“Alright Parchment, bit of an unusual cure we’ve got, but it’s the only one I can think of. Ye ready to be a stallion again?” The wind whipped up the side of the mountain in the fading light, the fat plaid dragon standing on the small landing outside of his cave with the blond earth pony. Night Strike had flown off back down the mountain a short while ago, said she needed to shut off the ropeway or something, so that just left Parchment alone with Hylund – a fact that the unfortunate mare was less than thrilled about, but not really having many other options.

“Uh, y-yeah, yeah, sure. Your cure, uh, you’re not gonna have to like eat me or anything, right?” Her hooves were hard to steady as she sat on the precipice, looking out across the mountain range and south towards the forests and hills around her hometown. Even without being left alone and defenseless with a big dragon, the fact that it was turning night and starting to get colder overall weren’t helping her nerves any. Especially when that big dragon started laughing.

“Ah, nae, no, not anything like that. Less you wanna have something entirely else to have to deal with… nah, even then I don’t think I’d have it in me tonight. We’ll save turnin’ ye into a big dragon like me for another night, eh?” A chuckle escaped Hylund as Parchment only met him with a look of frightened confusion, the earth pony scooching a bit further away from the old dragon, for all the good that did. Hylund leaned himself forwards, reaching a hand down to the ground. “It’s much simpler than that, trust me. Do need tah be able to see ye well, though, so you’re gonna have to climb up.”

Oh, great, more heights, just what he needed! Why can’t curse removal be as simple as it was to put the damn thing on him in the first place? Letting off a resigned sigh, Parchment climbed himself up into Hylund’s palm, getting shaken a little and grabbing onto the fat plaid dragon’s thumb as he was lifted upwards. Soon enough, he was level with Hylund’s face, the dragon studying him for a moment. Please be over fast…

“This is gonna seem a mite strange to you, but you’re gonna have to trust me. Been around for the better part of ten centuries, I know what I’m doin’, heh. Just relax yerself an’ let me do my work, lad.” Parchment only responded with a weak nod, releasing his grip on the thumb and moving more centrally in Hylund’s palm. The old dragon lifted his other hand up, starting to move it about around Parchment, faint glowing coming from his fingertips every so often. Definitely some weird magic, but if it works, it works…

Hylund went through the fake motions and all, muttering under his breath a faint senseless tune, just adding to the show. Eventually, he placed one hand overtop the other, fingertips encircling the small pony sat on it in a cage-like fashion, slowly easing Parchment up to his muzzle in both hands. The faintest hint of a smirk broke on his mouth, as he pinched on the neck of the earth pony, pulling her fully against his lips. The air whistled loudly as he drew in a deep breath through his nose, his plaid belly stretching and swelling immensely underneath him as he prepared the first of many breaths.

Somehow, Parchment never considered the first time he’d get a kiss from a dragon, it would taste so… fabric-y. And yet as he helplessly flailed on Hylund’s muzzle, listening to the sound of the massive dragon taking in a deep breath, he still knew what to expect all the same. He barely had time to register it as a massive rush of air overtook him, forcing his belly to balloon outwards at a far more rapid pace than the compressor had managed earlier that same day. The stretching sensation was pushed just a bit further than what he was used to, the air billowing inside him not having as much time to seek out other space compared to usual fillings – needless to say, in the back of his mind, Parchment was certainly having doubts that this was actually a cure.

The second breath came much the same as the first, this time at least with the saving grace that the air had finally worked out where his rear and legs were, Hylund being relentless with each prolonged puff. Parchment couldn’t tell just how far he’d swollen already, but as each new breath made the feeling of fabric on his belly more and more prominent, it was rapidly becoming clear that he was growing to be nearly the size of the dragon filling him as it was. And with how massive Hylund looked from the ground… the worried flailing of his puffed-up forelegs felt quite justified, really.

Hylund prepared himself for one last breath, the hand that wasn’t keeping Parchment’s muzzle pressed to his lips reaching to press and rub against the swelling earth pony’s hide. Wasn’t too often the old dragon got to appreciate the sensation of a swelling balloon himself – he certainly had to admit he understood why those ponies enjoyed it so much. The air billowing about past the slowly tightening hide felt fairly relaxing, though he did still have a job to do yet. Perhaps one of the other ponies around here wouldn’t mind a puffkiss form a big old dragon…

Hylund was quick to pinch Parchment’s muzzle after breaking the kiss, keeping the air held inside. He gently bapped a hand against the taut blimp’s belly, wearing a grin. “Heh, sorry for decievin’ ye like that, but your curse has a way to get rid of it already, and I know fer a fact you know what that is. You’re not gettin’ off the hook that easy on my watch.” Blinking a few times, Parchment looked up at Hylund best that he could, letting off a muffled groan and whimper. Poor thing seemed disappointed…

“Now, I also know ye didn’t care for the TOPHAT, so I’ve got a different way for ye to get back home. Now, ah…” The earth pony balloon resounded with a few odd squeaks as he bounced on the ground, being swung about to point somewhere. As he was moved, a dawning realization started to flow over him – this wasn’t gonna be fun. Hylund gave him one last grin, placing a hand under his ballooned belly and lifting him skywards slightly. “Nice meetin’ ye, by the way. See you ‘round!”

With that, the dragon released his pinch on Parchment’s muzzle, allowing the air to start rushing out of the earth pony. The pressures and volume being much, much higher compared to earlier, the jet was much more of a blast, just sufficient enough to send Parchment on his way rocketing out over the landscape, just like a loosed balloon.

He was really getting tired of today.