Battle of the Bulge, part 1

Jill Masterson sat at her desk at the Daily Star, typing away at her current story. Some sappy human interest tale about a dog who saved a woman and a baby from a pack of vicious dogs and a burning building, respectively. The damn thing was getting a medal while she, who secretly fought crime as Athena; a full-blown superheroine; was one step away from an arrest warrant.

She was incredibly fast and super strong, but couldn't fly, or use heat vision, or anything fun like that; so most of her confrontations with super villains ended up in titanic fist-fights that destroyed lots of expensive property. And since she couldn't fly, she couldn't just take off into the air after she subdued the villain, she had to sit and listen to a lecture from the police about how if she ever destroyed this much property again, blah, blah, blah.

Jill realized she had just typed out half of what she had just thought on her computer monitor and quickly slammed her finger on the "delete" key. She looked around hurriedly to make sure no one had seen. Luckily it didn't look like anyone had, so with a cautiously relieved sigh she went back to typing.

She wasn't typing long however, before John, who's job it was to listen to the police scanner; began running through the office like Paul Revere. "Come on people," he shouted, "we've got a supervillain attack! Down at 5th & Broadway!" He was already practically out the door. The other reporters began to leave their seats. "That's just down the block!" one said, "we'll be the first ones there!" "Exclusive!" others were practically shouting. "Who is it?" Jill shouted after John. He replied: "It's War Machine!"

"War Machine." Jill practically cursed to herself. War Machine was tough. She had been a military scientist working on a kind of super-soldier serum; but in a lab accident had gotten dosed with it herself. The serum had actually worked perfectly, she was nearly impervious to harm and super-humanly strong. But she had gone a little power-mad with her new abilities, and completely destroyed the rest of the serum, the lab, all the research notes, the other scientists; and any evidence or notation of the super-soldier serum, so she would be the only one. Now she traveled the world as a mercenary and thief, trying to make as much money as she could.

The chaos at the Daily Star office made it easy for Jill to slip away unnoticed. The proximity to the villainess in question had everyone leaving, either just to see what happened or to get as far away as they could. Jill slipped into the stairwell and discreetly headed up instead of down. She went two floors up and slipped down the hall to a bathroom that nobody ever used. Once inside she looked at herself in the mirror. Chin-length blond hair, blue eyes hidden behind glasses; and a slight frame. But that was all about to change.

She had received her powers while on a story in Greece, stumbling into a temple and awakening an ancient Goddess. To activate her power, she had to say a prayer to her; which is what she did now.

Athena's power rushed into Jill; and she watched in the mirror as she transformed. Her hair darkened to brown, and grew longer; down to between her shoulder blades. Her eyes deepened from blue to an almost black color, and her vision grew blurred as she altered beyond need for her glasses. She pulled them off and set them on the counter. Her cheekbones became higher and more prominent, her lips grew fuller. Her skin tone deepened to a dusky olive. Her bones creaked as she grew almost a foot taller; and her clothes strained as her muscles grew. The buttons on her shirt pulled tight, and then one popped off as her bosom filled out; and the button on her skirt pulled open from the strain put on it by her swelling rear.

Athena looked at herself in the mirror, a perfectly-proportioned mediterranean Goddess, in a too-small businesswoman's outfit. She pulled off the outfit, revealing the one-piece leotard she wore beneath for emergencies. It started at her neck and ended at her crotch; pulling itself almost into a thong in her voluptuous behind. It covered her ample breasts but left her arms bare; it was a deep purple color down the center, while the sides were of a lighter hue.

She pulled open the utility closet, and placed her folded-up clothes on the top shelf, and pulled down the thigh-high purple boots and purple elbow-gloves she needed to complete her outfit. No one ever used or cleaned that bathroom, so she had no problems storing her stuff there. She pulled them on, then opened up the small window near the ceiling. It was a tight squeeze with her current proportions, but she managed, falling the four stories to the alleyway below.

Using her incredible speed, Athena ran out the opposite end of the alley, taking a roundabout route to 5th & Broadway, where War Machine was. She ran around and came down the opposite side of the street, moving at a pace that made her just a bit more than a blur to anyone who could see her.

She spotted her co-workers at the Daily Star in a crowd outside the bank on 5th Ave, where a massive hole had been opened in the wall. Athena sighed to herself as she ran; this was going to be messy.

She reached the hole in the bank and came to a stop, buffeting everyone in the crowd with the wind she had been dragging. "What's going on in there?" she asked John; due to the change in her appearance and even the deepening of her voice, she had no reason to worry about her identity.

"Uh, I think she's in the vault..." John said. Athena nodded to him and cautiously stepped inside. The lobby was emptied, everyone must have gotten out OK, since there wasn't even any bodies. Athena made her way into the back and towards the vault. There was no sign of War Machine. The vault door hung wide open, and Athena cautiosly stepped inside. While she was in the doorway, the vault door suddenly flew closed, propelled at a speed no regular human could muster. It slammed into Athena's back, knocking her into the opposite wall. The wall crumpled like cardboard, showering Athena in dust and debris.

Athena unsteadily got to her feet and cursed to herself, she was tough but not impervious; and that had hurt like hell. She got a short, running start at the now-closed vault door and jumped up to dropkick it. The huge metal door blew off of its hinges and flew outwards, and Athena heard a yell as it presumably crashed into War Machine, knocking her out into the lobby.

Athena walked into the lobby while War Machine simply pushed the vault door off of herself and got to her feet. She was dressed in a skin-tight, black, full-body lycra leotard. With combat boots at the bottom and a military-issue utility belt around her waist. The belt contained gear she needed for full-on combat situations, as well as her pistol. Sometimes she had a rifle with her, but not today. War Machine herself was actually a beautiful woman; with short black hair and a pale complexion. Her green eyes seemed to glint in her face like emeralds. The super-soldier serum hadn't actually altered her muscles, so she was more lithe than bulky. Although as Athena looked her over she looked a little more voluptuous than usual, Athena smirked at that.

"Athena, I should've known." War Machine said, dusting herself off. "I can never have any fun in this town." she continued. "War Machine." Athena replied, "You're looking, healthy today. Enjoy the food in Europe?" War Machine turned red, putting a hand to her now soft stomach. "Oh you bitch." she said. "You'll pay for that." And she advanced on Athena.

Athena got into a fighting stance, this would be a tough fight. War Machine was tougher and stronger than her, but she had the advantage in speed. And now she'd made War Machine angry, which meant no matter how the fight ended, it was going to make a real mess.

Sure enough, as the battle raged, the bank lobby was destroyed, and Athena got thrown through the wall into the alley adjacent; causing the bank to partially collapse since two of its walls were smashed. In the alley, War Machine pulled her pistol and fired at Athena. Using her speed Athena dodged behind a dumpster, and as War Machine reloaded, Athena pushed the dumpster at her with all her might. This knocked her over, and gave Athena a second to think.

"If we destroy any more buildings," she thought to herself, "we might as well make up and go into business together, 'cause I'll be just as big a criminal as she is. I need to put a stop to this now." she looked around and saw War Machine starting to regain her feet already. "But how do I immobilize a freaking juggernaut like her?" War Machine got to her feet. Athena started to walk in the opposite direction, intending to lead War Machine on a chase that might keep property damage to a minimum until she could think of something. "Come on blimpy-" she called, intending to finish with "is that all you've got?" but she didn't need to. She had just gotten her idea.

Athena rushed up to War Machine, War Machine began to raise her pistol but Athena quickly grabbed her in a bear hug, pinning her arms to her sides. War Machine struggled and Athena head-butted her several times. While War Machine was reeling, Athena began to inhale. She reached her lung capacity, but used her strength and will to continue. If this didn't work, her whole plan was a flop and War Machine would have her, if it did...

Her doubts were cut short as she felt her lungs began to stretch. She looked down and sure enough she could see her chest began to expand. War Machine shook her head and came to, and also began to look down at Athena's chest. "What the..." she said. War Machine began to struggle, and with her chest pushing her shoulders farther apart, it was getting hard for Athena to hold her; so she put her plan into motion. She leaned forward and kissed War Machine full on the lips. "Mmpf!" War Machine said in shock. And then Athena blew all of the air she had just inhaled into War Machine.

Sure enough, her chest began to swell, but unlike Athena, her stomach also rounded out as well. Athena let all her air out and released War Machine, backing away. The two of them both looked down at War Machine's body, her torso and middle swollen with air. "What did you do to me?!" War Machine screamed. But when she looked up, Athena was already advancing on her; her torso swelling up as she sucked in air. War Machine raised her pistol again, but Athena high-kicked it out of her hand. She grabbed War Machine by the shoulders and pulled her into another kiss.

The sound of a balloon being filled was unmistakable as War Machine swelled some more. When she was finished Athena pushed her away and looked her over again. For some reason, unlike Athena, War Machine's whole body filled out when she inflated. Her torso and middle were even bigger, but this time her arms and thighs and even her breasts had swelled slightly. She looked like an inflated parody of herself.

"You.. you.. I'm gonna... I'll.." War Machine stuttered, advancing on Athena, who just continued to inhale. She threw a punch at Athena's face, but it was awkward because of how bloated she was, and Athena dodged easily. This time Athena inhaled until her torso was completely spherical, then she grabbed War Machine again and kissed her.

War Machine tried to scream but the air rushing into her forced it back down her throat. Athena felt War Machine's breasts press into hers as they swelled, she heard a loud pop and then a clatter as her belt burst off and fell to the ground; then she felt War Machine's stomach pressing into her. War Machine's shoulders got too round to grip firmly, so she moved her grip to her neck. When she finished, she stepped back and looked at her handiwork.

War Machine looked like a parade balloon, an inflated parody of herself with a huge stomach; standing spread-eagled because her arms and legs were too bloated to hang down properly. "I'll.. kill.. you." War Machine told her. Athena just smirked. She knew she should just leave and let the police take it from here; the battle was clearly over. But she couldn't resist the temptation to mess with War Machine a little bit. The last time they had fought, War Machine had driven her head first into the street, all the way up to her waist, and left there for several hours until the police got a construction crew to pull her out. She was going to enjoy this.

She sauntered over to the inflated villainess, walking around her in a slow circle, running a finger along her inflated stomach. "Tsk tsk tsk, you really have let yourself go, haven't you?" Athena asked her. War Machine was so enraged she couldn't form words, she just made a small exclamation of rage. Athena stood behind War Machine, grabbing her around the stomach and leaning her chin on her shoulder. "I knew European food was fattening, but damn girl; you've turned into a blimp!" she giggled a little at her own comment. She stood up straight, intending to leave it at that; when all of a sudden War Machine propelled herself at Athena, knocking her over and landing on top of her. "Oof!" Athena said. Even though War Machine had only moved a few feet, somehow it felt like she had been hit with a dodgeball; only the size of a human being.

Athena lay on the ground with the wind knocked out of her, while War Machine got to her feet. Athena just stared in shock as War Machine concentrated hard, then forced her arms to bend. Using sheer strength and willpower, War Machine bent her knees and moved her legs to a more comfortable stance. "Get. Up." She said, so furious she was shaking.

Athena leapt to her feet, expecting an easy fight. She threw a punch into War Machine bloated middle, expecting her to bounce back like a huge balloon. Instead, her arm sank in to the elbow. "What?!" she cried, while War Machine grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her down the alley. She landed with a thud and rolled, somehow being inflated only seemed to make War Machine more powerful!

She struggled to get to her feet as War Machine advanced on her. She raised her fists to fight but War Machine just swung down with one mighty blow to her head, knocking her flat. The pavement cracked under her chin. "I'm gonna fucking kill you." War Machine said. She pulled Athena's dazed form up and grabbed her into a bearhug. "You think it's so funny to blow me up like a balloon?" War Machine asked. "Well check this out." And she started to inhale. The sound of a balloon being inflated could be heard again, and she began to swell even bigger.

At first Athena couldn't figure out why War Machine was inflating herself, and then she felt it. War Machine had her in a bearhug, and as her body swelled it forced Athena against her arms, which were also swelling; essentially bending Athena the wrong way! If she didn't find a way to escape, the pressure would break her in half! She struggled to get free, but the pressure was too tight, she was trapped! War Machine was really getting huge now. Her stomach was the dominant feature of her body; she mostly resembled a sphere with arms and legs. Even her face was rounding out. Athena began to panic, she didn't know what to do, her spine was screaming in agony. Then she had it.

She allowed herself a quick smirk at War Machine, then she too began to inhale. The trick was to do it before her spine snapped. She tried inhaling harder and faster, not sure if it was working. Her torso rounded out, but it was only the top half of her body, she had to get herself to swell up where War Machine was holding her. She did her best to inhale harder and faster, but she could see War Machine struggling to do the same. And finally, she felt it. The expansion spread to her stomach, and as her middle expanded; physics began to work with her instead of against her. Now both her and War Machine's expansions were putting pressure on War Machine's arms instead of Athena's body.

With a slight "fwoomp", War Machine's arms were forced apart, and Athena fell to the street below. She allowed herself a second to look down at herself, she looked like a sausage with arms, legs, breasts and a head. Then she had to act quickly before War Machine exhaled. She jumped up onto War Machine's bloated stomach and threw her arms around her head so she wouldn't fall off. Then she kissed her full on the lips and exhaled all the air she had in her.

War Machine's eyes went wide as she swelled even larger. Athena felt herself being raised up as War Machine's stomach swelled even larger. The sound of a balloon swelling became really loud, and Athena began to hear an ominous creaking. She debated with herself for a second and decided she didn't want to pop War Machine. She was supposed to be the hero, after all. She let go of War Machine's head and slid off to the ground. Her torso was still a little rounded, and she blew the excess air out to the side; returning to her normal proportions.

War Machine though, was not so lucky. She was frantically exhaling and blowing as hard as she could, but nothing was coming out. She looked less like a human now and more like a bloated starfish with huge breasts. There was no way she would be able to move her arms or legs now; as they were little more than cone-shaped extensions from her spherical middle.

"You'll pay for this." War Machine told her. "In blood." Athena just smiled at her. "Keep dreaming blimpy. I think you should be less concerned with me, and more concerned with how well stocked the prison gym is." she couldn't resist just one more. She walked up and patted War Machine on the stomach. "You've got a lot to work off." after a second she added: "fatso." Then she turned and walked out the opposite side of the alley. The police could take it from here, and she needed to get back to being Jill before anyone realized she was gone.

****EPILOGUE****

On a dark and stormy night at a Russian prison; grunting and groaning can be heard. It's coming from a dark and dirty room in the basement; the section that used to be a gulag. Inside of one of the filthy cells, a vaguely humanoid shape in black lycra is wobbling and twitching as it tries to move. And then, one of the cone-shaped extensions bends at what would be the shoulder and elbow. The round face cracks into a grin; and Wrecking Balloon is born.