Wicked Temptation

Twilight and Spike travelled across Ponyville, making their way to Sweet Apple Acres on the outskirts. On the way, the alicorn continued to worry about the sheer amount of globular ponies jiggling around, all either stuffing themselves with that cake, or eagerly waiting to get some more from Sugarcube Corner. And like her friends, none of them seemed to care that they could barely use their hooves, if they’d even noticed the fact at all. Though, the sun starting to set meant the line was getting shorter, so it wouldn’t be long before she could get some answers.

Though, what bothered her the most was the cake itself. Every time she locked eyes on a slice of the dessert, she could hear that sickeningly sweet voice purring in her head.

Eat me… eat me…

She shook her head and swallowed the puddle of drool forming in her mouth. It was starting to scare her how the voice was getting louder each time… and more tempting.

“Spike,” she said, “if something happens to me because of these cakes, I want you to take everything we’ve learned to Starlight and help her come up with a cure.”

“Oh, it won’t be that bad, Twilight,” Spike assured her, then added after a pause, “Really, everypony seems to be mostly in their right mind.”

“But coming under that curse might mean I won’t want to see this through,” said Twilight. “I need to keep my head on straight if I can.”

The two ventured toward Sweet Apple Acres, which seemed to be normal. The trees in the sprawling orchard seemed to be as healthy as ever, and the farmyard itself was still in fine condition.

“Maybe Applejack really is still normal,” Spike said with some hope in his voice.

WHAM!

The two immediately looked toward the orchard, and saw one of the trees violently shaking.

“Well, that’s a good sign,” Twilight said with a smile. She knew exactly what that was.

The two raced into the orchard, following the heavy thuds of wood. And when they got to the source, they slowed to a stop. Their smiles fell hard.

“No…” Twilight breathed.

She stopped in front of a large purple dome, a loosely tied dark blonde tail dangling down its curvature. On each side was a cutie mark - a trio of plump juicy apples.

“Applejack?!” Spike blurted out, causing the gigantic dome to turn around and reveal a plump earth pony attached to the front. On her head was a cowpony hat, a dark blonde ponytail flowing down it over her shoulder.

“Well butter mah buns an’ call me a fritter!” she gasped, a big smile dimpling her cheeks. “Ah wasn’t expectin’ ya so soon! Y’all look just as young as ever, Twilight!”

Twilight mumbled something about alicorn anatomy through her own cheeks being smooshed by Applejack’s hooves, but it went unnoticed.

“An’ y’all’re gettin’ real big there, Spike,” she went on, ruffling Spike’s head frills. The dragon couldn’t help but grin at the affection.

“How have you been, Applejack?” asked Twilight.

“Can’t complain,” she said. “Farm’s still chuggin’ along mighty fine. Big Mac’s gone on a delivery trip an’ he’s took Apple Bloom an’ his missus with him, an’ Granny Smith’s on her Las Pegasus trip. So Ah’m just holdin’ down the fort.”

“Hasn’t been too much work for you?” asked Spike.

Applejack shook her head. “Not really. Ah dunno why, but Ah can’t get mah legs up ta buck trees like Ah used ta these days. But, well, watch this.”

She sashayed to another tree, her gigantic rump audibly bouncing as she went. Twilight almost found it hypnotic, like a lava lamp. Applejack cocked her hip, aiming her flank at the trunk.

WHAM!

Her haunch slammed into the tree with enough force for Twilight and Spike to feel a slight shockwave. The tree, and multiple others around it, shook enough to send the apples hanging on their branches toppling down into the baskets set at their bases.

“Dunno what’s got inta me, but Ah can harvest the whole orchard mahself in half the time!” Applejack raised her chins, her dark purple bulk beaming with pride. “How’s that fer productive?”

“That’s really impressive,” Twilight said, choosing her words carefully. Spike nodded in agreement. “Hey, unrelated, but have you heard about Pinkie Pie?”

“Oh, ya mean the cakes she’s throwin’ out around town?” Applejack nodded. “Sure, Ah had a bit mahself. Mighty good cake, but if ya ask me, it needs a lot more apple.”

Twilight slyly darted her eyes around Applejack’s bulk. Apart from her gigantic bottom and thighs, she was certainly the slimmest of her friends.

“Don’t get me wrong now,” Applejack went on, “Ah’ll be glad ta have another one’a them if Pinkie sends one mah way, but Ah ain’t fixin’ ta go all the way inta town just fer that.”

Twilight almost couldn’t find the words for the relief she felt. “Well, I’m glad you haven’t gone cake-crazy.”

“Ah ain’t had ta go inta town anyway,” Applejack went on. “They’ve been comin’ ta me.”

“You’re getting them delivered?” guessed Spike.

“Not really,” Applejack said with a roll of her thick hoof. Then she craned her thick neck. “Ooh, here’s one now!”

Twilight and Spike looked over their shoulders, and indeed, one of those black and purple cakes was weaving through the trees toward them. It only stopped just under Applejack’s nose, which twitched at the sweet scent.

“Oh, mah land,” she gasped, her eyes widening. “Is that apple Ah smell?!”

“Well, so much for that,” Spike said flatly, he and Twilight watching Applejack take a big messy bite out of the dessert.

“Mm, that’sh more like it,” she moaned, crumbs falling to the ground as she spoke. She swallowed and held the cake toward the alicorn. “Ya want some, sugarcube?”

Eat me… Twilight heard in her head. The voice was louder, more enticing, even more tempting. Eat me…!

Her ears lowered and she pushed the cake tin back with more force than she intended. “I’m okay, thanks!”

With a shrug, Applejack plonked her backside on the ground with a whump and started greedily gobbling up the cake. “Mmff… Ah’ll shee ya fer Pinkie’sh party… mm, sho good…”

Twilight and Spike awkwardly said their goodbyes before powerwalking back the way they came.

“Kinda funny that she was the least affected by the cake,” said Spike, a smirk tugging at his mouth. “Y’know, with how caked up she is?”

Twilight answered with an unamused aside glare, then sighed. “Looks like it’s just you and me, Spike.”

“Sugarcube Corner should be closing about now,” said Spike, seeing the sky starting to darken. “Pinkie’s gotta let us in after hours.”

Twilight swallowed and puffed out her chest. She furrowed her brow with a determined frown.

“You’re right, Spike. It’s time to get some answers.”