This Story was made by one of my fav writers. hope you all enjo it as much as i do=3 .



The Innkeeper


Snow, a Gabumon, was limping his way into town. For three days now he had been scraping by just to make it to the next day. He hadn�t been able to get a decent meal while he was traveling and his insufficient funds prevented him from buying enough food till he got to the next town. If he opened up his money satchel right now it was as empty his stomach. He passed a sign with the town�s name on it. �Welcome to Mayboreau, a restful retreat.�

The town appeared quite calm. There town wasn�t big, but quite a few digimon were up and about going to work or taking care of errands. The town didn�t seem industrialized so the air was clean and the sky was clear. In a way this place seemed to be a paradise. Snow found a bench that enabled him to get some rest.

�Let�s see now,� he said to himself. �I need food so I need to get a job.� His stomach rumbled. �Oh, but I need food to have the energy to work; but without work I can�t afford any. Oh! What am I going to do?� He soon got a headache from thinking of an empty stomach and moments later, he was one the ground unconscious, having spent the last of his strength.


Snow awoke some time later in a bed. He saw another Gabumon by his bedside, a female one.

�I�m glad you�re finally awake,� she said. �You just collapsed in the street so I brought you back home with me. Lucky for you I run an inn so there�s plenty of room.�

�Uh, thanks,� Snow replied. �I hope it wasn�t too much trouble Miss.�

�Oh, my name is Marie. Stay in bed, I�m making you some lunch. It should be ready soon.�

�Thanks, but you didn�t have to do all that for me.�

�Nonsense, now be a dear and take it easy.�


Marie walked into the kitchen and began stirring a pot of stew she had cooking. She took the spoon out and took a taste. Then the kitchen door opened and another Gabumon walked in who looked identical to Marie, it was Annette, Marie�s older sister. She took one look at Marie and an annoyed look spread across her face.

�Alright, Marie, who did you drag off the street this time?� she asked in a cold voice.

Marie grew extremely nervous. She attempted to talk her way out of this conversation, but her expression gave her away on the spot. �I don�t know what you�re talking about. What Gabumon that I found weak from hunger on the street and put up in room 8 awaiting a nice home-cooked meal? I have no idea what you�re talking about?�

Annette didn�t need to say any more.

�Okay, I brought another one home, but I couldn�t just leave him half starved in the streets.�

�Does he at least have any money? Probably not, considering how bad a condition he was in.�

�And you would just have us kick him out in the street?�

�We can�t run an inn if we don�t charge people for our services. He can stay, but he�ll have to work off this debt.�

�Thank you so much, sister.�

�I�d rather throw the good-for-nothing in the street,� Annette replied. �You seem to have taken a liking to him and I don�t want anything to upset you.�

�I promise, not to let my emotions get the better of me,� Marie promised.

�That only tells me you�ve already fallen for the oath. This has the Florence Nightingale Effect written all over it.�

�Well, once he gets his strength back we�ll work something out with him. The stew�s about ready. I�ll bring him up a plate.�

�No, allow me. I want to see what we�re dealing with.�


Snow was still in bed. He didn�t feel right about getting lodgings and food without paying and was hoping he�d be able to get a job to pay them back. He didn�t have the luxury of staying put too long in one place and finding a peaceful town such as this made it all the more difficult to want to leave. Marie also seemed quite nice as well. He only spoke with her once, but he was certain they�d be good friends and parting would be all the harder because of it. The door creaked open and Annette walked in; of course Snow assumed it was Marie.

�Hi, Marie,� he called out joyously, waving a hand at her. Annette took this gestured to be more flirtatious than intended and shot him down with a cold stare. His arm became frozen in place and he was quite confused by the total change in her personality.

�Please enjoy the food,� she said coldly and she placed the searing hot plate onto his lap. His flesh started to burn causing him to practically jump out of his skin. Marie ran into the room after hearing Snow�s shouts in pain.

�Annette, can�t you at least go five minutes without scarring someone physically and mentally?�

�Maybe a little,� Annette replied with an apologetic smile. �Sorry, sir, I�m go a little overboard sometimes protecting my sister. Older sister duties and all.�

�That�s all right,� Snow answered, climbing down from the rafters. �No harm done.�

Snow finally, got to eat the stew he was given and even if he wasn�t dying of hunger it was easily one of the best meals he had in a long time and had several helpings. He wiped up any remaining traces with his finger which he sucked clean in his mouth before patting his rounded stomach happy and content. Marie and Annette joined him for lunch since they were off duty for the time being.

Marie took the plates away to go wash them when everyone was done, but Annette pulled at her arm, wanting them to get down to business now that Snow had no other excuses to not work now.

�Uh, sir,� Marie began.

�Oh, my name�s Snow,� he replied.

Marie blushed upon hearing his name. �Thanks a nice name, uh, we�ll have to discuss how you�ll pay us back for the room and food. A full day�s work should more than cover it meals for today, and a night�s stay, wouldn�t you agree Annette?�

�That appears feasible,� she answered, �But you better not slack off or there will be consequences.� He voice was friendly, but there was a deep malevolence within it that scared not only Snow, but Marie as well.

�About that,� Snow explained. �If I will have to work off my debt for today would you mind if I stay at least a week to save up some money. I�m sure you can understand that I�d be in no better shape than I was when I got here if I leave without and food or money.�

Marie turned to her sister, knowing full well that it was her choice and hers alone. Annette saw Marie�s pleading eyes and then in a very serious and professional voice, �Very well, we�d be honored to have you lend us a hand here. We�ll give you an hour to prepare for orientation. After that we�ll see just how serious you are about working here.�

Snow thanked them both with a big smile before retreating to the water closet to wash off the wear and tear he received from his travels. Annette aided Marie in taking the dishes downstairs.

�You heard it from the horse�s mouth,� stated Annette. �As soon as he�s resupplied he�ll be leaving. He�s a traveler so he�s not going to make relationships to tie him down. As long as he�s capable of moving he�ll never settle down.� Marie seemed a little down after hearing all this. �I�m sorry. He seems like a decent guy, and perhaps a tad childish, but he seems innocent and true. I don�t think I�d have any objections if he chose to stay. At least not out loud cause if he takes one step out of line I�d��

�Uh, sister,� Marie stated as she saw Annette was getting worked up again.

�Oh, sorry, I guess I was about to lose it again.�


With Snow squeaky clean and his fur warm from the blow dryer he made his way downstairs fresh as a daisy. He wondered what kind of jobs he�d have to do here. It was an inn after all so he considered they might need some muscle in carrying the guests� luggage to their rooms. He also considered he might help with some of the cleaning or take out the trash. The inn was fairly large so it probably required a substantial amount of time to maintain with just the two of them.

When he got down to the kitchen he was given a rake in one hand and a pair of work gloves in the other.

�Congratulations, you�ll be the gardener for the next week,� said Annette trying to make it sound like he had just hit the jackpot, though Snow was far from excited from it. After being so out in nature for so long he�d have liked spending some time in civilization.

�I don�t really have much of a green thumb,� Snow explained. �Are you sure there isn�t any other work I can do indoors?�

�I assume you�d like to do something like carrying bags to a customer�s room,� Annette replied. �Well, I guess that should go to the most qualified for the job, so there�s only one thing to do. Let�s have an arm wrestle.�

�Wait, what?�

�It�s the most logical way to decide, wouldn�t you agree?� stated Annette. �It judges not just strength, but technique as well, both which are important in carry heavy objects. If you can beat me then the job is yours.�

�Well, that makes sense, I guess,� replied Snow.

�Alright, Marie, can you come in here for a moment.� Marie walked in to see both Snow and her sister at the table, set up for their arm wrestling match. �Would you mind refereeing the match for us?�

�Alright, but try to be gentle with him. Ready� set� go��

It was all a blur to Snow as one minute he was facing Annette and the second his was disoriented and upside down on the floor. He didn�t even remember the match had even started and he was certain he had lost.

�Oh, what did I just tell you,� Marie cried as she rushed to help Snow up. She put a cold compress over his forehead, despite his claims that he was fine.

�I guess I better get started on that yard work. So what�s up first?�

�It�s about time when we�d normally feed the ducks at the pond,� replied Annette. �There�s a bag of feed in the pantry over there.�

�Alright, I�ll take care of it in no time,� exclaimed Snow, ignoring the last few minutes, replacing it with a sunny optimism.

After he left, Annette turned to Marie who didn�t look happy at all. �You know that�s practically a suicide mission for anyone besides us.�

�Take it easy, Marie. Doris is probably in a different pond today.�

As Snow began to scatter the feed around the pond and watch the ducks big and small, and wearing feathers of a rainbow of hues a fairly small duck with pure white feathers and bright red eyes appeared. The duck didn�t come up over Snow�s kneecaps. When Snow saw the little thing he gave it some feed, but it didn�t budge from its spot to eat it; instead it just stayed put and stared down at Snow. It was an awkward moment for Snow, but he walked over to pet it.

Annette returned from carrying a customer�s luggage up to their room. �Is there any fresh coffee?� she asked. �Mr. Smith requested a cup after I brought his bags up.�

�There�s none left, but I�ll brew more,� she replied. �Just give me a minute.� She quickly set the coffee maker up to make coffee and pressed the button to start it. As they watched it pour, there was a long silence, save to the sounds of the coffee dripping down to the glass pot. It was Annette who finally, broke the silence.

�Look, I�m sorry if I�ve been just a tad too overprotective.�

�I know, and I to take my work here at the inn more seriously.� As she said this Snow was visibly seen running for his life outside through the window, though he was too far away for his voice to be heard as the little duck chased after him. �This is an inn after all, not a hospital and we can�t afford to take everyone in for free just because I think they�re dreamy.� Snow appeared on the other side of the window again, the duck, Doris, finally caught him and began mercilessly pecking at his head. �But you do know you should also apologize to Snow.� Snow began dragging his bruised body on the ground, but then his exhausted face turned into a panicked one, moments before he was dragged out of view again. �Did you hear me? Annette?�

Annette hadn�t been listening as she had been too distracted from seeing poor Snow getting attacked outside. �What?�

�Don�t you think you should apologize to Snow?� she asked again.

�Oh, you�re right,� Annette answered. �I�ll apologize right, so why don�t you take Mr. Smith his coffee while I handle this.�

After Marie left, Annette took the entire first aid kit outside to what was left of Snow. A small bruise on his head was the least of his troubles after Doris got through with him. �Cute little killer ducky,� he mumbled over and over again.

�I�m sorry; I should have warned you about Doris. She had a bit of a mean streak� and blood lust in her.� was all she could bring herself to say. She looked at Doris as she waddled away innocently, red stained on her feathers.

�It�s not as bad as it looks. She chased me into that berry bush,� Snow said.

�Please forgive me,� she cried. �I haven�t been as nice as I could be and you've been hurt because of it.�

�But weren�t you just doing your job as a big sister. There�s nothing to forgive.�

�Yes, but it still shouldn�t excuse my actions. My sister really likes you, you know.�

�Yeah, and I like her too.�

�But you have to leave.�

�Yeah, and this seems like such a nice town too. But I have to keep going.�


Annette explained the remainder of Snow�s chores for the day and then went back inside to continue her own. They didn�t meet up again until dinner. Marie had just finished making several large pizzas in the over, much to Snow�s delight. Annette set the table and offered to let Snow sit at the head of the table. She then went to take food to the people staying over who preferred to eat alone, instead of join everyone in the dining room.

Snow found the pizza incredibly gooey and cheesy. He folded it in half and began to chomp it down. He finished three slices before Annette came downstairs and Marie was still working on her first. Annette examined how much pizza Snow had eaten and a narrow smile spread across her face. Snow saw this and quickly said, �I�m sorry that I ate so already. It was only three slices.�

�Oh, I�m just glad that you are enjoying yourself. You worked hard today so eat up.�

Though she didn�t seem mad, Snow still didn�t feel at ease. He purposely dropped his napkin and when he bent over to reach it he whispered to Marie. �Uh, you made the pizza all by yourself, right?�

�Don�t worry. Annette promised to behave herself and just in case I didn�t take my eyes off the pizza.�

Snow took a sigh of relief and then continued to enjoy himself. Annette�s smile never left her face as everyone continued to eat.


The rest of the day was a blur to Snow. He had eaten his share of pizza and then some; it was just too delicious to stop until he licked his fingers clean of the last bit of grease. He found that he was done with work for the day and decided to relax in his room. Before he knew it he was out cold.

He awoke the next morning to the sun shining in his face. He hadn�t had a proper sleep in so long, let alone one on a full stomach. He turned over to his nightstand and saw a plate of milk and cookies had been placed there, probably a treat for him if he woke up in the middle of the night. He soaked each cookie halfway through with milk before munching the whole thing down and finished it up by chugging down the tall, cool glass of milk once it was over. He then placed a hand on his gut to rub it. It was then that he felt his paunch was unusually soft. Not like he wasn�t normally chubby, but he rubbed his gut enough to know when something was amiss. He went to the mirror and confirms his belly looked a bit larger. He was beginning to wonder if perhaps Annette had done something to his food, but she promised to behave herself. The only one who had touched the food before him was Marie, but she wouldn�t do something like this to him, would she? No! Snow pushed that thought out of his mind and tried to think logically. Since he hadn�t eaten a decent meal for so long his body had adjusted to storing more calories than normal. This was just a side effect. Surely, his body would readjust soon. He just had to put up with it for now. It wasn�t like he didn�t enjoy a little chub, but traveling light was just more logical.

Snow went downstairs and was welcomed by the smell of eggs, bacon, and a variety of other breakfast foods. Marie and Annette welcomed him, though neither mentioned anything about his gut. It wasn�t something very noticeable, but having a tattoo on his stomach that read �FAT� easily added at least ten pounds to one�s frame. He sat down to eat again and despite having cookies and milk not too long ago showed his limitless appetite by cleaning his plate till there was nothing left and still having room for a cup of coffee before beginning his daily chores, from feeding the ducks, to watering the plants. He wasn�t sure if he would enjoy being a gardener, but found it quite relaxing. He only grew a little edgy when he got too close to the duck pound. He didn�t want Doris to find him, but he wasn�t particularly fond of water to begin with. He had never learned to swim and he wasn�t particularly comfortable with water to begin with. Still, he saw what a difference it was to actually smell the roses and not pass them by on his travels. He finished earlier than yesterday and soon found himself drowsy and asleep.


�Dinner time,� came a voice that caused Snow to stir. It was Marie calling him in for dinner; the smells of cooking were reaching him and only served to help him get to his feet. As he did he noticed he was wrapped in a blanket. He figured Marie or Annette must have done it after he fell asleep. He folded it up and began to carry it in when he quickly realized that something was wrong once again and he found out when he looked down. His feet were gone; not literally of course, but his gut had grown once again and was not restricting his view of even the tips of his toes.

He entered into the inn once again and like before Marie and Annette were oblivious of his fatty frame. His sense of smell told him that ham was on the menu today and what a ham it was. It easily dwarfed his previous meals in size. He couldn�t very well refuse the meal, but he just had to stay focused and limit how much food he ate. That plan lasted for a few seconds as he fell into his old habits and ate everything that was place in front of him. The tastes were so mesmerizing he lost touch with the world around him and couldn�t remember the specifics of what had happened. When he was done he retreated once again to his room where a tray of brownies awaited him. This sneak attack hit him hard as he devoured the chocolate, chewy morsels, stuffing two into his face at once until they were all gone. His energy soon started to drop quickly. He wasn�t sure if it was some sort of sedative in the food or something, but he quickly grew drowsy and began to pass out again. The last thing he noticed was someone watching him at the door. �Marie is that you?� he muttered before his eyes closed tight.


Snow found a treat for him when he awoke the next morning and eagerly shoveled it into his maw. He didn�t know if he was just at a loss for self control or if the food was just too good to resist, but he ate it all and knew soon enough it would be added to his ever growing frame. He went down for breakfast and sat in his usual chair, though he had to move his chair back to fit his gut in there. His meals weren�t just divided into two meals a day and a snack in the morning and at night. He started stopping for lunch as well and treats just seemed to pop out of nowhere for him while he worked. He never saw who it was who did it, but they probably took the time while he was busy eating to place something else and slip away before he finished. The added weight started slowing him down by the fifth day, but it didn�t stop him from completing his chores. He did however have more and more trouble avoiding Doris as she found him a larger and slower target to attack. Marie and Annette didn�t make one remark about his size no matter how big he grew or even what his chair broke while he was busy devouring an entire turkey that was stuffed with stuffing.


The day finally came when I was time for him to move on. He hated the thought of going and thought about all the good times he had and all the meals he had eaten while he was eating a three layer chocolate cake in bed. He looked outside and saw it was raining forcing a low moan. He didn�t feel like starting his travels in wet weather and didn�t feel like getting out of bed for that matter. It was when he actually decided to get it over with that he realized he couldn�t get up.

This was the first time in a while that he actually took a look at himself. His stomach easily reached from one side of the bed to the other and stretched his stomach tattoo a bit out of proportion. His arms and legs were thickened and he had multiple chins now. Leaning over to get a look in a mirror he saw his face had a chubby appearance. He�d have observed the rest of his body if he was able to get up, but his latest gain appeared to have finally overtaken him.

Snow would have normally have panicked immediately after finding himself in this state, but with several pieces of cake still waiting for him he couldn�t just ignore them. After swallowing the last few pieces he noticed a Gabumon was at the door.

�So, Snow, how do you like my little surprise?� she asked.

�Marie, you did this to me?�

�No. I�m Annette. Marie had nothing to do with this.�

�I don�t understand,� he commented. �Marie was the one who always made the food, and why am I the only one to get this fat?�

�It was the food that made you gain, but the chemicals I used to induce it weren�t in the food, rather on your plate. I slipped a small amount on when nobody was looking. I was certain you�d have no problem ingesting it since you thoroughly cleaned your plate when you finished eating the stew the other day. You actually took to it quite quickly. I thought you would still be mobile after today and I�d have to fatten you up some more.� She gave his gut a poke to see just how blobby he was. �But it looks like you�ve more than met my expectations.�

�But why did you do this?� Snow asked.

�Because Marie has feelings for you and you said you feel the same way back. This may not have been the most elegant way of getting you to stay, but it is quite effective. I did this so Marie could be happy.�

�Wait, Marie likes me as in a lot?� asked Snow. �I think there�s been a misunderstanding. I like her as a friend, but I�m not in love with her. I�m sorry, but I can�t stay here.�

�No. No. No. No. No!� she screamed. �This can�t be happening. It can�t� I won�t��

�Annette!� came a voice at the door. Annette turned around to see it was Marie.

�Uh, hi, Marie. I was, uh, trying to, uh.�

�I heard everything. I�m touched that you went through this trouble for me,� said Marie. She then walked over to Snow. �I guess you really don�t have those feelings for me.�

�I�m sorry, I don�t,� he replied.

�Don�t apologize. I was just being silly. I think being friends is just fine. See Annette, everything�s going to be fine. You don�t have to try so hard to spare my feelings. I�m not a little girl anymore.�

�I guess I haven�t realized that you are old enough to handle these things on your own.�

�That�s all I ask,� replied Marie. �I guess you�ll be leaving soon then, Snow. Since it is raining you should consider waiting at least until it stops raining out.�

�I�ll have to wait a little longer than that,� he chuckled. �It will probably be another week before I can get out of bed.�

All three laughed over this, but soon only Snow was laughing. He turned to them and saw they were looking over at the door. He didn�t see anything at first. He had to struggle to get up a bit and to his horror Doris had managed to get inside and was staring him down again. It was in this moment that Snow found the strength to his feet and run for his life.