Author's Note

This was a bit of an odd one for me. Everywhere, except for Sugarcube Corner, is based off of a real locations from my hometown (all places have had their names changed). So this was fun, if nostalgic.

Contains stuffing, light weight gain. Mostly just two ponies enjoying a lot of good food.

Patrons on my Patreon got access to this a day or so sooner, and access to other unpublished work, and several ongoing series.

Food Crawl

Ponyville was not what Crystal Clear had envisioned when she’d read about it in Quandary’s letters.

Somehow, in spite of Princess Twilight’s presence and the unprecedented leap in technology that had unfolded in the last few years, Ponyville still retained its small town charm. It was still very green, unlike Manehatten. Still looking more...natural, unlike the sculpted gardens and parks of Canterlot.

Crystal Clear was a unicorn from Manehatten. Old money, steeped in the elitism that marked Canterlot and certain neighbourhoods of the larger cities apart. She had met Quandary in school, and they’d stayed in touch over the years. As Quandary’s lawyer business grew and she eventually moved to Ponyville to oversee her little empire of law offices.

Crystal Clear was a jeweler, from a long line of jewelers. A unicorn from old money, she was tall and lithe. The prim, perfect pony her parents had alway wanted. With a mist grey coat and blue mane and tail, she was rather striking to look at. She didn’t entirely understand what Quandary did, but she wasn’t going to question it. It was clearly worth the effort.

As Crystal waited on the platform, eyes scanning the bustling crowds for the familiar sight of her friend. Quandary was an earth pony, average sized. With a black coat, and grey mane and tail. It had been red, but Quandary thought the premature grey made her look more distinguished.

Crystal almost hated to admit it, but it was true.

“Crystal!” A voice from behind her called, and Crystal turned, an easy smile already in place.

Only to hitch, almost freezing, at the sight of her friend. Years working for the fussy elite made the hitch hardly noticeable, but still. Crystal was shocked.

Quandary, once slim and trim, was now decidedly not. She was fat, with a bulging barrel, jiggling flanks, and a cherubic face that was grinning at her before swooping in for a hug.

“Hey.” Crystal said weakly, pulling away first. “Been a long time.”

“Yeah, no kidding. Should’ve come down here when I first invited you, things weren’t nearly so busy. You got your luggage? Okay cool, come on. I know a way around the crowd.”

Levitating her bag and suitcase behind her, Crystal followed her friend. Wondering what in the wide, wide world had happened.

Fatness, while not inherently bad, was still...well it was different. And the elite did not take to different or new very well, not unless they were warmed up to something first. Had Quandary’s career been affected? What was going on?

It didn’t take long before Quandary was ushering Crystal into a nice, two story home a few blocks away from the train station.

It was nice. Lacking the inherit elegance of Canterlot or Manehatten, but it was still nice. Furnished well, with Quandary’s expensive grand piano in the corner. In spite of this change, Quandary was still Quandary.

“Here, your bedroom’s here.” Quandary stepped into a room beside the staircase leading up, and Crystal followed.

It was a spare bedroom, but still finely furnished. An expensive bed, a lovely wardrobe, and a good vanity were all present. Good to know she hadn’t completely lost herself to small town charm.

“Oh this is lovely, thank you.” Crystal settled her bags on the bed.

“If you want to freshen up, the bathroom is upstairs. Door to the left. Do you want anything? Need anything? I know the trip is a longer one.” Not as long as it had been, not with the recent innovations of the railway, but still.

“I’m alright, thank you-” Crystal’s mouth snapped shut when a sudden hunger pang jabbed into her gut. Her stomach gurgled loudly enough to be heard.

Quandary laughed, waving a hoof. “Oh come now, no need to be shy.” She moved to rub at her own gut, the flesh rippling and shaking with the movement. “I’m hungry too. Been a long few days trying to block out this week so we could spend some real quality time together. Missed a few meals, and don’t give me that look, I know I don’t look it.”

Crystal hadn’t meant to give the look at all. She chuckled weakly. “Sorry. It’s all a little sudden.”

“You’ll get it, by the end of this week.” Quandary grinned knowingly. Like she knew something that Crystal didn’t. “If not before. Everypony gets it sooner or later. Come on, there’s a good pizza place down the block. Not Manehatten by any stretch, but they combine Neightalian with Bucklyn.”

Crystal followed Quandary out of the house, and down the road, continuing down to get further from the station.

Up ahead, a plaza sprawled in front of them. The road, and other roads, continued on past it, but the courtyard was still bustling. Squat buildings ran along one side of the plaza, the only break between them was the road that continued past it.

Sure enough, Crystal could smell food. Not just pizza, though the smells of fresh dough and roasted garlic lingered in the air. There were other foods here too: a cart selling pastries, a food truck selling some sort of tacos, a juice stand, and a small stall where an older mare was selling green produce.

Ponies bustled. Just passing through, chatting with the proprietors as they walked by. Some stopping only for a quick bite to eat before continuing. Others sat at one of the many picnic tables lined up to one corner of the place. Others still sat on the ledge of the fountain, chatting. One older stallion was rinsing off his vegetables in the cold, clean water.

The other squat buildings seemed to be other businesses. A travel agent, a lawyer’s office-Oh! That was why Quandary lived where she did, and why she was so familiar with this plaza. It was one of her offices.

The Eastside Pizza Factory was beside the law office. The door propped open by a milk crate, it looked small and quaint. Undeniably, that was where some of the best smells were coming from.

They entered, and Crystal had to swallow back saliva as she salivated. Her stomach growled all the more, eyes almost prickling with the amount of garlic in the air.

It was amazing.

“Hi! Welcome to Eastside! Are you two ready to order?” Asked a chipper young pegasus pony behind the counter. A young adult, maybe in her twenties. She too was rather fat, practically bursting out of a uniform that was too small for her. Still, the smile was genuine, causing dimples to form in her fat cheeks.

‘Yes, can we get four slices of cheese pizza please? And make two of them a combo. Thanks, Cloud.”

“It’s no problem, Miss Quandary. That’ll be twenty bits please.”

Quandary happily hoofed the bits over. Gesturing with her chin towards the glass refrigeration case to Crystal’s right. “Pick yourself a drink. I’ll take a rootbeer. Is it still cans, Cloud?”

Someone in behind Cloud took four slices of pizza and slid them into the oven in behind the counter. They were why it was so hot in here, Crystal decided. Already sweat was prickling across her skin and dampening her coat.

“Yes, Mrs. Pie can’t decide if she wants to change it.”

Crystal nodded, plucking two cans of rootbeer while they were rung up.

The slices of pizza came out of the oven while Cloud was using a ladle to dig little round things out of a crockpot near a pile of pre-folded pizza boxes. “They’re good in the same container?”

“Oh yes, please. And don’t forget the marinara-”

“As if I’d forget.” Cloud playfully nudged her coworker. A male griffon, he was also rather portly. Around the same age too, if Crystal were to guess. “Alright then. Here you go. Our signature garlicky butter nuggets, and four slices of pizza. You two enjoy.”

“I always do, and my friend is sure to as well. If you can get the food, I’ll grab us some napkins and straws Crystal.”

Crystal enveloped the styrofoam container and thick paper plates with her magic. Eager to escape the oppressive heat of the shop, she stood outside and waited. Shifting a little to peer at the slices.

They were thin, like Bucklyn pizza. With a good char on the crust, and good browning on the cheese. Greasy, but not a pooling mess with no structure. There seemed to be some sort of glaze on the crust, shining in the midday sun. Little flecks of parsley or basil a start contrast to the parmesan.

And sweet Celestia, the smell was heavenly. Crystal’s stomach growled again, and she was immensely relieved when Quandary finally got back outside.

“Come on, lets see if we can’t snatch that spot underneath the umbrella.”

They did, somehow. Securing the pile of napkins below their cool, condensation slicked sodas. Quandary nosed open the styrofoam container, and Crystal was amused to see the contents did indeed look like garlicky butter nuggets. Almost like a garlic knot, but a smooth round ball. Browned beautifully on two sides, and coated with what looked like the same glaze that was on the crust.

“Alright, go on.” Quandary had no right to look so excited. Even as she picked up one of her slices. It sagged a bit, oil dribbling off onto the plate. Quandary didn’t seem to notice.

Crystal let out a sigh. Picking up one of her own, massive slices with her magic and took a dainty bite.

Then a decidedly less dainty one.

It was delicious. The flavours blended perfectly, all the flavours shining through and complementing each other. The crust was amazing, browned and beautiful.
Crystal downed her first slice without really meaning to. Pausing only to crack open her soda and take a sip when she felt she was close to burning her mouth.

The garlicky butter nuggets were...well they were heavenly too. And so was the glaze on the crust. Good, rich, savoury while not being too heavy or too greasy.

Crystal was chewing the last bite of her second slice of pizza, dabbing at her lips and muzzle with a napkin, before the pain hit her. She let out a groan, rubbing at her stomach with a wince. It was taut, bloated, angry.

Celestia, that had been worth it though.

Quandary shot her a knowing look. Popping the last of the nuggets into her mouth and cleaning up their sitting area as Crystal worked to digest. Her blood rushed to her stomach, and she felt oddly warm in the summer sun.

“Told you you’d understand. Come on now, let’s get back to the air conditioning, I’m dying.”

The pair walked, or rather waddled, back to Quandary’s house. Where Crystal spent the rest of the afternoon digesting.

(LINE BREAK)

The next morning, Crystal was hungrier than ever. After washing up in her room, she stepped into Quandary’s house proper. Rubbing at her aching, growling stomach tiredly as she oriented herself.

The house was small. Small enough that her muzzle twitched with a delicious smell drifted by. She blinked, moving into the kitchen. Seeking coffee, first. Maybe toast or yogurt or something lighter while she woke up.

The kitchen wasn’t unfamiliar, it was a kitchen after all. The layout was fairly plain. A coffee pot was on the counter, already brewed, still warm.

There was a note on the kitchen table, as well as a pastry box. It took a bit of hunting to find a cup, but Crystal eventually sat herself at the kitchen table. Sipping at the hot coffee as she got up the courage to look at the note.

Crystal,

Sorry I’m not here when you wake up, unless I am. But if I get back and you’re not up yet, you won’t be reading this so moot point.

Anyway. Emergency popped up. Shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. You’ve got free range of the house in terms of entertainment: feel free to play the piano, or watch television or something.

To make up for it, I bought pastries from Sugarcube Corner. They’re one of the best bakeries in town. They mostly specialize in sweets: cupcakes, pastries, pies, that sort of thing. So hopefully they’ll treat you well for breakfast.

If, by some miracle, you want more food, I’ve posted their number and the walking instructions to the fridge.

See you when i get back,

Quandary

Crystal rubbed the sleep from her eyes, yawning again, before she opened the box.

It seemed to be some sort of sampler. There were a couple danishes, a couple croissants, two cupcakes, and two slices of cake. Different kinds, by and large, probably to show the range of goods on offer.

Crystal couldn't help but dig in excitedly. The croissants, the first she ate, were crisp and flakey, with a wonderful chew. The flavour was amazing. The cupcakes were good too, not too sweet, even with the thick layer of buttercream. The cake was moist and dense without being too much. The fresh fruit of the danishes, coupled with the sour cream frosting, was almost like a palette cleanser.

And once again. Crystal was left with a stuffed stomach, groaning and aching in pain as she tried to rub the pain away. Her stomach was swollen and distended, stuffed full almost to the point of nausea.

“Oh, I need to stop doing this.” The food was good, but surely she’d had better. Much better maybe, over her life. What was so different about this food that she was stuffing herself full of it? Why didn’t she care about the possible ramifications to her figure?

Right now, Crystal didn’t mind too much. She poured herself another cup of coffee, and set about exploring her friend’s house.

By noon, there was no sign of Quandary. And in spite of all that she’d eaten earlier, Crystal found herself hungry again. As it turned out, Quandary didn’t have much in the way of food, aside from cereal. And Crystal wasn’t in the mood for cereal.

Crystal huffed, leaving a note for Quandary in case she came back first, and ventured out into Ponyville proper. Repeating the instructions Quandary had written over and over again to herself.

Thankfully, the bakery was highly visible once somepony got close enough. Towering above some of the other buildings, near some sort of town square, with a huge sign with its name on it. Even with the rather...garish colours of Ponyville, it would be hard to miss.

It was also bustling. With a few tables outside, populated by ponies who were sipping milkshakes and eating treats.

Crystal’s stomach growled, even more so when she got a better, clearer sniff of the goodies inside. It’d been cloying all down the street, teasing her and making her all the hungrier.

Thankfully the bakery offered a sampler tray. And really big milkshakes. Both were amazing.

The inside was as colourful and iconic as the outside, with display cases and cake displays along a huge counter that displayed most of their wares. The three staff members were friendly and quick, the pink mare especially. A little exuberant for Crystal’s taste, but when the food was this good, it was better not to complain.

Crystal sat, and ate. Gorging herself on each pastry like she’d never eaten before in her life. Not thinking about the calories, not worrying about the effects on her figure. Just losing herself in the delightful creations of these capable, talented ponies.

When she left, after around half an hour of gorging herself silly on pastries, her teeth were buzzing. Her limbs shaky from the amount of sugar she’d managed to consume. Her stomach, once again hard as a rock and feeling like she’d swallowed a bowling ball.

Crystal waddled back to Quandary’s house. Where she collapsed on her friend’s squashy, comfortable sofa, and promptly fell asleep.

(LINE BREAK)

A hoof poking at her stomach was what woke Crystal up. She jerked from sleep mid-snore, making an odd snorting sound as she half sat up.

Quandary had the presence of mind to look sorry. “Hey. Sorry I bailed. Mr. Rich needed help right away.”

Crystal nodded, rubbing at her eyes. “S’okay. Know you had to.” She grumbled, shifting to better sit up. “Everything worked out?”

Quandary sat beside her, once there was enough room. “Yeah. Part of why it took so long. He’s a good sort, but his wife is a nightmare. Couldn’t get out of there until I settled things.”

“Good.” Crystal rubbed at her stomach, happy to notice that the bloating had vanished during her nap. So had the pain, even. And...well the sense of fullness too. Her stomach rumbled under her hoof hungrily. “Good. Went for a walk.”

“Saw you ate the pastries. And I know that food coma from anywhere: Sugarcube, right? Clearly you enjoyed yourself.” The couch creaked as Quandary got settled. “Glad to see you let loose. I was worried you’d stick to salads this whole time.”

Crystal couldn’t help but feel the soft layer of fat starting to collect around her middle. It wasn’t too late yet. Skip the rest of the restaurants Quandary wanted to show her, exercise more, find healthier options. It would be like these last two days of indulgence had never happened-

Her stomach gurgled hungrily, and Crystal let out a sigh. A few more days couldn’t hurt, right? She’d work it off in no time at all, if she really wanted to. Everypony deserved a break sometimes.

“What did you have in mind for dinner?” Crystal asked, almost hesitantly.

The grin that spread across Quandary’s face spelled trouble, but Crystal hoped it would be for the right reasons.

(LINE BREAK)

An hour or so later, after Quandary had had a shower and Crystal washed up, they were standing outside of a well known chain of restaurants. Fast food, fish and chips primarily, and it was not well known for its health.

“There’s two of these here in Ponyville.” Quandary soothed, clearly seeing the skepticism on Crystal’s face. “And this one is better by far. I don’t entirely know what makes it different, I think it’s someone higher up in the company, or maybe this is one of the oldest franchises, but he has more control over the product. It’s still the same prices, but things are so much better. The other one is across town, and it’s gross. Anypony who knows better comes to this one.”

“Uhuh.” Crystal couldn’t help but wrinkle her muzzle as they made their way inside. The smell of friar oil and grease was thick in the air, slick and gross.

The restaurant, in spite of the smell, was spotless. A few customers were scattered about the dining room. Chowing down on their food, chatting, with one single mare in the far corner with her nose in a book.

All in all, it wasn’t terrible. Crystal thought. Moving to stand beside Quandary as she looked up at the menu. It wasn’t too bad either, offering a few different kinds of fish, fish sandwiches, and a fairly standard array of sides ranging from french fries to mashed potatoes.

“Their gravy is really good. Mushroom based, apparently inspired by a griffon version.” Quandary supplied. “I always get the halibut combo number two, but you get what you want. My treat, for leaving you by your lonesome.”

Said combo was decent enough. Two pieces of fish, two choices of sides, and a drink. She could upgrade it to add a gravy, a cookie, and a few fresh rolls.

Crystal huffed. “Okay. I’ll take that, then, please. WIth the upgrade. Fresh corn and the fries please.”

“Good girl!” Quandary laughed, “Go find us a table, will you? And grab napkins for us.”

Crystal nodded, going to a nearby stand and loading up on supplies. Salt, pepper, vinegar, napkins, straws, and ketchup. She picked a booth and sidled on in. Arranging the extras she picked up while she waited idly.

There had been real heat coming from the kitchens, but this far into the front of the store, the air conditioning was left to cool the ponies. It was pleasant, not at all too cold but not too hot either. Thank Celestia, if the place smelled this bad when there was this much air circulation...Well, Crystal shuddered to think of what it would smell like on a hotter day with no air conditioning.

The food took longer than Crystal had anticipated, but it was still quick. Quandary slid a couple of heaping trays onto the table before squeezing herself into the booth opposite Crystal.

The food looked better than she thought, though obviously not as good as anything from one of the upscale restaurants she frequented back home.

“Fish’ll be hot, be careful. Only burn your mouth that badly once.” Quandary warned. Digging into her sides while she waited for the fish to cool.

“It looks good.” They both knew what Crystal meant; that it was better than she thought. She’d give more praise when the food earned it.

She salted and peppered her fries after tasting one and finding it lacking. They were hot, though, with a crisp outside and a fluffy interior. Beautiful, with the right seasoning, though she understood why they chose not to.

The gravy was good, too, and hot. With a nice, umami flavour that lingered on the tongue. Everything was obviously fresh, or at least as fresh as could be expected. The corn was sweet, and not overcooked, providing a nice crunchy note to provide contrast with everything else.

When Quandary tried the fish, Crystal followed suit. She needed to blow on it a little bit once she pulled it apart, but that spoke to how fresh it was. The skin was crispy and light, fish flaky. It needed vinegar, but it was delicious. Especially paired with everything else.

The pair ate in silence. Crystal was completely and utterly blown away by everything she tried, even the bread roll and the cookie. Both had been heated up, meaning they were soft and melty.

Quandary finished first, even though she had more food. Leaning back in the booth and watching Crystal continue to stuff herself silly. Quandary rubbed at her stomach, muffling a belch behind her hoof.

“It’s good.” Crystal said, a few minutes later. Sipping at her drink idly. “Really good, different.”

“Told you. Worth the walk, honestly.” It had been somewhat far from Quandary’s house, but she had a point. “Better than you’d expect.”

“Thank you, for bringing me. I know I was reluctant-”

“You had every right to be. The other one had four cases of food poisoning last year.” Quandary’s lips twitched. “They do it right here, properly. They really care about what they do and it shows.”

“It does.” Crystal wiped at her mouth with a napkin, moving to rub at her distended stomach. Not so painful this time around, in spite of the heavy grease. Part of her worried absently at that change. Had a few meals stretched out her stomach already? Surely it couldn’t make that much of a difference.

“Want to go home?” Quandary asked. “Or we could stay here for a bit longer, digest.”

“The walk would do me some good, I think.” Crystal groaned, shifting to sit up a little more. Igniting her magic and collecting their trash so they could throw it out more easily. “You sit, I’ll take care of this mess and we’ll go.”

“Sounds good.” Quandary sighed, rubbing at her stomach with both hooves. “Sounds good.”

Crystal got out of the booth, and set about clearing their trays. Maybe it was her imagination, being hyper aware of herself because of her shows of gluttony, but were her flanks wobbling? She shook herself.

No way, not only after a couple of days. It was nothing. It had to be.

(LINE BREAK)

Crystal slept in late the next morning, meaning it was approaching noon by the time she stepped out of the spare bedroom and set about getting herself a cup of coffee.

It took a few sips for her to realize it, but the dulcet tones wasn’t a tune being played on the radio.

Quandary was playing her piano, and as always, it was beautiful. Law was her special talent, but she expressed herself through music. Put her soul into it whenever she had the chance, had paid for lessons and practiced endlessly as a teenager.

Crystal moved to sit on the couch, sipping at the coffee with a soft sigh. Watching and listening to her friend as she continued to play. Going through the scales first, then a few simple songs, and growing in complexity and difficulty as minutes passed.

Eventually, after about half an hour or so, things started to wind down. The songs simplifying until the last couple of notes were fading away.

“I wish I could give you a round of applause.” Crystal said after a few moments, listening to Quandary huff and puff with the exertion of it. “You’re still as amazing as you ever were.”

Quandary grinned at that, “Glad you liked it. Been slacking off playing it recently, but I’m hoping that if things continue to settle that I’ll have more time for it soon.” She shrugged, “I have an idea for breakfast I think you’ll like, after you’re done you coffee and have had a bit of time to wake up.”

“Oh?”

“Another bakery, different to Sugarcube. It’s the Ponyville Bakery. Two locations, a larger one on the other side of town, and this smaller one close by. They mostly do a lot of savoury things. Breads, rolls, they offer hot pastries. There is some sweet stuff, cookies and the like, but it’s different to Sugarcube. You go there for a milkshake and a good time, but if you want bread you go to Ponyville Bakery proper.”

Crystal nodded, “That’s cool and good that they’re not competing directly with each other like that.”

“Helps keep them both in business.” Quandary nodded, “And it’s good for Ponyville. Having two awesome small businesses like that is good.”

“Yeah, it is.” How many bakeries had Crystal walked by without a thought? How much good food had she turned down for the sake of her figure?

She drained the last of her coffee, “Yeah we should go. I could eat.”

“Awesome!” Quandary grinned. “Alright then, let’s go. It isn’t far, I promise. They don’t have outside seating or anything, though, so we could come back here. Or we could find someplace to sit outside.”

“We’ll see how we feel.” Crystal offered a smile, setting her cup down and starting to get ready. “Play it by ear.”

“Sounds good.”

As it turned out, the bakery wasn’t very far away at all. Only two blocks or so. It was small, and quaint, but the smells permeated through the air and made Crystal all the hungrier for their presence. She could tell by smell alone that things were indeed different from Sugarcube corner, smelling more like bread than pastries, but she was still excited.

The door opened with a jingle, and a rather obese pony behind the counter waved. A unicorn pony, middle aged, wearing a uniform of some sort, and their body spilled out in every direction.

“Hey, Crumble. How are you this morning?” Quandary greeted.

“I’m doing just fine!” Crumble replied with a smile. She was bright blue, her mane tucked out of the way underneath a hat, out of sight. She was seated on a stool which was audibly creaking under her weight. She was roll-ridden, with drooping rolls of fat that strained against her uniform and disappeared behind the counter and out of sight.

Crystal swallowed dryly, masking herself in a cloak of neutrality. She couldn’t turn into somepony like that. Not with her active lifestyle. Though, she understood the draw of the treats now. The smells were even more intense in the store, and Crystal had swallowed dryly to stop herself from diving into the nearest pile of buns and start gorging.

Dinner rolls lined one shelf, bagged and ready to be taken home. Little bins of other styles of buns and rolls ran along the back wall. Ending with bins of loose bagels.

Crystal wandered through, eyes scanning the morsels on offer before turning around and looking at the next shelf. More bread this time, loaves of sourdough and crispy Prench breads. Pre-prepared garlic loaves were ready to be put in the oven, and others still with added cheese. Neightalian breads too, looking fresh and soft to the touch.

Crystal resisted the urge to touch. Going down the next isle and freezing.

Breadsticks, baked together so they stuck together like dinner rolls, were smothered in a seasoned garlic butter. They smelled delicious, even through the packaging. And Crystal picked up a package. Then spotted the pizza bread, baked in much the same way but with cheese and sauce on top rather than the garlic mixture.

A section down, there were garlic and cheddar stuffed buns. A whole heap of them. Crystal picked up those too, floating them near her head with a contented sigh.

To the wall opposite the dinner rolls, on the other side of the store, there were coolers. One offering various chilled and prepackaged drinks, the other offering more perishable treats. Cheesecakes, mouses, that sort of thing. None particularly caught her eye-

Oh. A peanut butter square? Some sort of peanut butter mixture with firm chocolate on top. It looked simple, but Crystal couldn’t help but be drawn to it. She picked it too.

Beside the coolers there was a warmer. Pizza turnovers, some sort of vegetarian sausage roll. Neither of them held much interest to her, but she was pleased to see Quandary loading up on them.

The front of the store had more cakes, cake pops, other pastries. Not nearly the selection that Sugarcube Corner had but it was understandable. They looked different too, more rustic.

Crystal settled her purchases on the counter, and then caught sight of something that made her surprisingly happy.

A little package of four cookies. With a candy coated chocolate pressed into them at random intervals. On popsicle sticks.

They were adorable. So Crystal grabbed one one those too.

“You’ve made some good choices here, a lot of these are our best sellers.” Crumble praised. Scanning them through and bagging them up. “The garlic bread especially. We’re known for our bread and buns.”

“Can’t wait to try them out.” Crystal admitted. “Everything looks amazing.”

“Oh it is.” Crumble and Quandary said in unison.

“I can’t eat bread from anywhere else now.” Quandary admitted. “The stuff from the store isn’t the same.”

Crumble nodded in agreement. “I’ve sampled everything we make here, and it’s all delicious. Alright, your total is twenty-five bits.”

Crystal hoofed them over without a thought, adding a few bits into the tip jar while she was at it. “Thanks.”

“It’s no problem, dear. This is a good place to work. Lots of regular customers but lots of newer folk too. Never gets old. Come on now, Quandary, lets get you settled.”

While Quandary purchased her goods, Crystal stood near the doorway. Her bags floating near her head. Trying very hard not to let her hunger get the better of her. She couldn’t eat in here, it wouldn’t be polite!

Still, the siren song of her grumbling stomach made things difficult.

There was a sense of palpable relief when they finally stepped back outside. Quandary didn’t waste time before she was eating one of the hot rolls, moaning in pleasure as she did. Did she look...rounder than usual?

Crystal blinked. No way. A few days couldn’t have made a noticeable difference on anypony’s figure.

“Home?”

“Yes please, I’m starving.”

“Should’ve had a bowl of cereal or something to tide us over. I maybe went a little overboard.”

“Me too.” Crystal admitted, “but it all looked so good!”

“It’ll taste better.”

“I believe you.” Nopony eats themselves to that size if the food is terrible. With employees like that, well the bakery had to be successful.

They fell into comfortable silence as they made their way back to Quandary’s house.

As Quandary set about putting her purchases away, Crystal made a beeline for the couch.

The peanut butter square was first. It was cool, the chocolate provided much needed texture for the soft peanut mixture. Not too sweet, not too savoury. A perfect balance. It was devoured eagerly and within moments, even as the peanut butter mixture stuck to the roof of her mouth.

“The peanut butter cheesecake is awesome too. I checked, they were out of it. It goes quick.”

Mouth too full to respond, Crystal soldiered on. The garlic sticks next. She pulled one apart from the others, and moaned as the taste hit her tongue. It was indescribably good. The bread was soft and fresh, buttery from the butter sinking into it. The topping was good too, blended well and seasoned perfectly.

It took a lot of effort not to gobble up the rest of them, but she could always come back to it.

The pizza bread was good too, not as good as the garlic sticks in Crystal’s opinion, but still delicious. The cheese was good and savoury, there wasn’t too much sauce. A good flavour combination.

Again, it took some self control not to eat them all in one go.

The cheddar and garlic butter stuffed buns were next, and Crytal could hardly wait. There was a sprinkling of cheese on top, marking them different from other buns of similar size.

Crystal took a big bite of it, flavour exploding across her tongue as she chewed. The bread was soft and chewy, the cheese and butter a good contrast in texture and taste.

She ate three more buns before coming back to her senses. She settled the bag on the coffee table, licking the crumbs from her muzzle. Her stomach was starting to hurt, bloating up from all the carbs, but she didn’t mind so much.

Cookies on popsicle sticks. A novel idea, probably for children. It was nice, though.

The cookie was sweet and chewy, the candy-coated chocolates providing a good crunch. Sugarcube Corner had better cookies, but these were so novel and unique, Crystal couldn’t help but feel she enjoyed these more. At least at present.

Quandary let out a belch from the kitchen. Crystal swallowed down the last bit of cookie, her stomach rumbling and gurgling.

A belch escaped her without her approval. The sound was loud and elongated. It almost hurt, actually, but the immense, immediate relief of pressure made it well worth it.

“I’m turning you into a whole different pony.” Quandary said, going to sit on her living chair. Snacking idly on some kind of bun. Crystal wasn’t sure if it was onions on the top or cheese, either way it looked pretty good.

“Should’ve brought me to this place first.” Crystal groaned, leaning back against the couch. Ready and willing to have the soft cushions swallow her up for a good nap.

“Well, I’ll keep that in mind for next time.” Quandary’s eyes sparkled as she smiled. “I’m gl ad you’re enjoying yourself. Worried you might not.”

“We get to spend time together, I get to taste some of the best food Ponyville has. It’s a win/win, really.” Crystal groaned, lifting another garlic stick to eat it. Even though her stomach ached from how full it was, it wasn’t all bad. Like the ache after dancing all night, or sleeping on a bad couch after having a fun night. It was pleasure-edged, more than just pain.

The food coma was epic, and the two mares spent their afternoon watching television. Enjoying each other’s company, chatting idly.

Around four o’clock, Crystal was jolted from her half-snooze by a rumbling in her stomach, hunger shooting right through to her spine. She let out a groan, stretching to get comfortable, as she contemplated what to do.

“Don’t you dare eat any more bread right now. I’ve just ordered pizza.”

“Again?” Her voice was slurred with sleep, and Crystal had to fight to sit up a bit more.

“Yes. There are good chains around, chains I know you haven’t ordered from. This one is Gentleman’s Pizza. They have a glaze like Eastsides does, and I know you’ll love it. Come on, please help me clean off the coffee table. Should be here soon.”

Crystal huffed, but obliged. Putting away what remained of her earlier feast and cleaning off the coffee table to make room for their next one.

Quandary, from where she stood, could see the layer of fat struggling to form a roll as Crystal moved. The unicorn remained seated, her little poofing belly on full display. Was this why she was so eager to eat salads? Was it possible for anypony to gain that quickly? Quandary didn’t know, but she was glad to see her filly-friend so relaxed.

The doorbell rang,and she eagerly went to pay. Bringing back the boxes and bottles of soda with a prance in her step. Happy to share this next thing with her friend.

“Alright, we’ve got two six-cheese pizzas, an order of breadsticks, and a couple sodas. Oh! Also their cinnasticks. It’s pizza dough, with cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, butter, and royal icing.”

“Oh, that sounds good.” The smells wafting from the boxes were enticing to say the least, and Crystal didn’t even stop to admire the food before she was extracting a slice and eating it.

It was good, not as good as Eastsides, but still delicious. Cheesy, gooey, not too greasy. The glaze on the crust was nice, but a little overpowering.

Still didn’t stop her from eating her entire pizza though, dipping it in the provided marinara sauce. Now that was good.

The breadsticks were mass-made of leftover dough, but their seasoning was beyond excellent. There wasn’t too much cheese, it was real parmesan, it was a good solid choice.

The cinnasticks though. Crystal had underestimated them and that was her mistake. They tasted like a proper dessert from somewhere, even if they didn’t look it. Not too sweet, but still overwhelming in its flavour.

By the time she was done, Crystal was once more ready to go back to sleep.

Quandary laughed, happily eating whatever Crystal had left behind. “Told you you’d like it. Go have a shower, you’ve got marinara in your mane.”

Another day of gorging ended, when overfull and freshly showered, Crystal fell into bed. Rubbing and stroking at her bloated belly as she fell into sleep.

(LINE BREAK)

The next couple of days flew by in a haze of food. There were repeat orders from Sugarcube and Eastsides, and even though Crystal had never eaten so much pizza in such a short time before, she found herself not wishing for anything different.

It was good, comforting in a way Crystal hadn’t expected.

Still, it was good to stay in. Listen to more of Quandary’s piano, watch more shows and movies. And just...relax.

Crystal didn’t notice her blooming figure. Her small belly was starting to bloom into a true potbelly, her flanks jiggling, her face starting to look chubby.

Quandary had grown too. Her waddle was more pronounced, her stomach that much closer to the ground. She didn’t mind, she liked it really. It was exciting, different. It showed how much she loved food, and eating to live was just so...boring. Why not live to eat?

Two days before Crystal was scheduled to leave, they stood in line outside of an oddly shaped building. It was almost like a castle? Bot not quite? Very different from Princess Twilight’s castle, which loomed in the distance.

It was a plaza. With a flower shop, a pharmacy, there was a petting zoo in the back, a sub shop.

They weren’t there for subs though. They were there for milkshakes.

“-telling you, Crystal ,you won’t regret it. The toonie shakes are pretty big, and you can’t beat two bits. And the Jumbo is a little over three. They’re the best. Canterlot has the best ice cream, no one denies it, but the milk here is better for drinking and it makes the best milkshakes I’ve ever seen.”

Reid’s Dairy was a cow-owned dairy, that worked hard to spread milk products across the local area. And had been for a long time, since just after Ponyville was founded. They had a high reputation, and were obviously popular, hence the line.

“Hey, I never said I didn’t believe you.” Crystal shifted her weight on aching hooves, grateful as the line shifted up. “They really are busy.” At least they were out of the sun. The awning provided ample shade, enough to keep the worst of the summer sun off of somepony’s back. It was still dreadfully hot, though.

“It’s the heat wave. It’s always like this. It’d be busy regardless, since it’s summer, but still.” Quandary shrugged. Shuffling forward as the line moved closer towards the door. “It’s air conditioned in there, though. Really cold. It’ll be well worth it.”

Crystal made a non-committal noise in the back of her throat. Falling silent as a number of ponies streamed out of the store, and a bunch of ponies were able to go inside.

The air conditioning hit with the force of a train. It was freezing, sending shivers along Crystal’s spine and making her fur stand on end.

It was one large room. With an extensive counter along the back wall. To the right was a small, packed, seating area, and the bathrooms. With...windows, looking into the dairy proper. Showing workers as they packaged ice cream for transport around the county.

They offered a small selection of hot foods: hot dogs, slices of pizza, that sort of thing. But they weren’t here for that. Giant tubs of icecream were waiting behind the line, waiting to be put into cups and cones.

The far end of the counter was where the milkshakes were going on. As well as some other kind of blended thing that the menu called a ‘tornado’. Unique at least, blending different toppings into their soft serve ice cream.

“Alright, so there’s options here. I get a neapolitan shake, but you get what you want.” Quandary grinned, nodding to the employees as they inched their way along the line.

“Can they do a chocolate and vanilla twist type thing?”

“Don’t see why they couldn’t. We can ask, once we get there.”

Crystal was happy enough to inch along, basking in the air conditioning. Letting the wash of voices and movement soothe her. It was nice, especially with the heat and irritation of outside.

“Alright, what can I get for you?”

“A jumbo neapolitan shake please.”

“Can I get a chocolate and vanilla shake, please? Also jumbo.”

“Yes of course.” The unicorn tapped at the cash register.

Quandary paid while Crystal shifted further along the counter, where others were also waiting for their shakes.

It took a bit of time, once Quandary joined Crystal, but soon enough their massive shakes were put on the counter and they worked to squeeze their way outside.

Keen to drink, especially now they were back into the heat, Crystal let out a huff. The shake was thick, too shake to drink immediately. The straw was ineffective against the shake’s prowess, and did little more than seal shut as Crystal tried to drink.

Quandary laughed, patting Crystal on the shoulder. “There’s seating near the zoo, if it isn’t too busy. It won’t take more than a couple of minutes for it to thin out a bit.”

Crystal nodded, following Quandary as she made her way back around the plaza and into the opening in between stores.

There was a playground, a bunch of tables under a shade. The petting zoo, more playground equipment. Almost a park. It was nice, and surprisingly not too busy. Ponies were probably keen to get their ice cream and go home, get away from the heat.

By the time they got settled, Crystal tried again. Wincing as the harsh metal of the stool-chair combination dug into her rump. It wasn’t the most comfortable thing, but it would do.

This time, the shake was more drinkable. Still thick, incredibly rich, and very creamy. It coated the inside of her mouth easily. Crystal hummed at the taste. This first stretch was vanilla. It didn’t taste cheap, like some milkshakes did, it was just so delicious and nice that she didn’t even care that she was practically chugging it.

When the freezing, paralyzing sensation began in her chest, Crystal stopped. Wincing as the pain spread, she brought a hoof up to rub some warmth back into her chest. Grimacing all the wile. No brain freeze, thankfully, but this was just as paralyzing.

“Chest freeze still?”

“Yeah.” Crystal confirmed in a croak. “Oh it’s so good though, I’m not even mad.”

Quandary laughed at that, joy making it seem like the most melodious of bells. “Glad you enjoyed it.”

“You told me I would.”

Quandary grinned, shaking her head. Her eyes were soft and full of fondness. She laughed again when Crystal started drinking again. At a more measured pace this time, taking little pauses so that the pain would stay away.

“Think I could convince you into moving here?” Quandary asked.

“The food is winning me over to the idea. And I’d get to see you more, which is nice. We don’t spend nearly enough time together.”

“I think it could work. There’s a growing market for high priced goods such as yours. Even if you open up another store here or something, you could make a killing. Especially with how popular Princess Twilight is. Could help your career along.”

“It could, not that I really need the help. I’ve been doing pretty damned good for myself you know.”

“I know.” Quandary shrugged. She sipped at her shake, watching as ducks swam across the pond in the petting zoo proper. “I think you’d like it here.”

“I think so too.” And the scary thing was, was that Crystal meant it.

(LINE BREAK)

“Are you going to hurt me if I suggest we get pizza again?”

“From where?”

“New to you place. I’m not sure if it’s a small chain or a locally owned store or what, but they’re good.”

Crystal hummed contemplatively. “You know what, I’m game. You haven’t steered me wrong yet. Go for it.”

“Cheese pizza okay?”

“Can we get mushrooms and bell peppers on one, please? I feel like I should be able to say I ate one vegetable on this trip.”

Quandary laughed, but nodded. Getting up from where she’d been sprawled in her chair to go get the phone and order.

Crystal, left alone, rested her hooves against her plush stomach. She could feel firmness still, underneath the fat. Part of her wondered how long that would last, if she kept going down this path. She was enjoying herself now, sure. And, theoretically she could work at any weight because of her magic.

But did she want to get bigger? There was freedom in this yes, for now. But what happened if her health changed? If her clientele left?

Well, she supposed, could close up shop back home. Relocate here. Ponies don’t seem to mind weight so much here. And if Quandary was right, if there was a real demand for her wares here...well, it’d be worthwhile.

“Alright, done!” Quandary’s sudden reappearance had Crystal almost jump off the couch, she startled so badly. “Oh, sorry, Crystal. Didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

“It’s okay.” Crystal let out a shaking sigh, her frantic heart already starting to settle down. She shifted into a better position, stretching as she went. “Better you than the pizza man.”

“True, they should be here in forty minutes or so, though if they’re busy it might take longer.”

“Fair enough. So long as we get our food at some point.” Crystal shrugged. “What do we do in the meantime?”

“Watch a movie? There are a few here we haven’t seen yet.”

“Yeah, works for me.” Crystal shrugged again, yawning. “Oh, wait, save the movie. If you’re good with it, I’m actually going to go shower before dinner.”

“Of course, go for it. I’ll yell when it’s here.”

Crystal nodded, stumbling to her hooves and making her way upstairs. Wondering if she’d notice anything else about her thickening body while she washed.

Sure enough, there were. She was...soft, all over in a way she hadn’t been. The hot water soaking through her fur and cascading down her skin provided ample opportunities to feel new differences. They were slight, surely, but for how much Crystal was feeling them she might have been the size of a whale.

Part of her wondered how that would feel, to be so wrapped in layers of your own indulgence that things become difficult. How would walking feel with a pendulum of a stomach swinging between your legs? How might things progress as you ate yourself into larger and larger sizes?

The thought was...terrifying, and exhilarating, and as she washed her mane, Crystal couldn’t help but wonder if she was really considering this. One week of indulgence and she was contemplating massive changes to her routines, her body, herself.

It wouldn’t be instant, would it? There’d be plenty of opportunity to stop gaining, or to lose weigh if she wanted to. Celestia knew there were enough gyms and private trainers to help with that, not matter the size.

So deep in her contemplations that she almost missed Quandary’s shout. And was, genuinely, surprised at how long she’d stayed in the shower. However, she felt...better. Cleaner, yes, but better. More assured. Like she’d made some big decision. And in a way, she had.

Shutting off the water and drying herself off were hurried tasks. Wrapping her tail in a towel and tying up her mane was a bad decision, but Quandary had to have a hair straightener around somewhere so it would be fine. So, mostly dry but still damp, Crystal rushed downstairs.

The smell of cheese, good quality cooked cheese, permeated the downstairs. Crystal’s stomach roared for sustenance, hungry as always.

The feast was spread across the coffee table, as was their new norm. The crust was different than what Crystal was used to, thicker, but it was browned and bubbled. And stood up well to the deluge of cheese on both pizzas.

The bread sticks were individual sticks, as well. Also oozing cheese, and topped with extra parmesan to boot, that Crystal had the thought that it would stick to the roof of her mouth in the best way possible.

In all it looked higher end than Gentleman’s and Eastsides, but still just as good.

Quandary was already munching away on a slice, and Crystal was happy to pick one for herself and get going.

Quandary, absently, turned something on in the background. The noise helped hide the desperate sounds of their gorging. It was nice, normal, like any friends would do.

“This is Main Street Pizza,” Quandary said at last, after swallowing down the last bite of crust. “Told you it’d be good.”

Crystal’s mouth was too full to respond, but she nodded in agreement. It was. Higher class ingredients, some sort of wood oven, and it showed. The dough had been fermented for some time, the cheese was gooey without being an oil slick.

The bread sticks were amazing too, and as predicted, the thick layer of parmesan stuck to the roof of her mouth. Crystal didn’t care. Washing it all down with soda.

By the time the boxes were empties and sodas drained, Crystal was in a haze of pain and pleasure. Stomach bloated outward enough that her belly button had been pushed outwards. It was a round, rock solid dome, but Crystal didn’t mind so much.

“You kept up with me.” Quandary sounded impressed. “I’ve had to clean up your share before.”

“Finally pulling my weight.” Crystal quipped, muffling a burp into her hoof. “Oh that’s too good.”

Quandary nodded. The two mares’ attention were on the television. Happy to just...soak in the contentedness that surrounded them. Hopeful for a future where they’d see more of each other, in more than just one sense.