//------------------------------// // Realizations // Story: Rarity Weighs In // by Rose1453 //------------------------------// MLP belongs to Hasbro and to the respective artists.  I own nothing and gain nothing.  Story is purely entertainment aka it is fanfiction and nothing more. The early morning came as it usually does with a yawn and blinking eyes.  There was nothing truly unusual about this morning.  It was early spring with winter wrap up having been concluded just a few weeks prior.  What was unusual was the soon-to-be realization of one generous fashion-inclined unicorn. Rarity awoke to the morning sun rays with a smile thinking to herself “My what a marvelous day.” Things had been going well for the fashionista with sales increasing enough to give her a substantial vacation.  Her winter line of clothing had proven a huge success with ponies from Manehattan to Appleoosa purchasing the items in bulk. “What a perfect opportunity to do some research and spend some time with friends” Rarity said with a contemplating look upon her face. She made her way to the kitchen fixing some eggs and toast while reading the morning paper with her usual coffee.  Princess Luna was attempting a tax reform, Princess Celestia was busy with making rounds abroad in Saddle Arabia, and new legislation was put forward to add increased spending for hospitals in major cities.  “Just the usual it seems” Rarity said with a tired yawn. Making her way to bathroom she enjoyed the quiet of her boutique.  She truly loved Sweetie Bell, but all the same it was nice to have some peace and quiet while their parents were back in town for the foreseeable future.   “Of all the best possible days…..THIS….IS…THE…BEST…POSSIBLE….DAY!!!” Rarity cried with a smile so wide one might have wondered if Pinkie Pies habits were rubbing off.  As she made her way to the bathroom to prepare for the day she saw the weighing scale.  Looking at it with a glare that could have shattered stone.  She would not look at her weight.  She was perfectly fine she told herself.  Her figure was just fine. Looking into the mirror she thought “Well maybe it couldn’t hurt just to look a bit….but only after a shower” she said with a gulp of fear. Stepping into the shower she relished the warm water and the soft fragrance of her shampoos and body wash.  Cleanliness was next to Celestia after all. Stepping out of the shower her eyes fell to the scale.  She sighed thinking “Might as well.  After all what harm could it do?” Stepping on the scale she mentally prepared herself “It can’t be that bad.  I’m in very fine shape after all” she said out loud. As the scale round its way around finding her weight Rarity looked down.  Her eyes blinked and she stepped off the scale and back on it to check again with the same result.  She looked down and looked into the mirror and back to the scale.  The scale read a weight gain of forty five pounds.  Rarity turned pink with rage. “OF ALL THE WORST POSSIBLE THINGS THIS IS THE WORST POSSIBLE THING EVER!!!!!”  She roared. “What on earth am I going to do!?  I can’t be this heavy….I JUST CAN’T WEIGH THAT MUCH!!!”  She shouted in righteous indignation that such a travesty was even possible. “What was she going to do!?”  She thought to herself.  Her entire line of work depended not just on the quality of the clothes she made, but on the actual image of physical beauty she presented.  All her business partners expected….no…. demanded perfection. Then a lightbulb went off. If she was this much heavier why hadn’t her friends noticed?  Why hadn’t they said anything?!!! Growling in anger she applied her makeup and did her mane grinding her teeth.  She was going to get answers and find a solution for this…this momentary setback.  Rarity brushed and flossed her teeth and made her way downstairs making the entire boutique shake as if the world was about to divide asunder. Rarity determined to make her way to the Golden Oaks Library.  If she had one friend who would notice physical changes it would be Twilight.  The young mare was known for her attention to even the smallest of details.  In addition, Twilight would have a way to fix….this thing that happened.  Being the Princess’s private student she had to know a cure…..SHE JUST HAD TOO!!! At that same time, Twilight was making her way through History of Equestria again for a bit of light reading having gotten up earlier several hours earlier.  Spike was still lying in his basket sleeping Twilight wanting him to have a bit more sleep than usual.  Suddenly she heard a loud thrashing and birds flying off into the distance. “Twilight!!!” Rarity shouted as she opened the door. Twilight gulped in fear secretly wondering what she had done to earn Rarity’s ire. “Ummm hi, Rarity.  What brings you by this early?” asked Twilight. “Oh well you see dear I just had a few quick questions for you that I hoped you might be able to answer,” Rarity said while her left eye twitched and her ears flopped. “I think I can Rarity, but why are you so angry?” asked Twilight. “WHY!??” shouted Rarity.  “Yes, Rarity why?” Twilight said. Rarity’s left and right eyebrows begin twitching and her ears continued to flop in anger.  Twilight secretly wondered if her dear friend had completed one too many work nights without sleep and finally lost her sanity. “Well Twilight I’ll answer your question with one of my own” she said. “Have you or have you not been a tad bit quiet about something regarding me?” Rarity asked. Twilight thought to herself for a moment and her eyes shrank realizing what this must be about. “Rarity is this about the recent weight you’ve been gaining?” she asked. “YES!!!!” Rarity shouted shaking the aged library and awakening Spike who came running down the stairs in alarm. Twilight sighed knowing this was going to take some time and she might very well need some pain medication on account of the headache she was sure to have. “Spike you can go back to bed,” Twilight said. Rarity having realized that Spike was up and about changed instantly.   “Oh yes, Spike darling….please do be a dear and rest.  I’m terribly sorry for having woken you up”, she said. “What’s this about?” Spike asked.   “Does this have to do with your wei….gulp” Spike began to ask before Twilight shoved a sock into his mouth. “Spike”, she whispered into his ear, “Rarity is very, very sensitive about her weight and we wouldn’t want to make her mad.  Tartarus has no fury like a mare scorned after all”, Twilight said. Spike again gulped taking the sock out of his mouth “Oh uh…yeah sure.  I’ll talk to you later Rarity”.  Rarity only smiled waving her hoof goodbye to her dear Spikey Wikey knowing full well the conversation that just took place, but patient enough to wait for the young dragon to leave. “Come on Rarity let's go to the kitchen”, Twilight sighed.  As the two friends made their way to the kitchen Twilight made some tea and lit a lavender candle trying to bring about a sense of calm as they both sat down to talk about the Rarity’s recent discovery. “Twilight why didn’t you say anything?” she asked.  Twilight took a deep breath and sipped her tea before she began. “Rarity I didn’t say anything because….well….I knew you might react badly to being told you had put on some weight and the other girls didn’t say anything for the same reason.  We didn’t want to hurt your feelings or worry you.  We also figured you might react the way you're reacting now.  We just wanted to be kind and not create a problem for you or anypony else” Twilight said. “But Twilight I’ve put on 45 pounds!!!” She exclaimed. Smash!!!  Twilight's cup slipped from her magic as her concentration was broken. “Forty-five pounds!?”, Twilight asked. “Yes” stated Rarity flatly. “I thought maybe ten or fifteen pounds….not forty five.  Rarity what have you been eating?” Twilight asked. Rarity blushed suddenly remembering she had been attending one too many of Pinkie Pies's parties and being far too generous when it came to her appetite.  Combined with the late-night work she had done during the winter things were in fact starting to make more sense to her. “Well, I might have had a tad too much of Pinkie cakes and sweets” Rarity admitted to her friend. Twilight facehoofed and thought to herself.  Somehow one of her best friends had gotten so caught up in her work she had neglected her health and proceeded to gain forty five pounds in the period of a few months.  She thought about lecturing Rarity but suddenly remembered one too many late-night study sessions she herself had had in the past. “Rarity I’m sorry.  We should have told you.  Everypony just wanted to give you some space.  We knew you were having to do a lot more work and didn’t want to add any more stress to you”, Twilight admitted. “But Twilight forty five pounds!!!” Rarity exclaimed tears starting to flow down her fur. Twilight rushed into her friend holding her in a hug while Rarity proceeded to bawl like a little filly about the whole ordeal.  Twilight just rocking her and letting her cry it out. Once Rarity had calmed down a bit Twilight let her go and asked “Feeling better?” Rarity sniffed and said, “Not really no, but all the same thank you”. “No problem,” Twilight said having been given comfort herself when she had had a few emotional breakdowns. “Now though you can help me get rid of this,” said Rarity with hope in her eyes. Twilight's eyebrows rose in alarm not knowing how to tell her friend that there was no quick fix to her friend’s ordeal. “Umm Rarity I can’t do anything for you,” Twilight said looking down at the floor in shame. “What!?  But…but…but you're Princess Celestia’s private student!!!” Rarity screamed. Twilight frowned saying “Spike” pointing a hoof up to the ceiling.  “Oops, sorry” Rarity apologized. Twilight sighed again wondering how to best explain this to her friend. “Rarity magic can’t solve everything.  I could in fact make the weight go away, but only for a little bit.  The weight would just come right back on within a few minutes of the spell wearing off.  I’m afraid the only way you're going to be able to get your weight down is the old-fashioned way” Said Twilight. “But Twilight that means dieting and exercise!!!!” Cried Rarity “Yes I suppose it does, but it will be good for you and me and the girls will be there to help you every step of the way,” Twilight said in an effort to comfort her friend. “That’s not fair though!!!  Pinkie Pie eats mountains of sweets.  Why doesn’t she gain weight?” Rarity asked. Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared out from underneath Rarity’s chair giving Rarity a hug explaining “Because I’m throwing parties all the time silly filly” and disappeared. Rarity’s mouth gaped open even though she had seen Pinkie do many strange and unexplainable things before.  Twilight just smiled knowing it was futile and already being willing to explain that Pinkie Pies's own metabolism was probably just part of the Pinkie being Pinkie explanation. Getting over the shock Twilight again addressed her friend saying “Rarity I know this isn’t what you wanted to hear, but you can lose the weight and keep it off”. “How Twilight?  How am I supposed to do that?  There are no gyms anywhere near here and no ponies I would trust to help me with it even if there were and I’m not counting that white pony that always shouts "YEAH" at the top of his lungs….he’s just crazy” Rarity said. “Rarity I’m sure there is somepony that would be willing to help you,” Twilight said in a comforting manner. “But Twilight even if there were its exercise…..I hate sweating profusely...it makes me feel so…soooo….sweaty!!!!” Rarity cried out. Twilight just rolled her eyes smiling knowing her friends tendency to blow a solution or problem way of proportion.  Twilight herself didn’t know what that was like since she never took anything out of proportion right????  And even if she did somepony would have helped her stop like Princess Celestia right??? Somewhere in Saddle Arabia a white alicorn with a majestic cosmic flowing mane sneezed. Twilight was about to open her mouth to say something when a knock came to the door.  Frowning Twilight made her way to the door allowing Rarity to go on babbling about the sheer horror of the effort required in exercising.  Answering the door Twilight came face to face with Applejack. They looked at one another for a moment before Twilight tried to speak only to be cut off by Applejack. “Let me guess Rarity came here after she found out about her weight?” asked Applejack with her usual and endearing accent. “Yes, but how did you know?” asked Twilight.  “Folks in town saw Rarity and heard shouting and I put two and two together on my own” admitted Applejack. “Well you may as well come inside,” Said Twilight. Both mares made their way to the kitchen where Rarity was still lost in her overly dramatic speech.  Applejack raised an eyebrow, but shrugged remembering who it was doing the talking. “Howdy Rares” Applejack greeted. “Oh Applejack something horrible…no dreadful…..no absolutely The worst possible thing has happened!!!” Rarity exclaimed. “Let me guess you found out about your weight gain” asked Applejack. Rarity’s lips quivered and began to cry waterworks worthy of any Pegasus generated rainstorm. Applejack just smiled and gave her friend a hug suddenly realizing just how much this had really hurt her friend. “Shucks sugarcube ain’t no big deal.  Why I bet you can get that weight off easy as an apple falling from a tree and worse comes to worse we’ll all still love you and help you”, Applejack said comfortingly.  Rarity looked up and smiled grateful for such good friends, but still a little peeved nopony had said anything. “Applejack that involves exercise and sweating and…I HATE SWEATING!!!” Rarity cried out. Applejack just laughed inside thinking about all the times she had actually seen Rarity doing something physically demanding. “Well sugarcube I reckon it does, but you can probably do it,” said Applejack. Twilight cut in saying “Applejack is right Rarity.  You’ve done plenty of other hard things with all of us.  Plus don’t you have a substantial amount of time off for the next little while?” asked Twilight. Rarity groaned realizing the downtime she had been hoping now meant physical exertion in addition to researching and thinking up a new line of stylish clothing….not to mention dieting….ughhhhhh. “Twilight that may be true, but where am I going to find somepony to help me with this?  Not to mention I was hoping to spend more time with you and the rest of the girls” said Rarity. Twilight furrowed her brow thinking on the problem.  She might have suggested Rainbow Dash, but she was sure everypony, including Rainbow Dash, would agree that might not be a good fit overall.  Rainbow tended to be brash and upfront and in a situation like this that might not be the best option. “Well shucks sugarcube I’d be mighty pleased to give you a helping hoof,” said Applejack having had similar thoughts to Twilights. Rarity looked at her earth pony friend.  Applejack was not a bulking monster of muscle, but was also certainly not a frail thing years of farm work having created a solid and well balanced body for the mare. “Applejack I’m certainly grateful for the offer, but I…well I…” Rarity tried to say. “Rares you do realize I went to college and got a minor in exercise-related topics right?” asked Applejack. Twilight and Rarity’s eyebrows went up with their mouths hanging open never having been privy to such details.   Applejack just sighed. “You both honestly thought I was just some honest and uneducated country farm hick didn’t you?”  asked Applejack. “Umm, Applejack if you went to college what was your major and why did you minor in exercise-related topics,” asked Twilight. “Earned my degree in Agriculture and I thought it might be useful to know a thing or two about exercise so I could stay in shape during the winter that way come spring I wouldn’t have to worry none bout being out of shape” Applejack explained. Twilight and Rarity both thought on the explanation and it did make sense.  Applejack had proven a surprising mare on more than one occasion. Rarity broken out of her shock by the explanation asked “Well that’s wonderful Applejack, but all the same I abhor exercise.  I don’t want to look like some green she-mare from the comics.” Applejack smiled and then broke out laughing as did Twilight both remembering that particular heroine. “Rarity I guarantee I can help you and you won’t have to use no barbell or regular weights,” said Applejack. “How will you do that?” asked Twilight. “Simple farm work with some other regular pony body only exercises to even things out,” said Applejack. Rarity’s heart grew fearful.  She was a lady, not a farmhand.  Farmwork might very well kill the fashionista.  She made a mad dash for the door the weight problem suddenly forgotten.  Twilight sighed and grabbed her friend in her magic her body shaking all about trying in vain to free herself. “Rarity Applejack wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you.  Right, Applejack?” asked Twilight. Applejack smiled a bit mischievously at the temptation to get back at Rarity for some past practical jokes and verbal jousting the two occasionally got into but thought better of it. “Shucks Twi I’m the element of honesty.  I wouldn’t let no trouble happen to her” admitted Applejack. Rarity having calmed down a bit debated while Twilight set her down on the floor again.  On the one hand she hated exercise, but doing a routine like what Applejack had described would help her gain a better appreciation for what her friend did on a daily basis more readily.  Looking at her friends well balanced and natural-looking and solid physique she also saw some potential benefits as well.  Not being an earth pony it was certainly unlikely, to her, that she would develop anywhere near as much muscle as Applejack.  She imagined herself at her old weight, but with a few extra pounds of muscle where it counted not enough to make her a she-mare, but certainly enough to enhance her figure. “All right Applejack I’ll let you help me.” Rarity sighed. “Shucks Rarity thanks.  I promise you’ll get through it.” said Applejack. “And I’ll be sure to make sure Pinky makes less Pinky Pie-style snacks for you.” said Twilight all the while smiling at the deep friendship the three shared. “Now out of curiosity though Rarity just how much weight have you put on so I can know how hard to push ya?” asked Applejack. Twilight hid her face in her hooves suddenly remembering the amount of weight her friend had gained. “Ummm well you see…..it’s around….about…. forty-five pounds” Rarity whispered nearly like Fluttershy. “Begging your pardon Rarity, but I don’t reckon I heard you right could you repeat that?” asked Applejack blinking a bit. Twilight sighed saying “Forty-five pounds Applejack.  She’s gained forty-five pounds.” Applejack blinked and looked at her friends and blinked some more. “What in tarnation!???” Exclaimed Applejack. “Eh he he” laughed Rarity nervously. Twilight blinked a bit and thought to herself realizing she and her friends had probably just taken one of the most unusual adventures together. That’s all for chapter one.  As for grammatical errors this is my first story so please be gentle as I’m a sensitive person ☹.