//------------------------------// // The Belly Beckons // Story: Stuffed Sweets // by Pacificside18 //------------------------------// DING-DONG! The girls huddled around the door with their candy bags in hand.  The door’s window slowly opened as the girls exclaimed “TRICK-OR-TREAT!” “Well, Happy Nightmare Night, you three!” Carrot Cake greeted the girls, wearing a stuffed  toy outfit with painted stitches, “But aren’t you all a little old to go Trick-or-Treating?” “We’re never too old to go Trick-or-Treating, Mr. Cake!” Applebloom corrected the baker. “Alright, fair enough.”  Carrot Cake pulled out their bucket of candy and started dropping pieces into their buckets. “Actually, could you do us a favor and give Sweetie a little more?” Scootaloo questioned, “She’s going to be a mother soon and it’d be a shame if her babies didn’t get a chance at your delicious candy.” “Uh, girls?  Foals aren’t allowed to have sweets so early in their infancy.” Carrot explained, “Too much of a choking hazard, let alone teaching them terrible eating habits.” “Great goin’, Scoots,” Applebloom whispered to her friend with gritted teeth. “Sweetie, say something…” Scootaloo whispered in a panic. “But Mr. Cake,” Sweetie replied in a saddened tone, “You probably had to help feed your wife with sweets when she was pregnant with Pound and Pumpkin Cake.  And we weren’t directly talking about feeding the kids with sweets, just myself so I can give them an early taste since they’ll have to wait an entire year for another Nightmare Night!  Please, Mr. Cake.  For the babies? Sweetie Belle made a lip with big puppy eyes to her neighbor.  Even as a young adult, no one could outdo Sweetie’s innocent face. “Ohh…I…geeze…” Carrot conflicted with himself, “…oh, alright.  J-just so your kids won’t miss this year’s treats.  Just remember, Sweetie:  Not too much candy at once.” Scootaloo held a hand up to Applebloom, who wouldn’t high-five her back as she was shaking her head in disgust.  Carrot supplied Sweetie Belle with the candy as they waved good-bye to their neighbor. “Sweetie, that was awesome!” Scootaloo said as she looked into Sweetie Belle’s bag, “All that candy’s as good as ours!” “It’s a good thing we went to the Cakes’ house first,” Sweetie pointed out, “Save the best candy in Ponyville for last, am I right?” “Uh-huh!” “Congrats, you two,” Applebloom said, eyeing her manipulative friends, “That amount of candy could make the Cakes’ close their door early tonight.” “Relax, Applebloom,” Sweetie assured her friend, “They’re their own candy factory; they won’t run out even on Nightmare Night.” “We’ll see about that when we keep knockin’ on those doors.” “Speaking of knocking, let’s move on to the next house!” Scootaloo pointed as all three began their journey around Ponyville for more candy. Scootaloo dashed for the next house, leaving Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in the dust. “Thanks fer leavin’ the pregnant girl behind, Scootaloo…again,” Applebloom commented. “It’s ok, Applebloom, I’ve gotten used to it.  Now…how about a taste of those sweets while we catch up?” “Just remember what yer sister said, Sweetie:  Don’t eat too much candy.” “Yeah, yeah, I know, Applebloom.  Hm…” She stuck a hand inside her bag, feeling for one particular piece of candy that she so desperately had been waiting to eat since the fall began. “Those are the Cakes’ candies, Sweetie,” Applebloom explained to her, “If ya want yer favorite candy, it’s probably in any of the other houses.” “Oh.  Right.  Good call.” Appleboom walked ahead as Sweetie knelt down to close her bag.  A loud growl from deep inside the mare caught her attention as she rubbed her stomach in circles. “Geeze, I knew I should have asked for seconds at the dinner table.  But I hate having spinach salad once a week!  And I made a promise, I just need to make through the entire night without stopping and eating all this candy.” A second growl beckoned her, but she shook the feeling off and got back onto her hooves carefully.  She caught up with Applebloom and Scootaloo, who were already waiting for the next house to open. “TRICK-OR-TREAT!” “Why hello there, girls!” Cheerilee greeted, wearing a pirate captain’s outfit, “Happy Nightmare Night!  And how is the mother-to-be?” “Holding up great, Cheerilee,” Sweetie Belle responded, “Can’t wait to get rid of this anvil I’m carrying around, though.” “It’s the best feeling, believe me, when you finally get your mobility back.  Makes you want to run a marathon along with shaving off all that baby fat.  Here, Sweetie Belle, a little extra pieces, on the house.” Cheerilee filled up all their of their buckets, with Sweetie getting a little extra.  The girls thanked their former teacher and turned away to review their collections. “Wow, we didn’t even need to ask,” Scootaloo noticed, “I’d say this is going to be the best Nightmare Night yet!” Sweetie Belle was too busy feeling through her bag of candy, trying to find her favorite treat.  She felt a tube-like shape around her fingers and plucked it out of the bag. “Got it!” she exclaimed as she held a cup of Fun Paste high in her hand, “Oh, I’ve been waiting all year to have this stuff again.” “Just be careful with that stuff, Sweetie Belle,” warned Scootaloo, “The last time you had your Fun Paste fix, you went on a major sugar rush that took hours for you to calm down.” “We were still teens when that happened,” Sweetie argued, “I’ve matured since then, relax.  I won’t go overboard like last time.” Applebloom and Scootaloo looked over at each other.  Despite her statement, they knew she wouldn’t be able to keep that promise for too long. “Well, alright, Sweetie Belle,” said Applebloom, “But if you end up with a poundin’ headache afterwards, don’t blame us. “I won’t.” Scootaloo led the way to the next house as Applebloom and Sweetie Belle marched behind.  The growl returned stronger than ever as Sweetie Belle held her cup of her precious Fun Paste. “Ooooh.....forgive me, Rarity, but I need to get a taste of this.  It’s been too long!” Sweetie Belle ripped open the cup and dipped her finger into the cup of Fun Paste.  She brought the sample up to her mouth and licked her finger, tasting the flavory texture as it intensified her taste buds as it melted down her throat.  Her eyes widened, pupils dilated as she went back in for a second helping.  But her second helping consisted of using all her fingers to obtain her sweet substance and dangle it down into her mouth.  She swallowed it whole as she licked her fingers with anything sticky and sweet on them. “Mm-mm!  Just how I remembered it.  But I should probably space the candy out evenly.” She reached back into the bag and pulled out a handful of different candies.  One by one she grabbed the pieces and plucked them into her mouth. “Just remember what yer sister said, Sweetie:  Don’t eat too much candy.” Her eyes shot open and looked at the two girls in front of her.   Remembering her promise, she quickly trashed the candy wrappers in the nearest bin and closed up her sack again.  She knew they were right and would have to fight off the urges for the rest of the evening or at least until all three of their candy collections were full.