octavia.

“We have to destroy that,” Octavia said.

Photo shrugged her shoulders.

Then, sighing and looking back at her hooves, “Thing is, I knew this was coming.”

Photo did a double take. “Vhat makes you say that?”

Octavia rubbed her head in pain. Then, after taking a deep breath: “Princess Twilight from Equestria deduced that magic is leaking over to our world too fast, too much. If it doesn’t get solved soon, everyone will become a pony and there’s no turning back!”

Photo’s eyes widened as a gasp built up in her.

Octavia covered half of her face with her hoof, anxiety overwhelming. “Which is why we need Sunset, our Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy—everypony else!”

Then covered her hoof.

“D-Did I just s-say that?” she blathered. Then, all of her shivering, “It’s taken over my body, and now it’s taking over my mind! How far will this go?!”

As Octavia broke down by applying too much pressure to her head, Photo Finish watched her, the descent showing.

The pony looked left and right like a bird in danger. “I can see it h-happening now. I’ll go deranged, s-s-start pawing the ground a-and snorting and whinnying like a h-horse. What if there are flies and insects and I use my tail to push them away as part of my instincts? I-I’ll be eating hay and licking salt before the d-day’s done, and—“ raised a hoof to her head “—how can I play the cello with this?!”

And yet more screaming and shouting from outside.

Too much screaming and shouting.

Photo and Octavia looked at the door.

They could hear Wallflower cry out, “The statue’s sucking people in! Everyone, get in the classrooms!”

Comments

[Venerable Ro]

Oh. oh dear, that's, that's very high up on the list of phenomena you don't want to be seeing right now.

On the other hoof, not to worry Octavia, the change appears to be purely physiological, along with some mild linguistic tics. As to playing again, pony! Octavia seems to manage pretty well. Or so I'm told...
img00.deviantart.net/6533/i/2013/192/9/1/octavia_sketches_01_by_baron_engel-d6czgem.jpg

[Greenhorn]

They could hear Wallflower cry out, “The statue’s sucking people in! Everyone, get in the classrooms!”

Hmmm? I thought Equestria's magic is gushing out into human world, not the other way round?

[RolkFlameraven]

The statue is doing say what now?!

[Eroraf86]

They could hear Wallflower cry out, “The statue’s sucking people in! Everyone, get in the classrooms!”

U WOT M8?! Who, how, and why?!

Wait, I forget. What's the deal with Photo's necklace? Is it a gem from Equestria or something?

[HB_DS2013]

Oh, wait. That one episode with Rarity playing metal on an acoustic guitar made me realize ponies can still play guitar. Yeah, woodwind players will hafta say goodbye... unless they’re pegasi.

[Jlargent]

Well the upside is that if the ponies in Equestria turn human then Neighsayer can't shut down any schools due to his bigotry.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Oh. Oh. Spacetime's getting distorted at this point. The good news is that the tidal forces aren't severe enough to cause spaghettification. The bad news is literally everything else.

Poor Wallflower. This was supposed to be her day in the spotlight.

[Comma Typer]

9122456
True. Granted, I know that's not how Princess Luna talks these days; letting Principal Luna slip into an archaic voice like this was deliberate.

[JazzyWaffles]

And then, right there in front of the school, stood a gray Earth pony, cello bag around her torso.

😈

They could hear Wallflower cry out, “The statue’s sucking people in! Everyone, get in the classrooms!”

Uh. Well this is happening.

[Csquared08]

They could hear Wallflower cry out, “The statue’s sucking people in! Everyone, get in the classrooms!”

Ya know, at the beginning, when I said I was worried about the [Tragedy] tag, this was not what I had in mind.

[Crystonian]

9399040
Welp. Worm hole time