Belly Literary Universe (part 1)

Kelri's Gain Part 18: Ice breaker

Kelri lingered in her bed. The weight from the weekend made it that little bit harder to leave the comfort of sleep. She trudged to the bathroom to shower and get ready. With each step she felt the newly added pounds on her midsection. As the water cascaded through her hair and down her back, her hands found her belly. Increasingly over the previous few months her hands lingered on her belly during her showers.

She stepped onto the scale with an almost eagerness. She recorded her weight. 12/14 - 174 pounds. Jeez. That's four pounds this weekend alone. Well, it was a contest weekend so that's what happens. Yesterday's... Indulgences didn't help, I'm sure. And yesterday was especially indulgent even as far as cheat days go. She flipped her planner back a page and read Connor's encouraging note. '172lbs? Seems a bit low to me. Pump that number up!'

She stared down at herself past her fattened breasts. He belly blocked the view of her feet. Not by just a little either. It stuck out further than she remembered in each direction. Her love handles grew too and merged gently into her belly. Her hand cleared away the steam on the bathroom mirror. With a hesitant motion she lifted and plopped her stomach on the cool countertop. She gasped at cold against her bare skin. A question from from the previous day lingered in her mind. 'Do you like it?' Her eyes fixed on how her belly spreading out on the counter. She admired how despite how it's own weight caused it to deform, it still maintained it's roundness. Do I like it? I can't deny being able to eat more has been nice. I can't say that I especially dislike it though. I can't believe I'm thinking this. She pressed her hands into her fat. One squeeze led to another and soon she was massaging it. Oh god, it feels nice to rub though.

As she got dressed for work, her thoughts turned to the more practical and concerning revelations of the weekend. She pulled out her phone and email the Secret Advisor. "So who aren't you manipulating? Who aren't you talking to? You've know about me for years? You've been trying to manipulate me for years? You knew Adria! How! Who the hell are you! Why are you doing this!"

The secret advisor responded with his usual punctuality. "I call myself 'Secret Advisor' because that is what I do: I advise people. I did advise Adria. I did nothing strange or harmful. She found me and eventually opened up about how much she enjoyed your company. Specifically she talked at length about your eating contests together. She was excited at how close you always came to beat her. I merely encourage her to talk to you about it. The fact that she followed you was her doing entirely. She set up the eating contest. She recruited you for it."

She grunted at her phone. "How benevolent of you."

"I have never hurt anyone."

"I think some people would say making me fat - even indirectly - would be very harmful"

"With the medical advancements you and I have both read about, that harm would be significantly overstated. You underwent a nanotechnological procedure to expand your stomach size. You work in the biggest medical treatment and research campus in the entire world. You will be fine. Who else have I hurt? Adria starting the eating contest Saved Marco's. Without it he would have had to close the restaurant. Without you joining, Adria would have dominated the contests and it never would have taken off. But, as things worked out, Marco's is thriving now. They can hardly keep up with demand. Though my nudging of Adria saved a struggling business and brought two friends (or friendly rivals perhaps) together again. I have empowered you all."

"Empowered? Everything that's happened the past months has been out of my control."

"Everything? Or just your weight? But hasn't even that brought you together with Connor as well? He really likes you. It seems you've had good times together. You seem to have seriously enjoyed the contests as well despite their effect on your waistline."

"Yes I've had good times in the past few months. So what? What about the grief and anxiety you've caused me."

"I would ask what you life was before? What was the most exciting thing you did before? Eating contests which you lost every time? It seems that was the only real thing you did for yourself before the treatment. My observations have been that you're a workaholic, and that in the past few months you have significantly loosened up. As always changes comes with new highs and lows. I'm sorry that you've had trouble adapting to changes. But overall it seems that you've accepted them, if only reluctantly so far."

"How the fuck could you know any of that. Who the hell are you!"

"I've watched your competitions. I've watched you glee as you snatched victory from Adria. I've talked to your friends both before and after. They both expressed concerns about your out-of-work life (or lack of one). Just as I nudged Connor to talk to you, and nudged Adria to talk to you, I simply nudged you toward partaking further in hobbies you already enjoyed."

"Oh is that all? Who are you to take up that role?"

"I've already given you clues to find me. You want to know who I am? You have the power to find out. Adria curates knowledge that can lead you to me. Connor can interpret it. Maia will give you access because you have something she wants. Connor will help you understand it because if you apply the right 'pressure' to him he will do whatever you want. This is innuendo of course. You know what he likes. I've empowered you. I've given you the tools you need to learn what you want. Use them."