I rarely do oneshot and this is my first one on but I was inspired suddenly last night to write this. Not exactly sure why but it turned out all right.

I wrote it all in one day on my computer, an unprecedented accomplishment for me since I usually write it in my binder first as a rough draft (since I can bring my binder to work)then type it up on my desktop on my days off. Lucky me I got inspired on my days off which allowed me to get it typed up before I lost my inspiration.

Anyway I hope you enjoy this story and just in case anyone was suspicious this is not an FA story.

This story is dedicated to Starowner and White Hunter. Two of my most dedicated readers whose comments I value very much.

Rika's Crash Diet Crash

Rika's face clenched and began to change colour as she struggled to do up the button on her jeans. She had been struggling with it for several minutes as she got dressed for the day.

By the time her face turned purple she resorted to sucking in her gut, and finally succeeded in fastening the stubborn button.

She relaxed herself but only briefly as pain suddenly lanced through her as her jeans dug deeply into her skin.

"POW"

The troublesome button burst and shot across the room ricocheting off the wall and door before coming to rest on the floor by Rika's feet.

A little shocked by the sudden event she bent over to pick it up and then she heard her zipper undo itself, causing her cheeks to burn red with embarrassment even if only to herself.

She stood up and stared at the button as she held it at eye level between her right thumb and index finger, as though it were trying to tell her something.

She looked down at her waist. Her violet panties were showing in the front where her jeans had come completely undone.

She put a hand on her stomach. It didn't feel any bigger, it looked flat to her and a look in her mirror seemed to concur. So what happened?

Tentatively she reached down with her left hand and pinched a section of skin on her waist. It didn't feel very flabby, obviously there would be some fat there otherwise she'd be anorexic.

She shrugged and took off her jeans.

"Must've shrunk", she decided.

She tossed them into the corner and went to her dresser to retrieve another pair.

As she slipped them on she began to encounter similar difficulties.

Firstly she struggled to squeeze her butt into the jeans as she pulled with great effort and finally squirmed into her pants. She then sucked in her gut once more and as fast as she could zipped up her fly and buttoned up.

She exhaled but again the sharp pain came but at least the button held.

"Did all my pants shrink?", she asked no one in particular.

Unable to bear it any longer and quickly unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans yet again and tossed them away.

Her face was flustered in a mix of frustration and self-conscious embarrassment.

She looked at the mirror again accusingly as though it had been lying to her. Then she realized, she had been looking in the wrong place. Before she had been looking at her stomach but what she was looking at now were her hips.

They seemed wider than she remembered and as she turned sideways she realized her butt had filled out a bit as well. She suddenly remembered that her mother had told her that girls don't always get fat in the same places, some filled out in other areas of the body then the stomach. In Rika's case it seemed to be her hips and rear.

"Just to make sure...".

Rika walked out of her room on the way to the bathroom.

There was no concern for walking around with her panties in plain view since it was an all female household and right now she was all alone anyway. Her mother was out for the day and her grandmother left nearly two weeks ago on a trip with her lady friends.

She stepped on the scale and watched with a hint of anxiety as the numbers continued to scroll up past the three digit mark.

"I've gained seven pounds!"

She quickly covered her mouth as she realized she'd yelled it out.

For the longest time she had criticized girls for being too sensitive about their weight and gaining a few pounds and now here she was doing the same while also being a hypocrite.

She wondered how this could have happened. True she had been eating more than usual for the past while but she didn't think it was seven pounds worth. Of course there was that American style buffet...

She confessed to herself that she had been eating quite a bit more than usual lately.

Besides the buffet there had been that fancy Italian restaurant that her mother had taken her too where she had eaten heartily much to her mother's embarrassment. Also there was that sleepover at Jeri's where like normal sleepovers plenty of junk food was involved.

Rika finally reigned herself to the fact that she had gained weight and she grudgingly admitted to herself that she would have to go on a diet. She'd never hear the end of it from her mother if she found out about her diet and she couldn't fit into her trademark jeans.

That reminded her; she still had to find something to wear for bottoms.

As she walked back to her room she realized her shirt was a bit tighter too.

She gritted her teeth. Great now she was getting chunky too.

She got into her room and began sifting through her draws for something other than jeans. She found nothing so she went to her closet and immediately found her school uniform.

Scowling she took the skirt and slipped it on. She didn't like wearing skirts, they were just too... girly.

She struggled a little to button it up but not too much and she sighed in relief once it was on.

She looked in the mirror again and was satisfied with the results. The grey of her skirt clashed harshly with her white shirt with the violet heart but she didn't care; it hadn't exactly been a perfect match with her jeans either.

Her hips and butt caused the skirt to flare out a little but it was barely noticeable. However it made obvious where her fat was depositing.

"I better get some other clothes quick. If mom catches me wearing a skirt other than on a school day I'll never hear the end of it."

She skipped breakfast and left the house to go buy some clothes. Nothing special, just something to suffice until she lost the excess weight. She would skip the usual places and go to a thrift store instead.

She found one in the Keyasaki shopping district and bought three pairs of sweatpants and a loose grey shirt. Enough to last her and they might be useful in the future.

She looked around and found the scenery familiar. To her right she noticed a very familiar building: The Matsuki Bakery.

Something compelled her to go inside and she found no reason to resist so she went up to the glass door and went inside.

Immediately upon entering she was bombarded by the succulent scents of delicious pastries, freshly baked bread, and sweet smelling cakes. She quickly realized why she had felt so compelled to come inside.

'I'm the boss here not you', she thought to her stomach.

"Rika."

The redheaded girl looked up and saw Mrs. Matsuki running the counter.

"Oh, hi", Rika responded as she walked over to her.

"What brings you here?", the older woman asked.

Rika shrugged.

"I was doing some shopping and thought I'd come in to say hi."

Mrs. Matsuki smiled.

"That's nice of you."

Rika paused and looked around at all the delicious food that filled the space. A thought came to her mind and she decided to ask it.

"Don't take this the wrong way.", Rika began. "But how do you stay so thin with all this food around."

Blindsided by the question Mrs. Matsuki just stood there wide eyed.

"Uh, well, thank you", she responded. "I guess it's just something you get used to. Of course it wasn't like that at all when I was pregnant with Takato. I put on so much weight I didn't think I'd ever work it off."

The door opened and Rika turned to see Takato just entering the store.

"Hi Takato.", Rika greeted casually.

Takato just stood there staring, at her.

Rika suddenly realized she was wearing a skirt and by reflex shielded herself with her bag.

"Takato don't stare!"

Takato shook his head and then looked at his mother.

"Huh?, oh yeah. I'm home Mom.

"What do you think you're doing Takato leering at her like that?"

Takato stammered. "I-I-I, uh."

"That kind of behavior is unacceptable young man! March up to your room and do your homework!"

Takato looked like a deer caught in headlights for a moment, unmoving as his brain tried to process what was going on.

"Yes Ma'am", he muttered defeated.

Takato went upstairs and Rika relaxed and her face started to return to its original colour.

"I'm very sorry Rika", Mrs. Matsuki apologized. "You know how boys at his age are."

Rika nodded.

"I better be going. I have to be home by the time my mother get's there."

Mrs. Matsuki nodded.

"All right Rika, see you soon then, and don't worry I'll be sure to have a stern talk with Takato."

Rika smirked.

"If you need any help feel free to call me."

Mrs. Matsuki smiled.

"I'll be sure to keep you in mind. In his defense though it's not often you're seen wearing a skirt, especially one as short as that."

Rika blushed a little.

"Well I didn't have much choice this moring."

Mrs. Matsuki smiled a little, sympathetically.

"Had a disagreement with the scale today?"

Rika stiffened and her cheeks flushed a dark crimson.

The older woman nodded understanding.

"I suppose at your age that's when it starts especially since this is when you'll be doing a lot of growing. It happens to a lot of girls. They eat more because their growing and they need more food but sometimes they go a little too far and well, you know what happens."

Rika shifted awkwardly, silently amazed at how quickly she had dissected her situation.

She leaned closer and whispered.

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone."

Rika nodded in thanks and took her leave.

Later at Dinner her mother made a lean but appetizing meal of Cesar salad, corn and mashed potatoes.

After dinner she retreated to the privacy of her bedroom and took the bag of her recently acquired articles of clothing from its hiding spot in her closet.

If her mother ever found out she went to a thrift store she's probably get grounded.

She pulled out the shirt and one pair of sweats then took off her current clothing making sure to hang up her skirt carefully. She walked over to the mirror to study herself carefully.

'I don't look any fatter', she thought to herself. 'But if it's not fat then why would my hips and butt be so big?'

Sighing Rika went over to her computer and began to research for a diet plan. What foods to eat, exercises to do, and what to do a certain time of the day. She would plan and then tomorrow put it into action.

The next day Rika ate a bowl of cereal for breakfast not wanting to make things worse. She had read online last night that skipping meals actually made it harder to lose weight because the body would work to store more fat. The key was to eat more smaller meals to keep her metabolism up.

After breakfast she went to the running track at a school to exercise and burn the fat off. She was wearing the shirt and sweat pants she bought yesterday and they seemed to be working well. The sweats despite their reputation were comfortable and the loose shirt made the sweating more bearable by allowing her skin to breathe more easily.

After a while of running she stopped to take a break. She grabbed her water bottle off the bench and sat down.

As she chugged the water a small cracking sound caught her ear.

She turned her body and looked at the ring of trees that bordered half of the track.

"Come out! I know you're there."

Slowly and cautiously a nervous figure emerged from behind a tree.

"I should have known it would be you Takato."

Takato was visibly shaking, afraid of what the red head might do to him.

Rika looked thoughtful as gears began turning in her head. She had an idea.

"Come here Takato."

Takato was surprised at her tone. It sounded neither hostile nor stern, she actually sounded curious.

When he stood before her Rika narrowed her eyes at him.

"What were you doing there gogglehead?"

Takato swallowed.

" I was just wondering what you were doing", he replied lamely.

Rika set down her water bottle and crossed her arms.

"And what do you think I was doing?"

Takato swallowed.

"Exercising?"

Rika smirked as she set her trap.

"And why would I of all people be exercising Takato?"

"Because you needed to lose weight." His answer was not one of uncertainty. He knew exactly why she was exercising.

Rika bolted up to her feet and glared fiercely and the goggle wearing boy. "I knew it you were eavesdropping!"

Takato fell backwards from Rika's sudden movement and outburst.

"I-I didn't mean to I-"

Rika cut him off by grabbing his shirt and yanking him closer.

Some things guy aren't supposed to hear gogglehead. I wonder what kind of punishment your mother and I can come up with for you."

Takato's eyes widened in horror.

"NO! Please Rika I'll do anyting!"

A devilish grin spread over Rika's formally furious face.

"Anything?"

Takato swallowed but resigned himself. He knew he had no choice.

"Anything", he agreed.

Rika grinned like a wolf. Her trap had caught the rabbit, and it's fate was in her hands.

The next day Takato reported to Rika's shortly after breakfast carrying a plastic bag of supplies. He walked up the front steps and rang the doorbell.

A few seconds later Rika appeared at the door.

"Right on time gogglehead."

She motioned him to come in and he followed her into the kitchen.

"I put the food plan on the table I expect you to follow it to the letter", she told him stressing the last few words. "I'm going out for my morning run I'll be back in about forty minutes I expect my breakfast to be ready by the time I get back. I left the recipes beside the food plan. If you're as good a cook as you told me yesterday it should be no problem."

As she walked away Takato was able to get a good view of her bum outlined by the grey sweatpants she was wearing. It was magnified when she bent over to put her shoes on.

"I'm going Takato", Rika announced.

Takato snapped to.

"uh, yeah okay."

Rika ignored his pause and left.

Takato sighed and looked at the food plan.

It listed different meals at different times of day and what she was supposed to eat.

"Wow she's really taking this seriously", he said to himself.

After Takato had served her breakfast Rika dragged him to the track to time her with the stopwatch he had brought from home.

"Has it been ten minutes yet?", she panted as she passed Takato again.

"Still three more minutes", he told her.

Rika growled in frustration but kept going knowing she had put herself on this internet weight loss plan. 'I better have lost two pounds by now', she thought bitterly to herself.

"I'VE GAINED TWO POUNDS!"

Takato stood outside the bathroom not permitted to see the scales exact numbers. It had been three days since he had been forced to help Rika with her weight loss program and Rika had waited till today to see if any results had been gained. Well she had gained something alright.

Without warning she grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer.

"What did you put in that food?", she demanded.

"I just followed the recipe", Takato insisted.

"Then you explain to me how I gained two pounds by eating like a bird and working like a dog."

The front door opened which caught both their attention.

"Rika I'm home."

Rika swallowed.

"Grandma?"

Rika and Takato ran into the living room where the elder woman waited for them and-

"Dad?"

Takehiro smiled as he set four boxes on the floor.

"Hi Son just making a delivery and thought I'd give her a ride. So how much longer is you sentence?"

Takato blinked in surprise and Rika had a similar expression.

"How did you know about that?"

Takehiro laughed.

"Well your Mom told me helping Rika with her training was your punishment for acting inappropriately the other day."

Takato swallowed while Rika sighed in relief.

"What's in the box Grandma?", Rika asked.

"Pastries for a friends baby shower", she answered. "It's tomorrow."

She looked Rika over for a moment.

"My goodness Rika! You've grown since I last saw you."

Rika's eyes widened in surprise.

"What? I have?"

She laughed.

"Of course, look at you. Your filling out at the hips just like your mother did at your age."

'Filling out at the hips?'

"You mean, puberty?"

Her grandmother laughed.

"Of course dear. What else would make your hips start to round out like that?"

Rika was awestruck. She hadn't been getting fat. She had just gone through a growth spurt. All that work and dieting had been pointless.

"That reminds me", Takehiro said. "Yoshie made a cake for you Rika, It's at the bakery right now. I forgot to bring it sorry.", he said scratching the back of his head. "Anyway Takato if your finished here let's go home."

"I'll be with you in a minute dad he said."

Takehiro nodded and was about to leave when he spotted the stopwatch.

"Have you been using this stopwatch Takato?"

Takato paused. "UH."

"I hope not. This stopwatch is broken. It's only half as fast as it's supposed to be. I'll take this back home of you don't mind. I'll wait for you in the van."

Takato's heart dropped like a lead weight in his stomach. He was so dead.

Rika's grandma nodded.

"Right I'll go change then. Thank you again."

When both adults had left earshot Takato nervously looked at Rika.

Her hands were clenched into white knuckled fists.

"Uh, Rika?"

She grabbed him by the collar with both hands and glared at him with burning violet eyes, her face red hot with rage. She spoke to him in a low dangerous voice through gritted teeth.

"If you want to keep all three legs you will go to the bakery and bring me that cake."

She released him and like a rabbit Takato ran out of the living room and bolted out the door.

A while later Takato returned out of breath carrying the cake, rather tired. He walked around the house into the backyard where he found Rika leaning against one of the roof's outside support beams with her arms crossed.

"It's about time", she growled.

She tilted her head towards her bedroom and went inside with him right behind.

The closed the sliding door shutting off the room from the outside.

"Here's your cake", he said gently setting down on the floor.

Rika knelt on her knees and opened the cardboard lid that hid the cake from sight.

It was a three layer chocolate, fudge, and, brownie cake with white frosting about an inch thick. It was making Rika's mouth water.

She licked her lips and reached behind her. Takato was worried what she was reaching for.

Rika then pulled out a white and red checkered cloth that was rolled up. She unrolled it and a spoon came out.

'Is she gonna eat it right here?', Takato wondered.

Rika folded the cloth and tied the two end around the back of her neck like making it look like a bib. Then she took the spoon in her hands and gave it to Takato.

Takato took it and looked at it curiously, then gave her the same expression.

Smirking she opened her mouth and pointed inside it.

It took the boy a full second to process what she wanted.

"Are you serious?"

Rika grinned like a spider.

"Very serious gogglehead. Consider it your punishment for using a broken stopwatch and making me run twice as long."

Takato sighed.

"Are you gonna try to eat it all?"

Rika leaned close to him and looked him strait in the eye with an unwavering gaze.

"I WILL eat it all", she said sternly.

She straitened up for a moment then settled back down getting herself into a comfortable sitting position.

"Now, feed me."

Takato sighed and dug into the cake with the spoon and brought it towards her mouth.

Rika leaned in slightly and closed her mouth around the spoon.

Takato found his eyes glued to her lips as they fused to the spoon and she slowly drew back removing every last molecule of cake and frosting from the spoon.

She licked her lips in satisfaction.

"So goood."

Takato nodded.

"My mom makes the best cake", Takato said as he dug the spoon into the cake again.

"Don't be stingy", Rika reminded him.

"I know I know", he said.

This time Rika remained still and simply opened her mouth allowing Takato to put the spoon inside.

As time went on they talked about various things like school and what they had been up to before this whole thing started.

About halfway through Takato noticed Rika was chewing slower.

"Full?", He asked her.

"Naw gogglehead. Just running a little short on room that's all."

"If you want me to stop-"

"I said I'm going to finish that cake, now keep shoveling."

Takatao sighed and resumed feeding the stubborn red head.

"Why do you want to finish this cake so badly Rika?"

Rika paused to chew while considering this.

She swallowed and said: "Because I spent four days starving myself unnecessarily Takato. Plus I gave in to the girly attitude of being worried about gaining a few pounds, even though it was mostly because I didn't want to hear any lectures from my mom. I want the satisfaction and delight of eating like an absolute pig after all that."

Takato nodded understanding.

"Yeah I'd do almost anything to avoid one of my mom's lectures."

Rika smiled.

"Yeah, but you're lucky to have a mom who cares about you so much."

Takato nodded.

"Yeah she can be a pain sometimes but she's the best."

Rika chuckled.

"I bet she says the same about you."

Takato scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah, but I don't know about the last part."

The two laughed and then resumed eliminating the cake.

After half of the remaining cake had been eaten Rika took a brief respite to speak.

"I just noticed that we both seem to be having a good time."

Takato blinked.

"Huh?"

Rika leaned back a little.

"Well despite me getting stuffed like a sausage and you being the one forced to stuff me we both seem to be enjoying it."

Takato shrugged.

"I guess we stopped being master and servant and became friends again."

Rika smiled.

"Yeah. I guess I kind of overdid it a little."

Takato nodded.

"Yeah but it's okay. I guess I did deserve it."

Rika smiled.

"Anyway, let's finish this cake while I'm still young."

So Takato kept shoveling and Rika kept swallowing until the last spoon full of cake and slowly put it in Rika's mouth.

Rika clamped onto the spoon and scraped in clean.

"Finally done", Takato said.

Rika looked into the box.

"There's still some, urp... frosting left", she said.

"Takato looked at her sympathetically.

"But Rika there's hardly any. Aren't you full?"

"Stuffed", she answered. "But I'm not quitting yet. I'm finishing it all."

Takato didn't know whether to applaud Rika's tenacity or weep for her, but he obeyed and scraped the last of the frosting from the box then fed it to the overstuffed redhead.

Rika groaned and lay on her back.

"I did it."

Takato smiled.

"Congratulations Rika. I'm not sure what you accomplished, but I'm glad for you."

Rika smiled.

"What I accomplished Takato was letting myself go."

Takato looked dumfounded.

"I can see that."

Rika shook her head.

"I mean emotionally Takato, I don't plan on letting my body go I'd rather stay thin thank you.

"I learned to let go of my worries. To let go of my ego, and the image I built up."

Takato scratched his head in confusion.

"I don't understand."

She gave him an amused grin.

"Think about it Takato. Does sitting there while you feed me like a baby and eating an entire cake by myself sound like something I would do?"

Takato didn't even need to consider it, and shook his head.

"That's exactly my point Takato. I've been so focused on maintaining this "Ice Queen" image that I've built up, so focused on how other people see me that I haven't been able to move on. I haven't been able to grow."

Rika emitted a small grunt which caught Takato's attention.

"Are you okay?"

Rika managed to strain a smile.

"I'm okay. Stomach's just a little sore that's all."

With Rika lying on her back Takato could see the small bump of her distended abdomen that had previously been hidden by her loose shirt.

Rika noticed him looking and managed a small chuckle knowing what he was thinking.

"Don't worry Takato. This belly will be completely flat in a day or two, once it digests."

Takato seemed reassured and he looked around the room absentmindedly.

"Congrats to you too Takato."

Takato looked back at Rika.

"Huh?"

"You're off the hook. You don't have to serve me anymore."

"Oh uh, thank you."

Rika smiled.

"Could you do me a favor though?"

Takato was a little slow to respond to this request instead of it being an order.

"Sure Rika."

"Could you bring that box back and give it to your mom?"

Takato looked at the empty cake box puzzled.

"Okay but why?"

Rika stared up at the ceiling, her eyes suddenly distant as she remembered the that conversation a few days ago.

"I asked her how she was able to stay so thin when she was surrounded by all that good food. She told me it was something you got used to, but there was more to it than that because you have to get used to it before you are used to it. She gave me that cake to teach me that lesson that she learned."

Takato looked at the box and then back at Rika.

"She let herself go?"

Rika nodded.

"She stopped worrying about losing control and getting fat. She relaxed and she was able to focus. That's how she was able to get used to it without losing control."

Takato nodded understanding and stood up.

"All right Rika, I'll be sure she gets it."

Rika smiled

"Thanks Takato."

Takato smiled back.

"Thank you Rika. Thanks to you I learned an important lesson."

Rika nodded.

"You're welcome.

"You're mom will know what the box means. Just tell her it's from me."

Takato nodded.

"I will. Goodbye Rika."

Rika managed to lift a hand and give him a small wave.

"So long goggles."

Takato opened the sliding door and then closed in behind him leaving Rika alone with her distressed stomach.

Then her inside door opened.

"How are you feeling Rika?"

Takato was startled to see her grandmother.

"Just a little sore Grandma. I'm okay."

The elder woman smiled and knelt down beside her granddaughter.

"So you did learn your lesson after all."

Rika was shocked, and rather embarrassed.

"You heard?"

She smiled.

"I heard enough."

She gently pinched the end of Rika's shirt and slowly pulled it back revealing the stressed skin of her taught swollen stomach.

Rika wondered what she was doing then she sighed in relief as her grandmother gently placed a hot water bottle on her stomach.

"Better?"

Rika nodded.

"Yeah, thanks Grandma."

Her Grandmother reached over and undid the bib and used the cloth to wipe Rika's frosting stained face and chin.

"At least that crash diet wasn't for nothing Rika. You learned an important lesson from it."

Rika nodded.

"The main reason I went on that stupid diet was because I didn't want to get a lecture from mom. I was worried about what she would think of me if she found out I outgrew all my jeans."

Her Grandmother nodded.

"So you got worried and as a result you panicked and thought you were getting fat and went on that diet."

The harsh but understanding words actually made Rika more comfortable. Perhaps it was because she knew that her Grandmother understood.

"So now that you've learned to let go, what are you going to do?"

Rika thought for a moment.

"Well I guess I'm gonna need some new clothes after this belly goes down. So I guess I'll go do some shopping with mom."

Her Grandmother laughed.

"There's something I never thought you'd say."

Rika laughed too.

"True, but it's time the Ice Queen was put to rest. I want to live my life now."

Her grandmother gently took her hand.

"I'm very proud of you Rika."

Rika smiled.

"Thanks Grandma."

A warm feeling enveloped Rika, and it was not from the hot water bottle. She felt free now. The warmth meant something. The Ice Queen had been removed from her castle. Now there was room for change, for a new direction. Now she would live freely without the tyranny of her image. Now she was Rika Nonaka, Digimon Tamer. Now she would tread down the new path to discovery, to her future.

So that's it that's all. I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I tried to make it profound like many of the authors I admire on this sight do on a regular basis but only you can tell me if I succeeded. I may continue this sort of story line someday, but for now this is all and I'll be focusing on my other stories for now. Please check them out too.