Celestia's Weight Gain Experiment

Chapters

There is No Wrong Way to Fantasize
You Can't be Serious.
Planning
Pancakes
Raven
New Routine
A Royal Problem
Consequences
Glorious, Infectious Growth
Reforms at Canterlot Castle
Fancy Pants are meant to be broken
Everypony is Fat

There is No Wrong Way to Fantasize

“There is no wrong way to fantasize.”

Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria, controller of the sun, headmare of the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns was endowed with tremendous responsibility, power, and wisdom. Preferring to rule as a taskmaster rather than as a tyrant and fight as a tactician rather than as a grunt, Celestia had taken centuries to hone her crafts in magic, government, and teaching. She had created and destroyed nations, won wars and slain great enemies, and been lucky enough to help train Equestria’s finest heroes. It was in cunning and foresight that she excelled. For Celestia knew better than anypony that she could not always count on her horn, wings, or physical strength. Despite her impressive size in each category as the largest Alicorn in the known world, she was a rather skinny pony with only one truly exceptional magical power. And despite everything – despite all the apocalyptic battles and generation-spanning plans and universe-saving students – she was still a mare, quirks and all.

It was a part of her that seemed hidden to many; buried underneath the pomp of royal processions and the otherworldly luminescence that seemed to radiate from her very presence. Not everypony got to see her small lapses: a practical joke at a tea party, licked lips during a baking contest, sarcastic remarks about boring public events, even gleeful prances at offers of stardom. She was a mare, and so she was, at times, curious.

Finding new interests was an essential component of Celestia’s life. Hundreds of years defined by responsibility alone proved draining, and endless repetition proved boring. Variety was the spice of life. Doubly so for a particularly long one. So, to her, there was no wrong way to fantasize, just so long as a pony enjoyed themselves and that enjoyment did not come to harm others.

That was Celestia’s very sentiment when she met her once-apprentice, turned Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle, for tea one fair evening. Conversation about school administration, difficulties with sleep schedules, and inter-ministerial politics gave way to a healthy sprinkling of gossip. Of particular interest to the Sun Princess was one item regarding Twilight’s friend, Rainbow Dash:

“And you say she did this on purpose?”

“Yes, Princess. I invited my friends over for pancakes one day, and Rainbow started binging herself like she would never eat again. She said it wasn’t the first time she had done it either. She claimed these habits were just training for an ‘eating contest,’ and even went to all my other friends requesting bulk orders of calorie-packed food and weight gain supplements. I’m sure you can imagine what ended up happening.”

“A pony doing that for months? She must have grown truly massive!”

“She sure did. I mean, far be it from me to judge a pony who carries a little extra weight. And it did start that way at first. Nopony is immune to a bit of overindulgence and the, ahem, ‘results’ of indulgence: bigger belly, wider flanks. Even I have gotten that way while cramming for final exams…er, no offense.”

“Heh, none taken.”

“But Rainbow Dash ended the escapade trapped by her own fat and unable to move! If my friends and I hadn’t intervened, she may have just…”

“Kept going?”

“Exactly! The way she put it, the experience was enjoyable! I suppose if you took away the social stigma surrounding weight gain and added a belief that such excess was consequence-free, there would be no limit to how far a pony could go.”

“Consequence free?”

“Well yes, that is the other thing I wanted to talk to you about…”

Princess Celestia found this process of growth intriguing. Throughout all her lifetime, despite partaking in innumerable forms of sexual experimentation and debauched vices that would have ended a mortal mare, getting fat was not something she had ever done on purpose. Could it really be something that a pony can enjoy under the right conditions and with the right mindset? There were perhaps only a few other equines in the world who shared her impressive height and svelte proportions. What would it look like if her frame was covered by bouncing, jiggly fat? It was scandalous. Exciting, even. In that moment, curiosity met the cat. Though, she thought it best not to tip her hoof too early. Such an adventure would need to make some sort of sense beyond simple curiosity.

“…her first request was for a weight loss spell. And I’ve done it, Princess. I have perfected the first weight loss spell known to ponykind. And if I am being completely honest: I’m scared of it.”

Princess Celestia’s face twisted in surprise and confusion. Twilight was usually thrilled about new magical discoveries.

“How so, Twilight? Are new discoveries not meant to be shared and understood?

“The temptation of it, Princess. For all Equestrian history, it was known as a fact that excess weight could only be undone by diet and exercise. The dread of such hardship deterred most ponies from ever going too far. But with this power in hoof? Anypony who eats fattening treats and ends up getting fat because of it will have no reason to stop. They’ll just use the spell and be done with it. They may even go back eating the same fattening treats all over again. And then there are ponies like Rainbow Dash, who like the sensation of getting fat so much they will debilitate themselves before even thinking of getting thin again!”

It was a fair point. If ponies were no longer concerned about the concept of gaining weight, the social, political, and economic consequences of rampant gluttony and debilitating obesity would be unpredictable at best and calamitous at worst. What could be profitable for a baker might also be ruinous for a closeted fat fetishist no longer able to perform at their construction job. What could be stimulating for one partner in an intimate relationship might cause another revulsion and animosity. What would surely be a new stage in the development of magical knowledge could also be the first step towards bodily alteration magic as a common practice – super strength, gigantism, invincibility, mane restoration! The delicate harmony of Equestria would be at stake.

“Your concerns are well-founded, my faithful student, and I appreciate your candor. The consequences of making such a spell public are difficult to determine and carry undeniable risk…”

But what if a certain Alicorn wanted to try it? No reason to stop eating. Getting fatter and fatter (if only for a little while).

“…I suppose our options are clear. We can either destroy all evidence of the spell and rid our memories of its discovery.”

Celestia paused for a moment. Twilight’s eyes and ears drooped downwards at the thought of losing her hard work. Celestia knew her student wasn’t willing to do that. She had made her choice before the second option was even suggested.

“Or we can re-run the experiment.”

“What do you mean ‘re-run,’ Princess?”

“Your friend Rainbow Dash, knowingly or not, was the first pony in Equestrian history to gain excessive weight while believing it had no long-term effect on her health or wellbeing. If we are to determine whether her loss of self-control would be the norm or the exception, we need to try it again. Like any magical or scientific pursuit, we require a control subject put under similar conditions as the original incident. This case will be compared against a later, experimental group that can further test our hypothesis.”

“You are right, Princess! If we can prove that Rainbow Dash’s gain was somehow a fluke, we can see whether the average pony can handle the responsibility of magical weight loss. But what should be the test conditions? And how do we get a willing test subject?”

Celestia grinned and shifted her tone to the soft, wistful whine she used whenever a joke was obvious but somepony was yet to pick up on it.

“Oh. Well, we would need a fit pony with regular access to fattening foods, in a relatively isolated environment, who could plausibly gain an absurd amount of weight under any number of false pretenses, with nopony willing or able to stop them.”

Twilight dropped to her haunches and pointed an upturned hoof at the Alicorn who was beaming even more than usual.

“You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, I am. The final category for any ‘potential candidate’ is somepony who wants to try gaining and promises to stop themselves. You said your friend binged on…pancakes, was it?”

Princess Celestia punctuated her levity with a wink.

Author's Note

I truly believe that one can not contribute to the annals of mlp weight gain fiction without writing a story about Celestia. She's just perfect for it. I have made this story very direct, very tailored, and very considerate towards those who already have this fetish.

I may update this posting later with better story beats. For now, I just wanted to share.

You Can't be Serious.

“You can’t be serious.”

“Ha! That’s exactly what Twilight said.”

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna walked side-by-side in the cavernous hallways of Canterlot Castle. The incredulous expression and tone of the stary-maned mare did its best to redirect her sister’s course but was obviously failing.

“Do you not find it uncouth to blimp up like a party balloon for all of Equestria to see? For all of our allies to see?”

“Oh sister, it would just be a bit of harmless fun. And a benefit to Twilight on top of that. Her spell could be quite revolutionary if deemed safe. The whole point is for me to recognize when enough is enough! And you know, there were eras in Equestrian history where fat was a signifier of power, wealth, and prestige.”

She looked down at her little sister (with an emphasis on little). Princess Celestia, while thin, had elegant curves to her back and flanks, ending with a smooth, impressively proportioned butt which shared a spotlight with her dazzling sunshine cutie marks. Luna, on the other hoof, was mostly just skinny – thin legs, thin torso, tiny butt. Her crescent moon cutie mark had very little space to work with. It was as if the literal difference in size between the sun and moon were analogous to the two mares responsible for their stewardship.

“Besides, if I ended up getting a bit chubby, you could probably get away with a few extra pounds. Relatively speaking, of course.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“It really is not the end of the world to gain some weight! Some mares and stallions even like that in a pony.”

Luna halted in her tracks, her look of confusion changing to one of shock. Her sister was seriously suggesting that she put on weight as well! Celestia paused and tapped a hoof to her chin while continuing.

“Er, at least one mare I know of. That Rainbow Dash may be a bit unorthodox in her tastes now, but styles and norms are always changing. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time royalty set a ‘trend’ like this. It’s like…the opposite of a corset!”

Celestia smirked and bumped Luna’s bony cutie mark with a hoof.

“Ew! Goodness gracious, no! I am not going to plump myself up just for the sake of keeping up with your…’fashion choice’ (?). I know that trying new things is the best way to deal with immortality – perhaps even better than you do. There is no shortage of fantasies in the dream realm. But this? It just seems…base – like the simplest thing a lazy pony with too much food could ever do. I do not understand what could be so great about it. I won’t stop you. I won’t join you. But…”

Luna paused to search for the appropriate conditionality to set for this bizarre lifestyle change in her sister.

“I am going to make fun of you the whole time.”

Celestia chuckled into her hoof.

“Sounds fair to me. I’m making a batch of pancakes, by the way. If you want some, feel free to join me for breakfast.”

“Oh no, you won’t get me that easily.”

Celestia returned to her office quite pleased with having gained the blessing of her sister, if a bit begrudgingly. Planting the seeds of temptation was just icing on the cake at that point. She briefly imagined what Luna would look like if she gained even a quarter of her body weight in fat. Rail thin torso replaced by happy, healthy barrel. Sharp, bony butt turned thick and bouncing with every step. It would be quite the sight, indeed. She needed some icing on her cake.

While Princess Celestia was honest with herself and with her sibling about the potential thrill of cutting loose and gaining some curves, she still did not want to disappoint her student who was very much expecting a concrete result to the experiment. Celestia prepared a graph and posted it on a large bulletin board in her office. She could track her starting weight and even take photos documenting her progression. All the while, she prepared a personal journal to log observations about herself, her attitude towards the gain, and the reactions of other ponies.

Flipping through a personal scrapbook, Celestia searched for a suitable “before” photo. That’s when she noticed it.

“Let’s see here, this one is from a ceremony before Luna came back. Here’s one from visiting Twilight in Ponyville. This was a few years ago and…huh?”

Celestia’s eyes narrowed as she floated the three polaroids in front of her.

“That’s odd. I could almost swear my butt looks…bigger. Over time, too. Did I- have I been gaining weight without realizing it?”

She quickly levitated a full-length mirror over to herself from across the room. She pivoted in place and inspected her flanks before returning her gaze back to the photographs. In each image, the difference was subtle, but the trend was clear: each time, her butt had widened, her legs had thickened, and her sun’s circumference had expanded – as if it were literally outshining the original.

“Goodness. That’s not. I didn’t…”

Her gaze returned to the mirror.

“I mean…pfft…that’s actually not so bad.”

Celestia knew how to charm a potential suitor. She struck a more seductive pose by bending her forelegs, stretching her hind legs in front of the mirror, and raising her tail to give a better view. Her cheeks blushed and she grinned foolishly, her expression stuck somewhere between embarrassed and flattered. Her lovely rear looked just a bit bigger than the most recent image.

“Looks like I made an ‘after’ photo without even trying.”

She opened a drawer to reveal a camera, levitated it next to herself, found an angle that was juuuuust complimentary enough to her exquisite flanks, and snapped a photo. She stuck a pin in all four photos, keeping chronological order. With a nearby pen, she marked a diagonal line, rising ever so slightly upwards from left to right on the graph. She dated the entries accordingly but couldn’t quite specify the difference in weight so far. She concluded ‘now’ was going to have to be the baseline. Next came the journal.

“Preliminary thoughts: I may look good with a few extra pounds on me. My butt has evidently been growing for years without me paying it much mind, and it is rather complimentary now that I can see the difference. It’s fuller. Somehow…healthier. Seems a few years of delegating long journeys to Twilight and her friends has led to more sedentary time spent at the castle (with predictable results). I suppose ponies were either too polite to comment on my growth, or it has been so gradual they hadn’t noticed either. I wonder if a few more pounds will change that. I wonder how long it takes before shock overwhelms etiquette and ponies start gossiping. I wonder if it’ll still look enticing if it’s even bigger. For certain: I will quit when it feels like too much. Easy as pie. Which, speaking of…”

+0 pounds since last measurement; +0 pounds total

Everything was set. The plan was clear. And the elegant Alicorn’s tummy was certainly rumbling. So why, Celestia wondered, did her heartbeat feel so quick and her face feel so warm?

“…time to get started. For real this time.”

Planning

In her planning, Princess Celestia considered the best methods of gaining weight. Thanks to some preliminary reading, she knew of fictional stories where the protagonist consumes supernatural amounts of food, bloats up, and then magically grows so fat they are immobile in a single day, if not a few minutes. Such immediate inflation did not seem logical to her. If she went too fast and ate too much too early, she might become sick and delay more substantive progress. Rapid growth wasn’t really the point of this exercise anyways. Twilight mentioned that Rainbow Dash had opted for a continued stream of treats, supplements, and liquor. But she was essentially unemployed at the time, and Celestia still needed to function throughout the day. So, all things considered, there was no need to go crazy. Celestia assured herself: all she had to do was adjust her daily diet, increase her caloric intake, and the rest would come naturally. The resources were there, and she had an entire staff at her disposal.

She decided to start small. Every morning, Celestia would wake up, raise the sun, and set to work mixing a thick, gooey pancake batter with as much butter and sugar as she could manage without overwhelming the taste or the fluffiness. Once a stack had been pan-fried to golden perfection, she would plate with generous helpings of syrup, whipped cream, and sugar-glazed or caramelized fruit. Arranging these calorie-packed pieces into little smiley faces was not necessary (and neither was the act of making breakfast for herself at all), but it made Celestia happy, so it was worthwhile.

For Lunch, Celestia had previously resigned herself to tangy Caesar salads or a convenient snack – perhaps a pear. That was all gone. In their place were steaming quiches, buttery grilled cheese sandwiches with creamy tomato soup, and double hayburgers with heaping piles of fries. Each item of her choosing was dutifully prepared by the royal chefs, under careful instructions to include heavy cream where 2% would suffice, butter and lard where oil could otherwise be substituted, and white bread where whole wheat would be adequate.

For dinner, carbs were the order of the day: pizzas, pastas, overflowing sub sandwiches. Failing that, rich vegetable stews with potatoes and carrots swimming in oily broth. And if she felt particularly adventurous, double helpings of mashed potatoes drowning in gravy. Again, she made sure to instruct that only the richest, densest, most calorie-filled ingredients were to be utilized. Sure, some chefs found this request a bit odd, but it was the Princess’ directive, and so it must be done.

Finally, dessert. Celestia remembered an unflattering photo of herself in a gossip column. At the time, she had believed that she could sneak away from the prying eyes of Canterlot elite and the press. But the comical image of her chomping down on a slice of cake had perpetuated an unkillable rumor that Princess Celestia was an insatiable dessert addict. It was true, of course. She wrestled with the temptation of sweets frequently, and given the current size of her behind, she was mostly losing. But the ponies of Equestria didn’t need to know that! She had stressed and fumed about it then, but now was different. She could finally put the frustration behind her. Now her affinity for sweets would be…undeniable. Unmistakable. Celestia would see to that. Towering vanilla cake with frosting, cupcakes smothered in flavored creams, flaky pies bursting with syrupy filling, ice cream of every flavor one could imagine, baklava practically oozing with caramelized bakers’ butter, cookies still steaming from the oven, doughnuts glazed in obscene confections of cream and chocolate and sugary sprinkles, scones dusted with powdered sugar, and (of course) lollipops for snacking – Celestia could order a single item, one or two treats that caught her fancy, or all of them at once. All she had to do, after a day spent feasting, was decide how far she could push herself and her stomach capacity before a well-deserved sleep.

Pancakes

The soft clang of a fine porcelain plate was heard in the dining room of Canterlot Castle. Atop it rested a heaping stack of pancakes that Princess Celestia had lovingly prepared. Steam wisped off its surface. Butter melted into the syrup and trickled down the sides. A proud smile made of ripe banana slices decorated the top, mirroring the gleeful expression of the Alicorn sitting in front of it. A rich fragrance met the mare’s nostrils as she inhaled deeply, savoring the first step on her sure path to fatness. With due grace, her glowing magic clasped a fork and knife at her sides, twirled them in the air, and deftly sank their edges into the stack of pancakes. A few quick cuts, and Celestia formed for herself a perfect morsel which harmoniously combined cake, whipped cream, syrup, and fruit. It practically glowed and sparkled as she held it aloft. At last, without inhibition or worry about the inevitable impact on her waistline, the Princess of the Sun took her first bite.

“Mmmmhhmmmmmm~~~ Hahahahahh!”

The graceful ruler of Equestria, in an instant, was reduced to an immature filly singing, laughing, and dancing in her chair.

“This is going to be so much FUN!”

She dug the knife and fork back into the stack, assembling bite after bite in a constant motion. Her jaw worked to chew the mouthful of calorie-packed wonderment, keeping a rhythm between swallowing and biting to ensure her grumbling stomach was filled as quickly as possible. Soft moans and happy gasps only slightly broke the pattern as Celestia embarked on her journey with gusto.

The happily chewing mare was prepared to keep eating until the plate was empty and her tummy was full, but she was interrupted by a golden door on the side of the room opening. In its frame stood Princess Luna.

“Mrphrm~ Heh~”

Celestia clumsily gulped down the fluffiness filling her cheeks so she could address her sister.

“Ah~ Good morning, Sister! Care to join me? I’ve made more than enough for the both of us!”

Luna ignored her Celestia’s goofy grin and spied the syrup and cream smattering her sister’s lips and chin. Clearly courtly etiquette hadn’t been a priority on this occasion.

“Oh, I have no doubt of that. Tell me: dost thou intend to make oneself a total sow every morning?”

Celestia grinned, taking it as a compliment and responding in a sing-song voice:

“Every~! Morning~!”

Luna scoffed and walked to the dining table, spying a basket of fresh, healthy fruit that had been utterly ignored by the table’s only occupant.

Celestia curtly added, “and every afternoon, evening, and night for that matter.”

Celestia punctuated her claim with another forkful of pancake jammed in her mouth and a theatrical shimmying of her shoulders. Luna retorted with her own, overly-dramatized twirl and toss of a bright, red apple before taking a generous bite.

“Good luck with that, piggy-corn. You do know ponies survive just fine on veggies and fruit.”

“We are sitting in a marble castle with golden doors. I think we’re slightly passed the ‘survival’ stage, dear Luna. Prosperity…”

Celestia took another bite of her far more opulent breakfast. Luna quietly looked at it with envy, knowing it was worlds more delicious than her modest snack. Truthfully, she was the last pony in Equestria who needed to count calories, and a single apple barely kept her stomach from rumbling.

“…ought to be enjoyed.”

Luna rolled her eyes and left the dining room, heading off to catch some sleep after a long night spent dream walking. She realized too late that she should have grabbed a second apple. Or maybe just one pancake. But there would be no end to the jests and sarcasm if she turned back now. She refused to indulge a pony so dead set on doing exactly that. Thus, she went to bed hungry…and a bit grumpier than she cared to admit.

Princess Celestia, on the other hoof, was quite the opposite. With her feast resumed, she made good progress on the stack of pancakes, making it at least two-thirds of the way through it before she began to feel full, and her pace slowed.

“Phew. Wow. These sure are filling. I suppose that is what I was going for.”

Celestia set the knife and fork back on the table, rubbing her tummy with a hoof. It was normal for her to quit eating when she felt contently full. As she glided her golden horseshoes across the concave swell of her stomach, the thought of discarding the leftovers and carrying on with her day entered her mind. It was fleeting. Today was not a regular day. Her eyes dropped to her belly, hooves making slow, circular motions across its surface. She noted how her fullness had turned her stomach into a pale, white orb that felt firm to the touch and covered the top of her thighs as she sat.

“Well, that is definitely how a belly should look. I suppose that’s what my belly will look like. But it’s…so small. It’s barely anything. And it isn’t even soft.”

She pressed her hoof into it, suddenly feeling the pressure intensify and then release as a loud burp that echoed in the room. Out of instinct she blurted an apology.

“Ah! Excuse me!”

Her eyes darted left and right. Nopony was there to hear her. And for once in her very long life, she had no reason to feel ashamed. Mercifully, the feeling of fullness subsided, and Celestia, with a devious grin and glutinous intent, slowly leaned forward, picked up the fork and knife, and continued eating. Her goal was to finish the plate, so that is what she was going to do. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, is it not? Smacking lips, overly-stuffed groans, and occasional moans filled the room as her rhythm resumed.

By the end of it, the porcelain plate sat empty, and the mare in front of it sat filled to bursting. Her hooves again clasped the surface of the hard, distended protrusion in her lap. Her belly had grown a further two inches thanks to the last chunk of sugary cake painfully crammed inside of it. Celestia wondered if she had ever been this full in all her life. Her head fell back on the headrest as she rubbed and massaged herself, desperate to relieve the strain. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as if she had exerted herself by the mere act of eating. She felt heavy in her seat and doubted she could stand, much less carry on with her duties.

“Ugh…this may be…slightly more challenging than I thought. Does this qualify as ‘going too crazy with it,’ or is this just what a not-yet-chubby pony must go through?”

She sat back up slightly, planting her forehooves atop the arm rests of her chair to lift and scooch her butt against the chair back. A few grunts left the bloated mare’s throat. She was heavy. Again, Celestia marveled at the expanse of rounded white coat filling her lap. Her belly button even looked stretched and distorted! Finally sitting more comfortably, she smiled and continued to explore herself. The belly rubs did ease the pain a bit.

“I suppose…like most things…it gets easier with practice.”

Raven

By the time Celestia’s stomach had settled enough for her to stand up, it was already mid-morning. With a laborious lurch and a bit of momentum, she rolled herself forward out of the chair and onto her hooves. Some of the swelling had gone down, but it was clear that the packed, ivory ball between her legs still impeded her movement. With gravity pulling its mass towards the floor, it bulged outwards from her torso, shifting and swaying with every step. And Celestia winced as her hindlegs made contact with its surface, invertedly squeezing it as she walked. It was a great relief when the bloated Alicorn finally made it to her ornate throne and plopped her behind into the silken cushion, and she counted herself very lucky that she wasn’t expecting visitors on this day. Sitting around and filling out some mundane paperwork was more the activity-level she was aiming for anyways.

The lovely young mare, Raven, was already at her post next to Celestia’s throne. Her talent – signified by an adorable inkwell and pen on her flanks – for secretarial duties, filing, and organization was rivaled only by Twilight Sparkle herself. To keep royal operations smooth and consistent, she tried to keep most interactions professional and small talk brief. However, today felt off. The Princess was not one to be late without reason, and by the time she sluggishly proceeded up the throne steps and quickly dropped her haunches into the throne with a slight grunt, Raven had already taken notice. Celestia’s belly was certainly never that big.

“Good morning, your majesty.”

“Ah. Yes. Hm. Good morning, Raven.”

The humble secretary would not dare draw attention to or suggest that a member of royalty looked decidedly ‘enlarged.’ Nopony would want to hear how fat they looked, especially from an employee. But she had to make sure that everything was okay.

“Are you all right, Princess? Pardon me for the observation, but you seem a bit…tired?”

Celestia did find that her eyes were a bit droopier and her movements a bit slower. She tried to snap out of it. She knew work still needed to continue, but, perhaps, a convenient ‘sick day’ would give her more breathing space to grow more comfortable with the new eating habits.

“Oh, it’s just a small thing, Raven. I’ve changed my diet a bit, and I’m feeling more sluggish than usual. Is there anything urgent on the agenda for today?”

Raven wondered what sort of diet could involve eating enough food to bloat up like a water balloon.

“Nothing that cannot be managed by my staff or put off until tomorrow. Get some rest. We can take it from here.”

“You are too sweet, my dear. I’ll be back and recharged tomorrow. I’m sure of it.”

With another grunt of exertion to lift herself from the throne, Celestia walked back to her bedroom with a tepid yawn, promising herself she would be right as rain after a quick nap. She climbed into bed, laid on her back, and quickly drifted to sleep. The only sounds that met her ears were birds chirping and stomach gurgling as she digested the massive breakfast.

Unaccustomed to a mid-day snooze, Celestia awoke in the afternoon, sun still shining, bed covers still warm. At last, her stomach felt mostly normal. Climbing out of bed to inspect herself in a mirror, she noted that the swelling had almost completely disappeared. It was fortunate that she was so much larger than the average pony. It gave her metabolism a much-needed boost to process the absurd amount of carbs and sugar entering her system.

“Welp, still skinny. Such a shame. But this sort of thing won’t happen with a single binge. Patience, Celestia. Keep at it.”

When her stomach settled, Celestia was somewhat surprised to discover that, all things considered, she actually could go for another bite to eat. She had missed her planned lunchtime, but an early dinner was still an option. She stirred from bed and returned to the dining room.

“Mmmf. Is it still a ‘sick day’ if I’m spending it eating constantly? This is yummy!”

Celestia sarcastically wondered aloud, the words slurring out and around the mouthful of warm, cheesy lasagna currently filling her mouth. The normally elegant mare ate like it was the last meal she would ever consume, oscillating between savoring the exquisite taste and forcing herself and her stomach to absorb as many precious calories as possible. The loaf of pasta, tomato sauce, and gooey cheese was warm, savory, and filling.

As her stomach reformed its glorious bloat, she examined and studied it. The thought of the taught, packed tummy one day being just as large but made up of soft, jiggly pudge was tantalizing and intoxicating. Celestia had never even considered it as a possibility. And now, just so long as she kept enjoying the best food imaginable, it would come to her as an inevitability. The promise of growth helped her push a few extra mouthfuls into her mouth, even as her taught stomach begged her to stop.

With the dinner binge dutifully completed, the Princess returned to her personal office to examine the results and record her thoughts for the day.

“Well, I guess it is not unheard of for somepony to not meet their goals on the very first day of a new routine. Sadly, I only completed breakfast and dinner. I hope that the extreme shock to my metabolism will make up for the fact it was only two meals. Although…’only’ is a bit of an understatement. I have inspected the results in my mirror, and it is truly astonishing: my belly has stretched farther than I thought possible. It is round and bulbous, forming a perfectly uniformed inflation that contrasts heavily against my relatively small shoulders and back. Flanks are, happy to report, just as impressive as before. However, I am well aware that a bit of stuffing isn’t going to make them bigger right away. The feeling can best be described as ‘tight.’ I feel short of breath and a bit uncomfortable, but something about the fact that all this food will produce chubbiness (and that is what I want) makes it hurt less. I never thought I could go down this train of thought, but it feels almost…natural, like it is a logical conclusion now that I have set out to get fat. Going forward, I will focus more on consistency than on scale. I think I got a bit carried away with breakfast, given my excitement. Missing work is not acceptable, and I will need to be careful to balance these new activities with my normal routine. I wonder if I am even capable of growing big enough to impede my mobility. I’ll have to arrange some changes to the castle staff and layout if that ever comes to pass. More to come. Being stuffed silly feels like cheating for the weight. I’ll take measurements later.”

With her stomach sloshing, gurgling, and straining, Celestia laboriously trudged her way back to her bedroom. The glow from her powerful horn signaled the descent of the sun, gradually dropping below the distant horizon. As Celestia laid in bed and rubbed her new, protruding belly, she smiled with blissful satisfaction. She wondered if any new softness would emerge overnight. Just how long would it take before the products of her effort became obvious?

New Routine

It can take some time to settle into a new routine. The first few days require particular focus, but with a bit of repetition, practice becomes habit. And so it was with Princess Celestia. Every morning, pancakes. A quick break from work for a heavy lunch. Ending the day with a decadent dinner. And with a bit of added effort, she finally managed to pile a slice of cake on top of it. Each moment the growing Alicorn felt the slightest hint of hunger was an opportunity to stuff herself even more. The first few days were defined by fullness, gaseous digestion, and cheerful savoring of her new ‘diet.’ Princess Luna grew increasingly frustrated with her deliberate, meager portions of fruit in the morning. Each time she snatched an apple, banana, or pineapple, she had to look over at her sister gorging herself on pristine, sweet-smelling confections that seemed to get more elaborately decorated each day. The smile of the glutinous mare signaled an impeccable self-satisfaction impervious to any snide or sarcastic comment Luna could muster. Goddesses, she wanted those pancakes. But the lanky blue mare knew what that entailed. Celestia’s stuffed belly was a sure promise of what was to come.

Raven was happy to see that her Princess had returned to her duties, but concern lingered. It was as if that first ‘sick day’ had altered something in Celestia. Not a single day went by where her stomach did not look filled to capacity. Raven mused that, by now, it must have become stretched, almost permanently swollen. Even though she surely could have skipped a meal or two at this rate, Celestia was at her most punctual when it came time for her to eat again. The results were glaringly obvious upon her return to work. And after a few days, Raven caught herself staring, whispering to herself as Celestia left the room:

“Has her cutie mark gotten bigger?”

She pondered this while eating a cupcake. It did not seem unusual at the time.

A full two weeks into her voracious eating habits, Celestia was amused by how difficult it was to skip a meal to take her measurements. Her stomach growled to be filled, even though she had been eating enough for three whole ponies to practically hibernate.

“Well, the ‘new diet’ is certainly starting to influence my thoughts and behavior. I find myself incapable of sitting down for a meal and not stuffing myself to capacity. I am barely even hungry when I eat my dessert either. It is completely recreational. Food has become a pastime, and ‘overly bloated’ is my new normal. The royal chefs have been excellent in their preparations and diligent in ensuring the portion sizes are larger than before. I have paid them my sincere compliments more times than I can count, and they seem quite pleased that I am enjoying their cooking. Though it may be time to ask for them to re-up the serving sizes.”

Celestia paused to inspect herself in the full-length mirror, pivoting in place to examine her butt and stomach more closely.

“I have been very attentive to how I look these days, and there is no denying it: my stomach is softer. I can feel it on my hoof and against my abs when I press against my skin. It’s not much, but there is a layer of flabbiness that certainly wasn’t there when I started. I must admit: it is very pleasing to the touch. I can imagine a typical mare being concerned about such a development or even being in denial. If I suck my stomach in, there really is no obvious difference. But to me, the sure confidence that this soft, cushy chub is only going to grow larger can best be described as curiously thrilling. I want more of it, and I am going to get more of it.”

She angled herself so her butt could be in her field of view as she wrote.

“Speaking of there being ‘more,’ this booty is getting outrageous. Since I am nowhere near the common descriptor of ‘chubby’ (let alone fat) I have become curvier and fuller than I have ever been in my entire life. When I last explored sexual relations with other mares, I found that big butts were very aesthetically pleasing and very fun in bed. I have heard of slang terms like “thick” to describe ponies with ample posteriors, but maybe I did not properly appreciate how such a phrase could come to be. Until now, that is. I am thick. The roundness of my ass compliments the curves of my legs and back, making me look incredibly fertile and inviting. I’ve noticed some of the royal guards and even my assistant Raven staring, though I do not address it. Raven seems to have taken a liking to treats that I cannot quite explain. I can guarantee my castle staff find me more attractive than usual. If even I am admiring something, I am certain it is worth a second look for the average pony.”

With a certain amount of trepidation and a deep, calming sigh, Celestia climbed onto her scale.

+6 pounds since last measurement; +6 pounds total

“HAHA! That’s right! Weight gain! Actual, serious, weight GAIN!”

Celestia’s hooves clopped happily and her wings fluttered as she pranced in place, celebrating the first of what was sure to be many milestones. As she moved, she could almost swear she felt her added softness jiggle. She marked the progress on her graph and returned to her notebook.

“It’s happening. I mean, I knew it would. But the fact of it. How amazing! How incredible! Literally any pony in Equestria has this option, at any point. If they just eat way too much, they grow. They get bigger. And now it’s me! I’m the one getting chubby! And to think: this is just the start!”

Her chuckles subsided and her smile faded.

“As a final note, I am fairly certain this is related to my recent change in habits, but Luna has been looking very gaunt. She has bags under her eyes most mornings and seems grumpier than usual. I offer to share my pancakes with her, but that only seems to agitate her more. I know I was (mostly) kidding when I brought it up with her the first time, but that pony could seriously use some extra pounds. And maybe a few more on top of that, but shhhhhhh~ I don’t need to go that far.”

Celestia gave a wiggle of her thickened behind in the mirror to put herself back in a good mood. And with another mighty growl of her stomach, she trotted off to her next, extra fattening meal, very pleased with herself.

“No reason to stop now. Chubby phase, here I come!”

A Royal Problem

Celestia felt no alarm when she heard the news that Twilight’s own apprentice, Starlight Glimmer, would be visiting the castle. Although it did mean her breakfast would be delayed. In fact, she was happy for the change of pace and the added company. As she strode through the opulent hallway towards the throne room, she consciously added extra hip sway to her steps, advertising her thick behind for anypony lucky enough to cross paths with her. Royal guards were meant to stand rigid at attention when in the presence of royalty, but they were unable to contain a particular breach of etiquette when the princess left their sight: several stallions crossed their legs to hide a very embarrassing development.

The attention made Celestia very pleased with herself and her efforts thus far. She thought it was humorous that she could have indulged her sweet tooth all this time, and the result would have apparently been becoming even more physically attractive. As it turns out, between the stages of skinny and chubby, there was a very sexy middle ground. Many nights were spent with concubines to confirm this theory. Celestia’s indulgence crossed into the realm of sheer debauchery, much to the antagonism of her beloved sister.

When Celestia entered the throne room, she spotted Luna already standing on the raised platform. She joined Luna at her side to receive and welcome Starlight when she arrived. Luna, in a contrast to the optimism and sexually-charged confidence of her sister, was not looking her best that morning. Dark circles formed around her eyes and a stern expression occupied her face. Celestia did not say anything at first, but her growling stomach interjected anyway, clearly upset about the missing breakfast.

“Seriously?”

“What? I can’t control it!”

Celestia offered a soft smile, but Luna did not return it.

“Did you know, dear sister, that the kitchen staff has added three new chefs this past week alone? They say it’s to keep up with the ‘workload.’”

Celestia blushed, but she couldn’t attribute it to a feeling of embarrassment. In fact, she was oddly proud that her habits were starting to influence others. She lamented that it could become a negative one at that.

“Hey, there is nothing wrong with having a healthy appetite. I’m sure if they have any concerns, they will let me know. I’ve been chatting with them about modifications to their recipes.”

“What’s to add? Far as I can tell, your binging is having its intended result.”

Luna gestured to Celestia’s cutie mark with a hoof.

“Your butt looks huge.”

Celestia thought such a comment would upset her, would dissuade her. Instead, it made her feel happy. How strange.

“Thank you very much for noticing, dear Luna.”

“GAH. Are you immune to shame?!”

“On this one particular topic, apparently I am.”

Celestia playfully swayed her tail back and forth to accentuate the subject of conversation. Luna huffed and redirected her attention to the doorway where Starlight Glimmer respectfully entered the room.

Celestia offered warm greetings with a smile. They exchanged pleasantries, and the conversation quickly shifted to the purpose of Starlight’s impromptu visit to Canterlot.

“So, the map sent you to solve a friendship problem?”

“Yes, Princess.”

“Well, there’s nothing wrong here, right sister?”

Celestia’s glowing good mood was compromising her better judgement. For even as Starlight stood before the throne of the Equestrian Princesses, Luna still could not muster a cordial tone.

“No. Everything’s perfect as usual. Sister.”

Celestia knew better than anypony to obey the prerogatives of the Elements of Harmony. But her conceit and confidence had seemingly blinded her to the fact that, as she had grown curvy, Luna had grown resentful. Starlight looked up at the Princesses with brow furrowed and thoughts clouded. The two siblings were clearly having a disagreement of some kind. And when had Celestia’s butt ever been that big?

Starlight Glimmer was granted a guest room in the castle to stay for as long as she needed to solve the friendship problem. In her room, she was surprised to learn that Twilight Sparkle had vicariously joined her in her mission, taking the form of a small ballerina in a music box. Starlight found this action a bit presumptuous and intrusive but opted to focus on the task at hoof.

These royal tensions were certainly on display when Starlight joined the sisters for breakfast. She was amazed by the decadent, heaping pile of pancakes the princess had personally prepared for the three of them.

“Thank you so much for breakfast, Princess. I can’t believe you cook it yourself.”

“Of course, Starlight. I really enjoy doing it. It’s a small way to say I care.”

Celestia bit her tongue and remained discreet about her more personal, ulterior motive. Sharing was the least she could do. And what was the harm if the pancakes just so happen to be especially flavorful and filling? It’s not like anypony eats them looking to diet.

It was at that moment that Princess Luna popped open the dining room door and groggily approached the table. Celestia hoped that having a guest might snap her sister out of this apparent funk. She had prepared an extra plate just for her.

“Good morning sister! Join us?”

Celestia levitated the smiling stack of sugary treats in front of Luna, matching its happy expression with her own. But the tired mare did not share the enthusiasm of the moment. Luna could see for the first time that Celestia’s stomach looked bloated even though the plates on the table remained untouched. She wondered how huge that stomach would get today, given the fact it would be both flabby and filled. She merely grumbled.

“Too tired.”

The normally graceful pony unceremoniously picked up a whole pineapple and took a bite right out of the skin. She then walked past her sister to leave the room.

“Please excuse me.”

Celestia watched her sister with a healthy degree of concern. Isn’t…biting a whole, uncut pineapple, like…excruciatingly painful? It was like she was treating the act of eating as some form of self-flagellation. She forced herself to not enjoy the experience.

Celestia thought to herself that the connection between her own habits and Luna’s were becoming more apparent in their contrast and more extreme in their execution. Nopony was forcing her to finish Luna’s extra plate on top of her own, that was for sure. But she couldn’t help herself. How else was Celestia going to regain that warm, buzzing tightness to which she had grown so accustomed? As golden magic returned knife and fork to the work of consuming the large mound of sugar and carbs, Starlight interjected and distracted Celestia from pondering these issues too much.

“Wow, last night must have been really hard on her.”

“Perhaps. But she is like this every morning.”

Celestia felt a pang of sadness in her throat and set to squashing it with yet more pancakes. The sweet taste, the blissful full feeling, and the momentary realization that her hips were filling the dining room chair more than usual did alleviate it somewhat, but it did not disappear.

Celestia changed the topic to Starlight’s experience of friendship lessons under Twilight’s tutelage, and both mares finished their respective breakfasts. Starlight noticed she was very full – a bit uncomfortable even. But she felt it would have been impolite to leave leftovers. Princess Celestia certainly had no trouble finishing everything. Her appetite impressed the purple pony sitting across from her, and it was unmistakable that Celestia’s belly was rounded and enlarged by the meal. Maybe that could explain the widening view from behind. Starlight respectfully kept such observations and speculation to herself.

That evening during a conversation with Twilight Sparkle, Starlight emphasized the way that Luna’s curt tone and blatant avoidance could be the source of the tension.

“I think Luna might be hurting her sister’s feelings…without even realizing it.”

“Poor Celestia. That’s so sweet that she makes her sister pancakes every morning.”

“She’s your mentor. I think you might be biased.”

“Fair enough.”

“Nothing yet. I have to get all of the facts. I asked Luna if I could spend some time with her this evening.”

As if on cue, a royal guard entered Starlight’s room to announce that Luna was awaiting her arrival.

Consequences

“Wow Princess Luna! You do this every night?”

“Lavender’s calming scent is known to aid dreamers in achieving a restorative sleep.”

Luna seemed remarkably rejuvenated as Starlight accompanied her in the royal halls. She rolled a cart of sweet-smelling, bright, purple flowers and paused at ornate wall sconces to replace comparatively dull and wilted ones. Luna offered a whiff and Starlight happily obliged.

“That’s so thoughtful.”

“I try my best to make sure the ponies in my castle sleep peacefully.”

A curious sound interrupted the two mares’ conversation. Crunches and smacking lips and low murmurs. It was Celestia, walking with a group of fancily dressed dignitary ponies who did their best to entertain and joke with the luminous ruler. All things considered, Celestia seemed far more concentrated on her hovering tray of chocolate chip cookies as she levitated one after another to her busily chewing mouth.

“Oh, you simply must try these. They are heavenly!”

Celestia levitated a cookie each to the muzzles of her guests, and they happily chomped down, savoring the sweet flavor and continuing their conversation.

“But as always, my sister’s too busy stuffing her face to acknowledge anything I do.”

Luna’s curt tone made Starlight tense. She quickly glanced at Celestia as she walked away from her towards the far end of the hallway. Comparing the voluptuous, sun-adorned flanks to the bony posteriors of the thin dignitary ponies accentuated just how far removed Celestia had become from “average” proportions. Starlight had thought she had noticed something odd previously, but now it was impossible to ignore.

“Um…pardon me, Princess?”

“Hmm?”

Luna’s thoughts were directed inward, only barely acknowledging her companion.

“I don’t know how best to ask a question like this, but…is your sister…uh…eating a bit too much?”

Luna’s eyes widened with surprise. She stammered. She had found herself suddenly and uncomfortably conflicted between her promise to keep Celestia’s activities private and her personal frustration at what those activities had unquestionably produced.

“I…ah…well…I suppose she’s been eating a bit more than usual, but…I don’t…why are you asking about a thing like that?”

“Well, I know it is impolite to make observations like this, and I do not want to come across as disrespectful, but it’s hard to ignore somepony’s cutie marks being…larger…than usual? I mean, usually when I notice something like that on myself, I try to cut back on the sweets, but she…isn’t.”

Luna tensed and paused before taking a breath. She turned away from the cart to address the lavender mare more directly.

“She most certainly has not. I don’t think she will.”

“Pardon me, your highness, but won’t Celestia end up getting…fat?”

“She most certainly shall. It has been weeks of this. She’s been eating like a mare possessed, and the ‘consequences’ grow more apparent by the day.”

Glorious, Infectious Growth

“You know Twilight, I get that the map knows what’s best, but I’m starting to think these ‘observations’ are having a few unintended consequences.”

Starlight Glimmer sat atop the bed in her guest room pinching at her stomach with her magic. The lavender mare looked with consternation as she could squeeze a band of fat that wrapped around her middle and bulged onto the top of her legs as she sat, making her look decidedly well-fed.

“To be fair, Starlight, I don’t think anypony was forcing you to eat breakfast, lunch, AND dinner with the Princesses. Celestia is generous like that. She was always going to offer it as an option.”

“What was I going to do? Turn down an offer to eat the best food in Equestria? Tell Celestia herself I didn’t want her pancakes?”

The small ballerina figurine atop Starlight’s dresser did its best to console and rationalize the situation, but Starlight seemed dead set on her exasperation and confusion. She turned her magic to her flanks and legs, finding the same, cushy layer of chub was there as well.

“And besides, you should really see for yourself just how ‘generous’ Celestia has been getting…”

Meanwhile, in Celestia’s private office, the plumping monarch was engaged in a remarkably similar self-inspection, albeit with a significantly more optimistic attitude. Over the past week, the delightful company of Starlight Glimmer had brought a great deal of revelry to Celestia’s daily stuffings. She found it significantly easier to push the limits of her consumption while distracted by conversation. And while her desserts remained mostly private affairs, she had cranked up the gluttony factor on these meals as well. The hungry alicorn could now manage entire pies, cakes, and souffles all by herself. Sometimes it wasn’t enough just to gorge on pastry either. She supplemented these treats with flavorful ice cream, decadent milkshakes and fruit smoothies, and sugary sodas – all packed into her gut on top of three square meals of ludicrously caloric excess.

“Something has really clicked as of late.”

Princess Celestia leaned forward to examine her chart, the sound of her chair squeaking and groaning filled the room. The line that signified her weight had taken a significantly more dramatic angle, as the rate of her gain had quickened. And the results spoke for themselves. They really did.

Leaning back in her office chair, Celestia noted that pressure on her stomach was relieved. The times of her butt and flanks taking the brunt of the extra weight were well and truly over, and now a significant pot belly rounded out Celestia’s frame. Her hooves were planted firmly atop it, gently stroking up and down.

“It’s remarkable. I used to have to eat like a mare possessed just to see some roundness emerge from my torso. I haven’t even eaten today! This thing is huge!”

She pressed harder against her belly. Her hooves sunk inwards.

“And it’s sooooooooo soft~”

Celestia swooned as she savored the sensation of her own belly fat compressing under the embrace, realizing that she had fundamentally transformed. It was no longer a matter of being stuffed or empty on a given day. The round, sumptuous mass was there to stay. It projected out from her torso no matter the angle, flex, or stretch.

“I play with it constantly. When I’m eating, when I’m at work, when I’m going to bed. It’s like a nervous habit. I can just flick-“

She used a tip of her hoof to quickly shift her chub upwards and watched as it jiggled back in place.

“And squeeze”

She gripped a thin band of flab on her side with a golden, telekinetic aura.

“And jiggle.”

She placed both forehooves on her belly and gently shake it up and down.

“And it’s so bubbly, tantalizing, and comforting. It’s like being hugged on all sides by a warm, soft blanket. And if I don’t stop, if I just keep doing what I’m doing, it gets bigger! There’s even more to play with than before! What a novelty. What a lovely change of pace! It’s like I am my own favorite fidget toy.”

Celestia furiously scribbled this vain diatribe into the journal, her exuberance matched only by her commitment to the task at hoof.

Taking a break, Celestia grunted as she lurched to her hooves and walked across the room to observe herself in the mirror. She blushed at the sight of her body; a silly grin firmly stuck on her face. The bulbous white belly she had been working so hard to grow now hung off her frame in a perfectly symmetrical concave arc between her forelegs and hindlegs. Looking forward, she could see that the round flabbiness also widened her body, expanding its circumference to the left and right of her shoulders. Her back too had swollen into prominent love handles, filling the space between her shoulders and rump. Her face and neck seemed mostly the same, but Celestia could tell as she looked downwards that her jaw and neck were starting to soften into the scandalous hint of a double chin.

Finalizing the inspection, Celestia again returned her gaze to her posterior. Before embarking on this fattening crusade, her butt was already an impressively exaggerated aspect of her physique. And when she started gaining, it had dutifully commanded attention, ballooning to an almost cartoonish scale of thickness. But now, her ass was simply, gloriously fat. Two enormous suns adorned a titanic mass of flank that jiggled and swayed more than her belly did (at least for now). Her tail was almost beginning to look small by comparison, the round, smooth crest of her butt cheeks stretching outwards below it. With these impressive assets, her body formed a magnificent pear-shape. Just then, Celestia was struck by a new thought that needed to be included in her journal.

“While I believe the added weight has slowed my movements and made me a bit lazier than usual, I am certain the most tangible change in my day-to-day life is the increasing inadequacy of chairs. At the dining room, I have to wiggle in between the arm rests, and they sometimes cut into my flanks while I’m trying to eat. My throne is still roomy enough, but I’ve been forced to remove the usual seat cushion and just sit on my pillowy rump. If I don’t, I end up overflowing in that seat as well. I have put in a formal request for more accommodating furniture, but the craftsponies are taking their sweet time with the delivery. Any longer, and I may need to request that they be made even bigger!”

As if to demonstrate the point, Celestia sat down on her office floor in front of the mirror. Her globular flanks flattened atop its surface, oozing outwards in all directions as her heavy frame sunk into their soft expanse. Even marble floors seemed to her like they were covered in clouds.

“I am uncertain what it means for the sake of this experiment that I have opted for larger chairs over the option of stopping or losing the weight I’ve gained so far. I’m certainly looking plump, perhaps on the larger end of chubby, but at the same time, it just feels…inadequate. My curiosity over this whole affair has only intensified as I’ve begun to show obvious signs of gaining. I don’t think I’m big enough to truly experience what it means to be fat. My pot belly needs to be a true barrel. My butt needs to crush chairs, not get stuck in them. My double chin shouldn’t be hidden just by looking upwards. Just a bit more, and then I’m sure I will know. It’s coming. Sure as the sunrise, it’s coming.”

Celestia patted her stomach as if she were comforting a disappointed foal. It rumbled loudly in response, having been left uncharacteristically empty.

“In terms of the impact of my gain on other ponies…well, that’s becoming a serious riddle. Starlight Glimmer is here to identify and resolve a friendship problem. I have no doubts about its origin, and we have spoken often about how best to resolve things with Luna. But…it’s like I cannot help myself. I don’t think I’m even doing it on purpose. Whenever a pony comes into proximity of me and food, I want nothing more than to encourage them to eat. And not just eat! I offer massive portions – more than they could ever need. I know it’s polite to share, and I would be doing so under regular circumstances, but I cannot shake the feeling that I subconsciously try to make them gain as well. Everypony looks too skinny in my eyes, and I don’t know what to do about this. It’s only been a week, and I know for a fact that Starlight has gained weight since she arrived. I know that for a fact because I’ve seen the exact same thing happen to myself. And the worst part? The worst of it? I don’t want her to stop. It suits her: bigger flanks, cute little tummy, so generous and healthy.

But good heavens. That is nothing compared to Raven Inkwell, my lovely, dutiful assistant. She started eating treats as if she were in a competition with me. I thought it was irrelevant or unrelated, but I am not so sure anymore. She is…big. She’s getting bigger. I can say with confidence that Raven was an averagely sized pony. Now her flanks take up a disproportionate portion of the throne’s platform. Her belly seems to grow by the day. I cannot bring myself to mention these escalating changes with her, as I am easily the fatter compatriot, but it is strange nonetheless.”

Celestia took a deep breath before rising to her hooves and approaching the scale. Her heart fluttered and the metal spring creaked as she climbed atop it.

+3 pounds since last measurement; +19 pounds total

Reforms at Canterlot Castle

“Sweet mother of me, I’m getting heavy.”

The scale’s optimistic report cheered Celestia up.

“They are both grown mares. If they think they’re getting too big, obviously they can say something. It isn’t my place to criticize, after all. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Celestia placed her quill and journal on her desk and turned towards the exit.

“Heh. ‘Grown mare.’ More like ‘growing mare.’”

She snickered to herself as she felt her pot belly shift and sway between her legs and her chubby thighs jiggle with each step.

Raven had mixed ideas in her head about the whole affair. She had lived and worked at Celestia’s side for years now. So, she was the first to realize that Celestia’s “side” was bigger than ever. Of course, she knew that her ruler’s stomach was flabbier, her butt was bigger, and the sheer intake of food had transcended any and all normal proportions. So, who could really blame her for having an extra cupcake? Who could really blame her for munching on chocolate chip cookies while her monarch snacked on baklava – her thick flanks squished within her throne?

The result was a little pony swelling by the day, perhaps distracted by the heavy workload she was meant to complete. As Celestia transformed into a bulbous shape, her belly swelling and her butt expanding, Raven did her due diligence by expanding into a sweet little butterball herself.

Celestia was not ignorant to these changes. Raven could see them too. In the both of them,. It was impossible not to notice. She sat in a throne meticulously crafted to be wider and more accommodating. It worked at first. Then, gradually, she felt the familiar tightness. One day, as her fabulous flanks were awkwardly planted between an increasingly inadequate pair of armrests on her plus-sized throne, she finally broached the topic.

“So. Raven.”

“Yes, your highness?”

“Do you think…perhaps…there’s been a few too many treats at Canterlot Castle?”

Raven blushed, knowing exactly what her overlord had meant. Look at her. Look at both of them. For goodness’s sake, the modest little royal secretary was fatter than she had ever been in her life. Her belly awkwardly protruded between her legs. Her flabby flanks formed a cushy seat. Her neck and cheeks formed chubby little pillows. And even at this rate – this spectacular fattening that would have put most ponies to shame – it was nothing compared to the mare that had caused it. Celestia was bursting out of her seat. Under the ever-more-chubby secretary’s gaze, Princess Celestia’s laborious, grunting posture had (at first) fit within the armrests of Equestria’s most exalted seat. With care, she could maneuver the sun-decorated orbs into the ornate throne. But that was many, many pounds ago. It had since become embarrassing. Celestia’s ass protruded on either side, spilling outwards in squishy, yummy expansions. It was obvious she could no longer fit. But it was not Raven’s place to argue. It was not her place to contest. She considered the cupcakes she had recently incorporated into her daily routine. Then the doughnuts. Then the massive breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and desserts. She thought about the fact she no longer cared about ‘watching her figure.’ The rate of growth elicited neither shame nor alarm.

She considered the notion of curbing her precipitous growth. What she said achieved exactly the opposite.

“Absolutely not, your majesty. In fact, I believe there has been an unfortunate shortage in our commissary, and I would like to rectify it.”

“Oh good, I had been feeling the same way.”

Celestia’s massive stomach growled as if to emphasize the point.

“In fact, your highness, I was thinking that we might double the routine shipments from our usual providers. Your dietary changes are causing some shortages, after all.”

In the back of her mind, Celestia mused that such upfront commentary from her secretary was ‘supposed’ to be offensive. In any other situation, she might have felt bad about so obviously, so transparently becoming fat. But that emotion simply did not manifest. For crying out loud, Raven herself was contributing to these ‘food shortages.’ Celestia persuaded herself, noting how her belly under hoof was as swollen and exaggerated as it ever had been.

“Make it triple.”

Celestia treated this exchange with a mixture of bewilderment and joy. She took no steps to prevent the fact that her most loyal worker – growing fatter by the day – put in an official request to increase food shipments to Canterlot Castle. The results were predictable. Under nopony’s order, with no inclination but her own observance to Celestia, Raven Inkwell’s once-subtle weight gain exploded. She became the fattest member of Celestia’s entire staff.

+15 pounds since last measurement, +34 pounds total

Fancy Pants are meant to be broken

It was lost to nopony that Raven and Starlight were exploiting the intensified culinary options within Canterlot Castle. Carbs, cheese, and fat. It was otherworldly. They had the bellies and flanks to prove it. Then, quite suddenly, it was the predominately stallion royal guard complaining of armor that was too tight. They couldn’t help themselves. Most simply put up with it: their flabby sides pressing against the constrictive metal. Some got express permission to remove the armor altogether. Celestia herself gave that order, and the admiration to boot. What was less obvious was the effect this transformation was having on the rest of the Equestrian citizenry. Celestia no longer had the curvaceous contrast between torso and flanks. In fact, she resembled more of a flabby, bulbous elephant. Her belly filled the space between her legs. Her butt grew gratuitous and exaggerated, protruding atop her knees.

As Starlight grew fatter, her reports to Twilight lessened in frequency. Celestia found it noteworthy that this mare had taken to gluttony so quickly and showed no sign of stopping. As it turned out, Raven and Starlight were quickly finding themselves regulars at a buffet that put any and all royal celebrations to shame. Celestia found no cause to prevent this escalation. Why should she? She was the main beneficiary. Eating was the primary occupation of her, her court, and her staff.

At first, the newspapers and gossip columns of Equestira mocked and lamented these changes. Then, famous model Fleur de Lis was spotted with an ice cream Sunday in magical grasp and the markings of an exaggerated pot belly. Then, the esteemed stallion Fancy Pants had a particularly embarrassing incident where his suit jacket popped open to expose a taught, bloated tummy, overindulged and swollen from eating at a charity event. Then, a peculiar pink mare from Ponyville started distributing desserts along with written tips on how to ease the sensation of fulness and eat more than usual.

Finally, much to Celestia’s surprise, there was Luna…eating the pancakes left on the dining room table. Her eyes rolled back in her head as a statement of absolute bliss. And it was only a few days later that Celestia spotted the indigo blue flanks of her sister posturing in the mirror. The admiration at the fact that they finally had a bit of shape to them was meant to be private.

“Well, well, well. And here I was thinking I was the only pony who appreciated a bit of extra cake.”

Luna shot back in confusion and panic.

“Shut up fatty! I’m not going to do what you’re up to!”

+12 pounds since last measurement, +46 pounds total

Everypony is Fat

“Oh, good heavens.”

Yes, she did. Of course, she did.

Starlight eventually decided that the friendship problem was resolved. Although, many ponies could rightly argue this ‘decision’ was several weeks overdue. When Celestia and Luna reconciled, they began sharing meals together, gleefully experiencing a gluttonous spread of goodies. Luna’s gaunt, emotionally depleted demeanor became one of blissful fulness, a mirror image to her massive sister’s gainful hobby. Starlight curiously stuck around to participate, going from slight added pudge to a truly enormous chubster in record time. She was back in Ponyville, and the fact of her weight gain had not gone unnoticed. It hadn’t exactly slowed down either. The routine visits to Sugarcube Corner had seen to that. Her arrival, along with the clear evidence that Celestia, Luna, Starlight, and Canterlot Castle’s entire royal staff had begun to plump up with reckless abandon, meant that most ponies came to accept the idea that being fat wasn’t just okay, it was being actively encouraged by the highest members of government. Raven Inkwell was perhaps the most visible example of the change in attitude. Starlight Glimmer had proven unable to avoid the temptation. And Rainbow Dash was among the first, most receptive members of this cultural shift, her round belly and flabby flanks quickly growing to draw the envy of her neighbors and friends.

The results escalated. As many in the royal guard grew out of their armor, their dashing, illustrious captain was meant to re-establish some sense of order, some notion of normalcy. Shining Armor’s belt snapped open a month later. Publicly. A photo was taken of him eating a muffin afterwards – his belly proudly bulged outwards, his eyes wild and face grinning, he seemingly embraced the new physique as an official, royal standard. Her majesty’s soldiers that had until then been uncertain, that had been sneaking glimpses of their monarch’s growing backside and crossing their legs, understood the message clear as day. Anypony who had once been avoiding fattening snacks could now be spotted in a local buffet or grocery store, picking up extra helpings of carb-laden dinners and gratuitously sugary desserts. In the Crystal Empire, Princess Cadence had previously spent months campaigning against the idea of gaining “baby weight.” After her husband’s little ‘incident,’ she mysteriously gained twenty pounds, as if to signal to mares the world over that mothers were meant to be just a bit chubby – more cushion for the foals to cuddle. Shinning Armor got even fatter out of respect to his wife’s efforts.

Rarity began promoting plus-sized clothing, her massive flanks showcasing the limits of fabric as they burst free of a particularly tight dress. Pinkie Pie and the Cake Family had never experienced a more successful winter shopping spree, though the workload had become decidedly split between baking for the public and filling the bottomless pit that was the flabby pink mare herself. Fluttershy suddenly found it necessary to share her animals’ routine, becoming a cushy, bloated butterball that lacked the excuse of hibernating at all. Rainbow Dash’s initial growth found itself threatened by the community at large, so she committed to growing fatter and faster than the entire town. Applejack started out as hesitant, but after the usual Apple Family feasting for the holidays, she appeared conspicuously slow to drop the extra padding around her tummy and muscular thighs. Twilight herself did not experience a single request for the weight loss spell she had so painstakingly invented – in fact, She and Spike could nowadays be found in the castle throne room, muzzle deep in cartons of ice cream, developing a method to reduce fullness and maximize stomach capacity.

And then there was Luna.

Surrounded on all sides by ponies gorging themselves, the magnificent Princess of the Night had encased herself in an ever-changing rationalization that spiraled out of control.

“I’m just going to do this until my flanks are a bit more prominent.”

Then, fifteen pounds later.

“I’m really not that big. It’s popular to be a bit thick these days. Who am I to argue?”

Then, twenty pounds and a gratuitous cake binge later.

“At least I’m not as fat as you.”

In this regard, she was correct. Celestia was supposed to have run an experiment. She was supposed to have identified when enough was enough. Instead, the entire nation of Equestria had followed her off a deep end. The average Equestrian citizen was now obese. It was seen as odd to be a little pony. Chubby, jiggling frames trudged along Canterlot’s streets in dutiful fashion and reverence of their monarch – the fattest of them all. Perhaps a nation of equines was not meant to be exposed to frequent meals and processed sugar. Perhaps everypony was supposed to have some little voice in the back of their heads telling them that eating was a chore, not a pastime. Perhaps some curse had stricken the land, and nopony was willing to fight it. Though, with so many full, happy faces busy chomping and chewing, no such questions filled the air. Conversation turned to food and getting more of it.

It became a significant undertaking to reorient the globular alicorn to her office. Her staff were becoming so large that their fat bellies impeded their movement. Raven could barely haul herself to the top of the throne’s platform these days. Though, a snack halfway through often helped. Celestia plopped off of a royal rickshaw, her legs hopelessly abandoned, her wings retracted within folds of flab. Her lips were so ensconced between her chubby cheeks and copious triple chin that her voice sputtered.

“I think…I am fat.”

She laughed, the mountain of flab jiggling in response.

“Is there any question or doubt? I feel the swell of my tummy absolutely dominate my body. I cannot move. The softness of my form encases me in a warmth and comfort that is beyond compare. Behind me is an entire, globular expanse that I can call my butt…but really…it’s just one more orb of me – a fat-filled mass that protrudes outwards and advertises two of the largest cutiemarks in the nation.”

“Twilight has offered to use the weight loss spell. But for the purposes of this experiment, something is wrong. Or perhaps, something is right. I have not considered the option in months.”

She took a bite of cake coated in vanilla frosting.

“I’m not done. There’s still more that can be gained.”

She thought about Raven, about Starlight, about Luna becoming fatter by the day. Good. They were right to do so.

+5 pounds since last measurement, +236 total

“As it turns out, knowing that you can get fat isn’t the hard part. Everypony knows you can. Everypony knows you will. The hard part…is getting started.”