Twilight Sparkle became really, really busy the next day since all the things she wanted to do were skipped over since she spent the day at the Apple’s farm. Because of this, she was unable to do more research and observe Big Macintosh’s behavior. At the end of the day, she sat down to catch up on her reading, but the article she’d read about magic addiction just danced around in her brain, and she couldn’t concentrate as a result. Spike was fast asleep, and Owlicious was out hunting (hopefully none of Fluttershy’s friends.) She didn’t think anypony would mind if she indulged herself. Twilight summoned the book to her room, and started reading.
Magical Maladies and Injuries, Naturally Occurring Magical Disorders. Magic addiction. Magic addiction is a condition where the afflicted pony develops a biological dependency on consuming magic. Some magic addictions can be triggered through exposure to incredible amounts of magic in a short time span. In comparison, Magic Resistance occurs when an individual is exposed to large amounts of residual and background magic, if that magic does not somehow strip away their immune system.
Magic addiction is most common in Earth ponies, as all Unicorns have some magic resistance, and Pegusi, as they use magic as well as physical exertion to fly, develop natural magical immunities over time. Zebra are known to become afflicted, as well, and have many superstitions regarding magic as a result. They have developed natural cures and remedies to address this condition. Since Earth Ponies normally are not exposed to magic throughout their lives, they develop little immunity, and so the shock of magic to their system forces the body to overcompensate.
The lack of magic itself does not cause physical or mental deterioration unto itself, except in a few special situations. Instead, the condition occurs when the body thinks it needs magic in order to function, and without it, the victim’s brain will begin to start believing that it is not meeting all of its body’s needs, and will begin storing energy and nutrients. This can cause obesity and decay of muscle tissue.
“Uh oh…” Twilight muttered.
Should the victim have some kind of source for the magic, eventually, the addiction will become an immunity. However, if the magic is not sufficient, it may end up causing cancerous tumors.
“Oh, no…”
The book went on to list different ways that magic addiction manifested, and different causes, as well. Near as Twilight could tell, Big Macintosh had-might have, she corrected herself-gotten exposed to the Doll’s enchantment. Since Big Macintosh has spent his entire life on his farm without exposure to large amount of magic, save for Discord, his body had no idea how to use the exposure, and overcompensated. Now that he had the doll, he was feeding his body’s addiction. The book recommends simple magical therapy that would leave Big Macintosh with a magical immunity, but that as much information as possible be gathered first.
Since the charm spell had been dispelled, Twilight guessed, the spell’s power had greatly decayed, and Big Macintosh took the doll, still feeling the spell because he’d developed the addiction. Big Macintosh was only one of the first ponies to have been exposed. She wondered who else in town were going to end up displaying symptoms? Oh, this was piling up an otherwise perfectly normal day! Frustrated, she tossed the book onto the ground up, and shoved her head into her pillow. The ‘BAM!’ of the slamming book startled Spike, and he jumped a foot in the air
“I’LL DEFEND YOU RARITY!” he yelped, looked around, then passed out again once realizing nothing was happening.
That night, Twilight dreamed of a tumor-riddled Big Macintosh, barely able to move because of the huge growth he was toting around on his back. Then she imagined the same thing happening to the Mayor and all the other Earth Ponies that had been afflicted with her spell. When she finally awoke, it had not been a restful sleep. She’d been tossing and turning all night, and woke up still tired. Her muscles felt burned and tired, and her eyes longed for additional rest. After breakfast, she opted for a morning nap, and awoke an hour later, with Spike already up and going about his chores, chip and cheerful, having completely forgotten being woken up by the slamming book. Owlicious was asleep in his nest in the tree. She had such good friends and assistants. When she stumbled down the stairs, she handed Spike a gemstone, which he was quite thankful for.
“You’ve been such a good friend, Spike. I really do mean that,” she said, nuzzling him on the cheek.
“Aw, thucks, thankth, Thwilight,” he gloated, his mouth full of gemstone. Twilight vowed to check up on Big Macintosh again today, and packed some essentials she knew she would need, including the book that had the information on the subject. She was familiar with the therapies used to cure Magic Addiction, but they were not easy. She hoped that Big Macintosh would be up for them if he needed them. Then again, she hoped the same of herself. Twilight could just call one of her teachers in Canterlot and find somepony who specialized in that sort of thing, but this was also her mistake, and she wanted to fix it herself. On the other hoof, was that the right thing to do? Wouldn’t it be better to consult somepony who is a professional in this field of study, and let them handle it? But wouldn’t that be intrusive? After all, Twilight Sparkle was a friend! But she was also responsible! How could he trust her to cure him if she caused it in the first place? That was a display of lack of foresight and incompetence as it was! Twilight was a magical professional, though, she was more than qualified for this.
“Twilight, are you going outside, or are you going to just stand there fretting about something?” Spike asked her, and Twilight just about jumped out of her horsehoes.
“Yes! Right! Of course! Outside! To do all those things I have to do today!” Twilight declared, and Spike sighed.
“Twilight, you’re getting yourself worked up again!” he insisted, rubbing her on the shoulder, “Whatever is bothering you, even if it is important and dangerous and difficult…”
That wasn’t helping…
“You can handle it, Twilight. Of that I am as sure that I’m your Number One assistant. Now giddyup and get it done!”
“You’re right, Spike!” Twilight declared rearing up, now confident, “I’m the best! That’s why Princess Celestia taught me! I can do this! I’m ready! I’m!”
She trotted to the kitchen, pulled out a box, and nibbled on a sugarcube.
“In need of a courage pick-me-up,” she admitted when Spike came in to see why she had stopped pepping herself up. She gave Spike a nuzzle.
“Thanks, Spike. I needed that little pep talk more than you know. Now, I’m off!”
Twilight went off to go find her friends, and see what was going on in town. Ponyville seemed pretty quiet overall today, but nothing really out of the ordinary. Twilight spotted Pinkie Pie hop, skip, and jumping along.
“Pinkie!” she called out, trotting over.
“Oh, hi, Twilight! Beautiful day today isn’t it? I was going to go see what Rainbow Dash was doing, and see if she wanted to pull some pranks! Wanna come?”
“Oooohhhh, Pinkie, that is soooo tempting,” Twilight admitted, “But I’m actually very busy today.”
Pinkie rolled her eyes, “You always say that! Come on, whatever you’re doing can’t be that important!”
“Actually, I think it is. You know, you might be able to help me, Pinkie. You know everypony in Ponyville, right?”
“Yep-er-oonie!”
“Well, I need to ask a favor. Has anypony been acting out of the ordinary? You know, for ponies from Ponyville? Anypony that was affected by my spell a few days ago, on my doll?”
“Hmm…yep!”
“Yep?” Twilight’s ears hung low.
“Big Macintosh hasn’t been coming out of his room except to sneak meals, or so Applejack tells me. And Bon Bon’s been smothering Lyra. And the Mayor has been eating a lot of chocolate…More than usual…”
“Oh, great…” Twilight sighed, “Well, if you could spread the word to them, I’d like to take a look, and make sure they’re all right. I think my spell has had some…Unfortunate consequences. But you don’t have to worry about Big Macintosh, I’ve got that covered.”
“Oki doki Loki!” Pinkie Pie chirped.
“And save a prank or two for me to be in on, okay? I’ll try to make it if I can,” she said, “But I can’t promise.”
“I’ll let Rainbow Dash know. I’ve got some you might really like, too!”
“Thank you SO much, Pinkie. You just might have saved everypony a lot of trouble and pain,” Twilight assured her, and trotted off to go find Applejack. Just as Twilight suspected, she was out bucking Apples all by herself, obviously frustrated and tired.
“Hi, Applejack!” Twilight called out.
“Oh! Twahlahght! Thank goodness yer here!” Applejack replied, “Ah really need help with some of these apples. Big Macintosh has been holed up in his room, and won’t come out except to eat or go to the bathroom! The whole upstairs is starting to stank and the work is pilin’ up! I might have to hire a farmhand if he don’t git outta this spell!”
“Well, I think a spell just might be the problem,” Twilight admitted, and she explained her thoughts to Applejack.
“Honestly, I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but the symptoms are all consistent with what I’ve read. I did some comparing to other, similar conditions, but Magic Addiction seems to fit the most. I can’t help but feel that this is my fault…”
“Well, it’s good of you to offer ta help,” Applejack said, “Ah can’t talk fe Big Macintosh, but if you want to have a look at him, be mah guest.”
Twilight looked around the orchard.
“Need help with the apples first?”
“Ya have NO idea.”
After helping Applejack with her duties on the farm, which didn’t take too long, they went to the house and had some juice to relax. Applebloom came home, rushed up to her room, and rushed back downstairs.
“Hah Applejack, Hah Twilight. I’m off to play with Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell,” Applebloom declared, rushing in and out like a rocket.
“We’ve all been tryin’ to stay outta the house since Macintosh has bin like this,” Applejack said, “Granny Smith is out playin’ checkers with her friends. Ah been keepin’ busy on the farm, and Applebloom has been comin’ up with excuses for bein’ out. Ah don’t think it’s doin’ Big Macintosh any favors.”
“Mind coming up with me, then?”
Applejack nodded, and they climbed the stairs. Oh, it was starting to stink…Twilight walked up to Big Macintosh’s room, and knocked on the door.
“Big Macintosh? It’s Twilight Sparkle and Applejack. We want to talk to you.”
“Go away,” they heard.
“Macintosh, we want to help you. You’re ill.”
“Ah’m fahne!”
Twilight looked to Applejack, frowning.
“Big Macintosh, I’m coming in. Please, step away from the door.”
“Ah said go!”
Twilight Sparkle opened the door anyway, and the full blast of the smell hit them both. There was red hair everywhere, and Big Macintosh was missing patches of fur. Big Macintosh obviously hadn’t showered in days, and neither of them wanted to guess what he’d been doing in here. He was cuddling with the doll in the corner.
“Git out!” he snarled.
“Oh, Macintosh, this is all my fault…”
“Ah’m happy!” he announced, “Happy! Happy! Ha-a-a-appe-hee-hee…”
He started to cry.
“What are we gonna do, Twilight?” Applejack asked.
“I…I have an idea,” she said, “I’d like you to follow us if it works. I’m not sure where we’ll go, though…I’ll have to bring him to the library until I can think of somewhere else to bring him. But I can take care of this better from there, is that OK?”
“Anything is better than this, Twahlahght,” Applejack admitted.
“Big Macintosh, I want you to look right at me,” Twilight said. Her horn started to glow, pulsing with magical energy. Big Macintosh became transfixed, and dropped the doll. Twilight backed away, and Big Macintosh followed her as she led him out of the house.
“Oh, you do stink…” she almost gagged, “Forget the library, we’re going to the spa…”