• Published 4th Dec 2018
  • 8,553 Views, 161 Comments

Love Sickness - XenoPony



Dragons are not hot! Or at least Twilight keeps telling herself.

  • ...
28
 161
 8,553

Chapter Two: New Kind of Makeover

"Urg... If this is still a dream, Luna, please stop foaling about and wake me up," Twilight groaned as she sat under the warm flow of her shower.

Her morning had equated to waking up, feeling ill, dragging herself to the bathroom and collapsing under the blissfully hot deluge while trying not to think about throwing up. She slumped with her back against the smooth crystal wall, a hoof pressed on her grumbling belly. Having an uncontrollable crush on her best friend all of a sudden was one thing, now it felt like her insides were dancing around to rearrange themselves. Not only that, but her whole body tingled, and every step she took felt like she was walking on small pins. She let out a snort, dripping water and steam flitting from her muzzle as she slumped against the wall.

"Wake up, Twilight. Wake up!" If this had been a dream then the amount of effort she put into slapping her face would probably have been enough to make her shudder in the waking world, never mind actually free her from Luna's domain.

After only one major impact, however, her hoof slid down her cheek and she uttered another long, irritated groan. It's too early for this... Too early in my life, does my body seriously expect me to settle down now, for Celestia's sake?!

A tingling in her tail begged to differ. Twilight wriggled the itch away before one sharp cramp in her gut forced her to lurch forward, clutching her stomach. She gritted her teeth, wincing as a subtle burning welled up deep inside her. It was almost like fire. Funny, the more she'd been thinking about dragons the more fire had been appealing. Flames licking purple scales, the shimmer of that perfect, lean draconic form in the midst of a firestorm. Before she knew it, Twilight was almost drooling.

No, down, Twilight, down! The little princess in her head barked, slapping her wandering thoughts back to attention.

"No mother, I wasn't thinking about the colts next door again!" she blurted out instinctively, yet the only answer she received was the roar of the shower water crashing down around her.

Hahaha, did you seriously just say that, Twilight? Bet you wish the only thing you were into right now was the colts that used to live next door, hm? Her mental avatar snickered, and once again her blushing face was back in her forehooves.

"What type of curse is this? I thought steam was supposed to help a mare relax!" she cursed, waving a hoof at the shower head above her as if it were the thing responsible for all of her current issues.

When the neat protrusion of gold and crystal failed to produce anything other than more steaming hot water, Twilight finally admitted defeat. Sparking up her magic, she telekinetically turned off the faucet, shook herself, and stepped out of the shower in a plume of steam.

Steamy... Hmmm, there are some places I know I'd like to get steamy... She hit herself in the face. Seriously, who's in control of my brain anymore!

She levitated over a towel, hoping the effort to get dry would at least present a temporary distraction. Telekinetically rubbing the thing over her neck, under her barrel, and between her legs, she swiftly turned her mess of wet fur into a fluffy lavender plumage. She frowned to see a clump of hair and feathers caught in the damp towel, yet quickly tossed it aside. That was when the itching came back.

"You have got to be kidding me!" she cried as she frantically scratched her neck and chest. "I thought this had stopped!" she went on, hoping that the intense itching she'd awoken with this morning would have been chased away by the shower.

For some reason, she could not shake the image of Luna's wry smile from her mind as she shook herself like a wet dog and tried to resist scratching as best she could. Her skin burned, each shift of her aching muscles seeming to spark a new fit of itching. Finally, she gritted her teeth, trembling as what felt like a swarm of biting insects crawled under her fur.

"Okay, that is it!" she declared, unable to resist scratching the intense irritation any longer. A fumbling mess of scraping hooves and ruffled wings, the alicorn dragged herself over to a medicine cabinet beside the sink and flung it open.

"This has to be wing rash or something. Rainbow Dash did warn me about it sooo..." she mumbled to herself as she fished in the cabinet. "Here we are, finally!" she declared as she dragged out a dusty bottle.

'Flying Feathers All Feather Ailments, Fantastic Feather Treatment!' boasted the bold title on the front of the pale blue bottle. 'Wonderbolt Approved!' declared a second set of words sitting above the sunbeam lit image of a rearing Rainbow Dash adorned by a tight Wonderbolt uniform.

Ha, no wonder Applejack had an issue with her wearing that... look at how tight it is. The pony in her head whistled, then frowned. Seriously, nothing? Not even a single thought that your friend's attractive? I mean look at how tight it is on her butt, you really are not right in the head!

Without ever considering the words in her head, Twilight opened the bottle and squirted almost the whole thing across her back. The soapy, cyan substance dribbled down her flanks, and levitating over a sponge, she let out a breath of relief as she rubbed the stuff into her coat and across her wings.

"Yeah, that's the spot," she gasped, tongue lulling from her mouth as the cooling cream soothed her hot irritation.

She didn't stop until her coat was a messy mix of lavender and soapy cyan swirls. Looking at herself in the mirror it was pretty clear she was still a mess. But at least now she only had to worry about her frazzled mane and aching stomach. The former fell in front of her eyes and face, and blowing some aside with a huff, she levitated over her toothbrush.

Okay, today's steps now that things are getting back on track. Number one, no thinking about dragons or looking at their butts. Step two, go to Rarity and get...

"Ouch!" Before she knew it a sharp pain blossomed in her mouth and she spat her toothbrush at the mirror like a crimson dart.

Lifting a hoof to her teeth she pressed inward to see a large, bloody cut in her tongue. "Can't I even brush my teeth properly anymore!" Twilight asked, jabbing a hoof at her wounded mouth.

Wait, is it just me or does it look a little longer? The pony in her head wondered as she poked at the crimson lump on her tongue.

Letting out a growl she threw back her head, retracting her tongue and glaring at herself in the mirror. Her eyes trembled, shimmering. Then they were almost forced to go crossed as she peered at something on the ridge of her muzzle. Between her eyes was a thin, purple band of dark, puffy fur. At least it looked like fur at first glance. One poke later, and it was revealed that the skin of the band was hard, the fur growing from it rugged as the bristles of her toothbrush.

"What in Equestria?" the perplexed princess mumbled as she rubbed the bridge of her muzzle, pouting. "Please, a blemish is the last thing I need right now!" she grumbled.

Seconds later, however, and her ears stood tall, twinkling eyes wide as ideas flashed through her mind. The look of pure, malicious determination her reflection displayed as she flared her horn would have surely scared her on a normal day. But right now she was ready to do just about anything to show her traitorous body who was boss.

"I knew that anti-acne spell Spike made me get for him would come in handy one day," she boasted, rubbing her forehooves together eagerly as her horn grew brighter. "Let's see how you like this!"

There was a flash, and the second the light faded Twilight's face became a perfect example of what a well kept, blemish-free princess's face should be. It was a complexion to make even Rarity proud, and Twilight leaned back, hooves crossed as she nodded smugly.

"And that's how it's done. I was right, I have this all under..." The band of darker purple faded back into existence and Twilight's mouth fell open, forehooves hitting the sink. "Are you serious!"

There was another flash and another perfect face. Then the mark appeared again, and again, and again. Twilight's head finally hit the sink-rim ten attempts later, her horn blackened and smoking as she panted.

"This is ridiculous, that last one was a transfiguration spell for Celestia's sake!" As if in protest, her belly gave a groan and one cramp later she was clutching her gut. That bubbling fire in her was building, wriggling its way through her chest until finally, it escaped.

Twilight slammed both forehooves to her muzzle as she belched. Eyes wide she looked at herself in the mirror, the pony staring back even more frazzled than when she'd started.

This is getting absolutely ridiculous! She declared, but the little pony in her head just shrugged. You know, maybe you should have asked Luna for help?

Twilight swallowed, setting her hooves down. Was it just her or did her throat feel hot? Her stomach certainly did, and at that, she reminded herself not to eat so many hay fries for supper ever again as she had done the previous evening. She rubbed the ridge of her muzzle, each pass of her hoof over the ridged mark sparking more concern until she was trembling again.

"It's okay, Twilight. It's just an illness, it has to be? Maybe this is what feather flu is like? Rainbow warned you about that too, remember?" she told her nervous reflection. Finally, she straightened herself off, one forehoof pressed onto the sink-top. "All you have to do is get through today, then spend the rest of the week working this out. It will be a piece of quartz... I­–I, I mean cake."

Her reflection blushed as she stumbled over her words, then she finally looked over to one of the bathroom drawers. "Now, I just need another way to cover this up?" she murmured to herself, rubbing her chin, until finally, an idea hit her.

********

"My goodness, Twilight, dear, might I say you are looking positively ravishing today! That makeup really adds to your complexion," Rarity admired skeptically as she and Twilight trotted into the dressing room of Carousel Boutique.

"Thanks, Rarity. I sure was glad for that pampering kit you gave me when..." Twilight stopped herself, biting her lip. "When..." She tapped the floor with a hoof.

Glancing over her shoulder, Rarity gave her friend an odd look. "When you heard about the party tonight, I'm sure?" she asked, and Twilight nodded rapidly.

"Yeah, of course, that's the only reason," the alicorn confirmed, forcing a wide smile.

"Well, you are certainly most welcome, Twilight. Usually, when attending a party planned by Pinkie I'd forgo such extremes, however. You do look like you've used a little too much blush, my dear," Rarity finally admitted, the pale, pasty substance covering most of Twilight's face, not to mention the excessive amounts of purple eyeliner and lipstick, a little jarring.

Too much? Well, sorry you don't have to cover up a second puberty over here, Rarity! the tiny princess in Twilight's head huffed, meanwhile she outwardly maintained her awkward smile.

"My goodness, maybe we can give each other makeover lessons!" Rarity beamed, darting over and positioning her hooves as if to somehow measure Twilight's facial proportions. "Of course, I have a great amount of experience in the field already. Not that there's nothing I can't learn."

Twilights smile faltered as she nudged her friend away with a forehoof. "That sounds great, Rarity, maybe some other time. Right now I just need something to wear, then I really have to get back to the castle."

To say that any story she manufactured to cover up her predicament would be believed, would be a huge overstatement. Her friends knew her too well, and Rarity was no exception. But as the tingling itch threatened to creep back over her body, outside her home was the last place she wanted to be.

Damn, you're going to have to use everything left in that bottle of feather lotion to get through the night at this rate. Her mind noted as she reflexively moved a forehoof to scratch her mane.

If Rarity had any doubt regarding her friend's intentions, she did not show them. Instead, the alabaster unicorn merely nodded.

"Of course, Twilight. You know sometimes I forget how busy the rest of you girls are these days. Still, I must insist we meet up for lunch sometime soon. I'd love for you to meet my new coltfriend," Rarity hummed as she trotted away.

"Sure, Rarity, just let me know and I'll make time. I'm sure it'll be great to meet him too." The little alicorn in Twilight's head added the word 'again' rolling her eyes. She thwacked a hoof against her head at that.

"Yes, well I really should thank Rainbow Dash for introducing us properly. You know her and Soarin never really got on when they were together and she's been so good about all this, you know?" Rarity went on as she walked.

Twilight followed, the urge to scratch growing. Her only relief came when she passed by the corner of a dressing stand, hard enough to scratch her side on. All the while her mind could not work out why she didn't even find Rarity's hips swaying just ahead of her even a little attractive.

"Wait, you are dating a Wonderbolt and didn't tell us? How long has this been a thing?" Twilight asked, trying to scratch a particularly irritating spot on her flank against the wall without the fashionista noticing.

Rarity paused, turning, and Twilight's butt hit the floor in a flash. Heat was flowing over her coat as the tingling grew, and the itch on her haunches ushered a set of awkward twitches from the lavender mare.

Rarity seemed none the wiser as she went on. "Well, we've been trying to keep it under wraps for now, he is a celebrity after all. I can't imagine how ponies would react to the thought of the team captain's ex-coltfriend dating one of her closest friends."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Twilight retorted, unable to resist scratching her neck while failing to notice the small cloud of purple fur that was tossed into the air.

Rarity cocked her head. "Twilight, dear, are you feeling alright? You look a little..." Rarity tapped her chin. "Agitated?"

"Nope, perfectly fine. Everything's fine with me!" Twilight chirped immediately, hoof shooting back to the floor as she sat up straight and rigid.

"I see, and the itching? Do forgive me for saying, but you seem to be shedding more fur then Opal?" Rarity pressed, waving a hoof at the small trail of lavender fur following Twilight.

The princess looked over her shoulder, eyes following the trail to where it vanished under her agitated butt and tucked her tail in between her hooves. Come on Twilight, think... You can't tell her that you're sick... Think!

"It's... It's, it must be the makeup, I don't think it agrees with me!" she improvised suddenly, rubbing her tail and causing more purple strands to peel away.

Rarity's concerned expression turned to one of surprise in an instant, and she pressed a hoof to her chest with a gasp. "My goodness, Twilight, I'm so sorry. I had no idea your skin was so sensitive, if I had known I'd never have..."

"It's okay Rarity. I'm sure this is the worst of it," Twilight cut her friend off, waving a forehoof dismissively.

Rarity stomped. "No, I will not have this. I need to make this up to you, Twilight," the unicorn insisted before darting over to one of her drawers. "Now, if you could just get up on the pedestal I'll have you the best dress in Equestria in no time."

Practically dragging herself along, Twilight crawled onto the pedestal. You know dragging doesn't sound so bad, scratching your whole body at once? The idea was almost soothing as Twilight did her best to stay still.

Her tingling hooves tried their utmost to do otherwise until she was prancing on the spot like some kind of excited fan-filly. She bit her bottom lip, yet then the irritation only grew, so her butt once again hit the floor. One grumbled in her gut, followed by a sharp cramp, and she was ready to forget the dress and run for the door. Rarity peeked up from the drawer, a chest of sapphires in her magical grip as she trotted over.

"I think blue will do quite nicely this time. I was saving these sapphires for a special occasion and I think this fits quite nicely." Twilight's eyes followed the box of gems as Rarity set them down across a desktop from her. Is it just me or are they glowing? And what's that sweet peppermint smell?

"Really, Rarity, you don't have to do that for me..." Rarity silenced Twilight with a 'tsk'.

"Quite the opposite, Twilight. I'm willing to provide only the best for you. Besides, I imagine this party could use as many spectacularly dressed ponies as it can get," Rarity insisted, then turned to another drawer. "Now, I'm sure I had your measurements around here," she added, seemingly more to herself then anypony else as she retrieved a tape measure.

Rarity sat down before the pedestal, forming a makeshift window with her forehooves as she levitated the measure around Twilight. The alicorn closed her eyes, teeth grinding as the sensation sent her irritation into overdrive. Tears peeked their way from the corner of her eye as Rarity hummed, and that urge to break out into a fit of itching became as hot as the bubbling feeling in her stomach.

"Humm, That is odd? You look a little sharper than usual, Twilight, and..." Rarity observed and unable to resist any longer Twilight gasped.

"What! What is it?" she demanded, eyes darting to the perplexed fashion pony.

"Well, it looks like you've grown? I had to adjust all your sizes like this when you became a princess, but it seems to be happening again, how odd?" Rarity mused, rubbing her chin.

Twilight swallowed, trembling as she fought to keep that heat in her stomach down in her gut where it belonged. "Oh don't worry, just an alicorn thing, I'm sure," she offered, waving the issue away with a forehoof as she chuckled. "Too much magic equates to extra muscle mass."

So you're calling yourself fat? Well, maybe it really is time to cut down on the hay fries? The pony in her head rubbed her chin as she wondered.

For a second it seemed that Rarity appeared to have come to the same conclusion, yet she failed to say anything about it. "Well, it's going to be a struggle every time you decide to grow, but I can manage. Just need a few adjustments," Rarity mumbled to herself.

"Yeah, I know awkward alicorn stuff. Who knows, one day I may be as tall as Celestia?" Twilight laughed, prancing on the spot again as the swarm of imaginary bugs returned to bite at her skin.

"Ooo, the things I'd be able to make for a body like that," Rarity pondered, then smiled at Twilight. "Okay, you just wait right there, I'll make some corrections and be back with new measurements in just a minute." The unicorn practically sang as she trotted out.

The moment her friend was gone Twilight scratched so much the cloud of purple fur levitating around her became a hazy screen. She fell to the floor, butt up in the air as her mane fell over her eyes. Finally, that hot bubbling in her gut escaped and she covered her mouth with a forehoof once again. Glancing to the door in case a horrified Rarity had heard her rude outburst, the alicorn shivered. When the mare failed to return and scream how unladylike it was to belch uncontrollably, Twilight sighed. She rubbed her front against the pedestal, before falling down to the side and scraping up and down. There was an odd meow and Twilight stiffened, looking sharply at Opal sat on the desktop next to her.

"What? You don't understand how irritating this is," the alicorn grumbled, scratching her forehooves rapidly as she grimaced.

You're talking to a cat, Twilight. Not to mention behaving like one. Her mind noted as Opal let out another bored meow and wandered off after Rarity.

Ignoring her thoughts, the princess kept scratching, at least until her eyes wandered to something sitting in the shadow of Rarity's desk. The small, unremarkable wooden bucket contained a pool of mangy water and damp clothes. At the sight of liquid, however, Twilight darted over, magically lifted up the bucket and dumped the stuff over herself. She didn't care for the muck, grime or even the unmistakable sensation of Applejack's dirty farm duds slapping across her muzzle as she sighed in relief. The cool water washed away the heated irritation, not to mention causing slow cascades of lavender and purple make up to flow down her face. Twilight couldn't care less. She was free, free from her stupid body's attempts to drive her crazy.

And here I thought you couldn't look any more of a mess, her mental avatar commented as she slumped her head on the floor, the cool, goopy mass of waterlogged makeup and dirt like a refreshing mask over her face.

"See, nothing to worry about. All under control," Twilight assured herself, seconds before another sensation hit her. "By Celestia, what's that smell?"

Twilight looked up, expression gleaming in the brilliant blue glow of the sapphires Rarity had left, her nostrils twitching as the blissful smell hit her nose. It was like nothing she'd ever experienced before, putting even the succulent scent of the royal kitchens back in Canterlot to shame. Her stomach growled, hot feelings mixing with that of hunger as she licked her lips. As if willed by some unseen force her hooves betrayed her and began to edge her across the floor. In an effort to stop her starved advance she planted her plot down, yet nothing could stop her as she reached the opposite end of the table and crept up.

Twilight, what are you doing, you're dragging your butt across the floor like a dog! Get a grip, they're just gems... Delicious, tasty gems! One forehoof reached out for the gems, and the other shot out to hold it back.

That level of restraint lasted all of ten seconds before both forehooves were reaching for the gemstones like hungry timberwolves. What in Equestria? These are my legs and they'll do what I say!

Face scrunching, she forced both forelegs under the table and leaned down, her chin hitting the wood as she slumped. Nevertheless, no matter how much she tried her stomach still rumbled and those gems smelt so divine. Her eyes closed tight, only for one to peek open.

"Hmmm, why do rocks smell so good?" she groaned as she slumped a little further toward them, drooping. "I mean... They're just... What's the harm in just one bite?"

She heaved herself onto the table, butt in the air, rear hooves propelling her slowly towards the gemstones. Her eyes twinkled and her tongue lolled as her mouth opened. The burning in her gut was like a fire and they were so close. Her tongue reached out, stretching further than she thought possible until it wrapped around the first sapphire...

"Twilight, I'm back, dear. Sorry, I should have been quicker..." There was an abrupt clatter as the things levitating around Rarity fell to the floor and the alabaster mare's jaw dropped.

Twilight's senses came rushing back, eyes wide and ears tall. But before she could say anything her unusually long tongue instinctively retracted, wrapping around the gemstone and slamming into her muzzle. Oh no, now you're busted!

Rubbing her muzzle as the gem clattered to the floor, Twilight blurted. "Rarity, I–I... I can..." That fire in her welled up, her word cut off as a belch of smoke escaped her mouth.

Okay... That's not normal... Oh Celestia! Twilight manufactured a wide smile, chuckling nervously as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"I know what this looks like, but I can totally explain!" The little alicorn in the princess's head rolled her eyes as the hair shedding from Twilight's neck begged to differ. Oh, sure you can!