Wow, we're already so close to the final boost, you guys! I guess that means I'll have to extend the stretch goal a bit further, considering we have two rounds left. A big thanks to everyone who's donated and voted so far!

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GROWTH DRIVE RULES

- This Growth Drive features weight gain, muscle growth, and macro!

- There are three categories you can donate toward! Choose any one, or any combination you like!

- As with most Growth Drives, things will start out slow, but ramp up as time goes on and donations increase.
When each boost goal is met, the amount of weight and height gained per dollar will increase!
For now, $1 = 7 lb Fat or Muscle or 1.5 in. Height.

- To donate, follow this link: https://goo.gl/forms/LRYn1kSn5ft44Lm53

- Once you fill out the form, you will be sent a Paypal invoice for the donation amount. You must fill out the invoice for your donation to count!

- The top donor for every round will be contacted after donations close and be offered a FREE CAMEO in the next round's picture and story.
If you are contacted, please respond within 24 hours or your opportunity will be forfeit.

- The top donor for the entire Growth Drive will also be contacted at its conclusion, and be offered a FREE PICTURE AND STORY COMMISSION COMBO of their character with any Spyro character (or any two Spyro characters) at any size you please!

- Don't have the funds to donate? No worries!
As with prior Growth Drives, you can still FREE-VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION on how the story goes by choosing one of the branches.
The choice with the most votes wins, of course.

- Donations and voting for this round will end Monday, November 5th, 11:59 PM CST.

- As always, thanks for your support!


Art and Story by Yours Truly
Spyro © Toys for Bob
Archie belongs to  GenialGroucho

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Sparx buzzed quizzically around Spyro's head as the near-spherical dragon hauled himself over another hill, his friends trailing behind.

"Sparx is right, Spyro," piped up Bianca. "This journey to the Sorcerer's fortress would go a lot faster if you'd let me use my magic bubble spell."

"Or my jetpack!" agreed Agent 9. "You'd be zipping all over the place instead of waddl- um, walking the entire way."

Spyro sighed, looking over his padded shoulder. "I already told you guys, I'd probably just absorb all the magic in Bianca's bubble and be worse off than before or, knowing my luck right now, the jetpack would run out of fuel and I'd end up making a giant crater. Hunter's skateboard is the most reliable mode of transportation, for most of me, at least."

He couldn't see it past the horizon of his gut, but Hunter had helped position the skateboard underneath Spyro's belly, allowing the dragon to move along without having to heft his middle with every step. That hadn't stopped Spyro from getting bigger, though, as he could already feel his thighs mashing together all the way to his knees, and his body jostled and swayed with every bit of progress he made. With his rear end widening and his tail getting heavier, Spyro couldn't help but be more and more impressed by Hunter's gift. "It really is a good skateboard."

"Told you!" beamed Hunter, who had been scouting ahead to make sure their progress wouldn't be slowed any further than necessary. "And there's the fortress!'

The adventuring party took a small breather as they took in the castle's enormity. Grey stone walls ran along a foundation as broad as any mountain's base, and stretched upward into the dark cloudy sky. Dotting the ominous parapets were flags flapping lazily in the chill breeze, the only bits of color beside the strange glow that shone from within the fortress itself.

"He must be collecting tons of magic from the other dragons in there," grunted Spyro. "I can feel the energy from it making me bigger just by standing here."

"Then we'd better hurry!" said Bianca. "Every second wasted is another pound you'll have to carry!"

Of course, such an intimidating structure also had an equally intimidating gate. Unfortunately, said gate also came with a very impressive lock that kept it chained shut. Even more unfortunately, a very familiar bear in a three-piece suit and a smarmy smile stood close by, eyeing the group through his monocle.

"Well, if it isn't my best customer! And biggest, from the look of things." Moneybags let the group approach him as he adjusted his cravat. "You've grown quite a bit since I last saw you, Spyro, up as well as out."

"Can the small talk, Moneybags," growled Spyro. "What do you want? No, scratch that; I know what you want, but why do you want it here?"

The bear chuckled, smoothing down the front of his suit. "Ah, sharp as ever, my dear boy! You know I'm a bear of business, and when opportunity knocks, what can I do but answer? I can provide you with the key to that terribly stubborn lock to the Sorcerer's front gate... for a small fee."

The purple dragon felt his teeth grinding together of their own accord. "How small?"

"Well, considering you're set to save the entirety of the Dragon Realms by getting inside, I'd say 1500 gems is a modest proposal, don't you?"

"Fifteen hun--! We don't have that kind of time, Moneybags!"

"Well, I suppose you'll have all the time in the world if you can't get inside, am I right?"

Agent 9 patted Spyro's flank, causing it to wobble. "Don't worry, Spyro! How about you let us help grab the gems you need?"

Bianca nodded. "We'll move faster as a team! The three of us can go to different realms and you and Sparx can, um, see if there's any gems nearby. Like, in the immediate vicinity. We'll meet back here as soon as we have enough!"

Spyro was going to protest that he was a professional gem collector many times over, but considering he could feel his belly starting to graze the grass on either side of Hunter's skateboard, maybe his friends had a point. Sighing in resignation, the slowly inflating dragon watched his friends hurry off. He turned away from Moneybags' slimy grin before he was tempted to put a fist in it.

"Ha!" called a voice from the ramparts over the door. "I'd ask who goes there, but I don't know many other purple dragons with two chins and a butt the size of a rhynoc!"

Spyro craned his neck upward to see a familiar shock of red hair framed by a pair of goggles and two long kangaroo ears. "You again! How about you come down here and say that to my face?"

"I would," laughed Archie, "but the view from up here is so much better! I can practically see you swelling up by the second! Careful, or by the time you're done gem hunting, you won't fit through the front door!"

Spyro turned back to Moneybags with a growl. "If you don't open that gate right now, I'm going to roast you, you two-faced crook."

"Sticks and stones, Spyro," chuckled the bear. "Besides, I'm afraid that, beyond looking spectacularly tailored, my suit is also fire proof; the best money could buy."

Spyro had never felt so impotently furious before. Stuck between Archie's taunts and Moneybags' smirk, he could do nothing but wait while his friends did all the heroics. Meanwhile, he could feel his limbs getting thicker and harder to bend and he was pretty sure his rump was sagging as low as his belly now. That poor skateboard was doing its best to keep his expanding stomach aloft, but even really good skateboards have their limits.

Sparx buzzed around his head in a golden flurry, doing his best to keep his friend calm, even as Archie continued to blow raspberries in their general direction and Moneybags loudly counted the gems he already had stashed away in his bag. Spyro was beginning to wonder if a headache was also part of the curse when his friends at last returned.

"I think we have enough, Spyro!" smiled Bianca. "Five hundred gems from each of us!"

"Is that so?" crooned Moneybags. "I think I'd better count it all, just to make sure."

Spyro lunged forward, the skateboard buried under his belly giving it enough momentum to almost shove the bear to the ground. The dragon's shadow loomed. "Open the door NOW, or I run over you!"

Moneybags frowned, dusting himself off before shrugging and pulling out a large key from within his suit. "I suppose you've been delayed enough. Happy adventuring~!"

Spyro grumbled as he turned to the fortress gate and rammed the key into the lock, causing the chains to fall away and the doors to finally open.


What is the inside of the Sorcerer's fortress like?

A) Patrolled by animated suits of armor!
B) A labrynth of magic mirrors!
C) An Escher-esque jumble of staircases!