The Salazzle huffed, his thick thumb snapping back the metal tab of yet another can as the sugary liquid within hissed fizzily in response. He took a moment of pause, before bringing the beverage to his flabby jaws, sipping this one just a little slower than the last two boxes' worth. '...So these are 'energy' drinks, huh...some tall tale that is.' thought the oversized reptile, though his disappointment didn't override his gut's rumblings for more.

The Power Flow Energy Drink Corporation...they didn't seem like a bad deal for a sponsor, at first. They had very few conditions; Lazz could choose his own races, set his own schedule. As long as he raced at least 3 big races a year, and wore their brand logo somewhere on his body, the company would pay him a monthly salary. There was only one thing wrong...the drinks themselves. The lizard received a limitless supply of their drinks; he'd receive crates at a time, and if he ever ran out, he'd immediately be shipped more. It seemed merely like a nice gesture, one he'd take to be polite, but not actually partake in.

Lazz knew he had to be careful with what he ate and drank... His fantastic stamina and energy was quite a boon for his athletic nature, but his metabolism was not...typical, for an athlete. One would expect him to have a high metabolic rate - a body capable of and outright needing to eat a lot, as his rate of using and burning calories would be fast due to his activity. Well - this wasn't quite true, yet not quite false. His body DID eagerly make use of anything he consumed, breaking it down into nutrition and fat...but somehow, it was just too good at utilizing that food. He could eat a burger, and gain like he'd eaten 10! ...Sure, further exercise and due diligence could keep this under control, and he often did daily runs. However...he would grow absolutely RAVENOUS post-exercise. The temptation not to stuff his belly full after a good jog, let alone a major race, was something he truly had to resist!

But resistance is hard when you have a limitless supply of sugary drinks simply lying around the house... Yes; like most energy drinks, Power Flow DID have nutrients for energy, but it was largely just a glorified soda - and just as healthy as one, especially in the long run. Lazz managed to mostly resist the syrupy-fizzy temptations at the start of his sponsorship deal, but every now and then he slipped up - and would see a soft layer of flab grow over his belly even with just 2 or 3! Still, he always successfully worked it off...until his next big race came up in the summer, anyways.

Power Flow Corp suddenly began to pressure one more little condition on the poor Salazzle. Wearing sponsorship clothing for the race was good, yes...but, as they phrased it it 'would be rather nice' if Lazz could bring along a pack of the drink, and consume it before and after the race for all the public to see. Lazz was immediately leery about the obvious publicity stunt, knowing just how unhealthy these drinks were...but, while the company stated this was 'purely optional', the back-handed pressure they exerted despite their words made the lizard relent.

The summer race...was, for Lazz, a mess. While he had simply intended to replace his before-race and after-race water drinks with one soda can each, Power Flow Corp really pushed the publicity for this event. He'd already had the before-race can when the company urged him over to a news crew and thrust another can on him, 'suggesting' he could do an interview and drink the can at the same time. He uncomfortably complied, finishing the second can and the interview at much the same time...only for the cameraman to discover he'd not hit the 'record' button! A re-take of the interview convinced - and a third can was thrust on the Salazzle, since 'supporting the brand' was that important to Power Flow.

By the time the race actually began, the normally thin-bellied Salazzle was sporting some obvious bloat, idly burping as all that soda fizzled and bubbled inside of him. This only worsened as he ran the race, the jostling motion of his powerful sprint only creating the same effect as shaking a sealed cola can...so much so that he had to slow occasionally just to let out a thunderous BRRRAAAP! from his lips! Suffice to say, it broke up his rhythm and momentum quite a lot, and surprised many of the racers around him, some even asking him if he was feeling okay. "I'm fine, I'm fine!" he would announce, knowing that he had to keep up his image, and being too stubborn to stop completely.

He was still a strong athlete though. He wasn't the one to break the finish tape this time, but he was close - coming in at a respectable second place. Lazz certainly smiled and took his silver medal and made a good show - but in truth, he was upset. He could've gotten that gold, had he not been so distracted...! At least the bubbling belches had ceased by then...and due to all the soda he'd drunk, he didn't really need his after-race drink; good thing too, as he didn't want to touch another can. He actually liked the taste of them; that was precisely the problem. He was feeling that ravenous, consumptive feeling like he always got after a race...and he didn't want to tempt that feeling!

That was his line of thinking until a Power Flow rep crept up on him, thrusting another can in front of his snout...and then, hey, another! It was time for the post-race interview, after all! "Why not drink a can with one paw and hold another can in the other?" suggested the over-eager rep, encouraging even MORE promotion of the brand by including an additional can on cam. Lazz sighed and drooped his shoulders, wordlessly agreeing before starting to conduct another typical athlete interview... But when he began to drank from one of the cans this time, he found himself unable to just...sip it! Gulp, glug, glug... The news reporter had to wait as he chugged the can, a strong and sudden thirst developing in the exhausted Salazzle. He tried to continue the interview from there, but grew too distracted by the other can he held...it was merely for 'extra show' as far as the company reasoned, but he quickly opened it too, and chugged it right down his rippling throat... Well, this just wouldn't do for Power Flow, the interview was nowhere near done and he'd already emptied both cans! Quickly they replaced the cans with fresh ones, insisting that Lazz drink a little slower this time. ...Suffice to say, it took a few more takes, and a dozen more cans, before the reporter simply said "Honestly, this is, uh, good enough." and left. Well - the interview had mostly took place, in-between cans, at least...

Lazz took his shiny medal and bloated gut back home after that...home, where crates of the drinks lurked about... His willpower was already shot, and the constant supply of beverages ensured it wouldn't recover. The reptile drank and drank and drank, the Power Flow company only too happy to send him larger and larger shipments as he desperately requested more. They, like many major companies, were a tad short-sighted; they were simply glad to have a known athlete be so brand-loyal! Corporate looked forward to the Salazzle's next race all the more because of it, eager to see how he'd represent their brand there.

Though Lazz, wasn't so eager. He still kept up his running routine as his body grew fatter and heavier, yet it only lightly slowed the steady growth. Sooner than he'd like, the next race - one right at the end of summer - was upon him. Brand loyalty was something he did quite well during this competition - the one thing he DID do well at. He brought an entire crate of the drink with him this time, and addictively chugged away at the many cans before and after the race - even when there weren't interviews going on. The Salazzle's Power Flow tank top didn't fit so well across his body now; his girthy gut slung out under the bottom of it, and his newfound moobs bloated out the front of the fabric...though, the shirt all the better displayed the company's logo in its stretched-out state, making it more visible to pick up by eyes and cameras alike!

As for how well he did in the actual race?... ...15th, out of 20. To be fair, it was impressive that the fattened Salazzle could even outrun a fourth of the racers; even with his speed fairly tanked (sloshing soda-bellies tended to slow one down), he still had a good deal of endurance to him. ...For the time being.

The Power Flow Corporation wasn't too happy about his placement, but he'd still advertised the heck out of their brand that day, and so considered the race a net win for them. As for Lazz, he likely would've been quite upset with the situation...but after the race ended, he really was only worried about how THIRSTY he was...! He hadn't had a can for a whole hour while he raced! Good thing for him that he had plenty more to drink back at home...

As the weeks passed along, a cold autumn came about. The weather only encouraged Lazz to not go on his daily runs outdoors, and instead, he elected to use his personal treadmill, and do other indoor exercises. He DID feel bad about that last race, in retrospect...and now that it was fall, the 22nd bi-annual Detourner Way Trail Run was slowly coming up. He had promised landing another victory on the rugged course, and he was gonna get back in shape and do just that...! After...after, one more can... Sadly, the porky reptile was simply too well-stocked with that tasty soda. Getting out of the house had given him the rare chance to exercise away from the beverage, but now that they were RIGHT there... His mind constantly grew distracted whenever he started his fitness routine, electing to pause and take a drink break...every couple of minutes. He did complete his routines in due time, perhaps losing a couple calories a day...but gaining many times more!

Which brings us to the present, once again. The Detourner Way Trail Run at last commenced in its autumn variation, and what a large showing of Pokemon it had this year! Some new faces, some old faces....and Lazz saw it all himself too... Right...from his TV.

The Salazzle shifted his titanic bum, creaking the poor sofa underneath him...which complained all the harder as he leaned back against it. He panted between sips of his freshly-opened energy drink, so out of shape that he was exhausted merely from drinking the last few packs too fast. At least he was comfortable enough, and he still got to watch the exciting race through the cameras placed around the track!...good enough...right? He sighed to himself, his plump tail slowly swaying to knock away a pile of discarded cans from the seat-cushion next to him, before the tail leaned down to curl around a set of unopened cans, bringing them up to the cushion in replacement.

'I said I'd win in the autumn race. I never said WHICH autumn race.' Lazz reasoned to himself, idly settling one of the fresh cans in the plump divot of his bloated navel - a useful 'cup-holder' for his next drink. It was a flimsy excuse, but one that did well enough to bolster the blubbery behemoth, who thought boldly from there. 'Yeah! Next fall, I'm gonna race so well, that I'll totally wreck my last time! They'll give me a platinum medal just for leaving the competition so far behind!' The dark-colored lizard wobbled mildly in his seat, all the physical effort he felt like putting into his passionate thoughts - though it was more than enough to wobble and jiggle his frame like jello, his belly swaying side-to-side on his lap.

'Yeah! I'll get back in shape...uh...in winter. Or maybe...spring. Or summer...yeah. Late summer...' The reptile's thought-pattern drifted off from there as he felt a welling pressure... "BRRRRRUUUURRRRAP!" The whole house shook as gut fluttered and squished, the simple lizard roaring out like a grand dragon for a good half-minute of time, welled-up carbonation from countless cans all THUNDERING out of his chops along with plenty of splatters of sugar-coated drool! ...He slumped heavily back in his seat when it was all over, his tongue lolling out of his snout as he wheezed in recovery, his body well-spent from the 'effort' the belch required...

'Y-Yeah...I'll totally!...get around to it...' Lazz contemplated, a tired paw grabbing the can in his navel-pit and snapping its lid open...

---

Faaaaat. <3 This is part 2 of 2 of a couple images done by :iconfattydragonite:/Luke!

Lazz the Salazzle...yeaaaah. He might be an athlete, but if he's one of MY characters, I suppose he couldn't stay lean forever, now could he? ;3 That strange metabolism of his is always a curse...that, and his addictive personality! I love the idea of a body chemistry oddity; in his case, the fact he has to be SO careful what he eats or GURRRRGL-BWOOMPH BELLY! I'm might be evil, but I've learned that I love characters that have to utterly micromanage themselves to avoid sudden weight gain or voracious tendencies...and then watch them slip up~ >:3 Yeah...I'm totally evil.

It is also fun to have a thin character grow very fat, I don't often do that (typically, I only do pretty-fat to really-fat). With a thin character, it's the total other end of the spectrum, and you can really appreciate the amount of weight gain that happens from that base. This is more or less what you'll see from Lazz when I get him drawn; he'll start nice and lean, but then gaaaaaaain~

Thanks again goes to Luke for helping me get this guy off the ground! (I don't think anybody could do that now though; I mean, think just how much he weighs! I hope you all like the story too! <3 Yes - he'll get thin again at SOME point I'm sure. That sponsorship deal is sure to fall through eventually, and then when the free drinks stop, he should be able to get back on his feet again. (Hopefully. Again, he weighs a lot!)

As for how long he'll keep the weight off after that?...hehehehe. Well, if you guys like this guy enough to motivate me to get more art sooner, then I imagine he won't stay trim for very long...