//------------------------------// // A Clown, a Wolf, and a Gravid Witch // Story: Stuffed Sweets // by Pacificside18 //------------------------------// Knock-knock-knock! The knocking on the front room door of the Carousel Boutique had gotten Rarity’s attention as she grabbed a bowl full of candy and brought it with her to the door.  Nightmare Night had returned once again and all the ponies of Ponyville dressed in their colorful costumes and decorated their homes with ghastly and ghoulish designs. Rarity reached the door and pulled the handle, opening her home up to two familiar young mares. “TRICK OR TREAT!” they yelled like fillies.  Applebloom held her jack-o-lantern bucket while wearing a rodeo clown outfit while Scootaloo brought a pillow case and wore a Timberwolf costume. Their welcoming smiles quickly melted into confusion as they gazed upon Rarity’s costume decision. “Uh, Rarity?” Scootaloo questioned the seamstress, “Isn’t Dia de los Muertos like the day after tomorrow?” Rarity outfitted herself in part of Mexicolt’s yearly tradition on the Day of the Dead, sporting skeleton paints across her face and arms.  Her dress and hat consisted of darkened colors and festive flowers that brightened the rest of her outfit.  Even her mane was a bit curlier than usual as a bonus touch to bring out the festive side. “Oh, of course it’s the day after tomorrow,” Rarity acknowledged, pulling out a set of maracas off a nearby table, “But I had to get first impressions from Trick-or-Treaters before coming into Canterlot for their private Day of the Dead fiesta!” Rarity demonstrated her maraca shaking skills while Applebloom and Scootaloo nervously laughed the moment off. “RARITY!” A voice cried out in annoyance, “Are you showing off your lineup early again?” “I told you I needed an opinion, Sweetie Belle!” Rarity yelled back, “Now did you make up your mind about going out tonight with your friends?” “Not like THIS!” “Well I told you to make up your mind sooner.  I gave you plenty of time to give me an idea for a costume and you waited until the last minute.  So either you’re staying home, you’re going out without a costume OR you wear the costume I had to make you last minute.” Applebloom and Scootaloo were eager to have their friend accompany them like old times, but new circumstances had made things a bit more difficult.  The voice upstairs groaned in defeat as the second story door opened up.  First thing to appear from the doorway was a surprisingly extended, white and round stomach, followed by the rest of Sweetie Belle, who so happened to dawn her yearly tradition of being a witch.  But her last-minute tendency didn’t give Rarity enough time to sew up an outfit that was big enough as her entire belly was open for the town to see.  Sweetie, grumbling with a blush on her face, grabbed the stair railing and traveled downwards as fast as her gravid body could. “Uh, WOW, Sweetie…” Applebloom commented on her attire, “You, uhhh…” “DON’T.  Say it,” Sweetie demanded, with her hands on her widened hips. “Now Sweetie,” Rarity politely asking for her attention as she holds up a candy bucket, “Remember what we talked about this morning?” “Yeah, yeah, ‘if you’re going Trick-or-Treating, don’t eat too much candy.’” “Excellent, Sweetie.  Now run along with your friends while I head over to Twilight’s for a while.” “Right, Princess Twilight has a Nightmare Night party going on at the castle tonight,” Scootaloo remembered, “We invited?” “Of course you all are,” Rarity confirmed, “But I do need you all to report to the castle once you’re done with your Trick-or-Treating so I can keep an eye on Sweetie Belle.” “I’m not a filly anymore, Rarity,” Sweetie Belle argued, “We can take care of ourselves.” “Careful, Sweetie,” Rarity warned, “That kind of comment usually ends the night in disaster.  I’m counting on you to return without any complications, both you and the babies.” Rarity looked out towards the buzzing crowd outside. “I’d better get going.  Have a good night, girls!” The trio of girls waved as Rarity held her dress up and dashed towards the castle as fast as her dress could let her.  Now Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stood in front of a dark house, all set for their Nightmare Night.  Almost. “UGHHH!! “ Sweetie exclaimed in annoyance, “Finally!  Sometimes I wonder if moving back with Rarity for the rest of this pregnancy was such a good idea.” “Didn’t you say the same thing when you were with yer parents as well?” Applebloom questioned. “Oh, forget her, Sweetie!” Scootaloo butted in, “You’re outside again, your sister’s gone and it’s Nightmare Night!  I say we skip all the groaning right now and get down to business.  But first…” Scootaloo went into her pillow sack and pulled out a second pillow sack from inside.  Sweetie Belle, with a grateful expression, tossed her small jack-o-lantern bucket aside and grabbed her new candy bag. “Uh…girls?” Applebloom questioned in concern, “Didn’t Rarity say to NOT eat too much candy?” “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean we can’t collect as much candy as possible!” Sweetie Belle cleared up for Applebloom. Applebloom scratched her head, followed by a shrug of defeat.  There was no arguing against that. “Alright!” Scootaloo cheered, “Last one to the first house is a rotten—oh.” All three girls stared at Sweetie’s belly and remembered what was happening at that point in time.  Sweetie eyebrowed Scootaloo in forgetting the situation she was in. “Yeah, how about we walk?” Applebloom suggested. With no further arguments, all three girls began their Nightmare Night in Ponyville. The central hub was packed with Nightmare Night activities.  Spider-toss, Bobbing for Apples, Costume Contests, it had it all.  Both young and the old participated in the neighborhood games as Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle watched it all unfold. “Remember when we did all that when we were fillies?”  Applebloom asked her long-time friends. “Yeah…” Scootaloo replied, a feeling of nostalgia running through all three of the girls, “Feel s like yesterday I was wearing that silly Werewolf outfit and you were trying to be Bride of FrankenStalion.” “Wasn’t sure why I chose Dracula that one year,” Sweetie remembered, “Once I tried a witch, I was pretty much set for life.” “And speakin’ of lives,” Applebloom said, turning towards Sweetie, “They might have missed this year’s holiday but how do y’all suppose we’d dress up these lil’ kids when they decide to pop out sometime later this year?  Ah was thinkin’ about a tree and her apples.” “Don’t be ridiculous!” Scootaloo nudged Applebloom, “She’d be a werewolf mother to her werewolf cubs!” “Uh…a witch strolling around with a caldron full of foals?” Sweetie squeed in embarrassment. Her friends facepalmed from the obvious answer they should have seen coming.  But Scootaloo opened her eyes as she had just hatched a brilliant plan. “Hey, now there’s a thought; Sweetie Belle would need plenty of sweets to keep her and her unborn foals fed and rested, right?” “Excuse me?” “Scoots..” “I saw we convince those houses to fill our bags for for all three of us AND Sweetie Belle’s upcoming delivery package.  We’d get WAY more candy that way and we don’t even need to wait til next year when they’re born!” “Scoots…really?” Applebloom objected, “Ya really think we’re gonna sink that low fer more candy?” “What?  We’re not going to be THAT low because it’s the truth!  Look at Sweetie Belle.  Doesn’t she look like she’s going to pop any day now?” Sweetie looked down at her own figure.  “Going to pop” was an understatement as her gravid form grew past most normal pregnancies and it was being displayed, bright as night as her belly glowed from the reflection of the town’s light fixtures and the moonlight. Applebloom groaned and scratched the back of her head.  “Well, what’s yer thought on this, Sweetie?” Sweetie Belle didn’t need to think too long about her decision.  If she waited until after her delivery, she’d have a massive candy reserve leftover for her to eat.  On top of that, she’d be able to hold up Rarity’s promise and keep her off her back for a little longer.  She raised her head back up with an assured smile, “Momma’s got to feed her kids somehow, Applebloom.” “That’s the spirit!” Scootaloo cheered, her fist flying into the air, “C’mon, let’s get a test run going.  And I know just where to start. Scootaloo ran off already forgetting Sweetie Belle’s condition again as the pregnant mare waddled behind her. “H-hang on, Scootaloo!” Sweetie called out as she moved as quickly as her body could, “I’m too pregnant to move that fast right now. Poor Applebloom could do nothing but walk with an annoyed expression on her face behind the two of them.