The Saga of the Shipping Potion · 11:44pm Apr 1st, 2016
In which I go nuts with an idea of a potion that compels everypony to ship two ponies that it's been splashed on. Kind of like a reverse love potion only more aggravating for the ponies involved.
Been doing this on Tommy's Blog since January.
So the story starts with me little ponysona, holding a mysterious vial...
Sketch, no, you're depriving them of their free will. I know you're a bit CheesePie starved, but goodness, think of the consequences!
In hindsight, I probably should have put LyraBon or something for a more overrated ship, but, eh, whatever works.
Oops.
Of course that happens. Tomato has always been a trouble magnet...
Cheese already ships Flormato, so Tomato's not suspicious at all.
And then, of course, when they meet their other friends later...
That escalated quickly.
Oh, look, now Discord got involved.
I admit, this picture was drawn as a little throwback to my first CheesePie pic:
Oh, my gosh, that's an eyesore. 
Okay, now Tomato's getting suspicious.
Yipe! Who brought the hypothetical Flormato kid here? We don't know if she's supposed to exist!
On the bright side, I'm happy to have used that pun.
Flora didn't even send a letter telling them about any romantic relationship... because there is none...
HOLY CRAP ARE THEY SMILING AND APPROVING OF HER?! There's definitely something wrong if they're being all positive and nice.
Now, I meant for it to end on Valentine's Day, but life had other plans, so...
Oh, hi, Rainbow.
And guess who else ships them?
As well as a pony somepony brought up even though I'm forever sick of her...
It's way too easy to come up with a joke for her.
Of course, what Tomato says to Flora upon seeing Maud do this: "I wouldn’t use geological terms to compliment you; I’d say your eyes would be a clear summer sky, and your lips would most likely feel like rose petals…”
Apparently he can wax poetic when he wants to...
What happened when Tomato's birthday rolled around:
And then finally, Tomato's being this close to fed up with the entire ordeal...
Well... ain't that interesting.
I had to share that little Denial Tommy there. 
And so... Flora reminds him why she likes him and sticks with him.
Underneath that grumpy demeanor lies one of the most golden hearts she has ever seen (no, he wasn't assigned to be her tutor--he voluntarily did that). So, even if she doesn't fall for him, there may be somepony out there who would love to see Tomato's better nature.
He does fear getting abandoned by those he feels attached to (for good reason). Especially if the shipping potion might make her resent him for some odd reason, or there's a cure that's not really pleasant. Still, Flora's not scared off that easily.
And thus, friendship reaffirmed...
...but the shipping potion's still a problem. The real question is... what is the cure?
I'm putting this thing up today because this whole debacle is just one big, cruel joke to these two.
Hmm...
I'm not sure whether Cadence would be immune to the magic, or be especially vulnerable to it. I suppose it comes down to how compatible a couple they really are, because I can't see her promoting a pairing that genuinely won't work.
Also, there is no horror quite as surreal as happy Sandwich parents.
41.media.tumblr.com/f250a5bbb3b04f1766810cf01a1bb488/tumblr_o2nz3p2MyE1tfe8eco3_1280.png
I was dying by the time I got to this part.
~Leonzilla
Oh wow, you had Tomato see her in the soft-focus camera in his mind's eye. He's doomed.
Dang it, you almost have ME shipping them, and you know I don't
although I think Flormato is very cute and leagues ahead of ToMaudto (which I know thoroughly annoys you anyway).
Anyway, AMAZING art!
Hmm, which ship do I think is overrated? Picking from the straight ships, as I know you prefer them? Uh--FlutterMac, maybe? Obviously, I can't see Pinkie with anypony else. And most of the Dash ships. Because I legitimately love Dashie, but not as a romantic heroine.
. . . truthfully, I don't have any ships I like all that much for any of the Mane Six at all, except Pinkie.
3842415 Cadence brews that stuff up in the kitchen. Hilarity Ensues when Cadance puts it down on the counter for just a moment and Flurry Heart gets hold of it. Even without her super OP Alicorn Baby Powers, you know it wouldn't end well.
The potion worked on me from day 1. I think most of these love potions are broken with a kiss, maybe Tomato and Flora should try one of those?
3842415 It's a gamble. Maybe Cadance won't be affected, but if she is, she might think them not acting all lovey-dovey is a problem she needs to use her magic to correct.
3843130
"Oh no, Flurry Heart got my salad dressing all over her!"
"Uh, honey, you do remember what that stuff does to most ponies, don't you?"
"Oh. Right. Well, I'll just clean her off before she touches anypony and... Where did our daughter go, Shining Armor?"