As you make your way slowly out of the kitchen and into the hallway, you're made much more aware of your size. Although you spent a little time moving around the kitchen and tidying, that was little more than short sharp bursts. Now that you're moving somewhere with a purpose, you can feel how slow and deliberate each step is, how your body gently rocks from side to side as you move and how your body – mostly your big, round belly – shakes and jiggles each time your foot hits the ground. Passing through the door frame you feel the need to clamp your arms into your sides, where they sink into your love handles, belly and chest fat, and wrap them underneath your belly at the bottom, to ensure that you pass through without incident. You pass through more easily than you would have expected, but the shaking and wobbling feels more pronounced now as your fat quivers against and over your arms. You have no idea what Garrett can or can't see as he's following behind you, you're just glad that you can't see his facial expressions and that he's kept any smart comments to himself.
Rounding the corner into the hallway you begin to relax a little, until you catch sight of the mirror. Even at an angle you can instantly see that it isn't reflecting the stairway, wall hangings and side table with photo frames on it, but instead it seems to be showing someplace completely different. The image seems to be a little hazy but you can just make out some fuzzy bookshelves and what appears to be a desk or table with some bottles on it. As you move around to face it head on, you notice that the image doesn't change perspective with the differing angle. It's like some kind of arcane video conference - the only thing missing is Felix. "Hey, move up." You turn your head to take a look at Garrett and realise that you're taking up most of the space in front of the mirror, so you awkwardly shuffle slowly to the side to let him get a better look. You find yourself idly thinking about how small the hallway feels, before quickly realising the fault in your logic. Will everywhere feel much smaller and more enclosed now? Before you can finish the thought Felix slowly appears in the mirror as if from nowhere.
"Whoa!" Your brother says, shrinking back slightly before quickly gathering his composure. "So he's real then..." You glance over at Garrett and frown.
"I thought you said that believed me?"
"I believed that you believed it." Garret replies nonchalantly. "Me, I thought that you were going to need sectioning as well as some SlimFast."
"Hello, ah..." Felix interrupts, looking between the two of you. "You'll have to excuse me, but I'm having some trouble telling the two of you apart." You and Garrett exchange disbelieving looks before looking back at Felix.
"Do you really not recognise me?" you say.
"Maybe the guy that looks like he hit the all-you-can-eat buffet, finished off all the food and then inhaled the furniture for dessert is the one that you gave your little magic toys to." Garrett says, his voice thick with sarcasm.
"That's my brother Garrett. You can tell us apart because he's the one with the smart mouth and wears t-shirts that are so tight that they're meant to hug his non-existent muscles." Garrett begins to scowl, but it quickly turns into a sickening smile.
"Ha! You don't get to use the too tight clothes line anymore, butterball," he says, giving you a couple of soft punches in the side of the belly. "Your t-shirt has turned into a crop top."
"I see what you mean about his smart mouth." Felix says drily. "I'm sorry, I find it difficult to tell huma... I mean, people apart sometimes. But now that I look again," he continues, squinting between the two of you, "I suppose that you are a little larger." You don't know if you're going to see Felix again after today, but if you do you don't think you'll ever get used to his – eccentricities. "Well, it was very nice to meet your brother and I'm glad that you're putting the clay to good use, but I have a lot of work to be..."
"But that's just it, I haven't used the clay."
"Oh." Felix says, drawing the word out. "I see." He takes an uncomfortably long time to stare at you, before seeming to catch himself with a start and look away. "Do you have the gem and the clay with you now?"
"Yes, I have one in each of my pockets."
"How long have they been in there?"
"I put them there just after we said goodbye. I haven't touched them since."
"Hmm..." Felix says, dragging the word out again. "Then you truly haven't used them. The clay you use by tearing a chunk off and consuming it, whilst imagining the change you wish – it will grow back soon after. The gem you merely need to hold and concentrate on the musculature that you desire, just in case you were curious." Although his tone doesn't change, you understand Felix's point and feel pretty embarrassed. "Now, tell me exactly what has happened since we parted ways."
Your explanation to Felix is much briefer and to the point than the one you gave Garrett, focussing exclusively upon your voracious hunger, lack of any discernable stomach capacity limit and inability to feel full despite eating huge amounts of food. Felix listens intently, nodding at various points as you speak. After you finish, he remains silent for a time, stroking his chin slowly in deep reflection.
"So... do you have any idea what might be happening to him?" Garrett is the first to speak up.
"There are several possible explanations." Felix says eventually, sighing. "The answer may lie in the field of magical psychology, which is not my area of expertise – your subconscious may be responsible for your weight gain. Or you may be magically sensitive and using the clay in a manner that most ordinary people would not be able to and without meaning to. Alternatively, some outside force may be responsible for your condition, using the clay as some kind of... conduit. They would need to be powerful but it is possible."
"What's our next step?" You ask, a little anxiously. Although you've always wanted to be bigger, the idea of having no control over your growth is a little scary.
"I will need to consult some colleagues and do a little research. It really is quite fascinating, had I had you under lab conditions since the beginning, then I could have made some really important discoveries." Perhaps sensing your discomfort, Felix moves on. "I will place a magical barrier around your subconscious to stop it from interfering and interacting with any form of magic. However if food is the trigger and not your mind, then you should keep away from all forms of food, no matter how big or small, otherwise it may trigger another... bout. You may be fine being close to it, but do not eat or drink until I say otherwise."
"What if I keep gaining weight anyway?"
"Then we will narrow down our options." Felix says very matter of factly. "If you want to do something while you wait, then take this." Felix waves his hand and you feel an object appear in your hand. Raising your arm, you see what appears to be a wand in your hand, although at the base it splits into two distinct prongs that splay apart, making a v-shape. "In layman's terms, this is a magical dowsing rod. It can be used to divine the location of a source of magic that is affecting the user. If the reason for your expansion is external to you, then this well help you to find the cause."
"Wait a minute," says Garrett, "wouldn't that involve leaving the house? I mean it doesn't exactly look like he's at a good size for investigative work and wouldn't that potentially bring him into contact with food?"
"Your brother is perfectly healthy. His mobility may be a little compromised by his size, but much like with the clay his overall physical fitness should be much the same as it was previously. Speaking of the clay," Felix goes on to say, turning his attention back to you, "I would recommend against using the clay or the gem until we know more. They may have unexpected consequences when interacting with whatever you are being affected by."
"I understand."
"As soon as I find something out, I will let you know." You go to say something, but suddenly the image fades and you're left looking in the mirror at a man that looks much like you, but with a prominently round belly and a t-shirt that stops several inches short of his belly button.
"What a day." Garrett says, shaking his head slowly. "So what are you going to do?"
"I don't have many options. Either I hide away in my room and away from food or use the rod to see what I can find out."
"Or you could come to work with me. I could keep an eye on you there and you could make a bit of money."
"But isn't there food there? Some of the stock handled there is food, isn't it? I'm not sure if the money is worth... Oh, I get it..." you say, suddenly aware of why Garrett suggested it. "You want to make sure I have enough money to replace your food."
"OK, you got me." Garrett says with a grin. "But you're not that much safer here. You know mom is constantly cooking something or other and we're going to have to replace the food you ate. Plus the 'wizard made me fat' line worked on me, I don't think it's going to fly with her. I genuinely can keep an eye on you at work."
Garrett makes a good point, but using the dowsing wand could bring you closer to finding out the truth and keep you busy. What if you suddenly started getting fatter at Garrett's job? But then what if you suddenly started to blow up while you wandered around using the wand. Holing up at home seemed like the least pro-active thing to do and even that had its fair share of risk. As fat as you are, you couldn't be sure that your mother wouldn't try and palm off some more food onto you. None of the options seemed particularly safe.
Eventually, you decide to...
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