Akhethrian night times were a time of peace for the city. The sun dipped over the horizon, as Ru’un’s influence left the land. With its absence, came the chilly night air, giving those individuals who’d toiled through the grueling daytime heat blessed relief. And none were more so grateful for the cold than the Pharaoh herself. With her natural insulation, chilly desert nights were a sweet relief from the day, in more ways than one.
Mainly, that she finally got some time to herself. Most of that alone time was spent sleeping away the immense dinners she’d consumed in the recent past. But it was a break from the constant attention and contact around every corner. Now, she wasn’t one to shy away from the limelight, but there’s a point where even the awesome Rainbow Dash had to enjoy some time to herself.
And enjoy she did, taking full advantage of the immense, plush mattress that comfortably cradled her equally immense body. On her first night, her figure was miniscule compared to the immensity of the bed frame. But, over two weeks later, there was little space left to cover. There was still some room to her left and right, offering about a foot of area to expand into. Judging by her continual gains, she would eclipse the rest of the mattress in but a few days’ time.
Her belly had continued its descent towards the floor. An immense sack of blue gelatinous flesh, the end of the folded, cellulite dimpled apex resting upon her lower legs like a blanket. So much extra mass was being packed into the blobby mound of lard that her lower, much larger roll had developed a crease down the centre from her belly button, further dividing it into a pair of identical folds that rested heavily upon her calves.
Rainbow’s thighs always seemed to touch, regardless of how much she attempted to splay her legs apart. The limbs themselves were in poor shape, appearing to be little more than cyan stacks of pillowy fat rolls. Her calves and cankles were widened and battened beyond belief, their slabs of blubber squeezing and sliding over one each other with every step she took. Alone, each was wider than an entire person, and weighed just about as much as one too. Their weight was increasingly becoming apparent, becoming a struggle to lift the flab coated limbs even a few centimeters off the ground, further degrading her walk into pathetic waddling with every passing day.
Her hips were the widest part of her body, framing the colossal ass that oozed and squished outwards from the simple act of laying or sitting upon it. Like a small beanbag cushion strapped to her rear end, they struggled to be contained by even the largest of clothing sizes, let alone most chairs and benches she sat upon. So unreasonably massive that she was nearly as wide as she was tall, an utterly foreign concept to Rainbow, but one that was oddly growing more fond of as she grew closer to that goal.
Her breasts had changed little. They just got larger and more pillowy, happily laying heavily upon her thickened torso like a pair of pumpkin sized water balloons, sloshing with every deep breath she took. Often, this simple motion propagated through her entire figure, body in a state of continuous jiggling and wobbling that lasted for minutes on end. Ringing around her back, an overabundance of fat rolls piled up. Like an accordion, they formed sets of deep creases, sandwiching her poor wings between them.
With every day that passed, her wings were consumed that little more, looking almost like a sailor struggling in a stormy ocean. The lower down, the thicker the rolls became, with the lowest love handle as soft and cushiony as the pillow she rested upon. Squishing into her side fat, massive, doughy arms lay. Continuing to widen, those bingo wings were easily bigger than her head, the edges dotted with cellulite as they enveloped any and all musculature. Forearms too had bulked up and out, starting to form an additional roll lower down, encroaching on her fattened hands.
Her collar of neck flab jutted outwards a few centimeters more, resting upon her shoulders, as her jowls and chins rested upon it. Her double chin had increased in prominence, just about to form a third chin. Last, her jowls and cheek fat continued to widen and round her facial features out that bit more. Her body just continued to cram adipose tissue wherever it could find, her body so utterly immersed in so many layers of blubber she could barely move an inch.
A slight exaggeration for now, but it was one which was becoming more and more truthful as the days passed. Getting out of bed was a task that took a good few minutes of panting, shuffling and moaning to just get her knees over the edge, followed by even more time spent hauling herself to her feet. True, she had plenty of helpful servants to help her every step of the way, but the number required was becoming greater and greater by the day.
Thankfully for the adipose ridden Pegasus, the arduous task of getting up was many hours away. With a creak of the bedsprings, she made her final adjustments, more of her gut between her legs. Though she didn’t want to admit it, her new size was becoming more and more of an enjoyable experience. Surrounded by literal feet of pillowy fat, it’d created a comfortable and secure anchor she could relax into, forgetting about being stuck in an entirely different reality.
Letting out a long yawn, her eyes closed. Resting her hands upon the exposed bulk of her gut, she gently massaged the cyan flesh. Her gut was pleasantly stuffed with all manner of meats and desserts, gurgling and glorping away as it broke down thousands of calories, ready to turn it into more layers of heavy, blanketing fat. With little sound but the vocalisations of her own belly, Rainbow quickly fell asleep.
Or she would have, if a sudden loud groan didn’t just ring out, forcing her eyes to groggily opening. Quickly, she realised the groan hadn’t come from her stomach; she found that it was very rare for her own body’s rumblings to wake her. No, this was different, a deeper gritty texture to the noise. Like that of the door being opened. Grunting, she attempted to see if anypony was standing there. A task easier said than done. Her ponderous mounds of breast fat, her neck roll and her immense gut prevented her from getting a good look in front of herself. Craning her neck to the side, Rainbow snatched a peek of the door.
No pony was there. “H… huff… hello? Anypony there?” She weakly called out, attempting to push herself to a sitting position. No reply, the only sound being her own heavy breaths and the sound of the bedsprings creaking from each slight movement. After a minute of waiting, no more sounds came, and she relaxed. Her head falling back to her pillow, her eyes closed once again. “Guess I must be imagining things.”
Suddenly, a weight fell upon her stomach, Rainbow gasped as the impact left her breathless. Her own body blocking her view, she could only feel her assailant through her abundant flesh. They were well muscled, given how hard their arms and legs were and how heavy they felt. In addition, she could tell they were wearing very little overall, a tiny skirt and top. Rocking her head back and forth, she felt her blood run ice cold as she spotted the end of a sword, glinting slightly in the low light.
The assailant adjusted themselves, Scooting their body over Rainbow’s, so that her weight pressed down upon all of Rainbow’s limbs. Given how morbidly obese the pegasus already was, the extra bulk was simply too much for Rainbow to shift. Pinned to her back, she tried her hardest to sit up, “Nnnnrrggghh! Huff… wheeze, come on… pant… you. Show your… gasp… face you… coward!”
“Gladly…” The attacker growled out, malice tainting her voice. Shifting her weight, her legs now straddling the bulk of Rainbow’s wide figure, she craned over the swell of neck and boob flesh. An earth pony. Her hair was rather short, compared to the vast majority of ponies and zebras she saw. Deep red skin, the intensity of the colour almost matched the intense look of anger she exuded. “My, my you look even more pathetic from up close.” She sneered.
“Oh… yeah ya… pant… creep. You… wheeze… don’t look too hot… either.” Rainbow responded feebly , physically unable to move a muscle to do anything. A bubble of shame flowed through Rainbow’s panicked mind. Holding several black belts in multiple martial arts, yet was completely stopped by somepony sitting atop her gut. To add insult to injury, her assailant used a free hand to roughly squeeze Rainbow’s left boob, a moan leaving the cyan mare’s lips.
“Goddesses, you are such a pig… though a cow would be more appropriate with those tits. I can’t believe you’d willingly let yourself become this fat.”
“Hey! Just who the hay are you?” Rainbow shouted, coming out significantly quieter than she’d hoped, her lungs too overtaxed.
“Really? You’ve been here for a fortnight, and you don’t even know the commanders in your own military? Let me guess, too distracted stuffing that ball of fat you call a stomach?” She roughly slapped said gut, Rainbow yelping in surprise as a red handprint was left. “The name is Mnshi. Second Commander Mnshi, soon to be crowned the ruler of Akhethra.”
“W...what do you mean by that?” Rainbow stuttered, Mnshi’s expression growing colder and more predatory by the second.
“Exactly as it sounds like. I will dispose of you and take my place as the ruler of this Queendom.”
“And what gives... you the right to... do that?”
Another slap rang out, Rainbow crying out from the impact, Mnshi’s teeth baring like that of a wild animal. “How dare you talk about rights? How dare you tell me about what is fair and what’s not. Now, it may come as a shock to you, but I’ve lived in these lands far longer than you have, keeping them free from those who dared to attack the people of Akhethra. Many a famine I’ve helped to stave off, many a battle I’ve won to save those who cannot defend themselves.”
“I’ve shed blood, sweat, and tears to keep this Queendom safe. Every day I’ve worked hard to ensure our survival from outside threats. Now, let us compare what you’ve done for blessed Akhethra?” She snorted, giving an immense love handle a squeeze, the blue adipose oozing between her fingers.
A pregnant silence hung uncomfortably in the air, as Rainbow tried to muster a retort. The cogs turned in her mind, attempting to rationalise something through the pumps of adrenaline. “I made it rain the other day!”
A bitter, mocking laugh rose up. “Yeah, of course you did. I guess all that fat in your head makes you deluded. It’s been decades since a rainstorm last happened, it was bound to happen sooner or later.” She paused, her face for a moment looking saddened as she rubbed a hand across the smooth flesh. “Of course, I wouldn’t be doing any of this if you’d remained as the same as the day you arrived.”
“Huh?”
Sighing, she elaborated. “When I first saw you, I saw potential in you. Even if you were not of these lands, you possessed the body of an athlete and a combatant. Finely trained and exercised muscles everywhere. Even if I didn’t get the crown, at least the new Pharaoh would be competent in military matters.” Mnshi squeezed another roll, progressively and aggressively working her way up Rainbow’s side.
“And yet, that vision was buried, just like your gorgeous muscles were buried in all these hundreds of pounds of disgusting lard. I see you every day, stuffing your face full of the fruits of the citizens labour, hand waving issues onto Hetramila and Zanubia. For a while, we’ve been experiencing food shortages. The last thing we need was somepony to gorge herself on it all” Mnshi leaned in, her face uncomfortably close to Rainbow’s. “You are a gluttonous slob of a pony, a gluttonous slob that somehow has everypony wrapped around her pudgy fingers.”
Raising her right arm, the red mare brought her Khopesh high into the air, Rainbow attempting to move again, pathetically waving her limbs around. “I do not understand what the religious sect and your myriad of sycophants sees in such a pathetic drain of resources. Oh well, I’ll just ask later, I suppose. May Annubys and Osryhs take mercy upon your doughy soul.”
Gulping, Rainbow closed her eyes, bracing for the blade's contact. Her life flashed through her mind, her friends and family’s faces causing tears to well up. Not willing to give Mnshi the satisfaction of hearing her plead or beg for her life, she remained still, continuing to comb over her memories.
Combing which was taking a long, long time. Cautiously opening an eye, she could see the commander was still straddling her belly, her sword arm raised. Mnshi’s mouth was wide open, shock and anger burning bright. A beam of orange-yellow light was wrapped around the red pony’s arm. Rainbow could see her physically try to move and swing the weapon, her arm refusing to move even an inch as the muscles tensed and strained. “What on Earth is this! What foul sorcery prevents me from disposing of this unworthy creature.”
“She is more worthy than you will ever be!” A booming feminine voice seemed to ring out from everywhere at once, both ponies stunned as it raced through their mind.
“I, er, what? Who said that?” Mnshi started, following the magic back to its source. The Crown itself was wreathed in sparks of orange electricity, flowing across the crystalline surface, moving towards the cobra ornament. An ornament which looked remarkably more animated than before. The hooded head bobbed and swayed gently, two converging magic beams emanating from its beady eyes.
“I am the one who spoke. Bound to the Crown of Harvest, I am the spirit within who guides the worthy to their destiny. I am the one who judges the mind and matter of not only those who wear the crown, but those who interact with the crown bearer. I am Isiket Ammit, and I see you for what you really are, an unworthy, spineless coward.” Mnshi blinked, her mouth opening and cloning like a fishs’.
Before anypony could respond, the voice echoed again. “You heard me correct, Second Commander, Rainbow is more worthy of her title than you’ll ever be!” The voice bellowed, drawing a wince from the two mares. “Any claim you believe you have for the throne is folly.”
“Is that true? Surely you must jest? Are you telling me that glob of fat is more worthy than somepony versed in our culture, our customs, and someone who has lived in these lands for decades?” Mnshi clawed her confidence back, sneering at the object the best she could manage.
“I already heard your piece before. I admit, you do have some desirable qualities. But those aspects are drowned under the quagmire of aggression, savagery and underhandedness that pollutes your mind. You forget one of the most important aspects of becoming Queen in Akhethra, having an actual likable personality.”
“I do have a…”
“Silence!” She was cut off suddenly, taken aback by the abruptness. “Do you know what your fellow soldiers think of you? What do the ponies and zebras you're supposed to look after like about you? Very little. Most despise you with a passion, or outright fear you. Your bloodlust for more carnage, and the orders you command for them can often leave them sickened.”
“You claim to have saved these lands from invaders? The forces mustered against the Queendom were tiny in proportion to the marepower we can bring to bear, and yet you brought near the entire garrison to deal with them. And when they were retreating and fleeing, did you allow them to collect their wounded? No, you ordered your troops to give no mercy for their injured.” Mnshi snorted, about to open her mouth, before she thought better of it.
“The only reason First Commander Setani has refused to retire for so long is that she fears what you will do with the power. You claim Rainbow is incompetent, without drive or accomplishments to her name? I have seen through her memories, and watched how she had grown, saddling greater responsibility, struggling through monumental tasks, still striving to push herself for greater goals. And through all that, she still stuck by her friends' side, resisting the temptation to leave them, remaining loyal to them.”
“Mnshi, your jealousy is understandable, but your attempt at Regicide proves to me why you lack the aptitude to become Pharaoh. Abusing your power to enter the palace with impunity, incapacitating the door guards because of their respect to the chain of command, attempting to murder the Queen in her sleep. You disgust me, Second Commander. After your actions, you don’t deserve to keep the position of a commander, let alone a soldier.” It paused, the snake seeming to be paused in thought.
“A pony such as yourself doesn't deserve a figure like yours either.”
“What is that supposed to mean, I earned this body througgghhh!” She was suddenly muffled, her jaw locking shut. Soon after, three more beams of light shot forth, latching onto Mnshi’s arm and legs, pulling her spread eagle, floating above Rainbow. A fifth shaft, significantly more opaque than the others, pressed into Mnshi’s middle, the pillar extending to connect to Rainbow’s core. The red mare grunted, attempting to move her paralyzed limbs, to no avail.
Then, a bizarre tingling suddenly danced across her skin, followed by a sudden inward sucking motion. “What are you doing?” She groaned, her teeth gritted as the same force grasped every part of her figure. Looking at her arm, she took a double take, aghast as she watched her thick rippling bicep shrink.
Time seemed to crawl by, her impressive physique becoming skinnier as muscle definition dwindled. From her chiseled core, to her thick sinewy thighs, dozens of pounds of pure power had vanished. Locked in place, Mnshi shook with rage, thin streams of tears running across her cheeks. Then, she was released. Falling the short distance, she impacted upon the great mattress of cyan blubber that composed Rainbow's middle. Raising her head, she took another look at her arm. With only the mildest of definition, they looked like twigs.
“No, this can’t be happening. I worked, trained and struggled for my figure... This isn’t how it's supposed to go. I had everything planned out…” She mumbled, struggling to heft her sword, the heavy cast weapon wobbling unsteadily in her boney hands. Surprisingly, no magic was holding her back from holding it aloft. “No matter, even in this weakened state, I can still do the deed. I’ll just have to earn my physique back later. Say goodbye ‘my’ Pharaoh.” She growled through tears, swinging it down.
Before she could react, her hand was suddenly gripped. This time, by something physical, and very much mobile. Rainbow had reached out with her roll swaddled arm, her flabby fingers grabbing the Khopesh’s handle. Quickly, Rainbow ripped the weapon from Mnshi’s grip, sending the blade spinning across the room, landing with a clatter against the floor. “How did you do that? You were so helpless before, I… No… It didn’t.” She stopped, bile rising in her stomach as it dawned on her what treachery had occurred.
Before she could say anything further, the door burst open, the two occupants squinting as light purged the gloom. “My Pharaoh, are you hurt!” The shout of Hetramila came forth as she dashed into the room. Behind her, a contingent of guards followed on, looks of shock crossing their faces as they caught sight of the intruder.
Still holding Mnshi by her arm, Rainbow practically threw the assassin off her, sending the mare tumbling through the air, landing upon the hard stone floor. Laying there, her clothing sagged and drooped, many sizes too big for her scrawny form as she gazed into the eyes of her subordinates.
“I’m fine, I’m fine. Just pretty shocked.” She paused, sitting up with significantly greater ease. “Wait, how did you know I was in trouble?”
“Oddly enough, a voice suddenly came to me, talking about how you were in great danger. I nabbed all the guards on the way here.” Her expression suddenly morphed from relief to anger, glowering down upon the figure on the floor. “You treasonous worm. There are many, many things I wish to call you right this very moment, but I’ll hold my tongue. Guards, take her away, make sure that she is escorted to a cell. Oh, and as of this second, Mnshi is to be stripped of her rank entirely.”
Smiling, the guards grabbed the prisoner by her hands, hauling her up. “Gladly. We’ll make sure she’s treated well, isn’t that right, girls?” A series of confirmations rang out, the group quickly filing out of the door, Mnshi dragged along with them, tears flowing readily as the babble of insults did from her lips. Soon, the two were left along, Rainbow carefully shuffling herself to the edge of her bed, sitting up by herself.
“By the heavens, I didn’t know you were still that strong.” Hetramila marvelled, padding up to Rainbow’s side.
“Heh, yeah, it’s a bit of a long story, I’ll tell you about it in a short while.” The pegasus quietly laughed, the shock finally wearing off, her emotions all over the place. Glancing over her shoulder, the crown sat in silence, cobra still as it had always been. A low, grumbling rumble abruptly filled the room. “After I have something to eat first.” Sharing a look, the two suddenly burst out laughing, tension dissolving as peace returned to Akhethra once more.