“Ok how about red or blue?”, “Blue…”,

“Hmm, ok long walks or quiet retreats?”, “I guess retreats…”

Kai sighed loudly before giving Claire a rather deadpanned look. “Come on, this is supposed to be a conversation! Try throwing in a few more words then yes or no.” The younger girl groaned out causing her smaller passenger to frown.

It was hard for her to really talk as carefree as Kai seemed to be after all that had happened that day. Yet, it was like she didn’t even remember any of it. “Ok, how about this one. Do you like the twins?” Blinking a few times making sure she heard her right, the brunette looked up at Kai confused before nodding her head slowly.

“I… I guess, their… different, but they’re not bad children. Their actually pretty friendly once I got to know them a bit better.” She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. Smirking, Kai nodded. “I get ya. I was the same way actually when I first met them. They seemed weird, but they grew on me.” She chuckled surprising Claire.

“How did you meet them anyways? Did they approach you like they did with Kat and May?”  The younger girl stopped mid-step from their journey as she thought back a bit. “Hmm… well, that’s a tricky thing to answer really…”

Wanting to know more, Claire was about to inquire before Kai gave her a light tap on her head. “Let’s come back to that later. I don’t really want to talk about that.” Frowning, the smaller worker nodded before Kai went back to her usual idle banter she had been doing since they had departed from the Daycare.

It seemed like she was just talking for the hell of it. None of her questions held any real relevance to either of them. Looking out over her shoulder, Claire’s demeanor lightened a bit as she watched the sun in the distance slowly beginning to fall.

She used to watch the sunsets back home. Whenever she was alone, she’d always go up to her fam… to… Shaking her head a few times, she tried to recall what it was she was remembering but, it felt like she had forgotten something.

“Hey you there? Hello~?” Snapping her attention back to Kai, she nodded before looking at the large building in front of her surprised. “Well we’re here. Welcome to my abode I guess.” She mumbled quietly before walking up towards the large house.

Their journey had taken them about an hour to walk, and for good reason. The house currently in front of them was a two storing one in one of the nicer parts of the city. The surrounding area wasn’t run down, and it honestly didn’t seem like a place a lot of criminals would be in, in fear of being found.

‘Wow, this place looks better then where I live.’ It seemed somewhat strange really. The house was a bright shade of white with no noticeable errors with its architecture or foundation. Looking back at Kai, she wondered in silence why she was the way she was if she grew up here.

Kat lived in the slums and she was happy… May was living in a foreclosing home with abusive parents and she was cheerful… but Kai, she was… she didn’t quite have a word for her yet, but still… Moving to the front steps in silence for the first time before they had begun walking back to her home, Kai sighed before opening the door.

Stepping inside, Claire looked around intrigued. The home had a very tidy look to it. Lots of different antiques and furniture littered the large room they stood in, but it seemed to all meld together in an appearance of regality.

Whoever her parents were it seemed like they wanted people to get the feeling they were important from what their possessions said at least. Kicking her shoes off at the front of the door, the olive skinned girl stretched tiredly before walking past the living room into what was now the kitchen.

Once again, it was much like the other room. Everything was spotless. Cooking wear lined varies slots, not a dish was left in the spotless sink. The counters were all cleaned off, along with no pictures or magnets on the large chrome fridge next to them.

Looking back at Kai, she seemed unfazed by the look she was being given before she moved over to the fridge. “You want something to eat? I know your whole frozen thing, yadda, yadda, yadda but I’m sure you have to still like eating.”

Shaking her head quietly, Kai simply shrugged before grabbing a can of soda from the door of the fridge. “Suite yourself, but if you get hungry later, there’s no guarantee I can come back down here to get you something.”

Claire looked back at Kai confused but once again she didn’t look like she cared to elaborate. Moving out of the kitchen and into a small hallway, she rounded one of the two opposite corners before coming to a pair of stairs.

 As they walked up them, the brunette kept her eye out for other clues… however there was one thing that soon bothered her greatly. Lining the walls were pictures, dozens of them. She could see two people in all of them.

A woman with dark brown hair flowing down her back, and a man with trimmed black hair and frosted tips next to her. They seemed to be smiling in all the pictures… but it was who they were with that unnerved her greatly.

In some they saw a little girl… but it wasn’t Kai. She had dark black hair much like the man’s but it was long like the woman’s. In a couple others she saw them once again but this time holding a baby, but it didn’t look like Kai either.

her hair was a faded black with a pair of dark brown eyes. Glancing up to Kai to affirm it, she nodded silently to herself. Kai’s eyes were a light emerald. Neither of these children were Kai. Looking at all the others it was the same thing. Sometimes one kid, or both, but, the brunette was in none of them.

After reaching the top of the stairs, the path split off in two different directions. Pausing abruptly, Kai looked down at Claire for the first time since they left the kitchen before smiling embarrassedly. “Hehe, uh, I need to go check something real quick, do you want me to drop you off in my room?”

Looking back at her, Claire clenched her hands a bit before shaking her head. She wanted to know more about Kai, and it was clear she wanted to try a distance herself from her. “N-No, it’s fine. Take me along. W-Where you go I’ll go to.”

The younger brunette raised an eyebrow at her odd statement but shrugged none the less. “Fine, I just didn’t want to bore you.” She smiled before walking to the left of the hallway. After making her way to a large pink painted door, Kai took a deep breath before putting on a large smile.

Pushing the door open, Claire didn’t know what to expect but what she saw came to her somewhat of a surprise. Inside the room was a large crib, with varies nursey stations near it. Toys littered the carpeted floor beneath it along with a small swinging mobile above it.

“Kari, sissy is home!” Kai squealed loudly before moving over the crib. Inside laid a small baby from the pictures she saw earlier, albeit a bit older now. The child looked up at Kai before giggling happily at the sight of her.

Grinning Kai leaned down before gently tickling the little girl’s tummy, eliciting more and more laughter from the toddler in the crib. As she made cutesy noises to her, Claire could only watch in shock as she watched a side of Kai she had yet to see.

“How was your day? Mine was great! I got to play lots and lots, and I even made a new friend.” She cooed before looking back at Claire. “You want to say hi? This is my little sister, Kari. Well, Kari’s not her real name but I call her it because it was the first word she ever said.” Kai grinned before picking up the startled brunette before she could even begin to fight her or get a word in edge wise.

As she was dropped into the crib, Claire froze upon being stared at by the colossal toddler. “Her real names Karen but I think Kari’s kind of cute. I think mom wanted to teach her, her name but this little chitlin had other ideas.” She laughed before looking at the shrunken girls frozen form.

“Oh come on she’s not going to eat you, go and say hi.” Kai berated before flicking Claire forward snapping her out of her shock. Standing up, the brunette looked back at Kari’s big brown eyes before smiling a small smile.

“H-H-Hi t-there K-Kari… I-I’m one of your s-sisters friends…. Claire.” She stuttered out horribly, causing the younger brunette to sigh. “Will you just relax? she doesn’t see you as you are.” Looking back at Kai confused the realization hit her as she saw Kai’s hand resting over her sister.

“You’re as tall as me right now in her eyes. Just smile and make her laugh a little.” Was she using her powers on her own sister? It seemed strange for her to openly admit that but with the threat of a possibly hungry baby no longer in front of her Claire relaxed a bit (if only a little) before smiling brightly.

She was adorable. Looking back at Kai, she smiled warmly as she saw the toddler giggling happily from the attention she was receiving from her older sister. They kind of looked alike. While her hair wasn’t the same color as her sisters she had the same face in comparison.

It was almost like looking at a younger Kai… a much less bloodthirsty one at least. Mimicking her, Claire made some cutesy noises to the child and was rewarded with happy squeals of laughter afterward. “Hey, I think she likes you! She usually cries when my parents try to show her off.” Kai smiled quietly earning a confused look from the smaller girl.

‘Showing her off?’ That sounded more like what you would do with a trophy not a child. Hearing a loud bang behind them, Claire froze, while Kai sighed in sadness. “Times up little Kari… I’ll see you soon…” Picking up Claire instantly, the brunette turned around before her face was suddenly met with a hand smacking against it.

Claire was left speechless as she watched what had just happened in front of her. In her haste to grab her, Kai had left her fingers folded giving her a perfect view of what had just happened. Standing above her was the woman from the photographs, and she looked furious.

“Kaia Kealoha what have I told you about bringing your filth in here!” The woman all but screamed as Kai’s hand moved up to her reddened cheek. “Good to see you to mom…” Shoving her daughter to the side, the woman moved over to the crib as she inspected her infant.

“You are not to step foot in here young lady, how many times have your father and I told you this! Go to your room!” Moving her hand away from her cheek, a small smirk graced the younger girl’s lips before she turned to leave.

“See ya later Kari.” Hearing a low growl behind her, Kai paid no heed to it till she was out the door, the loud bang of it being slammed behind her earning her another sigh. As Kai walked in the direction of her room, Claire remained speechless as she processed all that had just happened.

‘H-Her own mother… just slapped her for playing with her sister?’ She had to be missing something. That made no sense. Hearing another door shutting, albeit a much quieter one this time, Claire was soon released from the brunettes hand as she was set down on a large black desk.

“Welcome to my room, sorry about all that.” Kai mumbled dryly as her hand still gently rubbed her crimson cheek. Looking around for the first time, the shrunken girl’s curiosity began to rise. Her house was the definition of pristine and flawless… but her room was the exact opposite.

Dirty clothes littered the floors, posters, and miscellaneous oddities were tacked or tapped to the walls. Her bed while at least a bed was mismatched in color with a brown frame and a black cover and a beige blanket laid over it half-assed.

Looking over the table she was on it was about the same. A computer monitor rested across from her with varies sticky notes and broken pencils scattered about. Ink-stained the wooden surface along with dark red smudges lining the walls around them.

Even the chair Kai was currently headed to looked like a mess. It was a dark forest green color but it looked absolutely filthy. Edges were cut out of it; stains permitted every area of it especially around the bottom part.

But out of everything wrong with this bedroom that set it so apart from the rest of the house… was the sheer, pungent aroma permitting her navel cavities at that moment. Cupping her nose in disgust, Claire looked up at Kai as she wore an amused grin.

“You thought I smelled bad right? Yea my room’s a lot worse, isn’t it great?” Coughing into her hand, Claire chose not to say anything in fear of smelling the horrible aroma around her once again. How did Kai live in such… such filth?!

Blinking, the brunette’s eyes widened as she recalled what her mother had just said. ‘Her… her filth…’ So that was why she acted the way she did. While it was true bringing dirty things near a newborn wasn’t advised that was still no reason to act so hostile towards one’s own daughter.

Flopping down onto the well-worn chair, Kai sighed in bliss before rolling its creaking wheels towards the desk and propping her feet up on the other end of it. “So what do you think?” Giving Kai her most deadpan look, she chose not to answer earning a quiet chuckle from the girl.

“Yeah I get it. Most of the tinies I bring here act that way at first too. You’ll get used to it trust me.” ‘Like hell, I will…’ Her nose was trying to claw its way off her face! Clicking the tab on the can of soda she hid, Kai drank from it deeply before sighing.

“Man today was a long day. It’s times like these I really feel happy being back in my own room. It’s nice to just kick back and relax.” She mumbled before looking back at Claire. “Do you feel the same way about your place?”

Frowning, Claire nodded as best she could with her hands still cupping her face. Whenever she felt tired from a long day or just plain depressed she’d always go to her room. It was her own little sanctuary of sorts… But why couldn’t she remember her old room that well?

This wasn’t the first time today that had happened. ‘M-Maybe I’m just drained or something… b-besides my old place was… it was…’ Gritting her teeth, she shook her head a few times. She had only recently moved how could she not remember something as simple as this?

Hearing the doorknob next to them beginning to rattle, Claire was abruptly brought out of her agonizing train of thought as the door opened to reveal the woman from before, a disgusted look present on her face as her eyes landed on Kai’s relaxed form.

“Well, I hope you’re happy. Your little sister started crying the moment I shoed you away. Your stench must have upset her again.” She spat quietly, no hidden malice in her words. “Yea, I made her cry.” Kai scoffed before the woman’s hand slammed down on the table… just a few inches away from Claire’s shivering form.

“Don’t you dare talk back to me young lady! Where did we go wrong with you…? You used to be so well behaved before we moved here. How long are you going to keep fighting your father and me? Hmm?” Smiling, Kai raised the can of soda to her mother cheerfully before taking another long drink from it, finishing it off.

“Maybe you guys should get used to it. I’m not so bad once you get to know me.” She smirked before tossing the can on the floor behind her, angering her mother to no end. As the woman’s hand rose above Kai, Claire half expected the enraged woman to hit her again, but she lowered it slowly, her anger bleeding away as she whispered something under her breathe.

“Listen here Kaia you are grounded! Stay in your room tonight and your when your father gets home after our party he is going to have a long discussion with you!” Smirking, Kai shook her head before stretching out on her chair leisurely.

“As always I will give you one chance. The party is at 7pm. If you clean all of this,” she waved her hands over Kai before growling. “Up! Then you are more than welcome to join us tonight. The colleagues at your father’s university will be showing up tonight and it’s our job to make sure he looks as best as he can. That includes, having a daughter who isn’t…” She grew quiet before scoffing.

“You…” Claire was speechless now. Sure Kai was a bit… brash, but this wasn’t the way to talk to her. It was like she wanted to offend her with every sentence and make sure she knew it afterward. Clapping her hands slowly, in a mocking fashion for point, Kai smiled before waving to her mother.

“Tell the posers I said hi. I’m not going to gussy up to people who are too blind to even realize that you guys are just as fake as you want me to act.” Hearing an angry cry from her mother, along with other course words the door was slammed loudly leaving Claire alone with a rather victories looking Kai.

Silence passed for a moment before both brunettes looked to one another. “So that’s my mom…” Nodding, Claire shook her head unsure of what to say. It seemed like her parents were important people… or at least wanted to be seen that way. Just who were they?

Looking to the younger girl for answers, Kai sighed already knowing she couldn’t ignore this one. “Fine, fine… ask what you want. I won’t dodge you this time.” Licking her lips, (and trying her best not to breathe in the horrible stench still surrounding her) Claire fidgeted slightly as she tried to think of what to ask first.

“S-So you moved here to…?” Blinking, Kai looked down at Claire before she burst into a loud fit of laughter. Jumping from the reaction, the shrunken worker didn’t quite know what to expect but it seemed her question had amused her none the less.

“T-That’s what you ask f-first?!” Kai slammed her hand on the table crying hysterically. After everything she had seen, that wasn’t the first thing she expected her to notice. Wiping away her tears she tried to get ahold of herself but that had genuinely made her smile.

Shaking her head amused, she propped up her head on the desk before smirking. “Yes, I moved here. I’m native to Hawaii since you’re so curious. I kind of thought my skin would have given that away.” She chuckled as she lifted her olive tinted hand up.

Nodding, Claire looked Kai over before smiling. That made sense. “Your mother, she called you Kaia right? How come you call yourself Kai? Is it just a nickname or…” She trailed off knowing sometimes there was meaning behind it like Kat’s.

Humming quietly, Kai shrugged before looking back at Claire. “No real reason I guess. My gramps used to call me it back in Waipahu and it kind of stuck.” She smiled nostalgically, something the brunette noticed immediately.

“A-Are you close to your grandfather?” Looking back at Claire surprised, Kai smiled before sighing. “I used to be. He was a great man. But, I haven’t seen him in years…” She grew quiet before directing her attention to one of the corners of the room.

Following her gaze, Claire looked at what looked to be a small… surfboard, resting against it? “Back on the beaches where I grew up, he always used to take me out with him when he went surfing. I didn’t know how he did it, hell I still don’t. He’s old, but he’s strong. He could ride the waves like no one else!”

She laughed excitedly before sighing. “But… yea, we moved and all so… I don’t talk to him much anymore. He calls every once and awhile but, I don’t think my folks enjoyed his company as much as I did.” She sighed before looking back at Claire, a look of sadness in her eyes that wasn’t there before.

“H-How come you guys moved here in the first place?” Shifting from Hawaii to Philadelphia, that wasn’t exactly a change of pace decision. Scowling, Kai grew quiet for a moment before her free hand balled up tightly.

“My parents moved here because of work… I didn’t have a say in it.” She mumbled before looking at Claire pained. Nodding, she waited for her to continue… but it didn’t seem she wanted to on that note. Sitting herself down, having been standing since she arrived, Claire nodded sadly once more before choosing another question to ask instead.

“So… W-Why do you like… living like, this…?” Claire mumbled the last part as her eyes scanned the room. Smirking, Kai shook her head already knowing she wouldn’t understand. “Have you ever felt trapped before? Like your whole life is actually a prison, one you’re forced to stay in with no way out at all?”

Raising her hand to speak, the shrunken girl had to stop herself. She didn’t honestly know if she could say yes or no to that question. Sure she was kind of trapped now, at three inches in height… but that wasn’t what she meant. She had to read between the lines to understand it, but she kind of got where she was headed with it in the end.

“Y-Your parents…?” Kai looked at Claire surprised before she genuinely smiled. “Moving here… picking what I wear… choosing what I eat… telling me to play with certain people… talk with people I’ve never met to make them look better… I could talk about this list for hours but I think you get it.”

Nodding, Claire lowered her gaze. “You felt trapped because your parents controlled your childhood… right?” Nodding, Kai leaned back in her chair before resting her hands behind her head. “They did… until I met them.”

Looking up now, Claire’s eyes widened at what she had just implied. “S-S-So… you mean that you… c-changed into who you are now… because of something the twins did to you?” Smiling, Kai leaned down again before grinning.

“That sounded accusatory. Way to make them sound like the bad guys.” She chuckled earning a frown from Claire in return. “But yea… they kind of did.” She smirked seeing the surprise on the shrunken girls face. “I owe them something I can never payback, my life.” Her tone held a certain sense of reverent that she had heard in Kats and Mays as well.

 “It happened a few years back, right around the time I moved here actually. I don’t know if they sensed me or some weird alien crap they did with the others, but they found me none the less.” Stifling a giggle at how Kai had labeled the twins gifts, she waited eagerly for her to continue.

“A few months into our stay here, my father held a large get together with a lot of his *friends*” she punctuated her point with fake air quotes before scoffing. “Wanting me to be his little trophy him and mom made, they had me all dressed up so cute and stuff… I shiver just remembering it.” She trembled before continuing on.

“Anyways… after a few hours a woman came I had never seen before. She had something to do with one of my dad’s contractors or something I don’t know… but I do know who she had with her.” Claire's eyes widened a bit as she realized who she meant.

“S-So it was their mother?” Snapping her fingers, Kai grinned before going on. “Yep. The woman in red herself, along with her two little mini-clones following behind her. Funny enough, they looked exactly the same then as they do now.”

Recalling the strange transformation Sophia displayed before, Claire shivered. Apparently they liked their look now and didn’t plan on changing it for a while if this was a couple years prior. “After my dad shoed me back to my room for the night like a good little girl, guess who came to see me.”

Smiling, Kia shook her head rather happy about this subject. She hadn’t talked about it with the others before. This was the first time she got to really say what she felt when the twins had entered her life.

“I guess… when I first saw them I was a bit intimidated really. They held themselves up so… composed I guess. I didn’t think someone our age could act the way they did.” Kai smiled before looking back at Claire.

“They told me I was stuck, trapped in a lie I didn’t need to be in. I remember that statement well. It was the first thing they ever told me. After that they offered to free me, and the only thing they wanted in return was a friend…”

Claire watched Kai’s expression shifting from nostalgia to joy before her face rested on a content smile. “I didn’t know at the time what I was signing on for, but I don’t regret a thing. I had no friends, no real family who cared like my gramps did. Sophia and Alexis, their more than my friends their family.”

Smiling back at Claire once more, Kai moved herself back to the table before resting her chin on her forearms. “But now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about you.” Blinking, the shrunken girl looked up at her younger trustee in surprise.

“Let’s see where to start… Oh, I know! How come the twins think you’re special?” Kai’s voice grew quiet showing a more serious side she had yet to see. “U-Uh, w-well… I’m not really s-sure in all honesty…” Claire stuttered quietly as she rubbed the back of her head uncomfortably, a habit she had been doing more and more with each day that passed.

Sticking her tongue out, the younger girl made a raspberry sound before frowning. “Come on, don’t hold back from me spill it. The blondes like you, that’s as clear as day. So come on, what is it. Did you do something for them before that made put you on their nice list... or maybe the opposite since you’re… well here?” She chuckled before noticing the absent look on her face.

“Huh, you really don’t have a clue do you?” shaking her head sadly, Claire sighed regretfully. “I’m sorry but I don’t know how to answer that, honest. I moved here a little while ago… and after finding a job at the daycare… everything just sort of happened.”

Kai’s brow rose slightly before furrowing. ‘There’s no way it can be her…’ Noticing the thoughtful look the younger girl wore, Claire was about to ask what was wrong but as soon as she caught a glimpse of it, it was already gone to be replaced with her normal apathetic one.

“Well, I think the Q&A is about over now. Let’s do something else.” Kai announced, silencing any inquiries the brunette might have had further. “So let’s see… what to do first…” She mumbled before looking around her room.

“I suppose, I could begin teaching you…” Looking back at the giant girl confused, Claire had little time to wonder before Kai rolled away from the table and towards a large cabinet next to her bed. “You, little miss goody two shoes, need a proper lesson on reality.”

Pushing aside one of the cabinets doors, Claire looked inside curiously as she saw five multicolored bins. One was yellow, another orange, a red one, a grey one, and finally a black one. “Here let’s start off with these fellows here.”

‘F-Fellows…?’ Reaching for the yellow bin, Kai pulled the lid off before grinning broadly. Rolling herself back over to Claire, she tilted the container down for her to see, her eyes widening in horror at its contents.

“Meet inmates #5. These are my… lighter ones I suppose.” Inside the yellow container where dozens of shrunken people, some wore clothes, others as naked as the day they were born, all, however… looked completely, and utterly horrified as they gazed up at Kai’s smiling face.

“They are the ones who did some terrible things… but, not as bad I suppose, as some of the others?” She tapped her chin in thought for a moment before shrugging. “They're bad, but not quite monsters, so that’s why they’re in this tub and not… that one.” She grew quiet as she pointed to the black one.

Following her finger, Claire remained silent as it slowly dawned on her. ‘T-T-Then… t-then each one of those… have dozens of people inside them?” Looking back at the crying shrunken men all broken and crestfallen, Claire just shook her head.

Where did she get them all?! There had to be at least thirty people inside of the yellow tub easily, possibly more. If each one was like this then that meant Kai must have had dozens of people, no hundreds… at her touch of her fingertips…

“Let’s see… what to do, what to do…” larger girl mumbled as she tapped her chin. As a chilling smile slowly made its way to her lips, Claire could only shudder with fear. “How about this, eeny, meany, miny, moe, I pick you!”

Reaching into the box one of the small men of the collective screamed in terror as Kai delicately gripped him by his midsection. Lowering the tub to the floor, the olive skinned girls attention was solely on him now.

“Alright, you are… Wait don’t tell me… Derek? Dean? Eh, something dumb with a D.” She shrugged before tossing the man onto the desk remorselessly. Crying in pain from the small fall, Kai lifted one of her feet up before pulling off one of her dull white running shoes.

As the footwear was dropped to the floor, Claire had to cup her nose once again almost pained as the atrocious odor of her feet reached her nostrils. Taking a deep breath herself, Kai’s smile grew before she chuckled darkly.

“There we go, nice and ripe. So let’s see, what do I want to do with you…” She mumbled quietly as she thought of different scenarios. “I know!” Moving her blackened dirty sock over the man, he buckled in pain from the smell as well as she fanned him with her foot.

“Claire you pick. Do I, trap him under my foot… Or, do I put him in my sock?” She smirked as her eyes glanced over to the struggling girl, still trying her best not to pass out from the smell. Sighing after a moment of silence, she moved one of her hands over Claire before sticking her index finger out.

“I’ll do this for you now, but you need to play my games for the rest of the night in return, deal?” As she tapped Claire’s head, the smell surrounding her… suddenly disappeared? Coughing a few times, the brunette looked up at Kai confused before she tentatively sniffed the air around her. However, it wasn’t bad anymore… actually, she couldn’t seem to smell anything at all now.

Glancing at Kai perplexed the younger girl grinned cheekily before she moved her hand over to her own nose. “A person can smell stuff because of these little things in their noses called receptors. Well, there’s more to it than that but it’s really boring. So I just turned yours off for a bit, now, how about that deal?”

Noticing the shocked look she was being given, Kai simply shrugged. “What, you didn’t know I could do that?”, “NO?! H-HOW IS THAT, W-WAIT,WHAT?!” Sniffing deeply, Claire shook her head in amazement. She honestly couldn’t smell anything now. Did Kai do this to herself to so the smell wouldn’t bother her?

Hearing said girl clear her throat, she gave Claire an annoyed look as she drummed her fingers on her arm. “Well?” The brunette looked up at her with worry now. After the shock of finding that out, it just dawned on her the other half of the sentence she had just said.

‘S-She wants me to play her game?’ Looking back at the crying man still coughing and gagging beneath Kai’s foot, she shivered before looking back at her sternly. “I won’t!” Sighing, Kai nodded before moving her hand back over Claire.

“I thought you might say something noble and upright like that so how about a new deal. You play my game, and I won’t do this.” Flicking Claire’s head sending her tumbling on the desk, she grunted in pain before her eyes shot open.

Grasping her throat, she coughed violently as her eyes watered. Her nose, I-it was burning! Drumming her fingers once more, Kai waited a few more seconds just to make sure her point was driven home before tapping the thrashing girls head once more, albeit much gentler this time.

Gasping once more, only this time in relief, Claire continued to cough as she felt the pain from before vanishing slowly. “I can turn your receptors off, or I can make them so strong even the slightest smell of something good will hurt your senses. So tell me now, will, you, play, my, game?” She punctuated her words with every tap of her fingers, her index resting right in front of Claire once more.

Feeling her eyes beginning to tear once more, Claire looked up at Kai enraged. She was trapped. If she said no, she’d have to experience… that again. It was horrific. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before.

It was like she was suddenly hit with such a pungent smell, it physically disabled the rest of her body. The fact the girl years younger than her could crush her at any given moment, was less horrifying then what she could do to her psyche.

She couldn’t experience that again… she just couldn’t… clenching her fists, her nails digging into her palms enough to draw blood, she glared hatefully up at Kai for what she was about to ask her to do. “T-T-Trap him… b-beneath your foot… J-Just don’t kill him, p-please…” She whimpered out.

Smirking viciously, Kai nodded before dropping her foot on the man. “See, was that so hard? I can be reasonable too if you just play my game. Look, he’s not dead.” She lifted her foot up showing the thrashing man now covered and soaked in her foot sweat.

Moving her foot back over him once more, she giggled before licking her lips. “I remember his name now. It was Devon. Yea, he cry’s a lot.” She chuckled darkly before lifting her foot once more. Staring at the man’s pathetic form, she tsked quietly before dropping her foot again.

“Story time boys and girls! This is the tale of a man who not only robbed a nearby gas station but did so with such disregard for others he took his time vandalizing the store before breaking all the windows and getting away. Total costs… about 20’000 dollars.”

Kai shook her head before pressing down on the man, her expression slowly darkening. “Hospitalized the night time staff, all three of them, and wasn’t caught for two months. However, he was finally put behind bars a year ago, and now he’s under my sweaty foot. I think this prison is a much better one though don’t you think?”

Kai grinned before looking back at Claire’s glaring eyes. “What?” Growling, she stood up before stomping her foot angrily. “STOP LYING!” Kai blinked in surprise before scratching her head confused. “What the heck do you think I’m lying about? I get called arrogant a lot but not a liar… Wait, you mean…” She pointed to the man before she glared back at Claire with just as much anger.

“I’m not lying!”, “You just said he went to jail then how did he end up here then!” Gritting her teeth, the younger girl moved her foot of the man before plucking him up. “Here, let him tell you himself!” Dropping the smaller man in front of her, Kai’s hand rose over him before he looked up at Claire confused.

“Tell her the truth.” Kai said darkly as her fingers pinched his head lightly. Claire watched confused as the man convulsed slowly before his head hung low. “I-I was sentenced to ten years… a woman came to see me though… she put me in her purse…”

As the man suddenly fell over, Kai cursed under her breath earning a shocked look from the smaller girl. Picking up the unconscious man, she tossed him back in the tub before baring her teeth at Claire. “Now listen here, you have no right to call me a liar! I haven’t said one lie to you since the time you came in my possession so don’t you ever! Accuse me again or I will make lily look like a saint in comparison, do I make myself clear!” She hissed venomously causing the brunette to recoil in horror.

“DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?” She yelled out earning a shrill cry from the smaller girl. Lowering her head, Claire shook silently as she let the painful words both from the man and Kai sink in. Closing her eyes, the younger girl breathed slowly, as she trembled.

“I am not, lying to you. The twins asked me not to hurt you, asked. But they didn’t say I couldn’t. So don’t piss me off. If you so much as even hint that I’m not telling you the truth, I will make the remainder of your stay very unpleasant.” She warned before grabbing the yellow bin and standing up.

Shoving it back in place rather violently, her hands moved to the orange bin before she moved back to her chair and sat down once more. Taking a deep breath she calmed herself down from her little outburst before frowning.

“Sorry… about that.” Looking up at Kai startled, the younger girl averted her eyes as she tried not to make eye contact with the shivering girl. “Having the mind of an adult doesn’t do you much good when you have the temper of a child.” She sighed before slowly smiling once more, her composure having seemingly fixed itself after her initial outburst.

Moving her hand towards the smaller girl, Claire flinched before seeing her finger outstretched to her. “I won’t hurt you… but don’t go calling me things either. I hate that a lot.” She muttered seriously before patting Claire gently.

Nodding timidly, the shrunken worker chose not to say anything else as she mulled over the events that had just taken place. ‘H-He admitted to being in prison… b-but that still doesn’t make sense how he got out or why he’s here…’ It was so confusing.

A woman came to the prison and put him in her purse? Did he mean one of the twins? But if that was the case then people would have had to know what she was doing. You don’t exactly just walk into a prison and shrink someone without raising suspicion.

Noticing Claire’s brain slowly spinning as she worked out everything Kai shook her head. She wasn’t going to get it, not from what she said anyways. Sophia and Alexis would have a lot of explaining to do when she gave her back… well, if she did.

Scolding herself mentally, Kai sighed quietly for going down that dark train of thought before looking into the orange bin still situated on her lap. “If a person does something wrong what should happen to them?”

Looking up at the olive skinned girl, Claire shook her head unsure of this was a trick question or not. Pouting, Kai reached into the bin before pulling out a small man thrashing about in her fingers. At least that proved there were people in the other bins.

“If someone steals something, should they get locked away? But if so how long? What happens if they steal something liter? Maybe less time? But what happens if they get out and steal again since they didn’t learn their lesson? Do you send them back to jail since it worked so well the first time? Do you have an answer to any of these questions?”

Claire looked up at Kai surprised at all her philosophically moral questions. “Now instead of someone stealing something… what if they killed someone?” Both girls grew quiet now, Kai’s eyes lingering on the shrunken man, and Claire’s on her.

“Y-You send them to prison… and don’t let them back out…” Kai’s eyes traveled to the quiet girl before frowning. “Do they always stay there?” Shaking her head sadly, Claire frowned quietly as she looked up at the man in Kai’s hand.

“What happens to the people that die by the person’s hands who were freed? What happens to the others who also lose something to his actions? Lock them away… if only they stayed that way. People break out… have early parole… have good lawyers and don’t get sent at all, the list goes on and on…”

“But one thing remains the same. People like that, always hurt others.” Kai’s eyes landed back on the man as she dropped him back in the bin. “What change would need to be made that hasn’t already been thought of? What miraculous plan does society have for fixing its flawed system?”

Looking down at the brunette questioningly, Kai frowned seeing her at a loss for words as well. “What does shrinking them… and playing with them like toys do either?” Claire muttered quietly before looking up at Kai questioningly.

The younger girl smiled before looking back in the bin. “I can’t honestly tell you that. Not because I don’t know, but because if I did, then the twins would hate me for ruining whatever little experiment… this is.” She pointed between Claire and her before chuckling in silent amusement.

“You might call me a hypocrite. Hell, I called the twins that when they told me their master plan for the future of mankind.” She smirked before shaking her head. “But it can work. It just requires minds greater than ours to think it through. Sophia and Alexis to be specific. They're slowly putting together a plan that if it succeeds could very well cause the world as we know it to no longer be like it is now.” She said breathlessly, her words dripping with joy before she frowned and looked back at Claire.

“But… that requires a leap of faith on not just your part, but all of ours.” Claire was speechless now. She didn’t know what Sophia and Alexis had planned for her… but now it seemed like they had some grand scheme for something else. What on earth did she mean by it?

Her curiosity was through the roof now but hearing the conviction in her words, she knew Kai wouldn’t reveal anything else. The younger girl probably feared the twins deep down as much as she did. ‘Loyalty to her leaders but fearful too.’

Both girls shared looks before Claire slowly nodded. “W-W-what do you want me to do… I-I can’t just accept you all k-killing people…” She stuttered out, tears slowly forming as she tried to think of something else.

Frowning, Kai looked into the orange tub again before picking out one of the people. “They’re not people anymore. Once you cross a certain line you can’t be helped. Those used to be people, but now we call them what they really are. Monsters.”

Claire shivered having heard both Kat and May refer to people as such. “Did you know Alexis is able to see into people’s hearts?” Blinking, Claire looked up surprised but Kai was just smiling thoughtfully. “They can see what we truly want, what we harbor, what we hide… She can see them, and in turn Sophia. They can see who is a monster deep down, the ones that can’t be helped.” Claire’s expression softened if only a little at what she was implying. It wouldn’t surprise her honestly. The twins, they were like some kind of higher beings. Aliens might have been her first guess… demons possibly her second. But it didn’t seem like they just hated people.

That had been proven after her first day with Kat. No, they did have some type of motive in mind with their actions. But, only time would reveal to her what. But taking a leap of faith… and just accepting them killing people… not to mention in such humiliating and funny ways…

Claire’s eyes widened slightly before she scolded herself. There was nothing funny about monsters dying, p-people dying! ‘Damn it, what’s wrong with me?’ It seemed like Kai’s words were actually… in some warped bazaar way… making sense.

Seeing the worried look she wore, Kai smiled softly. She had that same look once. Standing up, she moved back over to her dresser before putting the orange tub away. She had planned on giving Claire a lot of fun games/tests but it seemed like she needed to drive her point home.

Reaching for the black box she froze suddenly before shaking her head. Moving to the one just adjacent she pulled out the gray one before heading back to her worn seat. “Here, why don’t you meet one of the monsters? If you still think I’m lying, which I’m not,” she muttered sternly,” then let them tell you their stories.”

Reaching into the tub, she pulled out a man, not unlike the others… but this one was, wrapped in something… Waiting with baited breath, Claire watched with interest and worry as the olive-skinned girl placed the bound man in front of her as he struggled vainly.

Looking him over, Claire eyed what appeared to be tape before looking up at Kai. “Ask him.” Frowning, she tentatively made her way over to the man before squatting down. “W-Why are you here, a-and why are you covered in tape?”

The man stopped struggling abruptly before directing a hateful glare towards her. “H-Hey get me out of this fucking tape and away from this crazy bit-“Before Claire could even show her surprise for the mans… colorful vocabulary, Kai beat her to it as she pressed her finger into the man’s head… hard.

“Now, now, why don’t you speak to your *betters* with a little more respect, especially since she’s the only one who doesn’t want to see you end up like that guy last night.” Claire raised her brow puzzled but seeing the man stiffen it appeared he knew what she was talking about.

Seeing the angry expression he wore, he directed his anger back at Claire but didn’t fully scream at her this time as he spoke up. “I-I’m here because this little blonde psychopath traded me like I was some kind of a toy! Now get me out of here!”

Frowning, Claire looked back at Kai but she just shrugged. “Hey don’t look at me, I can threaten him if you want but that doesn’t mean he’ll do what I say.” She chuckled dryly. Frowning at his description of one of the twins, she looked back at the man before taking a deep breath.

“What did you do… t-to end up in jail?” Her eyes lingered on Kai but the girl only nodded. “I didn’t do anything they got the wrong guy!” He screamed earning a look of concern from Claire. “Uh ah, ah.” Kai sounded out before pressing on the man’s head once more.

“Now that’s not what you told me. How about this, you tell the truth, or…” She grinned viciously before moving her mouth over the man’s head. “We see how long you can hold your breath?” She grinned as she puckered her lips, a large glop of her saliva forming over the now thrashing man’s face.

“H-H-Hey, s-stop don’t stop! FINE I’LL TALK!” He finally screeched as the globe of mucus and saliva dangled over him. Claire herself was about to tell her to stop but after the man’s sudden outburst her eyes widened.

Glaring down at the man, she watched him closely as he clenched his teeth. “I-I… I was caught robbing a bank…” He mumbled before Kei’s finger shoved his head harder earning a loud cry of pain from the man. “FINE! I killed two people and took hostages!”

Silence permitted the room as Claire looked at the man shell-shocked. ‘S-S-She was telling the t-truth…’ Gritting her teeth, Claire was about to yell at the man before a large drop of spit splashed in front of her engulfing the startled man’s entire torso and head.

Looking up at Kai shocked, the girl scowled at the man before sighing. “He forgot to mention what he did with the hostages… it’s rather graphic so I’ll spare you the details…” Shivering, the smaller girl looked down at the thrashing man as he gargled on Kai’s spit.

As she watched, though… it didn’t feel wrong to see him being tortured like she thought it would… almost, righteous actually. Feeling her stomach churn at her own thoughts, she averted her eyes but that didn’t stop the sound of the man’s garbled screams before they finally stopped.

“I-Is he…”, “Yeah, you mad?” Shaking her head, Claire bit her lower lip unsure of what she felt. “That was a monster. Someone so far gone, even if they were given a chance, they wouldn’t take it.” Looking back at Kai tearful, the knowing look she was given made her feel even sadder.

“B-B-But w-what if he c-changed?” Frowning, Kai shook her head as her hand moved to hide the man from Claire. “People don’t just change. Sometimes time can do it, but not always. If they can’t change and their just going to hurt others…. then their true monsters. But the twins can see them, not the ones on a wrong path but the real ones that can’t be helped… they can’t hide amongst people anymore.”

Claire grew silent as she felt her whole body trembling at the current conversation. Within hours she had been blindly preaching to Kai… but within seconds she felt her composure cracking along with her resolve. She still believed everyone had a chance if they did something wrong… but now it didn’t exactly seem so black and white either.

She kind of wanted to know what else the man had done… maybe as a last ditch effort to try and defend him… but she already knew it wouldn’t work. Feeling warmth surround her, Claire nuzzled into it as her cheeks began to dry.

“I hate to do this to you… but I think you need more than one example so you don’t just sleep on it and change your mind.” Looking up at Kai pleadingly, the younger girl gave her an indifferent look as she pulled out another man, once again his body taped up.

“I have to restrain the tinies in boxes 2 and 1… they fight each other if I don’t…” She muttered darkly before dropping a bald headed man in front of Claire. “Alright… Byron? Yeah, you’re Byron. I’d notice that cue ball anywhere.” She chuckled before frowning.

“Now, I know you just heard all of that, and what happened to your cellmate so why don’t you try being truthful with me?” The struggling man shared a look of intense hatred for her but didn’t openly curse her out like the other had.

Glancing to Claire clearly confused as to who she was or why she was here, he scowled. “If I tell, you won’t kill me?” Crossing her heart, Kai smirked. “Yeah I won’t off ya, now talk.” Nodding, or doing his best to he turned to Claire before scowling once again.

“I was sentenced to life in prison for vehicular manslaughter. A family of four I think… I wasn’t drunk or anything, just angry…” He muttered bitterly before glaring back at Kai. Cupping her mouth, Claire just shook her head.

He spoke like it was almost second nature. ‘He just openly admitted to killing four people! A family… parents… children?’ growling, she was about to march over to him herself before Kai’s hand nudged her back. “Easy tiger, way ahead of you.”

As her fingers curled around the startled man he soon began to scream. “WHAT THE FUCK, YOU SAID IF I TALKED YOU WOULDN’T DO ANYTHING TO ME!” Chuckling darkly, Kai’s eyes narrowed as she lifted up one of her arms.

“I said I wouldn’t kill you, I never said we wouldn’t *play*.” Shoving the screaming man into her sweaty armpit, she lowered her arm trapping him inside his moist and sweaty prison. Giggling softly at the feelings he was giving her, Kai bit her lip as she tried not to laugh. She loved it when her toys tickled her.

Looking back at Claire, the girl no longer looked mad… well at least not at her actions. Smiling softly, she patted the shrunken workers head as she continued to hide her laughter. “Is my point getting across yet? Are you starting to see the difference?”

Nodding slowly, Claire continued to look away unable to meet her keepers eyes. “Owe! You lousy son of a…” She growled as she lifted her arm up, the man’s limp form still wiggling. Tugging the man currently plastered to her skin off, she tossed him onto the table angrily before dropping the bin in her lap to the floor.

“Damn it that stung!” Looking at her pit at the tiny bite mark the man left, she mumbled something about payback, but beyond that, Claire couldn’t make out the rest. Looking back at Claire now, Kai went quiet as she observed her.

“Lesson one; don’t piss off your jailors. Grab some popcorn, the shows about to begin!” Kai grinned before repositioning herself on her chair. Propping her knees under her so she was sitting on them, she adjusted her jean shorts before looking at the disgruntled man deviously.

“First offense, solitary confinement, second offense, aww, who am I kidding they usually don’t live past this first.” She giggled before grabbing the now squirming man by his feet. Watching Kai closely, Claire looked at her confused before her eyes slowly began to widen as she watched where her hand was going.

‘S-S-She can’t b-be serious?!’ As her hand rested right behind her, Kai blinked for a moment before slapping her forehead. “Ah, I almost forgot!” Tugging the man forward, the brunette gave him a smirk before tapping his head. “Let’s just change that sense of smell up a few notches. How’s that?”

Cringing as she saw the man convulsing immediately, Claire looked away feeling phantom pains in her nose. Opting to watch Kai instead, the shrunken worker eyed her closely as she saw her shaking… it looked to be in excitement, though.

If anything it reminded her of earlier in the day when she was feeding people to that other girl… As Kai’s hand moved behind her, she tugged her jeans open in the rear before thrusting the man inside giddily. Feeling her stomach churn, Claire looked away once more, but no matter how hard she tried… she just kept looking back both with morbid curiosity and… something else.

Positioning the man how she liked, her olive skinned forearm pulled back before she bounced on her knee’s giggling. “That should do it, now we just have to wait.” Blinking a few times, Claire’s head turned involuntarily as she tried to figure out what she meant by that.

Wasn’t his punishment being put back there, to begin with? ‘Does she just plan on leaving him in her u-underwear?’ Hearing a loud gurgle, however, caused the shrunken girl's eyes to widen considerably. “Ahh, there we go, I didn’t think it would take too long. Whenever I sit like this it pushes things along for some reason.” Kai laughed dryly before wiggling her rear.

Hearing the younger girl grunt followed by a loud ripping noise coming from her backside, Claire gawked in silent horror as she watched Kai fart on the shrunken man. ‘D-D-Did s-she really just d-do that?’ She knew Kai was a bit… well gross, but that must have been disgusting for the shrunken man…

Not to mention hell. When she had her senses heightened she was damn near knocked on her ass. But having such a pungent smell as that, at that size… she couldn’t fathom how horrible it must be for him. Hearing a few more quiet farts come out as well, Claire looked back at Kai before frowning.

She looked utterly enthralled by her *payback*. It was probably a good assumption she had practice with this form of torture before. Ripping a final long fart, Kai sighed in relief before reaching her hand back in her pants.

“That is why you don’t piss off your betters. All my little monsters know this already though, but still, from time to time they forget their place. And it’s my job to remind them of it.” Her tone grew dark before she withdrew her hand… but the man wasn’t in it.

“K-K-Kai, aren’t you going to put him back…?” Grinning darkly, Kai gave her rear a light pat before moving off her knee’s to sit back down. “Oh I put him back somewhere. He won’t think of biting me again, well, unless he likes the bitter taste of what’s there…” She chuckled darkly earning a look of utter horror from the brunette.

Cupping her mouth, Claire grit her teeth feeling sick to her stomach. ‘S-She couldn’t have done that… d-does she really mean she put him in her… her…’ Shaking her head, she chose not to think too long on it. She had seen firsthand just how cruel Kai could truly be.

After getting seated how she liked, Kai’s eyes landed on Claire’s shivering form before a smirk made its way to her lips. ‘I guess I did make my point… but now to see the fruits of my labor…’ If the twins wanted her broken, well she could do it but she’d probably be a bit scarred as well after tonight.  But it seemed like her end of their little bet was beginning to fall apart… Maybe for the best, though.

Scowling, she shook her head dismissing any notion that she was wrong about Claire as she hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her jean shorts. Hearing the larger girl grow quiet, Claire looked at Kai concerned before her cheeks instantly went a bright shade of red.

“K-K-Kai?! W-what are you doing!” Looking back at Claire confused, the olive skinned girl shrugged as she hiked down her shorts revealing a pair of sweat stained panties. They might have been white once, but now they were horribly worn in making them a light shade of gray with visible stains all over them.

“What, I’m getting comfortable. It’s been a long day. I’m allowed to take my pants off if I want to.” She shrugged off the question as she kicked away the tight denim apparel. Sighing happily as the fresh air reached her warm nether regions, Kai grinned before she looked back at Claire confused.

“Huh? Why are you hiding your face like that? Geez, it’s almost like your embarrassed that… I’m…” Blinking once, then twice, Kai’s eyes widened before a large grin broke out on her face. “You’re into girls! Oh, it all makes sense now! That’s why the twins took such a liking to you.” Kai laughed happily as the much smaller girl continued to hide her crimson features.

Eeping in surprise as a pair of fingers wrapped around her, Claire had little time to react as Kai tossed her down between her legs, an ear to ear smile in place as she watched the shocked girl trying desperately to look anywhere else.

“Aww you’re so cute when you’re blushing like that, look at that embarrassed little face.” Kai cooed as she poked Claire repeatedly making the already small girl feel much smaller by her jests. “Why didn’t you tell me you liked us? I would have let you ride somewhere else instead~” She stuck out her tongue suggestively before frowning.

“Are you really that embarrassed?” From the moment she set her between her legs the tiny brunette had done nothing but shield her eyes from the sight in front of her. “Y-Y-Yes! Why aren’t you?” Tapping her lips in thought, Kai shrugged before adjusting her panties a bit.

“Hey, girl, boy, it doesn’t matter to me. If you’re tiny and unwilling… or possibly in your case willing, you’re alright with me.” She grinned. “I’ve never understood the twins fancy with just girls. It’s like you’re eating a meal, but leaving half off just because it looks different.” She shrugged once more before scowling.

“Come on, take a look. I know now you like this. So are you a pervert into little girls? Hmm?” growling now, Kai moved her hands around Claire’s arms before pulling them away. “Look!” whimpering, Claire slowly opened her eyes as she cheeks darkened considerably more.

“Ha, I knew it. I knew there had to be something wrong with you. An adult is an adult. You’re a pervert.” Kai whispered victoriously as Claire looked up at her pleadingly. “N-N-No I’m not!” Scoffing, the larger girl moved her hand around Claire before shoving her forward.

“Yea right, now who’s lying? You’re practically drooling, don’t try to hide it!” She hissed before crossing her arms. She couldn’t believe it. She had almost thought Claire was an exception to her beliefs. But all along she was just hiding it.

Well, at least now she had an answer for the twins when they asked her yes or no about her. She had just made this decision a lot easier. Glancing back at the shivering girl, Kai smirked wanting to milk this out as long as she could.

“Now, now, there’s no need to lie to me after I’ve been nothing but truthful to you. Let’s make another deal. You admit you’re a pervert into little girls, and I’ll let you play in here~” she purred as one of her hands moved down to her panties, tugging them aside partially.

Freezing up, Claire clenched her teeth before glaring up at Kai. “I-I-I’m not lying! I’m not a pervert, just into little girls!”, “so you admit then you do like us?”, “N-N-NO THAT’S NOT WHAT I SAID!” Growling, she shook her head angrily.

Kai was a silver-tongued deviant. She could twist and contort anything she could possibly say. Hell, she made her all but openly accept murder as justifiable. What chance did she have against her? It just wasn’t true, though…

The twins… she wasn’t going to lie, she felt something towards them in a strange way… but that didn’t make her a pervert. She didn’t openly see everyone like that. She rarely ever did before Sophia and Alexis even came into her life.

No, she wasn’t going to budge on this. She knew who she was, even if Kai didn’t. Glaring up at Kai once more, with enough conviction to surprise even her, Claire shook her head. “I am not, a pervert…” Gritting her teeth, Kai reached for Claire about to force her to admit it in the same way she had forced her other tinies to spill their guts to her, before something unexpected happened…

As the doorknob to the room jiggled, the wooden entry was shoved open as a woman stepped into the room, a look of pure and unhidden disgust prominent of her features as she stared over the room, and eventually on Kai.

“Still living in your own filth I see, I guess some things will never change Kaia…” Claire gawked quietly as she stared up at the new arrival. Her tone was full of condescension, almost like she was talking to a pet instead of another person…

Looking over her features, the brunette scrunched her eyes as she tried to figure out where she had seen her before. She had long brown hair similar to Kai’s, but it was flowing down her back instead of cut off short.

She wore a small mini-dress with a very formal look to it, almost like some type of uniform actually. But what finally struck a chord with her memory, was her eyes, her dark brown eyes. They looked full of resentment and indignation … it was like she hated the person she was looking at…

Shaking her head, Claire looked up at Kai confused. ‘This was the girl I saw in the photo’s downstairs…’ But she looked a lot older now, maybe in her late teens if she had to take a shot in the dark. Hearing a light scraping sound behind her, Claire looked back before recoiling in shock as she saw the younger girl’s nails digging into her desk, her teeth bared angrily as she stared up at the woman before them.

“What, the hell, are you doing here Kala! G-Get out of my room!” Scoffing, the older girl stepped into the bedroom, ignoring the younger brunette’s angry tone as she looked the place over. “You forget your place. This was once my room too. It’s such a shame father gave it to you, though. You’ve tainted it with your very presence. I bet Mom and Dad wish they could take it back, but, wishes won’t get you far in this world now will they…?” She chuckled quietly before looking back at Kai, the smaller girl shrinking just from the powerful gaze she held over her.

“I’m honestly surprised there isn’t a lock on the door, though, the outside I mean. Imagining you running around the house, it’s disgusting.” She hissed before slamming her hand on the desk. “Not to mention going near our poor, defenseless baby sister. Oh, mom told me all about that. That’s probably one of the reasons they asked me to come back from campus today, a waste of time if you ask me, but, unlike you, I’m actually the good child who listens.” She smirked.

As Claire watched the one-sided argument in front of her, her eyes went back and forth in disbelief. One for the fact the woman know known as Kala was indeed Kai’s sister, two, the fact she was so… virulent towards her… and three, and most likely the most prominent one… the fact Kai was just taking this.

Looking back at the younger girl, Claire couldn’t believe her eyes. She, she was shaking… but it didn’t look like anger… it was like she was being mercilessly beaten by her sister's words. She hadn’t known the girl for long, but even so, she could tell the brunette was a fighter. She didn’t let her anger or her emotions get to her, but she was just sitting there, in utter and painful silence as her sister circled her… like some type of prey…

“Listen here Kaia because I don’t want to take one more step in this retched filth you call a room again. Do not go near my little sister again. She’s the only real one I have.” Stepping back to the door, the older brunette sent another look to Kai before shaking her head.

“I don’t know why father didn’t just ship you somewhere else… you’re not worth their time.” Shutting, err, slamming the door… Claire continued to watch in sheer revulsion at what she had just been witness to. Slowly her attention turned back to Kai… but she didn’t see her anymore.

Sitting in the same place, the brunette shook in silence as her fingers clenched into her trembling fists. “K-K-Kai…?” Blinking, the younger girl’s attention slowly turned away from where her sister had just been to the now worried shrunken girl before her.

“T-T-That, that was unexpected… heh, I-I guess she’s back f-for tonight then…” Kai laughed dryly as she continued to shake. “K-Kai, are you alright…?” Gritting her teeth, the olive skinned girl, put up a forced smile before nodding.

“N-Never b-better…” Claire eyes slowly widened now as she watched the trembling slowly cease only to be replaced with tears now. “K-K-Kai! Talk to me, what, what was that!” She waved to the door frantically, but the only response she received was a forced, throaty gurgle she could only assume was a vain attempt to laugh.

“I-Its nothing… t-that’s just Kala… M-My… My s-sis… s-s-sis…” Kai croaked before steady streams of tears began to fall. Cupping her face, Kai’s head moved backward as she tried to stop the onslaught of emotions that began to come out.

“D-D-Damn it… Damn it, damn it, damn it, DAMN IT! Why… w-why did she have to come here today!” Slamming her fist onto the table, enough to make the whole desk creak as well, Kai shook her head. “K-Kai… please tell me what’s wrong… t-that can’t be your sister… r-right…?”

Raising her head, the younger brunette directed her angry gaze to Claire before wiping away her tears. “I-I’m fine! There’s nothing to tell.” She grunted out angrily before crossing her arms, her lower lip trembling as she began to shake once more.

Scowling, Claire shook her head before moving to the other end of the desk. “Kai, don’t lie, it’s obvious what your sister said hurt you, talk… t-to… me…?” the shrunken girl soon grew quiet in her words as she saw Kai’s dark expressionless eyes land on her now.

“I’m, not, lying!” She hissed through gritted teeth before slamming her hands on either side of Claire, making the much smaller girl shrink from the enraged look being directed at her. “There is nothing to talk about, especially not to you. You can stop acting, stop hiding it. I know what you are now, so don’t pretend to care about me, or anything going on with me!” She barked angrily but was only met with a worried look from the smaller girl.

“THAT! DON’T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT! I-I-I DON’T NEED YOUR HELP, A-AND I DON’T WANT YOU ACTING-“ “I’m not!” Kai’s eyes widened slightly as Claire’s tiny form shouted back at her. “Get whatever notion you have of me out of your head Kaia! I’m not some monster who cares for no one else but myself. I am worried. I am sad. I am hurting, especially after what I just saw! So stop saying I don’t care about you. I care about everyone I see. Especially… especially someone in as much pain as you are…”

Claire whispered the last part of her sentence as she felt her sadness beginning to rise. The look she was being given… it hurt her. This wasn’t the tomboy, fighter she had spent the last day with…. This was a defeated little girl who didn’t care anymore. It wasn’t who Kai was.

Still shaking in anger, Kai clenched her desk before raising a hand over Claire. “B-B-Big talk from a bug. Y-Y-You just care about changing back! The moment the twins do, that’s when you’ll run away. You don’t care about any of us! Not Kat, not May, not Me, or them! S-So stop saying you care, I know you don’t!”

As her hand rose over her, Claire had little time to react as the younger girl’s finger tapped her head. As her vision grew foggy, Claire groined in pain before rubbing the spot she had been poked. “T-T-There! You're big again, now go away! Just leave me alone…”

Blinking a few times, Claire’s eyes widened as she stared around the room… or more specifically, herself in comparison. Lifting her hands up slowly, her body began to tremble as she saw the size difference around her. “I-I-I’m… I’m tall again…?” She was back to normal.

Looking up in front of her, Kai stood over her, her teeth still bared as she glared at her. “J-Just leave my house and don’t come back… The twins are wrong about you… you’re not special, you’re not the one they talked about… your j-just a lie… you can’t be real. S-So show me your true colors, and run away!” She screamed before growing stiff as a pair of arms wrapped around her tightly.

“Never…” Sniffling softly, Claire smiled warmly as she embraced a now completely frozen Kai. Looking up at Claire in disbelief her shock was soon replaced with tears as fresh ones sprang free from her eyes. “N-N-No… Y-You can’t c-c-care… Y-You don’t e-even know m-m-me…” She stuttered out still in shock as she felt herself pulled tighter into the hug.

Pulling her face back so she could meet Kai’s eyes, Claire smiled warmly as she wiped her tears away. “It wouldn’t matter if I knew you for years or just a few seconds. If I see someone in pain, I want to be there to comfort them, just like you are now.” She whispered as she continued to hold the girl close.

Hearing a faint cracking noise however, Claire looked back at Kai before her eyes widened. Slowly the girl began to shatter before she fell away… along with the room surrounding her. Shivering at the sight, Claire looked around in disbelief and in turn at Kai once more… only; she was bigger than her now.

‘N-N-No… I-It can’t have been an illusion… I-it felt too real?!’ She could feel Kai’s wet tears still staining her fingers. Looking back up at Kai slowly, the younger girl’s mouth was cupped as she continued to cry. “Y-Y-You… You really, really do care, d-don’t you…?” She choked out in silence before the smaller girl nodded her head.

“B-But not even m-my family cares a-about me… W-W-Why… Why!” She cried out still in dismay from the shrunken worker's actions. Slowly rising to her feet, Claire smiled as warm a smile as she could before opening her arms.

“Because, you needed me to.” Eeping in surprise as a hand grabbed her faster then she could see it, the shrunken girl had little time to react as she was pulled into Kai’s dirtied white tee. “I-It’s not t-t-true… I-It can’t be… y-you’re an adult… N-No, it just c-c-can’t be…” She continued to weep quietly as she cradled Claire in bewilderment.

Smiling softly as the much larger girl continued to mutter inconstancy’s as she cried, Claire hugged her back as she waited for her to calm down. It seemed she finally got through to her in the end… but it would take time for her to understand why…

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Grunting in discomfort, Claire tried to adjust herself as best she could but it didn’t help. She had been lying on Kai’s stomach for over two hours now as the girl gripped her tightly. Every time she tried to move however it seemed the death hug only worsened. After the tenth time of trying to escape, she just accepted it and let Kai be.

Looking up at the younger girl’s expressionless face as she gazed up at her ceiling, the brunette sighed. “Kai… please speak to me… I’m really worried now…” Noticing her lips twitch upwards if only for a second, she sighed once more.

She had somehow put the girl into shock with her actions. Had she really been pushed so far that at the first sign of empathy she shut her emotions off entirely? “Do you think people can change if they become something they didn’t use to be, change back I mean…”

Blinking, Claire craned her head as she heard the first sentence Kai had said since she had first flopped onto her bed with her. “U-U-Uh… w-well I guess so…?” She muttered quietly as she saw the younger girls face shifting back and forth.

“Kala was once my best friend…” Looking up at Kai inscrutable now, Claire shook her head. ‘How could she call her s-sister a friend after everything she just said to her?!’ Glancing down slowly, Kai looked at Claire’s disbelieving expression before she slowly began to smile.

“I-It’s true… we used to play together on the beaches of Waipahu every day… It was great.” She smiled cheerfully before it slowly began to fade. “B-But after we moved here… my parents set up a monarchy… whatever they say goes… including Kala.”

Seeing tears forming in her eyes again, Claire’s heart sank. “She was always so free spirited… more than I ever was. But, they broke her… When she turned thirteen they sent her to a boarding school, the one they’re going to try and send me to as well. It changed her…” Kai whispered quietly before gripping Claire tighter.

“Her spirit died there, and what came back, it wasn’t my sister anymore. She’s cold, calculated, composed, and inline. She’s the perfect little robot mom and dad always wanted…” Kai spat venomously before shaking her head.

“I just can’t believe I was almost like that too before Sophia and Alexis found me…” Feeling a light tugging on her shirt, Kai looked down before noticing Claire trying to get out of her grasp. Lifting her palm up in surprise, she watched as the shrunken girl breathed in relief. She hadn’t even realized she was holding her still.

After taking a minute to catch her breath, Claire sighed. “I’m sorry Kai… I know that must have been painful. Your sister-“, “That thing isn’t my sister!” she barked before her expression softened seeing the smaller girl flinch from her words.

“Not anymore… The only family I have is little Kari. And I’ll be damned if I let either of my parents corrupt her when she grows up. If they think sending Kala to confront me was going to do anything, they have another thing coming to them!” She growled before leaning up slowly, her hand still cradling Claire tenderly, a much better feeling than the suffocating one from before.

“I’ll make sure when she grows up she can do what she wants, and mom and dad won’t control her like they do Kala, I promised that to her when she was born…” Looking down, Kai smiled as she saw Claire’s hand gently stroking hers.

“You really do care about us… don’t you?” Nodding, Claire smiled back as she was gently held by the olive skinned girl. “I told you I wasn’t lying to you. I’m not a monster, I’m not a pervert!” She said louder on the last part. “And I’m not a liar. I’ll always be around to help when it’s needed.”

Shaking her head, Kai sighed. “You’re more kid then adult then. But, that’s not a bad thing.” She smirked before flopping back on her bed. “So what now…?” Furrowing her brow, the larger child thought it over for a moment before shrugging.

“You got me. My whole plan was to expose you for the monster you really were… guess I lost my bet with the twins.”, “You bet with them I was some kind of monster!” Smiling, Kai nodded. “I’m never going to hear the end of this…”

Scowling, Claire soon began to smile. “I think you owe me something then.” Blinking in confusion, the olive skinned Hawaiian looked back at Claire in surprise as her brow rose. “Oh? And why is that.” Crossing her arms, Claire smirked. “You lost a bet, and since the twins aren’t here to collect, it falls on me to do so. You know how bets work.”

Looking down at her surprised, Kai soon laughed loudly before shaking her head in disbelief. “Damn, I try to make you bet with me all day and this is when you finally win something… Geez… Well fine, a bets a bet. What do you want?”

Crawling up Kai, Claire grinned as she planted herself down on her shoulder. “I want you to talk with me for the rest of the night. Tell me everything about yourself and your life. I want to know more.” Feeling her mouth beginning to hang agape, Kai fell silent before her lips began to twitch upwards.

“A-A deals a deal… you win.” Smiling, Claire went on to ask everything she wanted to know, she had plenty of questions, and it seemed like Kai was more than happy to have finally found someone who cared enough to talk to as well…