Zoey wearing some sporty gear as she tries to work off some of her flab. Being a lipomancer takes a huge toll on your figure and keeps your belly big and soft, but Zoey is intent on keeping her body healthy (mostly) and her metabolism high.

Zoey belongs to  barn-flakes!

---

A distant, constant pounding of hooves on the ground echoed through the streets of the sleepy village of Yonder as the sun began to peek over the horizon. The light climbed over the trees and eventually landed right in the eyes of a sleeping girl who leaned against a tree at the north end of the main street, which was only a short distance away from the footpath leading into Managrove Forest. The brown Sawsbuck girl, who had been snoozing in the small public park, yawned and stretched her arms over her head. Even though it was quite chilly in the mornings, she was warm and snuggly in her thick winter coat. Looking over to her backpack, she smiled warmly when she saw a tuft of orange fur poking out of the top.

"Seems like the sleeping bag backpack was a good idea after all," Ashley said, reaching over and using a finger to lightly rub her tiny friend's head. "Wakey wakey."

There was a small groan that came from inside of the backpack before the tiny fluffy head poked out of the opening on the top. Glancing around at the park and seeing the dark sky slowly being lit up by sunlight, the nimbat looked up at Ashley curiously. "Did you... did we really sleep outside?" Fidget muttered.

Ashley still had a small smile on her face. "Why not? It's getting to the end of fall. The bugs are finally dying out for the year and the stars are even brighter this time of year." She poked at the middle of her pack, aiming for Fidget's belly.

"Eeep!" Fidget chirped, blushing brightly. "OK, fine... I guess it was pretty warm in here too. But don't you worry about people stealing your stuff...?"

"This is Yonder," Ashley said in reply, leaning over and peaking down the small main street. The streets were completely deserted, but the sound of hooves clip-clopping on stone continued to reverberate. It made Ashley curious, but she didn't show any concern. "It's mostly old folks, hippies, and nerdy weirdos studying the forest. So basically, it's the safest, most chill place on this whole planet."

"I think _I_ would fall under the nerdy weirdo classification in that case." Ashley blinked, hearing a new voice approaching. Quickly turning her head, she laid eyes an orange and tan-furred gazelle with dark purple hair coming to a stop next to her. She wore long, tight-fitting track pants and a sporty looking top that left her soft, pudgy belly exposed. The gazelle stopped near the edge of the park just a few feet away from where Ashley and Fidget were laying.

Ashley glanced down at the ground and sighed. She had hardly spoken to anyone in this village since she had moved, but she knew who this was. It was Zoey Nabwana, the guildmaster of the lipomancer's guild and a tenured magic professor at Clearwater's Dreemurr Academy. She was mentally excoriating herself for accidentally insulting her, considering that Zoey commanded a high amount of influence outside of the village. "Sorry about that, I didn't know that you were listening..." Ashley muttered, running a hand through her red hair that covered her right eye.

"Just eavesdropping I guess," Zoey said, taking her water bottle out of her pocket and taking a big swig from it. Sticking her hip out, she narrowed her eyes at the Sawsbuck. "So, lemme get this straight... you call others weirdos, but you talk to your backpack like its a person?"

Ashley's eyes widened, her hand instinctively shooting over to the bag and shoving Fidget further in. She looked back at Zoey, trying to act natural even though her bag was now yelping and squirming in protest. "I... I talk to wild animals. That's my special talent," Ashley lied.

"Is that right?" Zoey slowly smiled, holstering her water bottle in her pocket. "That must be fun. I think it would drive me crazy though, considering how close I live to Managrove. If I can hear your gossip this early in the morning, just imagine how talkative the creatures of the wilderness would be."

Ashley closed her eyes and lowered her head. "I said I was sorry..."

"Don't worry, there's no need to apologize." Zoey approached and looked over the Sawsbuck girl, rubbing her chin. "You're an arceran, aren't you?" At Ashley's nod, Zoey hummed quietly to herself. "Thought so. I'm not familiar with all of the arceran species, but I have a little bit of knowledge considering that my two students are arcerans too."

Ashley squinted up at Zoey, skeptical of her questions. "What does that matter...?"

"Simple really. Arcerans and unitians have wildly different abilities and capabilities," Zoey explained. "I've been innovating a particular kind of magic as you might have heard if you've turned on the TV in the last few months..." She paused, seeming to be a little exaspirated. "I'm sick of the camera crews coming into my tower at this point... but it has been great for advertising. I've been wanting to gather as many students as possible." She smiled. "Might you be interested? There's still a lot of room for more in my class... and if you live here in Yonder, you wouldn't even need to commute! What do ya say?"

Ashley didn't reply immediately, glancing down to her pack where her tiny friend was hidden. Zoey's knowledge of lipomancy came from her explorations of Managrove Forest, but she did not have contact with the ones who truly invented this form of magic. Ashley did, and she was right here next to one, one who just happened to be one of her only friends. There was a growing desire in Ashley's heart to meet more friends, and maybe to see if her knowledge of lipomancy as a friend of the nimbats could stack up to Zoey's expertise.

"I'll... I'll think about it," Ashley said, looking up at Zoey and giving a small smile.

"Awesome!" Zoey said, clapping her hands together and making her belly jiggle slightly. "I don't know where to find you exactly, but if you do want to join my guild, you know where my tower is, right?"

Ashley nodded, "Y-Yeah."

"Maybe I'll see you there," Zoey said, winking. "Anyways... now I've gotta get back to my run." She grabbed at her soft belly and squished it in her hands. "Gaining weight for a living really isn't how I thought my job would go... but hey, you work with what you have. Gotta keep my metabolism strong." Zoey started off, waving as she left. "Oh, what's your name?"

Realizing that Zoey didn't ask, and that she didn't provide it, Ashley climbed up to her feet and called after Zoey down the street. "Ashley Blake!"

Zoey kept on running, her hooves stomping on the stone road once more. "Hope to see you soon, Ash!"

Ashley continued to stare after Zoey until she felt a small tap on her back. She turned and saw Fidget on the ground, staring up at her with a frown. "Really? You called me an animal?" Fidget said in a deadpan voice.

Ashley rolled her eyes and knelt down next to her pack, looking at Fidget's face. "Nobody knows about nimbats outside of the forest yet, I couldn't just reveal you to her." She slowly picked up the pack and slung it over her shoulder carefully, as not to treat Fidget even more rough than she already had. "You could get in just as much trouble if your people found out that you were outside."

"Fair point..." Fidget said. As Ashley started to walk back toward her house, Fidget poked her head out of the pack a little and near Ashley's ear. "You're seriously considering joining her guildy thingy?"

"Maybe," Ashley said, starting to speed up to a brisk pace. "I never really thought I would want any more friends but after I met you I... I realize what I was missing being a loner my whole life." She smirked. "Hey, and maybe I could teach Zoey a thing or too about this kind of magic." She looked over her shoulder and into Fidget's tiny eyes. "You've taught me quite a lot after all. Maybe there's some things I know that she doesn't."

Fidget giggled. "Wanting to one-up the master, I see... You're sly, Ash."

"I didn't used to be. I think you're to blame there," Ashley laughed.