"Swindon Commission [Gilda, centaur griffon, WG, light slob]" By Tankris (https://pastebin.com/u/Tankris) URL: https://pastebin.com/ks33YGCi Created on: Saturday 17th of June 2017 05:10:45 PM CDT Retrieved on: Sunday 25 of October 2020 12:42:06 PM UTC “Aw, c'mon doll face. All we need is a little guide into the ruins. You can take us there and make tons of bits, easy!” The younger of the ponies gave Gilda a smirk so big, it almost blocked out the sun. Gilda rolled her eyes before grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. “DON'T call me doll face. You want a guide to the ruins? Fine. Five hundred bits, up front.” “Are you crazy? Fifty and not a bit more.” The older brother smoothed out his mustache as he held out a skimpy looking bag. “Are you losers kidding? Fifty wont even get you a tour of Griffonstone. Either you pay up or find someone who will gouge your wallets harder. Five HUNDRED.” Gilda watched the duo run the numbers in their heads before a much larger bag of bits was placed on the table. “Fine, you strike a hard bargain but it's a deal. Take us to the forbidden ruins in the abysmal abyss.” Gilda took her time, counting every bit and checking for phony coins. “I'll be damned. Five hundred. Well, get your gear and lots of rope. Abysmal abyss has fantastic weather this time of year. Dress for warmth.” The duo rushed out of the door in excitement as Gilda locked up her scone shop. A wicked smile spread along her beak as she walked home. A fantastic opportunity had just fallen into her hands. “So, what names do I write on your tombstone in case you unicorns fall to your death?” Gilda smirked as the brothers stared at the windy abyss. “This here is Flim” “And my brother is Flam.” “We are the world known Flim Flam brothers!” They cheered out at once. Gilda rolled her eyes at the juvenile display. “Good to know. Are you ready to get to the ruins or not?” Gilda buttoned up her heavy coat and slipped on a pair of goggles. “Sure are! We even prepared our hot air balloon.” Flam shouted over the roaring winds. The poor balloon was already tilting in the wind as Flim struggled to untie it from the anchor. “You serious? That thing is gonna crash in half a second in these winds. You want to get to the ruins so bad? You climb.” Flim and Flam stared at Gilda for a bit, biting their lips in hesitation. “Um...ya see, we really aren't the type to do “physical labor” ya know? A big, strong griffon like yourself could easily help us out, right?” Gilda felt her face tingle as a smile stretched over her face. “You only paid for me to guide you to the ruins. You mentioned nothing about assistance getting there.” She stretched out a hand and rubbed her thumb against her fingers. “You want EXTRA help getting there, I require....compensation.” Flim and Flam grit their teeth and looked away for a moment or two. “Brother, huddle up.” Flam scowled as they turned around, filling the abyss with hushed whispers. Gilda stretched her wings and yawned, awaiting their answer. “One hundred bits to help us get there.” “Each? You got a deal.” Gilda kept her hand outstretched as the two unicorns hastily tossed their pouches on the ground in defeat. The shrieks of terrified ponies always made Gilda happy. Getting paid to do it was the icing on the cake. Her breakneck pace against the harsh, howling winds of the abyss caused Flim and Flam to shout until they nearly lost their voices. Gilda gently placed the duo in front of the doors of the ruins as the color slowly returned to their faces. “Okay, you guys can handle it from here, right? Be seeing ya.” Gilda spread her wings to take off but was cut off by a raspy breath. “Hey! You gonna leave us here? What sort of guide are you?” Gilda folded her wings back and shrugged. “The type that wants money for her services. You guys really need to do your research over this kinda thing if you wanna keep doing it. I wont be able to hold twenty different pouches of your money if you split your payments up.” “Fine! How do we get in to find the ancient relic said to be in the temple? And after you help us find it, take us out of the gorge!” Flim wheezed as he finally got back to his feet. Gilda let out a bored sigh as she cast out her line. “Oh, you didn't know? The ruins are only accessible to those who can fly, like griffons. If you want me to do your dirty work, you'll need to pay up a pretty bit if you want me to keep helping you.” “How...how much?” Flam asked as he tried to straighten his mustache. Gilda put her hand to her chin and pretended to give it a moment of thought. “Two grand. Not a bit less.” The stallions lost whatever second wind they could have hoped to gain as they slumped to the ground in agony. “Two grand! Are you crazy! That's robbery!” Gilda shook her head and spread her wings. “Hey, you're asking me to fly in FORBIDDEN ruins and basically steal something that I could sell for probably millions.” “Cheat! You greedy, filthy whore!” Flim screamed into the abyss. Gilda narrowed her eyes at the mouthy unicorn, only for Flam to rush up and slam his hands on her shoulders. “We'll give it to you when you bring us back. Get the idol in the deepest corner of the ruins, give it to us and carry us out of this hell hole and you'll get your money.” Worry flickered in his eyes as Gilda shoved his hands off her. “At the very least, don't just leave us here...” Gilda did her best to feign her anger, slowly relaxing as she looked upon the ruins. “So, what does it even look like?” Flim pulled out a small book and flipped through its pages. “It's a small, glass wine goblet. Like this, see?” Gilda nearly burst out laughing as she took to the skies. “All this for a wine glass? You boys better have a good buyer in mind for something you can get at the store!” The crafty griffon slipped through the entrance at the top of the wall and landed on the dusty floor. She clicked on a light and held it up, peeking into the forbidden room. Lots of rubble blocked her path, forcing her to fly around in the cramped ruins. Doors were blocked and passages were sealed all over, leaving Gilda little to explore. She barely squeezed through the main hall in an attempt to further explore the trashed ruins. “Oh shit, there it is!” Gilda smiled as a single glass sat upon a lonely pedestal. She reached out and gripped the treasure with one hand, unimpressed. “Seriously, its just glass. An imprint on the bottom is all that makes it stand out. They are pulling my leg with this crap.” Gilda yanked it from the stand and sighed. She turned around to return to the entrance, only for the wine glass to completely slip from her hands. “Damn it!” Gilda reached out but it was too late. The wine glass snapped from the stem, leaving the mundane treasure in two pieces. “Huh...I thought it was gonna shatter to bits...lucky me.” Gilda grabbed the wine glass as quickly as she could and rushed out of the ruins. Flim and Flam smiled big as she landed outside just long enough to pick them up and pull them out of the abysmal abyss. “Did you find it? Let us see it already!” Flim and Flam crowded around Gilda as she reached into her pockets. “Its broken, but it's here.” Gilda pushed one piece of the broken wine glass into a different brother's hand. “Wait, broken? No one will dare buy a broken treasure!” Flim scoffed as he shoved his broken piece to his brother. “No, brother. It adds authenticity! An old relic like this would NEVER be in such pristine condition all by itself. I dare say ponies would pay MORE just to see it.” Gilda smiled, confident her ruse was going to work. “Now, boys. I believe we have to discuss payment for my work.” Flim and Flam smiled as the began wandering away from Gilda in a hurried pace. “Work? What work? We've got the relic and you don't!” Flim chuckled as he turned to run away. “Oh yes, PLEASE go and brag about how YOU stole the glass from the FORBIDDEN RUINS. I'm sure NO ONE will speak to anyone about it.” The tricksters stopped dead in their tracks as they slowly turned around to see the beaming smile radiating from Gilda's beak. “You...you wouldn't dare!” Flam scoffed as he continued to backpedal away. “I could have the entire town waiting at the train station in a few minutes. You still need to get your stuff from the inn. Unless you make a run for it on foot right now and stay off the roads, you'll be found.” The unicorns clenched their fists as they walked back to Gilda. “And if we pay you, does this mean you keep quiet till we are long gone?” “If you up your payment to three thousand, I might consider it.” Gilda licked her beak in delight as the defeated unicorns led her back to their room at the inn. With malice, they slammed a bag bigger than Gilda's head on the table. “There, three thousand. Count it and get out of our sight.” Gilda swiped the bits and quickly tallied them all up. “It's been a pleasure, boys. Enjoy your glass.” Gilda was as giddy as a child as she hopped her way home. “I hope they didn't need to buy anything of worth for a year or two. I'm rich!” The happy griffon let her gigantic coin pouch jingle, letting anyone within earshot to listen to her good fortune. She reached her home with ease, allowing her to hide her stash of money as soon as possible. “I think I need to celebrate. Time to go to the fanciest restaurant in town!” As she made her way through town, a sharp pain burned through her hand. “Shit, what was that?” Gilda squawked as she stared at her skin. A small cut was leaking blood from her thumb on her right hand. “When did I cut myself? Maybe on the wine glass?” Gilda shrugged as she tried to halt the bleeding as best she could. “Hey, are you alright?” The hostess asked as she grabbed a handful of napkins. “Just a cut. Don't worry about it.” Gilda huffed as she slammed a giant bag of bits on the table. “Give me the best seat in the house and as much food as I can eat.” She smirked as the hostess stared at the bag. “Yes ma'am!” She smiled at Gilda as she was presented a private room for her own use. With her thumb bandaged up, all that was left for Gilda to do was eat. Her hunger clawed at her stomach, begging her to fill it up. “Gimme!” She shouted as the first course was offered to her. Rich, hearty soups filled her up for a moment or two before her hunger demanded more. Gilda groaned in frustration as she waited, her foot tapping faster and faster as food dominated her mind. A massive plate of shrimp, steak and lobster was pushed onto her table, filling Gilda's mouth with a waterfall of saliva that dripped down her beak. Her hands flew over the table, cramming handfuls of shrimp into her beak while she cracked open the lobster with her bare hands. “More!” She shouted out as she pulled up her steak from the table and bit right into it. The staff could barely keep up, offering more and more food to the hungry griffon. Her stomach began to bloat outwards as she stuffed herself silly, forcing her to unbutton her pants to allow more room. Gilda let out a gigantic belch and sighed, patting her distended stomach with glee. “Oh man, that was great. Finally full.” She sat in her chair for a few minutes, rubbing her gravid looking orb of a stomach before waddling out of the restaurant and heading home. The waddle home was slow and lethargic as Gilda struggled to put one foot in front of the other. “Stupid cut.” She muttered as she finally slipped her key into the lock of her home. She stumbled in in a drunken stupor, instantly leaning on the couch as she forced out a massive belch. Gilda rubbed her exposed gut and smiled as she inched her way to her room. “Bed!” Gilda squawked, slamming herself into the comfortable bedding. She passed out in her clothes, too drunk on her own gluttony to even shut off the lights. Her stomach gurgled and sloshed all through the night as Gilda tossed and turned, all while her body began to grow. Bones cracked and grew as her legs changed, her lower half stretched out longer and wider, fur and hair sprung from her skin as she began to resemble more of a mythical beast than a griffon. Her bed whined as she grew bigger and bigger, an unimaginable weight crushing her furniture as a second set of legs crashed into her bedside lamp. All the while, Gilda slept like a baby as the food crammed in her stomach fueled her new growth. Her upper body hadn't changed a bit, yet her lower body had changed into something resembling a horse. Her unstoppable growth tore apart her jeans in seconds, leaving Gilda cooing in her sleep. A rather nasty set of talons flexed at the end of her new forelegs, ready to grab and tear apart her sheets. Fuzzy cat paws stuck out over the bed, kicking over anything light enough for Gilda to bump into. A thin, wispy tail flicked happily as Gilda dreamed of her good fortune. Her constant tossing was accompanied by her bed crying out as she continued to stretch and grow till the sun rose high in the sky. Gilda opened her eyes and yawned. She gave a little stretched and moaned in satisfaction as her joints popped and cracked. She leaned back into her bed, frowning at it gave a worried creak. Before Gilda could react, the frame snapped in two, sending her falling to the floor. “Gah! What the hell!” She shouted as the ruined sheets flew off her body. “What.....the.....fuck???” Gilda screamed as she stared down at her body. Her long, toned, NORMAL legs were gone, replaced by thick, fuzzy abominations. “No way....I'm still dreaming....right?” Gilda bit her lip as she pinched herself rather hard. “No.....still dreaming!” She insisted, grabbing herself harder until her nails broke the skin. She looked at her hand, surprised to see her cut from yesterday had completely faded. “The thing....the ruins...something stupid is happening...” Gilda rolled over onto her new legs, slumping to the floor as she struggled to work her new body. “Fuck...How the hell do these work?” Gilda huffed as she tried to use her wings to stabilize herself. Her new wingspan stretched out farther than she realized, causing her to slam a wing right through her window. “Crap! I'm too big for my own house.” Gilda crawled her way out to her door, sweat dripping down her face as she struggled to move. She flung open the door and rushed out, only succeeding in getting her upper body out of the door. “C'mon! I gotta find those losers already.” Gilda huffed as she squeezed one of her forelegs out of the door. The commotion had gathered a few lookers, stunned as Gilda pushed her transformed body out the door. “MONSTER! SOMEBODY CALL THE GUARDS!” The griffons panicked as Gilda let out a low grunt and pulled herself out of her house. “No no! It's just me, Gilda! Shut up already!” Gilda hissed to the crowd. She struggled to leap up to her feet, only succeeding in tumbling back to the dirt. “IT'S ATTACKING! RUN!” They screamed, scrambling away as quick as they could. “Damn it, gotta hide! Where can I go where no other griffon would dare look?” She pumped her gigantic wings and took off high into the sky. Gilda looked down at the town for a moment before a thought crossed her mind. “At least in the sky, I can handle myself...” She grumbled before diving back down at the town. Gilda landed with all the grace she could, slamming into the ground as she scrambled towards the library. Not a soul could be seen as she slipped into the building. Gilda ran into the back of the library, scanning the place for a snitch or two. With the library completely empty, Gilda finally relaxed a little. “No one would look in here, anyway. Too many books to distract them.” Gilda slumped her rump down, demolishing the chair behind her. “......Fuck.” She muttered under her breath. “Well, since I'm in nerd kingdom, time to do what nerds do best.” Gilda contorted her face into a grimace as she began reading the spines off the shelves. “Fiction....non fiction....classical...comedy....history!” She bent down and gathered up a few books that talked about Griffonstone and the town's history. “Okay, something has to be written down about those ruins. I just have to....READ it.” Time slowed to a crawl as Gilda struggled to concentrate. She flipped through pages as fast as she could, doing her best to find any mention of the ruins. “Previous rulers...how the city was founded. Nothing on ruins.” The pile of books on the floor grew as did Gilda's desperation. She pried open another book and gasped as the name abysmal abyss called out to her. “Jackpot! I bet this has something to do with the ruins!” “Prince Quad was a most peculiar griffon king. Born with an odd defect, his lower body resembled something like a centaur, with four legs instead of two. His father disowned him and banished him to abysmal abyss as a small child.” Gilda shifted her new legs in anticipation and stretched as she continued reading. “However, his son grew strong due to his harsh environment and was one of the strongest fliers the griffons had ever known. He raided the town of Griffonstone regularly, inspiring some to follow him instead. A massive civil war tore the town in half until Prince Quad was defeated in his own home in the abysmal abyss.” “Looters of his kingdom were surprised to be struck with a massive hunger, followed by a radical transformation of their lower bodies. With his dying breath, Prince Quad cast a blood curse on the possessions he had built up from raiding the town. Any griffon that dare lay a hand on his property would end up breaking what they store, cutting themselves and taking in the curse directly into their bloodstream.” Gilda went cold as she read that last line. She looked over her body and tensed up as the words echoed through her mind. Hands trembling, she did her best to continue reading the book. “Those who returned their stolen wares found the curse to fade after three to six months. Sadly, most griffons had sold their ill gotten loot, sealing their fates as abominations.” A lump was caught in Gilda's throat as she jumped from the floor. She stomped out of the library and took off to the sky. Darting from cloud to cloud, Gilda hid herself long enough to travel to the inn. “No...no....not that room either.” Gilda began to panic as the inn was devoid of any ponies. “Hey, anyone see any ponies here today?” Gilda called out through a window. “They left last night. Silly bastards were giggling over a stupid wine glass. The damn thing was broken and yet they stared at it like a kid stares at a new toy.” Gilda shot back into the sky and hid behind a cloud as she sped like a rocket to the train station. She sat on her cloud and watched a few people shuffle through the station, but no sign of Flim or Flam. “Damn it...how do I know where they went?” Gilda slowly descended upon the station and did her best to hide her lower body from the ticket salesman. “Hey buddy, you didn't happen to sell a couple of ponies tickets recently?” The cocky griffon smirked as he turned to Gilda. “That's...confidential. Maybe if you make it worth my while.” Gilda reared up, smashing her forelegs onto the flimsy looking booth counter and tearing it to shreds. “Oh, I'll make it worth your while. For starters, you WONT look like that in about two seconds.” Gilda licked her lips and opened her beak, all while her arms reached out for the salesman. “THEY LEFT FOR CANTERLOT LAST NIGHT! EXPRESS TRAIN RIGHT INTO EQUESTRIA!” He blurted out right as one of Gilda's forelegs was dangerously close to wrapping around his throat. “Hey, thanks for the info, loser.” Gilda pulled herself from the ruined booth and took off, pumping her massive wings and speeding off to Canterlot. The salesman took one look at his work station, then fainted. By the time anyone had arrived, Gilda was long gone from Griffonstone and was already halfway to Canterlot. Gilda dove into a cluster of clouds, pushing them forward so they drifted over the extravagant town. She kept hidden as best she could, watching the town for the two little thieves to show up. “I know you're here somewhere, losers. All I have to do is find you.” Gilda spied upon the town long after the sun set, straining her eyes for any clue to their whereabouts. “Flim, you genius! We made a fortune off that silly glass and all we had to do was trick that stupid griffon!” Gilda's ears were on fire as her cloud wandered over a dingy looking pub. “No, brother. Your call to head straight to the auction house was amazing. With that glass sold, we'll finally live like the kings we are!” Gilda eased the cloud closer to the ground until she was within arms grasp of the two brothers as they stumbled through town. “Two million bits. We can set up a business in Canterlot with that kind of cash. Swindle the dummies of this town for years before any of these bloated royals get any idea of what kind of schemes we've got cooked up.” They turned into a back alley, barely able to stand as the revolting stench of cheap booze wafted from them. Gilda slid out of the cloud and reached out with her forelegs, picking up the duo and slamming them right into the wall. “Where is it! Give it up right this second!” Gilda hissed as the drunk duo sobered up in seconds. “You! What are you doing here? Asking for OUR wine glass, no doubt!” Flim smirked as he stared Gilda right in the eyes. “Liking your new legs? They suit a beast like yourself.” The griffon snarled at him as she pressed her face into his. “You have one option if you want to live. Give me the stupid glass.” The air was thick with tension as Gilda squeezed a little harder. She kept her furious gaze upon them until they burst out laughing in her face. “That glass is LONG gone, doll face. We sold it before we even left your trashy dump of a town.” Gilda pulled them from the wall and slammed them to the pavement, her powerful forelegs ripping with her new strength. “So who did you sell it to?” Flim sucked in a bit of breath and wheezed his reply. “Ain't telling you. Info isn't cheap and I don't see any pockets on ya.” Gilda pushed her weight forward, making it even harder for the duo to breathe. “True that. Even if we did tell you where it was, you're not getting it back easily. The only way you're getting it back is by offering more money than you know how to count, feather head.” Flam managed to chuckle before Gilda applied more pressure. “You ponies think this is funny? I'm this close to losing it.” She picked them up off the ground and held them up, growing furious as they simply stared back at her. “You won't do anything stupid. Even YOU'RE smart enough to know that if we can't help you, you're stuck.” Flam smirked as Gilda's grip went slack. “See, you ARE intelligent for a freak.” Flim jabbed as Gilda dropped them to the ground. “What.....what can I do? I need that wine glass back.!” Gilda crossed her arms and pouted as the duo brushed off their clothes. “You'll need about five million bits, dollface. Maybe more.” Gilda's jaw went slack as the two brothers began to chuckle. “Five million! No way!” “Yes way! We sold the glass for a clean million per piece and we know for a fact that the owner has no intention of selling. You'd probably even need more than that!” Flam straightened out his mustache before turning back to face the streets. “Good luck. You're gonna need it.” Gilda watched them walk off to the street, her heart plummeting into her chest...or maybe her gullet. Wherever her heart was, now that she looked like a monstrous freak. She didn't move from her spot as they turned the corner and left her alone in the dark alley. “Now wait a minute, brother...I have an idea.” To her surprise, the twins walked back into the alley with smiles she didn't like in the slightest. “Say....Gilda, was it? I think we've come up with a....solution for your problems.” Flim and Flam chuckled as they stared at her. “We have a business proposition for you. One you simply can't decline.” Before she could respond, Flim and Flam had their arms around her, pulling her up and forcing her to walk into the street. “A lot of ponies would pay BIG money to look at a freak like you. A lot of ponies would also love to watch you perform simple little tricks while spending an exorbitant amounts of money.” The brothers pushed Gilda onto the streets, forcing the attention of any night owls and drunks wandering around. Gilda watched as some looked with curious fascination, others with complete terror as she was forced to walk through Canterlot. “We'll create a traveling circus with you as the star. Even wanted to be an entertainer with loads of people watching your every move? We'll make that happen. The best part is we can travel to where your precious wine glass is AND earn the money for you to buy it back. All you have to do is exactly what we say.” Flim and Flam released Gilda from their hold and extended their hands. “Shake on it and we'll become millionaires of our own.” A predatory stare bored into Gilda as they continued to rant and rave about money this, fortune that. She stepped back in hesitation, but shook her head while clenching her fists. “You two can make all the money you want off this. Just give me my fair share so I can get my life back.” Her hands reached out and the brothers violently shook upon the deal. “Meet us on the edge of town in a week. We'll have everything set up by then.” Flim and Flam ran off, eager to start their new business. Gilda stood in the street for a moment before rushing off to the skies. “...What the hell am I supposed to do for food and shelter for a whole week?” The week passed by like an entire month for Gilda. No distractions meant she was bored between scavenging for food and sleeping. Clouds kept her location a secret as she tried her best to spot the money hungry brothers throughout the week with zero luck. There was little she could do but wait and hope for the best. As she was overlooking the city, a convoy of large trucks cut through the busy streets and seemed to be gathering at the edge of town, near the trail that lead down the mountain to ponyville. “Finally! That must be those two bozos getting ready. Gilda pushed her cloud lower until she spotted two familiar looking unicorns. She kept herself hidden as she spied on their operation. A flashy tent, food stalls, lots and lots of workers running around...just how big was this idea? “It seems the clouds are looking down at us, Flim. What ever could they be hiding?” Flam chuckled as he reached into Gilda's cloud and pulled her to the ground. The heavy griffon landed with a thud, making the duo giggle at her misfortune. “Look what the cat dragged in...or should I say griffon?” Gilda blushed as she struggled to untangle herself from the dirt. “This seems a little big for one show. What are you backstabbers planning?” Flim rolled his eyes as he pointed to the back of one of the trucks. “This isn't just ONE show. We've planned a cornucopia of acts, stunts and fun activities for ponies of all ages. The Flim Flam Circus already has a show prepared for Manehatten, Baltimare and Ponyville.” “Ponyville! I can't go there! Ponies would recognize me in a heartbeat!” Gilda growled as she turned towards the little town. “Too bad. You want your money for that wine glass, we have to get your name out there. Gilda the centaur, the four legged wonder. More shows means more money for us AND for you.” Flim walked over and showed off a fancy looking cage. “Your trailer for when we hit the road.” Gilda gagged as she spotted the caged cargo trailer. “You expect me to sit around in that thing? People are gonna stare!” Flim and Flam smiled as they pat Gilda on the shoulder. “That's the point. We make more money if they get to see you before the show. Maybe you'll get lucky and they'll donate extra to your cause.” Gilda blushed as she continued looking at the cage. “Guh, fine!” “Good, now get on in there! We leave in ten minutes.” Flim reached back and slapped Gilda on the rump, scaring her towards the cage. The duo laughed as they walked off to attend to other business, leaving Gilda fuming and embarrassed. She slipped into her cage easy enough and shut the door behind her. “At least they had the decency to NOT lock me in this like an animal.” A small collection of honks later, Gilda felt her trailer lurch forward. She looked on as the convoy slowly descended the mountain to their first stop, Ponyville. “Hopefully no one cares about this. I mean, it's a new act.” Gilda's jaw dropped as the whole town seemed ready to greet her and the carnival. “Oh my gosh....” Gilda blushed as every set of eyes spotted her instantly. The pegasai followed her through the skies while everyone else ran along with the cage. Gilda buried her face in her hands. “Gilda? Is that you??” The poor bird moaned as she looked up to spot Rainbow Dash staring down at her. “What if it is? Better stare for free now before the show.” Gilda huffed as the trailers zoomed off towards the edge of town. With the trucks parked, Gilda let out a little stretch before reaching for the door of her cage. “And just where do you think you are going? You've been advertised as a dangerous animal. We can't have you mingling around the normal folk.” Flam smirked as he slipped Gilda a small poster. “What? You mean I have to stay in this shitty cage till you say so? You don't own me!” “Oh? So I suppose you don't want your cut of the bits. Even from this little rinky dink town, we've earned a few thousand already.” Flim jingled around a massive purse set to burst. Gilda listened to the coins jingle before sitting back down. “Try to look menacing. Rattle the bars a little and growl. People are paying great for this and you haven't even been on stage.” Gilda watched as ponies swarmed the cage in seconds, all staring and gawking at her. Gilda let out an annoyed growl and lazily rose to her feet. As she approached the cage, several ponies backed off as Gilda placed her hands and forelegs on the bars. Only one mare stood firm as Gilda tossed an angry glare to the crowd. “What happened to you, Gilda? Who did this to you?” Rainbow Dash frowned as Gilda did her best to be intimidating. “You'll ruin the show. Get lost.” Rainbow Dash groaned as she tried to reach into the cage. Gilda grunted as she pulled the bars of the cage apart, widening an opening big enough for her to lunge as Rainbow Dash. “Everyone, back up! She's dangerous and brutal! The only thing that calms her down is food and I'm sure an arm would be a great snack about now!” Flim shouted at the crowd while Flam followed behind with a cart overflowing with meat. “If you want to sate her hunger and keep watching safely, you might want to buy a fresh steak.” Gilda licked her lips as the scent of cooked meat filled the air. “St-steak? I want some streak.” Gilda blurted out. “It can talk too? Holy crap!” The crowd swarmed the cage one more, staring in awe over the talking “beast” while a line formed to feed her. “Hey, you want some?” A mare called out as a hunk of meat was tossed into the cage. Her stomach growling, Gilda dove at the streak with excitement. The crowd watched as the meal disappeared into Gilda's mouth and slid into her belly in seconds. “Wow...is she still hungry?” Another steak fell onto the floor of the cage, prompting another stuffing session. Gilda was in heaven, even if the meat was slightly overcooked and bland. It had been the only good thing she had eaten in days and she wasn't going to argue. Flim and Flam grinned as ponies gathered around the cart. Steaks were selling like crazy as Gilda continued to eat, lining the brother's pockets with more bits than they could handle. Even as Gilda's torso grew distended and lumpy, she continued to eat her meals until she couldn't move. “Wow, what a beast...she tore into it like an animal.” Gilda slumped over and closed her eyes, causing the crowd to moan. “Aw, I wanted to see more...” They murmured as they dispersed. Only one pony stayed behind as Gilda slept, watching her with fascination. “I gotta tell Twilight about this. She can help!” Rainbow Dash flew off, leaving Gilda to her food coma. A full tummy after so long, Gilda enjoyed her nap as long as she could until Flim and Flam slammed open her cage. “Rise and shine, you glutton. Time for your act.” Gilda groaned as she struggled to get to her feet. “Anything special I need to do?” “The cues will be obvious. Don't swipe at us TOO fast, okay?” Flim growled as Gilda walked into the tent. The seats were packed and overflowing as Gilda took center stage, stomping around and leaping over various obstacles. She spread her wings wide, scaring the ponies as she hovered in the air. “Don't worry, folks. She's perfectly trained! She just likes to show off a little!” The brothers bragged and bragged, earning another shower of bits from the crowd. Flim and Flam spent more time counting bits and grabbing change from the dirt than bother to prepare for departure. Gilda sat in her cage as she lazily tore into another steak. “Not bad....maybe there's something to this show biz crap...if it means eating streaks and taking it easy.” She yawned and relaxed in her cage, only for her rest to be disturbed by a few familiar faces. “Hey dweebs. Sup?” “Don't you act so casual! What happened to you?” Rainbow Dash cried out as her friends followed behind. “Interesting. She's a centaur, yet like you said.” Twilight Sparkle mused as her magic reached around the cage. “Yea, so what? Life takes mysterious turns and all that junk. Don't you have some pony problems to solve?” “Gilda, this is serious! You need to tell us what happened.” Rainbow Dash reached out and was surprised as the door slid open. “Wait, it's not locked? So why stay?” Gilda huffed as she stood up and poked her head out of the door. “Its something that only I can fix in this stupid cage. I stole from some ruins and got cursed so now I need TONS of bits to fix it.” Gilda slammed the cage closed and sat back down. “Unless you want a PRINCESS to get caught stealing a priceless artifact, I'd leave it alone.” Gilda warned as she turned her back towards Rainbow Dash. “Are you sure there isn't any way we can help?” Twilight Sparkle frowned. “I need to return a stupid wine glass to where I found it and only Flim and Flam knows where it is. Just let me get through this crap with what little pride I have left.” Rainbow Dash stood there for a minute before throwing up her hands. “Fine...just keep in contact with us. Don't let those losers treat you like dirt, okay?” Gilda gave a lazy thumbs up before shooing them off. With the quiet of the night as a soothing blanket, Gilda slipped into a deep sleep. The trucks honking up a storm caused her eyes to shoot open and leap to her feet. Heavy traffic surrounded her from all angles as the hustle and bustle of Manehatten. She grumbled in her cage and sat up as the passerby stared at her. “Got something to say, chumps? Come say it to my face at the carnival, losers!” The city folk began buzzing with threats all while Gilda laughed. They followed the cage all the way to the show, meaning more bits for Gilda. Another easy show showered the trio with more money that they could ever dreamed. Flim and Flam made sure to offer another paid feeding session, leaving Gilda bloated and full. Her hands rubbed her distended gut with pleasure, cooing as she sat in her cage. “I can't wait to see the Baltimare show. Hopefully they want to feed me as well.” She mused as they closed up for the night. The trip to Baltimare was quick, as Flim and Flam wished to keep such a profitable run going for as long as possible. They had left Manehatten as quickly as they could, yet word of their arrival had prepared the town for their arrival. Gilda licked her lips as the crowd gathered around her cage, her stomach rumbling for steak. Her face drooped as Flim and Flam wheeled out a cart of confections, cupcakes and cookie stacked high for the crowd to buy. Dozens of hands reached in, offering cookies to the hungry griffon which she ate with disdain. “Where's the steaks? We've been making so much money with every stop!” Gilda crossed her arms in anger as she begrudgingly accepted another cupcake. While she was just as stuffed, the sugar could never compare to the savory steaks she had been gorging on. “Don't they know trash like this makes ya fat? How am I gonna do tricks if I can't fit through rings?” Gilda grumbled as the lingering taste of frosting was caked on her tongue. She struggled to keep up with Flim and Flam as they cracked the whip on stage. “What was with that lazy show today? You were dragging yourself around like a wet cat!” Flim barked as they walked her back to the cage. “Sugar crash, you bastards. Meat is a way better workout meal.” Flam chuckled as he opened the door and pushed Gilda along. “Steak got expensive. We're making money but not enough to surprise our buyer with enough to do a buyback. Gotta cut back somewhere.” “Can I at least get SOME meat? I don't wanna get fat.” Gilda huffed before slumping in her cage. The duo laughed back to their trucks, leaving Gilda to do nothing but sleep till her next show. Her eyes opened to unfamiliar surroundings. “Where in Equestria are we?” Gilda moaned as she lazily wiped a bit of sweat from her face. “Somewhere south, I guess. What kind of country bumpkin town are we driving to?” Gilda could barely believe her eyes as they pulled into a dinky town with a mere five buildings in a circle. “Hey, THIS is a gig for you guys? Are we suddenly desperate? I'm not some washed up act already, am I?” Flim and Flam only smiled as they ordered the grunts to set up. “The ponies south of Ponyville like to live as far apart from each other as possible, but they LOVE to gather around junk food and whatever oddity comes through.” Sure enough, a massive swarm of ponies gathered around the tent out of nowhere. They surrounded the cage with glee, happily staring and tossing in random junk food at hand. Gilda had no choice but to eat, only prompting the crowd to toss more in. “Hey, I'm not eating all this slop. You call this food?” Gilda wretched as she held up an entire box of twinkies. Furious, the crowd grabbed the bars and shook, sending the cage rocking violently. Gilda fell on her butt, squawking as the cage nearly tipped over. “Fine! I'll eat them, jeez!” Gilda barely shouted over the uproar as she crammed half of the snacks in her mouth. The crowd settled down as she ate, smiling as they forced more food through the bars. Bloated and miserable, Gilda shuffled out for her show. The sugar crash wasn't helping as Gilda imagined her body fattening up from her every bite. With every trick came more bits from the easily impressed country folk as they scarfed down their unhealthy treats. Gilda was too happy to leave that two bit town, smiling as they drove off as soon as the show was over. Her smile faded as she woke up the next morning as the next venue looked just like the last. The only visible change was the various food stalls surrounding Gilda's cage. “Get your deep fried twinkies! Corn dogs! Soda and popcorn! Watch our freaky beast of the north eat it all and more! There's nothing she wont eat!” Gilda squawked as a greasy, deep fried twinkie was shoved towards her. “I suggest you eat up, beast. Our nice guest paid fifty bits for that snack just for you.” Gilda grumbled as she stared at the fattening treat before grabbing it in her hands and scarfing it down. The crowd cheered as they shoved more towards Gilda, making her heart ache for an actual meal. She lost count how many twinkies she had scarfed down. Gilda looked down at her bloated abdomen and winced as she could only imagine how fat she must look. Her gaze wandered to her lower half, gulping as her already large gullet seemed to be growing by the second. “Must be this trash I've been eating. It's messing with my head.” Gilda shook off her distractions as she climbed out of her cage for the show. “Where do you think you're going? No show today, butterball.” Flam giggled as he shoved Gilda back into her cage. “We're doubling down on feeding today. If this keeps up, all you'll ever need to do is eat and lay about. How's that for an easy day's worth of pay?” Gilda spread her wings and stomped about the cage in anger. “Are you kidding me? I can't eat any more of that processed crap! First you deny me food, then you force feed me this junk?” “Profits have tripled since we've started doing nothing but forcing morons to pay five times as extra for something that cost pennies to make. If you ever want to be normal again, you'll figure out how to cram food into any other stomachs hiding between your legs.” Flim and Flam broke into a cutthroat grin as another round of customers came up. Bits were slammed down onto the counters, signaling another round of twinkies and corn dogs for Gilda. Gilda shuddered as she resumed her eating, her poor stomach aching as she struggled to eat. Her stomach gurgled under the murmur of the crowd as it struggled to digest her meal. “Stupid hicks.” Gilda moaned as more food slipped into her mouth and down into her tummy. Her eyes widened as she felt the fullness spread into her gullet, the slurry of fattening calories going to work through her body. By the time the crowd was out of cash, Gilda was struggling to stand. Everything felt heavy and bloated, forcing her to lean on her cage as she slumped to the ground. Her gullet was tight to the touch, constantly gurgling and sloshing as Gilda struggled not to barf. “All that sugar was sickening. Do ponies really eat this junk all day?” Exhausted from simply eating far too much, she slammed her body down and fell fast asleep. As the trip continued, Gilda's diet only continued to decline. Meat was finally back on the menu but only if it was some manner of fried chicken or fish. Hot dogs covered in grease and slop messed up her cheeks as she slammed them into her mouth as quick as possible. Even the sweets were deep fried from oreo cookies to candy bars and even ice cream. The Flim Flam brothers occasionally let her stretch her wings and jump through some hoops if the money was low from treats, leaving Gilda to waddle on stage as she struggled to digest. “Ladies and gentlemen of the audience, the ferocious Gilda!” Flim shouted as the spotlight shifted to the flabby bird. She gave a sluggish wave before spreading her wings, sending her small belly rolls jiggling. Her meager shirt had risen up and over her belly after a week of constant stuffing. The poor garment barely suited to act as a bra for her sagging, heavy tits. A quick jump rocked the earth as Gilda struggled to keep up with the commands of the show. Sweat was dripping off her body as she half walked, half waddled over her bloated gullet to the next trick. Gilda jumped through a ring suspended in the air, only for her drooping flab to catch the bottom of the hoop. She wore it like a belt for the rest of the show, making the audience crack up with every pathetic attempt of a trick. Gilda struggled to fit into her cage that night as she carried a bit of dessert with her. A few sliced of deep fried chocolate covered bacon slid down her throat, making her shudder in forbidden delight. “Oh fuck, this is so good. Finally, something that has the savory, salty taste of meat and sweetness of chocolate.” Gilda belched and moaned, easing herself onto her bloated gullet before passing out. “Hey, how much closer are we to this rich weirdo's house? I'm hungry...” Gilda grumbled as Flim and Flam approached her cage. “Hungry already? You fat slob.” Flim sighed as he set up a new food stall. “Funnel cake? What's that? Is it good?” Gilda drooled all over herself as the smell of freshly fried sugar and dough filled the air. “Here, fatty. Have something before the crowd gets here. You're slobbering all over us.” Their harsh words had no effect as Gilda crammed the funnel cake into her mouth. Powered sugar covered her beak and oil dripped from her hands. She sucked each finger clean and the haze of gluttony was lifted for a few moments. “You never answered my question. How close to lifting this curse?” Flim and Flam just shrugged as they continued to deep fry entire containers of already unhealthy snacks. “We'll get there when we get there. Maybe another month or so.” Flam chuckled as he began assembling a hamburger. A scoop of ice cream fell into the fryer, cooking the creamy ball just right. Flam shoved it onto the burger patty and topped it with loads of over-sweetened sauces. “Deep fried ice cream burger? GIVE IT!” Gilda screamed, getting up from her relaxed position and slamming her gigantic gullet into the cage. It rattled and shook, nearly tipping over as Gilda slammed into her confinement. “Okay, okay! You can have THIS one for free but no more freeloading! You cut into our profits and we can't get that wine glass back. Got it, you fat fuck?” Gilda didn't waste time, nearly cramming the entire meal into her mouth. It was gone in seconds, making Gilda content and the duo unicorns somewhat ill. “You've got an iron stomach, you lousy cheapskate. You better earn us a fortune today.” Earn she did. Gilda's mouth was never empty and always chewing, only pausing for a titanic belch that vibrated the cage all over. The disgusted crowd had no choice but to buy more, fascinated with such an obese slob. Gilda was more than happy to oblige as the starved itch in the depth of her stomach finally faded. Bite, chew, swallow, belch. Again and again until the sun had set and the food was finally gone. Gilda's stomach grumbled during the night, sometimes roaring louder than the diesel engine hauling her through the countryside. She tossed and turned in her sleep, jiggling her body all over and nearly tipping over the cage off the beaten path as her blubber slammed into the bars. Her appetite only grew with her size, forcing Flim and Flam to hire more workers to keep her fed every day. Her gullet dragged along the ground as she waddled before mealtime began, the only exercise she managed to get in her cramped little cage. Her poor, shredded shirt had been reduced to a bib, leaving her breasts bare for all to see. Her stomach sagged and jiggled with every breath while she struggled to reach over her own body for the offerings thrown in her cage. Time had been forgotten. How long had she been eating? When did they leave Canterlot? Gilda struggled to remember between bites as her stomach squished into the bars of her cage. She struggled to back up, only for her tire sized ass cheeks to press into the other side of her cage. Gilda waddled about and struggled, sweating up a storm as she shifted into a better position. She could barely remember what she originally looked like after that first night. All of her body was just a rippling, wobbling blob of fat and sweat. “That poor thing? All you do is feed her all day? How disgusting!” A mare from the back began to complain. She shoved her way up to the front and got as close as she could to the cage. “You poor thing. How dare they treat you like this.” Gilda leaned over her gullet and looked her over. “Did you bring food? I'm starving.” Before the kind mare could reply, a violent belch rippled through Gilda's gullet and launched out of her mouth, sending the concerned mare to the ground. The crowd cheered and laughed, spurring them on to offer even more fried sweets to Gilda's already heavy stomach. “I'll come back. We'll get you out of that cage!” She shouted, running from the mob of crazed fans watching Gilda blimp up. Fried candy bars spread chocolate all over her beak, funnel cake left her hands dusty and covered in oil, fried chocolate bacon filled her gullet to maximum capacity, stretching out her already fat, bloated, strained stomach until she couldn't move. All Gilda could do was eat and moan as her brain refused to acknowledge she was full. Gilda scratched her bloated gullet in her sleep. Even in her dreams, she was thinking of the delightful sizzle of sugar in hot oil. As the food was pulled from the fryer, a loud clang shattered her dreams and woke her up. She leaned up as best she could and watched as a small crew of ponies gathered around her cage. “Shhhh. We're here to get you out of here.” “Nah. Just bring me some food...” Gilda slumped back onto the floor and sighed, rubbing and jiggling her empty stomach. “But you mustn't want this life! We can get you out of here and back to wherever you came from!” Gilda's thoughts shifted away from food as she remember Griffonstone and her life, her friends, even her rather dinky scone shop. “Hey, lemme ask this. Have you heard about a broken wine glass showing up anywhere nearby?” The kind mare tilted her head at Gilda. “Well, there was the crazy old man who said he got a broken wine glass from some ruin a town or two back. Should only be a few miles north.” Gilda's eyes went wide as she struggled to get to her feet, an act she hadn't pulled off in days. “You mean...we passed it? The guy who has my wine glass is BEHIND US?” Gilda felt something bubble up from under the crushing hunger in her gullet. Steam shot from her nose as she reached out for the bars and pulled hard. The cage groaned as the bars stretched and bowed, leaving the helpful crew in shock. “FLIM! FLAM! YOU FUCKING JERKS!” Gilda screeched as she jammed her belly through the door. Gilda tugged and tugged, pulled the cage forward with every tug. “I'LL GET YOU LOSERS! SHOW YOURSELVES!” Gilda raged as the bars snapped clean off the cage, letting her flab ooze out as she slowly flopped onto the ground. A lone engine roared to life, speeding off down the road as Flim and Flam laughed as they passed by the ruined cage. “Later, doll face! Don't block out the sun with that belly, you pig!” Furious, Gilda stomped from trailer to trailer, slamming her weight into the left behind trucks and tipping them over. Sweat, rage and obscenities flew from Gilda as she forever ruined the remnants of the carnival. The rescue crew didn't wait around, running for their lives as a trailer nearly crushed them flat. Exhausted and still upset, Gilda stomped over to the dirty, disheveled tent and shredded it with a flabby forearm. Even with most of the material covering her body, fat oozed from every corner of Gilda's body. “Nothing left to do but find this stupid stallion and take what's mine....maybe after a bite to eat.” Gilda grumbled as she began her slow, jiggling journey to find her wine glass and return home. “Girls, hurry! We might be able to find them in town.” Rainbow Dash ran out of the train as soon as the doors had opened. Her friends followed suit as Twilight Sparkle browsed her book. “Don't worry, Rainbow Dash. The other stops remember seeing them show up here but they haven't come back this way. All we need to do is to keep following their trail.” Rainbow Dash didn't hear a word. She was too busy flying into the sky to find any trace of the shady carnival and her friend. “Not here...when did they leave?” She groaned as she landed next to one of the locals. “Hey, you saw the carnival that passed through here. What happened to it?” The stringy farmer laughed as he leaned on his shovel. “Oh, didn't ya hear? Some of those uptight fellas from Canterlot or something busted out the main attraction for that show. They've disbanded.” “Did they have a wine glass with them? It would have been broken in two!” Rainbow Dash shoved her face as close as she could to the farmer, her intense look crushing his demeanor. “Nope. Dynamite Blast still has it. Been bragging about an old relic he bought for weeks now.” Rainbow Dash backed up and smiled as she took to the sky. “Where does he live? I need to talk to him!” She zoomed off at the slightest motion, only to find her friends awaiting her. “We've got the wine glass! Once he heard about our troubles, he made an agreement instantly.” Rarity frowned as she looked over her empty pouch. “Spike and I had dug for weeks to find those extremely rare gems. All that sweat and dirt for nothing!” She sobbed as Fluttershy comforted her. “Now all we need to do is find Gilda. Did you find out anything about that, Dash?” Before anyone could say a word, a heavy thump shook the dirt under their feet. “What in Equestria was that? An earthquake?” Everyone cowered in fear and scrambled for cover as the rumbling only intensified. A heavy moan filled the air as the thumping finally stopped, leaving many curious to what was going on. Rainbow Dash was the first to spot her. At the edge of town stood Gilda, panting, sweaty and looking near to collapse. She raced off to her friend in worry as she watched Gilda shove something in her mouth. Already taller than Rainbow Dash, Gilda had managed to gain even more weight as she unwrapped another candy bar and shoved it into her mouth. “Sup?” Gilda barely wheezed before shoving another bar into her mouth. Her cheeks were sticky with chocolate as her fat claimed most of her face, making it difficult to recognize her. Her stomach was sagging to the ground, swinging like a fleshy pendulum with every breath. Gigantic, heaving breasts were on full display as the tattered ruins of the tent barely covered her body. Even Gilda's wings were flabby, the weak muscles forcing them to droop over her titanic gullet as she snacked on more candy. Shaky legs wavered to keep Gilda on her feet, even if they were as thick as tree trunks. Rainbow Dash blushed as Gilda's tail was lost in her endless expanse of ass cleavage, her cheeks scraping along the ground as she continued her strained waddle over her gullet. Heavy, bloated and far too big, Gilda's gullet was dragging a massive ditch into the ground as she forced herself forward. A pile of candy wrappers were forming near her feet as her endless struggle to move even an inch left her drained and hungry. “Gilda....you're like a train car! What happened?” Rainbow Dash gasped as she rushed over to her friend. Her skin and fur were soaked with sweat, making it hard for Rainbow Dash to properly hug her friend. “Those bastards took off with the money once I found out they were lying. I ate most of the food they left behind but I still have a decent stash of candy bars.” Gilda struggled to reach to her flabby back, but her search for more chocolate had turned up dry. “Shit, I ate them all? No way that was a thousand candy bars.” Gilda frowned as she rubbed her immense stomach. Rainbow Dash sighed as her friends caught up to her. “Well, we got the wine glass back. We can get you back to normal!” Gilda smiled...or at least, Rainbow Dash THOUGHT she saw a smile creep up on Gilda's bloated face. “You did? Cool, I guess.” Gilda huffed as her body began to jiggle violently. A belch as loud as a train blasted through town, shattering windows and making the buildings sway from the noisy shockwave. “You guys bring any food? I'm STARVING.”