Theo leads you into one of the main thoroughfares of his home, where the party-goers really know how to throw their weight around! El Toro, Crystal, and Jimmy may not be able to fit into their costumes anymore, but when you can bench-press the other guests by the dozen, who cares?

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Art ©  cedricbrowning
Jimmy Coon ©  bananacreamape
El Toro ©  connercoon
Crystal ©  johnpm995
Story © c'est moi

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Theo leads you into a long corridor, with mirrors and grand works of art on one side, and windows on the other. The floor is polished marble, and everything is awash in the golden glow of a dozen chandeliers. You can hear the music again, thumping loud enough that you can almost see the walls reverberate, and the notes of violins mixed with dubstep reach your ears. You’re not quite sure if you like it or not.

The Cheshire smiles wider as he steers you past the crowd. There aren’t actually that many people in the gallery, but the guests’ sheer size makes the place feel stuffed to the rafters. It’s hard to see the art over people of towering heights, rolling shoulders the size of hillsides, or bellies the size of boulders, all of them bursting out of their costumes, and emptied wine glasses in their hands. Theo doesn’t seem bothered as he leads you through the sheer canyons formed by his guests, bobbing and weaving his way as you struggle to keep up. He begins noting the large portraits lining the walls. “This gallery is rather sentimental in its ornamentation,” the cheshire explains. “You see here all the visages of my many colleagues and comrades, cheshires all.”

You follow Theo, looking up at the large portraits. They seem to stretch on forever; you take a look back and realize that, despite the gallery having no curves or corners, you can no longer see the entrance. You shake your head, trying to get your bearings as Theo leads you past the portraits, naming off various cheshires. Each cat shown is a different, vibrant color, dressed in the wildest of fashions. You pass one portrait, made out of purple crushed velvet, that has a cheshire smiling down at you, wearing a Plague Doctor’s mask. You swear it winks at you as you pass, but then, every cheshire portrait you’ve seen looks like the eyes are following you.

“You may run into some of these fine fellows tonight,” Theo commented. “Some of them, however, decided that there were better things to do than celebrate the induction of one of our own.” There’s a catch in your host’s voice, and he bounces on his heels, his tail twitching irritably, even if his smile never dims.

“Ah, well! Onwards,” Theo claps you on the shoulder, steering you into three huge, musclebound guests.

“Oh, excellent. I was hoping I would run into you three. Ah- I say, Mr. Bravado? Mr. Bravado? El Toro!” Theo clapped his hands, summoning one of the hulking titans out of his reverie.

A black bull towers over you, and had until now been admiring himself in the mirror, which was only wide enough to accommodate his chiseled face and burgeoning, cliff-like pecs. He was shirtless, showing off all his rippling mass under his glossy black fur, a cape draped over his rolling boulder shoulders with a rakish, wide-brimmed hat cocked to the side. With the simple cloth mask, it was easy to guess he had dressed as Zorro. You’re temporarily distracted; the look in the bull’s eyes is anything but sharp, but he is a handsome bovine as he flashes a dazzling smile down at you, even if he has to lean down to see past his beefy chest.

“Ah! Amigo, joo have another drink?” he asked. “Jose has never felt better! Just look at his arms, they are muy grande.” He flexed his arm, letting his bicep swell larger than his head. “Who else could hope to have arms like Jose?”

Before Theo could respond, another of the three guests clicks her tongue, rolling her eyes. She was, pound for pound, equal to El Toro, easily the largest woman you’ve ever seen. She’s a golden retriever, her beefy arms and tree-trunk legs covered in thick, luscious golden fur. A tight white dress compliments her curvacious hips, a slip in the skirt showing a peek at her rippling thigh. “No one can match the size of your ego, at least.” She leans down. “But, hey, I think Jimmy is pretty good competition.”

The last guest blushes furiously. “Oh, gosh.” It was hard to tell what this guest’s costume even had been; most of it had been dismantled to make way for his huge form. Though closer in height to you, the raccoon before you is easily three times as wide. “I- I don’t know what came over me; I just had a few drinks, and I guess I… hit a growth spurt, heh!”

“Jimmy, you’re adorable,” the retriever cooed, feeling his tense arm. The raccoon’s bicep beefed up considerably, increasing in size just as fast as the blush spread across his cheeks.

El Toro huffed, bouncing his pecs. “But Jose is still handsome… si, senorita Crystal?” He asks, a little pleadingly.

“I don’t know, you keep looking in the mirror so much I can’t get a good look!” Crystal shoots back.

Theo shrugs his own shoulders. “These three… presence-heavy individuals are actually part of my security staff,” the Cheshire explained. “I pick them well, don’t you agree? They received some… free refreshments for their service.”

“Si! Nothing can get past Jose, Senor!” the bull declares proudly. Crystal winks down at you, reaching around the bull’s expansive back to tap him on the opposite shoulder. Jose looks over, only to fall in love with his reflection again, preening his hair.

“Nothing out of the ordinary, then?” Theo asked.

Jimmy shook his head. “Not… so far. I just, uh, don’t know how intimidating I am… I’m not used to being big, never mind this big…” he looks to his side, a little amazed at how wide his burgeoning flank surges out.

The Cheshire’s smile widens, patting Jimmy’s vast shoulder. “Don’t worry, Mr. C, get them in a narrow corridor, and that should stop them rather quickly… Of course, you may need to ask Mr. Bravado or Ms. Stuart to break you out, depending on the hallway…” Theo muttered thoughtfully.

He turns back to you, tapping his cane on the marble floor. “Well, onwards then- I do believe I’ve embarrassed Mr. C long enough. Keep a good eye out, yes, Mr. Bravado?”

“Hm?” the bull had been flexing at his reflection, the undulating muscle straining what little costume he had left, flexing in a most muscular pose, and letting his biceps dig into his meaty chest. “Oh, si, si, Senor Theo! No one will get past Jose!”

Crystal rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry, Theo, we’ll watch carefully.”

“Thank you, my dear.” The green feline turns back to you, clapping you on the shoulder. “Onward! It’s high time you met our guest of honor for tonight.”

You don’t get very far until there’s a blood-curdling scream that echoes throughout the cheshire’s home, turning heads all over the place. You notice that Theo’s smile still hasn’t slipped, but his tail is standing straight out, considerably fluffed up.

“Everything under control then, Mr. Bravado?” he asks in a falsely sweet way.

El Toro turns to the crowd, rolling his broad shoulders. “Do not worry, Senor! Jose is on the case!” The musclebound bull and the two other titanic guests form a practical wall of beef, able to quickly clear the way for Theo.

“Don’t worry,” the cheshire says to you with a reassuring smile. “I’m quite sure it’s nothing to worry about. Ah, but who expected something nefarious to happen at a masquerade?”