Struggling Diet Warriors Chapter 5: Tale turned tempest (Revamped!) (Patreon)

Taiga passed over the threshold of the restaurant, letting the familiar sights spill over her. She used to come here pretty often, but it had been a while since she’d felt the need.

Come to think of it… Taiga frowned, trying to remember the last time she had even ordered fast food. She used to get it all the time, but now… what had changed?

Ryuuji walked past her, “You coming?” he asked.

Taiga looked at him. She realized after a second that she’d begun to smile, then lifted it into a smirk. “Yeah,” she replied tapping him lightly on the side with her knuckle, “I sure do hope this place cooks better than you do.”

She became pleased when her mutt had the good sense to chuckle, and together the pair rejoined the pack.

Maya and Nanako were practically hovering over Ami’s shoulders, as if the sapphire fatass had the gravity of a planet. She’d have teased them all if Minorin didn’t look like she were about to start revolving around the fat cow as well. Each of the girls were staring up at the display that hung over the counter, a menu that stretched nearly the length of the store.

Beneath it, Taiga noticed a woman with shoulder-length red hair that stood waiting at the register. A beauty mark under her left eye drew attention right her shiny orbs, bright emerald jewels that shimmered in the fluorescent light. The teller wore a black McDonald’s hat along with black pants and a red polyester shirt, with a small tie laying perfectly between a pair of perky breasts.

An eyebrow perked up as Taiga caught the redhead’s attention, though Taiga swiftly broke contact and looked up at the menu.

No way she was going first.

Taiga scanned the menu even though she already knew what she wanted. One double cheeseburger with only ketchup. All of their veggies tasted like crap that they probably got at some bargain market, or maybe out of another shop’s trash bin.

What she really wanted was a large order of fries! Something she could snack on as they walked, that would be best. Sure, giving up so much of her lunch made her feel hungry, but the burger could tide her hunger for now.

And if she ate too much, so what? One meal could hardly ruin a warrior’s diet. Not like the butterball, who was starting to shift back and forth as if she could hardly handle her own weight.

Stupid piglet.

If they had any extra, Taiga would just have Ryuuji save whatever was left of the noodles for her lunch tomorrow. With a little extra sweetness? Heck, maybe some plum candy with it?

God, she was hungry. Why was nobody else walking up?!

Then Taiga remembered that tomorrow was Friday. Ryuuji always made her matcha swiss rolls on Fridays, which would accompany his weekly dumpling soup. Ughh, just thinking about it was starting to make her tummy ache.

She was really looking forward to noodles… It wouldn’t matter. If they had to store the noodles till the weekend, she would offer her fridge. Then he could come over and they’d have them on Saturday.

Taiga realized she’d begun gnashing her teeth, the hollow feeling in her stomach starting to drive her insane. It was the damn menu, or maybe just the air in this place. It was dank with the scent of deep-fried grease and grilling meats, almost so heavy that she could taste the salty potatoes. And that redheaded lady kept looking at her!

What was wrong with the others?! Did they not know what they wanted yet? Who the hell goes to McDonalds and doesn’t already know their stupid order?!

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Ryuuji felt horribly out of place as he watched each of the girls. Not only because he was the only guy there, but he seemed to be the only one who retained a sense of self-awareness.

Maya and Nanako were almost as tight on Ami as her own clothing was, looking from the menu to her, then at one another. It was like they were talking without speaking, some unknown language passing between their eyes while Ami couldn’t even see the menu past her own hunger.

Ami’s plump lips were slowly whispering through the list, as if she intended to read every option before deciding on one, absorbing the atmosphere like an overweight sponge. Meanwhile, Taiga had begun looking down at her shoes, almost as if she was trying to turn off her sense.

In a way, it was like they were talking to each other as well. While Ami was trying to take everything in, Taiga was shoving everything out.

Between their stances and the others’ glances, Ryyuji began to fear that he might never understand girls. He just didn’t speak the language of silence.

He turned to Minori, about to ask what was wrong with the others, when he was hit by a train of oncoming worry.

Minori’s pleasant face was pulled into a heart wrenching frown, her large eyes stretched to the size of dinner plates and shimmering with oncoming tears.

He glanced back to the others before stepping closer. “Kushieda?” he whispered. “What’s wrong?”

Minori quivered, a low sniff that accompanied her shaking voice. “It’s two hundred and s-seventy…” her voice cracked and a fat tear tumbled down from her eye as she finished, “ca-calories.”

Ryuuji stared. A foreigner in a strange land, surrounded by people who he did not understand. “Are you… you mean the apple pie that you wanted?” he asked.

The redhead’s chest heaved as her head jerked a fraction downward. She seemed to be holding her breath. A concentration of will, the might of temperance standing firm.

“Ooooooo,” her heard Ami coo from behind him. “Apple pie. That sound so good!”

Minori’s head rocked back as if she’d just been struck in the chin.

Ryuuji held up his hands, instantly feeling the need to placate. “T-that’s not even that bad! You’re supposed to get like two-thousand calories each day, right?” He was speaking quicker than even he could process as he added, “That’s almost ten apple pies.”

The girl’s lip stopped quivering. She stood frozen, staring up into the ceiling.

Reassured that she hadn’t shattered, Ryuuji continued. “Besides, we’ve been walking everywhere today. We’ve probably burned so many calories, you could probably get more than one and still be under budget.”

“Under… budget?” Minori repeated. Slowly, she looked down from the ceiling, once more facing the menu. Her bright eyes fluttered before she looked at Ryuuji, a soft pink blush touching her anxious cheeks.

“H-here, come on,” he said before moving ahead. He was momentarily caught off guard as he suddenly found himself the in the center of an emerald attention.

“Can I help you?” the redheaded teller asked. She didn’t sound bored, like he had expected her to. Yet, there was a more speculative tone than the question seemed to merit before Ryuuji realized what a strange sight they must make. Five girls and one guy just taking up the lobby.

“Uhhh, hi,” Ryuuji inclined, trying to get back his bearing. “I’ll have one chicken sandwich, grilled, and a cup of water, please.”

The girl nodded, entering a few keys into the register.

Ryuuji felt the gravity shift behind him. He realized before looking that Ami had approached, her eyes still glued to the menu. “Apple pie… maybe… That’d be… five-forty?” she whispered to herself.

“Good evening, Kawashima,” the teller greeted, her tone dropping any formality. She placed a hand on her hip, leaning into it. “Would you like the bill added to your account today?”

Ami started, momentarily distracted. “Ehh? Oh, yeah that’s fine.” Her violet eyes flicked back to the menu, mouthing a few more words.

Ryuuji looked between the girls as the teller punched something into her computer. She must have noticed his look as the redhead quietly informed, “Kawashima’s a rewards member.”

“You guys have a rewards program?” he asked with surprise.

“No,” the redhead responded. One of her brows lifted with the side of her mouth into a smirk. “Are we going to need to heat up our third grill for you?” she asked. It didn’t sound malicious, more like friendly banter than anything.

Ami must come here pretty often… and Ryuuji would bet that she wasn’t being recognized for her model figure.

As if she could feel his thoughts, the chubby piglet lowered her hand to her tummy, drumming each of her fingers just above her visible belly button. “I’ll have… one of the angus burgers,” she said slowly, “with strips of bacon on it.”

The teller tapped her panel. “Large, or are we having an extra-large day?” she asked.

“Noooot the meal,” Ami gently shook her head, still watching the menu. “I’ll just have the burger, please.”

The redhead paused, glancing up before typing the numbers in. Meanwhile, Ryuuji was staring at Ami as if floppy pink ears had suddenly emerged from her scalp.

The sapphire piglet had just said please. To some… random food teller, who had just insinuated that Ami was capable of having ‘extra-large days.’

A beat passed before Ami noticed him. Her violet eyes widened and she raised a hand to her cheek. “Is something wrong?” she asked. “Oh no, I’m not drooling, am I?”

“Uhhh…. N-no,” he blinked at her.

Ami wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. “S-sorry, the smell just gets me, you know?”

“I-it’s not… I just expected…” he didn’t know what to say without making her sound as fat as she was.

Ami tilted her head, peering at him before laughing into her hand. “You thought I’d get more? I mean, we’re going to your place after this, aren’t we?” She seemed almost genuine as her smile lightened.

The fast-food restaurant had clearly taken her out of her element.

“It’s not a huge deal if I don’t…” her sentence trailed off, the comfort leaving her as she glanced back to the menu, “Get some… fries… Umm…”

Something happened then, something Ryuuji watched but could not comprehend. Maya glided up Ami’s right side, her voice smooth but heavy as she whispered, “Are you sure that’s all you want, Ami?”

“Yeah, Ami,” Nanako slithered over her left, practically perching herself on Ami’s shoulder. She moved in-between her and Ryuuji, as if trying to block Ami from sight, but the rounded sapphire was simply too chubby. Ryuuji could see Nanako’s fingers slowly walking up the curve of Ami’s potbelly as she continued in an even huskier tone, “You said you were starving.”

Ryuuji immediately felt uncomfortable. He was about to interject before a tiny power pushed against his back. He turned around to see Taiga plopping her hands loudly onto the counter.

“Yeah, hey. I want a double cheese with just ketchup and a large fry.”

The teller had to rise up on her tiptoes to see Taiga over her computer, her emerald eyes set in a critical look. “What to drink?” she asked.

Taiga snorted. “I stopped drinking your watered-down cola a long time ago. I just want the food, and I can pay for myself.” She stepped back from the counter and began rummaging through her small sweats.

Maya pressed forwards, one arm guiding Ami alongside of her. “I’ll have two of those, with a chocolate super shake.”

Nanako followed, dragging Ami the rest of the way till her belly rolled over the top. “My good friend seems to think those angus burgers are pretty good. I’ll have two of those, large meals.” She leaned closer to Ami before saying loudly, “With extra pork.”

Ryuuji could now clearly see Ami, both of her arms held by the others. Tiny folds of fat were pronounced by her tight top, just beneath her shoulders, but what caught him was staring at the sweat that was now rolling down her scalp. Her face seemed to be growing redder by the second while her eyes were still scrolling over the menu. “A-a-actually,” she stuttered, “I’ll t-take, umm, one, no t-two more as well. Yeah. A-and fries, please.”

There it was again, Ami saying please. It just sounded unnatural. The girl normally commanded your attention, as much with her demeanor as her butterball figure. You just couldn’t look away from her, she wasn’t a girl that asked for anything.

But quivering as she was, sweaty and pink while her shirt began to creep up her to expose her back, Ami truly resembled Taiga’s porcine taunts. He made to say something again, but a slam and a snarl snatched his attention.

“I want more too!” Taiga ordered. She stood straight, glaring across towards Ami with death in her eyes. “Three more burgers. And you better be quick!”

“H-hey, wait a sec-” Ryuuji began.

A hiss from behind startled something primitive in his brain, turning him to Maya and Nanako whispering behind Ami’s back. Ami’s face had gone fully flush, appearing not to notice either of her friends nodding before standing back at her sides. “More for us, too!” they said at the same time.

Maya then spoke, “I want a double quarter pounder, and my friend will have a quadruple cheeseburger! Both with pork!”

“We don’t even have a quad-” the teller began.

“And while you’re at it,” Nanako harshly interrupted, “I wand some chicken tenders.” She tilted her head back, squeezing herself against Ami. “Your biggest order! Actually, two, and you pick the dip!”

It was like a tennis match, orders bouncing between the two girls. Maya stood up straighter, becoming even more authoritative as she added, “And I’ll take a fruit and yogurt parfait, too!”

The last rebound had Nanako look sharply across Ami before loudly claiming, “Two of those for me!”

It was all making Ryuuji’s head begin to spin, instinct pushing him to try and add up the calories. What had been ordered? Three, six, how many burgers? How much chicken?! He nearly overlooked the droning tone as Ami began to count on her fingers. “A sweet barbecue bacon burger. No, two of those. Then a garlic white cheddar burger, and a Pico guacamole burger with teriyaki sauce.”

A heavy droplet of drool fell from the corner of her mouth, but Ami didn’t notice. She kept going, naming even more foods.

Maya and Nakano snapped to the teller, spouting off more orders as well, their voices overlapping each other.

The teller’s computer was beeping more and more loudly as she tried to track the information. Her emerald eyes began to gleam as a tiny fire lit inside, gritting her teeth as she stabbed at her screen. When Ami went on to say she’d take two big macs, the redhead snapped. “Are you just reading the menu, or are you ordering?!”

Taiga’s was holding herself up on the counter, spitting her own additions at the poor girl. “And four hot fudge sundaes! No nuts, extra chocolate frosting! You hear me?!”

Ryuuji lifted his hands, pushing through to the counter. “Hey! HEY!”

The female flurry began to die down, a lull that was filled by ferocious beeping from the computer system. Each girl was looking at him with anger in their eyes, each girl but Ami, who only had eyes for the menu.

“You guys can’t be serious. There’s no way you’re actually going to order all-”

He was silenced as something pounced on his back, pushing him off to the right and stumbling into Taiga. The palmtop tiger yelped before catching him beneath the ribs, and together the pair looked at the beaming sun that nearly bowled him over.

Minori was standing directly in front of the redheaded girl, her fingers layered over the top of the computer. A sudden hope appeared, the bright and shining starhad broken through the gathering storm. Minori would be the stabilizing daylight, the voice of reason in this crazy world.

“F-fifteen apple pies. Please,” Minori panted through soft, giddy breaths.

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“Order number twenty-five!” called the teller from behind the counter.

Ryuuji had been watching the redhead layering item after item out on the multiple platters. He knew it was their order, but barely could believe just how much these girls had honestly purchased.

The group had settled at a table on the other side of the dining-room divider, but the teller held Ryuuji in a clear line of sight. She leaned back, crossing her arms over her waist and lifting an expectant eyebrow. She was clearly not going to bring it to them.

He sighed, looking down to his right to ask Taiga to move, but she was already pulling herself out from the bench. “H-hey,” Ryuuji slid after her, glancing at the girls who remained seated.

Ami sat on the center seat on the other side, wearing a wide grin on her plump face. With Maya sitting next to her and Nanako on Ryuuji’s side, you’d be mistaken to think Ami wasn’t directly between them. If she’d been out of her element before, she had certainly found it now, wrapping both girls up in her little story.

It was fascinating, even if it was also clearly made up. Ami had a real knack for storytelling, especially about all her interactions with the rich and famous. “And then there was this really weird girl, I think she was blind or something?” she continued, her finger lazily twirling in the air. “I just remember she had this really powerful, fruity perfume. Anyway, her and the chocolate bar guy were hosting the fundraiser, and they hired us to come out wearing these crazy outfits to entertain the guests."

"Crazy how?" Maya asked, completely invested.

Ami licked her lips, clearly enjoying herself. "Crazy, like, the whole dress was made of jelly and sugar."

"No way..."

"Way! It sounds weird but, like, that was the best gummy candy I'd ever tasted.” Conscious or not, Ami patting her belly seemed less like she was a piglet and more like she’d been a pampered princess. “In less than an hour, I'd eaten both the straps to my dress. I’m just lucky my boobs are so big though! I always loved blue candies."

Ryuuji rolled his eyes, pulling himself away from the table. It was an interesting story. Fake, but interesting. A candy dress, that’d just be ridiculously sticky, wouldn’t it? Especially on her chest… But to be fair, he could practically picture Ami… eating her way… out of…

Pale pudge began to rip out of a gummy sapphire dress before a cry of “WAHHH, HEY!!”

Ryuuji’s consciousness snapped as he nearly smacked into the stumbling Taiga. He tried to catch her even as the redheaded blur of Minori Kushieda came into focus, mumbling eccentrically to the surprised teller.

The teller quietly responded before pointing to two white bags that were nearly obscured beneath the pile of wrapped sandwiches stacked high around them.

Minori almost seemed to vibrate, the entirety of her outfit fluffing outward as she dashed for the bags. White paper fluttered through the air as she ripped it apart before, knees quaking, Minori raised a small, green, rectangular box up into the florescent lighting.

Numerous staff member were peaking around the corner as Minori made a sound that made Ryuuji flush with color. “Gracious lord, you have blessed this sacred bread with Thy spiritual benedict-ehh?”

Ryuuji had been so focused on Minori’s apple pie that he didn’t see the claws that had wrapped around the redhead’s waist until Minori looked down. She had just enough time to stare as pale fingers pinched into her waist before, yelping like startled wolf, she was lifted into the air by the palmtop tiger.

“You jerk!!” Taiga yelled over Minori’s screams, “I swear to God, you nearly killed me! You better gimmie one of those or I am going to lose it!”

“Aiiieee!! Stop stop stop I’m gonna drop it no Taiga please stahahap,” she pleaded as she was shaken through the air.

The teller gave Ryuuji an uncomfortable glance as he approached. “So, uhh, you…” her emerald eyes flicked to Taiga as the brunette dropped Minori and leapt onto her back, “you wanna take these?”

The young man tried to play off the embarrassment with a chuckle. “Yes, please. Do you know which bag is mine?”

The redhead pointed to the second tray. A small wrapped sandwich sat near the corner, with a tiny plastic cup of water set into one of four holders. “I made that one myself,” the teller said. “I can’t be around all of… this, for too long,” she gestured to the tray before smirking at Ryuuji. “Or else I’ll end up like your friend over there.”

Something told him that she didn’t mean Taiga.

“Yeah,” he grimaced, “sorry about all of this.”

The girl shrugged. “It’s alright, not the strangest thing we’ve seen here.” She stood on her tiptoes, glancing over Ryuuji’s shoulder. “You wouldn’t happen to remember Kawashima’s order, would you?”

“Uhh… nor really,” he replied honestly. “Some angus burgers, but she sort of kept ordering more.”

The girl nodded, then fingered through a couple of bags. She decided on one, nodding to herself before opening it up and withdrawing a large container of French fries. She winked at Ryuuji with a glimmer in her playful eyes. “Service tax,” she said before replacing the bag on the tray and taking a few fries to her mouth. She made a satisfied sigh as she crunched the small mouthful, purring as a kitten before covering her mouth and saying, “Mmm. Fresh.”

Ryuuji chuckled. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”

The girl swallowed before replying. “She better not. Save some carbs for the rest of us ladies.” She giggled at her own joke before lifting another handful and chomping again.

Again, he chuckled, not really knowing how to reply before just bending forward and grasping the tray. “Have a good day,” he bade before turning away.

He was caught off guard for a moment, not expecting the intense weight from a fast-food tray, but found his grip just in time for it to be tested as Minori nearly crashed into him.

“My babies!!” she cried, shuffling through each heavy bag. “Where are my babies?!?”

“Glah! Hey, Kushieda!” he struggled with the shifting weight. “They’re still on the counter!”

Minori leapt past him, her middle emitting a powerful rumble as she scampered to the counter, though Taiga immediately moved into his way.

The small brunette was trying to peer over the tray, a few inches higher than her eyes could see. Her curious, hazel-nut eyes inspected each of the wrappings, a light pink touching her cheeks. She said nothing.

Ryuuji sighed, lifting one leg to steady the tray before lifting one of the hot fudge sundaes out of the corner drink holsters. Taiga’s face lit up when he handed it to her, smiling brightly at the dessert before turning up to him.

“You’re gonna ruin your appetite,” he told her.

Taiga stuck her tongue out before replacing the dessert into the holster. “Here, give me that. I was trying to help bring everything back before Princess Pies nearly flattened me.”

Ryuuji hesitated. The burger-loaded tray looked as if it might weight a quarter of what Taiga did, but he relented. She grunted once, but managed to hold it across her chest.

“Well, thanks,” he shrugged. “I was afraid I’d have to get it all by myself.”

Taiga rolled her eyes. “Like I could listen to her and her groupies for another second. Chocolatier fundraiser, she’s always thinking about food. Look at all this? Damn fatass.”

Wisely, Ryuuji didn’t point out that most of the tray seemed to be Taiga’s food anyways, though he did notice the touch of red in her cheeks. “Well, thank you,” he inclined.

“Yeah, whatever. Hurry up, with the rest.”

Ryuuji turned back to the counter to see the teller sitting on a different counter, munching on her pack of pilfered fries. She swung her legs, seemingly quite satisfied with herself, the tiny beauty mark lifted up with her chewing smile.

Taiga had taken her seat with the first tray, leaving the rest of the transporting to Ryuuji. It took several more trips to bring the eight trays in total, and each time the table seemed to get noticeably quieter. It was to the point of being awkward, each girl seeming to realize just what they’d done.

Nobody said anything as Taiga moved from the booth so that he could return to his seat. It would have been silent, were it not for the powerful rumbles from across the table.

Minori had eyes only for her pies, a triple stacked placement set before her. Multiple droplets showed her powerful hunger stain her white shirt. On the other end, Maya was just staring at the veritable pile. Two trays were specifically only for her, packed with as much greasy food as could possibly fit.

Ami, however, was directly in the center. And she was staring at him. She had her elbows on the table, pressed near her belly, her mouth hidden behind her hands. His sight connected with her sapphire eyes as he settled in his chair.

Ryuuji was tempted to try and start counting from the massive pile, to try and figure out exactly how much there was, when a third reverberation growled louder than the others. He turned to look at Taiga, who held her hands over her tummy, which caught him off guard.

“Now can we eat?” Nanako asked.

“Yes,” Taiga and Ami answered in unison.

Like a lion taking down a gazelle, Minori’s fingers flashed and revealed the golden crust of her sweet apple pie. She pounced, mushing half of the treat into her mouth before Ryuuji could even make out the pastry proper.

The others commenced at their own pace. All except Ami, who still watched Ryuuji. “We waited for you,” she said as the others began to eat, her dark eyes connected with his.

He didn’t know what to say, unexpecting even the little gesture, when Taiga’s elbow suddenly jabbed him in the ribs. “Hey, are you gonna eat or not?” she asked around a full mouth.

Ryuuji winced, shooting Taiga a dirty look. Two golden french fries dropped from her mouth as she stuck out her tongue.

By the time Ryuuji turned back to Ami, he was not prepared for the sudden shift.

The restraints on her wrists had been shattered. Ami’s hands squelched the grease from a giant double-decker burger that was clearly too big for her mouth, but that wasn’t stopping the sapphire piglet. Her fingers pinched deeper into the bun, not even fully unwrapped from the brown label despite a third of the sandwich being crammed in her mouth. Her blue eyes were tilting backward as Ami moaned in satisfaction, pulling the burger away from her mouth. Ketchup and mayonnaise remained on her lips, but her tongue lapped up the grease with another humm of pleasure.

Pleasure that her orange-haired companion shared, though for a seemingly different reason.

Maya hadn’t even touched her own stack of food, yet she was grinning widely at Ami’s enjoyment. It seemed to bring comfort to her hesitation, leading her to unwrap her own burger with a sesame seed bun. Fresh lettuce crunched when Maya took a bite, through she nearly dropped the burger in surprise when she pulled away a long strip of bacon. It bobbed against her chin and Maya poked at is, as if she’d never had the fatty meat on a sandwich before and was uncertain whether to slurp it all up or to chomp through it.

Ryuuji sensed something beneath his right arm that made him jump and snap it shut, causing Taiga to yelp. “What’s the big idea?!” he shouted at her.

“You’re not eating!” Taiga whined back, raising a small hand and beating on his arm.

Across the table, Ami and Kushieda both began to laugh, a bright snorting sound as each tried to cover their mouths. Ami held both hands over her lips, having just finished her burger. Her throat swelled as she swallowed the mouthful, plopping down to her belly with a satisfied breath before going for another bite. It was obviously not her first fast food feast…

Ryuuji returned to his own sandwich, wrapped in a plain white label that marked is as healthy grilled chicken. He unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite.

It was okay.

Across from Taiga, Kushieda moaned, a soft and erotic sound that shot through Ryuuji’s ears like electricity and filled his face with a fiery blush. He watched as an overweight bite of a chubby apple pie sent a small stream of warm apple filling down the crest of her cheek, dripping down her chin onto her open gym top.

Ryuuji something jostle his left arm, pulling him away from Kushieda’s enjoyment. “Oop, shoory,” Nanako nodded, having accidentally jostled her tray into his. She was making quick progress of her own food, eyeing the quick-eating sapphire piglet. “‘Ow ish it, Cawashema?” she asked, her mouth still full of food.

Taiga snorted, her own mouth full of a decent burger. She leaned forwards, sounding as if she were choking, but laugher was shaking her tiny frame.

“It’s fantastic,” Ami smiled between bites. She seemed to use her wrapper as a sort of glove for her hand, taking the next mouthful while only partially unwrapped. A sudden burst of ketchup spread over her cheek, causing her to giggle before lapping at it with her tongue and swallowing. “Thanks for bringing us here, girls!”

Ryuuji watched Taiga’s struggle devolve into a malicious snicker. He lifted an eyebrow, patting her on the back. “You okay?” he asked.

A bit of her hair had dipped into one of her sundaes, and when she sat back up Ryuuji could see the tears of the laughter had filled her eyes. “Mooooo,” she giggled, raising a finger and pointing at Ami. “Cow,” she cut off to cough, swallowing the last of her food.

Ami paused mid-bite, her head tilting to the side as Taiga struggled.

“Cowashima!” Taiga finished when her mouth was cleared, coughing and giggling to herself. “I am so stealing that.”

“You nearly killed yourself for that?” Ryuuji asked flatly.

Ami lowered her burger. “Eh? You’re going to steal my name?” she asked before taking another bite, head still tilted to the side.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

Nanako’s voice came off as a harsh whisper, catching Ryuuji’s attention to the purple-haired girl. She was leaning to the left of the table, addressing Maya as she took the last bite of her thick burger. Only just finishing her first.

Maya’s eyebrows reached into her bangs. “Do you see how much food there is here?!” she whispered back. She lifted two other wrapped sandwiches and gestured to her drink, a cola that Ryuuji could only appreciate as she struggled to lift it from the tight holder. It looked bigger than the pint glasses his mother had brought home from the bar, sloshing with a dark-cherry fluid with a near bucket of ice when Maya shook it.

Ami noticed the others, sitting back up. She looked over Maya’s food. “You don’t have much more than anyone else…” she said. “I think you have less than even me. But oh, you guys said you needed to be dieting, right?” Ami then brushed her long hair back with a free hand, grinning in a way that probably should have been friendly.

At least, Ryuuji hoped it wasn’t as condescending a smile as the fat smirk seemed.

Nanako took an even larger bite of her third sandwich, hardly waiting to swallow the mouthful. She was glaring daggers into Ami’s side. Maya, meanwhile, was blushing an intense pink as Ami’s hand waved over her food. The hand then moved over Maya’s center.

“I mean, I get it of course. Not everybody has model genetics, you know?” Ami’s grin widened.

To his right, Taiga scoffed. “Model genetics? What kind of model are you? Or are you really trying to be a blue-ribbon piglet?”

She might as well have said nothing at all. Ami didn’t even seem to hear her, leaning in closer to Maya. Their eyes had connected, Maya blinking rapidly while Ami’s gaze ruled. “Seriously, if you can’t eat any more, I can take it off of your tray. I mean, I paid for you after all. I don’t want to see you waste that.”

She flipped her hand with her hair again. To her other side, Kushieda muttered something about, “Loving ambrosia.” Ryuuji tried not to stare at her tongue lapping the filling right out of the pie, instead turning back to his own sandwich. Ami was right, he really should be finishing… his…

He looked before the noise registered, watching the palmtop tiger tearing into her food as if it had pissed her off. Taiga snarled, fingernails pinching the bun before tearing the meat from her burger with the snap of her neck, not even waiting for her teeth to pierce the patty. She loudly devoured the burger, and Ryuuji was about to ask what the hell she was doing when a soft arm knocked into his other side.

He spun to watch Nanako upping an entire packet of fries to her face. The pack had been full, but mouthful after mouthful was dumped into the Nanako’s mouth, disappearing down her throat with intense bulges. Across from her, Maya’s orange hair was akin to flames, tearing into her second sandwich. Her other hand blindly fumbled the top of a container of chicken tenders.

Maya ripped a large bite from the burger, then she grabbed a tender and shoved it into her full mouth. She was chewing wildly, bits of lettuce and onion escaping her lips and dropping on the tray before her.

“W-wha,” Ryuuji tried to begin, looking between each of the now ravenous girls. They were like barbarians, or a pack full of animals.

Taiga had removing the top of one of her sundaes, dipping her neck back and letting the slop rush her moth. The ice cream and hot fudge spilled down her lips, drops splashing onto her uniform. He spun back to Nanako, who was loudly attacking another sandwich. It had to be her fourth, or maybe her fifth. Green sauce spilled from the top of the burger. The audacious sight of the usually reserved girl had become so alien he couldn’t help but gape until he slowly remembered it was guacamole.

Maya, meanwhile, seemed like she was about to choke herself on trying to eat half of a burger in one bite, her eyes tearing up for a moment before she swiftly picked up her monstrous jug of soda, and he throat throbbed as she forced her food down with mouthful after mouthful of drink.

All conversation had died, becoming an increasingly devolved until each of the girls had become some ferocious feline. Lionesses that were fighting over a fresh kill, hands moved almost as quickly as mouths snapped at what they could, ripping the meat and potatoes into barely recognized shreds.

And not everything was ending up in their mouths. Grease stains were rapidly appearing on Maya and Nanako, pushing themselves to eat more than they could handle, faster than they could chew. Eating too fast to register all of the food they were eating, the meat and the drinks that were swelling inside of their centers. Taiga’s chin was covered in fudge and vanilla, moving from one sundae to the next, her little elbows flying out as if she had no control of herself.

Even Kushieda was being brought into the brawl, their quickened pace inspiring each other to eat faster, each animal to eat more. The cheery redhead was completely red, not just in face but almost her whole body, sweat dribbling down pie-packed cheeks. Three bites and a swallow, each of the pies were vanishing past her lips and filling her stomach.

Everyone had seemed to lose their damned minds!

Everyone except him, and the swollen sapphire whose dark blue eyes froze him into place when he noticed her stare.

Everything around them seemed to freeze in time as Ryuuji and Ami locked their eyes. The girls’ hunger, the packs’ feast, it all seemed to slowly fade. Wolfish growling and porky snorts became muted against a dull blue background when Ryuuji locked his sight to the entrapping pit of those deep violet eyes.

Ami moved at a crawl, remarkably slow and thought out compared to the redheads stuffing their mouths on either side. She leaned in with a soft pale cheek resting upon her open right hand, supporting a lazy chew that reminded Ryuuji of Taiga’s cow joke. Bovine, that what it was, a huge circular motion on her domesticated cheeks, slowly demolishing the grease and the fat and sending all of the calories to join the meat in her belly.

In her left hand was Ami’s burger, an immense bite missing, with barely cooked bacon hanging from between each patty. It looked so white and fatty, perfectly at home in her gluttonous grip. Dribbles of grease had mixed with the mayo, staining the wrapping and pooling onto her tray.

Ami’s face was full, her smile malicious, and the angle wasn’t flattering for a bombshell model. Yet it was perfect for the sapphire piglet, who in that moment didn’t seem bothered in the slightest by her still-swelling weight.

An empty sundae cup and a large fry box flew between them, but neither broke their stare. Ryuuji could not find the strength to look away from the lazy, powerful gaze of Ami Kawashima. Her throat swelled as she swallowed her bite. Her hand lazily drifted towards her mouth, stretching her mouth wide before pearly white teeth serrated the burger, and she began to leisurely chew once more.

Was it a minute? Two?

Unblinkingly, they stared at one another, looked intoone another. Ami’s nostrils would flare as she ate, showing that she was struggling to breath even as she kept eating more. Her breast and her stomach seemed to swell outward more with each bite, each deep breath making her look bigger, fatter.

Another bite became another burger, this one again double stacked. Ryuuji recognized the fine angus beef by the lack of grease on this pristine cut. Lettuce and tomato mixed lovingly with bacon and topped with condiments, Ami’s fat mouth took an even fatter bite. Her snuffling breath was somehow louder than the war all around her, but it didn’t bother her.

Her face widened into a tantalizing expression before extending the burger towards him. “Wanna bite?” she asked in a slow, soft voice, almost sensuous and hardly audible, but still louder than anything else at the table.

Ryuuji didn’t know what to say. So, he said nothing.

He tried his best not to see Kushieda slamming down her seventh pie, to not witness Maya shoveling this fast food crap into her mouth like she were a hungry dumpster. Every now and then, he’d feel Taiga’s feline growl more than he’d hear it as she tore apart something fresh and different, heat and rage pouring off of her. He focused all his attention on Ami’s eyes.

He could swear she was purring.

Ryuuji was the first to look away, looking to his cup of water, still in the tray. His fingers went to it. A wrapper landed on his hand, yet he paid it no mind.

He lifted the tiny plastic cup, drinking the clean water.

Ami had finished her burger and was now leisurely dunking another into a small pool of ketchup she’d put onto some discarded box. She dipped the burger once, twice, and lifted it to her mouth.

The crunch of the vegetables echoed across the table, and still she lazily chewed, her movements now as slow as her walking gait. Ryuuji felt his eyebrows tug down.

The sensation had returned. The oncoming wind, the pouring rain.

The Reaper’s breath slowly coursed down his neck. It spread over his shoulders before dripping down his back. Ryuuji sat in the eye of the storm, forcing his eyes to look upon Ami Kawashima. The sapphire piglet. He tried to see the woman behind the mask.

Porcelain beauty was torn away from her face, revealing the pink flesh of her softening chin as she chewed and chewed and chewed. Ryuuji felt lightening boiling the air around him as her toxic grin grew ever so slightly.

“Aren’t you hungry?” Ami asked.