“Happy birthday, Fluttershy!”
The quiet atmosphere that normally predominated Fluttershy’s cottage and surroundings was abuzz with celebratory chatter and laughter. Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Spike had come to throw her one of Pinkie’s trademark parties, and were now gathered with the birthday mare around a packed dining table out in her paddock. The sun was twinkling down from a deep blue sky, the air full of the smell of flowers, grass, and cake frosting.
“Thank you all so much,” said the cream-colored pegasus, her face alight with joy. “This is so wonderful. You really shouldn’t have.”
“Are you kidding?” asked Pinkie, a toothy grin on her face. “I’d never miss the chance to throw my friend a birthday bash!”
“And we’d never miss out on a friend’s birthday,” said Applejack, tipping Fluttershy a wink.
“Especially not one as special as you, darling,” said Rarity.
“You said it!” said Rainbow.
“We don’t know what we’d do without you, Fluttershy,” said Twilight, kindly.
Spike, whose mouth was full of cake, couldn’t say anything, but he gave Fluttershy a thumbs-up.
Fluttershy’s cheeks went as pink as her mane, but she was pleased nonetheless. As much as she hated being the center of attention, she minded it much less when she was with her best friends. Little by little, she found herself becoming less reluctant and unsure of herself, and it was these six she had to thank for it.
Spike finally swallowed, wiped his mouth, and said,
“I kinda expected Discord to be here, Fluttershy. I mean, you are his best friend.”
“Oh, he’ll be along,” said Fluttershy, calmly. “He must be busy at the moment.”
“Too busy for you?” asked Rainbow, skeptically. “What’s he got to do to keep him so occupied?”
“Well, he is spending a lot of time with the Smooze lately,” said Fluttershy. “Those two really hit it off after the Gala.”
“Personally, I can’t even begin to imagine what he sees in that...thing,” said Rarity, with slight disgust.
“Now, Rarity,” said Fluttershy, firmly, “the Smooze might be a little...sloppy, but he’s really a very sweet creature once you get to know him, just like Discord.”
“I think he’s a hoot!” said Pinkie. “He’s a great dancer, too!”
“He does seem a perfect match for Discord,” said Applejack, shrugging. “Ah mean, they’re both kinda...out there.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment, my dear Applejack.”
Applejack started. So did everypony else, and Rarity even gave an unladylike squeal of surprise. The teapot in the middle of the table had just spoken, the opening in the spout opening and closing like a mouth, in a very familiar, smooth and unctuous voice. Seconds later, a cloud of steam issued from it with a loud, shrill whistle. The steam twisted and curled until it formed into a shape everypony knew very well. Then, with a pop, Discord himself appeared in place of the smoke, and one could have sworn a fanfare of trumpets had blown a two-note ‘Ta-da!’ upon his materialization.
“Discord!” said Fluttershy, delighted.
She wasn’t the only one happy to see him. Though they had never seen eye-to-eye with the chaos-loving draconequus before, the others’ attitudes had changed considerably towards him ever since he had helped them bring about Tirek’s defeat (despite the fact that he’d sided with the evil centaur at first).
“Hello, everypony!” he said, looking around at them all, before his eyes finally rested on Fluttershy. “And here’s the birthday girl! Come here, you!”
He reached down and scooped Fluttershy up easily, as though picking up a teddy bear. Tucking her into a one-armed hug with his eagle’s arm, he gave her a vigorous noogie with the knuckles of his lion paw, making her giggle. He then held her out at arm’s length to get a good look at her while she smiled sweetly back at him.
“Has it really been a whole year?” he asked. “Where does the time go?”
He looked down at his lion’s arm, which had suddenly sprouted a multitude of wristwatches all along it, each showing a different time on its face. One was even shaped like an hourglass. All of them were ticking rather loudly, and the others winced slightly at the jumbled cacophony, all except Fluttershy and Pinkie, who seemed amused.
“Anyway,” said Discord, as the watches vanished, and he set Fluttershy back down, “sorry I’m late. Smoozy and I lost track of time.”
“Oh, it’s fine,” said Fluttershy. “I’m just glad you were able to make it. Why don’t we draw you up a chair?”
“No need. I’ll take care of it.”
Discord pulled a pencil out from nowhere (while a French beret and pencil-thin mustache inexplicably appeared on his person) and literally drew up a chair in midair, a cozy-looking winged armchair. It floated down right beside Fluttershy, and he settled himself into it comfortably, the beret and mustache gone.
“What are you and the Smooze up to?” asked Twilight. “Fluttershy says you’ve been hanging out a lot lately.”
“I’m glad you asked, Twilight,” said Discord, proudly. “As you know, that lovable pile of goop’s got a nose for shiny things. Or, he would, if he had one, but he’s as good as any metal detector, so I’ve been taking him treasure-hunting. He loves it!”
Rarity’s eyes lit up.
“Oh my!” she said. “How exciting!”
“Have ya found anything yet?” Applejack asked.
“Oh, have we! Just look at this haul!”
He produced, from out of nowhere, a treasure chest, balancing it on the palm of his lion paw while he opened the lid with his eagle claw. At once, the ponies and Spike found their eyes dazzled by a myriad of multi-faceted crystals gleaming in the sun as they floated out of the box. They were all sizeable jewels, all different colors, and all unusual shapes, even for gems. There was an emerald shaped like an acorn, a ruby in a perfect triangle shape, a sapphire resembling a fish, and even an amethyst that looked just like a cluster of grapes.
Everyone goggled at the display of treasures, eyes wide and mouths hanging open. Rarity looked nothing short of euphoric, as she fixed a jeweler’s loupe into her eye with her magic, peering intently from one jewel to the next. Spike licked his lips hungrily. Even though he’d pigged out on sweets that day, he had a second stomach for gemstones.
“I don’t suppose the Smooze would consider giving me some help finding gems for my outfits?” Rarity asked, hopefully.
That snapped Spike out of his hunger-trance, and he cast a disgruntled look between Rarity and Discord, as though the chaos master was intruding on something personal.
“Not unless you feel like cleaning Smooze Ooze off of them afterwards,” said Discord, frankly, as he put the gems away, and the chest vanished. “Takes a while to clean it off unless you can just zap it away with a good scouring spell.”
Rarity’s face fell, and her cheeks bulged briefly, as though resisting the urge to puke. Evidently, the thought of cleaning off the Smooze’s epidermal leavings was enough to make her feel ill.
“On second thought, I’ll pass,” she said.
“Besides, that’s my job,” said Spike, belligerently. “I’m Rarity’s treasure-hunter!”
Rarity gave the little dragon a fond smile. Twilight rolled her eyes in amusement.
“Oh, of course, how silly of me,” said Discord, in a careless voice. “In any case, I’ve got a gift for you, Fluttershy, from the two of us.”
He reached behind his back and drew out a gift, wrapped in what looked like yards of ribbon, with a bow made of wrapping paper on top. Just visible were flecks of what looked like the Smooze’s gelatinous excretions.
“I let him help with wrapping it, as you can plainly see,” said Discord, spying the globs. “He remembers you so fondly from the Gala.”
Fluttershy giggled, and opened it up to find something bulky and wrapped in silk. Lifting the wrapping away, she gasped as a pink crystal shaped like a butterfly was revealed within it. The others leaned in for a closer look, ooh-ing and ahh-ing.
“We found that a few weeks ago,” said Discord, delighted at Fluttershy’s expression of mixed wonder and joy. “I thought it would make the perfect birthday gift for you, since it looks just like your cutie mark, so we set it aside from our collection.”
“It’s beautiful,” said Fluttershy, tears sparkling in her teal eyes. “Thank you so much, Discord.”
She threw her hooves around his serpentine torso, nuzzling against him, and he patted her gently on the back.
“Only the best for my best of friends,” he said, in an uncharacteristically kind voice.
“Awwwwwwww,” said Pinkie, whose eyes had grown wet as well.
“That was very sweet of you, Discord,” said Twilight.
“I try,” said Discord, waving an airy paw, though he still looked thoroughly pleased.
“You deserve an extra big piece of cake for that, Discord!” said Pinkie, sliding a platter full over to him. “Help yourself! We’ve got tons to spare!”
“Don’t mind if I do!” said Discord, releasing Fluttershy and rubbing his paws in anticipation.
“I’ve been meaning to ask about that, Pinkie Pie,” said Rarity, as Discord cut himself a slice, then dunked it into a cup of coffee as if it were a donut. “Why did you bake so much for the party?”
She cast a glance at the refreshment table set up near the dining table. Nearly every inch of space was taken up by plates, trays, bowls, and boxes of cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pies, muffins, and candies.
“That’s not all from me, silly!” said Pinkie, beaming. “Those muffins are from Derpy. She sent them along with all of those on the right side of the table. Mine’s on the left side.”
“You didn’t make all of that?” asked Applejack. “Who made the rest, then?”
“Sugar Belle!”
“Sugar Belle?” repeated Twilight, surprised. “From Starlight’s old town?”
“Yep-yep! I sent her a letter saying Fluttershy’s birthday was coming up, and she sent all of that! She and the others are really grateful for what you did, Fluttershy,” she went on, looking at the bewildered pegasus. “You’re the one who found out Starlight never gave up her cutie mark. If it wasn’t for you, Sugar Belle and the others might not have gotten theirs back.”
Fluttershy blinked. She’d never thought about that at great length, but now that Pinkie mentioned it, she had found the means of dethroning the unhinged and stubbornly unrepentant Starlight Glimmer, at great risk.
“She’s right, Shy,” said Rainbow, grinning. “We’re lucky you decided to come with us after all.”
“And lucky to have such a wonderful friend as you,” said Rarity.
Everypony else nodded in cheerful agreement. Fluttershy felt a comfortable warmth in her chest at this. Especially today, she felt lucky to have such a wonderful circle of caring, understanding friends.
***
The sun was setting by the time the party wrapped up. Everypony was feeling full, sleepy, and very content. Discord bid Fluttershy and the others farewell, saying he had another engagement, and left by tugging on a tree limb, which sent him spinning down through the ground as though being sucked down a drain. To add to this, Spike swore he’d heard the sound of a toilet flushing.
“That Discord,” said Applejack, shaking her head. “He’s a lot less obnoxious, but he’s still a real piece of work.”
“I quite agree,” said Rarity. “Still, it was a splendid party as always.”
“All thanks to you, Pinkie Pie,” said Twilight.
Pinkie beamed.
“Well, I’m beat,” said Rainbow Dash, stretching so widely that her joints cracked. “Gnight, birthday girl.”
“Good night, Fluttershy.”
“See ya later, sugarcube.”
“Night, Fluttershy!”
“Thanks again for inviting us.”
“Thank you for coming,” said Fluttershy, looking pleased.
The ponies and Spike set off for their own homes across the paddock, tired but happy. Only Pinkie remained.
“Thank you so much for a wonderful party, Pinkie Pie,” said the pegasus, nuzzling her pink friend.
“Anything for my besties,” said Pinkie, chipperly. “I’m glad you had a lot of fun. I just wish we’d made a bigger dent in the refreshments.”
She looked at the refreshment table. There were still quite a lot of sweets left, even after the others had had some of it boxed to take back with them. Most of what was left were the treats from Sugar Belle, since, as Pinkie said, they had been made especially for the birthday mare.
“You sure you’ll be able to handle all of that, Fluttershy?” she asked.
“Don’t worry, Pinkie,” said Fluttershy. “I wouldn’t want it to go to waste. You and Sugar Belle worked so hard just for me…”
Pinkie’s muzzle curled into a kind smile, and she pulled Fluttershy into a hug.
“You’re such a sweet friend,” she said. “As sweet as sugar.”
She giggled, and Fluttershy couldn’t help giggling back.
“Just go easy on them,” said Pinkie. “You don’t wanna end up like Mrs. Cake.”
“Pinkie!” said Fluttershy, sounding scandalized. “What a thing to say!”
“Aww, don’t worry about it,” said Pinkie, waving a dismissive hoof. “She’s ok with her weight. She told me she sometimes sneaks tastes while she’s baking, just to be sure it’s still tasty. She says she couldn’t stand being skinny, like me. I like my Pinkie pudge.”
She looked down at her protruding belly and gave it a happy pat. Fluttershy grinned in spite of herself. A skinny Pinkie Pie would be a rather odd sight, and besides, she loved her friend just the way she was, pudginess and all.
“Well, good night, Fluttershy!” said Pinkie.
“Good night, Pinkie.”
And Pinkie bounced away, humming tunelessly to herself as she disappeared over the horizon after the rest of their friends.
***
“Oh, my. It’s a lot more than I expected, Angel.”
Fluttershy was looking into her refrigerator, at the cakes, cupcakes, and pies she had only just managed to cram inside. She’d managed to put the cookies and candies away in the cupboard, since those were the least likely to spoil. Angel Bunny sat beside her, eyebrows raised. He’d never seen so much food in the cottage before, not even since the time Discord had made it rain teacakes a few Tuesdays ago.
“I think I bit off more than I can chew,” Fluttershy went on. “I’ve never had so many sweets in the house before. What am I going to do?”
As if in answer, her stomach gave a loud gurgle. Fluttershy looked down at it in some surprise, then at the mountainous collection of treats. She ran her tongue across her lips, contemplatively.
“Another slice of cake couldn’t hurt,” she reasoned. “I didn’t eat all that much at the party. I was too busy enjoying myself.”
She carefully extracted a platter of half-eaten cake and set it on the counter, then went to grab a knife to slice it with. After dithering for a moment on how to big to make it, she cut herself a nice big chunk and set it on a plate. She looked at it for a second, then added,
“And maybe a cookie or two to go with it. And a cupcake. I am kind of hungry.”
As she went to the fridge again, Angel cast her an exasperated look, tinged with apprehension. He knew Fluttershy could be a pushover sometimes, but he didn’t like the idea of her willing herself to eat so much unhealthy food. Then, he shook his head. He was overexaggerating. Fluttershy wasn’t stupid; she ate healthier than most ponies for a reason, after all. And besides, it was her birthday. Why deny her doing what she wanted, even if it was a little extra snacking?
“Want some, Angel?” Fluttershy asked, interrupting his thoughts and pushing the platter of cake towards him.
Angel shook his head, pointing to the empty salad bowl by his bed and rubbing his stomach, indicating he’d already had a big dinner.
“All right, then,” said Fluttershy, smiling. “If you do want something, don’t be afraid to ask.”
Angel nodded. He pondered, as he watched Fluttershy dig in, whether or not he should help her along in getting rid of these sweets, but the idea of pigging out on so much cake, pie, and other things made him feel nauseous. He could only hope Fluttershy wouldn’t let this get too far out of hoof.
***
Angel’s apprehensions had not gone wholly unfounded. Over the course of the next week, whenever Fluttershy wasn’t busy with her animal charges or doing her usual chores, she was finding excuses to sneak another bite of her sweet stockpile: at mealtimes, for snacks, when she was just sitting down and relaxing. She seemed to be trying to justify not letting her gift of sugary perishables go to waste. She also seemed to have gained a much heartier appetite than usual, though she herself couldn’t explain why.
“Maybe this is how Pinkie Pie feels,” said Fluttershy, wiping her muzzle free of chocolate with a napkin. “She’s around sweets all the time, and she’s usually always hungry. Maybe it’ll go away once everything’s all gone.”
But when would it be all gone? Even with all that she was eating, she hardly seemed to be making a dent in what she had stockpiled. Angel kept checking the fridge and the pantry every day, to see the progress being made. It was all being reduced, but the effect was hardly noticeable.
There was, however, a noticeable change in Fluttershy as the week went on. Most ponies who knew her were of the common opinion that she was one of the skinniest ponies they’d ever known, though that was never meant in a disparaging way. Fluttershy had always been rather scrawny, especially as a foal, and a preferred diet of fruit and vegetables had kept her thin, yet healthy.
Now, however, she seemed to be thickening on that week’s diet of cake, cookies, and other sugary snacks. Her belly, normally slim and flat, was beginning to protrude just like Pinkie’s, and had become soft and doughy. Her curvy flanks had ballooned as well, as if to match her barrel, and her rump was taking up a bit more space in her favorite chairs than usual. Even her cheeks seemed plumper than before. It was as Angel had been fearing: she was putting on weight at an alarming rate.
However, to his great annoyance, Fluttershy didn’t seem to notice what was going on. She still went about her daily routines as if nothing was wrong. She didn’t notice that she was having a harder time getting in and out of the henhouse these days. She seemed deaf to the loud creakings her kitchen chair made when she sat down. She didn’t bat an eyelid to how much further she seemed to sink into her bed when she lay down. She never questioned how she got so tired when she went for a simple trot, attributing it to the heat of the day. She even, when she found herself having difficulty in taking off for flying, blamed it on ‘sleeping on her wings funny’.
This was too much for Angel. Enough was enough. It was time for an intervention.
***
The following morning, Fluttershy was just finishing breakfast. She was unaware of Angel’s stony face, watching her as she sat with one hoof resting on her rounded middle, her rump filling her chair so completely that it was threatening to droop over the sides. She sighed contentedly as she wiped her mouth, then got up, the chair creaking loudly.
“I think a cupcake would round off breakfast nicely,” she said.
This was it. She was just making for the fridge when Angel grabbed her by the mane and held her back. Fluttershy jerked to a halt.
“Ouch! What’s the matter, Angel?”
Angel gave her a look that plainly said, ‘We need to talk’. Fluttershy looked concerned. It wasn’t often that her bunny friend wanted to have a serious discussion with her. He gave another tug at her mane, then pointed toward the living room.
“All right, then,” said Fluttershy, uneasily.
She felt, oddly, like a foal about to be told off for doing something naughty. Angel often had the air of a stern parent when Fluttershy did something he didn’t like. She trotted into the living room, the bunny riding on her back, then stopped in the middle of the rug, looking back at him.
“You wanted to talk about something, Angel?”
Angel nodded curtly, then pointed to the full-length mirror sitting against the wall. Puzzled, Fluttershy walked towards it, gazing at her reflection. At first, with a thrill of panic, she thought Angel was trying to tell her she was a vampire pony again, and she hastily opened her mouth to try and find the fangs she’d borne when transformed. But no, there were no fangs in her mouth. She was still a pegasus, her wings feathery instead of leathery, her mane sleek and smooth rather than lank and unkempt, and her eyes their usual shade of teal instead of bloody red. If that wasn’t it, then, what was Angel trying to tell her?
It took her several seconds’ contemplation of her own reflection before she let out a gasp, her eyes widening, their pupils shrinking. She put a hoof to her face. It sank into her doughy cheek. She turned around, so that her rump was reflected back at her. It seemed to loom massively before her. Turning back around and sitting on her haunches, she put a hoof to her belly. It wobbled like a plate of gelatin at her touch.
“...Goodness…” she breathed. “I...I had no idea I’d gotten so...so...fat...”
Dawning, unpleasant comprehension descended upon her, and she bit her lip.
“...It’s all those sweets, isn’t it? That’s why I’m so big, isn’t it?”
She looked, helplessly, at Angel. He hated seeing her like this, but knew it was no use sugarcoating the situation, not when enough sugar had already passed into her system. He nodded curtly, looking less stern than before. Fluttershy’s ears went flat, her gaze dropping guiltily to the floor. She wasn’t crying, but a wavering light was in her eyes.
“I should have realized,” she mumbled. “Oh, Angel, why did I do this to myself?...I just didn’t want Pinkie and Sugar Belle’s treats to go to waste. They worked so hard on them, for my birthday. I thought...I thought it would have hurt their feelings if I let them go stale or uneaten…”
Angel sighed, his expression softening. He knew Fluttershy meant well, and could understand her reasoning. He patted her neck consolingly.
Suddenly, Fluttershy jumped, as though she’d received an electric shock. Angel fell backwards, managing to save himself from hitting the floor by grabbing his master’s silky tail. She was staring at the calendar hanging next to the mirror, today’s date marked with a special note.
“Rarity!” she gasped, in a panicky voice. “I’m supposed to go the boutique for a fitting today!”
She began pacing up and down feverishly, while Angel dragged behind her, still gripping her tail, swinging about sharply with each about-face she made.
“Ohhh, I hope she won’t be too angry with me for letting myself go. My measurements have always been the same before, but this...Ohh...No, no, I can’t think like that. She’s my friend. She’d understand, right?”
She looked back at the bedraggled bunny still clinging to her tail. He would’ve answered, but he was too dizzy and discombobulated from being the tagalong to her frantic pacing, and he simply flopped onto his back, trying to stop his head from spinning.
“I’m sure she’d understand,” said Fluttershy, with more conviction than she really felt. “I can’t hide from everypony forever. And besides, they’re my friends. They wouldn’t turn away from me because of a little extra weight. Maybe if I just kept my tummy sucked in for Rarity...It’s worth a try. I’ll go and see her now. See you, Angel.”
And she bustled out of her cottage door, leaving Angel feeling a mixture of nausea, and pride at her determination.
***
The bell over Carousel Boutique’s door tinkled as Fluttershy poked her head inside. It had taken her longer than usual to get there, since she’d been ducking behind houses and into alleyways to prevent anypony else from spying her. She still was unsure of what Rarity’s reaction would be to her new size.
“Coming!” trilled Rarity’s voice from the back room.
Within seconds, the prim unicorn trotted into the room. Fluttershy stood up as straight as she could, trying to covertly keep her belly sucked in.
“Hello, Fluttershy!” said Rarity, delighted. “Good to see you! Busy week?”
“Mm-hmm,” said Fluttershy, not daring to open her mouth, lest she let all the breath (and belly) free.
“Well, come on, dear,” said Rarity. “This shouldn’t take long.”
She trotted to her favorite modeling podium, smiling expectantly at her pegasus friend. Fluttershy swallowed, then began walking over, trying as hard as she could to keep her gut tucked in. The trouble was, it gave her a stiff, awkward gait, and it wasn’t difficult for Rarity to notice.
“Are you all right, Fluttershy?” she asked, concern in her voice. “Are you hurt?”
Fluttershy shook her head. Her cheeks were beginning to redden with the effort of keeping her stomach sucked in. She didn’t know how long she could keep this up…
Finally, she managed to make it onto the podium, feeling like she was about to explode. Any second now, she’d have to breathe out, and the truth would be revealed to her fashionista friend at last. Her brow became beaded with sweat as Rarity approached, fixing her work glasses onto her snout. Any second now…
“Oh, drat, where’s my measuring tape?” tutted Rarity, looking around. “I thought I- Oh, that’s right, I left it in the workroom! Excuse me a moment, darling.”
She trotted briskly away. As soon as she was out of sight, Fluttershy let out her breath in a gasp, her stomach sagging toward the floor. Forget embarrassment and scandalization. She’d be lucky if she didn’t drop from lack of oxygen first.
“Ah, here we are!”
Hurriedly, Fluttershy sucked her belly back in, just in time. Rarity levitated her tape measure over.
“This is pretty much routine by now, Fluttershy,” she said. “Your measurements haven’t varied very much over the years, but it never hurts to check, you know.”
Fluttershy nodded, a twinge of guilty trepidation in her stomach. She winced as she felt the tape measure press against her flank, then wrap itself around her waist. She chanced a glance at Rarity, and saw, with unease, that her smile had faded, a frown creasing her smooth brow.
“Oh, my. This is peculiar.”
Rarity bent down, squinting at the tape measure wrapped about Fluttershy’s middle. It was quivering slightly, as Fluttershy was fighting to keep it smaller.
“I could have sworn…” Rarity muttered, then asked loudly, “Forgive me for sounding slightly blunt, darling, but have you put on a bit of weight recently? I swear your barrel and flanks are a few inches bigger than the last time I measured you.”
Were they? A thrill of panic ran through Fluttershy. She still looked bigger even with her gut sucked in?
“Fluttershy?” asked Rarity, concerned once more. “What’s the matter? Why are you shaking?”
Her lungs felt ready to collapse. She couldn’t take this anymore.
She let out her breath, and her belly seemed to expand like a balloon, stretching the tape measure almost to breaking point. Rarity let out a little gasp, staggering back at such a transformation. She stared from the swollen paunch to the face of the pegasus it belonged to, which had turned scarlet with the effort of holding her breath, as well as embarrassment.
“I guess I have put on a few pounds,” said Fluttershy, meekly.
Rarity simply stared. She looked temporarily lost for words. Then, she straightened up, steely resolve glinting in her sapphire-blue eyes. Fluttershy braced herself for the blow.
“Not to worry,” she said, briskly. “We’ll soon have this rectified, darling.”
Fluttershy blinked at her.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean we’ll have you back to your usual size in no time,” said Rarity. “I have a few books on dieting that might interest you. They work wonders! Have you ever heard of the ‘aroma diet’?”
“No,” said Fluttershy, tentatively. She hadn’t been expecting this sort of behavior at all.
“You’re allowed to smell food, but not eat it,” said Rarity, proudly. “Works wonders on instilling self-control and resisting cravings.”
Fluttershy felt an unpleasant knot in her stomach. Not being able to eat at all didn’t sound like a very enjoyable prospect.
“And then there’s the ‘see food’ diet,” said Rarity, clearly not seeing the panicked look on Fluttershy’s face. “You can see it, but not eat it. Similar to the aroma diet, and has the same principles. Why, a week or two on that will have you right as rain again, my dear. Really trims away the ugly fat and unsightly bulges.”
Fluttershy felt as if an icy fist had clenched around her throat. ‘Ugly fat’? ‘Unsightly bulges’? Did Rarity mean she, Fluttershy, was…?
“Now, wait here,” said Rarity, turning around. “And I’ll go fetch them. They must be around somewhere.”
As soon as she left the room, Fluttershy bolted for the front door, and within seconds, was galloping back to her house as fast as her new bulk would allow. She didn’t think she’d get there any faster by flying. She felt her wings might not be able to handle her newly-added weight very well. All she knew was that she had to put distance between herself and Rarity, before her broken heart stopped her altogether.
***
“Oh, Angel! It was *sniff* awful!”
Fluttershy had locked the door to her cottage, and had plunked herself down at her kitchen table. She was alternating between sobbing and munching on some of Sugar Belle’s double-chocolate walnut brownies. Angel sat at her hoofside, patting her foreleg in a comforting sort of way. He seemed to be trying to encourage her to stop pigging out so much, especially considering what had already happened. If this was the case, Fluttershy did not heed him.
“She...she said...she said fat was...was ugly,” Fluttershy gulped, taking another bite of brownie. “And...and unsightly, too...She must think I’m ugly and unsightly, too...Why did I do this to myself, Angel?...”
Angel shook his head grimly. He patted her foreleg again, with a look on his face that said, quite plainly, that the next pony to call Fluttershy ‘ugly’ or ‘unsightly’ would get a swift kick in the flank, courtesy of him.
At that moment, both pegasus and rabbit froze. Somepony was knocking at the door. Fluttershy gave a panicked squeak. She looked frantically about, and her eyes fell upon her kitchen window. She could get out that way.
“Angel, if anypony asks, I’m not here! Please!”
Angel could see the distress on his master's face, and knew she meant it. He nodded.
“Oh, thank you, Angel!”
She kissed the bunny on the top of his head, eased the window open, and began climbing out. She was slightly encumbered by her bulky belly, a bit too heavy for her forelegs to heave up off the ground, but she managed to clamber out in the end, landing unsteadily on all four hooves. She had to find a place to hide before Rarity, or anypony, for that matter, discovered. If Rarity thought she was so overweight she’d become undesirable to look at, what would the rest of her friends say? She couldn’t bear to imagine.
But where would she go?
The forest? No, too dangerous.
The clouds? Not likely. Rainbow Dash would be sure to find her in her fly-abouts, or in search of a cloud to nap on. In any case, she was too heavy for her wings.
The henhouse?
...Now there was an idea. Nopony but her went near it, since the chickens inside only listened to her. It was the perfect spot.
Quickly and quietly as she could, she crept from behind her house and straight for the coop. The door was standing open, as always. She didn’t believe in shutting any of her animals up against their will; she preferred they roam around her yard whenever they wished, at least until bedtime. She went up the ramp, which creaked slightly under her weight, and poked her head inside. Her chickens, hens and roosters alike, peered at her from their nests with beady eyes full of benign curiosity.
“Excuse me,” said Fluttershy, as she started making her way inside.
However, all too soon, she found herself brought to a halt halfway in. Startled, she tried moving forward, but she didn’t budge. She was also aware of an unpleasant pressure on her middle, as though a very tight belt had been clamped around it. It didn’t take long for two and two to click together in her mind, and she turned her head to look behind her, to see her worries confirmed.
In her usual state, she could fit through the henhouse door easily. Now, however, her sweets-fattened belly was crammed tightly into the little aperture, keeping her wedged in place. Push as she might, it merely pressed generously against the front of the coop, refusing to yield.
Fluttershy’s ears flattened against her skull. This, more than ever, was proof that she was indeed fat. And if Rarity saw her like this, she was sure to break out her craziest, most intense diet to slim her back down. She didn’t want her friend to witness her in this state, though. Nopony would want to be discovered stuck halfway in the door to a henhouse.
Taking in a deep breath through her nostrils, Fluttershy strained as hard as she could, trying to pull herself inside. The door creaked as the pegasus’s bulk pushed against it, fighting to squish through, as though a marshmallow were trying to pass through a donut hole. She gave the tiniest cry of pain as the wooden doorframe pressed into her soft sides.
At last, her belly managed to slide through, filling the whole doorway on the inside, but now she had her porky rump to deal with. Taking in a deep breath, she heaved as hard as she could, the wooden frame groaning ominously again. She hoped the whole thing wasn’t about to collapse on her. Not only would it flatten her and her chickens, but it would draw attention to whoever was calling at her door.
At last, after several tense moments, and with a creaking pop, Fluttershy’s bulk squeezed through, and she tumbled forward into the coop, landing on her stomach and making the whole structure quiver slightly. The chickens squawked in alarm and rustled their wings, but Fluttershy sat up quickly, putting a hoof to her lips.
“Shhh!” she hissed. “Quiet, Elizabeak, Peckley, Cluckerella!”
The hens fell silent, but the rooster gave a particularly loud squawk out of nowhere, and Fluttershy threw him a warning look.
“You too, Crowlivier!”
The rooster clammed up at once, and good thing, too. At that moment, a familiar, cultured voice was being carried over the air, too close for Fluttershy’s comfort.
“Fluttershy? Fluttershy, where are you, darling?”
Fluttershy said nothing. Her stomach gave an unpleasant gurgle.
“Fluttershy? Why did you run away from the boutique like that? Was it something I said? Please tell me, sweetie! You know you can tell me anything!”
Fluttershy felt a guilty weight drop behind her ribs. It hurt her to hear Rarity talk like this, asking if she was the cause. In a way, she was, but it was more Fluttershy’s fault for getting fat in the first place. Still, she remained quiet and immobile, and even her chickens stayed quiet, seeming to sense that silence was essential at that moment.
What felt like an eternity snailed past, but the outside was now silent. Fluttershy kept her ear perked. There was no sound except the occasional twitter of a bird. Perhaps Rarity had given up and gone home. Deciding to risk it, Fluttershy slowly began making her way back out of the henhouse.
Unfortunately, as she started creeping out the door, once again, her swollen belly fixed itself in the doorway, and she found she couldn’t move forward another inch. She tried bracing her hooves against the ramp to give herself some leverage, but as she heaved forward, the ramp fell away with a clatter onto the grass, making Fluttershy flinch.
And then, a new sound hit her ears, a sound that made her heart miss a beat.
“Fluttershy? Is that you?”
Rarity! She was still here!
Panicking, Fluttershy braced her hooves against the henhouse and tried to shove herself forward. It was no good. Try as she might, she didn’t have the strength to squeeze her belly through such a tiny hole, and she gave up, panting, as Rarity trotted up.
The prim unicorn took one look at the scene before her, and her jaw dropped.
“Fluttershy! What on Earth is going on? Are you stuck?”
Fluttershy’s cheeks were as scarlet as the red streak of Rainbow Dash’s multicolored mane. She didn’t dare look Rarity in the eye,
“...Yes,” she mumbled. “...I’m stuck.”
“Goodness, darling. Have you been in there all this time?”
“...Yes.”
“But why? Why would you run away from the boutique and hide in your chicken coop?”
Tears were brimming in Fluttershy’s eyes as she finally looked up at Rarity.
“You said you wanted to get rid of ‘ugly fat’ and ‘unsightly bulges’. I thought...I thought you thought I was ugly for being fat…”
Her voice caught in her throat. Rarity looked aghast.
“Ugly? Unsightly? You?! Fluttershy, I would never...I didn’t...Is that what I made you believe?”
Fluttershy nodded glumly. Now Rarity’s eyes filled with tears, a look of contrite hurt on her pretty face.
“...Oh, sweetie,” she whimpered. “I had no idea...I'm so sorry...Come here…”
She bent down and tenderly nuzzled the wedged pegasus, their tear-spattered cheeks pressed together. They remained that way for several moments, neither of them seeming willing to break it up. When Rarity finally pulled away, she sat on her haunches and took Fluttershy’s face gently between her hooves.
“I never meant for you to take that personally,” she said, sincerely. “Perhaps I should have worded it more sensitively. I suppose I was a bit vulgar. But I don’t want you to ever think you’re unattractive because of a few extra pounds. Why, I’ve made ensembles for several plus-sized clients, and even without them, there’s nothing wrong with how they look.”
Fluttershy sniffled. The uncomfortable knot in her stomach was easing up now. Rarity’s soothing voice seemed to be extracting something poisonous from her insides.
“So...you’re not upset that I’ve put on weight?” she asked.
“Upset? Not at all, sweetie! Surprised, yes, but I would never be upset with you over a little weight problem. I mean, look at Pinkie Pie. She’s a fair bit fatter than any of us, but that doesn’t mean I would ever stop being her friend.”
Fluttershy giggled. Rarity smiled.
“You’re still the same Fluttershy I’ve always loved, the one I’ve always considered my dear friend, and I’m sorry I ever made you think you weren’t.”
Tears starting anew in both mares’ eyes, Rarity leaned forward and gave Fluttershy a soft kiss on the forehead, such as a mother would do for an upset child. Fluttershy felt warm and wonderful all over, happy tears dotting her cheeks. Rarity had always been like an older sister towards her: patient, understanding, caring. How could she have ever thought she didn’t like her anymore?...
“Now, why don’t we get you out of there?” asked Rarity.
Fluttershy smiled guiltily.
“Thank you,” she mumbled.
Rarity took Fluttershy’s hooves in hers, a determined look in her eyes.
“When I say ‘go’,” she said, “suck your stomach in as far as you can. Ready?”
Fluttershy nodded.
“...Go!”
Fluttershy took in the deepest breath her lungs could muster, and felt her gut leave contact with the floor of the henhouse. A split second after, Rarity gave an enormous tug. Fluttershy’s marshmallowy middle squashed stubbornly against the door for several long seconds, but then, with another creaking pop, Fluttershy tumbled out fully, the strength of the pull even dislodging her hindquarters, and landed in the grass. The chickens inside clucked and squawked in a joyful chorus, though whether it was because they were glad Fluttershy was free, or glad their door was no longer blocked, was anypony’s guess.
Fluttershy quickly sat up, wincing as she felt the parts on her belly where the door had dug in, but soon found herself enveloped in a warm hug by Rarity. A grateful smile on her face, she allowed herself to sink into it, putting her forelegs around Rarity in turn.
“Thank you, Rarity.”
“Of course, sweetie. I would never leave you stuck like that.”
Fluttershy hesitated for a moment, then said,
“Rarity?”
“Mm?”
“Do you...do you think the others will mind me like this?”
Rarity looked at her in some surprise, then smiled kindly.
“Of course they won’t,” she said, nestling her cheek against Fluttershy’s. “You’re our friend, darling, and no matter how you look, that will never change. It’s true for me, and it’ll be true for the others. I promise.”
Fluttershy was about to speak, but she stopped. Rarity didn’t hate her for being fat. Why should the rest of her friends? She’d been silly to think that in the first place.
“Ok,” she finally said, nodding. “We’ll let them know together. I trust all of you, like I should have done before.”
***
Despite her confidence in her friends understanding, Fluttershy couldn’t help feeling nervous about the attention she was about to receive. Rarity had gone to fetch the others, telling them their pegasus friend had some news for them. Fluttershy, for her part, could do nothing but wait for them to arrive and see her as she was. She crammed herself into her favorite armchair, her belly completely obscuring her view of her hind legs, and tried to stay calm, though her heart was beating rapidly beneath her ribs.
She was jerked out of her preoccupation by something landing on top of her pudgy middle. It was Angel, a smile on his furry face. Fluttershy smiled back and stroked his ears.
“I was being so silly, worrying about what my friends would think,” she said. “I should have known not to fret, but I guess I forgot in the heat of the moment. I want to ask you, though, Angel: do you mind me being...a little fat?”
Angel regarded her silently for a moment or two. Then, he crawled up her butter-colored barrel and snuggled himself against her cheek. That was a good enough answer for her, and she nuzzled him tenderly.
A sudden scraping, scuffling noise made pony and bunny look up. Soot was tumbling down the chimney into the fireplace. Somepony was climbing down it. Completely bewildered, Fluttershy and Angel watched as the soot began to fall faster. Then, with a loud *WHUMP*, something landed in the fireplace, sending a great cloud of ash into the air. Fluttershy coughed, and Angel covered his muzzle with his paws. Opening her watery eyes again, the pegasus saw a very tall figure standing silhouetted in the cloud, forelimbs akimbo, and laughing in a booming way.
"Ho ho HO! Merry Tuesday, Fluttershy!"
Fluttershy laughed, in spite of the ash in the air. The smog cleared at once, as if someone had vacuumed it away, and there stood Discord, wearing a Santa Hooves hat and coat. Despite his fall down Fluttershy's chimney, he was completely spotless. A flash of light, and the ensemble vanished.
"Hello, Discord!" said Fluttershy. "Goodness, is it Tuesday already?"
She'd completely forgotten that today was Tuesday. The excitement of earlier had driven it completely out of her head.
"Yes, indeed!" said Discord. "How time flies!"
He held up his lion's paw, and with a flash of light, an alarm clock appeared in it, a pair of tiny wings attached to its sides. Discord wound it up, and as it began to ring loudly, its wings flapped too, as rapidly as a hummingbird's, and it flew out of the window. Fluttershy giggled. Angel frowned. Despite the draconequus's reformation, he still didn't trust him, and preferred to stay out of his way.
Discord was grinning at his latest ploy, but his eyes widened in astonishment when he fully registered Fluttershy's appearance, stuffed into an armchair, Angel resting on her plump middle.
"Fluttershy?" he said, wonderingly, vanishing on the spot, and then reappearing right in front of her. "What on Earth happened to your stomach? Did you get stung by a bee? Must've been a big sucker, to make you swell up like that."
He prodded Fluttershy's belly, making her giggle.
"No, no, it wasn't a bee," she said.
"Was it him?" he asked, sharply, pointing an accusing finger at Angel, with the air of a prosecutor grilling someone on the witness stand. "Has he been fattening you up so he can have the run of the cottage without you stopping him? Oh, yes, I see how your mind works, bunny. You can't fool me!"
Angel glared daggers at Discord, looking as though he'd like nothing better than to rip the chaos master's goatee off and make him eat it.
"That's enough, you two!" said Fluttershy, sternly.
Angel and Discord both looked cowed, as though being reprimanded by their mothers.
"Angel had nothing to do with it, Discord. I...I did this to myself. I've been putting on weight because of all the sweets from my birthday party."
Discord looked startled, as well as at a loss for words.
"I know," said Fluttershy, nodding. "You'd never have expected it of me, but there you are. I was trying to make sure it didn't all go to waste, but I overdid it a little. I just hope you're not disappointed..."
Discord's astonishment melted away at once into a kind smile. He put his paw to Fluttershy's cheek.
"Now, Fluttershy, why would I ever be disappointed in you? You're my best friend. You taught me what it means to have a friend. A few extra pounds isn't going to change that."
Fluttershy smiled back, comforted. If she'd been trying to feel sure her pony friends would accept who she was, knowing her draconequus friend did felt wonderful.
"And besides," Discord added, a playful grin on his face, "you're just so adorable this way. Look at those chubby little cheeks!"
He took her cheeks between both paws and squeezed them, rather like a parent teasing their child. Fluttershy laughed, blushing slightly at having been called adorable. Discord was usually saying she was as cute as a button, though he admitted he had no idea what made buttons 'cute', and that her laugh could cure the most severe of diseases. He enjoyed teasing her like this, but she never really minded.
But Discord wasn't done. Releasing her cheeks, he started tickling her stomach, and Fluttershy laughed even harder. Unfortunately, Angel was thrown off by her flailing, and he landed on the floor, looking very disgruntled.
"Not so easy to stop a tickle attack now, is it?" Discord asked, now adding his tail into the tickle attack, clearly enjoying the effect.
"S-S-Stop!" gasped Fluttershy, mirthful tears rolling down her cheeks. "P-Please, Discord! Ple-he-he-hease!"
At last, Discord stopped, and Fluttershy began to settle down, wiping her streaming eyes.
"We do have fun, don't we?' asked Discord, grinning.
"Y-Yes," said Fluttershy, smiling in return. "You always know how to make me smile, Discord."
Angel huffed, crossing his arms. Discord had heard him, and used the tuft of his tail to grab the bunny and hoist him back onto Fluttershy's paunch.
"Now, now, Angel," he said. "I'm sure you're oodles of fun, in your own 'bunny way'. Fluttershy never has a bad thing to say about you, after all."
Angel looked slightly mollified at this, and at Fluttershy stroking his ears again, but he still stuck his tongue out at Discord, who simply raised one bushy eyebrow.
Somepony knocked at the door, and all three jumped.
"The others are here," said Fluttershy to Discord. "Rarity asked them to come and see me. They don't know yet."
"I see," said Discord. "Well, if it's all the same to you, Fluttershy, I'll drop by later for our Tuesday tea. I'd rather not intrude on you and your other friends."
"All right," said Fluttershy. "I understand."
"Until later, then."
Discord gave her a pat on the head, stuck his tongue out at Angel, and vanished. Angel glowered at the spot where he'd vanished, but had no time to brood, as the knocking redoubled. He hopped down from his soft perch, and Fluttershy wriggled out of her chair and onto all fours, her stomach wobbling with the movement. Angel opened the door, and there, on the doorstep, stood Rarity, with Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie in tow.
“We’re here,” said Rarity, beaming.
The ponies filed into the cottage, and everypony but Rarity’s eyes widened in surprise. Obviously, their fashionista friend had not told them what to expect. Fluttershy smiled her sweet, shy smile, her chubby cheeks only adding to the effect.
“Hello, everypony,” she said.
Nopony spoke. Then, Rainbow broke the silence.
“Fluttershy? You’re...I mean...Wow. You look…”
She didn’t seem to be able to find a word to complete her thoughts. Fluttershy understood. In the past, the rainbow-maned pegasus had been very brusque and impatient with her when she’d shown reluctance. Nowadays, she was much more patient and considerate towards her, and was clearly trying not to hurt her feelings.
Pinkie, on the other hand, had no hesitation with what she had to say.
“Wow, Fluttershy, you got fat!”
“Pinkie!!” chided Twilight.
Fluttershy’s cheeks went bright pink. Pinkie’s face fell. She seemed to realize she’d spoken without thinking again, just like when she’d been making her feel worse about her stage fright.
“Er, I mean,” Pinkie backpedaled, now sounding just like Fluttershy’s awkward self, “you look great! I mean, you look a little different, but, er, heh-heh…”
She trailed off, fiddling with her hooves, under the exasperated stares of her friends.
“I think what they’re trying to say,” said Twilight, “is that this is a little unexpected, coming from you, Fluttershy.
“Ah’ll say,” said Applejack. “Ah mean, no offense, but yer usually such a skinny thing. Nuttin’ wrong with wantin’ to get a little meat on yer bones, but land sakes, girl. It’s only been a week since we last saw ya.”
“She’s not that fat,” said Rainbow. “I think Pinkie’s still got her beat.”
Pinkie did not look the least bit abashed at being called fat. On the contrary, she looked rather proud.
“Was it all of those birthday sweets?” asked Twilight.
“Mm-hmm,” said Fluttershy, nodding. “I know I went a little overboard, but I just didn’t want Pinkie and Sugar Belle’s treats to go to waste. They worked really hard on them, and I didn’t want them to go bad.”
Pinkie’s expression softened considerably. She’d remembered Fluttershy saying almost exactly the same thing at her party.
“Fluttershy,” she said, kindly, “you didn’t have to pig out just to spare my feelings. Or Sugar Belle’s. We’d just be happy knowing you liked them. Truth be told,” she added, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly, “I probably should have told her you didn’t eat that many sweets, but she really wanted to thank you for helping save her and the other ponies. I didn’t wanna hurt her feelings by refusing.”
Fluttershy smiled.
“It’s all right, Pinkie,” she said. “I appreciated the gesture.”
She looked around at the others. There was no trace of mockery or teasing in any of their faces. They were all smiling at her as they always had, as if nothing at all had happened.
“So,” she went on, tentatively, “none of you mind about me being...a little fat?”
“Mind? Of course we don’t, sugarcube,” said Applejack. “Ah’ve had mah share of gut-bustin’, believe you me. Sometimes it takes a whole week of apple-bucking to slim back down.”
“I was never the most fit pony, either,” said Twilight, ruefully. “Doesn’t help when you’re cooped up in front of a book all day, with one of the best little dragon chefs in the world cooking for you. Spike’s nachos go right to your flank,” she added, with a giggle.
“You know how much I love junk food, ‘Shy,” said Rainbow, grinning. “You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.”
“And I hardly need to remind you of my, *ahem*, minor episodes,” said Rarity, delicately. “One dozen gallons of vanilla oat swirl are not kind to one’s figure.”
“We all go through weight woes, Fluttershy,” said Pinkie. “We’ll love you no matter how big you get!”
The others nodded, their expressions warm and loving. Pinkie threw her hooves around the pegasus in a tight hug, her smile broadening as she nestled into Fluttershy’s softness.
“Ooooh! Your tummy is so cozy for hugging!”
Fluttershy giggled and returned Pinkie’s hug. She was feeling as warm and toasty as if someone had turned an oven on in her ribcage. It didn’t matter how much weight she’d gained over the week. All that she cared about was that her friends didn’t view her any differently than before. To them, she was still their best friend, Fluttershy, and nothing would ever change that.
“You want some help clearin’ away the rest of yer treats?” asked Applejack. “They were your gifts, after all.”
“Please, help yourselves,” said Fluttershy.
“Gladly!” said Rainbow Dash, hurrying off to the kitchen. “Dibs on the double-chocolate cookies!”
“You only call dibs when ya touch what yer dibbin’, ya cheater!” called Applejack, racing after her.
“Honestly,” muttered Rarity, wearily, though she gave Fluttershy a sweet smile as she passed.
“Spike really loved the lemon squares,” said Twilight, grinning. “He’ll be glad to know you saved some.”
Fluttershy grinned back. Once again, only Pinkie remained.
“I’ve got a great idea!” she said, looking up with a big smile on her face. “Wanna pop on over to Sugarcube Corner and help me bake cookies?”
“Bake cookies?” asked Fluttershy.
“Yeah! You’ve never tried cookie dough before it’s baked, have you? It’s scrum-diddly-yum-tastic!”
At this, Fluttershy’s stomach let out a hungry gurgle. Pinkie, who had been pressed right against it when it happened, giggled.
“That was fun!” she squealed. “I bet I can do better, though! Go on, tummy!”
She sat on her haunches and put her hooves to her own little paunch. It, too, let out a hungry rumble, but even louder than Fluttershy’s. Fluttershy giggled.
“I’d love to, Pinkie,” said Fluttershy. “Truth be told, I think I’m starting to get used to-”
She giggled again.
“-’following my gut’.”
