Wicked Temptation

Twilight and Spike slowly walked through Ponyville, their eyes wide and jaws dropped. Like Lyra and Bonbon, ponies had ballooned into dark purple blobs of quivering flab. Whether they were slowly waddling around, their stomachs dragging on the ground and their flanks jiggling with each step, or they were sitting on benches and chairs and causing them to bend, Twilight and Spike noticed one constant: they were all happily eating a strange dark cake. All who saw Twilight happily greeted her with a wave of their thick hooves, as if it were just a normal day.

“Maybe it’s a new fashion trend?” Spike guessed. “And… snacking trend?”

“I don’t think this is just a fad,” said Twilight. “This looks more like an epidemic.”

“Check that out,” said Spike as he pointed toward a building styled like a giant cupcake. Like the train, two ponies were struggling to fit one’s wide frame through the door, but the difference this time was that there was a line of darkened ponies waiting eagerly to go inside. Like overgrown berries waiting to be juiced, Spike bit back from saying aloud.

“Those ponies look hungry,” Twilight noted with a concerned frown. “I hope they’re not working Pinkie too hard, but I’m sure she’s handled worse.”

The two travelled a little ways out of town and arrived at a large castle that seemed to be built into a giant tree made of crystal. It once belonged to Twilight herself, but she allowed her student ownership after officially moving to Canterlot. She pushed one of the large doors with her hoof and the two went into the entrance hall.

“Starlight?” Twilight called. “Are you here?”

With a sudden flash of light, a lilac unicorn popped in front of them wearing an exasperated frown. “I told you, I don’t want any–oh, Twilight, Spike. Thank Celestia you’re here.”

Starlight Glimmer ushered the two inside and closed the door, making sure it was locked behind them. When she was sure they were safe, she gave Twilight a quick hug and Spike a gentle pat on the head.

“It’s great to see you two again,” she went on, “but you’ve probably seen what’s going on.”

“What’s going on, Starlight?” asked Twilight. “Why is everypony so… soft?”

“I have no idea,” said Starlight. “I was in the castle library for a few days, reorganising my spell books in order of subject, author and release date–” Twilight proudly smiled ear to ear when she heard that. “–and next thing I knew, it’d been a couple of days. I decided I needed some natural light and fresh air, so I went outside and boom: Blob Town. Population: All.”

“You weren’t messing around with any weird spells again, were you?” asked Spike. He blinked as both mares glared at him. “What? Gotta rule out all the possibilities.”

“I learned my lesson from the last time I tried casting spells on ponies,” said Starlight. “Whatever happened to the town, it wasn’t me.”

“What about the others?” asked Twilight. “Do they know?”

“I haven’t seen them,” said Starlight, “but if everypony else is any indication, they’re at least not in danger. Everypony seems to be acting normally, apart from being obsessed over this cake.”

“Cake?” Twilight repeated. “You think it’s connected?”

Starlight nodded, a solemn frown on her face. “It’s gotta be. Not only is everypony stuffing their faces with it, but they’re trying to get me to eat it too. The worst part is, it looks and smells so good…”

Twilight easily found the irony in Starlight rebelling against becoming just like everypony else, but she kept it to herself. “Don’t lose that resilience,” she said instead.

“I did notice Sugarcube Corner has been really busy though,” Starlight added. “You might not get to Pinkie until after they close.”

“We’ll leave her till last then,” said Twilight. “Rarity’s the second closest, so we’ll start with her and work our way outward.”

“I hope she’s okay,” said Spike. “If anypony’s hurt her…”