Upper Crust

“Is this that important?” Applejack asked Spike who was currently dragging her away from the farm. “Ah’m right in the middle of harvest season, ah know I’ve not seen Twilight in a week but she’s usually buried deep in some book Spike.” the orange mare tried to protest, but she knew Spike. He wouldn’t be dragging her away like this if it wasn’t something urgent.

“Yes, it’s that important.” Spike replied. He was able to let go of Applejack’s hoof as she now willingly trotted alongside him.

“So where are we headin’?”

“To town, the rest are waiting for us near Sugarcube Corner.”

It was a short trip to the bakery. Spike opened the door to go inside with Applejack following. Near the counter, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Starlight Glimmer and Pinkie Pie were waiting for him. He had sent notes to all of them asking to meet at Sugarcube Corner today at this time. Applejack was the only one who hadn’t responded which is why he had gone to get her personally.

“Hey Spike.” Rainbow said, a half eaten muffin in her mouth. Spike shuddered slightly, it reminded him why he had brought them all together.

“You wanted to see us? Your note didn’t explain…” Rarity started to say, before she was interrupted by Pinkie Pie.

“Well, Twilight’s Birthday is in 311 days! Clearly he wants to be prepared! I’ve already got balloons!” Pinkie chimed in. The rest just frowned. “What? I’m not the only one who prepares for parties!”

“I get the feeling it isn’t that. Why don’t you explain Spike.” Starlight said with a smile.

“Pinkie, can you make up a couple of assorted boxes of treats while I tell everyone?” Spike asked, sitting down at one of the tables while the rest of Twilight’s friends took spots around him.

“Can do Spikey!” Pinkie said, grabbing a few boxes and starting to put a number of pre-baked cookies as well as other treats inside.

“Well, it started when she came back from that trip to Manehattan.” Spike started to explain. “Coincidentally, have any of you seen her since then?”

Everypony shook their heads, giving various reasons as to why they hadn’t seen Twilight, mostly being busy with work or other things.

“Right well...she’s different. Er, how do I explain…” Spike put a claw to his chin.

“Different how, physically? Mentally?” Rarity asked.

“Both.” Spike replied.

“Wait both, usually it’s one or the other.” Applejack queried.

“I’ll just explain what happened when she got back.” Spike started to say. “She was fine for a few days, then a box appeared at the door. It was addressed to her and we get deliveries all the time, so I thought nothing of it and dropped it to her room. She’s been reading a lot of books lately.”

“That isn’t really unusual for Twilight.” Starlight responded.

“No, I know.” Spike replied. “But then another box arrived shortly after. Then more. The same style, they were not marked, they just had a return address on the box. A bakery called Upper Crust in Manehattan. Then it was two boxes and more frequently. She’s been at this for a few weeks now.”

Spike observed Pinkie Pie had stopped what she was doing. “You mean...she’s been ordering treats from ANOTHER BAKERY!?” the pink pony exclaimed. Spike watched her hair deflate as it did when she was upset.

“I don’t know, just because it came from a bakery doesn’t mean she was doing that.” Spike replied. Pinkie snapped back to her normal self, and continued packing the boxes. “But...her size.” Spike said, stopping himself.

“Spike, really, it’s not polite to speak of a mare’s weight. That is what you mean?” Rarity asked.

“Well, it has to be.” Rainbow Dash said. “But I doubt eating some boxes of cookies is gonna do a lot.” she said, dismissing the notion with a hoof wave.

“Uhm, you guys really need to see.” Spike said. Pinkie had finished packing the boxes. Spike hopped down from the table to grab them. “Can you all come to the castle with me? I kept meaning to get away and come get help, I really did. But she kept me occupied with chores and this is the first time in a week I’ve managed to get out.”

The ponies looked at each other and shrugged. They hadn’t seen Twilight in a while. “Might just ah, be a good idea to check in on her just in case.” Applejack said. With that, that seven of them made for the palace.

“She’s in her room.” Spike said, and just motioned down the corridor towards it before walking down with the rest behind. Eventually, they got to the door, which he opened and stood back.

“Oh please Spike, I really doubt it’s gonna be...be...be…” Rainbow started to say, but when the door opened, her jaw hit the floor in shock which she struggled to pick back up.

“Goodness.” was all Fluttershy had to say.

There was silence from the rest of the group as for the first time since seeing Twilight since she got back from the trip the full visual of her ‘change’ that Spike had failed to explain became apparent. Twilight couldn’t see, now being the size she was and facing away from the door, but she had heard Spike open the door.

“Hey Spike! Can you leave the boxes over there…” she asked, magically summoning a small hand to point to where she wanted the treats dropping. “That will be all, thank you.”

Spike did as asked while Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Starlight, Rarity and Pinkie Pie looked on. They observed as Spike dropped the treats and Twilight instantly broke into the boxes and started to devour them, her huge immense body jiggling and wobbling as she did so. All they could see was her flanks, wobbling from side to side. There was little else of her visible from behind, the immense size of them blocking everything else out. Spike returned and closed the door, leaving Twilight to her eating.

“Guys?”

He asked the question, but all of them were somewhat stuck staring at the now closed door. Rainbow was the first to speak.

“Just...refresh my memory. This happened how? She’s HUGE!”

“After her trip, she started ordering boxes from a bakery in Manehattan called Upper Crust. I’ve been dropping them to her and when I collect them once another arrives, the original box is empty.” Spike said. “And since she’s been ordering these boxes of I what I assume is food from a bakery there, she’s put on an incredible amount of weight.”

“Incredible is right...can she move?” Applejack asked.

“Not anymore.” Spike replied. “So, some sort of intervention would be easy. I don’t even know if she has enough magic to teleport her mass at that size.” Spike explained.

“We have to do something, I can’t believe what’s happened to her!” Rarity exclaimed.

“She’ll be okay for tonight, but she’s ordered another couple of boxes for tomorrow. The bakery whoever they are always delivers a day after her order is put in. I’m thinking if you all came back tomorrow when I deliver the box it would be a perfect time to confront her? Then she can’t hide the evidence, it’ll be right with her.” Spike said.

“I suppose that makes the most sense, we can’t really confront her about empty boxes.” Starlight said.

“I can’t believe she’s ordering so much from another bakery...she always loved my baking…” Pinkie said sadly, her mane deflated again. Fluttershy comforted her.

“Don’t worry Pinkie, I’m sure she has her reasons…”

“Yes, there must be something about those treats that’s more than we know. We’ll confront her tomorrow. In the meantime, Spike, have you got one of the empty boxes? I’m going to write to the bakery.” Starlight said.

“Of course, follow me.”

The seven of them continued to talk after Starlight had written and sent her letter on how best to speak to Twilight about this. Clearly, she was so far gone she wasn’t paying attention to her size. It was going to take a lot of effort to bring her around. Her friends stayed in the castle that night so they could confront her when the next delivery of treats arrived first thing. Starlight herself was more curious than the rest of them, hopefully writing to the bakery would yield some answers.