Chapter 25

After the monkey mess, things seem to calm down again. Kuri did ask again what happened to D's sister, and again D didn't give her a straight answer. Mostly cause every now and then Kuri would get nightmares about…that place. Anyway to it was spring and a young girl, a bit chubby and a high school student just got dumped by her boyfriend. She was so distraught that she went to a cake shop and wanted some sweets as in 4 slices of cake. The lady said, "I'm very sorry but I'm afraid I just sold that one to 2 other customers."

The girl said, "You don't have another one?!"

The clerk turned to the 2, "What should I do Count?"

It was D and Kuri. D said, "Give it to the young lady. I don't mind having something else instead." He asked, "Having a party today miss?"

She replied, "Yeah. But it looks like I'm the only one coming. That's okay though. It means there will be more sweets for me?"

Kuri said, "I kn-ow th-at at-ti-tud-e. Wh-at hap-pen-ed?"

The 3 decided to go the shop and the students told them everything. D said, "If you were to ask me I'd say you're better off without him. What sort of boy breaks up with his girlfriend a few weeks before prom?"

The student said, "He's dating this girl named Connie now. She's really stuck up, but she's also really skinny. So tomorrow, I'm gonna go on a diet! I'm gonna make john notice me again."

Kuri said, "But swe-ety, so-me gu-ys lo-ves cur-vy gi-rls wi-th a bit of me-at on the-ir bo-nes. You just ne-ed to be in a he-al-thy wei-ght and still be cur-vy."

She replied, "I tried that and it didn't work."

D sweat-dropped. "I see. Well Emeralda—"

Emerada said, "Please stop calling me that. I've never really liked my full name."

D said, "Okay Em, then. Em, do you know the proper way to go on a diet?"

She replied, "Well, like I said, I've tried all sorts but none of them ever seem to work. The only thing that's going to get me to lose weight is some serious fasting. And even then I'll be lucky if I'm thin by prom." Then she turned to Kuri. "You looked like you lost of weight how did you do it?"

Kuri sweat-dropped. "Whi-le I was ov-er 200 poun-ds, how I lo-st the-m I re-co-mm-end you do NOT do. Be-si-des ev-er-yo-ne's di-ffe-rent."

D said, "Perhaps you'll be better with a partner."

Em asked, "Partner?"

"Someone to provide encouragement and moral support. And I know the perfect one." He went to the back and got a tall thin lady. "This is Dorothy."

Em was starstrucked. "Oh my goodness. You're beautiful! You must be a model."

Dorothy said, "Thanks but no."

D said, "How about it? Would you like to have a body just like Dorothy's?"

Em said, "But I could never…"

Dorothy said, "Fasting is not the answer. Trust me. It only creates problems. What you need is a balanced diet with proper nutrition, lots of exercise, and a more active lifestyle. With a little discipline and a bit of work, we can give you a body that will blow Connie's away."

Em gladly accepted. "We?! Oh than you coach!"

Dorothy said, "Yes, we'll have you looking good in no time."

D got a paper out. "Wonderful. I've drawn up the contract. Em, come and sign right over here." Em signed it and both of them left. "Well then good luck to both of you."

Em said, "Thanks for lunch!"

Just as soon as she left, a model went in. "Would you be Count D?" she asked.

D said, "Welcome, what can I do for you?"

She said, "Clarisse sent me. I trust that you understand"

Kuri left to get the item. She groans. 'Not another one.'

D said, "We must wait for her return. I'll get the tea ready. Would you like some pastries?"

The model said, "Yeah right! I can't eat that shit. I'm on a diet."

"Really? You're already quite thin. Why lose more weight?"

She replied, "A model's body is a marketing tool. It's our calling card. I have to maintain my proportions. If I go up so much as one dress size, I can lose important accounts. I worked so hard to do what ever I can to loose weight. And then I meet up with Clarisse. She can eat anything and not gain a thing. I want the secret to that body." Soon enough Kuri came back with a special item and showed it to her. "It's beautiful. It's a pearl right? Wait is this is?!"

D said, "It's an herbal remedy. Just one dose each day should suffice. It's the same thing your friend Clarisse took."

The model name Irene said, "What's this gonna cost me? It's gotta be expensice right?!"

D said, "Yes it is but we'll defer the payment until after the treatment has it effect. That is to say after you've landed some of those lucrative accounts."

The model gladly bought it and left with it. Kuri said, 'When are you going to get rid of that thing? It gives me the willies.'

D said, "Sorry, but when one requests 'help' then I have no choice." Kuri groans. That's when another customer came in. This time a boxer. "Can I help you?"

The man asked, "My friend Leon told me you can help me?" He explained that he has one more match to go and he needs to get back into shape then he can retire. Already D has the perfect pet to help.

Meanwhile, Em and Dorothy were training long and hard. "Very good! Okay, on to sit-ups. 20 of them. Ready?"

Em yelled, "Yes, coach!"

After training Dorothy gave Em some food. "That's it? This is all I get?!"

Dorothy replied, "That's all you need. Just remember, for loosing weight, veggies are great! Expect more for breakfast."

Em groaned as she ate. "Yes coach."

That night Em couldn't sleep. "I'm so hungry. I can't sleep." She got out of bed and snuck downstairs to the fridge.

But just before she can eat, she was caught. It was Dorothy. "Emeralda! What did I tell you?! No eating between meals!"

Em said, "But I'm so hungry. Just this once?"

Dorothy yelled, "Don't be weak! Don't you want to have a body like mine?"

Em said, "I just can't stop. Obesity runs in our family. It's in our genes! I've tried lots and lots diets, but none of them have worked."

Dorothy said, "That always wear off. Emeralda, losing weight takes limitation and perseverance. You need self-control to fight against temptation."

Em said, "I understand just please stop call me by that name."

Dorothy had enough. "Don't look down! You will look at me when I soeak to you! Raise your chin and straighten your back!"

Em yelled, "Stop that!"

Dorothy raised a hand. "You lack discipline! It's little wonder you're so fat." Em closed her eyes waiting for the impact but instead she felt a gently hand. "Emeralda. Close you're eye." Em did. "Now imagine yourself…at the prom. John reaches out his hand to you and asks you to dance. Think about how perfect you're going to look. That's enough for now. Open you eyes Emeralda." Em did and saw the most beautiful dress she ever saw. Dorothy handed it to her. "Kuri made this for you."

"That's for me to wear?" asked Em.

"Yes, you can wear this dress to the party. In this, John won't be able to take his eyes off you. Every boy at the prom will want to dance with you."

Em smild and took the dress. "Okay…I'll…do it."

Meanwhile the Irene was having the time of her life. Apparently it is working. As Irene was getting praised, she saw her friend. 'Clarissa. I made a promise to both of you. This little secret's just between us…' she thought.

Back at the boxer, Nash, was training long and hard. But there was one thing that was making fun of him. 'Why don't ya take a break and have something to drink? I got it. Fried chicken! I have the coronel's number…"

Nash yelled, "Shut up!" It turns out his trainer was a parrot. "Fucking bird! If you don't shut up, I'm gonna fry you up!"

The bird said, "Hey Nash…Can I just say one word: Just one word. Cheese cake." Nash had enough and sat down. "Well if you're just gonna sit there, how about a cold one? We'll drink to your victory!" That's when Nash got an idea. He'll shadow punch the bird, metaphoring him punching the words. "How about a chili dog?"

Nash thought, 'Yeah keep taking bird. Keep talking trash. Looks like I'm fighting you now. And there's no way in hell I'm gonna loose to you.'

As time went by, Em was working out long and hard to make her goal. 'I'm going to wear that dress and go to the prom with John. I can make it happened. I can do this!'

But for Irene it was a different story. She was getting sick. She would drink a lot of water would eat so much, but no matter what, she would still be hungry.

As for Nash, he kept that method up and so far it was working. "Hey, Nash! Let's have a drink or maybe a pizza? C'mon! It's game time!"

All in all, all 3 of them were going through this differently. At the pet shop, Kuri was laying down with D while some cat women were with them talking to them. "Hey count will you explain to us this obsession humans seem to have with starving themselves? Please, it's driving up nuts. T-chan's convinced the world's coming to an end."

Kuri asked, 'You do know he eats people right?'

D said, "Human, you have to understand are not like you. They live indoors shading themselves from the sun. They have no knowledge of true hunger or thirst. They don't know what it's like to hunt for food. They don't realize that in the wild, many creatures starve unwillingly." Then he turned to Kuri. "And I don't remember you being that heavy."

Kuri smiled. 'Good you blocked it out then.' She giggled as D rolled her eyes. 'And we didn't really had food at that place so it was easy for me to lose weight. But it seems some men are into curvy girls while at the same time the girl will get bulled for being too fat. There's no straight line.'

D asked, "I gotta know, how much do you weight now?"

Kuri glared and got out of bed. 'You're ain't getting no fucking answer.' She left.

D layback defeated. "I forgot. Never ask a woman how much she weights."

Back with Irene, she was getting worst and worst. She was skin in bones and now her hair was falling out. That's when Clarissa went in. "How far the queen has fallen. That's truly disgusting, Irene."

Irene called out to her. "Clarissa?! What is this?! What have you done to me?!" All she did was smirked. "You tricked me, didn't you?! You got the Chinese couple to help you! I'm right aren't I? You wanted me out of the was and so you did something!" Then her stomach. "My stomach. Oh God it hurts!" She reached out to her. "Please save me…" Then there was a giant crack on her face and all over her body.

With Nash, it was fight time. "151 pounds, 5 ounces…Mckinley qualifies." said the referee.

Nash turned to the bird as he walked up in the ring. "How's that bird?! I've beaten you! Now for real thing…"

Back at Em, she was thin, she was beautiful, and she was at the prom. Her ex saw her. "Em?"

As soon as Em walked in, boys surrounded her. "Wow. You look a lot different Em." "I love your dress! You making all these other girls look bad girl!" "Hey Em, It's Fred! We have science together."

John walked up making Connie cry. "Em!" He held out his hand to her. "Do you want to dance?"

But as they dance, Em noticed that John isn't as attractive as she thought. 'Has John's nose always be crooked like that? And jeeze think you're wearing enough cologne there, boyo? What are you trying to cover up? Maybe he's trying to distract people from his suit. Was the Salvation Army pretty picked over? Come to think of it, he's pretty short too. Yeah keep smiling, John. I always hated his smile.' She looked t the other men. 'You know compared to some of the other guy's here, John isn't really all that and considering they've been checking me out since I stepped through the door…' Em saw Connie crying still. "You promised to dance with Connie didn't you?"

John said, "Don't worry about her babe. She's got nothing on you. I was just fooling around a bit. Just trying to motivate you to lose some of that weight you were always complaining about. You know become a girl worthy of me."

Em had enough for his bullshit and punched him hard in the face. "THE ONLY THING YOU'RE WORTHY OF IS A BUSTED LIP!"

Meanwhile, Nash did his fight and sadly his lost the fight. But he gave it his all and had no regrets. As he returned to his training room, he parrot there waiting for him. "Hey Nash!" Next to him was a beer. "I kept it cold for ya. C'mon let's toast your retirement." Nash opened the can, had a big gulp and sat down. "Well? How was it?"

Nash smiled. "The best, bird. The best. Defeat has never tasted so delicious. Y'know, now that I'm retired I think I might open a bar."

Back with Irene, a beautiful body came out of that shell. Beautiful and flawless. The woman there got a towel. "How do you feel Irene?"

The new woman opened her eyes to reveal bug eyes. "Irene? That is my name?"

The other one said, "You're one of us now. More beautiful then ever before. Yes you're beauty runs deep, but so does your appetite." She covered Irene up. "Now Irene we must find you a host. It won't be difficult…the world is overflowing with people dying to shed a few pounds. We just take them at their word that's all."

The next day, Em was at the shop again eating and crying. Kuri tried to comfort her. D said, "My dear girl, you're going to gain back everything you've lost if you keep eating so much."

Em cried, "I don't care anymore. I went though so much to lose weight. You have no idea how hard I worked! Then I and ruin it by punching John in front of the entire school! Now everyone's scared of me! John won't even look in my direction!"

Kuri asked, "But ha-ve-n't you ga-in-ed som-et-hi-ng mu-ch mo-re im-por-tant Em-er-al-da?"

Then Em thought back of her coach Dorothy. Have some pride in yourself! Don't you think you're worth it?! She was saying all those things to encourage her. Em asked, "Where's Dorothy? I need to see her. I haven't seen her since my prom! I wanted to thank her for all she's done."

D said, "Yes, Dorothy. Unfortunately, we haven't seen her either."

Em asked, "You haven't Well, can you get in touch with her for me? I own her so much!"

Kuri said, "I got a bet-ter id-ea." She left and came back with a beautiful cat. "Be-fo-re sh-e l-eft, s-he le-ft he-r cat he-re so s-he can b-e wel-l ta-k-en ca-re of. I thi-nk she'll be mo-re hap-py if you ta-ke go-od ca-re of her." She handed Em the cat. "I'm su-re she-'ll ma-ke a wo-nde-rful par-tner for you."

The cat in Dorothy rubbed her head against Em's cheek. Em smiled. "She's perfect. And you know I'm going to take your advice Kuri. Turns out I lost a little too much so I'm aiming for a healthy weight." She pets her cat's head. "But maybe together, we can be unstoppable."