Fashionably Fat

Pinkie Pie watched as Rarity strode through the door of Sugarcube Corner for the first time in over a month. Finally, finally, Rarity was back! And clearly happy, a smile tugging at her lips as she greeted a few of the ponies she’d known since foalhood while waiting in line. Wearing a wonderful light blue cloak to help ward off the slight chill in the night air.

Pinkie couldn’t let herself get distracted by her friends while she worked, though. At least as much as possible. So she rushed to help the small line of ponies in front of Rarity. Taking orders, dishing out sweets and ice cream, even helping Mrs. Cake pack up an order of cupcakes before she could get to Rarity. It was work, but work Pinkie enjoyed, and work that didn’t take longer than a few minutes.

“Rarity!” Pinkie greeted, offering the unicorn a big smile once it was her turn, “You’re back! I should throw a welcome home party tonight!” She’d have to foalsit the twins while she set things up, she’d Pinkie Promised after all, but it would be doable-

“Hello, Pinkie!” Rarity greeted. “I, um, am a little busy tonight, but perhaps later this week? I can write our friends, see what date works for them?”

Pinkie blinked, then mentally ran through the schedule she kept. It wasn’t perfect, not always 100% accurate, but she knew the goings on about town and liked to be in the know about what was going on. “Hmmm, maybe Thursday would be a good day? Provided Summer Wrap Up goes well?”

Rarity hummed, “That sounds good, I’ll have to check my schedule as well, but since I’m back here I’m a little less busy.”

“Okie-dokie-lokie!” Pinkie beamed. “What can I get you, Rarity?”

The unicorn, who had almost always ordered either ice cream or just a danish or other light pastries, looked up at the menu for a long moment with a slight sigh. “Could I get two-dozen assorted cupcakes please? Oh, and...four danishes, two lemon and two strawberry.”

Pinkie blinked, momentarily taken aback, before nodding. “Alrighty then, that’ll be twenty bits please!”

Rarity nodded and used her magic to pull her coin purse out from under the cloak. She counted out the requisite coins and then added a few to the tip jar as well. “Thank you, Pinkie! I’m glad to be home.”

“We’re glad to have you back!” Pinkie grinned, something starting to nag her about Rarity’s appearance, though she couldn’t quite put a hoof on it yet. Something about her hair? No, it was as elegantly curled as always-

Rarity stepped to the left of the cash register, making room for the next pony in line. “It’s good to be back, darling! We can talk more when you’re not so busy.”

Pinkie nodded, stamping down her excitement. She wanted to throw a party now, but she was in the middle of working a shift, and if Rarity had plans that just wasn’t fair for anyone. A couple extra days would mean that Pinkie could throw Rarity an even better party, so she could let her excitement build for now.

Pinkie was at the other end of the store, helping a filly get some taffy off of a tall shelf, when Rarity left. The boxes of treats floating near her head. She stepped aside to let a stallion in, and nodded. And that was when Pinkie saw it.

A flash of a double chin.

And then Rarity was gone, stepping back into the town, leaving Pinkie to worry that something was wrong with one of her dear friends.

Rarity couldn’t know, right? This was the same mare who once panicked over a gain of only a few pounds, and that hadn’t been enough to show up when she looked down.

Pinkie finished her shift, helped the Cakes close for the night, and couldn’t help but worry.

(LINE BREAK)

Summer Wrap Up wasn’t as big a production as Winter Wrap Up, or the Running of the Leaves, or other seasonal celebrations. Mostly it was about double checking that things were running smoothly. An excuse to throw parties in the warmth of summer time. Parties that Rarity didn’t have time for, given her work.

Meaning Rarity didn’t have much to do. But Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow did. Twilight was organizing, Applejack worked to make sure the land wasn’t too dry, Fluttershy looked after the animals, and Rainbow helped oversee the weather for the region.

Rarity was left to her own devices for the day, which wasn’t a bad thing. Quite the opposite, really. She was keen to get some more work done on the plus sized fashion line. Shores and Sapphire had both been a big help. And, with their friends, they’d also found a few other ponies with larger figures that were willing to have measurements taken.

The most frustrating thing, however, wasn’t the measurements. It was how her mannequins no longer showed off the new line in a way she wanted. She couldn’t use them at all, the clothes would sag and sometimes even slide off as soon as she let go of them.

So, Rarity had done the obvious: ordered new mannequins with larger proportions. She hoped they would help a great deal in speeding things up. Not to mention allow her to better visualize how the finished dress would look on the ponies it was made for.

Tying off the last of the stitches, Rarity peered down at the scarlet dress from overtop her sewing glasses. It had come together fairly well, given the pattern they’d created for it in Canterlot, but it was still so hard to gauge it’s true appearance without trying it on or having a live model.

Draping the dress over the back of the nearest mannequin to keep it off the floor, Rarity used her magic to put her tools away and put her glasses down. She’d been staring at that small section of dress for far too long, though it was worth it. She wouldn’t call it completed until she could see how it looked on an actual pony, but it looked good. Felt good, too.

Rarity hummed, stretching to try to shift the stiffness that had settled in her neck, withers, and shoulders. A break was in order, and so was a snack. Dimly, she could hear the party going on in town square, and thought of joining, but no. She’d promised herself that the day would be a work day, and she hadn’t yet made enough progress to feel comfortable joining her friends.

She made her way downstairs, ears flicking towards the sounds of celebration from the town square as they suddenly escalated and then dropped off. Things had to be going well if they were celebrating this early. Which was good for everypony, meant that things would be easier to set up for fall.

Rarity stepped into her kitchen and opened the fridge. Staring into its contents like it would hold all of the answers. She’d already eaten what she’d picked up from Sugarcube Corner, and had sampled more baked goods from around town in the few days since.

She loved Ponyville, she did, but she wasn’t too proud to admit she missed the rich food scene of Canterlot. Canterlot had bakeries and food stalls all over, as well as restaurants and pubs, but Ponyville was much smaller and didn’t have the same amount of choices.

Rarity’s stomach grumbled, hunger pangs eating right through her middle to settle at her spine. Rarity rubbed at it, feeling her hoof sink into its new softness. She was still gaining, and the weight she’d gained was no longer quite as slight as she’d noted before. A double chin was definitely on the way, and her stomach was sagging downwards now, rather than curving up. Even her flanks jiggled and wiggled as she moved about, thanks to her new weight.

Rarity bit her lip. There was food, she’d restocked the same night she came home, but nothing was calling to her. What she craved was the rich feasts of Canterlot, of sitting in the palace kitchen with Shores after a long day of making fashion. Those weren’t options, however, so Rarity reached in for a small ramekin of caramel cheesecake she’d picked up on a whim. A mere snack, but it would tide her over while she figured out what to do. She delicately tore the tin foil off the top and gathered a spoon. Leaning against the counter in a rare show of impropriety while she ate. It was rich, tangy and sweet, but didn’t stick to the roof of her mouth.

The little cheesecake was gone in a matter of bites, but it helped quell the grumbling in her tummy, for now at least, so she’d have to be content while trying to think of something else to do.

She turned to wash out the ramekin and spoon, only to be interrupted by a knock at her door. “Come in!” She said, rinsing things out and filling the ramekin so it would soak for a bit.

Pinkie Pie stepped in, her saddlebags bulging. Likely with party supplies and/or snacks, given the occasion.

“Hello, Pinkie, can I help you?” Rarity asked as Pinkie shut the door.

“Rarity…” Pinkie looked nervous, hair a little less bouncy and face pinched with worry. “You’ve, um...gained weight.”

Rarity blinked. No one else had mentioned it, thought ponies were starting to stare at her. “I know.” She returned.

“Oh.” Pinkie’s head tilted to one side, like she was trying to think. “But I thought you didn’t want to?”

“I didn’t, but...during my stay in Canterlot, I realized that depriving myself for the sake of fashion wasn’t worth it. Fashion is meant to awe and inspire, and why should we as ponies stick to one body type?” Rarity said, rather than the truth. Not wanting to say that Princess Celestia had all but goaded her into it, or that she was potentially gaining because Princess Celestia thought it beautiful.

“Oh! That makes sense!” Pinkie grinned, “I’m so glad! I know you’re hard at work, so I brought some treats for you! But I didn’t want to give them to you if you weren’t going to eat them.” Bounding over to start unloading her saddlebags. Somehow managing to pack boxes of treats within them without damaging the treats or the boxes.

Rarity ginned. “Thank you, Pinkie. And that makes sense, I wouldn’t want the food to go to waste either.”

“I know. Now, I’ll leave you to it. I’ve got deliveries to make and then I can party with the others!”

“Have fun!” Rarity waved as Pinkie bounced out of the boutique once more, shutting the door behind her. Rarity let out a soft sigh, then turned her attention to the crowded counter. It was good Sweetie was out, if the filly had eaten a fraction of this, things would get ugly. Mostly because Sweetie would be too wound up to sleep and would be bouncing off the walls.

But Rarity was an adult, and she was rather hungry…

So she opened the first box. Fresh cookies. Not hot, not even warm, but still soft. Rarity took that box as well as a couple others back into the work room. Then, after thinking about it, she went back to the kitchen and grabbed the gallon of milk out of the fridge to accompany them.

She didn’t need to worry about getting crumbs on any fabric because she wanted to reexamine the sketches Sapphire had given her. Try to sketch them in her own style, maybe draft a rough pattern to use later.

Rarity soon lost herself in the work. Not noticing as she ate cookie after cookie, continuing to eat even when her stomach stopped growling and started to bloat from how many sweets she was putting away.

The first box was eaten swiftly, and the box of cupcakes was soon dipped into as well. Rarity ate as she always did, daintily and with as little mess as possible, but just a little quicker. A little more insistent. Keen to fill up her stomach until she was sated. Occasionally pausing for a sip of milk to help wash it all down.

The empty cupcake box soon joined the cookie box in the garbage. Rarity only half paid attention to this new development, lost in the excitement of her work. On autopilot, she opened the last box. Danishes: lemon, strawberry, and blackberry. With a sweet glaze atop the pastry, while the fruit was left to keep it’s natural flavours.

Rarity ate those too, being careful not to spread crumbs or get icing on her cheeks. She was on the last danish when a sharp pain raced through her middle, making her hiss and tense up. She rubbed at her stomach, wincing as the pain only escalated. She groaned, falling back into her chair. Willing the motions of her hooves to help with the swollen dome of her stomach. “Oh, Rarity, it appears we’ve overindulged yet again.” Popping the last of the danish into her mouth anyway, grimacing as the mouthful hit her grumbling tummy like a brick.

She pushed her work aside, used her magic to put the last remnants of milk back in the fridge, before gingerly getting up to waddle towards the stairs. Her stomach was hard, making her waddle so she wouldn’t jostle it while she walked. It was slow going, and painful, but she eventually made her way into the bedroom.

Rarity slipped into bed, rolling carefully to one side. Still rubbing at her stomach, she could almost feel Celestia take over for her, helping to soothe the ache. Only Celestia wasn’t here, and that was frustrating. Rarity gave a short, pained huff. Continuing her own ministrations while she allowed her mind to wander. Hopefully the rest would see her upright again before Sweetie got home, otherwise there would be a lot of questions from her younger sister. Some of which Rarity genuinely wasn’t sure how to answer. Wasn’t sure if she wanted to answer them, even.

“We’ve overdone it again, haven’t we?” She murmured to herself. “Must stop this before it interferes with my work, otherwise I might never get this commission done.” That would be a shame, given the amount of work she’d already poured into it. Nevermind the contributions and promises made to Sapphire, Shores, and their friends.

So, Rarity took the time to rest, counting heartbeats while idly wondering how the onslaught of sweets might affect her growing figure, and wishing that Celestia was there to help make the pain go away.

(LINE BREAK)

It was almost a month before the new mannequins had arrived, which meant that progress had mostly stalled. Rarity had other work in Ponyville to attend to, as well as her sister and friends, and didn’t want them feeling neglected because she was away so often.

Still, she wrote weekly updates to Celestia, and as the weeks passed it soon became twice a week. Celestia never used Spike to deliver them, just an expedited delivery service that Rarity was happy enough to use in return. Perhaps the princess sent them through the mail because of Spike’s habit of reading whatever letters he was sent, he was more often a direct line to Twilight, so Rarity could understand.

Especially considering how... informal the letters were getting. Rarity was seated at the desk in her workroom, her sewing machine pushed slightly to one side so she could read Celestia’s latest letter and write a reply. Rarity broke the seal of the new letter and opened the envelope. Smoothing out the parchment so she could better read it, she tried not to hunch over the letter in anticipation.

My dearest Rarity,

I am pleased that your mannequins came in, and that you’ll be able to start taking bigger strides with your work. I know how frustrating the last month has been for you, and I’m looking forward to hearing about the progress made in the coming weeks.

Do you know when you’ll return to Canterlot once again? I know you mentioned last week that you intended to return shortly, but never specified a time frame. I don’t wish to rush you, please take the time you need for your work, friends, and family, but I admit I grew to enjoy your company while you were here, and I regret to inform you that the weekly dessert tastings just aren’t the same without you here to enjoy them with me.

Work here is much the same. Trade agreements, looking over old treaties and helping draft new ones, other daily paperwork I’ve told you about. As well as the more pleasurable tasks of reading your letters, and letters from Twilight. Spike sends me letters occasionally as well, though I wish he would write to me more. Luna is fairing well, she is currently embroiled in mapping out the night sky’s changes over the coming months as the weather continues to change and shift. She is excited for autumn, as am I. Late fall and early winter used to be my traditional resting period of the year, where Luna’s longer nights meant I was able to take some more leisure time, and I’m grateful that you and your friends have made this old tradition once again possible. It took a few years for Luna to be caught up in the ways of ruling a new Equestria but now we both feel as though she’s ready to start doing more once again. Though, since the night is her domain, she’s worked tirelessly these last few years to check over the dreamscape and help ponies with their nightmares, as you already know.

There is significantly more paperwork she needed to learn how to complete before taking over more of the day to day duties, however. Not at all like the dreamscape, and she doesn’t like much of the paperwork, but she recognizes how important this all is. As she once recognized the purpose of holding a night court.

I fear I am rambling again, my apologies. I am simply excited for a change in pace that I haven’t experienced in quite some time. Perhaps, if you’re in Canterlot around that time, we can spend more time together. I will have much more time to go to restaurants and show you around the city, if you would like. It’s just a thought.

You haven’t said, and I’ve been reluctant to bring it up for fear of accidentally pushing your decision to one way or another. But how has your change in diet been going? Have you stuck to your thoughts about enjoying a little of what you fancy, or have you gone back to your regime? Nevertheless, I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on the matter. Regardless of how things have changed, I truly hope that you are happy.

My secretary has just come in, and she looks angry I’m not reading over this trade agreement with the griffons. I’m afraid I must cut this letter a little shorter than usual. My apologies.

With regards,

Celestia.

Rarity read the letter twice, her face scarlet, before she realized what Celestia’s excited ramblings meant. The mare who had looked her in the face for weeks without letting it slip, had instead fumbled it all into a letter.

Hopefully, Rarity reminded herself. It might just be that Celestia just wanted to make sure Rarity was doing well, feeling well, as a friend. And that Celestia wanted to see her again, and soon by the sounds of it, as a friend.

The blush staining Rarity’s cheeks made her feel otherwise though, or the...odd rambling in the letter. Like a lovesick foal trying to confess what they felt about another without knowing the right words, stumbling over themselves as they went about trying to confess.

Rarity stared at the letter for a few moments longer, then folded it back up and put it in the envelope once more. She had a little drawer for these letters, keeping them away from prying eyes. Providing Sweetie didn’t go snooping again.

Letter tucked away, Rarity tried to figure out what she wanted to reply with. She did miss Canterlot, missed the friends she’d made there, but she couldn’t ignore the Carousel Boutique and Ponyville forever. Not on a whim.

Her friends relied on her, her sister relied on her, and with Ponyville’s new growth since Twilight’s coronation, her business had been booming. Ponyville was no longer the small town it once was, though it still showed its roots as such if one knew where to look, but she couldn’t justify leaving.

Using her magic, Rarity smoothed out a clean piece of parchment and dipped her quill in ink. Getting ready to reply, though she had another day or two to add to it or refine her response should she want to before sending it off in the mail.

Dearest Celestia,

I knew you would share my excitement about the mannequins finally arriving! It took a bit of time to get them onto their stands, but they’re put together and I’m very excited to start bringing the patterns I’ve worked out to life. I’ve made a few prototype dresses, but they need some adjustments before I consider them complete. The scarlet dress, the one I finished first, is on a mannequin and I must say it is as stunning as I’d hoped, though

Rarity paused mid-sentence, seeing the scarlet dress out of the corner of her eye. It fit the mannequin snugly, the one that had been ordered based off of Sapphire’s measurements. It had been made a little larger, but kept with Sapphire’s proportions. Except for the wings, they were a different attachment for mannequins if the mannequins came with them at all.

Rarity set the quill down, out of the way so the ink wouldn’t run, and went to the dress. Lifting a hoof up to rub at her sagging stomach. She’d continued to gain and soften as she stayed in closer proximity to Pinkie Pie’s baked goods. She had refrained from stuffing herself sick again, but it was a rare day that she hadn’t gorged herself to full at least once. Her double chin was here to stay, it seemed, as were her chubbier cheeks, thicker neck, and all around thicker body.

Aside from Pinkie, the rest of her friends hadn’t yet mentioned her ballooning weight, but Rarity had the idea it was only a matter of time. Rarity was still as fabulous as ever, hadn’t changed how she talked to people or how she acted. She was still prim and proper and kind, it was only her eating that had changed.

Sure, Rarity had slowed down a little. And that hill in front of Fluttershy’s cottage was starting to give her a bit of trouble, but it wasn’t as if Rarity was unrecognizable or had made a complete glutton of herself. If anything, she was a foodie. With a growing interest in different foods.

That love had shown upon her figure though, and now she had that thought, she couldn’t quite get it out of her mind.

Gently, she slipped the dress off the mannequin and undid the zipper along the back. Stepping first into the front sleeves, she then stepped into the dress properly before pulling it up. Over her rear, up over the shoulders, and then started to zip it up.

Part of her, the part of herself that still saw her body as its thin self, thought the dress would slip off, even when done up. It would hang weirdly from a body it wasn’t designed to fit, excess fabric all around. It was why she hadn’t thought to try it on until now.

But the dress fit. In fact, it was a little tight around the collar. Not uncomfortably so, she could still move freely, but it didn’t take much imagination to see how a bloated stomach could change that.

Maybe she hadn’t needed to wait for the mannequins after all, Rarity realized, or at least not the smaller of the sets. The missed opportunity for this job had given her more opportunities around town and had helped her and Sweetie go for a few walks around Ponyville. Which she couldn’t regret. No matter how annoyed she was at herself for not realizing.

Rarity chewed at her lower lip a moment, before mentally throwing in the towel and taking out the small camera she had. It printed the results the second after the picture was taken on little cards. It was useful for showing long distance clients updates, as well as sketches.

Rarity looked at the letter, still sitting unfinished on her desk, and took a steeling breath. Maybe this could help prove where Celestia’s intentions lay? Stepping closer to one of the many full-length mirrors throughout the space, she admired how the dress clung to her curves. Not enhancing them, just not hiding them.

Rarity raised her head with a smile, and noted with a dim spot of glee that her double chin didn’t go away, and snapped a picture. Showing off the dress and her figure both. A little unorthodox, but hopefully Celestia would like the update on their progress.

Shaking the photo to make it appear quicker, she put the dress back on the mannequin and stared at the photo. The her of several months back would be mortified about the image in the photo, in fact part of her was nervous. Beauty could be fleeting, after all, but...beauty was also on the inside, and that mattered too. Regardless of what Rarity looked like, she’d always design fashion and help ponies find the outer beauty that lived within them, and help bring out the inner beauty of ponies she met too. Her weight wouldn’t change that.

She sat back on her chair, intent on finishing the letter so she could send it, and the photo, to Celestia. Hopefully before the post office closed for the night.

(LINE BREAK)

Rarity choked on her pancake, coughing harshly into a napkin while Applejack patted her back to help. When the piece became dislodged, she carefully folded the napkin so no one else would have to look at it, and turned a thankful smile to Applejack, before turning her attention back to Twilight. “Could you-” her voice cracked, and she took a small sip of water to help calm her throat down after such an ordeal. “Could you please repeat yourself, dear?”

“We’re worried about you-”

“No, no, what did you say?”

Twilight looked suddenly ashamed, and the look increased tenfold under the scrutiny of their other friends. Ashamed, nervous, and a little anxious. Twilight cleared her throat gently. “You’re getting fat.”

“Oh!” Rarity paused for a moment, “Pardon my extreme reaction, I thought you said my hair had gone flat.” Tone pleasant, with an undertone of sarcasm that had Pinkie giggling and Applejack suppressing a surprised snort from beside her.

“We’re worried!” Twilight looked appalled at Rarity’s reaction. “You’ve always been so careful about your weight before.”

“Twilight, I’m fine.” Rarity admonished, “I appreciate the concern, I do. I know you all mean this from a place of love and concern, but I’m healthy. I just decided to stop following my strict diet, is all. I haven’t become a slobbering glutton.”

“We’re not saying you have!” Twilight rebutted. “But gaining so much weight in such a short time is bad for your health, nevermind the ramifications of what being overweight will do over time to your body.”

“What happens if it slows you down?!” Rainbow demanded, “We need you, for missions, and we can’t go do that if we’re waiting for you.”

“Hey!” Pinkie pouted, “It’s Rarity’s choice! It’s her body, what she does with herself-”

“I’m not trying to control her, I just want her to understand what being overweight will do-”

“Twilight I’m not a filly.” Rarity said, voice hard. “I took health classes in school too, I know what being fat does to ponies. But I’m not unhealthy, I’m not just lazing around the boutique stuffing myself silly at every opportunity. I’m still working, and you know as well as I do that magic use burns calories as well. I’m still active, I go on walks all the time, and Sweetie and I still play regularly. In fact, we went on a hike just yesterday. I might be a little slower, but there’s nothing wrong with stopping to smell the flowers, or admire the scenery. In fact, Sweetie and I used the opportunity to talk some more than we might have otherwise done.”

“Rarity does have a point.” Fluttershy said, voice almost inaudible. “She helped me go after some of my animals that got lost last week, she kept up okay. And besides, girls, I’m not nearly as physically active as some of you but you’ve never mentioned it to me before.”

“And I’m fat too,” Pinkie piped in, “Nopony has ever said anything about it to me.”

Twilight stammered for a moment, clearly trying to think of an adequate answer and failing to do so. “Well, it doesn’t just come down to physical activity, it’s the weight gain that’s worrying-”

“Twilight I went on my annual physical a few weeks ago, and aside from the difference in weight, I’m as healthy as I always am.” Rarity frowned, pushing her chair back and going to stand, “And since it’s clear you’re in one of your moods, I’m just going to see myself out.”

“One of my moods?!”

“One of your single-minded, not listenin’ to anypony else, moods.” Applejack said in clarification. “I’m sorry, Twilight. I was just as worried as the rest of y’all, but if Rarity says she feels healthy, and is healthy, that’s the truth of the matter. Size doesn’t equal health, Big Mac and I have incredible appetites, and we do hard work, but that doesn’t change the fact we’re not exactly stick thin either.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about!” Twilight all but shouted, rubbing at her face with her fetlock. “I just...I really am worried, Rarity, you used to be so conscious about your weight. And I’m not saying this change is bad, per se, it just seems so out of nowhere! You came back chubby, and you’re only gaining more. I calculate that if you keep gaining-”

“Twilight, stop.” Rarity said, a muscle in her jaw twitching, trying her best not to let her anger get the better of her. “You’re not listening to me. I understand your concern, but my body does not concern you. Nor does my weight, nor does my eating habits. If I want your advice or opinion on anything, I’ll ask for it. And if I ever want to lose weight, I know how to do so. I’m sure Applejack wouldn’t mind some extra help around the farm,” Casting a glance to Applejack who nodded in confirmation, “Or I can go to the gym, or any number of things.”

“But you don’t like getting sweaty!” Rainbow pointed out.

“Who does? It’s itchy, and uncomfortable.” Rarity pointed out, “But I’ve worked out before, gotten dirty and, eugh, sweaty. And I’ll do so again, I’m sure. Over the course of our missions, or in my day to day life. I like being clean, prefer it to being dirty, but I also have a good set of priorities. Saving Ponyville, or helping any of you, means much more to me than getting a little sweaty. Just as if my health starts to change, I’ll start working out. Doing what I can to keep myself in tip-top shape. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Turning away from her protesting friends she went striding out of the room.

They didn’t come after her, but that was likely for a group chat amongst themselves. Or bickering, perhaps. Probably a fair share of both.

In spite of herself, Rarity was hurt. She knew her self worth, but it hurt to think that Twilight thought so little of her that she’d keep arguing like that. Though, knowing Twilight, she just thought she hadn’t explained herself well enough, or some such thing.

Rarity trotted down the stairs of the castle, feeling her new weight shift and jiggle as she moved. It was uncomfortable, jostling around like that, pulling at her joints and making her gait uneven, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to get away-

“Rarity!”

Rarity stopped, not moving, not looking up even as Twilight touched down in front of her. “Yes?”

“I’m sorry.” Twilight said, “Really, I am. I don’t mean to treat you like a filly, or anypony else, I just...I don’t know, didn’t think you were hearing me, but Pinkie made it clear it was the other way around: that I wasn’t listening to you. And I’m sorry.”

Rarity huffed, “That’s all well and good now, but are you going to keep it up? These health checks, or trying to calculate my rate of growth?! That’s an insane invasion of privacy, no matter how well intentioned it was! I am exploring my relationship with food, learning how to appreciate it for the first time in my life. While I was in Canterlot, I learned to enjoy the simple things. Things I have been depriving myself, and for what? To fit some fashion stereotype that stems from the idea that a big body can’t be healthy or beautiful? No, that is something I’ll not abide by anymore. Not from anypony, not even my closest friends.”

Twilight looked even more ashamed than before, staring at the road beneath her hooves like it would swallow her up if she thought about it enough. “I...understand, I think. Or I want to. I really am sorry. I won’t bring it up again.”

“Not ever? Even if I continue to put on weight?” Rarity asked pointedly.

Twilight swallowed dryly, then nodded, “Alright.”

“Good.” Rarity huffed, nodding, “I...accept your apology, though you did hurt my feelings. I am trying to challenge the idea of what beauty means in the industry, and you just proved why it’s so important. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” Stepping around Twilight to continue her way back into town.

Maybe she’d pick something up from Sugarcube Corner on the way home. She hadn’t gotten to eat all her food after all.