"Welcome, on and all, to this year's eating competition in the Golden Lands." The announcer greeted the assembled crowd with the solemnity of a sacred religious ritual, a tall, chubby bee with a cane resting comfortably under her chitinous hands - it was hard to tell if she needed the support to stand upright or if it was her weapon of choice. "In the past, it was deemed that whoever finished their plate of food first would be the winner. However, the rules have been mended after last year's debacle with the three-way tie when all finished at once. The rules now are that the contest can only end when each contestant chooses to stop eating. Whoever reaches fullness last will receive Venus' offering. Here are this year's competitors:"

The announcer bee turned around to see two other members of her kind, far more significant in size than herself, with a lean geometer moth sandwiched between them, like a blue leaf between two loaves of bread. "From the Hive, Chubee!" The second-fattest bee waved happily to the crowd, getting applause and cheers. "From the Ant Kingdom, Leif!" The pale blue moth nodded as he received polite claps and a few shocked laughs from the audience. "And, also from the Hive, Vi!" The third fattest bee buzzed happily, getting the same high Mothiva got when she was on stage.

"With that, we are ready to begin!" The announcer made a gesture to the sides of the table, and in an instant, two phalanxes of ants, bees, mantis, and more appeared, all carrying food for when the plates of crunchy leaves in front of the contestants will inevitably be eaten. "Give it your all for the Goddess Venus!" With that, the eating contest had begun - and before the eyes of the audience, the crunchy leaves on the table evaporated from sight. Leif surprised everyone in attendance with the quick voracity he had hidden underneath his rigid demeanor, his facial expression barely changing as he crunched the leaves into dust in his mouth with the efficiency of a machine. Where was he putting it all?! Meanwhile, the two fat bees on either side of the geometer moth were having the time of their lives, a competitive determination balanced with raw euphoria from eating evident on their chubby visages.

Chubee was the slowest of the three, taking her time to chew her food and savor the taste on her tongue, but it never wavered. Vi was more interested in shoving food down her throat as fast as possible so that her aching stomach would shut up. A broad grin was on her face as she gladly fisted the leaves into her eager maw, not letting a crumb escape, though her hunger failed to reach the speed of Leif's calculated movements. The trays were cleared in less than 20 seconds and quickly taken aside to be replaced by much more filling fare - leaf omelets. Contended buzzes rang out from the two balls of black and yellow fluff while Leif mechanically nibbled on the omelets like a pencil sharpener.

While Leif's wing-cape hid any effect the food was making on his waistline, Chubee and Vi's stomach's freely expanded onto the table as the organs beneath all that stomach flab expanded to accommodate the feast, twin seas of soft, velvety blubber smacking against the wood. Chubee's pace remained a constant, while Vi's began to slow down as her hunger was satiated, though for what she lacked in appetite, she more than made up for in greed, selfishness, and gluttony. Her wings fluttered as she let out a soft belch, the last of the omelets plopping into the growing sea of chime inside her tummy while she massaged it from the outside. The servers wouldn't hand out the next round until everyone was finished…which wouldn't take long. And sure enough, a minute into the contest, they were already through two rounds.

Next was a combination of mushroom salad and platters of roasted, succulent berries. The way the two recipes' tastes joined in Vi's mouth made her moan in joy. To showcase the greedy bee she was to Bugaria, she lifted the platter to her face and tilted it back, forgoing table manners entirely as she let her cheeks fill up with the stuff before she swallowed it down in satisfied gulps. Chubee giggled at the display through mouthfuls of her food but refrained from doing the same - she didn't really care about winning; she just wanted a good meal. Leif was halfway through his tray before he suddenly stopped, pushing it away. "Ooof…I believe I've had my fill…" Leif's usually monotone voice now had a tired quality, and he stepped away from the table, indicating he was done. "Good luck, VI." He sported a small smile and patted his teammate on the back as he joined the crowd.

The audience responded to Leif's departure from the contest with applause - no one took him seriously, but even though he lost, he still did far better than anyone had anticipated. “I…uh, how…” Kabbu struggled to come up with words to say to his teammate now that he was back at his side with Zasp in the crowd. "Is…that how you always eat?"

"No, of course not." Leif blinked, a little confused by Kabbu's question. "We already have two bugs with black holes for stomachs on our team - If I ate like that all the time, we would run out of supplies fast."

"I think what he was trying to say was…never mind." Zasp shook his head, astonished at Leif's casual reply. How was he not fat like Vi and Mothiva if he could always eat like that? If only the females of the team could have their appetites tamed by fiduciary responsibility like Leif. "Well, it's up to Vi, now….is it illegal for her to eat the rest of your food?" Zasp pointed to the bloated bee finishing off Leif's unfinished platter of berries and mushrooms now that she was done with her own.

"Moooore…" Vi huffed in contentment as the plates were cleared away in time for the next course - backed yams, spicy fries, and burly chips. The greasy, fattening pile never managed to reach the table's surface as the server found the tray taken from his hands by the gluttonous bee, licking her lips in excitement as she scarfed it down. Chubee was finally beginning to slow down, reaching her limit. "Mhmf, so goood…" Chubee turned to see Vi on cloud nine as she buzzed through mouthfuls of deep-fried ambrosia, a dreamy look appearing as she groped her taut tummy.

"Goodness, girl! You really can pack it away!" Chubee praised her new friend in between bites of her meal. "I honestly can't believe you're not full yet!"

"Hah…haha? Oh, I've been full for a looong time, actually." Vi confessed with a wide grin, making Chubee, the announcer, and the audience collectively react in shock. "It's too good…gotta win…gonna get so big…!~" A leviathan had awakened in Vi, her mind now devoting all of its attention to the goal of winning the contest. It didn't matter that her stomach was at its limit; her greed was unshakable. The mound of yams, fries, and chips steadily diminished for both of the bees, a good number in the crowd now rooting for the smaller one, either impressed by her gluttony or her brazen disregard for her body's limits.

The final course was now being delivered to the contestants. Honey ice cream, nutty cake, sweet pudding, and, the cherry on top, some pieces of shock candy. The sugary deserts were so decadent and numerous that even Chubee seemed intimidated. "Hehe, almost full…definitely not going to get through it all." She was still smiling, of course - win or lose, this desert looked heavenly.

"More - Urrarrrp! - for me!" Vi declared with a fiery spark in her eyes. Feeling inventive, she mixed the honey ice cream with the shock candy, using the golden little sugar nuggets and shock berry juice as sprinkles. The way the electric tang of the candy was buoyed along the waves of cold cream laced with honey made her eyes roll back in her head. The pudding and cake didn't get the same reaction from her, but combining the two was still an excellent idea, the former moistening the latter and allowing them to travel a little faster on her tongue.

Chubee ate to her heart's content, her pace slowly decreasing, before finally placing her hands on her full stomach with a proud grin. "That's it, folks, I'm done!" The crowd applauded Vi, the victor of the eating contest, and Chubee was happy for her new friend. However, the sounds of her chewing and moaning never stopped despite her being declared the winner. "Uh, Vi…you won, girl! You can stop now."

"H-huh?" Vi was interrupted from her food-obsessed trance as she was nudged in the side by Chubee's chubby finger. She looked around at the cheering crowd in front of her, a blush coming to her face as she realized they were all looking right at her and chanting her name. "Hehe…thanks for being such a good sport, Chubee. Why did you stop, though? With your size, you could have - oh, Gods." Vi's victorious grin morphed into a pained gasp - with no more food fuelling her single-minded gluttony, her body now had the time to register how much pain she was in for having extended her stomach that much. Wordlessly, the bee fell on her broad rump, her eyes swirling and dizzy, while Chubee softly giggled.

"That's why, honeypot." Chubee patted Vi's tummy gently, making the stuffed bee groan and belch simultaneously. "In my experience, you'll be back on your own two feet in about an hour or so…or longer. I've never stuffed myself like you did just now." Hoping to aid in the digestion process, Chubee brought her two hands down on the quivering boulder of fluffy fur and fat that was Vi's tummy and rubbed it in slow circles
“Ooough… That feels good…” Vi moaned in pain, unable to see how bloated and distended her gut has become. “Easy, girl. You were incredible out there, and now it’s time for you to take your well-deserved nap!” Chubee continued to massage Vi’s swollen orb, “I need… Whack-A-Woooorm!” She raised her voice, her tongue stuck out with pleasure as she pulled out her beemerang. As soon as she flashed her trusty weapon, two shadows loomed over her face, appearing to be two other residents of the hive. One was a short, elderly bee with glasses, and roamed around on all fours. The other looked like a bee at first, but upon closer inspection, he was actually a moth instead. He had a paper in his hands along with some shades and a lab coat. Vi lazily looked up at the two with a goofy smile on her face. “Ahem! One moment, young lady That boomerang you have there, where did you find it?” The elder sternly said to her, completely ignoring Chubee’s existence for the time being. “Groan …I uh, I bought it…” Vi wasn’t in the mood for a conversation at the moment and only wanted to digest for the time being. “,,,YEAH, RIGHT! YOU STOLE MY AUTOMATED DRONE BOOMERANG PROTOTYPE, DIDN’T YOU, YOU THEIF! COUGH COUGH HACK COFF!” She screeched at the top of her lungs only to begin a wheezing frenzy afterward.

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“Noooooooo..! Too loud!” Vi weakly covered her antennae with her hands. “One moment, please! Vi is not a thief there must be some misunderstanding!” Kabbu jumped in, defending the overfed bee. “Don’t stick your horn where you ain’t asked, you green stinkbug!” Her attention changed to the beetle, crossing her arms with some sass. Kabbu froze in place as soon as he heard that. Stinkbug? That was going too far, even for someone with as much patience as himself. “B-Bought it… Ant Kingdooooough!” She let out a moan as Chubee pressed on her gut gently. Professor, please watch your temper. Doesn’t she seem to have mastered the A.D.B.P quite well? I’ve observed her skills from a viewpoint in the Golden Hills. She could be useful.” The beelike moth advised with a minor adjustment of his shades. “Useful!? How could this bloated, useless ball of fat possibly… Wait. Yes, I am a genius!” She lightbulbs with a brief smile on her face before immediately transpiring back to anger. Listen up, you rascal. You can keep that prototype…if you help us gather data and with some upgrade testing. You can’t say no!” “H-Huh..? Oh yeeeah! Upgrade cool!” She flashed a goofy smile at the professor. “Hawk! Give her prototype the Halt Upgrade!” She beckoned her assistance with her feeble arm. “Of course, professor.”

“Ahhhhh…” Vi felt a sensation within her body, in immense amounts of relaxation from Chubee’s exquisite massaging. Her vision faded, as her eyes slowly closed, putting the bee into a deep sleep. After the professor’s long, odd patterns of speech, the rest of Team Mothiva, and Chubee, hauled Vi back to the inn. It was a unanimous decision to let the women sleep in the same room tonight, due to both of them… enjoying themselves a bit too much. “*Huff* About time we got her here…” Leif took a sit on the bed to briefly recover his exhaustion. “Get used to it. Mothiva gets like this every concert. I gotta say, it feels like a breeze now that you two succumb to the same fate.” Zasp gave a cheeky grin, finally making those two feel the pain he endured with the bee back in the Ant Kingdom. “*Sigh* That professor was certainly… unique. What is this ‘B button’ she speaks of?” Kabbu asked Chubee, puzzled. “Haha! I don’t know myself. But whatever it is, I’m sure Vi will put it to good use! Well then, see you later folks!” She flashed a bright smile as she wedged herself out of the doorway. “Erm… So what now? Shall we guys enjoy ourselves a bit more before the night ends?” Kabbu proposed. “We don’t see why not.” Leif began walking out of the bedroom, leaving the other two behind.

“W-Wait! There’s no need to split up!” Kabbu ran out the door, with Zasp rolling his eyes in annoyance as he followed behind the beetle. Kabbu darted outside of the inn, looking around frantically, only to find Leif staring at the center stage of the festival. “L-Leif! What were you thinking, going off on your own like that?” Kabbu’s words were like that of an overprotective parent. “We shall use the offerings now.” Leif didn’t turn to look at the other two as all he was focused on was turning in these offerings to commence the ceremony. “Ah, well I suppose we could do that. A shame the girls are going to miss this.” Kabbu’s tone became a tad guilty while saying that. The three men walked up to the Hooded Mantis in the center of the stage, her presence giving off an odd vibe. She was fat, but not obese like Vi and Mothiva, and speaking of Mothiva, she too had the illusion of clothing, her being her color scheme giving the illusion of a shirt and underwear, with some tight boots. She had some inoffensive breasts, with a respectable sagging belly, thick thighs, and well a rounded pair of buttocks. It was enough for Zasp to blush a bit, but the wasp has trained himself to keep his cool when needed. “The offerings… I can sense them. You’ve brought both? You wish to start the ceremony then?” She asked them, her eyes still shut. “Yes.” Leif blurted out quickly. Very well. Only three may perform in the ceremony. Two bugs holding each blessing, and I.” She explained, gesturing to their current team of three. “So one of us will have to sit this out.” Leif mumbled, yet it was still audible. “You two should go. Leif did his part in the eating contest, and Zasp did his in Wack-A-Worm, thanks to his swift and noble movements.” Kabbu offered, to which Zasp shook his head. “I’m not in the mood for this right now. You two go.” Zasp began to back off, leaving the two to it.

By all accounts, Zasp's fixation with plus-sized girls should never have come to fruition. Wasp society, even more, the rule of the crazed Wasp King, prioritized rigidity, muscle, and strength. There was never any time for softness, and compassion was always balanced with firm discipline. That's how they lived in the Far Grasslands, home to some of Bugaria's most dangerous creatures that hid well behind the dense foliage that the verdant greenery provided. The struggle for survival was a near-constant factor of day-to-day life. However, when Zasp fled from his home in the aftermath of the usurpation, he came across shapes and sizes that he had never seen before - well, no, that was not right.

There was one wasp in his kingdom that held some pudge, Vanessa II, the wise and fair leader of his society. She could afford to be pudgy - she was too valuable to be lost on a hunting expedition, and she could never say no to a subject offering tribute in the form of choice game meat. But in comparison to the rest of Bugaria, she was downright thin! Even the hooded mantis rocked a doughier posterior than his queen-in-exile, and despite his heart being set on Mothiva, his eyes greedily took in the view that the festivities had afforded him. All the women held some pudge, yielding tender softness cushioning their frames with plush padding.

It was impossible not to stare when they all took up so much space! However, Acolyte Aria, the hooded mantis (Zasp heard her name by eavesdropping on some others in the crowd that formed around the stage), was where most of his attention was. He was probably a horrible teammate for not paying attention to whatever Leif and Kabbu were doing - he was sure they were doing well - but his eyes could only focus on the pear-shaped praying mantis. Aria's sharp face was the picture of perfect poise even in battle, dodging horn bashes and icicle throws, her supple flesh bouncing like petals in the wind as she moved. Her neck, shoulders, and arms have accumulated fat deposits, and even her hands held some softness to them. If she were a wasp, her bust line would be considered normal, but it was downright minuscule compared to the sizes of some in the audience.

Her stomach reached out as far in front of her as her breasts, and it wouldn't be long, Zasp had to imagine, before the chest would lose the race outwards to her stomach. Of course, the most significant part of her was her rump, with hips worryingly wide for even the tunnel that Diana the Ant had carved out earlier. Aria's posterior jiggled and bounced with every step, the size of a small shelf, not that it would be very stable nor functional with how jiggly that shelf was. Yet the mantis' rump made no signs of being a hazard or a hindrance to its owner. However, despite how content Zasp was with his view, his head, bewildered with the mania he had developed in Bugaria, gluttonously wished for more.

What a selfish desire, the wasp thought to himself. He already had devoted his life to serving Mothiva; why was he not content with the eye candy that he was given? Still, his psyche conjured up an image of an even larger Aria, transcending from mere chubbiness to outright obesity. In his mind, the mantis' sharp facial features were getting buried underneath layers of fat, adorned with big, round, jiggly cheeks, and a double chin was formed, a third on its way. Zasp pictured the praying acolyte (who he was supposed to root against) having her neck and shoulder almost melded together from excess poundage. Oh, Mothiva would kill him if she ever caught him staring at another girl's chest like he was now, picturing them with her the same round, oh-so-soft perkiness that his idol possessed.

What would Vi think if she discovered Zasp was picturing this manti with her stomach, big enough to drape down her upper thighs while standing? Ironically enough, it was hard to imagine Aria's posterior any more significant than it was - not because he lacked imagination, but because he had no reference for anything bigger. That friendly Chubee girl from earlier was close, but most of the fat on her posterior was concentrated at the sides, forming hips he guessed he could sink a finger in. Zasp shook his head, realizing how absurd it was for him to be so one-track-minded - could he not think of anything else?

…no, he couldn't. No matter where his eyes landed, they pivoted toward the nearest shapely body he could find. He tried keeping his gaze on Kabbu & Leif; to be fair, their fighting styles were quite entertaining, but… Aria's was more entertaining for a plethora of reasons. Scanning the crowd, he eventually settled on a familiar-enough face, the Chubee girl from earlier. Maybe she would be up for some conversation? Anything to keep his thoughts at bay. The wasp shuffled his way through the crowd, careful to avoid bumping into the pliant flesh of a particularly well-endowed butterfly, and made his way to the second-fattest bee in the world. "Uh…hey." The wasp nervously greeted the bee, well aware that the two of them barely knew each other.

"Oh, hey there!" Chubee smiled and reclined on a bench that cracked underneath her great weight as she massaged her taut stomach, still digesting its feast from the previous contest. "You're…Zasp, right? Your friends are doing great out there with Aria!" Were they? Well, that was good to know. Zasp had been looking at the stage for fifteen minutes straight and had no idea how the ceremony had progressed, only concentrating on the mantis.

"Hehe, thanks…" Zasp awkwardly tittered. This bee was the complete opposite of Vi in almost every way save her size. Her smile was genuine, which was a welcome sight for the wasp because when most bugs outside the Explorers' Association talked to him, he could tell there was a lingering fear of getting eaten by him. Of course, Chubee was so big; it was more logical to think she would eat him if he didn't know bees couldn't handle meat - at least, he hoped they couldn't. "To tell you the truth, I don't know them all that well. We only met yesterday and joined the same team this morning."

"Really? That's not too weird - it only took Vi and me around thirty seconds to become best buds!" Chubee laughed, and Zasp had to laugh with her because her joy was infectious. "It was amazing to see that girl eat, I gotta say! If you don't reign her in, she'll end up bigger than me sometime soon!" She smacked her gelatinous middle for emphasis, which quivered and churned in response, catching Zasp's attention. "...though maybe you wouldn't mind that~" Zasp looked up from the gluttonous girl's stomach and locked his eyes straight with hers, and a tremendous sense of panic welled up in his system. Her smile had gone cheeky, and a mischievous glint in her eyes screamed, 'I know you're into this.'

"...is it that obvious?" He sighed in defeat, sitting beside her as he stared back at the ceremony. Leif and Kabbu were getting the upper hand against Aria, and he wished it was the other way around for reasons he wanted to push deep inside of himself.

"I'm afraid so, little wasp~" Zasp hadn't been called little since he was a kid, but considering the height difference between him and her, he couldn't protest. Zasp gasped in surprise as the bee suddenly draped a pudgy arm on his shoulders and pulled him close to her pliant side. "Don't feel down! It's just obvious to me because, well...you were looking at me the same way that all the drones in the hive did when I was growing up. Those guys were all forced to get fat fetishes since all the women were...you know."

"I feel like I was forced to get one, too." Zasp glumly confessed to the girl he barely knew, piquing her interest. "It used to be that I was normal - but now that I'm in Bugaria, I guess...it's all I can think about, now."

"Well, you're a wasp, not a bee. Our drones had to leave when they reached a certain age, but the wasp nest has a different perspective on you. Aren't you that guy that's always with Mothiva?" She pulled the lanky wasp closer, and he sank against her side. Zasp, flustered, pressed his hand into the bee's hip fat for support, only for his fingers to sink in just as he had thought they would. "If you didin't know this, many of Mothiva's fans kinda hate you - not cause they hate wasps, but they're jealous that you get her all to yourself. Many 'relationships' around here are one-off flings if you couldn't tell."

"People...know about me?" Zasp was genuinely surprised.

"Mothiva's a superstar, so even those in her orbit get attention." Chubee nodded. "You shouldn't feel bad about what you like when you're a famous singer's boyfriend."

"I'm not -" Zasp was about to protest.

"Your dedicated hate club as a different narrative." Chubee interrupted with a cheeky grin. Zasp pondered on Chubee's words; she was being nice to a stranger - maybe that was just her nature. She was trying to get him not to feel so bad about being so, let's face it, obsessed with bigger girls. It was hard to let go of his mentality from growing up in the Wasp Kingdom, but he wouldn't lie and say he didin't have an affection for the soft things in life now. "Ah, that's your queue to leave." Chubee gestured to Aria being horn bashed by Kabbu after being frozen by Leif. It seemed the battle was entering its climax...
With one last strike from Kabbu, Aria slowly kneeled over, falling in battle. With a cheer from the audience, the ceremony was completed! Mustering up the last of her strength, she gradually stood up, closing her eyes yet again. “That was a fierce battle. I am sure Venus enjoyed it.” She clasped her hands together as if she prayed to the goddess again. “Respected acolyte, have we earned the passage to the Golden Hills?” Kabbu pleadingly asked. “It is all up to the Goddess. Oh Venus… If you enjoyed our display, please grant us passage to the Golden Hills!” Aria raised her voice with spirit. Suddenly, the previously road-blocked path was cleared as the statue gradually rose from the ground, sending everyone into a minor state of uncertainty, except Aria herself. “The path has opened. Beyond this point, lies the sacred Golden Hills. Whatever is your business there, Venus has granted you passage.” Aria beckoned to the statue above for extra clarity. “Soul: Relaxed. Passage: Open. Mission success, we’d say.” Leif let out a rare smile, a very reassuring sign for Kabbu. “Of course, we can’t just leave the girls behind. Once they awaken, the five of us shall be off to the Golden Hills!” Kabbu announced in his chivalrous voice.

“And how long will that take..?” The two of them made their way off the stage, quickly spotting Zasp with a beat-esque blush on his face. “Erm… Are you quite alright, Zasp?” Kabbu asked, a tad concerned if something unpleasant happened to him during the ceremony. “H-Huh? Oh, it’s nothing.” Zasp quickly shifted his eyes from the hooded mantis to the ground below, attempting to cover up his tracks. “I’m not one to but into other’s business, so I shall relinquish this touchy subject and instead say that we shall rest until dawn, due to the girl’s current predicament.” Kabbu boldly proposed with Zasp shooting him a confused look. “Tch! Who put you in charge? Mothiva always says I’m second in command here. As your current leader, I propose we do… Exactly what you just said.” That last part broke all the suspense, causing the other two to simply shrug. “You two go on ahead. I’m going to enjoy myself a little more before bedtime.” Zasp turned his back on them, hoping they would leave. “Yes, that does sound like a wise idea. Our brief moments of leisure are few and far. Just make sure you don’t stay up too late.” Kabbu advised as they entered the inn. “Heh, it feels kinda good to have independent from Mothiva for once.” Zasp chuckled to himself, as if a weight had been taken off his shoulders. He was free! He wasn’t under the orders of the silk moth for once in his life, and he wasn’t going to waste this imperative opportunity! The sunset was now it’s glorious golden hue, representing the last moments of daylight. Thankfully, everybody stays well into the night during a festival! This was going to be a night he won’t forget! “So, where’s the rest of your team at?” An all too familiar voice came from behind him. Turning around, he saw the enormous bee for a third time.

“They hit the hay already. Times where I’m not under Mothiva’s orders, are next to none.” Zasp explained while getting another look at Chubee’s impressive figure. “That so? Well, I’ve got a feeling what you're going to do.” She lifted her midsection and plopped it down with great force. “Grrgh!” Zasp froze on the spot, failing to hide his gaze. “I… I hate that I’m like this.” Zasp shamefully covered his face. “Once again, no need to feel guilty about it.” Chubee grabbed his arm and gently stroked it with a big smile on her face. This was quite comforting for the wasp, especially given how soft the bee's flabby grasp was. “I’m a wasp for crying out loud. Girthy bugs are a rarity in our society. For one, our food supply is very limited, and second, most of our citizens are hunters, so a lack of exercise isn’t very feasible…unless you work as a janitor or something.” Zasp blushed like a cherry as he admitted that. He vaguely remembered that one janitor who made that crazy good soup. “Is that so? I’m not a hater or anything, but you're free from the shackles of your kingdom. All those silly things you claim don’t apply here, you know? Plus, I’ve heard your kingdom’s not exactly doing so hot right now.” She pointed out. “Groan I don’t want to talk about it…” Zasp muttered. “Okay, but know this… Don’t let anything stop you from your happiness. If this is truly how you feel, then don’t be afraid to admit it to others. If you continue to keep this little secret of yours, then…” “Everybody on the team knows already! That bee wouldn’t keep her trap shut!” He said in annoyance.

“Vi’s a bit immature for her age, but I’m sure she doesn’t mean any harm. Listen, if something's bugging you about this subject, I’ll soon be available at the Ant Kingdom Theater. Feel free to visit anytime, kay?” She gave him a reassuring smile. What was this? Did someone give him a serious invitation!? Most would be frightened to accept a wasp in the first place, let alone invite them! With a mix of emotions, he simply let out a silent nod, causing a mild chuckle from Chubee. “You know, I spotted one of your kind over to the right. I’m sure you’ll get a real kick out of her!” Chubee pointed westward. “Hey um… Thanks for everything. And yeah, I really want to see you again.” Zasp rubbed the side of his head, embarrassed for saying that. “Haha! I’ll make sure I’m extra plump for ya next time. See ya!” She spread her wings and flew off to the east, leaving the wasp all on his own again. Zasp’s curiosity was extremely high. What did this wasp look like? Was she mellowed out like himself? Without hesitation, he made his way west, his eyes going wide the minute he saw who Chubee was talking about. She had patterns on her body in the shape of playing card symbols. She had red heart and diamond shapes on her front, and black spades on her abdomen. There was a magenta choker around her neck and had playing cards readied in her hand like a fan. Of course, the main course here was that she was pretty big. She was apple-shaped, sporting some large, sagging breasts, arms as thick as a small stump, a nice, well-shaped pair of buttocks, almost as big as her abdomen, rubbing, jiggly thighs, and a humongous gut that hung at her knees. Zasp couldn’t believe what he was looking at. Was she real!? Never in his life has he seen a wasp so big! It was… Appealing to him.

She appeared to be playing cards against another bug. It’s rude to interrupt a game, so he hesitantly waited to the side, observing the match currently taking place. Every time she played her hand, she would strike a pose, allowing Zasp to get a look at her… voluptuous features. Of course, she was nothing compared to the stuff Mothiva could pull off, but it was a more than satisfactory alternative. Finally, the match had ended, the other wasp claiming the berry prize and walking past Zasp. It was now or never! He wanted to talk to her, and bad! Maybe keep in touch? After all, they both live independently from the rest of their kind, and it’s nice to speak to someone of his own species for once. As she followed her, he saw her enter the item shop. Already knowing where she’d go next, he took a seat at the kitchen’s table and observed her walking up to the chef…somehow transforming the two items into an aphid shake, lid and straw included. The other wasp took the other seat, rustling through her deck of cards as she sipped on her shake. “Hey, um… That was some playing. W-What exactly is that game?” He remained calm but stuttered a bit here and there due to how nervous he was. “Spy Cards. Are you here to waste my time?” She asked, surprisingly crudely. “N-No. I’m just interested in learning the ropes is all. Won’t you teach me?” Zasp pleaded with all his might. “...Very well. A fellow wasp like yourself wouldn’t know this subject anyway. Take out your deck. It’s the enemy spy data you’ve collected.” She calmed a little as Zasp brought out his cards. “...Hmm. Yes, these will do. Although I can’t speak of their quality. Now, here’s how it works…” She gave an unnecessarily long tutorial, but it would be all worth it after this.

They played a round, Zasp getting utterly destroyed by her. “Not bad for an amateur. Feel privileged that we didn’t put a wager on this match.” She fanned herself while saying that. “Hey um… Could we play another match? I-I’ve got to get practice and all… Heh…” He stuck his arm out for a friendly shake. “I’m Zasp.” He chuckled awkwardly as she continued to fan herself “Carmina. I suppose I could spare another match.” She prepared herself yet again. As the matches went on, Zasp slowly grew more fond of it! It was a mix of both skill and luck, yet it was so exhilarating! The matches continued to go on, with Zasp even scoring a couple of wins. They went at it all night, the two of them falling asleep at the table until dawn. The next morning, Zasp was rudely awakened via Vi poking his antennae. “Mmmgh… One more match…” He squinted his eyes, only to have them shot wide open. All of Team Mothiva surrounded him, a bit unsettling to see after just waking up. Even worse, Carmina was gone, a tragedy indeed. “Morning, chubby chaser!” Vi cheerfully shouted, with a teasing undertone. “S-Shut it!” He screamed at her, not wanting the whole world to know his secret. “Hehe! Quite the wasp you found. Is someone cheating on Mothiva?” She grinned at Zasp, causing him to blush further. “WERE NOT… YOU CAN’T PROVE ANYTHING!” He panicked. “So, Carmina’s her name, eh? You couldn’t stop mumbling it in your sleep.” Vi’s grin got wider. “Oh shut it, you little rascal! I’ll always be the one Zasp’s most devoted to, right?” Mothiva gave him a seductive look, knowing how to get him going. “Y-Yes! Let’s just go to the passage!” He shuttered, enticed by Mothiva’s gaze. “Breakfast first. I know, you’d love to see me gorge myself, hmm?” She got closer to Zasp, causing him to pant heavily as she licked her lips.
Mothiva was the type of woman to get jealous - why would she? The silk moth had everything she could ever want; fame, a glorious body that only became more luxurious each day, and a special someone to attend to her every need. There was no room for envy in the silk moth's mind - it was filled to the brim with ego, and on the rare times she was upstaged, she wouldn't feel jealousy but rather pure rage. So why was she compelled to give Zasp a private show? The wasp only held affection for her idol; she was sure of that.

Mothiva would never stoop so low to feel threatened by some nobody. But when she heard Zasp say another bug's name in his sleep, she would be lying if she told herself that it didin't sting. It was a reminder, though, that the wasp had his own life to attend to when he was not with the silk moth and encouragement to spend more time with him, perhaps be a little less demanding, and make sure that even the slightest chance that another girl was worming her way into his heart was locked down. The restaurant underneath the inn was closed for the morning due to Mothiva having unintentionally eaten quite a bit of their supply yesterday evening. Fortunately, a devil flower mantis named Kut operated an open-air on the other side of the plaza - with a reputation for a bad attitude and food of much better quality than you can find from Fry's establishment.

Mothiva made sure to walk with a swagger in her step as she trailed on in front of Zasp, her posterior slightly swaying from side to side - it wasn't the exaggerated sashaying she did for her fans, this was a more organic gait that kept the jiggling to a minimum - though there was no shortage of fluffy flesh to bounce along her footfalls. The silk moth grinned mischievously, hearing the wasp's flustered, labored breaths from behind her back, but it was interrupted by a pained noise coming from Vi's mouth. "Vi? Are you okay?" Kabbu asked in concern as he and the others watched the typically exuberant bee double over in pain as she clutched her expanded stomach. Her abdomen made a grumbling noise, making Vi wince. "I think...you may have overdone it yesterday at the contest..." The beetle offered gently, unsure whether or not to place his hands on the bee's belly.

"What are you...huff, talking about? I'm just hungry, that's all!...and full. Why do I feel full if I'm hungry? Aghh..." Vi tried to smile in her usual cheeky way but faltered when it materialized.

"How much food did you eat, girl?!" Mothiva exclaimed in a mixture of awe and concern. "You're acting like you have stretch marks on the inside of your stomach."

"She very well might have those, yes." Leif butted in. "She and I had a very spirited competitor to face yesterday. She was graceful in losing, but she only stopped because she was packed - I don't know when Vi reached her limit, but it was enough for her to need assistance getting to the inn." Mothiva looked carefully at Vi's pronounced belly - it was bigger than it was yesterday, jutting out a couple more inches, but she assumed those inches came from the fat she put on. She might have pushed her stomach so far that it permanently expanded. A grimace entered the silk moth's features - she remembered the first time she overdid a feast, and the pain didin't leave for a long while.

"I'm fine; I just need fuel for the tank..." Vi protested with a statement that her stomach very adamantly disagreed with. It roared hard enough to shake the strata of flesh coated on her torso, not out of appetite but rather anger. "Uuugh, stop screaming at me...!"

"Kabbu, Leif; you have orders." Mothiva directed the other two men on the team to look up at her, meeting a face composed of rigid authority balanced with an almost maternal look in her eyes. "Take Vi back to the restaurant and order her as much warm aphid dew and honey as she wants - that's the only food her stomach can handle right now, from my experience. Zasp and I will get you breakfast while you do that since they have drinks and nothing else to serve there." The geometer moth and scarab beetle looked at Mothiva in shock and then at each other. Well, that sounded like...something a good leader who cared for her teammates would say. Very unexpected coming from Bugaria's superstar sensation, but neither of them could find any objections in the plan, so, for once, they obeyed without any resistance. Zasp realized that now, however, as he saw Vi groaning in pain as she and her two original teammates walked with her back to the inn, he was left alone with Mothiva.

"I forgot to mention... don't worry about paying for me, Zasp." The wasp could see Mothiva's shadow loom over him, a seductive tone in her voice. "Some of my fans ran out of money before they ran out of praise to give me, so I had to settle for offerings of raw ingredients instead of meals. I'll get you boys some fried eggs, but the rest is for me~." Zasp felt Mothiva's stomach press into its back as it softly gurgled in anticipation of the coming meal, though the wasp briefly imagined that it was hungry for HIM.

Mothiva pushed her way to the front of the line assembled outside Kut's table, not bothering to apologize to any peons during her stampede. One ladybug was forced to dive for cover as Mothiva's right hip, swaying like a buoy in a storm, slammed into his table with enough force to nearly knock it over. The silk moth's grandiose girth rolled around her like waves on a lake - goodness, how much bigger has she gotten since last night? Thick folds of furred belly flab crashed and heaved as she confidently marched to the sour mantis' workstation, raising an eyebrow at the display he just witnessed. "Three fried eggs." She remarked as she materialized three aphid eggs from the ethereal hammerspace Explorers were oft to have. "After you finish that, you can work with the rest of this."

'The rest of this,' as it turned out, referred to the pile of ingredients that the mantis would have to use to construct Mothiva's breakfast show, and the usually perpetually grumpy Kut balked at the size of it. The pile consisted of all the tribute the silk moth had received and had stored in her hammerspace, enough to make a decently sized mound by the side of Kut's table. The devil flower mantis was about to say something in protest to this absurd demand, but she shot him a look of murder when it looked like he would not comply with what she wanted, making him wither in place. The three fried eggs were made quickly and were set aside on a neighboring table by Zasp as Mothiva sat on another, her wide buttocks flooding the bench. "Zaaasp…" Mothiva yawned as the wasp hurriedly scared down his breakfast, turning around to see his idol batting her eyes at him with a hungry smile. "I'm still rather tired this morning. Would you be so kind as to help feed me?"

Zasp jumped from his seat and was at the side of Kut's table in a heartbeat, ready to deliver Mothiva's food the moment it was done. The superstar waited as patiently as she could, but any fool could see she was beside herself with hunger and greed. If Zasp's eyes did stray hypothetically, it was her fault for not taking such care of her image and not correctly maintaining her fluff. If Zasp were to remain by her side, she would have to increase her intake and perhaps take a page from Vi's book about going past one's limits like she had done yesterday. The silk moth licked her lips as she reached over her stomach to grasp the plates her wasp delivered - veritable hills of burly fries and baked yams, simple but tasty.

Mothiva, feeling especially gluttonous this morning, downs what she was offered in personal best record time, already expecting more. Thankfully, Zasp came prepared. The wasp, his stomach aflutter with emotions, passed up several plates of cold salad toward his idol's grinning blubbery visage, and she eagerly (and gratefully, for once) took the following few plates before resuming her feast. It was indeed an impressive display, downing the frozen leaves like they were candy, and in response, her stomach churned and gurgled in content, stretching into the side of the table. Before Zasp could return to Kut's table and wait for more food, he was pushed into that expanding stomach as Mothiva slinked an arm around his neck, gently guiding him to be smothered by the vast, warm, soft tummy. She looked around to ensure no one was watching (all other customers left, and Kut deliberately avoided eye contact) before she planted a smooch between his antennae. "Make me bigger, Zasp..."

Zasp's antennae, if they weren't crooked, would have shot straight up in the air, his face red as wine. Was he dreaming? No, the kiss on his head was real, and the stomach he was being pushed into was real, although all too soon taken away from him as she gently pushed him toward Kut's table, more meals for her ready. A soft belch emanated from her lips, her stomach proclaiming to her servant that there was plenty more room within. Zasp sped to Kut's table and piled as many dishes he could carry into his arms, a sight that made the silk moth drool.

Mothiva crammed everything into her face, her stomach, already massive, groaning as it ballooned outward, starting to mushroom over and under the table. Folds of rich blubber disappeared as the organ beneath was taut from fullness, yet she still happily downed whole tangy pies and sweet puddings.
As the trio entered the inn, they sat the groaning bee down, her clenching her stomach as she squinted her eyes. “It’s okay, Vi. We’ll make sure you feel good as new after this” Kabbu gently patted her gut, giving a sweet gaze to the poor bee. “Let us guess… You desire honey?” Leif asked her, already knowing what she was going to say. “Y-Yeah… Q-Queen Bianca always used to give us warm honey…when we have a tummy ache.” Vi’s face cheered up for a second, only to look even more gloomy than before. “Hmm… Are you homesick?” Leif asked out of nowhere, causing the bee to spike up in shock, her antennae sticking up like spears. “N-No… Nobody believed in me becoming an adventurer! Why would I ever want to Grrrah!” She clutched her gut again. Maybe she shouldn’t raise her voice until this pain was gone. “...No. You are homesick. That makes two of us.” Leif responded, his face also looking a bit sad as his eyes slowly looked at the floor below. “Huff I didn’t come to hear…your lifestory…” Vi snicked, though she managed to keep her volume down this time. “V-Vi! Have you no compassion? Let’s at least hear him out.” Kabbu was startled by just how cold she could be at times.

“No. Vi is right. We have come to soothe her stomach, not listen to our family issues.” Leif took a seat next to the irritated bee. “Family..?” Kabbu muttered to himself as he ordered some warm honey for Vi to drink. “Mmm… That’s good…” Vi mumbled in contentment, almost as if she was getting sleepy. “Drink as much as you need, okay?” Kabbu put his arm over her shoulder in a fatherly manner. “Thanks… Kabbu…” Vi’s antennae curled down to her sides, feeling an odd sensation she has never felt before. “More honey…please.” Did she just say please for once!? Though it surprised the other two bugs, it was most definitely a refreshing change of attitude. “We’ll take a couple of batches of honey, please.” Kabbu kindly asked the employee as he filled multiple glasses with warm, soothing honey. “Slurp Mmm… My tummy feels a little better…but I want more…” She greedily licked her lips as she let out a yawn. “More please.” Kabbu handed the glasses back only for them to be refilled with more scrumptious honey. “You see… Us bees aren’t very used to consuming so much at once. Everything so filling compared to back at home… Heheh, but not this bee. I’m ravenous.” She put on a smug face as she patted her gut proudly.

Meanwhile

“Mmm…” Zasp slowly shoved a Leaf Omelet into Mothiva’s awaiting mouth, the wasp shivering and flushing the entire time. His fantasies have finally come to fruition! “You like this? Do ya, sweetheart? I’m content for now…but I still have room for more…Mmm…” She shoved some pie down her throat, squeezing her plush belly while doing so as she leaned closer to Zasp. The superstar’s lips were just inches away from his head as she gently licked them, the saliva trickling down her chin as she yearned for more! “Haaah… Haaah…” Zasp was frozen with lust. He was unable to move, let alone speak. This moth had taken him under her spell, and she loved every second of it! “Come here… I promised you a piece of Mothiva, and your gonna get it…” She pulled him in, onto her belly, kissing his forehead passionately, causing him to become immobile. “Mmhm… You love this... Having a big… plump… thick… juicy woman all to yourself. How about we get you more comfortable…” She whispered to him, with the vaguest of moans thrown in there. Ever since Zasp met Mothiva, he always strived for this day. The day when all of his work finally paid off! The amount of feelings he’s feeling are immeasurable, and despite her intentions, he actually felt some stress in it. With some indescribable wasp noises from him, she lifted him to her chest, right in between her soft, perky breasts.

“Muuuuch better…” She smushed the two flesh orbs together, squeezing the wasp’s head between them. He was at his breaking point! The tighter she squeezed, the more his vision began to faint. Much like the silk moth from last night, he too began to go unconscious, Mothiva continuing to squeeze as she was unaware of this occurrence. Once she finally released her grasp, she laid the wasp back to her gut, stroking his face while doing so. “Ohohoho! Mothiva, you tease. You’ve really done a number on him, hm?” She put on a wide grin as the rest of the team arrived on the scene. “We’re here for our mea-” Kabbu began before also freezing in place, comprehending what was currently happening. “Yes, yes. They’re on the table. We might have to wait for a biiit more though. Zasp is currently…Chuckle” She put on a devilish face. “W-What did you do to him?” Leif asked, concerned if the leader was mentally okay. “Oh, nothing… Just a bit of seduction is all.” She turned to Leif, raising a brow. “Ooooo! Lucky guy! The chubbychaser finally got his desires, eh?” Vi winked at Mothiva. “That and more, Vi. That and more…” She winked back. With everyone having something in their system, they spent about an hour waiting for Zasp to regain consciousness. While waiting, Kabbu and Leif took the time to share stories about their origins prior to teaming up. Kabbu talks about his journey to the Explorer’s Association, and Leif describes the state of the world all those years ago.

“Say, Leif. You mentioned something about a family earlier. Are you, comfortable talking about it?” Kabbu asked in curiosity. “Mmgh… We don’t want to talk about it right now…” Leif muttered. He was still getting to know the team. Telling something so personal to someone who’s still unfamiliar is far too big of a risk for him. He briefly recalled the harsh events leading up to his imprisonment. His team perished one by one in that horrific den. “That is quite alright. I fully understand if you aren’t the most comfortable explaining. Hmm… Ah, allow me to tell my tale through the Lost Sands.” Kabbu quickly changed the subject to make the geometer moth more comfortable in this situation. Meanwhile, Mothiva and Vi were having a conversation on… Well, it was more of Mothiva boasting about herself. “And that’s how to sucker in these poor saps to buy overpriced merchandise. And another thing! This world is eat or be eaten! I shall NOT let some loathsome nobodies stand in my way! I don’t get it. Why would anyone assist another without something in return?” Mothiva stuck her arms out, legitimately confused. “I know! I don’t help anyone for free!” Vi spoke proudly. “Good girl! But let me tell you this. Have you ever wanted all the glory for yourself?” Mothiva rustled the bee’s head. “You betcha!” Vi said in a peppy voice. “Let’s say you spot someone with something very valuable… An artifact perhaps? You are not about to let some pathetic moron steal your rightfully earned glory! So you gotta rough ‘em up a bit. You know, beat them up until they cough up the goods.” She had a wicked grin on her face, which frightened Vi.

“H-Hey! Isn’t that going a bit too far?” Vi questioned. “Ohohoho! Certainly not! You wouldn’t let someone steal what’s rightfully yours, hm?” She looked at Vi with a smirk. “What!? No! It feels good to get something in return, but to assault someone!?” Vi put on a stern face, souring Mothiva’s mood. “Oh, and here I thought you could be my successor. I guess you're a pathetic loser after all.” Mothiva scoffed, rolling her eyes. “No! You're the pathetic one! Is it really worth attacking someone, just to rob them dry!? You could land in jail, heck you could even be executed for that!” Vi screamed at her, this by far is the most mature behavior she’s displayed. “Like I care! I don’t even know them anyway!” She hissed, getting rather irritated. “What would that bug’s loved ones feel!? What if Zasp got assaulted!? How would you feel!?” She screamed with a couple of tears in her eyes. “Z-Zasp!? Well um…” Her face soured even more just thinking of that, only for it to mellow out once more. “Touche. Don’t expect me to think otherwise though. I love being cold. But just maybe… I could make an exception here and there.” She wrapped her arm around Vi. “Well, I’m glad I managed to knock some sense into ya!” Vi playfully nudged her, causing the girls to laugh it out. “Mmm… How long was I out..?” Zasp mumbled as he rubbed his head. “Rise and shine, chubbychaser!” Vi cheerfully announced. “WILL YOU STOP CALLING ME THAT!?” Zasp screamed at the top of his lungs. “Well… He’s got a point, ya know?” Mothiva grabbed her belly, teasingly. “Ngh! Not you two, Mothiva…” He closed one of his eyes in pain.
"...I feel weird," Vi announced to the group just seconds after they had all crossed the demarcation point between the settlement and the Golden Hills. It would have been easy for the rest of Team Mothiva to chalk up what the bee had just said to the lingering effects of the stomach ache she had earlier if it was not for the fact that all of them felt weird as well.

"No kidding." Leif nodded, looking up at the vertical cliff wall that loomed in front of the quintet, his eyes fixed at the peak. "Even the air feels strange." There was a peculiarity to how the wind brushed up against them all - there was a faint but still perceptible staccato pulse in the breeze around these hills, catching them off guard. It didn't feel like the wind; it felt like the air was inhaling and exhaling in an eerily organic motion.

"This is not sacred land in name alone." Kabbu looked the least shaken by the odd phenomenon, as if he was expecting something unbelievable to happen. He put his hands together in a demure praying gesture, though if any words were spoken during that, it was between him and whoever received them in his head. "There must be forces at play we can't see."

"I don't put stock in fairy tales, Kabbu." Mothiva rolled her eyes, though she said nothing more. She felt the Venus thing the locals had going on was a cute little tradition and nothing more. The religion was good for food, though, since Venus was the Harvest Goddess, and if it made her fans more generous with their crops, she wouldn't complain. However, underneath her bored facade, the Golden Hills creeped her out. She swore she could feel the ground under her bountiful feet moving of its own volition, but she didn't say what she felt. There was no way this place could be alive.

"Even if a Goddess exists, we won't let her stop us!" Vi confidently smirked, and Mothiva regained her nerve. However, it would not be by her side for long.

"Heehee!" A high-pitched, feminine voice suddenly rang out after the quintet had taken ten steps into the Golden Hills. "Visitors?" The voice was coming from everywhere at once in all directions. It was old & young, beautiful & eerie. Yet another unbelievable thing graced their presence before any of the teammates could compartmentalize this turn of events. The ground before them tore open as a verdant tendril rapidly wormed through the dirt, writhing like a wet noodle. As it grew taller, its base grew wider, becoming bulbous as if it was storing excess water, syrup, or something of that nature. Once all of the shaking stopped, the vine's top unfurled flower petals, and inside, where a flower would usually have stamens, this one had a face. Well, as much of a face as you could call it since it held no eyes but kept a grinning mouth.

"How nice of you four to come here." The flower's mouth moved to the words they heard in such precision that there was no way any of them could mistake the growth in front of them as an illusion or a puppet. This flower was conversing with them; there could be no denial.

"Goodness!" Kabbu stepped back in awe of the sight in front of him.

"Eeep!" Vi flailed her arms, more weirded out than astonished. "That plant can talk!"

Zasp looked around at Team Mothiva, surprised but keeping his cool, as he realized while this miraculous flower could certainly speak, it couldn't do the math. "But there's five of us, not four…"

"Huh? Don't be silly, little bugs, I don't-...!" The plant stopped speech mid-sentence as the ground roiled underneath the group's feet. Mothiva knew she didn't imagine it this time because she and the others wobbled in place as the flower gasped in shock. It felt like something was moving under the soil - if the plant had no eyes, it was reasonable to assume it had to sense with its roots. The flower closed its mouth in what one could generously call a contemplative expression, and a brief silence followed. Leif felt the wind pick up, but no one else was affected; it was like someone was trying to blow him over, but he refused to budge.

"...I see. Hm, so that's how it is..." The flower did not sound cheery like 'she' did before, but her tune quickly changed. "So, what brings you here? Come to take in the sights?"

"We're here on behalf of Queen Elizant II of the Ant Kingdom." Mothiva huffed and stomped her foot impatiently, trying to remain a leader despite her rapidly diminishing composure in the face of all this weirdness. The Golden Hills expedition was already looking to be another chore, just like Snakemouth Den. Of course, there was still hope she and her lackeys could brush past this delay and the rest of the journey would be smooth sailing. "And we would like to have this ordeal done with by lunchtime. Now, kindly move along, you...talking vine-flower-thing."

"Lunch?" The flower snickered, its stem extending to leer at the silk moth, who responded by getting more than a little creeped out. "But it has only been an hour since the sun has come over the horizon. Do not tell me that you're already thinking about eating more so soon?"

"Hmph! What's it to you, pollen bag?!" Vi came to the silk moth's defense, crossing her arms over a chest that seemed more prominent daily. She didin't crawl out of bed this morning to endure an agonizing stomachache and get lectured by a mysterious plant for her lifestyle. "Some bugs like to eat more than others, so what? Now stop holding us up! The sooner we swipe the artifact, the sooner we can collect the Queen's reward and a celebratory meal!"

"You would trade the Roach Tablet away for a chance to stuff your faces?" The flower sounded positively cheeky as she challenged the bee's justification for retrieving the artifact. But hold on a second - none of them had said anything about a ROach Tablet. They had only mentioned the artifact. What does this sack of chlorophyll know that Team Mothiva did not? "Such reckless greed, such unapologetic gluttony..."

"Dear plant..." Kabbu interjected, trying to salvage the situation as best he could. "We assure you that there is more at play than riches...and treats..."

"Oh? Even so, I have a good read on what motivates your gluttonous companions. And I must say..." The flower grinned so wide one could mistake the look she was giving for the 'face' splitting in half. "...I approve."

"Nice going, Mot...wait, what?" Leif went wide-eyed as the plant's words sunk in, his scolding of the team's leader left unfinished but not forgotten as Mothiva made a mental note to talk later with him about backchat.

"Do you not know whose land you are walking on?" The flower laughed, and the air rembled with each of its cackles. "These hills are the domain of Venus, not just the Goddess of Bugaria's harvest, but also its food and desires, beauty and prosperity, love and that inexorable, inexhaustible appetite for more and more..."

A green tendril wormed out from the ground next to the flower to give the plant a hearty slap on its bulbous stem, making it audibly slosh with whatever fluids could be there. "And that attitude will get you far here, girls; that lust for more, that shameless, naked need for more. It will get you all the way to the top, where the artifact lies."

"...what about the rest of us?" Zasp butted in, not knowing what he wanted the praise of a plant so badly suddenly. Perhaps the wasp did not want to feel left out - before Vi showed up, he was all Mothiva had, all she needed. He could have gotten her to the top without the bee's help, and while it was petty to ask a flower to acknowledge that, it still had to be said in his mind.

"Ah, yes, the other two...or, should I say, three? Or perhaps not." The plant directed its eyeless gaze to the male members of Team Mothiva, picking them out one by one. "A knight, pure of heart." She nodded at Kabbu, who proceeded to get flustered and blushed under his helmet.

"A ghost out of time..." The flower glanced at Leif...no; it glanced in Leif's general direction. The geometer moth did not know why he felt confused and scared by those words. "And another glutton. A glutton for other gluttons." It took Zasp some time to realize that the flower was saying that he was a chubby chaser in the most polite way possible, making him sharply exhale and palm his face. Oh, fantastic, it's so obvious even things that didin't have eyes could see it - GREAT.

"What an odd but fine trio of servants you two ladies have at your beck & call." The flower sweetly complimented Vi & Mothiva. The three other males, however, collectively blinked their eyes in astonishment at what they heard. What?! Is that how the plant saw them? Is that all they were in this flower's eyes?!

"Uh...thanks, I guess..." Mothiva muttered awkwardly, scratching the side of her neck. Out of all the places to hear praise...from a flower in the middle of a supposedly sacred land was not one she had expected. "So, since you like our attitude, will you help us reach the top?"

"Hmmmm..." The flower bent its stem down in a thinking gesture. "...you can fly, can you not?"

Vi & Mothiva stared at the plant, then at each other, both too embarrassed to admit they had forgotten the power of flight was in their wheelhouses. "Well, yeah, Mothiva & I can." The bee nodded before making gestures toward Zasp, Lief & Kabbu. "But Lief just uses his wings as a fashion statement, Kabbu is using them for armor, and Zasp...wait, Zasp, how come I haven't seen you fly?"

"Zasp is afraid of heights." Mothiva patted Zasp on the head with a smirk, making the poor thing whine in humiliation.

"As long as your friends stay away from the flytraps, they shall be fine. I await you at the top." And with that, the flower vanished into the ground, leaving the quintet alone.
“Alright, here’s the deal. You boys stay here while Vi and I claim the artifact on top. You may reassemble the lift if you so desire.” Mothiva crossed her arms, giving the three of them a smug look. “Let’s move out, Vi!” Mothiva began to take flight while beckoning Vi to follow, slowly disappearing into the vast sky. “So um… What else do you know?” Zasp nervously asked the Venus Bud beside him. “Oh, I don’t know EVERYTHING… but I know a lot. My roots travel all across the soil. Shall I tell you another thing about-” Zasp quickly covered the bud’s mouth. “That’s not necessary!” He put on a timid smile as the bud began to laugh in hysteria. Meanwhile, Kabbu continued to look at the sky, finally losing sight of the two tubby bugs. He didn’t know why, but an odd feeling resented through his body, and not in a good way. “Hmm… I say we take up Mothiva’s offer. I… Fear the worst occurring.” Kabbu explained to them. “As the temporary leader, I say we do exactly what you just said. Now, let’s begin searching.” Zasp ordered, the two bugs nodding silently. As the men searched for a way to fix the lift, the girls finally made it to the summit of the passage, landing in the middle of the floral-filled area. The flowers were many beautiful shades of pink and red, along with some other colors to spice things up. “Sniff Now that’s quite the scent. The pollen here is kinda excessive though. But then again, what ordinary pollinator could possibly get up here, to begin with?” Mothiva shrugged as she dug through a patch of flowers, searching for the artifact. “Looking for this, girls?” The massive figure in the largest patch began to move, spinning around to face them. “V-Venus!?” Mothiva shouted in disbelief. She was really seeing the goddess in the flesh!

“Hee hee hee! Indeed. The one and only. She revealed the artifact by uprooting it into her left vine-like arm. Speaking of Venus, she was also quite large, but in a different sort of way. Even though she only consisted of a flower with pink petals, leaves in the shape of a top, and spikey roots that gave the appearance of a dress, she still had quite the figure! Said arms were nice and plump, along with her face looked well nourished. The slushy fluids inside her body sloshed around with her every movement. This of of course has led to her having two bulbous sacks on top with a third one below, representing breasts and a belly. Of course, it’s not fat per se, but it was indeed something similar due to her waistline literally touching the sides of the walls! Not only that, but it hung so low that you can’t even see her ‘dress’ without looking to the side. Her ‘breasts’ sagged to the top of her gut, but considering how immense it was, they were still massive in their own right! “What? Surprised at my ‘curves’ as you call it?” Venus put an arm to her mouth, laughing at the two bug's reactions. “So like, your the one making all the women fat?” Vi asked in curiosity as she tilted her head. “Indeed. Though it may not work on everyone at the moment, I am quite content to see the world of Bugaria slowly expanding at the tips of my vines. Oh? Why the confused faces? Are you two wondering how I do it? Heh, what’s always under you? That’s right, my roots! All the women are under my influence! My gift to you all was the spread of eternal gluttony, beauty, and prosperity! Treasure my blessing well, you two. Anyway, you came for this thing and I would be more than happy to part with this little artifact you desire so much.

“Sweet! But I have one question before we continue.” Vi cheerfully requested. “And what would that be?” Venus put on a grand smile. “Why did you only bless the women?” Vi shook her belly while asking. “The answer is quite simple. I am a goddess, not a god.” Venus chuckled to herself for needing to explain that. “So umm… Why does that matter?” Vi became expressionless, a million things going through her head. “So naive. Though I suppose you lot wouldn’t know how this works, to begin with. Point is, treasure my blessing.” Venus smugly said while tossing and catching the artifact like a ball. “Oh, you bet I will! Anyway, can we claim the artifact now?” Mothiva grew a tad impatient but still managed to have a cheery face as she reached her arm out. “Well… I may have lied a bit. I can tell you girls are more than worthy of this artifact, but I need to have two pass a trial before I can truly give it up.” Venus rubbed the back of her head for forgetting such an important procedure. “Ugh! Seriously!?” The two bugs shouted at the same time. “Okay, okay! I know it’s a bit redundant, but it’s a process I’ve done for ages now. I’ll tell you what, I’ll let you two pick the trial you want. You could either test your combat skills by fighting my guardian… Or you could show me your immense gluttony by feeding off my bud’s fluids. If you manage to pack it all in, you win.” She gave them a teasing gaze, patiently awaiting their choice.

“They taste good, right?” Vi nervously asked the sloshy goddess. “How do you think I make your meals taste so darn good? I’m always injecting the stuff into you ladies.” The two of them were completely lost in her words, causing Venus to roll her eyes. “Sigh I suppose I can tell you two how this works. I feed off the gluttonous vim of you all and convert that into fluid. I then inject a fraction of said fluid into my roots, injecting you all with an insatiable appetite only to gather more vim and grow my power further. The more I grow, the more potent my influence will become. It’s only a matter of time before all of Bugaria is under the influence of my blessing. Ah, doesn’t that sound wonderful!?” She slapped her bulbous belly while laughing. “Ohohoho! I’ll admit, that does sound heavenly! My beauty will shine that much brighter and I get to eat what I want!” Mothiva cackled in pride. “I uh… I guess? Why are you doing this though?” Vi was still utterly confused at Venus’s motives. “Have you not heard of servitude? This is my gift to you all for your worship and festivals. I am truly blessed to have such loyal bugs!” She spread her vines out as if she spoke to the heavens while her waist expanded another inch. “Oh, please excuse that little growth. It’s just more vim entering my body. Anyway, enough with this little chat. Which trial with you challenge?” Venus asked once more.
Vi never considered herself the kind of bee that would ever pass up an opportunity for free food. Even after discovering the indisputable existence of a Goddess, she still hasn't lost her appetite, which had been roused back to its usual capacity after an hour of digesting the warm, soothing honey she had for breakfast. The bloated bumblebee should have leaped immediately to the prospects of the Gluttony Trial - and yet, a stone rested at the bottom of her cavernous stomach as she meditated on Venus' words. If the Goddess was telling the truth, then this sentient plant with divine abilities had a hand in shaping Vi into the person she was today. Until this point, Vi had assumed that she had become this ravenous and greedy of her own volition, but now she was learning that someone was guiding her to become the boulder of black and yellow fat she was now.

More than that, it wasn't hard for Vi to come to some conclusions that painted Venus negatively. Was this gluttony a gift to the women of Bugaria for all the worship they had done for Venus? Or was this a ploy to gain control, for her to become the ultimate authority in the land, corrupting and warping the desires of its inhabitants to fit into the Goddess' standards of beauty? Vi rarely thought of her girth as bad - for as long as she could remember, she loved the feeling of all the heft she carried around, the softness she had on her frame, and the warmth it provided. But...were those thoughts her own, or Venus' implanted suggestions?

Before Vi could confront the Goddess of the Harvest on these matters, Mothiva needed to decide which trial they should take for both. "Well, I think it should be obvious which one we'll take; the one that involves me stuffing my stomach! Ohoho!" The silk moth slapped her stomach with pride, making it jiggle like a lake in a storm, and the Goddess beamed in delight at the display. "I must say that this expedition is shaping up to be quite the breeze; all we have to do is do what we do best, and the artifact is ours, right Vi?... Vi?" After a lack of response, Mothiva turned to face her teammate, discovering a pensive look on the bloated bee's face as she chewed her lower lip.

"What's that matter, dear?" The Goddess smiled sweetly, a lone green vine reaching out from the garden of flowers off to Vi's side to caress her stomach. It was meant to be soothing, but the gesture made the bee tense. "Hmm, you still have quite a bit of room for another meal, so you shouldn't be worrying about being unable to take on the challenge with some 'fuel left in the tank,' as you bugs say. Venus groped and squeezed the massive orb connected to Vi's abdomen, making her blush and moan softly as her stomach churned and groaned from the external stimuli.

"It's not that, okay? I just, uhm... you're not evil, right?" Vi felt the words tumble out of her mouth and drop to the ground like a lead balloon - there was no way for her to pose the question delicately. Mothiva gasped and shot Vi a scolding glare that screamed, 'What are you doing?!' while Venus blinked in shock, confused as to how that question popped into Vi's head. "I mean, you seem pretty cool and all, and I'm...grateful for all you've done for me...behind my back. But...when you say your roots travel across Bugaria, does that include the Wasp Kingdom?"

"Well...yes. It is the limit of how far my roots can extend, but what does that have to...oh." A wince settled across the Goddess' face as she registered what Vi was attempting to say, and the bee almost regretted saying anything for the hurt that was plain on her visage. "You think what I'm doing with you is no different than what the awful pretender king is doing to the wasps up north? Bending his subjects to his will, obsessed with power, all that garbage?"

"Vi! How can you compare what Zasp went through to...to...putting on some weight?!" Mothiva sounded absolutely flabbergasted, shaking her head in disbelief. "It's NOTHING like that!"

"Well, I mean, it's kind of like that..." Venus sighed with a sober expression, catching both of the bugs off guard. "But there are some meaningful distinctions. First of all, need I remind you - I am a Goddess. There is literally nowhere else higher on the chain of authority than that, so it's kind of redundant and pointless to gather more power for me when I already have so much. The only thing that's growing is the potency of my blessing...and my waistline, obviously." The plant Goddess gave her 'stomach' an appreciative pat, making it slosh noisily. "And I'm not doing this to turn you all into my obedient slaves - other than a heightened appreciation for food, you still all have the same personalities you would have had if I had done nothing. I'm doing this because (and I apologize for saying this so much. I really want to emphasize it) I am a Goddess. And don't you want to be more like me?"

"...m-maybe." Vi confessed, feeling guilty for thinking such dark thoughts about the deity. In the back of her head, there was a niggling idea that Venus had lied through her teeth (or whatever she has in place of teeth...thorns?), but the bee shook it off. But without any evidence, there was nothing to assume about the Goddess save that she was trying to mold her subjects as close to divinity as possible. She was shaken out of her self-reflection by her stomach grumbling, not out of hunger, just...it wanted food. She had become so greedy that her tummy demanded food when the rest of her body said she didn't need any. "Hehe, sorry for all the questions - I'm ready to start now!" Her wings fluttered in anticipation as her stinger wagged back and forth.

"Yes, please, finally!" Mothiva sighed, a little annoyed she had to wait so long for the trial to begin, but internally she knew that it was good that Vi got all of that nonsense out of her head for now. Grinning ear to ear (if she had ears), Venus lifted her vines toward the sky once more before they dropped back to the ground, spreading toward Vi & Mothiva before they each were presented with their tips. Two mauve-pink buds dripping pale blue liquid were ready to be sucked down on, wafting scents that reminded them of their favorite foods and drinks. Mothiva showed initiative by grabbing the bud first. However, before she started her trial, she took one last opportunity to boost her ego. "And for the record, I never needed your fancy fluids on my food to be as beautiful as a Goddess…although it does help, I admit." Smirking, the silk moth firmly planted her maw down on the bud, and the moment the sap touched her taste buds, her eyes popped open in overwhelming joy.

Vi stared at Mothiva with a concerned look on her chubby face as the silk moth refused to unclench her jaw from the bud's ambrosia, sweet blue nectar flowing into her stomach like a river as she sucked greedily from Venus' vine. Tentatively, the bloated bee finally mustered the courage to do the same, placing her mouth around the bud, and the pleasure center in her brain erupted in a dazzling array of sparkling synapses as dopamine and serotonin flooded her system. In a second, all Vi could suddenly think about eating, and like a baby with its bottle, the bee fell to the ground, her plush rear end cushioning her fall, content to let Venus feed her to the brim.

It had only been some days since Vi and Mothiva met, but they had put on quite a lot of weight in that short time. Their frames had become phenomenally burly, an abundance of flab cushioning the muscles hidden beneath their wobbling surfaces. Was what Venus said about equating fatness with divinity just a metaphor, or was she speaking the truth? After all, despite all the lush gravitas Mothiva & Vi held, they had stalwart power and might. Could it be that Venus' ambrosia-laced food keeps their bodies healthy enough to support their growing weights? Or were they riding off the coattails of earlier days of fitness gone by?

Regardless of whether they would soon become immobile from their gluttony, both Vi and Mothiva proudly displayed the consequences of Venus' gift. Each held rounded cheeks and plushly padded necks that stretched the fluff around their collarbones and prominent double chins. Pudgy, thick shoulders supported well-padded arms that still had greatly tempered musculature from days of exercise past - they would have to start working out again if they wanted to walk without getting winded! Sure, there was flying - but that left their backs sore. Those backs were lushly fleshy, counterbalancing the pressure on their chests due to their weighty breasts, sloping into superbly plump, jiggling hips that curved into supremely soft rumps.

Venus looked down at the two bugs, watching in half-awe and half-maternal care as their abdomens slowly expanded, supple and smooth as snow to the touch. They two showed no signs of stopping, content to relax and glut - the Goddess wondered if they had forgotten all about the artifact this trial was for. This was Bugaria's future - for better or worse, all of the female bugs across the land would soon be as greedy and gluttonous as the silk moth and bee—an everlasting fattening.
The greedy bugs continued to guzzle down the tasty blue fluid, Venus chuckling to herself as she soothed their progressively bloating bellies. “Just a bit more, girls!” Venus motivated them, though in truth they were so deep in their trance that all noise was blocked out. Words couldn’t even begin to describe what was going on in their heads, to begin with! It was like they were in a whole other world. A world where everything was perfect! The fragrant breeze graced their gut’s their bodies too becoming all slushy like the goddess that stood before them. They kept on drinking as they continued to expand, the bud’s figures progressively slimming down as a result. Finally, all the liquid had been consumed, leaving the buds with the structure of a normal flower…minus the mouth. When you look at it, it was almost like a weight swap in a weird kinda way. The two bugs were now living water balloons, their bodies stuffed to the brim with the scrumptious liquid! They were easily three times the size before starting the trial, sporting rolls upon rolls of flab on their arms and legs, with everything else being perfectly spherical. Mothiva attempted to speak, but her cheeks bulged out with the blue nectar, and doing so only caused her to spit out some from her mouth.

“Well call me impressed, you passed with flying colors! Alright, you may claim what’s rightfully yours. Ah, but just a couple more things. First of all, my buds are looking awfully scrawny.” She pumped more of the delectable fluid inside them, returning them to their prior state. “Much better. Oh, and don’t worry, this form of yours is only temporary. You see, this stuff isn’t actually fattening, it’s more of a ‘taste and appetite enhancer’ if you will. I will admit though, you two look awfully adorable like this. Hee hee hee!” She giggled to herself as she gently lifted the two of them up with her vines. “Last thing before I hand this thing over. I sacrificed quite a bit for this trial, so if you don’t mind, I’ll just be taking more of your vim to make up for this. Ah, the bee’s still in her fantasy, perfect. She’s extra juicy now!” Venus uprooted multiple vines and they begin to wrap around the bug’s bodies. “I normally wouldn’t do this, but this is more efficient so…” She began to squeeze them tight, draining their vim at an alarming rate. Of course, with enough left in them to remain conscious. Mothiva’s eyes focused on the goddess’s body growing inch by inch. Were they THAT greedy to warrant such a result!?

After the process was done, she gently set them down like a mother putting her baby in a crib. “Aaaahhh… This is incredible! Seven inches really makes a difference, doesn’t it?” She slapped her sloshy belly to emphasize her growth. “Rest easy girls. You’ve pleased me in more ways than one.” She sweetly said as she set the artifact between the girl’s ocean that was their bellies. “Oh yes, and before you doze off, you’ll be back to normal by morning. Sweet dreams!” As soon as she finished saying that sentence, they both conked out into a deep sleep. As time passed, the men had finally fixed the lift, their jaws dropping to the floor the moment they reconciled who those two slushy water beds were. “V-Vi! M-Mothiva! Who in Bugaria did this to you!?” Kabbu quickly rushed over to them, only to find them unconscious. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that, boys!” Venus spun around to face them, identical to when the girls first reached the summit. “V-Venus!?” Kabbu went into a major panic, almost denying who he was seeing in front of him. “Hee hee hee! Surprised, boys? Yes, it was I who got the girls like this.” She laughed to herself yet again. “Hm? Oh, don’t give me that look. It was a trial for the artifact.” She pointed her arm to it sitting on the bloated women’s guts.

“Ngh! T-This power!” Leif clutched his head as he fell to his knees. “Leif! Are you alright!?” Kabbu quickly put his shoulder over him, assisting him with getting up. “Ah, Kabbu… A man with a heart of gold. He sacrifices so much for the team, yet is nothing more than a humble servant to the women. He has courage, empathy, and companionship… Not to mention his devotion to me!” Venus chuckled seductively, slapping her jelly belly to prove her point. “Oh Venus, I’m not worthy of such praise!” Kabbu put his arm to his chest, humbly closing his eyes. “Mmm… How admirable… So anyway, the girls will be like that until dawn. Can you guys like… Hang out with me for today? I don’t really get visitors nowadays.” She blushed, knowing full well that a goddess shouldn’t act so casually in front of visitors. “I’ll uh.. I’ll get the artifact.” Zasp flushed rosy red as he climbed onto the women’s slushy bellies, secretly grabbing, shaking, and burying himself into their ocean of flab. “Question… You can see our pasts, yes?” Leif asked in his signature monotone voice. “Not quite. My buds don’t have eyes, and as a result, can only hear things. I believe I’ve been through this already…” She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Hmm… Do you not recall the incident that occurred in Snakemouth Den many moons back?” Leif asked with suspicion.

“That was quite a while back. Let me try and remember.” She put a vine to the bottom her head, putting on her thinking face while doing so before lightbulbing. “Yes, a team of three. One of them falls, the other two fleeing with their lives.” Venus explained in a motherly voice. “They lived!” Leif was hit with both a sigh of relief and a figurative punch to the gut. “The remaining one lingers, yet the presence vanishes. How odd… Even now, I cannot sense Leif’s presence. Although I see you here. I’m sorry, but this is all I can tell you.” She put on a sad face, failing to answer such a dire question. “Venus, thank you. Knowing our team was safe brought us much peace.” Leif flashed a rare smile, causing the goddess to perk up into a laughing fit. Hee he he! Ain’t a goddess for nothing! Anyone else got any questions?” She gazed at the other bugs. Though nobody else had any questions, Venus briefly explained her blessing to all of Bugaria, something that really caught Zasp’s attention. The rest of the day was mostly to take in the surroundings and relax while Venus told many stories about Aria and herself. As nightfall occurred, Venus offered some homemade beds to accommodate the bugs staying at the summit for the night. “Sleep tight, boys!” Venus cheerfully said as the men too begin to doze off…except Zasp. He was still taking in all this fattening news, and was very much into it, whereas the other men were neutral about it. “Oh? Can’t sleep? Why don’t you and I have a little chat to help you get drowsy.” Venus quietly spoke so as to not wake everyone else up. With a nervous nod from Zasp, he sat against her slushy belly, flushing heavily.

“Ah, Zasp… A chubby chaser at heart yet suppresses his feelings for the sake of assimilation… Admit it, you really love what I’m doing, hm?” Venus asked him in a teasing tone, escalating him further. “Y-Yeah… I uh… Really like it…” He muttered softly. “That so? Well, since you boys decided to entertain me for a day, I shall repay you. Is there anyone that you wish was… BIGGER? I’ll be willing to… ‘enhance’ one bug of your choice that isn’t Vi or Mothiva. If I focus on injecting only one woman for a couple of hours, there’s no knowing how big she’ll get from her infinitely increased appetite. Mmm… She’d be extra plump by morning… Oh, and you might not see her immediately depending on your choice. Does that sound like fun?” She seductively whispered to him. Zasp’s heart began racing, now having the opportunity to see one of his many fantasies come to fruition! Is it truly right to do such a thing though? He carefully thought about it and eventually decides…
Meanwhile, in the Ant Kingdom, hours later…

Doppel, the ladybug, scratched at the sides of the fake horn attached to his forehead that disguised him as a beetle. The Underground Tavern was always open, even at night, when most everyone else had gone to sleep. But not him - he trained himself to subvert the circadian rhythm in his body, taking short naps through the twenty-four hours of a day to serve his customers better. Was it self-destructive? Of course, it was, but being a ladybug in the Ant Kingdom meant money was always tight, so being behind the bar at most all times took priority over everything else in his life. Sure, he did sterling business during the day, as his establishment was an open secret, and most everyone preferred his drinks and food over what Fry served on the surface.

Still, most of that money went toward ordering more barrels, salary for the one surly chef he had in the back, and the hush money he doled out to the guards so they wouldn't raid his business. And he had to do all this from inside the tavern, where he slept in the back - he rarely ventured out, and with good reason. Doppel wasn't technically a citizen of the Ant Kingdom, so guards were not obligated to help him if he complained of being mugged - that made him a target of the thieves and thugs that the Ant Kingdom held, so he stayed below, subsistent on his irritable cook for three square meals a day and the kindness of his patrons not to rat him out to the queen. It was no way to live, but such is life. That's what the ladybug told himself, at least, as he stared at the empty tavern before him, illuminated by a shaft of moonlight coming down from the entrance, the blue crystal in the corner, and some hanging paper lamps on the ceiling.

Team Slacker's Stratos & Delilah, the ones to linger the longest, cleared out some time ago, leaving him by his lonesome - even Shades the merchant retired to wherever he lives. He languidly washed a glass with a rag - it was spotless, but it gave him something to do while he waited for another customer. Most nights, they never come, but this night, unbeknownst to him, was different. Just as Doppel was beginning to nod off at his post, the moonlight shaft disappeared as the entrance to the tavern was suddenly plugged up by the all-too-familiar sight of velvet wasp flab. The ladybug rolled his eyes as one of his regulars, Carmina, got her chest caught in the too-narrow hole again, flailing her legs around before she popped out and landed on the floor with as much grace as she could salvage. "Evening, Carmina." The bartender nodded at the intimidating wasp.

"It's morning," Carmina stated with a huff as she strolled toward the bar, eyes locked on the ladybug. "I'm not here for chit-chat. Food. Now."

"Chef's gone; won't be back until the sun's up." Doppel had known Carmina for long enough that he had gotten comfortable around her menacing, rigid aura that she always seemed to carry - she was a dork for spy cards and always played in one of the corners. However, this was the first time that the ladybug had ever seen the velvet wasp this late. She looked different, too; the corners of her mouth had a blue tinge, and her eyes communicated a hunger one got after going without food for five days, which he knew was not the case. "I can get you some berry juice if you want."

The red and black wasp's right eye twitched. "Not enough." Carmina reached into her hammerspace and materialized a heft sack of berries from the ether before plopping it onto Doppel's bar. The ladybug, starting to get a little freaked out by her behavior, cautiously looked into the sack, and his jaw dropped at what he saw. There were...a lot of berries in there. "if you don't have food, I'll settle for drinks - all of it. I want berry juice, smoothies, aphid shakes, sweet dew, and screw it; I'll take tea, too. Anything. Everything. Please."

Carmina's pudgy stomach let out a rumble, angry and loud like an earthquake. Doppel had a bad feeling about selling to the wasp, who was looking more like a wild insect than a civilized bug, but the pleading tone in her voice plus the insane sum she gave him was enough to assuage most of those fears. "Uh...o-okay, Carmina..." Doppel nervously agreed, tugging the sack of berries behind the bar - goodness, it was heavy! However, before he could make her massive order, the wasp decided that he was going too slow and circled the bar in a blur. Doppel zipped his head around to see that the velvet wasp had torn off the lid of his barrels and was sucking down the contents with lightning speed.
"Car-car-carmina! That's n-not...what are you doing?!"

Carmina, however, could not hear Doppel's voice - Venus' sap was coursing through her system after a couple of hours of being pumped with the stuff in her sleep, and she woke with a great black hole in her stomach that demanded to be filled. The sugary berry juice was slowly being drained from the knee-high barrel, her black stomach adorned with heart symbols bulging even further out in tandem. Filling her stomach was so important to her that, to Doppel's concern, she wasn't taking breaks from her gulping of the juice to breathe! Cautiously, the ladybug disguised as a beetle walked over to his customer as she continued to drain the barrel dry, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Carm-mi-mina...are you alright...?" The bartender shakily asked, but the only response he got was a room-deafening belch from the wasp as she finished her first drink. "K-keep it down! This place is supposed to be secret, you know? I can't have you waking up the bugs above!"

"Muh...moooore...!~" The velvet wasp purred to herself as she rubbed her stomach, sloshing with juice but still incredibly famished. Ignoring the bartender, she picked up another barrel and placed it atop her shelf of a bosom, ripping off the lid to reveal pale yellow sweet dew inside. Displaying a rare smile, she tilted the jug as it rested on her chest and lazily opened her mouth wide, letting the viscous stuff slowly cascade onto her tongue. Her mood noticeably improved as she filled her tummy more and more, something that was not lost on Doppel. As he watched in fascination, another sack of berries materialized out of Carmina's hammerspace, hitting the ground with a heavy thud. "Rub..my...stomach..."

"What!?" Doppel yelled out, forgetting his rule about the amount of noise allowed in the tavern. She couldn't just come in here, drink his stock dry, and demand that he massage her fat form!...however, his pride was used to being sacrificed in the name of money after spending so much time in the Ant Kingdom, and the second sack of berries was just as big as the first. Reluctantly, the ladybug glumly marched over to the wasp and began kneading her stomach as it grew taut with his sweet dew. "Where did you get all this money, anyway..." He muttered to himself as he circled his palms in the black and red belly flab, thinking Carmina wasn't listening.

"Spy card...winnings...I can always make more..." Carmina, who was listening, remarked nonchalantly in between gulps of the sweet dew. The wasp was emptying quite a bit of her money on this late-night splurge. Still, she didin't care - Carmina wanted food, she wanted someone to rub their hands around her abdomen, and if she had to get more competitive in Spy Cards so she could accommodate this new lifestyle, so be it. She couldn't see this hunger going away, no matter how much Carmina drank - and she was oddly content. "BuuRRHUUoph...so good..." The emptied barrel of sweet dew was flung to the side, making an audible clanging noise on the floor as Carmina bent forward to better reach the nearest pot Doppel had behind the bar, accidentally squishing the bartender.

"Gah! H-hey, I'm down here, you know?" Doppel protested as the growing stomach he had been roped into massaging suddenly lurched forward onto him, denting the fake horn he had on his forehead. His look of annoyance morphed into one of horror as he realized that the next barrel that Carmina had decided to snack on was the one that was marked 'Special!' in his handwriting - no, not that one! "Wait, stop! I was saving that for...mmPHHP!" Doppel's pleas were silenced as Carmina, unknowingly in her haze of gluttony, laid down on her stomach, smothering the poor ladybug beneath it. His fake horn was lost beneath an ocean of chest flab as her impressively-sized breasts hid his head from view.

Carmina licked her lips seductively as she ripped off the barrel lid, revealing a rainbow-tinted concoction within; Miracle Shake! One of the rarest recipes in Bugaria due to the scarcity of miracle berries, she was confident she had met the price with her two sacks of berries. Forgoing all manners, she plunged her chubby face into the barrel's mouth and began slurping it down rapidly, the fantastic taste of the expensive drink making her knees weak. The taste reminded her of whatever she had in her mouth when she woke up from hunger earlier, but while Venus' sap was non-fattening, just appetite-enhancing, this miracle shake was highly caloric.

Most people would savor something so rare as a miracle shake, but Carmina was so consumed with her greed that she drained it faster than she drained the berry juice and sweet dew. She licked the pot clean before tossing it away with a half-lidded look of contentment."Ah...so filling. And yet, I'm still hungry...~"
Time passed as the velvet wasp continued to gorge herself. One by one the drinks began to dissipate in the wasp’s stomach, causing her to bloat severely, giving her a similar form to Vi and Mothiva from earlier. Carmina would’ve no doubt been stuffed to the brim under normal circumstances, but thanks to Venus, her stomach managed to stretch beyond what was normally possible. She downed barrel after barrel, tossing them to the side as if they too were getting in her way. A most unfortunate predicament suddenly came across Doppel’s head as he then realized the more she downed, the higher the drink’s rarity was! Of course, he wasn’t aware of what was currently happening to Carmina, but he was going to have a serious talk with her when she was done with her shenanigans! …Well, unless she’s got the cash. “Ooough! Yes…” Carmina moaned as she moved on to some Tangy Juice, With her eyes heavy with gluttony, she flashed a goofy smile as she quickly guzzled the entire barrel down, making sounds so indescribable, it would even scare the fearless! “Ahhhh… I must have Hilp Moooore! She attempted to reach out to the farthest barrel, which was in the corner, but to no avail! “Come on! I’m famished! Must get… Ngggh! Hilp” Just when she was going to go berserk, the sun rose, officially ending Carmina’s ‘Special Attention’. “Mmgh… Oooough! So full… Pant Aagh! Ahhhh!” She rolled over, clenching her stomach in pain.

“Hilp And I just had to get the Hic Hiccups…” Tears formed in her eyes and the pain only worsened as she moved around. “Mmmg…” Doppel rubbed his head, groggy from what transpired last night. “Carmina! I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you have some serious explaining to do if you don’t want me to ban you for life!” He stood tall, furious at the water bed of a bug lying on the floor. “Make… It… Up… Spy… Cards… Money… Uuuuggh! Head… Hurts… Hilp” She shut her eyes, unable to withstand this otherworldly feeling much longer. “You better! I swear, if you don’t pay pay me back within…” “Digest… Mobility… Important… Zzz…” She interjected as she dozed off into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, with Team Mothiva

Zasp was the first up, as always. To tell the truth, he couldn’t get much sleep last night. Could Venus truly make his fantasies become reality? Of course, it wasn’t like he was not convinced, but there was still that feeling of his selfish desires being wrong. Yes, everyone was eventually going to succumb to the blessing within time, but suddenly ballooning in size within a couple of hours is a bit too sudden to be considered normal. “What’s the matter, Zasp? I feel your heart racing… Are you fantasizing again?” Venus asked, sweetly. “Sigh It’s nothing…” He said in a coy voice. “I must say, your choice of woman was simply exquisite. I can feel her immense gluttony coursing through me as we speak. Just imagine how much bigger my generous body will grow in a matter of hours.” She panted heavily as she squeezed her slushy gut. “Y-Yeah…” Zasp flushed, knowing that she indeed kept her word. “Oh, and before the others wake up… Come and see me again on your own and I may be able to give another woman the special treatment for a modest fee.” She gave him a seductive smirk as his color become darker with lust. “Mmm… What happened last night?” Vi slowly opened her eyes, fluttering her wings as she rose up. “Ah, you’ve awakened. Do not worry, your friend here has the artifact in hand.” Mothiva then begins to regain consciousness, getting up in a similar way to Vi. “Did we pass?” She asked, putting her claws to her eyelids. “I uhh… I guess we did?” Vi responded, still a bit confused herself. “Whatever, we got the artifact, right?” Mothiva turned to look at Vi, only to have her eyes shoot open at the sight of her. “Eh!? Your… Still the same size!?” Mothiva rubbed her eyes in disbelief. They were both massive water beds since yesterday, yet they returned to their prior state as if nothing happened!

“Hee he he! Didn’t I inform you yesterday? My sap is nonfattening.” Venus let out a hearty laugh for having to remind them a second time. Venus wasn’t exactly a quiet goddess, as her loud laughter soon woke up Leif and Kabbu like an extra loud alarm clock. “Well, it seems that everyone is awake now. Before you leave, make sure to visit often! Oh, and bring Aria too if possible!” Venus beamed with excitement. “Yes, we will most certainly keep that in mind. Thank you for everything, Venus!” Kabbu said back in his own cheery voice. “Alright, alright, get in formation, lackeys!” Mothiva motioned them to remain behind her as she led the way, Venus waving them off until they took the lift down and out of sight. Back at the Golden Settlement, the festival has since ended, but it wasn’t without its aftermath. The locals were currently taking down the various decorations and attractions in hopes to clear everything within a day. “I devised a plan for today. Okay, so we’re going to turn in the artifact, claim the reward, and treat ourselves to a nice meal before starting our next mission. Zasp! Your on meal duty! Leif, Kabbu, your on medal duty! Vi… Something that I haven’t decided yet!” “...And after that?” Leif questioned her. “I don’t know! Whatever The Queen orders us!” Mothiva shouted in her usual rude voice. “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today…” Leif rolled his eyes in annoyance. “I’m becoming too soft! Plus, you losers better appreciate me allowing you to join in the first place!” She scoffed with heavy sass. "Heheh, too soft. ‘Cause she’s getting fatter.” Vi giggled to herself, only for Mothiva to shoot her a nasty glare. “You little! How dare you mock your leader like that!” She stomped her foot frantically, forming a miniature crater in the ground.

“Mothiva, we all know your only acting like this right now because your worried we soon won’t obey your commands anymore.” Kabbu crossed his arms as if saying ‘Stop Pretending.’ “N-No! What makes you think I actually like you lot!? You three are nothing but simple pawns that I’m using for my own benefit!” She was starting to get quite nervous and furious for such assumptions. “Daw, come on, Mothy! We all love you!” Vi wrapped her arms around the silk moth, nuzzling her as if she were her mom. “M-Mothy! What kind of stupid nickname is that!? And will you get off of me!?” Mothiva blushed crimson, embarrassed, yet confused at the bee’s behavior. “You know you like us! You’ve been so happy since we joined!” Vi looked at her with an adorable face. “Okay, okay! I get it already!” Mothiva shouted as she shoved the portly bee to the floor, her landing on her plush bottom. After taking a few deep breaths, she mellowed out just a bit and sighed. “Come on, let’s cut the act and all be pals, what do you say!?” Vi flashed a cheerful grin. “...Idiot. I love treating others like dirt. It brings me immense pleasure to see the whole world at my fingertips. I mean, sure, I can be nice at times too… But I live for being the dominant one! The one who is in absolute control! The one who lets her minions do her dirty work! If you morons think you can change who I am as a bug, then so are sooooo wrong! But…” Her expression quickly changed to a sweet face as she wrapped her arms around her team. “Your my group of morons… And… Well… I love you guys too. Hope you get used to a witch of a leader!” She cackled as she cracked a sinister grin.

“For the sake of Bugaria, I’m willing to endure anything!” Kabbu put his arm to his chest, as noble as always. “W-What about me, Mothiva?” Zasp asked in concern. “Oh? You have a special place in my heart, you little wasp, you!” Mothiva gave him a flirty wink, his heart almost stopping after hearing that. “Oooooo! Did she just propose to you!?” Vi teased the wasp, causing him to get rather angry. “WILL YOU SHUT UP ABOUT THAT ALREADY!?” He roared, making the tubby bee uneasy, but still having the nerves to begin laughing.