chapter 11

Lucy's situation didn't get any better over the next few months. It was a major embarrassment for her to have succumbed to her food this badly. The entire 10th floor was now converted into an apartment, complete with a new elevator system. By now she was constantly linked up to her feeding machine, having an addictive pull towards the food supplements she had shipped in daily. Even though her body loved it, her mind was always put off. She sent constant emails to Tycorp eggheads to get a cure, but none were given any heed. By February she was on the 450 pound point, and starting to close in on the bedbound stage. In fact most of her time was spent in her new bed, working off her laptop.
One day, she received an email from the head of weight and nutrition R&D in Tycorp.
Dear Lucy,
Due to complications I our formula and your contact with modified MindVision software, we don't see any conceivable way to minimise the damage. As phase 2 of Tycorp's plan is to roll out in mid 2026, we cannot spare much research resources into your condition.
Regards,
Samantha Bullwinkle
Head of Weight and Nutrition Reasearch and Development at Tycorp Industries.

The email was defeating, but then again, maybe she could get a private researcher in, although the problem of company secrets being revealed was a problem, especially if part of Tycorp's phase two involved making its products more potent.

***

Vera and Valerie were walking down together into the market, hand in hand. Part of their new PR champaign was to get a consensus of everyone's opinions on Blue Forest's new reputation. Of course, they needed some biased information (And a bite to eat), so they headed off to the culinary section.
Stalls of foods of different ethnic origins were lined against each other, each sporting rows of hungry customers waiting to be served. They asked some of the heavier patrons for their opinions on the matter and got lots of positive results. It was only a matter of time after they themselves were expressing their own enthusiasm, sampling every stall in the street, from Chinese street food, to deep-fried butter wrapped in bacon. Valerie's jumper was stretched across her gut, her thighs bursting through the gaps in her pre-ripped jeans. She had made an impressive gain over the past few months, now standing at 364 pounds and growing. Vera had also put on some weight, but her time was mostly devoted to her girlfriend. From the minute she woke up, to the last moment she went to sleep, she was there to make sure she had something to eat, or to massage her belly. Valerie enjoyed every second of it, lavishing how Vera spoiled her.

When they got back to the office on Monday, there was a notice in the break room listing out several new building regulations for Blue Forest's growing waistlines, including everything from chairs to cubicle sizes. Of course, they hadn't been enforced yet, so Valerie had to continue making the perilous journey through her office doorway, having to twist back and forth while Vera pushed from behind. Valerie had also managed to have a mini-fridge allowed in her office, and after a few months, a full-sized one, graciously provided by Big Beauty. At first, the office owners tried to deter Valerie from doing her usual shenanigans, even going as far to set out an employee diet plan, they were deterred by the press and fat-acceptance communities before they could do anything.
In fact, most FA communities were starting to set up base there, with the plus size dating app, Loop, setting up an office. All the while, Big Beauty was making millions now, with a lot of it going back into the fat community, further fueling Tycorp's master plan. Lucy continued to direct funds into better ways to get people fat, almost in a militaristic way. She started funding advertising campaigns for places like Stoneknoll island and Bay City. But it was when summer was coming around would things go bigger.