So, this is sometihng I've been cooking up for a while. Persona's a series whose characters I really enjoy, so it was inevitable I'd dip back into the well. I will admit it was influenced by pic he...
âWow, I forgot how fresh the air was out here.â
 Yosuke Hanamura had taken his first steps outside of the train station. It had been many years since he had last stepped foot in the small town of Inaba. His family had moved here back in his teenage years when a big management position at the townâs Junes opened for his father. Despite the rocky start for the young teen, he eventually made a close-knit group of friends and came around on small town life. Even after all that, he was still a city boy at heart. When it came time to attend university, he opted to apply to schools back in the city and transitioned back to the kind of setting he knew best.
 Things hadnât been going quite as well as he had hoped. A series of failed exams and assignments had put him in a sort of academic jeopardy. Still unsure of what he wanted to do going forward, he decided a trip to Inaba might help clear his head. The hustle and bustle of the city was now far away, giving way to a more calm, serene setting. Seeing some familiar faces was sure to calm his nerves as well.
One of the benefits of being in such a small town was that nearly everything was within walking distance. It only took him a little while to reach the Amagi Inn. Still standing after all these years, it remained as a beacon of sorts for the traditional style of Japanese hotel housing within Inaba. It would make for quite the change of pace compared to his apartment back in the city.
 The moment he entered the building, the eyes of the girl running the front desk seemed to light up. âLight brown hair? Headphones around the neck? That white jacket? Could it be...?â
 âYosuke? Is that you?â
 His eyes darted over to the source of the sound. Clad in a pink kimono and sporting long, black hair, the receptionist was a sight for sore eyes. âYukiko?â He walked over to her and confirmed his suspicions. âFigured Iâd see you around here somewhere, but I didnât expect it so soon.â
 âWell, I was kind of already on the lookout for you...â
 âHowâd you know I was coming?â
 âYou booked ahead of time, silly.â She giggled. âI have the names of all the guests staying here.â Pulling up the guestbook, he could see his name having already been penciled in. âWhat brings you back to Inaba anyway? Why stay here instead of with your parents?â
 âWell, itâs a long story...â He let out a nervous chuckle. âIâd rather not let my parents know, I feel like theyâd be kinda upset...â
 âFine, but you should still stop in and say âHiâ to them at some point. Listen, Iâll show you to your room, but first I think you should come say hi to someone else whoâll be glad to see you.â
 Despite already having a good idea of who she was talking about, the young man decided to press her. âWell, who is it? Naoto, perhaps?â
 âNah, sheâs been very busy lately what with all the detective work.â
 âWell, Iâm guessing Yu and Rise are out of town as well, so itâs neither of them, right?â
 âVery perceptive, Yosuke.â
 Leading him down a long, narrow hallway, Yukiko stopped at the last door possible. Sliding the screen door open revealed a familiar albeit heavily changed figure. Sitting on the bed was none other than Chie, the bowl cut-sporting tomboy. However, it appeared her kung fu training had gone severely south as her formerly athletic build was now buried under hundreds of pounds of blubber. A green kimono tried its best to conceal her figure, but what little it could contain was her substantial chest. The rest of her seemed even larger in comparison, leaving tons of belly and thigh fat able to keep her covered down below. A plate of meat buns sat precariously near the edge of the mattress, one accidental hip check away from being knocked onto the floor.
 âY-Yosuke?â She instinctively tried to cover herself up, the ill-fitting robe managing to cover up even less in her panicked state.
 âOhmygod.â He quickly turned around, completely red in the face and embarrassed.
 âYukiko, did you know he was coming? Why didnât you warn me first?â
 âTo be fair, I only found out this morning.â The black-haired girl admitted. âI guess I shouldâve given you a heads up, but I figured itâd make a nice surprise for both of you.â
 After the initial confusion and embarrassment, the trio calmed down. Yosuke took a seat in one of the chairs in the room while Yukiko sat at the larger girlâs side on the bed.
 âSorry about that, it was just a lot to take in at first, no pun intended.â
 âI kinda wasnât expecting you to see me like this either...â She reached a pudgy hand down for another meat bun, stuffing it into her fat face. âItsch really behn a while, Yoshke.â
 âI guess Iâm more surprised than anything. You were always so dead set on joining the police force, so this change was quite a shock.â
 â*gulp* Well, I did get into the academy, but I started failing some of the physicals. A certain someone keeps making food I just canât resist.â She gave the other girl a joking nudge.
 âAw, you flatter me~â She giggled again.
 âWow, if Yukikoâs cooking is edible now, then things really have changed around here.â
 Chie suddenly leapt from the bed with an incredible speed, sending the remaining buns and plate tumbling to the floor. She landed on top of the scrawny boy, engulfing him within her flabby form. It took no time at all to push the chair past its limit, sending the two of them to the ground.
 âNot another chair...â Yukiko sighed.
 âDonât you *huff* dare insult her cooking.â The winded fatty snarled, now pinning the brown-haired boy beneath her girth. They found themselves uncomfortably close, face-to-face with her meaty breath and chins invading his personal space. After panting a bit longer, she seemingly pulled herself together. âSpeaking of food, I think you still owe me a steak buffet from all those years ago, with interest!â
 â*Ugh*, fine, Iâm sorry. Please just get off me. I canât breathe...â
 Heaving her massive body up took a bit of help from Yukiko. It only took a few seconds, but she was back on her feet, freeing their trapped friend. He brushed himself off, still aching a bit from the huge weight previously pinned against his chest.
 âSorry, I always get a bit on edge before a match.â Realizing what she had just said, her arms quivered as she brought hands up to cover her mouth.
 ââBefore a matchâ? Whatâs that mean?â
 âWell, since she couldnât make use of her strengths as an officer, she kinda found something else to fill that void...â
____________________
 Yosuke had not expected to be back on a train so soon. He had been back in Inaba only a day and he was already traveling the rails again, this time with Yukiko and Chie along for the ride. Four tickets had been purchased for a trip to the nearest city, the meatier girl needing two seats to carry her bulk. Even, then some of the overflow encroached upon her friendsâ personal space, leaving them slightly cramped. The brown-haired man found himself running last night through his head once again, still trying to make sense of it.
 âUnderground sumo fighting?â
 âYeah, and I kick ass at it!â Chie boasted.
 âHer size and spunky attitude make for quite the combo in the ring, Iâll say that much.â Yukiko added.
 He still wasnât sure what to expect when they arrived at the venue, but he followed the two into the seemingly rundown, abandoned warehouse anyway. âUndergroundâ was very much an apt word for this thing, seeing the state of the building itself and the setup within it. Yosuke caught glimpses of the small crowd who had gathered to watch the fight, sitting along the perimeter of the ring in a makeshift sea of folding chairs. More than a few times, he felt himself brush up against something soft, only to find a lady sumo in his vision. Though he didnât find their mammoth physique particularly attractive, there was something about seeing them in such a state of little-dress that left him feeling embarrassed. His time wandering was short, however, as he quickly found himself backstage in preparation for Chieâs big fight.
 The room they ended up in was relatively small, possibly an old office of some sort. There were a handful of chairs inside, the same folding chairs littering the main floor. It was relatively drab, save for a large, traditional Japanese-style screen sat in the back of the room.
 âAlright, a little privacy here, Hanamura!â Chie joked, waddling behind the large screen. It was seemingly just long enough to cover up the massive girlâs figure, shielding her from prying eyes.
 âJust call for me if you need any help putting that thing on!â Yukiko giggled.
 âTell me sheâs going to be decent at leastâŚâ Yosuke asked, face slightly red.
 âDonât worry, thereâs a proper uniform that covers everything up. Though I must admit, she might be due for a new one. This oneâs gotten a bit snug on herâŚâ
 â*urrp* Yukiko, I think Iâll take you up on that offer!â
 Craning her neck back toward the screen, she called out, âAlright, one second.â She looked back at Yosuke. âYou should go now and find yourself a seat. Iâll be there shortly, donât worry.â Getting up, she shooed him right out the door, then returned to Chieâs side to aid the fatty fighter in dressing herself.
 Returning toward the main, open room, Yosuke found himself a seat near one end of the ring marked in green. Seeing as it matched the color of her favorite jacket from all those years ago, he just sort of assumed it would be the side the carnivore would be fighting on.
 âWhat kind of person comes to this kind of thing anyway?â He wondered. Taking another look into the crowd, Yosukeâs eyes scanned over the attendees. Though they skewed a bit more on the male and nerdy side, everyone seemed normal. Many of them had brought signs that wouldnât seem uncommon at a wrestling show. All sorts of pictures, mostly of the sumos themselves, and other encouraging cheers covered them, showing support for their favorites. A decent amount of them seemed to be in Chieâs favor too.
 âAh, there you are.â He turned to see Yukiko standing to his side. She took a seat beside him. âThink youâre ready for this?â
 âI donât know. Obviously Iâve seen her fight before, but not quite like this...â
 âTrue, but I think youâll find it quite entertaining to say the least. She knows how to put on a show~â
 The lights in the building began to dim, seemingly signaling the start of the event. Spotlights hit the circular ring, illuminating it. A chubby girl in a skimpy, ill-fitting jacket and shorts, along with a headset, walked into the center of it.
 âLadies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves, for you are about to witness for a spectacle unlike any other! Letâs go sumo!â She struck an idol-like pose, sending a ripple through her pudgy middle.
 Another spotlight shone, this time on the far side of the ring. A large, imposing-looking woman was revealed. Despite her heavy weight, there was a certain solidness to her form as she made her way toward the ring girlâs side. She sported a black top, matching shorts, and her black hair tied back into a topknot, one long enough to be a small ponytail of sorts.
 âAnything youâd like to say before the match?â The much smaller woman asked, handing her a microphone.
 âI fear no opponent, not even the current champ.â
 âOh *uuuurp* yeah?â
 Suddenly, the floor began to shake. Had they not been where they were, Yosuke wouldâve thought an earthquake was happening. In reality, it was Chie causing all these tremors as she ran toward the ring in a significantly less graceful manner than her opponent had. By comparison, Chieâs body looked like a ball of dough struggling to remain tucked into the green tube top wrapped around it. In addition, he could just barely see the hint of her similarly-colored loincloth peeking out from under her low-hanging gut. Her entire body found itself in motion with each step she took. By the time she made it ringside, she was huffing and puffing from exerting herself running.
 âAh, and here is our returning champion, Miss Chie Satonaka!â
 Grabbing the microphone with one of her swollen hands, the larger fighter brought it up to her fat face. â*huff* Youâre not so scary yourself.â She wipes some sweat off her brow before dropping the mic back into the announcerâs grip.
 Backing out of the ring, the woman motioned for the two fighters to take their positions. âAlright, let the match begin!â
 The two massive fighters began their approach surprisingly quickly for women their size. Pudgy hands became interlocked as they began to test each otherâs strength, digging their heels into the sand. Neither was willing to budge an inch in an effort to establish their dominance in the ring. The hot spotlights and the sheer energy on display left beads of sweat already forming on their brows.
 âHeh, youâre not too bad.â Chie laughed. âTime to turn up the heat a bit though.â Her opponent suddenly felt an opposing surge as the brunetteâs strength seemingly multiplied out of nowhere. She broke the hand hold and moved her body in a single, wobble-inducing motion. This sent the larger woman teetering forward, nearly losing her balance. An attempted sweep came her way, but she managed to jump over it in the nick of time.
 âWow, Iâm impressed with her speed.â Yosuke admitted. âI didnât think sheâd be able to move like this.â
 âUsually she canât,â Yukiko replied, âbut when sheâs all psyched up for a fight, and after a good meal, her speed is unmatched at that size.â
 The mammoth fighters found themselves belly-to-belly, once again with hands locked in combat. Chieâs grin only grew as she could feel her opponentâs strength seemingly waiver with every passing moment in the ring. Her extra bulk proved to be a mountain far too difficult for any of the other women in the league to climb. Overwhelming her wasnât an option, it would be up to quick wits and not brute strength for any hope to beat the current champ.
 Toying with her food was something the brunette enjoyed, both inside and outside the ring. She could clearly see the anguish on her opponentâs fat, sweat-drenched face.
 âI guess sheâs been through enough.â
 Without warning, Chie let go of her foe and managed to launch herself upward. The shock nearly sent the surprised woman tripping out of the ring, having been dangerously close to the boundaryâs edge.
 âHow can she? At that size...â
 Yukiko placed a hand on Yosukeâs shoulder. âCalm down, just watch.â
 Seemingly turning herself into a lard-filled human cannonball, the airborne sumo starter to plummet back down ass-first. âSumo Satonaka Slam!â The entirety of her weight came crashing down on the unluckier woman, sending her crashing to the ground. Per the rules of the sport, her body touching down meant that she had lost. Miraculously, not a single inch of Chieâs body had hit the sand despite how low certain parts of her anatomy sometimes hung. Her massive rear sat comfortably on the fleshy beanbag that was her opponent.
 The MC ran into the ring, huffing and puffing from the workout. âThe winner, and still your champ of the Underground Womenâs Sumo League Chie Satonaka!â She grabbed a hold of the fighterâs excess arm fat to lift the limb up in triumph. Cheers erupted from the crowd, Yukiko among them.
 Still seated, Yosuke just looked on in awe. âMan, Iâm surprised sheâs still got so much fight in her at this size. And people seem to be eating it all up.â
____________________
 The group had retreated to the backstage dressing room, decompressing a bit from the fight. Still clad in her fighting attire, the champ sat in her extra wide throne, fans pointed at her sweat body and a plate of food within her fat fingersâ reach. All that fighting had taken a bit out of her, so some cool down and refueling was in order. The other two sat across from her, still basking from her impressive feats.
 âScho Yoshke, whadâd you think?â She inquired, mouth still full.
 âIâll be honest, I didnât know what to expect when you invited me out.â He admitted. âBut for real, that was a hell of a fight. Glad to see youâve still got some fight in you after all these years.â
 Yukiko giggled. âTold you not to doubt her.â
 âAnyway, seeing as Yukikoâs probably real busy running the inn and all, if you, I dunno, need to look into finding a manager or something, Iâd be happy to- â
 Before he could finish his sales pitch, Chie leapt from her seat and locked the young man into a headlock, pulling him up from his chair and nearly suffocating him.
 âAugh, h-hey!â He managed to squeak out despite the arm blubber nearly cutting off his ability to breathe.
 âScheming for a quick buck as always, eh Hanamura?â She laughed, pulling the stick-thin boy into an even tighter embrace.
 The darker haired girl got up. âReally Yosuke? Itâs an underground fighting circuit. Thereâs not really much money to be made out of it. Plus, it barely digs into my inn-running time anyhow. I can just have one of my top assistant managers run things on the nights I am away anyway, just like tonight.â
 âFine, fine.â He choked out, tapping against the sumoâs bloated gut. She released her grip, and Yosuke had never been happier to take in big gulps of sweet air before in his life.
 âYouâre welcome to come watch Chieâs fights any time you want though. I can keep you posted with the schedule if youâd like.â
 Still rubbing his sore neck, he looked back over at Yukiko. She was now wrapped under the fatter womanâs arm in a much cuddlier-looking embrace. âSure, itâs the least I could do to support a friend.â


















