It's for... science?

by x0jackie0x

Rating: teen
Tags: Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Romance, Spike
Length: 5870

Rainbow Dash spends more and more time at the library with Twilight so they can read the new 'Daring Do' books. She starts to gain weight and it might be her best friend's doing...

Rainbow Dash spends extended amounts of time with Twilight at the library. Being even lazier than usual, she starts to exercise less for the sake of reading. At the same time, her intake of delicious sugary snacks increases, but not without the help of the friendly librarian.
Why is the unicorn letting her eat so much? And why doesn't the pegasus really mind?
Note: Twidash fic, with chubby dash. Somewhat suggestive. Not over/forced feeding.

Published 2013-03-01 14:10:02 UTC
Last updated 2013-03-01 14:10:02 UTC

I'd like to think it is...

"Daring Do and the Pharaoh's Phial! It finally arrived! Yesyesyesyesyesyes...!" Rainbow Dash flew circles around the library, clutching the newly arrived entry in her and Twilight's favorite book series tightly to her chest. If the book was a living thing, it would have been crushed to death by the strength of her grip.

"Can you believe it, Twilight!? It's finally here!" She hovered near the unicorn and excitedly poked her with book itself, trying to get her to look at it as well.

"Yes, Rainbow, I can believe it. It took just as long to arrive as the last one. Now could you be quiet for a minute? I'm trying to finish up the work that Princess Celestia assigned to me."

The cyan pegasus touched down, keeping the book tucked under her wing. Maybe she did squeal a little too much. But it was the truth. Ever since Twilight introduced her to the 'Daring Do' series, there hasn't been enough time to read. The only other time she was this excited was when she got to meet the Wonderbolts after her flying competition. She couldn't help but freak out a little with her new book finally within reach. Casting a glance over Twilight's shoulder revealed nothing but boring old work.

"So boring. I wanna read!" The mare's made it a point to read every new Daring Do together. Enjoying new things with others only made it that much more fun and the unicorn had graciously offered to hold the story dates here.

"Let's see... I think I'm done!"

Rainbow's ears perked up and a big smile plastered itself across her muzzle.

"Oh wait, I still have to write that paper. Oh well, ten pages will only take me about an hour."

"An hour!? That's gonna be forever! Can't it wait?"

The unicorn's glare hushed her immediately. Rainbow knew that it couldn't wait and even if it could, Twilight was the type of pony who wanted to get everything done as quickly as possible. Groaning, the chubby pegasus snatched a bag of potato chips off the nearby table and started snacking. Another groan escaped her lips when she saw that it was almost empty.

"Damn. I'm almost out again?"

Rainbow had recently discovered that snacking while she read was an easy way to stay awake longer, allowing her to read more. Of course, the more she read, the less she slept and the exhaustion was starting to take its toll on her in turn. Another side effect was kind of a double whammy. Staying up late had slowed her metabolism and even though she still tried to exercise, she was taking in more calories than she was burning off. The usually sleek and toned pegasus was now softer looking and her belly had become a bit rounder. It was noticeable by all, eventually realized by the stares she received, especially since her belly had the tendency to sway ever so slightly while she walked.

It didn't affect her flying just quite yet, instead making her wings a little stronger due to the extra work. Normally the self-proclaimed 'best flier in Equestria' would be mortified to find that she was gaining weight, but it felt different than she thought it would. Her softness was actually quite... comfortable. She wore her extra weight well and it felt like she was only a bit bigger and not as cumbersome as one would think.

"Hey, Rainbow, why don't you go to the market and pick up some snacks for tonight? It'll give you something to do while I finish this paper up."

"Good idea. I'm getting kinda hungry."

"I know you are. Take these bits for my half." The unicorn levitated thirty bits into the mare's saddlebags by the door.

"I'm on it! Anything in particular you want this time?"

"Nope. Just the usual."

"I'm still surprised with how many of the same snacks we like. It's weird, but cool." Rainbow wiggled into her saddlebags, loosening the strap a bit to allow for her stomach. She might have to order new ones soon. The strap was always too long before and she cut them shorter so they wouldn't get in the way. Now it was difficult to adjust the size since there wasn't much of a strap left to adjust. Maybe Rarity can fix it instead. She counted out fifty of her own bits, but only planned on using thirty, like Twilight. It'd be more than enough to last for a few days.

"Anyway, I'mma be back in a bit. Better be done with that paper, egghead!" She launched herself out of the window and into the air, causing a small blast of air to blow a few papers around in the library. She did it on purpose but without trying to be hurtful. It was merely a little gag. She'd stop if Twilight told her to.

Rainbow had always found it a little strange that the mare didn't have an opinion on her weight. Applejack and Pinkie Pie pointed it out immediately, the latter doing so quite literally. The farmer didn't understand how she could let herself get like that while the pink one simply laughed and poked her belly. Rarity tried beating around the bush, like usual, and kept using fancy words to describe it. Fluttershy refused to say anything, so Rainbow didn't know exactly what she thought. Her foalhood friend most likely didn't care, even though she would rather be polite than honest.

The market was pretty close, which was nice since her wings were still a little wore out from working too hard over the past few days. She touched down at the entrance of Sugarcube Corner, her first stop. Twilight wanted to get some cupcakes and a few brownies from here, even though Rainbow almost never saw her eat any. She would end up sneaking a few out of her friend's batch but if the unicorn noticed, she didn't seem to mind.

Walking through the door, she was greeted the usual way by Pinkie hopping out from behind the counter and giving her a big hug. Like usual, she would make it a point to rub her head on the pegasus' belly like it was a pillow.

"Oh my gosh, hi, Dashie! I knew you were gonna be back here today, after all, you stop by pretty much every three days, almost at the same time too, which is weird, I didn't think you were that punctual but that's fine cuz then I get to expect you and always show up which makes me happy since I get to see you! Isn't that great!?"

"Totally great, Pinkie. Hello to you, too. C-could you stop touching my stomach?" Rainbow was still a little self-conscious about her weight and didn't like it when the earth pony just blatantly fondled it.

The pink pony crouched down and poked the pegasus' belly yet again, despite the mare's request for her to stop. It always happened without fail and Pinkie would start to freak out whenever she wasn't allowed to. Ignoring her, she walked over the counter and leaned on it, the earth pony getting one last poke in before bouncing over the counter.

"So, can I get you the usual, Dashie?"

"Yep. Twenty cupcakes, eight brownies and um...might as well throw in a few apple fritters as well. That's cool that AJ let's you sell them."

"It's helps both of us, especially since there are times when they can't open a stand in town. BUT..."

"Here it comes..." Once again, Rainbow was going to have to sit through a long one-sided conversation about her becoming as round as a ball by eating too much and how much fun that would entail.

"Soon enough you're gonna turn into a ball from eating all this food, cuz you say Twilight wants it and yet you've gained more weight than her so I have to think she's not eating any but wouldn't becoming as round as a ball be fun since you could roll around all over the place and walking would be a thing of the past, not to mention your legs would never get tired but what if the neighborhood foals would try to push you around and play with you, that would be a blast since I love love love playing and little foals always make up the greatest games and..."

What she said rarely differed from the time before. She waited for the mare's breath to run out, which took longer what was physically possible, making her think that her friend didn't rely only on air to survive. Maybe that's why she could eat cake all day and not gain weight? Was cake another form of oxygen for Pinkie?

"...and that would the BEST! Right?"

"Totally would."

"I knew you'd see eye to eye with me, Dashie. That's why we're such great pals, cuz you always know what I'm talking about!"

"Not always." Her stomach suddenly growled loudly, the vibration tickling her stomach a bit.

"Uh oh, time to feed the beast! Make sure you keep her fed, alright Dashie?" Pinkie shooed her out of the store and attended to the next customer. Shaking her head, Rainbow tied the sack handles in a knot and dropped them on her back. They weren't too heavy, but they did squeeze her saddlebags against her belly, making walking slightly uncomfortable. Soon enough they'd make her skin a little raw, so she'd have to hurry. Potato chips were next.

The farmer at the potato stand only recently started making and selling potato chips. Business skyrocketed for him and he was able to work with a couple of other ponies to put together some of the usual flavors you could find in the average supermarket in the city. They tasted much better here, since everything was fresh and made in town.

Trotting over, constantly aware of quite a few eyes on her, she grabbed two bags of barbecue flavor and a bag of her personal favorite, cheddar and garlic. The bags were light enough to allow her to hold the sack her mouth. Only one last stop to make, one she almost didn't feel like making. She hurried to the far end of the market, where a certain farmer was selling all sorts of her famous fruit, incuding bottles of juice.

"Well, howdy, Rainbow. Ah think Ah know what you're here for."

"Hi, AJ." The farmer never teased about her weight. It honestly felt more like scolding than anything. The two had always been so competitive but with the pegasus in her current condition, there had been a lack of challenges and it left the earth pony a little frustrated.

"Ah see ya have your usual assortment of goodies. 6 bottles of apple juice?"

"You got it." Rainbow set the bag of chips on the counter and the earth pony lowered a six pack into the sack, making sure not to crush the delicate snacks.

"Thanks again, buddy. How's the farm?"

"Farm's doing fine. The rabbits tried raiding my apples again, but Fluttershy's keeping them under control, somewhat. Speaking of keeping things under control..."

"Don't start, AJ."

"Ah'm just a bit concerned, Rainbow. Ya let yourself go! Ya know this ain't healthy in the slightest!"

"I'm fine. And I'd appreciate it if you kept your opinions about my weight to yourself. Just because I'm heavier doesn't mean the insults hurt less."

"Ah'm not tryin' to insult ya! Ah just wanna help!"

"I don't need any help!" That came out a little louder than she intended. A few shoppers around them turned to look at the commotion, causing the pegasus to blush a little. The last thing she needed was more attention on her. But the farmer in front of her looked crestfallen, which made her feel even worse.

"Nothing to see, folks! Get back to shopping!" She set a hoof on the counter, causing her friend to look up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell. It's just... I know I'm gaining weight. I know it's not healthy. You don't need to tell me that. I'm glad you're concerned 'cuz that means you're a good friend. But I don't need to be told about my weight every time we see each other. I already know."

"Ah guess you're right. But Ah want ya to promise me that you'll work on it, okay? Ah'm gettin' awful bored not having anybody to compete with lately."

"I'll see what happens, alright? Anyway, Twilight's expecting me back and I got one more thing to pick up. I'll see ya later."

"'Til next time." Applejack waved her off and tipped her hat to better block the sunlight from her eyes.

Rainbow once again doubled checked her saddlebags, something she picked up from Twilight after spending so much time with her. Also because she would be mortified if she lost any snacks along the way.

"Sweet! Time to head back. I hope Twilight's done with her paper."

__________________________________________________

"Oh wait, I still have to write that paper. Oh well, ten pages will only take me about an hour."

"An hour!? That's gonna be forever! Can't it wait?"

Twilight whipped out her trademark studious glare. It wasn't effective as Fluttershy's 'stare' but it did the job. Rainbow Dash made sure she had her normal order down and zipped out as fast as her chubby self would allow her, which was still rather impressive. She simply waved her off and laughed when the mare was far out of earshot.

"Ha! An hour for a ten page paper? 30 minutes at most. Like I even had to write one to begin with." No, she had something else planned and the trip to the market was a diversionary tactic. She had already stocked up on plenty of snacks for her lovable friend, but if the pegasus were to ever find out that she was the subject of research... Twilight didn't even want to think about it.

Using her magic, Twilight levitated a fresh roll of parchment onto her desk and readied a quill and ink cartridge. Not a ten-page paper. More like a research paper. The princess didn't even assign it. Instead, it was a sudden inspiration that blatantedly presented itself multiple times since Rainbow started reading with her. She was furious that she didn't pick up on it earlier, but pursuing it surprisingly garnered the attention of Princess Celestia.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Weight Gain and its Associated Psychology week 4

Steady progress is being made, as planned. The subject, Rainbow Dash, has gained near the estimated amount of weight that I had predicted in last week's letter. She is, dare I say it, a total of twenty percent heavier since I started this project. It has been much easier than I expected. Not only is the subject unaware that research is being conducted, Rainbow Dash seems to accept that she's gaining weight.

This is a very interesting turn of events. I was expecting to work with anger, frustration and denial, and yet I am presented with contentedness and even drive. She enjoys the many snacks she consumes and reading still keeps her sufficiently distracted. I might have to get her hooked on a new series, as we are currently on the latest novel as I write this letter.

I plan to end my project when and if she reaches a total of forty percent weight gain from her original weight. Like always, I have attached to this letter the abridged version of my notes. If you require my full copies, I will send them posthaste.

-Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

"Spike! Get down here! I need you to send these immediately!" Rainbow wouldn't go snooping through her work, since she would get bored very quickly, but the last thing she needed was to have the hotheaded pegasus find out that she was being constantly fed for research instead of from her own free will.

"Right here, Twilight! Give me the letter!"

Twilight tossed the letter to Spike's awaiting claws and he wasted no time in sending it directly to the princess. The letter was set ablaze and slowly disintegrated, leaving behind a trail of magical smoke as it zoomed towards Canterlot at a blinding speed that even the fastest flier in Equestria couldn't obtain. They couldn't have had better timing as Rainbow Dash flew in through the same window the letter floated out of not even a moment later.

"Hey, I saw the letter! You're done right?"

Twilight and Spike gave each other a look and nodded. Spike may not have agreed with her little research project, but it wasn't his place to argue. Still, the baby dragon brought up multiple times that he would be a willing participant, if it meant he'd be able to eat all day, every day. Twilight had rolled her eyes every single time and said 'no', and he eventually gave up.

"Completely finished. Nice timing, Rainbow. Did you get everything?"

"And a little extra! Decided to pick up some apple fritters from Sugarcube Corner!" Rainbow was heading into the kitchen when she wiggled her flank a little, showing off the bulging saddlebags filled with tasty snacks. She was humming to herself and had a wide smile, obviously in anticipation for the book they'd be pouring over very shortly.

There was something that hit a little closer to home for Twilight. It filled her with guilt and more than once almost made her call off the research project altogether. Much to her dismay, she had a crush on that damned pegasus. A big one. Watching her wiggle her extra large flank nearly sent a blush to her cheeks but months of practice had taught her to keep her outward emotion down to a minimum.

It didn't help that Rainbow's visibly rounder shape turned out to be just as appealing as her sleek athletic one. Every time she looked at her, Twilight just imagined laying her head on that soft belly. She may not be able to feel what it's like to sleep on a cloud like the pegasi do, but that mare's stomach looked like the next best thing. She didn't like tricking her friend for research, but Rainbow seemed to enjoy her time with unicorn. She technically did eat of her own free will. The snacks were just made available to her.

Rainbow Dash emerged from the kitchen already snacking on a cupcake. She had a small plate holding another cupcake on her outstretched wing, which the unicorn presumed it was for her.

"Oh no, thank you. I'll have one later."

"How about you, Spike?"

"I'm good. I have my gems and such. Thanks, though. Hey Twilight, do you mind if I take off the rest of the day? I finished up my chores and I was thinking about..."

"Heading over to Rarity's?"

"Woah, how'd you guess?"

"Oh, I wonder. Anyway, sure, why not? You deserve a break."

Spike gave her a wink and headed out the door. Twilight knew what the wink meant but she wanted to see if her pegasus friend was paying attention.

"Did you see that wink? What do you think he meant by that?"

"Oh, he probably thinks he'll win over Rarity today. At least he's confident." Tossing the rest of the cupcake in her mouth, Rainbow patted her ever growing stomach and sighed. "Ah... Nothing like a good cupcake. Do you have anything else to do before we start reading?"

"Nope! The rest of my day is all about you."

"Sweet!"

"In more ways than one..." Rainbow may not be as smart as she is fast, but she certainly wasn't dense. Twilight feared the night that the pegasus would catch on to her feelings or the research and flee the scene. She tried to stay as subtle as she could, but there were times when she couldn't help it. Those times, late into the night, as they both became sleepy. She would be filled with the urge to embrace the mare, press her own cheek against Rainbow's, to nuzzle her warmly, to... well, you get the idea.

She would never know how it happened. Maybe it was when the pegasus first adopted reading as a habit. Maybe it was when she started visiting. She could've had a crush the entire time they've known each other and just subconsciously ignored it. Regardless, the feelings were there and she couldn't do squat about it, unless she wanted to risk their friendship.

Rainbow hurried back into the kitchen and brought out a tray filled with a small assortment of the snacks she had purchased earlier. Cupcakes, brownies, fritters, apple juice... Twilight admitted, the entire ensemble looked incredibly tasty, but she would have to hold back. She might have one of each, but the rest she would slowly and indirectly feed to her friend.

The pegasus passed by her and settled near the fireplace, which had not yet been lit. It wouldn't be until later that night, when the sun would dip below the horizon and the night would get chilly. They would snuggle under a blanket together and read into the night, the fire warming them and the blanket letting them share a constant moment of friendly intimacy. And yet...

It always ran through her mind. At some point during the night, Twilight would get tired and lean her head on Rainbow's shoulder. After a few silent moments, a small nuzzle from the pegasus would easily coax her into a small embrace and it wouldn't end there. They would look into each others eyes and time would come to a halt, allowing them to simply stare at each other forever. They would get closer and closer, lips trembling with anticipation. A heavy sigh would escape, as if inviting the other to lean forward that last little centimeter and connect in a way only meant for lovers. Then bliss. Pure and utter bliss that would strike like lightning and caress like the finest silk. The book would lie there, forgotten, as the adventure between the mares would be far more interesting than the one stuck in the pages of a flimsy book.

At least, that's what went through the unicorn's mind every night they spent together. That train of thought would make her both blush and bring her nearly to the verge of tears. It was just like her. She could easily explain to herself how she felt. But to outwardly show it terrified her. So she stayed quiet, not wanting to alienate herself from the one pony in town that she actually spent an extended amount of time with.

"C'mon, Twilight! Whatcha waiting for?"

The unicorn snapped out of her trance, almost forgetting that the pony of her desires was waiting for her. It would be a normal night. They'd read a few chapters, eat some snacks and Twilight would record her findings the next morning after the plump pegasus left. Like always.

"I'm coming, hold your horses." Making sure everything that wasn't necessary was put away, she took her seat next to the round pony eagerly awaiting her like a small puppy that hadn't seen her master all day. Was her tail swishing back and forth a little?

"Finally! I thought you were never gonna..." She shut her mouth as Twilight once again resorted to her studious glare. "gonna... um... I have nothing. Wanna start?" Rainbow was laying down on the huge plush pillow that always sat in front of the fire. It was used for Twilight's late study sessions, but ended up always being apart of the story dates.

Nodding, Twilight took her place next to the pegasus and lifted the cover of the book, flipping directly to the first page of Daring Do and the Pharaoh's Phial. This one was about a pyramid in a desert that supposedly contained the pure essence of immortality. Danger, traps and villains abound in the brave pegasus' journey to save yet another mystical artifact from the grasp of those who would use it for ill purposes.

It was a little hard to fully focus on the chapter, but in a good way. Rainbow would make random excited noises during key points of the story and Twilight couldn't help but smile. To go from dreading the title of 'egghead' to fully embracing it and even acting upon it was a big change for her friend. That was probably another reason why she had fallen in love. Not because she had someone else to talk about books with, but because she sensed a classic change in the mare, one that she liked.

It didn't take long to finish the first chapter and in classic fashion, the pegasus wanted to discuss every single part of it. They spent a good half hour comparing it to the older books as well as what they think might happen in the following chapters. This was actually where most of the time would be taken up, since chapters could be finished in half the time.

They had just started on the next chapter when Twilight noticed that the tray was halfway empty. She only had a cupcake and a brownie herself, but there were at least four of each. It was a little surprising to think that the mare had eaten six snacks during one chapter. Maybe the larger she grew, the more food she ate? That was interesting and made a mental note to write it down in the morning. It might not be too long until the pegasus reached the right amount of weight to end the project.

"I'll go get more snacks. You sit tight."

"Gotcha! Hey, another cool thing about the chapter..." Twilight walked into the kitchen, still able to hear Rainbow ramble on about Daring exploring the wrong tomb, yet still being assaulted by traps and how she could totally do the same thing, even with the extra weight. The unicorn simply nodded and smiled, giving off the impression that she agreed.

"Damn right, I could! There wouldn't be a single trap in these books I couldn't overcome!"

"Oh really?" Levitating the tray in front of her, Twilight came back to the bearing the same assortment of snacks as before. She wondered how many chapters this tray would last.

"Of course! Do you expect any less of me?"

"Can't say I do, Rainbow. It'd be cool to see you zipping around all the different traps, narrowly avoiding death by mere inches."

Rainbow looked down at her belly and laughed a little. "Maybe it's best that I'm not in that situation. Those 'inches' might actually be a little closer than they were for Daring." Rainbow popped another brownie into her mouth, savoring the taste before chewing. Twilight flinched a little as she watched that hypnotic smile of hers. Those lips were alluring and Twilight wanted nothing more than to feel them pressed against her own, even if there were a couple flecks of chocolate on them.

"Just a little closer?"

"Oh, give me a break. Sure, this stomach would keep from being better than Daring Do, but you should see Pinkie whenever she's around! She can't stop touching it! It's so annoying, I just wanna scream at her."

"You don't like it when others touch your stomach?"

"I didn't even when I was skinny! It's just a... I don't know, it's a thing about me. I just don't like it."

Twilight's mood sank a little. She was hoping that maybe she could convince the mare to let her rest her head on it at some point, but now that goal was shot, buried and most likely wouldn't be heard from again. But if she didn't like it, well, she wouldn't push the matter. Not like Rainbow would want her to do it anyway. She'd feel too weird about it, and might even cancel their story dates.

"You should have another brownie, Twi! They're soooo good!"

The unicorn giggled. At least she was having fun. Thoughts on canceling the project drifted back into her mind, but she knew the princess would be disappointed if she quit now. Twilight had never given up on a project for any reason and despite the... complications with the subject, it would be very irresponsible of her to drop everything.

"I will in a bit. Are you ready for chapter two?"

"Am I ever!" Rainbow rolled onto her stomach and motioned to the purple mare to do the same. She was so excited and the only appropriate word to describe it had to be 'adorable'. The book laid there in front of them, one page away from the next chapter so they wouldn't accidentally start reading without the other. It was a rule that Rainbow came up with and gladly enforced.

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

The pegasus cheered when Twilight finally took her place next to her and automatically focused on the book, a cupcake already resting on the plate in front of her. She didn't hesitate and took a big chunk from the top, reveling in it's sugary sweetness.

Twilight flipped the page and they both began to read. Chapter two picked up right in the middle of action, where Daring Do was trying to outrun a roving gang of bandits chasing her through the alleys of a nondescript village. Gunfire penetrated the walls around the brave pegasus as she tried to find a way to escape. She couldn't fly away due to the armed guards patrolling the rooftops, and this alleyway made it easy for the gang to keep track of her.

This book seemed a little more violent that the previous entries. Guns were never used to this extent and usually relied on cunning traps and dastardly villains. The unicorn didn't complain. It was very exciting and a nice change of pace. She could tell Rainbow was enjoying it too. Her eyes were practically glued to the pages and she didn't stop reading when she reached for another snack, almost causing her to knock a cupcake onto the floor. Luckily the unicorn caught it just in time.

This chapter was a little longer and all the exciting gun play would make for a fun discussion. Sure enough, as soon as they were finished, Rainbow exploded and rambled about every little thing that happened. Twilight sat back and let her finish before offering her own comments, since she wouldn't be heard unless the mare stopped talking. Rainbow even went as far as to try and mimic some of the moves in the adventure to prove how cool Daring was. The thing that stopped her was using her magic to grab the pegasus' tail to stop her from flying all night.

"Ooh, I can't wait to start the next chapter!"

There was a knock at the front door and Twilight had to assume it was Spike. Rainbow rushed over and opened the door, revealing a very familiar expression on the dragon's face. Once again, the reptile had been lovestruck.

"I'm assuming you had a good time, Spike?"

"You bet I did! Rarity gave me a hug for helping her out! Sure, I couldn't spend as much time over there as I wanted, but I got a hug! I'm one lucky dragon. How's it going for you two?"

"We just finished chapter two and it was amazing!" Rainbow attempted to zoom around again, but Twilight kept a hold on her tail, making sure she couldn't go anywhere.

"Well, it looks like you're having fun. Twilight, if you still don't need me, I gonna crash early. Need to catch up on some sleep."

"Oh, you don't get enough already. I swear I remember you taking a two hour nap earlier today."

Spike fidgeted for a second and then ran off, mentioning something about 'still growing and needs rest'. Oh well. She didn't need him for anything, so it was fine. She'd scold him in the morning. Now back to the discussion.

"But what did you think about that one part, when Daring tackled the guard and almost got blown up by the grenade?"

"That had to be the best part!"

The discussion ended after a while and they quickly started on chapter three, making it to chapter six before Twilight started getting sleepy. Rainbow was still going strong, but Twilight could barely keep her eyes open. Not wanting to distract her, she simply closed her eyes and drifted off.

__________________________________________________

Rainbow was deep in the book, trying to imagine the world that Daring currently inhabited. Sprawling deserts, burning sun, bandit-infested towns... It was all so damn cool. She powered through the pages and didn't stop reading until she felt something press against her shoulder.

"Hmm? What's up, Twi?" After a few moments of silence, the pegasus reluctantly tore her eyes away from the exciting book to find her friend dead asleep, the unicorn's head on her shoulder. She looked unusually tired. The bags under her eyes were noticeable now. Had they been there before? She didn't notice them earlier.

"Geez, what a lightweight... I guess it is a little late." Rainbow found that the fire was burning low and would put itself out soon. Which was good, because she didn't want to wake up her friend. That would be too sad. But there was another problem.

"Crap. When that fire goes out, it's gonna get chilly. Well, for her. What do I do?" Pegasi aren't affected by the weather as much, but little studious unicorns would get cold quickly. The blanket was nowhere in sight and Twilight was so tired. There was only one solution and it made the mare cringe slightly from embarrassment. She had no other choice, unless she wanted Twilight to wake up with a cold.

It took a few moments of solid hesitation, but the mare finally spread her left wing and gently rested it on the unicorn. The response to the contact was almost immediate. Twilight made a little moan and slid closer to Rainbow, sighing contentedly. This made the pegasus even more nervous. Any closer and they would practically be cuddling. She couldn't even imagine her reaction when her friend would wake up like that. All sorts of questions would spew forth, making the situation worse.

Rainbow didn't feel like that towards her friend and she knew Twilight didn't like mares. Neither of them would be comfortable in that situation so a wing was enough. It would keep her moderately warm and leaning against her would provide enough body heat to make up for the rest. It was a little funny that her extra weight would be like a pillow, but that was beside the point.

Wouldn't want to accidentally ruin a friendship with a misunderstanding...

Author's Note

Hi guys! My first little side fic I wanted to work on. It was somewhat inspired by the 'Chubby Diamond Tiara' Tumblr blog, in the way that he drew a fat RD. I had been wanting to write a chubby fic, but after seeing Rainbow all chubsters, I had to write about her. Granted, that blog's ponies are MUCH bigger than what I wrote, but still, it helped me choose. <w <

Enjoy chapter 1! <3