"It seems there is some tension between you two."

Annabelle shot Bitsy a pointed look before rolling her eyes. Leah was similarly silent as she sipped her tea. Her green eyes remained on her teacup. The warm natural light of the sunroom couldn't defrost the room's cold atmosphere. 

Leah had returned to the bedroom hours after Annabelle had refused to wear the cursed collar. Byte had not left even a scrap of evidence, and Annabelle's face had healed before the giantess returned. Toe Jam had also remained unconscious even after Leah had scooped her up and sent her off with a servant to who knows where. Thankfully, the blonde Shrinkee had no memories of the long-haired boy who'd rendered her unconscious. 

Leah's frosty demeanor had persisted for the rest of the night and up until the morning when she'd announced that Bitsy and Steven were on their way over. 

Annabelle had matched Leah's energy, giving her the silent treatment unless she was directly spoken to. 

After Bitsy and Steven had arrived, Leah set them up in the sunroom and sent the Shrinkees' giants on a tour in the gardens.

The Type 0s had begun their usual spiel about the wonders of being a super Shrinkee, but they must've noticed Annabelle and Leah's disgruntled energy, because they soon grew silent before Bitsy blurted out the elephant in the room.

Annabelle wrapped her arms around herself and lowered her gaze to the table's surface. 

"Can you please just tell me how to get rid of my nightmares?" Annabelle grumbled.

Steven and Bitsy exchanged expressions that Annabelle couldn't quite read. Steven cleared his throat and gestured for Annabelle to sit down. 

Annabelle huffed, but followed his orders. Although he was acting as a double agent, Steven never broke character, which meant he was just as much a menace during their "sessions" as Bitsy. 

The two Type 0s sat across from her with matching wide Type 0 zombie smiles.

"Tell us about your dreams, Poppy," Bitsy chirped.

Annabelle grimaced and glanced at Leah. "Does she have to be here?" Annabelle muttered. 

The giantess must've somehow heard her, because her face darkened. The Shrinkee was fully prepared to receive another lecture about how she owned her thoughts, but Leah surprised Annabelle by remaining silent. She just continued to quietly drink her tea.

"Ms. Leah is one of your owners, Poppy," Steven chastised, "There is nothing a Type 0 keeps from their owner." 

Bitsy nodded along enthusiastically. 

Annabelle gripped her arms tighter. She knew she would have to divulge some things during the session if she wanted to talk to Steven, but rehashing her nightmares in front of Leah wasn't in her plan.

Bitsy encouraged her in her thick accent, "Come on Poppy, you can do it! Once you start, you will feel so much better."

Annabelle swallowed a sigh. "Fine," she relented. She kept her gaze on her hands in her lap. She considered exactly how much she wanted to tell them. 

"In my nightmares...I'm not myself. I mean I'm myself, but I'm also watching another version of myself do things that...that I wouldn't," she stumbled through her explanation.

Thankfully, it looked as though the Type 0s immediately understood. 

Bitsy beamed at her. "That is a good thing!" She chirped. 

"It really isn't," Annabelle sighed. 

"Poppy," Steven said with his trademark Zombie smile, "You need to understand that those nightmares are only happening because you are denying your true identity."

Annabelle resisted from rolling her eyes. "So I've heard," she grumbled. She sighed again, "So I'm guessing your advice is to just imprint?"

The Shrinkees were quiet for a moment, only looking at her with those smiles that creeped her out. Annabelle shuddered. Steven was a good actor.

Bitsy was the first to break the silence. "Poppy, do you not think Ms. Leah is capable of protecting you?"

Annabelle inwardly grimaced. Leah and the other giantesses were what she needed protection from. She couldn't say that without putting the Type 0s and their giants in danger, so instead she said, "No, I think she can protect me." 

Annabelle couldn't help but peek at Leah. The Shrinkee furrowed her brow when she saw the giantess stare down at her tea cup with a grimace.

Annabelle didn't get a chance to even wonder what the giantess was thinking because Bitsy offered her a new challenge, "Poppy, list all the ways Ms. Leah protects you."

Annabelle's patience was running thin. All she wanted to do was talk to Steven—normal non-Zombie Steven. She didn't want to play their games.

Though Annabelle was shocked when it was Leah who ended the game before it had a chance to start. The giantess suddenly placed her teacup onto the table. Its loud clattering made the Shrinkees flinch.

Leah's face was stone. "Let's end it here," she abruptly announced. 

Annabelle blinked. Even Bitsy and Steven seemed surprised. Annabelle jumped as Leah stood up, pushing her chair back. Her huge shadow cast over the table. 

She lowered her gaze towards the Shrinkees, but she looked everywhere but Annabelle's eyes. 

Leah said, "You guys can take a nap in Poppy's room while your owners continue the tour."

She placed her hands onto the table. Steven and Bitsy climbed into Leah's palms, but not before exchanging hesitant expressions. Annabelle also followed onto Leah's palm, but her eyes were locked onto the giantess. She couldn't tell what she was thinking, but the giantess' somber demeanor was causing the back of Annabelle's brain to itch.

The giantess lifted them up and began to walk. She was impressively graceful for holding three Shrinkees at the same time. The Type 0s hardly moved with her gigantic steps. 

As Leah walked, Annabelle found herself continuously stealing glances at the giantess. With each glance the itch grew. 

REDEEM YOURSELF AS OUR GODDESS' PET. WASH AWAY THE SADDNESS THAT PLAGUES OUR GODDESS.

Annabelle began chewing her thumbnail. As usual, Poppy was a pain in her ass, but she would've been lying if she said Leah's obviously dark mood wasn't bothering her.

Her eyes flickered away from Leah. They landed on Steven. He looked at her curiously. She quickly turned from him, embarrassed that he'd caught her staring at her captor. 

Annabelle pulled her thumb from her mouth and clenched her fists. She needed to focus. Fuck Leah and her feelings—she had herself to worry about.

Annabelle pushed all thoughts of the giantess aside. 

The only thing she would concern herself with would be stopping the imprinting process. 

Leah and her silent treatment were non-starters for her.

----

"I think something's up with Leah. Did she say anything to you when you first came over?" Annabelle whispered in the darkness of the giantess' bedroom. Apparently the itchy sensation when she thought of Leah wasn't something she could just ignore.

Annabelle sat on Snooty the Bear's leg, leaning forward so Steven, who sat across her, could hear her. 

Bitsy, ever the deep sleeper, was passed out on the panty bed on the other side of the cage.

Steven furrowed his brow. "No, she was pretty quiet. Did something happen?"

Annabelle lowered her eyes to the sock-comprised carpet. "Yeah, we had a...disagreement, but I don't think she's acting like this because of that," Annabelle muttered.

"What was your disagreement about?"

"She—" Annabelle gripped Snooty's fur in-between her fingers, "—she wanted to collar me."

If Steven was surprised by Annabelle's admission he didn't show it. His light brown eyes stayed on her face for an uncomfortably long time.

"And you didn't let her?"

Annabelle's eyes widened. "Of course not!" She hissed. "Steven, I'm not an animal," she said, whispering harshly. 

Steven didn't say anything to that, which made Annabelle bristle. She wished the Shrinkee would be as indignant as her, but he seemed to perfectly content about their positions as pets.

"Hey kid, are your owners a part of the mafia?"

Annabelle blinked. She was so surprised by the question that didn't even correct him when he called the giantesses her owners.

"What?"

"You know what? Never mind. It's better if I don't know. It's just with the private roads, the comically large men in suits, and the money...you know it kind of reads as...well you know," Steven noted.

Annabelle didn't respond right away. His analysis made sense. The BSA had criminal organization written all over it—at least from her perspective. Though she'd prefer it if they were simply a part of the mafia.

"What did you think they were before?" Annabelle inquired. 

Steven answered, "Honestly? Just a bunch of rich girls with too much money, worried about their friend."

Annabelle froze. "Friend?" She breathed.

Steven leaned back a bit, stretching his legs. "Yeah, they didn't say too much about your situation, but they implied that you were their roommate or something," he said.

Annabelle's heart pounded. Her face contorted with disgust. 

Steven slowly sat back up. He looked at her curiously, "I'm guessing that's not the case?"

Annabelle jumped to her feet. She shook her head. "No—It doesn't matter. None of this matters. This isn't about them." Annabelle sat back down. "We need to focus," she declared. 

Steven took in her determined gaze with a curious look. "What's going on, kid?" He asked.

"I'm imprinting," she said gravely. 

Steven was quiet for a moment before he asked, "On who?"

Annabelle ran her hands through her hair. "I don't know, all of them? It happens so randomly too, I don't even know what causes it," Annabelle said in an urgent whisper.

Steven held up his hands, "Whoa whoa, kid. Slow down. Walk me through it."

Annabelle took a deep breath. "All I know is that I'll be around one of them and suddenly I start feeling...weird," she said.

"Weird?"

Annabelle hesitated. "I can't explain it," she lied. There was no way she could tell him that she'd felt more peace than she ever had when she was imprinting. It was one thing to feel drawn to the giantesses, but  another to give herself over to them completely.  

"Try," Steven suggested. 

Annabelle sighed. She shrugged, "I don't know how."

Steven paused, his face contorting with thought. He asked, "Okay, so is what you felt different from when you switch over to 'Poppy'?"

Annabelle considered his question. "Yes," she answered, "For starters, I didn't go away either time—mentally I mean. I was still conscious and I remember everything."

"So it wasn't a full imprinting?" Steven inquired. 

Annabelle frowned, "I don't know. I didn't feel like Poppy. I didn't even hear her voice."

Steven nodded, "Was that better or worse for you?"

Annabelle's face twisted, "What kind of question is that?" 

Unfazed, Steven explained, "When you switch over to Poppy, you seem to act like Bitsy and other Type 0s. What you're describing sounds like something different. Can you tell me more about it?"

Annabelle spat, bitterly, "Does it matter? I'm losing myself either way."

Steven deflated a bit. "I'm sorry kid, it's just I can't help but think that maybe you should just choose the lesser of the two evils," he muttered. 

Annabelle was on her feet again. "I thought you said you were going to help me?" she hissed.

Steven interlocked his fingers and lowered his gaze. His face tightened. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry kid," he repeated, "I am going to help you, but after seeing your owners'...resources I just feel kind of worried. I don't want to get Riley involved in something dangerous. I'm kinda overwhelmed."

"You feel overwhelmed?" Annabelle laughed, "I'm so sorry this is so hard for you. I didn't think what a difficult experience this must be for you."

"Okay, I said I'm sorry," he relented. He paused before admitting, "Kid, I'm going to be honest. I don't know how much time you have left. I have no idea how long it takes to imprint. It's not like I meet a lot of us. Bitsy is the only Type 0 I've ever spoken to and she is really only chatty about her master."

Annabelle stared at him, resolute, "I need a solution now. Imprinting is not an option." Annabelle couldn't be the BSA's willing pawn.

Steven grunted, "There's not really a fast-track for this sort of thing."

"Make one."

Steven inhaled deeply and sighed. He shook his head and gestured for Annabelle to sit back down. The Shrinkee complied.

His brown eyes gleamed with intensity in the room's darkness. "You're not going to like this," he stated.

Annabelle nodded, determined. 

"You need to tell your story. Out loud. In one sitting," he revealed.

Annabelle's insides twisted. She clenched her fists. She opened her mouth, but her words died in her dry throat. 

"You need to rip the band-aid off. You obviously are dealing with a lot of shit, kid, and it's messing with your head. Remember I said that you're going to need to love yourself in order to stop the imprinting process, but if you're still stuck on whatever happened in the past, you're not going to be able to stop anything," he explained. 

Annabelle knew he was right. But that didn't make hearing it any easier. She'd been determined to leave her past in the past. It was the only way she knew how to survive. She couldn't even imagine thinking about her childhood—let alone speaking about it out loud.

Annabelle's face must've betrayed her reluctance, because Steven stated, "Kid, I don't know how else to help you. I know you've been working hard, but drastic times call for drastic measures. You don't have the luxury of taking it slow anymore."

Annabelle wrapped her arms around herself. "I know that," she muttered. She forced the beginnings of an unwanted memory out of her mind. Tears clouded her vision of the dark room. Her fingernails dug into her arms to stop her eyes from leaking.

Steven's face was shrouded in pity and the tiniest bit of guilt. His muscles unclenched. There was a strange yearning in his expression that gave Annabelle pause.

The gigantic door knob to Leah's bedroom began to turn, startling both Annabelle and Steven. They both shot up to their feet. 

Steven quickly turned to Annabelle, "Listen kid, the next time we meet, you're going to have to tell me everything—and I mean everything. If you don't then there's nothing I can do for you."

Annabelle flinched at both his words and intensity. He started to rush over to the bed when Annabelle grabbed his arm. 

"But what about before then? What do I do if I feel another episode coming on?" She squeaked.

The pity in Steven's face only intensified at her question. He said absolutely nothing. Steven turned from her and jogged over to the bed. Annabelle stood in the middle of the cage, frozen with despair.

She would need to speak of her trauma out loud.

It was a new goal, but she was as likely to reach it as she was to escape from the giantesses. 

--

"Poppy, I want to show you something."

Annabelle flinched from the sound of Leah's voice. The giantess had not said a single word to her after Steven and Bitsy had left the premises. 

Once the Type 0s were gone, Leah had returned to her bedroom. The giantess collapsed onto her bed and stared at ceiling in silence for a disturbingly long time.

Annabelle had ignored the giantess for as long as she could, but found herself stealing glances at her enormous form. 

When Leah finally spoke, although Annabelle had been looking at her, she had to bite down on her tongue to keep from yelping.

The raven-haired giantess shifted her gigantic body to her side. The Shrinkee was still as a stone as Leah rose from her bed. Her powerful footfalls sent trembles through Annabelle's shrunken body. Leah didn't wait for an answer from Annabelle.

Leah unlocked the cage door and wrapped her massive fingers around the Shrinkee. Annabelle's entire body stiffened. Cinnamon tickled the insides of her nose. 

Leah pulled Annabelle from the cage and air rushed past the Shrinkee's ears. Annabelle panicked while engulfed in Leah's hand. She still had no idea how to protect herself from potential imprinting episodes. 

Silently, the giantess carried her throughout the house. It was difficult to see anything while gripped by her massive fingers, but Annabelle could see Leah was headed for the gardens. 

The giantess continued outside and Annabelle instinctively withdrew from the vast unshrunken world. Yet the sun beamed brightly, illuminating the gardens around her and piquing Annabelle's curiosity. 

Hedges burst with color from the flowers that adorned them. At three inches tall, the Shrinkee was often impacted by the world's intense and overwhelming mechanisms, but Annabelle didn't mind the mesmerizing spell the garden's scents and colors had cast on her.

Leah walked along the fancy stone pavement that lead into what looked like a hedge maze. The giantess seemed to know where she was going. Leah didn't stumble as she walked through the twists and turns of the magnificent garden.

The walkway gave way to the center of the maze. Annabelle's amazement for the rest of the garden dwindled away when she took in the scene. As vibrant and magical the garden had seemed, it drastically paled in comparison to the center of the garden maze. 

Hauntingly beautiful purple flowers forced the attention of the Shrinkee. They covered every inch of the hedges, and burst from the bushes that were planted across the wide area. But it was the center of the space that demanded Annabelle's gaze. A striking marble fountain decorated the middle of the area. It gave off an air of opulence and a strange calmness.  

Leah's steps slowed. She approached the fountain, her grip lessening against Annabelle's body. The giantess stopped in front of the fountain. It's running water was delicate enough that it didn't deafen her completely. 

Leah's fingers uncurled. She gently sat Annabelle in the middle of her palm. The giantess lowered her until she was directly in front of the fountain's base. A golden plaque shined, grabbing Annabelle's eyes. The Shrinkee read its engravings. 

THE PUREST WATER DOES NOT STAND STILL—IT MOVES WHERE IT WANTS—WITHOUT HESITATION—ELEANOR WINDSOR

Annabelle stared at the name etched in the plaque, realization trickling into her brain.  

"I don't remember much as I would like to about my mother, but I do remember she used to repeat this often."

Annabelle glanced up at Leah. Her eyes were set to the plaque. Her voice was quiet, but even. Annabelle shifted uncomfortably in Leah's palm. She wished Leah would've stayed mute in her bed. She didn't want to know any more about the giantess or her family. Leah, of course, had other plans. 

"These are bellflowers. They were her favorite," Leah said, speaking of the purple beauties that surrounded them. The giantess rose to her feet and sat on a bench behind the fountain. 

Leah's gigantic fingernail lifted Annabelle's chin so the Shrinkee was forced to look up at the huge co-ed. The backdrop of flowers only heightened Leah's beauty. It made it uncomfortable to look at her.

"She liked pretty things," Leah noted. The massive finger nail under Annabelle's chin began moving back and forth, scratching her. "She would've liked you," Leah said, a small smile finally appearing on her lips.

Annabelle kept her mouth shut. It was too much. The fantastical garden, the peaceful trickling of the fountain, Leah's melodic voice. It was too fucking much. She knew if she engaged in the conversation then her having another imprinting episode would be very likely. 

But Leah was forcing her to stare up at her perfect face and take in every word she was saying. Annabelle had to fight back, or she would be at risk of losing herself.

The Shrinkee took a deep breath. She asked the giantess, "Why did you send Steven and Bitsy away so early?"

Leah stopped scratching. The grim expression she had during the Type 0's visit returned to her face. It was gone when Annabelle blinked. Seemingly ignoring the Shrinkee completely, Leah continued. 

"My mother got a lot of pushback from marrying my father, but she still fought for what she wanted," Leah said.

"Why?" 

Annabelle cursed herself. The question had just come out before she could stop herself from asking. Leah's eyes gleamed at Annabelle's curiosity. 

"Why what, Poppy?" Leah asked, with the slightest of smiles.

Annabelle gulped. She couldn't unask her question. "Why was your mother not supposed to marry the governor?" She clarified. 

Leah peered down at Annabelle, her green eyes were more piercing than usual. 

"My mother was a very important person, from a very important family, and although my father comes from a respectable family, my mother's family didn't think he met their standards," she explained. 

Annabelle blinked. She wondered what kind of family Leah's mother was from that they weren't impressed with the governor's wealth and charisma. Annabelle hated the man, but there was a reason he was one of their nation's most successful politicians.

She doubted they had been able to see his true rotten personality. Though the Shrinkee wasn't so sure they would've cared if they had. The quote about purity from Leah's mother didn't exactly give Annabelle the sense that she would've been Shrinkee friendly. 

Leah continued, "Still, my mother ignored their disapproval and married my father. They fought for each other—like how I fight for you."

Irritation poked at Annabelle. She saw right through the giantess. She'd taken her to a beautiful garden where she revealed a smidgen of her personal history to her just enough to make Annabelle feel sympathetic and special. 

She was so calculating. 

IS THAT NOT IN ITSELF ADMIRABLE? OUR GODDESS LOVES US SO MUCH THAT SHE CREATED THE PERFECT SITUATION FOR US TO IMPRINT. IT IS COMMENDABLE.

"No it isn't," Annabelle snarled. Once again, she'd spoken before she'd been able to stop her mouth from moving. 

Leah's hand tensed underneath her. The giantess raised an eyebrow. 

"What isn't Poppy?" Leah questioned. 

Annabelle's gaze lowered from the enormous co-ed. The Shrinkee couldn't bring herself to look her in the eye. She was beyond intimidating. 

"Nothing," Annabelle squeaked, "I-I was just talking to myself."

"Poppy," Leah stated simply, the threat in her voice.

Annabelle gripped her wrists. She wrung them anxiously. "I was just thinking that this whole thing is a little..." she trailed off, not knowing how Leah would react. 

"A little what?" Leah asked, her voice low.

"It's just...I know how you want me to react and I just can't give it to you," Annabelle said.

Leah's green eyes narrowed at Annabelle. "What do you mean 'how I want you to react'? I'm just telling you about my mother, Poppy. I know the thought of sharing past experiences is foreign to you, but I truly wanted to reveal a bit of who I am," Leah snarked. 

The irritation that poked Annabelle before became more intense. Annabelle bit her tongue before she escalated the situation.  

She felt Leah's hand grow warmer. 

"What?" The giantess snapped. 

Annabelle was frightened of the giantess' irritable mood, but her own anger quickly swallowed her fear. Still, she didn't want to drag the situation on. 

The Shrinkee folded her arms and looked off at the distant flowers. "Nothing Goddess," she mumbled.

Annabelle was certain Leah's irritability would skyrocket. The Shrinkee was shocked when the anger melted from the giantess' features. A visible solemnness took hold of the co-ed. Her voice was strained as she spoke.

"I understand why you're acting like this," Leah whispered, "I deserve this."

Annabelle's blood pressure shot up. Her arms unfolded and her stomach dropped. It was bad. Her heart began racing at Leah's words. She didn't know what it was about the giantesses, but one pitiful look had the Shrinkee in pieces. 

"What are you talking about, Goddess?" Annabelle demanded. Leah's lip quivered. The itchy sensation in the back of Annabelle's brain was going crazy.  

Once again, Leah made the same dark expression she had when Bitsy and Steven were there earlier. The giantess took a deep breath and calmed herself.

She revealed, "I couldn't protect you."

Annabelle furrowed her brow. Of all the things she thought the giantess would be upset by, that hadn't entered her mind.

"What?" She questioned.

"Poppy just think about it," Leah said quietly. "That Neanderthal was able to get into our house and..." Annabelle felt Leah's hand tremble with disgust. 

Annabelle frowned, "Are you talking about Bennet? Goddess, I'm fine." The Shrinkee was at a loss as to why she was trying to comfort the monster, but the relentless itching in the back of her head was going crazy when she looked at the sadness in Leah's eyes.

The giantess shook her head, "It's my fault. Harper kept checking on you throughout the night with the camera, and I told her to put it away. I was so certain you were safe. I thought our men wouldn't let anything happen to you...Poppy when I walked in the house and saw Bennet sitting on our couch, I truly felt afraid. I can't even remember the last time I felt a emotion like that. When the incident happened with the locket and your stepsister, I was more anxious of the fact that our parents would have to get involved if she saw you. But with Bennet...it was like a nightmare when he pulled you out. Everything he did to you was my fault," Leah confessed. 

Annabelle was stiff with conflicting emotions. It was all she could do to stop herself from wrapping her arms around the gigantic co-ed's thumb and start consoling her. 

She was a monster. Annabelle had to keep reminding herself. Leah was a monster.

The giantess didn't stop, "Then there was Briggs. I didn't even suspect that the wine was tampered with, and then when I woke up and you were gone..." Leah shuddered. "You keep making me so fearful, Poppy," Leah whispered. 

Annabelle swallowed, choosing her words carefully. "I-I'm not doing it on purpose, Goddess," she said.

Leah's eyes widened. Annabelle flinched. It was rare to see her so expressive. 

"No Poppy," she said, shaking her head, "That's what I'm attempting to say; this is my fault. I haven't been protecting you." She inhaled sharply, "You told me not to leave you with my father—my instincts said the same thing—yet I trusted his words instead of trusting myself. I failed to protect you. That's why you aren't imprinting on me."

Annabelle wasn't so sure about Leah's logic, but the intense glint in her eyes made it difficult for the Shrinkee to speak.

Leah's open palm slowly transformed into a closed fist. Her slender fingers crept around Annabelle, ensnaring her in an unyielding cinnamon-scented grip. The giantess raised the Shrinkee to her face.

Annabelle wanted to look away, but Leah's massive face was all she could see. Just looking at her was overwhelming. 

With a newfound resoluteness in her features, Leah considered Annabelle. 

"I will make sure I am the only one you ever will want to look at," she promised. Her grip became tighter. "You are mine, Poppy. Mine and mine only. You will understand that there is no one who is as right for you as me."

Annabelle's entire body was tingling with electricity. She attempted to fight it off, but Leah was simply too much. Her voice echoed in Annabelle's head.

The Shrinkee was so disoriented that she almost didn't notice the giantess' massive lips headed straight for her. Annabelle could only whimper as Leah completely smothered her with her plush mouth.

An overwhelming softness engulfed Annabelle. Her head was covered completely. Annabelle's head could only take in the electricity and the cinnamon. She could feel every twitch, every movement of Leah's enormous lips against her. 

"Mine," Leah moaned against Annabelle. The Shrinkee trembled. To her horror, she felt her nether region become wet. 

Annabelle, panicked, futilely tried to push out her arms against the giantess' lips. "N-No," she pleaded. 

Leah continued to press her lips against the Shrinkee. "You're still fighting me," she noted through breaths that blasted warm air against Annabelle's body. 

Annabelle wiggled in Leah's grip, attempting to escape. Her slit was tingling with her fluids. 

The giantess finally pulled her away from her mouth. Annabelle gasped for non-cinnamon scented air. Leah's gigantic face loomed over her. Her eyes were somehow even more determined. 

"All right then. I suppose I need you to see something else."   

--

It was impossible for Annabelle not to take note of the extreme softness of Leah's chest as she sat squarely in the giantess' cleavage. 

Annabelle pinched her arm. She had to remain focused. She'd managed to push away the feelings Leah pulled from her, but every second she was near the giantess was a liability to her sanity. 

The giantess was propped up against her headboard in her bedroom. She rested a photo album against her thighs. Annabelle knew no good could come out of whatever Leah had planned. 

The giantess opened the album to reveal a photo of a younger version of the governor and one of the most beautiful women Annabelle had ever seen. She had long blonde hair and striking green eyes—the same eyes Annabelle had been avoiding throughout the entire day. The couple was dressed to the nines in front of a fancy looking building. 

"These are my parents, Poppy," Leah said, "They met in college and got married before they graduated."

Annabelle looked at the smiling couple. On Leah's mother's dress was a version of the golden BSA pin she'd seen Mrs. Gates' assistant, Anita wear. The Shrinkee wondered how many people the beautiful couple in the photo had killed at that point in their young lives.

Leah showed a few photos of her mother. Annabelle recognized a fresh faced version of Gemma. She was in a lot of photos with Leah's mother.

"They were best friends," Leah explained, "Practically sisters. They did everything together." Leah went on to explain how Gemma was made her godmother after she was born.

The giantess continued to flip through the album, showing Annabelle various photos of her parents and the other giantesses' parents during their young adult years. The more the Shrinkee saw their smiling faces, the more bitter she became. They looked so damn happy. 

Annabelle's eyes unfocused. She let Leah's stories flutter in her brain for a second before disregarding them. 

Leah flipped to another page when something caught Annabelle's eye. She sat up and scrutinized the photo in front of her. Leah's mother looked to be in her adolescence. She stood in front a large tree with other children dressed in frilly clothes. But it wasn't the clothes or the children that stopped Annabelle in her tracks. 

In the center of the photograph was an old man and woman with a cold smile plastered onto their faces. Annabelle had seen those smiles in news articles and history books alike. 

The Shrinkee blinked. She interrupted Leah who was telling Annabelle about the photo next to it of her parents having teatime together. 

"I-Is that the King and Queen?" Annabelle squeaked.

Leah stopped talking and turned her attention to the photograph in question. "Hmm? Oh yes, those are my mother's grandparents—my great grandparents," Leah stated with all the normalcy of talking about the weather. 

"The King and Queen?" Annabelle repeated.

Annabelle felt a heavy weight on her head as Leah began stroking her. The giantess gave an amused hum, "Did you really not know, Poppy?" 

The puzzle pieces began to fall into place in Annabelle's mind. The graceful air Leah had about her, her mother's family's disapproval of the governor, all of Naomi's jabs about Leah being a princess—apparently she hadn't been exaggerating much. 

Leah tsked, "It's difficult to believe that you didn't know anything about any of us, Poppy. I wonder if you did, if you would have imprinted on one of us by now?"

Annabelle seriously doubted that. The giantesses' high social standing didn't negate their evil deeds—if anything it made them worse.

Annabelle tried to let the newfound information simmer in her head while Leah continued to flip through the photo album. She started to get to photos of herself as an infant. Of course she was an adorable baby.

Leah flipped through more photos of her with her parents as she grew up. Annabelle began to notice her mother looked thinner and more frail as the photos went on. There was one particular photo that sent prickles to Annabelle's heart. Leah looked to be about nine, her mother was in a hospital bed. They were both having tea together. 

"She died shortly after we took this photo," Leah said suddenly after a bout of silence. 

"I'm sorry," Annabelle said sincerely. A part of her suspected Leah was attempting to pull at her sympathy again, but a larger part still wanted to comfort a young woman who had lost her mother too soon.

The giantess closed the photo album and placed it to the side. Gently, her gigantic hands scooped up Annabelle into her palm. The Shrinkee was faced directly with the giantess. Leah's massive finger brushed Annabelle's hair. 

"Poppy, I wanted to show you that in order for you to understand that my father did everything to fight and protect my mother, and still he lost her," she said forcefully, "Your diagnosis as a Type 0 means I'll never lose you in that way. You'll be healthy forever."

Annabelle didn't say anything to that. Both Leah's voice and face conveyed a pain that silenced Annabelle. 

The giantess stopped stroking her. She lifted her closer to her huge face. "All I have to do is protect you. If I can just keep you away from everyone else..."

Annabelle grimaced. Leah's intensity and controlling nature made more sense to her. 

"Goddess, you can't just keep me in a cage for the rest of my life," Annabelle said.

Leah raised an eyebrow. "Of course I can, Poppy. After you imprint on me, there won't be a need for you to talk to anyone else," Leah said. The giantess scratched underneath her chin. "You won't even want to look at anyone else after you imprint on me. Just look at Steven and Bitsy, they don't need anyone but their owners."

Annabelle knew she would be wasting her breath trying to convince Leah that she deserved to be treated more than like an expensive ornament.  

"Do you remember what I said after that disgusting oaf broke into the house and touched you?" Leah asked. 

Annabelle nodded. Most things the giantesses said to her were unfortunately tattooed into her brain. Being gigantic and loud had that effect on a Shrinkee.

"You said you would make it up to me," Annabelle answered.

Leah replied, resolute, "Exactly, so this is how I'm making it up to you—by making sure nothing like this ever happens to you again."

Annabelle thought that was a bit a cop-out, but she didn't expect much from the giantesses. 

The Shrinkee sat up in Leah's hand. "Goddess, you don't have to keep me locked up. I know you don't believe it, but you already protected me. You were the one who got me away from Bennet. You even kissed him in order to get me back," Annabelle countered.

Leah frowned, "That was nothing, Poppy. It was obvious what his feeble mind wanted, I just took advantage of that. Also, I would kiss countless moths to keep you safe."

"See?" Annabelle implored, "That's what I mean! You don't have to keep me locked away in order to keep me safe, you're resourceful enough on your own."

Leah's face softened, "Poppy you are so special. That is exactly why I can't let anyone else have you. No one will ever take you away from me again."

Annabelle wanted to scream. All of the giantesses were absolutely impossible. Yet she still tried to reason with them.

"Goddess, you don't have to worry about losing me. Each time something has happened you've gotten me back, right?" Annabelle said. 

Leah frowned, her usual haughty expression returning. "Enough Poppy. This isn't a debate. You belong to me—soon permanently—which means you will obey me," she commanded.  

Annabelle bristled at Leah's arrogant words. The Shrinkee had been trying to make her feel better all while staying within the confines of being a perfect pet. Annabelle opened her mouth, determined to not back down, when her eyes met Leah's.

The moment they made eye contact, Annabelle's head began to buzz. Her skin tingled all over with warmth. It was if light was bursting from her insides and filling her with a cozy happiness.  

Her Goddess' immaculate face scrunched curiously. "Poppy?" She inquired. 

"Yes Goddess?" Annabelle answered her Goddess. A smile that felt like it began from her heart and rose to her face, spread across her lips. 

Her Goddess was silent for a while. She stared down at Annabelle with a piercing gaze. The Shrinkee's cheeks warmed from having her Goddess' eyes directly on her for so long.

Annabelle's eyes flickered away from her Goddess, awkwardly. "Do you need something Goddess?" She asked.

Her Goddess continued to stare at her as if she were an essay question from one of Her college homework assignments. 

"Poppy," Her Goddess suddenly said, "Can you tell me what you think of me?"

The slight warmth in Annabelle's cheeks turned into a burning across her entire face. She didn't know why her Goddess was asking her something so embarrassing.

"Why?" She mumbled looking down towards the flesh of her Goddess' hand which she sat on. 

Her Goddess continued to look at her with Her bright eyes. "What did you say, Poppy? I couldn't hear you," She asked, slowly as though she was focused on something else. 

Annabelle sighed and met her Goddess' gaze. Her cheeks still burned. "I-I think you're...amazing," she finally managed to say.

Her Goddess' eyes were as intense as ever. They sparkled as She peered down at the Shrinkee. Annabelle had to steady herself as her Goddess abruptly sat up straight. 

"What else?" She demanded. Her voice held an excitement to it that made Annabelle's heart flutter. It was cute enough to make up for asking such embarrassing questions. 

"Well, I think you're really smart—like smart in a way most people aren't. And I...obviously think you're really beautiful," Annabelle answered honestly. 

Her Goddess' face lit up. Her lips transformed into a wide smile bigger than Annabelle's entire body. Her flawless white teeth were on full display. Annabelle thought She looked like a majestic wolf.

Her Goddess took a deep breath. As She tried to compose Herself, Annabelle took in Her beauty. There was not an inch of Her face that was not perfect. 

After a moment, her Goddess finally spoke. Her green eyes shined. 

"Do you love me?" She asked. 

Annabelle was sure her face matched her hair. Her Goddess was being ridiculous. "What kind of question is that, Goddess?" She said, fiddling with her fingers. She sighed and grumbled out, "Of course I love you."

In an instant Annabelle was pressed against her Goddess' plush lips. After the shock wore off, the Shrinkee returned her Goddess' kiss. She closed her eyes and puckered her lips against her Goddess' much larger ones. The Shrinkee was in heaven. Her Goddess smelled like cinnamon and pure light. 

She was able to feel her Goddess' lips twitch when she kissed Her back. Annabelle's warmth was taken away when her Goddess pulled her away from Her mouth. 

Annabelle's disappointment was short-lived when she saw her Goddess' radiant smile. 

"I can't believe this is happening," her Goddess said. She was talking to Herself, but Annabelle was just happy that her Goddess seemed happy.

Annabelle was pushed onto her back as her Goddess began to poke around her head with Her huge finger.

Her Goddess' mouth was twisted in a curious frown.

"I don't understand what caused it though," She said, still talking to Herself. "We were just talking," She noted. 

Annabelle laughed as Her Goddess prodded her body. "Goddess, stop you're tickling me!" She protested through laughter.

Her Goddess' smile returned as She removed Her finger from Annabelle's body. "Sorry Poppy, I just wanted to see something," She said.

Annabelle leaned on her elbows. She looked up at her Goddess. "What's up?" She asked.

Her Goddess smiled, "Nothing Poppy," her Goddess said. "I'm just really happy. Can you tell me how you're feeling?"

Annabelle considered Her question. The moment she thought of it, a distant, but powerful feeling of dread began to grow in her stomach. 

Annabelle frowned. "Well I'm happy that you're happy, but my stomach is hurting a bit," she admitted. 

Her Goddess' smile dimmed a bit and Annabelle regretted saying anything. She just wanted Her to be happy. "Is it something you ate, Poppy?" Her Goddess asked, ever the compassionate human.

Annabelle shook her head. "No, it feels like...anxiety?" She answered.

Her Goddess began to scratch underneath her chin. Annabelle instantly melted from Her touch.

"What are you anxious about?" Her Goddess asked.

The Shrinkee frowned, "Honestly?"

Her Goddess nodded, "Of course, Poppy. You can tell me anything."

Annabelle knew that was true. She could tell her Goddess anything. She didn't have to rely on herself anymore, her Goddess would help her.

"There's a part of me that's nervous that you might use me in a way that hurts other people," Annabelle admitted. 

Her Goddess stopped scratching, and Annabelle was worried that she upset Her somehow. But then her Goddess inquired, "Poppy would you hurt another Shrinkee if I asked?"

The dread in her gut became less distant. She nodded sadly, "Yes, but please don't ask me to hurt anyone, Goddess."

Her Goddess' smile grew and Annabelle began to feel better. Her Goddess scratched her chin, "Don't worry Poppy, I won't ask you to do that...anytime soon."

Annabelle smiled, slightly more relieved. It wasn't a perfect answer, but Annabelle would take it. 

"Poppy are you still anxious?" Her Goddess asked.

Annabelle nodded, "Yes Goddess. I mean I feel much better, but there's still a part of me that doesn't want me to feel the way I do about you."

Her Goddess was quiet for a moment before noting, "How interesting." A slight sadness flashed across Her features. "I suppose that means this is temporary," She sighed. 

Annabelle didn't know what She was talking about, but she hated seeing her Goddess with even the faintest of sad expressions. The Shrinkee grabbed the finger that had been scratching her and gently planted a kiss onto it.

She felt her Goddess tense with surprise. Annabelle looked up into Her beautiful green eyes and smiled. "I love you Goddess," she said earnestly. She was still worried that she may have to hurt someone, but her Goddess took priority over everything.

Her Goddess' eyes widened at Annabelle's affection. The Shrinkee was pleasantly flabbergasted to see the faintest of blushes across her Goddess' cheeks. Annabelle grinned. She'd never seen that expression on her Goddess' face.   

Her Goddess cleared Her throat. "I love you too, Poppy," She said quietly, still blushing. She quickly changed the subject. "Poppy can you do something for me?" She asked.

Annabelle grinned, "Anything."

Her Goddess lifted up Her free hand. "I want you to take all the doubt and anxiety you're feeling and—" She turned Her open hand into a fist, "—crush it and push it down," She ordered.

Annabelle nodded, but she was uncertain on how to best do it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She focused on the nagging anxiety in her gut. She inhaled deeply. When she exhaled, Annabelle forced the unpleasant feelings and thoughts to leave with her breath. 

Her eyes fluttered open. Her Goddess looked down at her, waiting. Annabelle took note of her feelings. She was much lighter. She smiled up at her Goddess. "I actually feel better," she realized.

Her Goddess' face brightened. "That's great Poppy," She said. 

"Do you want to walk around the garden again, Goddess?" Annabelle asked. She thought the garden was a perfect backdrop for a nice stroll with her Goddess.

Her Goddess considered her suggestion before giving her own. "Well, there's one person I want you to see before we do anything else," Her Goddess declared.

Annabelle wrapped herself around her Goddess' thumb. "Okay Goddess," she smiled, ready to be transported to wherever her Goddess wanted her to be.

Her Goddess once again seemed adorably taken aback, but She recovered and rose to Her feet. She left Her bedroom and walked through the mansion until She reached what looked like to be a drawing room.

The governor sat on a recliner while talking to Gemma, who sat on a nearby sofa. They had folders and papers set on the room's coffee table. Annabelle assumed they were discussing some kind of business. 

Her Goddess strutted in the room with prideful steps. The other giants looked up from their work and turned to Annabelle's Goddess.

"Hello dear," Gemma said as Annabelle's Goddess approached them. Annabelle's Goddess silently walked over to the sofa and sat down next to Gemma. The adults looked at Her, bemused, but She wore a wide beaming smile and said nothing. Annabelle kept her arms wrapped around her Goddess' thumb. It was a nice comfort to hold Her.

The governor gave his daughter a curious smile. "Sweetheart, is there something you'd like to tell us?" He asked.

Her sparkling eyes fell onto Annabelle. The Shrinkee's heart pounded from the simple eye contact. "Poppy," Her Goddess said, "My father owes me for his little white lie from before. So I'm giving the boon he granted me to you."

Annabelle looked up at her Goddess, confused. On either side, the adult giants came closer. Gemma scooted over, while, the governor stood up to his humongous full height before he sat down next to his Daughter. Annabelle slowly unwrapped herself from her Goddess' thumb. It was difficult to meet her Goddess' gaze when two other giants were staring down at her with their, intrigued, immense faces.

"Go on," Her Goddess prompted, "You can ask my father for anything—a new cage, a private jet...information. Isn't that right daddy?"

The governor didn't say anything for a moment. He only stared at Annabelle with eyes that threatened to never pull away from her. Gemma looked between the two giants, obviously perplexed. 

"Yes..." He drawled after his silence, "Anything you want Poppy. Even information about the prisoners you met—where they came from, how many other Shrinkees we have, anything you could ever want to know." As the governor gave his suggestions, his words dragged on. It was like his mind was somewhere else while he spoke to her.

Annabelle frowned. She craned her neck to speak to her Goddess. "You don't want me to know that kind of stuff, right Goddess?" She asked.

From her peripheral she saw Governor Windsor's face tighten. The Shrinkee didn't particularly care about him. She was much more concerned with her Goddess.

Her Goddess' smile managed to become wider. "Poppy, this isn't about what I want. This is about your desires," She explained.

Annabelle scrunched her face. She considered what Her Goddess was saying. Her desires. She did want to know if Daria and the others were okay. She couldn't imagine how scared they were after Poppy had taken over. 

Annabelle froze as the unsettling anxiety began to trickle back into her gut. She closed her eyes and immediately crushed the feeling just as her Goddess had told her. 

When she reopened her eyes, she knew exactly what to ask for. There was only one thing important enough to ask of Governor Windsor. 

She turned to the governor, ready to collect. He looked surprisingly uneasy. Annabelle spoke her desire.

"I want you to apologize to my Goddess," she declared. 

The giants reacted swiftly. Gemma smiled approvingly, while Governor Windsor's jaw clenched. Annabelle's Goddess, on the other hand, looked as if She was going to burst from happiness. Watching Her gave the Shrinkee an indescribable warmth inside.

"Apologize?" The governor muttered, sounding as though he were mostly speaking to himself.

Annabelle answered him anyway. "Yes," she said. It was more than a little unnerving to address the giant, but she knew she would be safe with her Goddess there to protect her.

She continued, "You put me in a position in which you knew I would be likely to imprint on you, even if you knew it would hurt my Goddess. So I want you to apologize."

Governor Windsor made an expression Annabelle had never seen him make before. There was a mixture of intrigue and frustration in his features. 

"You heard her," Gemma grinned, obviously loving every second of the situation. 

Her Goddess turned to Her father with an expectant expression. Annabelle couldn't help but love even the smug smile on her Goddess' lips. 

Governor Windsor glanced at Annabelle before clearing his throat. All discomfort washed from his face. His cool and collected demeanor once again took hold of his person. Annabelle was a little disappointed. She liked seeing him so uncomfortable. 

"Sweetheart," he started, "I'm sorry for trying to get Poppy to imprint on me at the expense of your feelings."

Annabelle didn't think it was a good enough apology, but her Goddess' smirk became a genuine smile. 

"It's okay Daddy, I don't need an apology. I know you're just treating me like a true competitor," Her Goddess said. 

The Governor smiled at his Daughter. "And a worthy competitor you are," he noted. His blue eyes fell onto Annabelle, whose skin crawled in response. 

Her Goddess' eyes adopted an analytical glint. She nodded at Annabelle. "Do you see what I was talking about? See how it's different?" She asked coyly.

The governor nodded slowly, "Yes, it's very interesting. It's not permanent I suppose?"

Her Goddess shook Her gorgeous head. "No, she was talking about feeling anxious, and that wouldn't happen if it was the real deal—at least I don't think it would," She said.

Annabelle had a feeling she knew what they were talking about, but she was distracted by the way her Goddess' eyelashes framed Her emerald eyes so wonderfully. She just felt so...warm looking at her Goddess.

"We're working on another way to open her up so the permanent thing becomes a true viable path forward. Hopefully the final part should happen soon," Annabelle's Goddess said.  

Annabelle frowned. That sounded concerning. The Shrinkee squeaked up at her Goddess, "Goddess, what are you talking about?"

Her Goddess glanced down at her with a raised dark eyebrow. In an instant, her Goddess was smiling and scratching the Shrinkee's chin. Annabelle knew she was trying to distract her, and it was working. 

"It's fine, Poppy," Her Goddess said, and Annabelle knew at that moment that everything was, in fact, fine, and it may always be fine for the rest of time. 

Her Goddess smiled down at her, "I'm just telling my daddy how I plan to make it so you can stay with me forever. You do want that, right?"

Annabelle nodded enthusiastically through her Goddess' scratches. "Good girl," her Goddess praised, sending pure happiness into Annabelle's brain.  

Her Goddess continued to scratch her, but turned back to the other giants who were watching with rapt fascination. 

"How perfect," Gemma breathed, her shinning eyes on Annabelle.

Governor Windsor regarded Annabelle with an even expression. "Are you still going forward with your plan, sweetheart?" He inquired.

Her Goddess' smiled faded a bit. She stopped scratching Annabelle. The Shrinkee quickly grabbed onto her Goddess' gigantic finger and began stroking it. Her Goddess's smile regained some of its brightness. 

"Yes," She answered, "This isn't permanent. I have to show her that there isn't anything else left out there for her—only me."  

Governor Windsor gave a soft hum of acknowledgment. "That's admirable sweetheart, but you said it yourself, this isn't permanent. She may end up hating you after you go through with it," he said.

Annabelle glowered up at the giant. She could never hate her Goddess. She was going to remind Her of that fact, but her Goddess looked unbothered at Her father's statement. 

She kept Her serene gaze on the Shrinkee. With a small smile She said to the governor, "She may hate me for a while, but it'll all be worth it at the end. I simply have to focus on the goal at hand, and there's only one way to accomplish that."

Her beautiful smile grew wider as She peered down at Annabelle. 

"It's like you said: I'm going to make her see that I'm her only option."

--

Annabelle started to get the sense that something was wrong as she watched Toe Jam rub away at Her Goddess' sole. Her Goddess' massive body was stretched out on Her bed while She scrolled the internet on Her phone . Her gigantic feet loomed over them, and the smell of sweat and cinnamon drifted into Annabelle's nose. 

The Shrinkee didn't like the scene in front of her. Her Goddess had told her to watch and learn from Toe Jam's foot rubbing techniques. Annabelle couldn't shake the unpleasant feelings that came with that order. If her Goddess needed someone to rub Her feet, that's what Annabelle was there for. 

Annabelle was experiencing a confusing amount of feelings. She didn't like the fact that Toe Jam was being made to rub giant feet. Although a part of her was still angry about the Shrinkee's violent assault against her, Annabelle thought the Shrinkee should be free somewhere—the same for the other prisoner Shrinkees. At the same time, Annabelle acknowledged that Toe Jam looked like she was having the time of her life. Her Goddess' toes were also wiggling in approval. Annabelle pouted. She was admittedly jealous that Toe Jam was better at doing something for her Goddess' than she was.

"You have to make sure you go all the way to the bottom of the foot," Toe Jam explained, a smug grin across her face. She took her elbow and pressed into the lower end of the foot of Annabelle's Goddess. 

Annabelle focused on keeping her balance as she walked over to Her Goddess' foot, across the squishy mattress. 

"Okay yeah, I got it, now let me do it," she asserted. 

Toe Jam reluctantly took a step back. Annabelle attempted to press her elbow against Her Goddess' sole in the same way Toe Jam did. She felt her Goddess twitch from her touch. 

"More pressure, and a little to the right," Toe Jam ordered.

Annabelle followed her instructions. After a moment, her Goddess' muscles relaxed. She let out an adorable hum. 

"Good work, Poppy," Her Goddess praised.

Annabelle smiled bashfully. The unsettling feeling evaporated. After a few minutes of silence, Toe Jam noted, "You've changed."  

Annabelle, still focused on doing the best possible job for her Goddess, distractedly answered, "Oh yeah?" 

Toe Jam was quiet again before asking, "Is this part of the Type 0 thing you mentioned before?"

Annabelle attempted to appear unbothered. She shrugged, "Maybe." Truthfully, she didn't want to think too deeply about what she was feeling. Imprinting had such a negative connotation in her head. She didn't see why she needed to put a label on anything. 

"I'm sorry for attacking you," Toe Jam said. 

Annabelle's eyes widened. She glanced beyond her Goddess' feet, towards the rest of her enormous figure. Annabelle could still see her tapping on her phone. She allowed relief to wash over her while she continued to rub her Goddess' foot. 

"Are you insane?" She hissed at the blonde. "She'll kill you if she finds out what you did," Annabelle chided. 

Toe Jam's expression turned haughty. "I do a lot for Mistress, I'm important to her," she declared. 

Annabelle rolled her eyes, "Yeah whatever, just don't mention what happened. You blacked out anyway, so it's not even worth bringing up." That was the lie she'd quickly convinced Toe Jam of when her Goddess had returned to the bedroom with her. The Shrinkee, not having much of any other information, readily believed her.

Toe Jam tilted her chin. "You know, I'm only sorry for attacking you because I was going against Mistress' orders, not because I feel bad for hurting you," she spat. 

"Fine whatever," Annabelle sighed. She turned her full attention back to massaging her Goddess. She ignored the feeling of Toe Jam's glare on her back as she worked. A few more minutes passed, and after some light moaning from Annabelle's Goddess, She finally sat up. Both Annabelle and Toe Jam were knocked to the mattress as She moved. The Shrinkee still couldn't believe that such a simple movement could shake their entire world. 

Her heart pounded at her Goddess' display of casual power. A long shadow cast over both Shrinkees. Annabelle's Goddess grinned down at them. Without wasting a second, her Goddess scooped Annabelle into Her palms. 

Annabelle was quickly pressed against her Goddess' soft lips. "You did such a good job, Poppy," she hummed. Annabelle puckered her own lips and kissed the bottom of her Goddess' mouth. 

She felt her Goddess' mouth expand into a wide smile. Annabelle's entire body vibrated as her Goddess whispered against her small body. "I love you so much," She breathed.

Annabelle felt her own mouth growing into a grin. "I love you too, Goddess," she said, her heart fluttering. Her Goddess pulled her away from Her affectionate lips and cradled her in Her hand. With Her free finger She caressed Annabelle's sides. 

"Since you did so well rubbing my foot, we can do whatever you want now," her Goddess said.

Annabelle thought about her Goddess' offer. She knew what she wanted. The Shrinkee giggled nervously as her cheeks warmed. "Um, don't make fun of me, but I kind of want to see more of your baby pictures," Annabelle said.

Her Goddess looked surprised, before she gave a melodic laugh. Annabelle scrunched up her face, but her smile still persisted. "I told you not to make fun of me," she said pursing her lips. 

Her Goddess giggled, "I'm not making fun of you, Poppy. Sure we can look at more photos. I have another album that's just my mother's pregnancy and my baby—"

"Mistress! Mistress!" 

Annabelle blinked at the sound of Toe Jam's voice. She'd completely forgotten about her. Her Goddess grimaced. She smile faded as She peered down at the blonde Shrinkee.

"What is it, Toe Jam?" Her Goddess said, the affection completely gone from Her voice. 

Toe Jam's voice replied back, seemingly unimpacted by the coldness in the tone of Annabelle's Goddess. "I'm the one who helped her get better at rubbing your feet, so can I get something too?" She asked.

Annabelle's stomach turned. She glanced at her Goddess, hoping She wouldn't be too hard on her. To her surprise, her Goddess didn't appear angry. She only raised an eyebrow. "You want a reward?" She said.

"Yes please Mistress!" Annabelle heard Toe Jam chirp. Annabelle watched as her Goddess' smirked down at the Shrinkee. 

"Fine. That can be arranged."

--

Annabelle had never felt more awkward in her life. A couple dozen feet in front of her, a gigantic photo album was open, revealing a photo of her Goddess' mother with a baby bump. The photo album sat on her Goddess' stomach as She lay on the bed. Annabelle also lay on her Goddess' stomach, feeling the powerful, yet comforting sensations of Her giant-sized digestive track. It should've been a peaceful moment.

Yet she couldn't begin to enjoy herself, because directly in front of her was Toe Jam, massaging Annabelle's right foot. Tears flooded the blonde Shrinkee's eyes. 

"M-Mistress," Toe Jam started to warble. Annabelle's entire body tensed. Her Goddess pulled Her gaze from Her mother's pregnant photo, and onto the Shrinkee. 

"What?" She sighed.

Toe Jam dropped Annabelle's foot. "I-I thought you said I could get a reward? Why do I have to do this?" She whimpered. Annabelle couldn't help but think her attitude with Annabelle's Goddess was such a stark difference from the cruel warden persona she had before. 

Her Goddess scowled, "This is a reward. I'm allowing you to touch the most important thing in my life. Are you saying that you're refusing my reward?"

Toe Jam paled. "No Mistress!" She squeaked. She picked up Annabelle's foot and began rubbing. 

Annabelle cringed. She looked up at her Goddess. "Goddess," she frowned, "she doesn't have to do this."

Her Goddess smirked, "Poppy, she should be wanting to do this. It's an honor for her, she just needs a reminder of her standing. Isn't that right, Toe Jam?"

"Yes Mistress," she sniffed. 

Annabelle looked up at her Goddess with her own scowl. "Goddess, come on," she sighed. 

Her Goddess looked down at her with Her infamous pseudo-confused expression. "What Poppy?" She asked innocently.

Annabelle grimaced, "This is humiliating—for both of us." 

"You're so dramatic, Poppy," Her Goddess exhaled, blowing wind onto the Shrinkees.

"I'm really not, Goddess," she tsked, fixing her hair, "I just don't see why you want her to do this."

Her Goddess' mask slipped. Her eyes narrowed at Toe Jam. "I don't like how she looks at you." she said. 

Annabelle felt Toe Jam's hands tremble against her foot. Annabelle inhaled sharply, irritated. "That's because you don't praise her like how you praise me, Goddess," The Shrinkee retorted.

Her Goddess scoffed, "Praise her? Poppy, I've already done more than enough for her."

Toe Jam nodded her head fervently, "It's true! I shouldn't have asked for a reward. I was being greedy."

Annabelle's Goddess tsked, "If you believe that then apologize to Poppy." 

Annabelle shook her head, "No, you don't have to—"

Toe Jam looked at her, tears flowing down her face. "I'm sorry," she blurted. "Mistress Leah chose you for a reason. I shouldn't have compared us."

Annabelle cringed. "Seriously, I don't care—"

"Kiss her feet," Her Goddess suddenly demanded. 

The ball of dread and anxiety Annabelle had previously crumbled up, came rushing back up. A sob escaped from Toe Jam. Although she looked devastated, she started to lower her head towards Annabelle's foot.

Annabelle quickly pulled her feet away from the Shrinkee. "No!" She cried. "You don't have to do everything she says."

"Poppy."

Annabelle ignored Leah. She was beyond pissed. She had no idea what she thought gave her the right to treat people that way.

"Poppy, look at me," the giantess ordered. 

Angrily, Annabelle glowered up at the enormous co-ed. Her chest tightened when Leah's beautiful face filled her vision. Her anger faltered the longer she looked up at her.

"Poppy do you love me?" Leah asked. 

Annabelle couldn't take her eyes from Leah. "W-What?"

"Do you love me, Poppy?" She asked again. 

Her brain buzzed with a warmth that quelled her rage. "Yes?" She answered.

"Is that a question?" She asked her. Her gaze was intense and commanding. 

"Yes," Annabelle answered again, "Yes, I love you."

The Shrinkee fought to remember why she had been so angry in the first place. She glanced at Toe Jam who was unblinkingly staring at her. Her indignation came trickling back.

"But..." Annabelle said, "But I don't like what you're forcing her to do. It's not right."

Her Goddess pouted. "I'm sorry for making you so upset, Poppy. I just want you to be treated right," She replied.

Annabelle couldn't stop herself from smiling. Her Goddess may have gone about it the wrong way, but She really did just want to make sure Annabelle wasn't being treated poorly.

"That's okay Goddess," She gestured to Toe Jam, "Now can you please tell her that she doesn't have to do this?"

"No."

Annabelle's smile dropped. "What?" She asked, confused.

"No," Her Goddess repeated. "I know you don't want her to kiss your feet, Poppy, but I do. I think in the long run it will be good for both of you."

Annabelle scrunched her face, "Goddess, no, this isn't right. I don't want this."

Her Goddess smiled down at her. "I know Poppy, but I'm telling you what I want," Her Goddess said. With Her perfectly manicured fingernail, her Goddess scratched underneath her chin. 

"Like I said before, Poppy, you get to decide how you want to spend your time with me," Her Goddess stated, "You just have to decide what is more important: what you want, or what I want."

Slowly, her Goddess removed her finger from the Shrinkee's chin. Annabelle swallowed a mouthful of dry spit. She turned her head to the side, away from both Toe Jam and her Goddess. 

She already knew what she was going to choose. She'd known it from the second her Goddess looked into her eyes. Making sure she couldn't see her in her peripheral, Annabelle slowly stretched her leg out towards Toe Jam.

"Sorry," she mumbled. 

She forced herself to keep her foot still as she felt Toe Jam's lips against the top of her foot. Annabelle's foot tingled uncomfortably from the sensation. The Shrinkee went in for another kiss. Then another. Toe Jam gently peppered her foot with kisses before moving onto her other foot. Annabelle hated every second of it. She hated how it felt. She hated what it represented. She hated that her Goddess wanted it to happen so badly.

While Annabelle was drenched in her bitterness, Her Goddess' voice called to her. "Poppy can you look at me please?" she asked.

Of course Annabelle turned to her. No matter how disappointed she was with Her, she still loved her Goddess.

"Yes Goddess?" Annabelle asked, defeated, as Toe Jam continued to kiss her feet.

"Thank you for choosing me," her Goddess smiled.

Annabelle shrugged, but said nothing. She didn't want to say anything, because she didn't want to let her Goddess off the hook. Or rather she didn't want to let her Goddess know that she had let her off the hook. Technically Annabelle hadn't let her off the hook, because there had never been a hook in the first place. 

It'd been Annabelle's choice to make and she'd made it. And she would make the same choice a million times over.

"Poppy, why did you choose what I wanted?" Her Goddess asked. Her smile was still on Her face, but Her eyes were analytical and fascinated. "Can you walk me through your thoughts?" She asked.

Annabelle sighed. "Because Goddess," she started, grimacing at the saliva dripping from her feet as Toe Jam's puckered lips pressed against her skin. "Even though I disagree with you about this, and I feel pretty upset with how things turned out, I would feel worse if I didn't do what you wanted," she attempted to explain.

Annabelle's Goddess regarded her with quiet curiosity. "And you don't hate me for making you do something you didn't want to do?" She inquired. 

Annabelle's brow furrowed, "You didn't make me do anything Goddess, I mean you said it yourself: I got to choose." She paused before adding, "Even if you had forced me to let her kiss my feet, I still wouldn't have hated you. Yeah, we don't agree on a lot of stuff, but that stuff doesn't seem important when compared to what you want, or your overall happiness. Does that...does that make sense?" Annabelle asked, tilting her head.

Annabelle's Goddess looked deep in thought. Her eyes were unfocused, as she answered Annabelle. "Yeah...yes Poppy, it does. Thank you for sharing, that was very helpful," she said, her smile becoming grounded in reality. 

Annabelle exhaled deeply, "Can we look at your baby pictures now?" She was trying to distract herself from Toe Jam's efforts of showing she was still enthusiastically following the orders of Annabelle's Goddess.  

"Of course," Her Goddess said. Off-handedly, she commanded, "Toe Jam, switch to rubbing her feet again." 

Relief filled Annabelle, and she saw it also wash over Toe Jam's face. "Yes Mistress!" She obeyed. The blonde Shrinkee sat back up and grabbed Annabelle's drool covered foot. The Shrinkee didn't even mind the saliva. She was just glad the degrading experience was over.

Annabelle watched her Goddess straighten the photo back up on Her stomach. Annabelle leaned on her elbows, getting comfortable. She just wanted to turn her mind off and look at cute baby photos of her favorite person. She was already staring to forget about the nothing-argument she had with her Goddess. 

Her Goddess turned the page and revealed a photo of Her mother and father smiling over a candle lit dinner. Annabelle had to admit that they looked to be genuinely be in love. She didn't think someone as evil as the governor could produce that emotion, but apparently she was wrong. Annabelle supposed he wasn't all bad, he was partially responsible for the existence of the best person in the world. 

Her Goddess flipped through the album, showing Her mother at varying points of her pregnancy. She glowed throughout each stage. Even with just looking at the photos, Annabelle could see the love Her Goddess' mother had for Her. 

In another life, Annabelle would've turned away from the blatant display of motherly love. Annabelle didn't know whether her mother's love had dwindled as time went on, or if she never loved her and simply stopped pretending she did after the death of her sister. Either way, it didn't matter.

Not when she had the love of her Goddess. It was more than enough for her. 

Her Goddess continued to turn through the album, showing Her mother with family and friends. The next photo revealed an extravagant looking baby shower. Annabelle recognized a familiar face. A beaming, younger version of Gemma was giving her Goddess' mother a side hug to avoid squishing her bulging belly. Annabelle looked closer when something else caught her eye. 

Gemma also carried a bit of a bump. She wasn't as far along as her Goddess' mother, but she was noticeably pregnant. Her Goddess hadn't been joking when She said Gemma and Her mother did everything together. Still, Annabelle was surprised. Gemma seemed more like a fun aunt than a mother. 

Annabelle looked through the photos, growing impatient by the second. She appreciated her Goddess sharing her personal photos with her, but she really wanted to see Her baby photos. And based on her glances to the photo album, and how distracted her foot rubbing was becoming, Toe Jam was similarly intrigued. 

Finally her Goddess arrived at photos of Her parents in a hospital. Even pale and anxious, her Goddess' mother still looked beautiful. On the other hand, Governor Windsor looked like he was going to pass out in every single photo. The sight brought a smile to Annabelle's face.

Then the photo Annabelle had been waiting for appeared. Her Goddess' newborn face was pressed against Her mother's bosom. She was by far the most precious thing Annabelle had ever seen. Both Shrinkees sat up to get a better view. Toe Jam placed Annabelle's foot down, but Annabelle's Goddess was too preoccupied with Her photos to notice or care.

"You were really adorable, Goddess," Annabelle breathed. 

Her Goddess beamed, Her eyes still on the photos. "Thank you Poppy, but you're even more so," She replied. She flipped to the next page, showing Her father carrying Her with an apprehensive expression. The page after that showed Gemma carrying Her awkwardly while trying to manage her massive baby bump.

The next set of photos was a blur of happiness. Her Goddess having a picnic with Her parents. Her Goddess having teatime with Gemma and Her mother. Annabelle even saw photos with Her Goddess and the other giantesses as children. Her Goddess quickly skipped past those. Annabelle didn't know why her Goddess was so insecure, Annabelle only had eyes for her. 

Annabelle was surprised to see later photos of the Windsor family included with the King and Queen. The Shrinkee guessed they had come to terms with her Goddess' mother's marriage partner. She started to see more photos of Her Goddess around or even inside the royal palace. If the Shrinkee had to guess based on the photos, Her Goddess spent summers with Her mother's family, and the rest of the year back here.

Annabelle looked at the smiling emerald eyed girl standing next to both set of parents, and her heart panged for the loss She was going to experience. Annabelle glanced at Her Goddess' mother. She couldn't be certain, but it looked like she was thinner in the photo. The Shrinkee wondered if Her Goddess knew about Her mother's health at the time of the photo. 

The Shrinkee shook off the thought. It was the time for happy reminiscing, not grief. Annabelle just continued to smile at the photos of her happy Goddess.

Until she noticed something strange. 

In a summer photo where her Goddess was at the palace, there looked to be a children's party. There was a lot going on in the photo. There were clowns, balloons, bubbles, and a mountain of presents. But the thing that stopped Annabelle was in the corner of the photo. Her Goddess had the largest smile she'd ever seen her wear in a photo. Her arms were wrapped around a blonde girl of similar young age. 

Annabelle couldn't help but feel like she recognized the child. The Shrinkee squinted her eyes, attempting to discern her features. Just as she was ready to give up and ask her Goddess, Annabelle's eyes landed on her Goddess' mother and Gemma in another section of the photo. They similarly had their arms wrapped each other. 

Dread unloaded upon the Shrinkee like an avalanche. Her breath got caught in her throat. She attempted to do what her Goddess ordered. She imagined her dread and anxiety and tried to mentally crumple it up into a ball. 

But she couldn't do it.

She couldn't crumple up something that was still growing, engulfing her. 

"What happened to Gemma's baby?"

The air turned dry and stiff. One look at both of their faces told Annabelle all she needed to know. Realization struck Annabelle in the face, in the stomach, in her heart. It was the kind of realization that had dread stuck to it, like a wet sock on a foot. It was a horrific, never ending dread that stuck to her and didn't seem keen on letting her go.

It all made sense. Why Toe Jam seemed so familiar, why she was so dedicated to the BSA.  

"What do you mean, Poppy?" the gigantic monster said with a light tone, trying to recover from the shock of Annabelle's blurted question. Her voice shook Annabelle as she spoke. The Shrinkee lowered her gaze to the monster's stomach. Annabelle couldn't even look at her, but she wanted to confirm what she already knew to be true. 

The Shrinkee attempted to match the calm mask the evil giantess wore. She forced herself to adopt an air of nonchalance. She looked off at the photo album, of which the monstrous co-ed had already turned from the damning page.

"It's just, you said your mother and godmother were best friends who did everything together. I saw the photos, they were even pregnant at the same time," Annabelle paused for a moment, allowing the tension in the air to deepen. 

"So what happened to the baby?" 

Annabelle willed her eyes to meet the demon in the shape of a college student. She peered down at with green eyes that were forever calculating.

Her smile had turned bitter, and her jaw clenched.

"I suppose your imprinting episode is over," she noted. Leah closed the photo album and placed it to the side of her bed.

Annabelle glowered at Leah before swerving her head towards Toe Jam, who looked at her with all the indignation of someone who had been brainwashed. 

"When did you shrink?" Annabelle demanded. Based on how deeply Toe Jam was devoted to Leah and the BSA, she knew it had probably been years of being held captive. The Shrinkee had a sinking suspicion that it was longer than she hoped.

Toe Jam snarled at Annabelle, "None of your business, bug."

The giantess' sharp tongue was fast. "Don't you dare speak to Poppy like that," Leah snapped. Toe Jam's anger faltered under Leah's admonishing gaze. 

Her mouth gaped open, similar to a fish. "M-Mistress, she's trying to make it seem like you're a bad person," Toe Jam whined.

"She is a bad person," Annabelle hissed before Leah could speak. 

"She is not," Toe Jam shouted, "She saved me. I was just a pitiful bug when I shrunk, but now I have a purpose."  

Annabelle's hands balled up into fists. "When did you shrink?" She repeated. 

Toe Jam jumped up to her feet. "She could have killed me," she barked, "and she would've been right to, but she kept me instead."

Annabelle face twisted with disgust. "She doesn't get points for not ending your life," Annabelle snapped.

"Enough, both of you," Leah ordered, silencing the two Shrinkees with her booming command. Annabelle shot the giantess a glare. 

"You took her," Annabelle spat. "You took her like how you took me."

Leah narrowed her eyes. "First of all Poppy, don't compare yourself to Toe Jam. You two are not even in the same world," she started. Annabelle's rage only grew when Toe Jam's eyes turned downcast at Leah's words. 

"Second of all, I didn't take her, she was given to me to do whatever I wanted with," Leah said.

Toe Jam piped back up, "A-And she decided to keep me."  

Annabelle gritted her teeth, "How old were you?" 

"Why does that matter?" Toe Jam snapped. 

Annabelle took a step towards the brainwashed Shrinkee. "I am trying to calculate just how much of monster she is," she seethed. Toe Jam's eyes widened with anger, but Annabelle kept going. "I need to know how long you two were friends before you shrank," she hissed. 

Toe Jam growled, "You—"

Leah interrupted her, bringing the Shrinkees' attention to the giantess. She spoke bluntly and evenly. "It happened when my mother was getting worse. My father organized an extermination to cheer me up. It was my third extermination and Toe Jam's first." She giantess smiled, a bitter and wistful smile. "She was more excited than I was," she said.

Leah continued, "But then the HDD device powered up and suddenly she was down there with the rest of the bugs."

Toe Jam's anger slipped away. She slowly backed away from Annabelle. She wrapped her arms around her body, her face shrouded in shame. 

Despite Toe Jam's obvious discomfort, Leah resumed, "The adults freaked out. After they stepped on of all the other bugs, they took Toe Jam away to talk things through. I think Gemma wanted to get rid of her right away, but my father thought I couldn't handle it...he was right." 

Leah's face twisted as tears filled her eyes. "I was losing my mother, and I had lost my best friend too on top of all of that. I couldn't let her go, not completely," she sniffed. Toe Jam was full on blubbering. 

OUR GODDESS HAS A KIND, SOFTNESS TO HER. COMFORT HER. 

Annabelle inhaled deeply. She turned back to Toe Jam. She spoke slowly. "How old were you when you shrank?" She asked again.

Toe Jam looked at her with wild offended eyes. "What is wrong with you? It doesn't matter! How can you be so cold when Mistress is—"

"Nine," Leah suddenly answered, "we were nine years old."

Toe Jam looked up at Leah, shocked. Bile rose in Annabelle's throat. Her own tears burned her eyes. She turned to the vile monstrous giantess, whose green eyes were unjustifiably wet.  

"I don't care if you say you hate me Poppy, because I know it's only temporary. You can't run away from your feelings. We both know that there's nothing I could ever do that would stop you from imprinting on me," she said. 

Annabelle couldn't deal with her. She was a lost cause. 

She turned to the person who still had a chance. "What is your name?" Annabelle asked.

The blonde was wiping her eyes. She glared at Annabelle. "Toe Jam," she spat.

Annabelle fists clenched tighter. Pain shot through her palms. "Your real name," she demanded. 

"Toe Jam."

Annabelle gripped the Shrinkee's shirt yanked her closer. "Your mothers were best friends, so I know you two were raised as sisters," she said, "Nine years. Nine years of sleepovers, promises, and inside jokes. Nine years of friendship gone in a single second because of the way you were born."

The Shrinkee grabbed Annabelle's hands and easily pushed her away from her person. "I am a bug, Poppy. That means every second I am breathing is an affront to real humans. The only way I can make up the burden I bring on this planet is to help my betters create a world where Shrinkees are no longer a plague," she retorted. 

Annabelle's heart broke at her words. She swiveled over to Leah, rage coming from the depths of her gut. 

"Are you happy?" She shouted.  

Leah's eyes no longer threatened to spill tears. "I'm proud, Poppy," Leah declared, "And as happy as I would be for you to agree with her, I know it doesn't matter. Once you imprint on me permanently, it won't matter what your views are. You'll only care about making me happy." 

The blonde Shrinkee suddenly spoke up, "You'll feel a lot better once you stop running from the truth. We are below humans and they need to be worshiped. Your identity isn't important anymore, you just need to focus on making their lives easier. One day you'll forget your birth name too."

Annabelle's legs moved before her brain knew what was happening. She jumped onto the Shrinkee and shoved her onto Leah's stomach. 

"Don't try to pretend like you don't remember!" She shouted into her face as she held her down. "Nine years! There's no way you don't remember your name."

She was abruptly lifted into the air. Leah wrapped her hand around her in an oppressive fist. Still, it didn't stop Annabelle's screaming. 

"You remember your name! You remember your name! Say it!"

Leah brought her to her giant face. "That's enough Poppy," she said, her voice deathly serious. 

Annabelle kept her eyes on the blonde Shrinkee still on Leah's stomach. She yelled down to her, "Tell me your fucking name! You're not a bug, you're a fucking person! Tell me your name!"

Darkness overcame her. Leah covered her completely with her fist. The Shrinkee struggled to move but was immobilized by the giantess' strength.

"Take a time-out Poppy. I'm sorry you're so upset right now, but you need to calm yourself," Leah ordered. 

Annabelle fought back even harder. She would never stop fighting.

Through the prison of Leah's hand, Annabelle was able to hear Toe Jam's voice. 

"Mistress Leah, I can give you another foot massage to help with your stress," she offered.

Annabelle bit down as hard as she could into Leah's palm, fully aware that it would tickle the giantess at the most. Leah responded by squeezing the fleshy walls around Annabelle even tighter. 

"Yes," Leah said, her voice betraying exasperation, "I think I could use another one, Toe Jam."

Annabelle tried to squeeze out an aggravated roar, but Leah's grip didn't allow for the Shrinkee to take in any air. Soon the dizziness accompanied by gradual suffocation was slowing down her fight. Leah's dark fist became darker. The Shrinkee found herself slowly being taken over by unconsciousness. 

The last thing she heard was Leah's soft humming, a byproduct of the foot worship from her childhood best friend turned slave.

-----

"I really wish you wouldn't hate me so actively, Poppy. Not so much for my sake, but for your own mental well being."

Annabelle glared up at her nude captor from her tiny porcelain bathing bowl. Leah leaned back in the bathtub and closed her eyes, her impeccable face covered with a white face mask.

"Do you know what would be really good for my mental health?" Annabelle started, setting up a retort.

Without opening her eyes, Leah shot back, "Certainly not seeing your father splattered underneath my foot, right Poppy?"

Annabelle tensed. She slowly lowered herself back into her bowl until she was chin deep. "Right Goddess," she muttered. 

"Poppy, I'm not going to give you the imprinting speech because I know you already know how much better life would be if you just gave in. I simply want you to remember these moments when you're so angry and disgusted with me, because we'll look back and laugh together over how dramatic you were." 

Annabelle stewed silently in her makeshift bathtub. 

Leah continued talking, ignoring Annabelle's bitter silence. "I suppose my mistake was involving Toe Jam—or really anyone else at all for that matter. We are at our best when it's just us," Leah said. 

Annabelle's stomach clenched. She was getting "locked in a cage for the rest of her life" vibes again from the giantess. It essentially was her life before the giantesses had returned back to their homes. Just in a cage, waiting for them to be finished with school and actual, real world life to come back into their bedrooms and torment her. 

All of the giantesses were beyond possessive, but it was as if Leah wanted something more from Annabelle, something that Annabelle herself didn't know she had or how to give it to her. 

Leah sighed, her eye still closed, "I just wanted to show you how much fun it can be to worship me. It doesn't have to be a punishment."

Annabelle made sure the giantess' eyes were still closed before she rolled her own. 

A smirk appeared on the giantess' face. "In a way it's almost funny how I receive adulation from everyone except from the for one thing in the world that I really care about," she said. 

"Yeah, hilarious," Annabelle said underneath her breath. 

"Well I have a feeling you'll be on your knees worshiping me relatively soon," she exhaled, shifting herself in the tub and becoming more comfortable.

Annabelle bit down on her tongue to keep from responding. 

"Just like Toe Jam, all of the moths, and every single one of my pitiful subjects in my Queendom."

Annabelle furrowed her brow, perplexed by Leah's words. She lifted her head up to question her, but when she did, she found herself looking up at a dome ceiling that was even more ridiculously high up. Mosaic windows surrounded the top of the high ceilings. 

Annabelle's gaze shifted lower. Extravagance. That was the only thing Annabelle could think. Expensive looking paintings, sculptures, and vases decorated the huge marble room. Annabelle was so distracted by the expensive décor that it took her a while to notice the large throne that was set near the end of the room, several yards away from her. 

Two servants held golden platters on either side of the throne. But it was the individual who sat in the throne that caught Annabelle's eye.

Leah sat, as beautiful as ever, in a magnificent emerald gown. A blinding crown rested on her head. Her chin rested on her palm as she leaned her elbow on one of the throne's arms. A bored expression plagued her face, until her green eyes landed on Annabelle. 

A smirk spread across her lips. 

"Finally, the jester has arrived," Leah said, her chin still resting in her palm. 

Annabelle looked down and froze when she saw her attire. She was dressed in a colorful jester's outfit, complete with the cap 'n' bells and cane. 

"Your Queen has addressed you," one of the servants, who Annabelle recognized as Toe Jam, barked.

"R-Right," Annabelle blinked. She bowed deeply, causing the bells on her hat to jingle with her head's movements. "Greetings your majesty," she said. 

"Well?" Queen Leah's melodic voice called out. Annabelle lifted her head, confused.

"Entertain her, you dolt!" Toe Jam snapped. Annabelle flinched as her voice echoed through the throne room.

The other servant next to Queen Leah, who Annabelle could see was Steven, gave Annabelle a sympathetic smile.

"You're not very good at this, are you?" He noted.

Annabelle, flustered, tried to salvage herself, "I-I can entertain! I can twirl this cane, or I can dance for you, o-or—"

"Sing," Queen Leah demanded. 

Annabelle gulped. Her hand became damp with sweat. "Sorry, but my throat has been a little sore lately," she said. 

She didn't want to lie to the Queen, but she really wasn't in a singing mood.

Toe Jam scoffed, "How useless can you be?"

Queen Leah opened her mouth, and Annabelle prepared to be admonished but instead she turned to Toe Jam. Not hesitating for a moment, Toe Jam took something from the platter she carried and placed it onto the Queen's tongue. 

She began to chew as she stared at Annabelle with an even expression. "Juggle," she ordered. 

Annabelle nodded energetically, "Juggle? I can juggle. Just give me a second, I left my balls in my room."

She went to turn around to gather her supplies, but the Queen's voice stopped her. "No. Juggle with them," she commanded. 

Annabelle scrunched up her face, trying to make sense of what her Queen was asking. She saw the Queen point an elegant finger down towards the floor. 

Annabelle's heart stopped when she saw what the Queen was truly ordering. The floor was absolutely covered with tiny people. There was not an inch of space where Annabelle could see the floor instead of a mass of small humans. 

Although they were miniscule, Annabelle could see the fear on their faces. She looked at her Queen for confirmation that it was what she truly desired. 

The Queen waved her on impatiently, gesturing for her to quickly begin.

Annabelle grimaced, but followed her orders. Annabelle bent down, getting a better look at their terror-stricken faces. Annabelle gently scooped up a handful of them. They frantically wiggled on her palm, their little limbs tickling her hand. 

She lifted them to her face. Their frantic movements became more erratic when she looked down at them. Her heart hurt when she realized she was the cause of their fear. 

"I'm so sorry," Annabelle whispered to them. Her breath blew their hair and clothes. They only screamed in response. 

Not wanting to prolong their terror, Annabelle gently tossed them a few inches from her palm and quickly caught them in her other hand. They were rattled, terrified, and shrieking, but they were uninjured. Annabelle looked up at the Queen for approval.

The Queen held her bored expression on her face. She looked at Annabelle, unimpressed. 

"Higher," she ordered simply.

Annabelle swallowed nervously, but complied. She threw them up in the air, around a foot from her hand. She attempted to catch them all, but one woman just missed her palm, falling onto the floor. She collided with another tiny human, and they both splattered from the force.

Annabelle grimaced at the small pool of blood. "Shit," she hissed, "I'm so sorry."

Her eyes were torn away from the gore when she heard Queen Leah's delicate laugh. The Queen's smirk transformed into a full blown smile. She sat up in her throne, fully attentive. 

"Again," she ordered, "And do not stop this time."

Annabelle cringed at the Queen's blood lust. Still, there was nothing she could do, she was the Queen. 

Annabelle tossed the screaming people up into the air. She treated them as though they were her juggling balls. She did her best to catch them as gravity took hold of them. Unfortunately, a few began to just miss her fingers as they plummeted back towards the floor. Annabelle was saddened for them, but she focused on putting on a show for the Queen. She had to push their soul turning screams from her head. 

Queen Leah seemed to squirm with excitement each time a Shrinkee collided with the floor. Despite her best efforts, it wasn't long before Annabelle's hands were almost empty. 

When the last Shrinkee slammed into the ground, Annabelle's eyes were cloudy with tears. Though, she could still see the pool of blood around her feet. 

"I'm so sorry," she said again to the dead Shrinkees around her. The other Shrinkees that covered the floor continued to panic and shriek, but they had no room to run. A dozen or so even slipped into and through the pool of blood.

"You should be sorry!" The sharp voice of Toe Jam snapped. Annabelle lifted her head towards the throne and servants.

The blonde clarified, "You have brought our great Queen discomfort!" 

Annabelle's eyes fell back onto the Queen. Her face was flushed and her thighs were rubbing together as she squirmed in her seat.

Annabelle's own face grew warm as she realized what her Queen was experiencing. "Oh I- I offer my deepest apologizes my Queen," Annabelle sputtered, completely flustered. She did not expect the Queen to become aroused from the accidental deaths of her subjects.

"Jester," the Queen called, basically purring, "come over here and alleviate my discomfort."

Annabelle watched, skin hot and eyes wide as her Queen slowly spread her legs open. Her wetness was apparent even from across the throne room. 

Instantly, Annabelle's mouth began to water. She'd never tasted the Queen's juices before, but she'd heard it was a delicacy unlike any other. Toe Jam was practically glowing with envy.

Annabelle wanted to come forward, but there was the issue of the thousands of tiny people covering each inch of the floor. 

"Uh, your Majesty? I can't—"

"Are you denying a command from your ruler?" Queen Leah inquired with a raised eyebrow. 

Annabelle quickly shook her head. "N-No of course not," she corrected, "it's just your subjects are—"

"Step on them," Queen Leah ordered. Her voice was breathy and her face was becoming more flushed by the second. 

Annabelle paled. She glanced between the small people on the floor and Queen Leah's dripping slit. She swallowed a mouthful of saliva. She couldn't say no to her Queen.

With a heavy heart, the jester raised her foot. The people below her erupted into screams. Not want to prolong their fear, she lowered her foot. A sickening crunch crackled around her. She grimaced as she saw a puddle of blood grow where she had just stepped. 

The people below screamed and tried to run, but there was not enough space to flee. They were packed together with nowhere to go. Annabelle had to make it quick for them. She took a wide step, making sure to extend her legs as far as they could go. Her foot lowered again, crushing the people underneath her foot's shadow. 

The jester pushed the screams from her mind and focused on reaching the Queen as quickly as she could with spilling as little blood as possible.

But it seemed as though the Queen had a different idea. 

"Crawl," her royal highness suddenly ordered. Annabelle froze. She looked up at her Queen in disbelief. Queen Leah's face was unmoved by Annabelle's horror. It was obvious she expected nothing but obedience from her jester--and she was going to get it. 

Annabelle's shoulders slumped. She lowered herself to her knees. Her colorful stockings were splattered in blood. She could feel the bones of hundreds of tiny people crunch underneath her knees. The jester swallowed the bile that rose in her throat. 

She placed her palms onto the floor and a much more direct sensation of obliteration prickled against her palms. 

She shuddered as her hands became drenched with the liquid remains of the small people. The jester actually almost did vomit until she heard her Queen's melodic voice. 

"Good girl," she praised.

Annabelle looked up, her heart racing. Her Queen's legs were still wide open. Her nether region was nearly glistening with wetness. Queen Leah was gazing down at her with an intense lust.

Annabelle's eyes focused on her dripping slit. There was nothing else that mattered other than tasting her highness. The jester continued forward, ignoring the massacre that was occurring every inch she crawled forward. She knew each time her hands slammed down on a dozen or so tiny people, she was violently snuffing out life, but it simply wasn't a priority for her. Annabelle's mouth, once filled with bile, became wet with drool. 

Soon she was at the base of the throne. Tiny people still covered the floor around the Queen's royal seat. From Annabelle's peripheral, she saw Steven bend down towards the floor, scoop up some small people and place him onto the platter he held. Even as it dawned on the jester that her Queen had been eating her miniature subjects, she didn't care as much as she knew she should've. 

All she could focus on was the pink, wet royal pussy in front of her. 

It was bigger than she expected. In fact, the Queen was bigger than she expected. She was easily twice the size of the jester. Still that didn't stop Annabelle from doing what every cell in her body urged her to do.

Without pulling her gaze from her prize, she asked her Majesty, "Your royal highness, may I please humbly assist in relieving your discomfort?"

Annabelle's own slit began to leak when her Queen commanded her through a breathy voice, "Go forth jester. Please your Queen."

Annabelle didn't waste any time. She had to stand up on the tips of her toes to reach the throne's seat. A warmth hit her as her Queen's pussy greeted her. 

Tentatively, as though she was afraid she would frighten it, Annabelle gently ran her tongue across her slit. The second her liquids came into contact with Annabelle's tongue she knew the rumors had greatly underestimated the perfection that was between the Queen's legs. It was most amazing thing she had ever tasted. She licked her again.

Her Queen came alive. She squirmed and released a moan. Annabelle, wanting to keep her still, held her thighs open. It was a bold and offensive action for the jester to touch her Queen. Her blooded hands left stains on the Queen's gown, but Annabelle didn't care, and based on the Queen's moans, neither did she. 

Annabelle could feel Toe Jam's envy, but she was focused on tasting more of her Majesty. Her smooth outer lips opened up more under Annabelle's tongue. The heat of her perfect insides warmed Annabelle's tongue. The jester traveled deeper insider her Queen, exploring every inch of her pussy. Her Queen Squirmed and squealed as Annabelle moved her face closer to her pussy. Annabelle's face was drenched with her juices, but it wasn't enough. 

The jester pulled herself up even more. Her tongue explored higher until she found a nub. Annabelle went to work. She began twirling her tongue over her clit. The Queen reacted within seconds. She grunted and her hips started to jerk. Annabelle tried to hold her thighs still, but knew she'd eventually be overpowered. 

Annabelle puckered her lips and started sucking her pink button. Queen Leah squealed, sending a jolt of electricity to Annabelle's pussy.

The jester attacked her clit, alternating between sucking and licking her bean. Queen Leah began full on bucking. She gripped Annabelle's head and started bucking into her face. The jester's hat fell off with the intensity of which Queen Leah was fucking her face. The Queen screamed and grunted with an animalistic pleasure. Annabelle kept her tongue straight and rigid. Queen Leah rode her tongue, moaning loudly. 

Annabelle's face somehow became even more wet. She knew that Queen Leah's juices were leaking onto the floor below them. She was sure that some tiny people had already been crushed from the falling cum, or drowned in the pool that was only growing underneath them. If the Queen came, Annabelle certain there would be a lot of death from the flood.

Still, somehow she couldn't force herself to retract her tongue. If anything, Annabelle buried her head deeper into her Queen's pussy. 

Queen Leah's muscles clenched all around her. Her large body went rigid. A gush of fluids unloaded onto Annabelle's face. 

It flowed past her chin, down her neck, and onto the people below. Annabelle heard their screams, but couldn't get the magnificent taste of Queen Leah's juices from her mouth.

She needed more. Through their distant shrieks, Annabelle moaned as she lapped up Queen Leah's twitching pussy. 

She didn't care if the Queen would cum a million times and flood the entire throne room. She need more. As she slurped her Queen's fluids, the jester realized she was exactly where she wanted to be. In between her Queens legs for the rest of her life.

She would always be hers. 

---

Annabelle opened her eyes to a dark room. She expected to feel the same nauseating dread-laced feeling she felt whenever she woke up from her nightmares. Instead her attention was forced to her torso. An excruciating pain struck her as she awoke.

Annabelle tried to groan, but found she was lacking much breath. She blinked, trying to see in the dark. She looked down and realized Leah's gigantic fingers were coiled around her person. 

Although it was difficult to see in the dark, she felt a gentle breeze blow her against her face, rustling her hair. From the cinnamon and toothpaste scent Annabelle deduced she was somewhere close to Leah's sleeping face. 

If she could have, Annabelle would've cursed. She hated when she slept with Leah in the giantess' bed. Her grip was always unyielding as held Annabelle. Unlike the other giantesses who eventually softened their grip, or even let her go completely when they fell asleep, Leah somehow became even more possessive in her sleep. 

Annabelle was certain at least one of her ribs were broken—at least they had been. The pain that had woken her up had been accompanied with the familiar sensation of her bones mending. 

Annabelle attempted to make herself more comfortable, but Leah wasn't giving her an inch. Annabelle threw her head back and silently groaned. It was going to be a long night. At least the Shrinkee's arms were free. 

Annabelle placed her elbow on Leah's massive hand and rested her cheek in her palm. A rhythmic wind created by Leah's breath blew against her. 

Annabelle peered at Leah's shadow obscured face in the dark. She was glad she couldn't clearly see her. It had been a long, confusing day.

The Shrinkee didn't know what to make of whatever the hell had happened earlier. She unfortunately had perfect memory of everything she had said, done, and felt. She was beyond glad it had ended, but she didn't know what it was or what had brought it on. The uncertainty of it all was terrifying within it self. She wouldn't allow herself to think about just how close she had come to willingly giving it all up for Leah.

If she hadn't seen Toe Jam in the photo album then she wouldn't even know where she would mentally be at that moment. 

Annabelle shuddered when she thought about that photo. They'd looked so happy. They reminded her of she and Beth at that age. Toe Jam and Beth had also been shrunken around the same age. Annabelle couldn't imagine throwing away years of sisterhood just because she'd shrunken. 

Though Leah hadn't killed Toe Jam. 

Annabelle stared at Leah's ginormous slumbering face through the darkness. There was still a part of her that couldn't get rid of her childhood best friend. She'd brainwashed her and made her a slave, but at the very least, Toe Jam was still alive. That was more than Annabelle expected from any of the giantesses.

Annabelle wasn't about to hold out hope that the giantesses could suddenly gain a moral compass that didn't align with genocidal supremacists, but maybe they could be reasoned with to an extent. 

Just as the thought entered her head, Leah began to mutter in her sleep. 

"Poppy...mine..." She breathed, sending a considerable gust of air Annabelle's way.

Annabelle would have rolled her eyes from the giantess' subconscious possessiveness, but the gigantic co-ed suddenly tightened her fists, once again snapping Annabelle's ribs.

The Shrinkee screamed silently, unable to gather enough air to make any noise. The Shrinkee scratched at Leah's hand, attempting to awake her up. The giantess continued to sleep, blissfully unaware of what she was putting Annabelle through. 

The Shrinkee pinched and dug at Leah's hand. She was jerked forward as Leah pulled her close to her body. Annabelle cringed as Leah tucked the fist she held her in, right in between her breasts. 

She was smothered by two enormous boobs on either side. Leah's heart beat was pounding in her ears. Still uncomfortable and in pain, Annabelle bit down on the giantess' boob flesh. The Shrinkee's world shifted as Leah mumbled in her sleep and rolled onto her stomach.

Annabelle was dizzy from all of the shifting. She was still gripped in Leah's hand—in fact it was the only thing protecting her from the entire weight of the giantess since she was underneath her chest while she lay on her back.

Annabelle, still struggling to breathe, was relieved when Leah's hand loosened its grip. Just when she thought her situation was finally bearable, Leah began to lower her fist down her gigantic body.

Annabelle's eyes widened. Shit. She'd experienced it enough times to know what was happening. Her tiny body grew warmer from Leah's increased body heat.

The Shrinkee grimaced as she was lowered to Leah's panties. Already knowing what to do, Annabelle clenched her eyes shut and tightly closed her mouth as the sleeping giantess deposited her inside her panties. To her relief, Leah had placed her directly below her slit, rather then against her mound, so Annabelle didn't have the full weight of the giantess' crotch on top of her. 

The Shrinkee, knowing the drill, stayed absolutely still. She could feel the heat from Leah's soft lower lips. Her pussy was mostly covered by her smooth lips, but its scent was intense. It wasn't a bad smell, just powerful. It made Annabelle deeply uncomfortable to know she could tell the differences in smell between the giantess.  

As Annabelle was comparing them in her head, her ribs once again began to heal themselves. The Shrinkee  jerked, accidently striking Leah's lips.

The giantess began softly moaning. Annabelle's heart sank. She knew what was coming next. The giantess began to shift and squirm in place as she rubbed her crotch against the bed. Thick droplets of Leah's fluids began to form from her pussy.

The Shrinkee considered crawling away from the monstrous creature that was Leah's pussy, but she'd been through the experience enough times to know that her wiggling almost away made it worse. When she would try to get away, she never made it out the panties before the giantesses began violently humping against the mattress. 

If she truly wanted to get it over with, there was one thing she could do to speed up the process. Annabelle opened her eyes back up and stared at the slime covered pink monster that was emitting so much heat it was causing her to sweat.

Before she did what had to be done, Annabelle couldn't help but be reminded of her nightmare. Like in the majority of her night terrors, she was jumping full force into the worship of one of the giantesses. 

No. She was doing it for survival, she would receive no pleasure from what she was about to do.

YOU MAY CONSUME YOUR OWN LIES WITH EASE, BUT DEEP DOWN YOU KNOW THE TRUTH. 

"Go fuck yourself," Annabelle hissed. 

She forcefully pushed open Leah's lips. The giantess moaned and Annabelle shook as she moved. Annabelle gripped Leah's lips to hold onto. It was difficult as they were already slick with her juices. 

The Shrinkee didn't want to wait until it got worse. Just like her nightmare, she stood on the tips of her toes and lapped at Leah's clit. It would normally be difficult to reach, but Leah's horizontal position gave her an easy path to get to it. 

The giantess reacted the moment her tongue connected with the button. Her moans grew louder. Annabelle's lower body began to become coated in her fluids. Annabelle bit down on the giantess' clit, fully aware that she had to be aggressive if she wanted the giantess to feel her tiny demonstrations. 

Annabelle was knocked from the clit as Leah began to gyrate against the mattress. The rhythmic thumping of her movements let Annabelle know what she was doing was working.

Annabelle was once again pressed against Leah's lips. Her entire body became wet will the giantess' fluids. Annabelle was too used to it to be properly disgusted. She was actually relieved that she had gotten Leah aroused enough to begin to finish her off. 

Annabelle steeled herself and opened Leah's lips. It was difficult to do with the giantess humping her bed, but the Shrinkee managed. Since Leah was thoroughly wet, Annabelle figured she would have no difficulty jumping climbing inside the gigantic co-ed. 

She wiggled her tiny body through Leah's hole. She felt Leah's body respond enthusiastically to her inserting herself. 

The giantess' vaginal walls pulsated, contracting and expanding as Annabelle crawled further into Leah. The smell was so strong it was making Annabelle dizzy, but she kept moving. Leah's glands were secreting thick fluids so quickly it was making it difficult to move through. Annabelle felt like she was in the army, crawling through the wet, dirt during a rainstorm. 

Annabelle stopped when she reached the area under Leah's G-spot. Although it was dark and the giantess was actively grinding against her bed, the Shrinkee had done this enough times to know where Leah's special spot was. 

Annabelle lifted her arms and pressed into Leah's walls. She massaged it for all of two seconds before the giantess released a low moan that was accompanied by a flood of cum. Annabelle was swiftly expelled from Leah's canal as she erupted with the wave of the giantess' fluids. 

Leah finally stopped moving. Annabelle heard the giantess' breathing steady. 

Annabelle kept her mouth closed as she felt the cum coat every part of her body. There was nothing that she wanted to find pleasurable about the experience. The Shrinkee exhaled deeply through her nose. Her body was quickly becoming stuck to the fabric of Leah's panties. 

She exhaled again.

She hated this part. She would be crusted over along the crotch of the giantess' panties until she woke up. 

Just an insignificant sex tool that had been used and needed to be washed.

YOU SHOULD FEEL HONORED TO PROVIDE OUR GODDESS WITH SUCH RELIEF. 

Annabelle wanted to curse Poppy out, but she didn't want to get Leah's thick juices in her mouth. Also, there was no point in cursing out a hormone-created hallucination.

Instead, Annabelle allowed herself to steady her breathing to the giantess'. She could sleep knowing that she'd gotten the giantess off without having to actually kill hundreds of tiny human beings.

---

Annabelle's facial muscles were starting to get sore from glaring. She was on Leah's desk while the giantess was working on an essay, typing away. 

The Shrinkee was so used to the silence that she nearly yelped when Leah abruptly spoke.

"You know your face might get stuck like that if you're not careful, Poppy," she said without looking away from her laptop.

Her words only caused Annabelle's glare to intensify. 

"I don't know what you're talking about, Goddess," Annabelle said evenly. She could play ignorant just as well as Leah could. 

Annabelle waited for her to respond, but she continued to work on her school work. Annabelle considered running over to her laptop and jumping on the backspace key. 

Leah suddenly sighed and closed her laptop. Annabelle froze, thinking somehow her thoughts had been read. 

The giantess turned to peer down at her. She sighed again, blowing air over Annabelle.

"You have got get to at least attempt to get rid of all this anger, Poppy," Leah tsked, "you seemed so much happier yesterday."

Annabelle scowled at the giantess, "I don't know what that was exactly, but it wasn't me."

Leah raised an eyebrow, "Really Poppy? Can you honestly say that?"

Annabelle slammed down a mental barrier before she could even consider Leah's question. Nope. She wasn't going down that road. 

The Shrinkee folded her arms and turned away from the giantess.

"I'm just trying to help you. You'll be much happier after you imprint," Leah said.

Annabelle swiveled around, and glowered up at her captor. "Fine. You want me to imprint? Tell me Toe Jam's real name. Set her free," Annabelle demanded.

Leah rolled her eyes. "Poppy, honestly, I don't know what your obsession is about this. Toe Jam is happy, why can't you be too?" She sighed. 

"She's brainwashed," Annabelle shot back, "And don't pretend you like you care about her happiness."

Leah rubbed her temples and groaned, shaking Annabelle. "I don't care about her happiness, Poppy. She's a bug, all I care about is how useful she is to me," Leah said. 

"That's horrible," Annabelle spat, "How could I imprint on someone who thinks like that?"

Leah narrowed her eyes, "You know Poppy, some might think your sanctimonious attitude is what's horrible. At least I'm honest about my motivations. You are the one who's pretending to care about whether a bug remembers her fake human name because you're actually afraid that you'll forget yours."

Annabelle's stomach dropped. Her eyes widened and her arms fell to her sides. "N-No, that's not true," Annabelle stammered. Even as she said the words, they felt like a lie the second they passed her lips. She couldn't fully say part of her intense reaction to Toe Jam's rebranding was because it reminded her so much of hers.

Leah's expression softened. She lifted her enormous finger and began gently scratching underneath the Shrinkee's chin.

"Poppy, I see you," she said softly, "I see you better than you see yourself. There's nothing wrong with wanting to preserve yourself—it's just you the self you want to preserve is your wrong self."

Annabelle blinked. She looked up at the giantess, confused. Leah explained, "Who you were before Poppy?—She should've never existed. Although you won't tell me about what happened before Queenston, I know it wasn't easy. Shrinkees shouldn't be forced to try to live as humans. It's not natural, and it just causes suffering for everyone involved."

Leah stopped scratching monetarily, as her mind seemed to wander. "If only I had found you earlier. If it had been you instead of Toe Jam..." she muttered.

Annabelle shuddered at the thought. Right after Beth died, she often thought of the fear she must've felt as a child, shrunken down to three-inches about to be crushed into nothing. Annabelle was struggling to deal with the realties of being shrunken as an eighteen year old, she couldn't imagine what Toe Jam had to deal with as a nine year old that suddenly became the thing she'd been taught to hate and kill. All the while being abandoned by her mother, and enslaved by the gigantic version of the person she'd thought to be her best friend—and then that same best friend treating her like dirty pest.

Annabelle pushed Leah's finger away from her, surprising the giantess out of her daydream.

"No, stop trying to change the subject," she snapped, "this is about you throwing away years of friendship—this is about betrayal."

Leah laughed with raised eyebrows, "Really Poppy, you truly are one for the dramatics."

Annabelle clenched her fists, "What if the other Goddesses shrank? Would you enslave them too?" 

Leah laughed again, sparking fury within Annabelle. "No, I don't think I would. They would be pretty useless as far as bugs go. Well maybe Harper would make a good warden like Toe Jam—but I suppose I would kill them right away—it's really a mercy, Poppy. If anything, you should be angry that I made her continue on as a bug for all these years instead of stepping on her and getting it over with."

Annabelle bristled. Every time she spoke to the giantesses, they always surprised her with how much more evil they could be.

"Then you don't know what friendship is," Annabelle retorted. 

Leah scoffed, "Oh, is that true, Poppy?"

"Friends don't betray each other so easily," Annabelle hissed. She was truly disgusted with her. She had to calm down before she would say something she regretted.

Mercifully, there was a knock on Leah's bedroom door that pulled the giantesses' attention away from her. It gave her a chance to collect herself.

"What?" Leah answered tersely. 

The feminine voice of one of the servants replied, "Your guest has arrived, Mistress. I have set up the parlor room."

Leah's face suddenly became determined. Annabelle forgot her anger while the giantess' gaze became resolute. 

The emerald eyed giantess reached into the collar of her low cut top and pulled out something Annabelle hadn't seen in a while. 

A sparkling silver crystal necklace glittered in between Leah's massive fingers. She lowered it to the desk. 

"Poppy, as fascinating as this conversation is, I want you to hold that thought--truly I want you to think about what you just said. But for now, get in." Leah ordered. 

Annabelle swallowed nervously. She looked up at the giantess to see if she was going to offer her even a smidge of warning or context of what was happening, but the giantess was silent as she stared down at her.

Not having much choice, Annabelle lowered herself to her knees and crawled into the necklace. She quickly shifted herself upside down, knowing all too well the head bump that would result if she stayed still while the giantess put on the necklace. 

Sure enough, Annabelle landed on her feet as Leah fastened the necklace around her neck. It was surreal to be in a necklace again. The last time she'd occupied one had been when the BSA had their murder Gala. The Shrinkee grimaced. She prayed whatever was happening wouldn't be anything remotely like that. 

Leah slowly stood up. Annabelle lurched forward, but managed to stop herself from colliding face first into the crystal's walls. The Shrinkee sighed. She'd almost forgotten how much she hated the necklaces.

Leah left her bedroom and began to walk through the beautiful mansion. Annabelle noticed there were considerably less servants out and about, even though it was midday. The mansion was strangely quiet.

The Shrinkee was beginning to feel the uncanny sensation of dread rise up in her. She considered all the possible people Leah could be meeting. From her expression it seemed serious. The Shrinkee wondered if it was a BSA member—but that wouldn't explain why she had hidden her.

It could be another Shrinkee activist. Annabelle's heart pounded faster. She couldn't handle another massacre. 

Her spiraling thoughts were cut off as Leah reached the parlor. Annabelle peered out the necklace to see two figures sitting across from each other. Facing the door was the governor, dressed in his usual politician-casual attire—slacks and a button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Annabelle supposed his look meant he wasn't meeting someone too important that he needed to impress.

Leah finally entered the parlor, and Annabelle was able to see the back of the other figure's head start to turn around to her.

Annabelle's heart stopped. Her mouth dried and her stomach sank further and deeper down into the pits of hell.

"No," Annabelle breathed.

The figure didn't have to turn all the way around for Annabelle to recognize him. She knew his dark, curly hair from anywhere.

Oliver awkwardly stood up in all his lanky leanness. He gave a Leah a shy nod as a greeting before he sat back down. 

"Hello, " Leah greeted back. Annabelle could hear the smile in her voice.

The Shrinkee was too stunned to cry or scream. All she could do was stare at Oliver's face as Leah took a seat to the left of him and to the right of the governor. He looked understandably uncomfortable, being sat across from one of the most influential people in the nation. Annabelle could tell he'd dressed up. He was in a long sleeved shirt, instead of his usual skateboard clothing. Though she recognized his old backpack next to his feet. It was probably filled with clothes and other necessities instead of the textbooks that had weighed it down before.

"Thank you for coming," Leah said pleasantly, as though she weren't the most heinous creature to exist. 

"Yeah," Oliver muttered. He was awkwardly holding a cup of tea. He looked like he was afraid to drop it. He had good reason, it was probably more expensive than his car. "Thanks for uh, sending a car for me," he said.

The governor spoke up, "It was no problem, son. Unless its campaigning time, our drivers don't have much to do anyway."

Annabelle hated this. She fucking hated it. Why was he here? What were they going to do to him? Were they trying to get her in line by threatening him?

God, was he a Shrinkee? Was he a Shrinkee and were they going to eat him in front of her?

Annabelle banged against the crystal's walls. "I'm sorry! Please, I'm so sorry! I won't talk back anymore. I'll be the perfect pet!" 

Of course no one could hear her. 

Oliver looked around the parlor, "You guys have a very nice, um, home."

"Thank you," Leah said, picking up her tea cup. It briefly obscured Annabelle's vision as the giantess' lifted it to her lips. She could her the giantess' swallow as she sipped her tea. 

She exhaled contently and said, "You're probably wondering why I asked you here."

"Uh, yeah, kind of," Oliver admitted. 

Leah answered, "Well, as you know, I was really close with Anna."

Annabelle shrieked, "You fucking psychopath!" 

Oliver said nothing to her obvious lie. Annabelle didn't think he could exactly call her out in her own home.

Leah continued, "I also know you were...close with her, and I wanted to make sure that you'll be okay once you leave Queenston."

Annabelle ran her hands through her hair. "Bullshit," she laughed harshly, "Bullshit."

The governor raised an eyebrow while he took a sip of tea. "You're dropping out, son?"

Oliver lowered his beautiful brown eyes to the floor. "Yeah, I just need a change in scene," he said. 

Guilt tore at Annabelle. She wished she'd never met him. She ruined his life. 

Governor Windsor nodded with understanding. "It can be difficult to see things that remind us of the ones we've lost. I bulldozed the house my wife and I built together after she passed. Too many memories," he said. 

The governor sounded genuine, which only further pissed off Annabelle. If he knew the pain of losing someone, how could he manipulate Oliver, who was still fresh in his grief?

Oliver nodded, "I get that. I'm gonna go by the coast and stay with some friends by the beach for a while."

"What will you do for money?" Leah asked. 

Oliver shrugged, "I'm sure I'll find something. Waiting tables, lifeguarding, I don't know."

Annabelle shook her head. He was supposed to be a zoologist. Annabelle remembered he said he wanted to intern with a wildlife researcher next summer. 

"Well, you should take all the time you need," Leah said. Annabelle seethed inside the crystal. The giantess was so fucking selfish. She was going to derail his bright future just so he wouldn't get in the way of her kidnapping scheme. 

Oliver only nodded. Leah inhaled before revealing, "There's another reason I wanted to see you."

Oliver looked up from the floor and towards Leah, his eyes curious. 

Leah explained, "We were thinking of creating a scholarship fund for students with HDD. We're going to call it the Annabelle Cooper Scholarship."

Annabelle grabbed onto the wall for balance. She felt like her knees were going to give out. Evil. No, they were beyond evil. 

To think she'd actually thought she could be reasoned with. 

Oliver's eyes widened, "I think that's great. I think she would've loved that."

Annabelle groaned, a long and sad groan. No, she definitely did not love that. Any thoughts she had of Oliver being a Shrinkee were immediately dismissed with how excited he seemed to be at the thought of a Shrinkee scholarship.

No Shrinkee in their right mind would not instantly think of the danger of their information and identity potentially being leaked. 

Still their plan would work, Queenston was an expensive school and desperate people did desperate things.

"I'm glad you think she would approve," Governor Windsor said with a smile on his stupid face. 

Oliver gave his own small smile, "Yeah, she'd like that we were helping other people. She was like that."

"It sounds like she was a special young lady," Governor Windsor noted. 

Oliver sat up, his smile growing bigger, "She was, she was always thinking of other people."

Tears pooled in Annabelle's eyes as she listened to Oliver gush over her. She didn't deserve his friendship. 

His smile dimmed, "She shouldn't have died. Of all the people who should be in this world—she was definitely one of them. She would've made this world better."

Annabelle bit down on her lip to keep from crying. A heavy silence filled the room.

Governor Windsor snapped his fingers. A servant appeared in seconds. Oliver looked up in surprise.

Governor Windsor wore his politician's grin. He asked the servant, "Do you mind getting us some scotch, Jeremy—the strong stuff?"

The servant nodded and replied, "Of course Governor." Annabelle noticed the lack of "Master" in the way the servant addressed him. They were well trained. 

The servant was soon out the door. Oliver looked uncomfortable as he cleared his throat. "Um Governor Windsor? I'm still underage," he said.

The governor gave him a wink. "I won't tell if you won't, son. Plus, there's nothing that goes as well with reminiscing as a smooth scotch," he said. 

Oliver could respond, Jeremy returned with the alcohol. He set a crystal glass in front of each person before taking his leave. 

Governor Windsor picked up his glass and held it up. "To Annabelle, may she live on, close to our hearts," he toasted.

Annabelle scoffed and shook her head at the governor's obvious play on words. She stumbled as Leah leaned forward to clink her glass with the other two. 

The Shrinkee watched Oliver take a small sip of his drink, while Leah and the governor took larger swallows. 

"Come on, son," Governor Windsor encouraged, "tell more stories about her."

Oliver awkwardly ran his thumb around the rim of his glass. "I mean we played music together. She was really good—probably a prodigy," Oliver said. 

"What did she play?" He asked.

Oliver took another sip of his scotch. "Mostly piano and guitar, but she had the most amazing voice," he said with a smile.  

"Is that right?" Leah said, finally speaking after being suspiciously quiet.

Oliver sipped his scotch, "Yeah, I was just teaching her how to drive and this old song came on the radio. I was just goofing around singing along. She was laughing at me the entire time so I made her sing the next verse and..." Oliver's smile turned into his signature goofy grin. "Man she just went for it and it blew my mind. That's when I thought of starting the band."

Annabelle's face was burning. She bashfully played with her fingers. It would be sweet to hear if two evil giants hadn't been also listening in. There was no way they weren't actively planning to get her to sing.

"Did your band ever record any songs or anything else?" Leah asked. 

Annabelle froze. The last thing she wanted was for the giantess to listen to her music. They didn't get to take another part of her. Even Zoey didn't know about her singing. 

Oliver shrugged, "Not really."

He lifted his glass to hips lips and poured it down his throat until it was empty. She placed the glass back onto the table and slumped into his seat. Annabelle knew he was lying because she could think of exactly the songs they had recorded. But she suspected the giants also knew based on his reaction. 

"Have you spoken with her family since the funeral?" Governor Windsor asked as he refilled Oliver's glass.

Annabelle glared as the governor handed him the glass, filled to the brim.

The teenager sighed, "Her step-mom sometimes texts us—me, Izzy, and Chloe—photos of Anna when she was a baby."

Annabelle moved as she felt Leah nod, "She sends us those too."

Annabelle was shocked. She had no idea Zelda was still in contact with her friends and the giantesses—let alone sending them photos.

Oliver took a swig of scotch. "Honestly, I had to mute her. It was just too much," he admitted. 

Governor Windsor nodded, "I understand." After a beat he asked, "Was Annabelle close with her family?"

Oliver shrugged. "I don't know. Her sister died when she was little and she doesn't like to talk about her bio-mom," he said.

Leah leaned forward slightly, causing Annabelle to press against the crystal's walls. "What about her father?" She inquired.

Annabelle bit down on her thumb. She honestly could not tell what the fuck the giants were trying to accomplish with this line of reasoning. 

Oliver answered after he took another swig. "He texted her everyday. He seemed a little overprotective, but I guess it made sense since he'd already lost one kid," Oliver said.  

Annabelle's chest hurt at the mention of her father. He had definitely suffered from "didn't know what he had until it was gone" syndrome with her. She'd spoke to him more in the few months after she'd moved to Queenston than she did the entirety of the four years they'd lived together. 

She guessed having your kid sneak out in the middle of the night to move away across the country to a university you didn't know she had applied to with only a quick text would've been a wake up call for any parent. 

Oliver finished off his drink in a single swig. He shook his head. "I don't know what kind of life Anna had before we met, but I think it was rough," he grunted.

He turned to Leah, his eyes already glossy. "Did you know she got bullied? Apparently it was bad," he said bitterly.

Annabelle's heart sank. How the fuck did he know that? Who told him? She'd tried so hard to keep her past away from her new life at Queenston. 

The Shrinkee felt Leah nod. "Yes, I'm aware. I don't know who did it...do you?"

Annabelle froze. She didn't know if Oliver knew, but she prayed he'd keep his mouth shut if he did.

Thankfully Oliver shook his head, "No, I never found out." He gripped his empty glass. "It just sucks, you know? Why did something like that have to happen to someone so..." Tears filled his eyes. 

He shook his head and suddenly stood up. He slung his backpack over his shoulder. "Sorry," he sniffed, "I better go."

Annabelle was jerked forward as Leah shot up to her feet. "Before you go, I have something I need to show you," she insisted. 

Annabelle's stomach turned. There was no way anything good would come from this. Oliver looked at Leah like he was actually considering her offer.

The Shrinkee banged against the crystal's walls. "No! Oliver don't!" She screamed. 

The curly haired boy regarded Leah with narrowed eyes, but any suspicion he may have had was muted by the alcohol in his system.

"All right," he muttered.

Annabelle was slightly lowered as she felt Leah's shoulders relax. Annabelle caught Governor Windsor give the gigantic co-ed a slight nod. 

Annabelle could only whisper out a frightened, "Shit." She didn't know what they had in store for Oliver, but it looked like it was thoroughly planned.

Annabelle jostled inside the necklace as Leah began to move. Oliver walked next to her as she lead him back towards her bedroom. She noticed his eyes kept glancing over the Windsor's décor that displayed their wealth.

She didn't blame him. She'd been living in the giantesses' homes for weeks and she still couldn't get used to their opulence. Still, she wished he'd turn those brown eyes to her. Watching him, even tipsy and sad, reminded her how much she missed him. She missed talking with him. She missed going on walks between classes with him. She missed playing music with him.

Annabelle deflated against the crystal's walls. She desperately tried not to think about it, but the giantesses really had stolen so much from her, so much that she could never get back. 

They reached Leah's room. The monstrous co-ed led him inside before closing the door behind them. Oliver slowly scanned the large room, his long body spinning as he took in the stylish space. 

"This is, uh, really nice," he said.

Leah gestured to her bed. "You can have a seat," she offered, surprising both Oliver and Annabelle. It was one thing for him to be in the parlor, but this was her ROOM—her bed.

Oliver hesitated and Leah gestured again. The freshman tentatively sat down on the edge of her bed and placed his backpack onto the floor. The giantess suddenly turned and walked to over to her closet. Annabelle was once again tossed into the wall from Leah's movements. Her stomach jumped when she was abruptly lowered. Leah bent down as she pulled out a box from her closet. 

The giantess pulled it towards her and opened it up. Annabelle peered down to see what she was retrieving. Her entire body clenched when she saw what it was. The Shrinkee gently placed a hand on the crystal.

It was the red cardigan she had wore on the way to the meeting when the giantesses had shrunken her. She remembered when her dad had bought it and shipped it to her. He had been so hurt and confused when Annabelle left for Queenston without telling anyone. He kept trying to convince her to come back, but after a while he stopped. 

When he sent her that cardigan for the start of the fall semester, it was as if he was finally accepting her decision.   

Annabelle wondered how Leah had managed to convince Harper to give it away. There was no reality in which the blonde so easily gave it up.

Leah grabbed the cardigan, but didn't move for a moment. Annabelle wondered what the giantess was waiting for. 

Finally, Leah stood up and quickly turned around. Annabelle kept her balance, though she was still confused by Leah's actions.

That is until she saw Oliver. Her heart sank as she caught his eyes quickly glance away from Leah's behind. An impossibly heavy, sinking feeling overcame Annabelle. She finally understood the giantess' plan. 

The raven-haired giantess handed Oliver the cardigan. Annabelle noticed her hand lingered over Oliver's as she gave it to him. If Oliver noticed, Annabelle couldn't tell. 

He was too preoccupied with the piece of clothing Leah had just handed to him. His glossy eyes turned big. 

"This is..." he breathed. 

Leah walked over to and leaned against her desk. "They found it at the scene of the accident," she said.

Annabelle kicked the crystal's wall, ignoring the pain as it reverberated throughout her foot. "Fuck!" She yelled. She was so sick of the giantesses toying with everyone's emotions. 

A silent tear ran down Oliver's face. He quickly sniffed and wiped it away, attempting to hide his sorrow. 

They were both quiet for a while. Annabelle couldn't take her eyes from him. She just wished she wasn't the size of finger and could give him a hug. 

"You miss her," Leah stated. Annabelle glowered at the giantess' voice. Oliver said nothing. He only stared down at the cardigan.

Leah spoke again, "I miss her too." 

Annabelle seethed. "Fuck off," she spat. She couldn't believe she ever considered she could be redeemed. 

Still looking at the cardigan, Oliver said, "Anna's step-mom said you took Anna under her wing." He finally looked up at Leah. Instead of anger, his face mostly showed his confusion. 

"Between that and your friend saying she dated Anna, I just don't...why are you lying? What do you have to gain from this?" He asked genuinely. 

Annabelle wait for Leah to say something, but once again the room was silent. Oliver kept his eyes on her. They were wide and pleading, as if he was asking her to make sense of everything. 

Annabelle wrapped her arms around herself. He didn't know that Leah was the reason everything had gone to shit in the first place.

Abruptly, Leah asked, "You didn't know Annabelle had HDD, right?"

Annabelle blanched and Oliver flinched. She didn't think the situation could somehow become worse but the giantesses were always proving her wrong. 

Oliver lowered his eyes to Leah's bedroom floor. "Don't change the subject," he grumbled. 

"But I'm right in thinking you didn't know?" Leah persisted. Her voice wasn't taunting or cruel, she seemed earnest--at least she appeared that way.

Oliver's shoulder drooped. "No, I didn't know," he mumbled, slightly slurring his words. 

Guilt crept up inside Annabelle. If there was a Shrinkee Code of Conduct, keeping your identity hidden would be the first rule. Still, it didn't make it any easier seeing the hurt her secret caused. 

Leah folded her arms, slightly propping Annabelle up higher against her chest. "If Annabelle could hide that from you, why is it so difficult to believe that she and I were friends without you knowing?" Leah prompted.

Annabelle twitched with anger. Leah was such a fantastic manipulator. 

"That's different," he protested, shaking his head as he returned to meet her gaze. "I get why Anna didn't tell us," he said. 

Annabelle felt Leah shift. "Any why is that?" She asked. A coldness Annabelle was certain only she could hear, trickled into Leah's tone.

Oliver awkwardly fiddled with his fingers. "I...I'm not stupid. I know how a lot of backwards idiots treat people with HDD. She was probably afraid of being harassed or targeted. I just—I hope she didn't think that we were like that—that I was like that," He said softly.

Annabelle felt a weird combination of guilt and relief. As a Shrinkee you never know who harbors what kind of beliefs, until they tell you—or in the giantesses' case—show you. It was an indescribably joyous feeling to know Oliver didn't hate people with her DNA makeup. Annabelle realized she should have trusted her friends more. They obviously were worthy of it.

Oliver continued solemnly, "Anyway, I can see Anna keeping that away from us, but she wasn't friends or dating you guys. It's just not possible."

A small smile spread across Annabelle's slips. Pride warmed her. He knew her so well. Oliver could see through her bullshit. He just needed to get up, leave, and never come back.

A sniff pierced through all of Annabelle's hopeful thoughts. It wasn't until the Shrinkee saw Leah's massive hand lift up towards her face did she realize the giantess was crying--or at least pretending to.

Oliver froze as Leah continued to emit tiny sniffles. His eyes were wide with fear and surprise. 

"I'm sorry," Leah said softly. "I know you and everyone else thinks I'm some kind of prissy rich girl—and maybe you're all right—but Annabelle never saw me that way. She said I was amazing and smart," Leah sniffed. 

Annabelle felt nauseated. She was using her words against her. She was using Annabelle's words to trick her friend—and it was working. The fear and surprise on Oliver's face had been replaced with sympathy.  

Leah lowered her hands away from her face. "I don't know," she said in a hushed tone, "It was like if she could see that I was more than what everyone else thought of me, then I could see it too."

Oliver's face softened as he nodded, "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean." He gave Leah a small smile, causally destroying Annabelle in the process. 

Slowly, tentatively, Leah sat down next to Oliver on her bed. Oliver added, "She always made me feel cooler than I was, funnier than I was. She laughed at all of my jokes—even the bad ones."

Despite the situation, Annabelle found herself noting how cute Oliver was. None of his jokes were bad. She wished she could tell him that.

Another beat of silence filled the room before Leah broke it. 

"I miss her," she said. 

Annabelle couldn't believe how great a liar she was. To her horror, Oliver was completely buying it.

He nodded sadly, "Me too." They sat in silence once more. Annabelle couldn't help but notice how close their knees were to touching.

Suddenly Oliver shifted, turning towards Leah with large tear-filled eyes. "I think—I think I was in love with her," he breathed. 

Annabelle's heart pounded in her ears. She didn't hear a word either one of them said after that. It all hit her at once—the grief, the joy, the utter devastation of thinking of what could have been.

Oliver returned his gaze to the floor. "You probably think I'm insane or something," he scoffed, "I know we only knew each other for a few months, but when I was with her it didn't feel that way."

Annabelle's eyes followed Leah's slender hand as she placed it Oliver's knee. "I know exactly what you mean," she said. With her free hand, she placed her palm over her heart, next to the crystal.

Oliver's gaze followed her hand to her generous cleavage. 

"Sometimes I still feel like there's still a part of her with me," she whispered. 

Annabelle stared deeply into Oliver's inebriated eyes as they paused on Leah's breasts. She couldn't even muster up the energy to pretend to be surprised.

He was a teenage boy at the end of the day, and Leah was one of the most beautiful people she'd ever seen. Yet those facts didn't stop her from wanting to tear her heart out of her chest and smash it underneath her foot. 

Oliver's cheeks colored into a bright shade of red. He cleared his throat and looked away from the co-ed. 

"I kind of do have a part of her with me," Oliver admitted. Annabelle's ears perked up. She knew Leah must've been similarly interested. Oliver patted his backpack. "I have her music," he said, his voice slightly slurring. 

Annabelle grimaced. She wished he'd sober up. She knew nothing would stop Leah from hearing whatever recording he had of their band. 

As if on cue, Annabelle heard Leah's heart pound from outside the crystal. She withdrew her hand.

"I thought you said—" She started, her voice almost breathless.

"It's not our band recording—it's her," Oliver revealed. 

Annabelle furrowed her brow. She had no idea what he was talking about. 

Oliver swallowed, as if he were preparing to say something difficult. He confessed, "I lied the last time I spoke to Anna. The day after I kissed her, I told her I just wanted to be friends. It was a lie, but she literally disappeared on me the night we kissed. I wasn't sure if I scared her or what, but I didn't want to lose her, so I just told her I was drunk and that it was a mistake."

Annabelle leaned against the crystal's walls, stunned. She could even begin to form a coherent thought.

Leah spoke, irritation seeping into her voice. "What does this have to do with the recording?" She asked. Annabelle knew the giantess most likely wasn't thrilled by the conversation's topic. 

If Oliver picked up Leah's annoyance, he didn't show it. Instead he answered her, "After she...after she was gone, it got pretty dark for me—it still is to be honest—but I started thinking that anything that I thought was between us had just been my head. I started to wonder if it was all one-sided and I had just been making her uncomfortable this entire time. I guess Chloe got tired of my moping, because she sent me a couple of songs Anna had written and recorded..."

Annabelle's breath left her body. Her palms slammed against her open, gaping mouth. She shook her head and backed away until her back collided with the crystal's wall.

Annabelle whispered, "No, no no no no no. Chloe you didn't. Please Chloe, tell me you fucking didn't."

Oliver's cheeks turned red once more. "One of the songs was a love song...I'm pretty sure it was about me," he said softly.

Annabelle's hands pulled at the hair from the top of her head. Her entire face was on fire. He'd heard her song. He'd actually heard it. 

She wrote that a few days before they'd kissed. Chloe had been the only soul who had heard it. That song—and the other songs for that matter—were extremely personal. She hadn't even written them in her song book. 

"Every night I listen just so I can hear her voice," he said. He turned to Leah with a bitter smile. "It's pathetic right?"

Leah placed her hand back onto his knee and gave it a squeeze. Annabelle felt sick. Leah comforted him, "No, it's not. If I had something like that, I would listen to it as much as I could."

With her hand still on his knee, she added, "But you need to move on. She's gone and you have to accept that." 

Oliver's jaw clenched. "I know that...It's just—"

She leaned in closer, "I get it, it's hard to move on when you have so many memories of her." The giantess lowered her voice. Both Oliver and Annabelle leaned forward to hear her, but they wore vastly different expressions. Annabelle was fully of horror and despair, while Oliver seemed almost transfixed by the giantess.

Leah continued, "Playing music together, teaching her how to drive...kissing her."

Leah's hand lifted up slightly. Her fingers traced little lines along his knee. Annabelle's stomach clenched. 

Oliver glanced down at her fingers. He face showed his surprise, but he wasn't removing her hand. His eyes were glued onto her fingers.

"Would it help if you had a similar memory to replace it?" Leah breathed, "What did her lips feel like? Do you think mine would feel softer?" She whispered. Her fingers drew little circles as they crept up higher to his thigh. 

"Stop it," Annabelle begged, barely able to get her voice out. 

"I, uh," Oliver stammered. He kept his eyes on her hand.

"How did you kiss her? Did you use your tongue? Did she?" 

Oliver gulped and shook his head. Leah leaned forward, bringing Annabelle closer to Oliver's chest. "I can work with that," Leah breathed. She was so quiet, even Annabelle had trouble hearing her—not that she wanted to. In fact, Annabelle prayed Poppy would take over at any second.

"I can help you. I can get her out of your head—even if it's just for a little while," Leah whispered. Her hand moved up his thigh.

They were so close that Annabelle couldn't see anything but the fabric of the enormous giants' shirts. Both giants were absolutely still.

Annabelle bit down hard on her lip. The giantess was planning on luring him into doing something that would ruin and taint every good memory Annabelle associated with Oliver. 

But she wouldn't give the finishing blow. 

If she was the initiator, then it wouldn't be as utterly devastating to Annabelle. It wouldn't completely crush her spirit and any hope that the giantesses wouldn't be able to destroy every good thing that had ever happened in her life. 

Annabelle fought back tears. She refused to cry—that was what Leah wanted. 

Yet when Oliver's chest jumped forward as he pressed his lips against Leah's, Annabelle couldn't help the tears that flowed from her eyes. Their bodies pressed against the crystal from both sides. The sucking and smacking of their gigantic lips echoed inside her crystal.

The Shrinkee's legs gave out. Annabelle fell to her knees and futilely covered her ears with her hands. The sounds that came from their kissing was so loud, so intense. 

He hadn't kissed her like that.

She could hear the saliva that swished in between each of their mouths. Oliver's heart pounded against the crystal, beating in her ears. 

Annabelle tumbled into the back of the crystal. Disoriented, she looked up to see what happened and found that Oliver had pushed Leah onto the bed. She looked up from her back at his massive form. From this angle she saw just how truly huge he was. 

He was enormous and she...wasn't. 

There had always been a closeness between the two of them, but when she looked up at Oliver, she realized just how far away he truly was. 

The teen lowered himself onto Leah's body. Annabelle was completely shrouded in darkness as their two bodies pressed against each other. 

Their intensity only deepened. Their lips sounded wetter. They were both starting to emit tiny moans. Oliver's heart was booming. 

Annabelle froze in her crying when she heard the sound of clothes rustling. A deep nausea overtook her. 

She couldn't do it. She couldn't witness it.  

"Wait wait wait," Oliver's breathless voice panted. Annabelle eyes widened as she watched Oliver pull back from Leah. He jumped to his feet, trying to catch his breath. His face was still flushed and his hair was disheveled. 

Annabelle slid back to the bottom of the floor of the crystal as Leah sat back up on the bed. She couldn't imagine what the giantess was thinking.

Oliver frantically grabbed his backpack. "This is wrong. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—I'm sorry," he said. He started to rush for Leah's bedroom door when the giantess called out to him.

"Wait!" She cried. Annabelle was surprised to hear the desperation in her voice. Oliver must've been surprised too, because he actually stopped.

"You need to let her go," she urged. 

Guilt plagued Oliver's features. "I-I'm sorry I can't do this. I shouldn't do this," he apologized. 

Annabelle felt Leah's heart pound from outside the crystal. The giantess thrust her hand out. 

"Then give me her songs."

Annabelle's heart stopped. She'd known Leah wasn't going to let him leave without giving it to her, but Annabelle desperately prayed for Oliver to just walk out the room. Even if it meant she would never see him again, she needed to know that he wouldn't give something so personal away. 

Oliver looked more confused than offended. "What? No," he said. 

Annabelle was pushed toward the crystal's walls as Leah stood up. "Oliver, you said it yourself. She's dead. You have to move on with your life. You can't do that if you're listening to her every night," Leah insisted. 

Oliver's face softened. Annabelle slammed her palms against the crystal, "Please, Oliver! Don't!" 

Despite what he had just did, Annabelle knew that Oliver could tell Leah was lying through her teeth. He hadn't believed her at the memorial weeks prior, and Annabelle could tell he didn't believe her now. 

But believing her wasn't the issue. The problem was looking into Leah's gorgeous face and refusing her. 

Oliver shook his head. Relief filled the tiny Shrinkee as Oliver's eyes turned resolute. 

"Sorry, but no," he declared. His hair and clothes were still tousled, but there was a strong presence about him when he rejected the giantess.

Annabelle wiped the tears from eyes as she breathed an actual sigh of relief. She would have to come to terms with what just happened—or rather more likely, push it to depths of her mind and never think of it again—but at least the giantess didn't have her music. She still had one thing that remained just hers—and Oliver's. 

Oliver turned to leave. Annabelle's eyes followed him as he walked toward the door. Although she was...she didn't know WHAT she felt exactly, but she knew she would miss him. He had been one of the first people to like her for her. He'd gotten her nerdy jokes, and actually thought they were funny. After an eternity of loneliness, he'd convinced her that not all people totally sucked. She tried to quickly memorize his back as his massive form walked away. For his safety, she hoped she would never see him again. 

"Five thousand."

Both Annabelle and Oliver froze. 

"Five thousand," the giantess repeated. Oliver turned around with a furrowed brow, confused. Annabelle understood Leah immediately. The Shrinkee slowly pressed her forehead against the crystal's wall, hoping, praying, needing one of the last good people in her life to prove that he was, in fact, good.

Leah clarified, "If you give me the songs, I'll give you five thousand dollars."

"Are you—"

Leah cut him off as she lifted her hand, "Before you say anything, this isn't a bribe. I want you to have a fresh start. That means cutting everything Annabelle out of your life."

Bullshit. 

Annabelle knew it was bullshit. Leah knew it was bullshit. Oliver knew it was bullshit. Everyone in the room knew it was bullshit. It was most certainly a bribe. If Leah truly cared about helping Oliver let her go, then she would've told him to delete the songs.

She wasn't even attempting to do a decent job hiding her true motivations—which Annabelle guessed was the point. 

This was no doubt her plan B. Of course the giantess had a backup plan—and it was arguably worse than the original plan. 

Despite her being comprised of the essence of evil itself, Leah was breathtaking. Most people wouldn't turn down her advances—especially a tipsy teenage boy. Annabelle could feel...however she would end up feeling about it, but she couldn't pretend like she didn't understand how he could fall into her trap.

Getting into bed with Oliver was meant to taint the memory of any romantic moment he and Annabelle ever had together. Whenever Annabelle would think of their kiss—she would forever be reminded of Leah and Oliver's giant tongues in each others' mouths. It was an instinctive reaction.

But this.

This was heinous.

Five thousand dollars was nothing to Leah. She could offer five hundred thousand without a second thought. But Annabelle had spent enough time with the giantesses to know this was a part of the game. Five thousand wasn't life changing money, but it was enough to catch the attention of a scholarship kid like Oliver. 

Still, if he was half the person Annabelle thought he was, he would tell Leah to fuck off. 

It was in that moment that Annabelle knew this had been what Leah had wanted all along—to prove Annabelle wrong. To prove that before she'd shrunken, even the best things in her life had been a lie. To prove that she was better off as Poppy, because Annabelle couldn't be trusted to protect herself—to protect her heart. 

"Please, please please please," Annabelle whispered into the emptiness of the crystal. She remembered when she first met Oliver and Chloe. It took them days to convince her of their genuine desire to be her friend. She remembered giggling at one of Oliver's jokes and realizing she couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed with someone. 

They had woken her up after years of being on autopilot—he couldn't just turn his back on her after everything.

"W-What do you want with the songs? Are you going to post them? Anna didn't want..." Oliver started before trailing off, a pained expression on his face. 

Annabelle's chest felt like it was going to cave in on itself. Her heart ached painfully as it shattered. He was considering Leah's offer.

Why?

He knew what Leah was. He knew she was lying about knowing her. So why?

Leah's words were harsh, but they flowed gently from her mouth, "It doesn't matter what she wanted. She's dead, Oliver. But if you must know, I don't plan to release her songs publicly. I'll keep them close to my heart."

She patted the crystal with her gigantic hand. The Shrinkee collided with the wall, she struggled to stay upright. 

Leah removed her hand, allowing Annabelle to see the conflict on Oliver's face. A painful moment of silence passed before Oliver started digging in his backpack.

Annabelle watched with a detached numbness as her former best friend pulled out a flash drive. 

Leah must've made a face at the device because Oliver noted, "Chloe wanted to keep her privacy so she made a physical copy instead of a digital link."

Annabelle wondered how he could say that as he was about to violate her privacy in a way that even Zoey hadn't managed to do.

He looked down at the flash drive in his hand. "This is about moving on. She's dead and I have to move on," he said, not convincing anyone in the bedroom.

In typical Leah fashion, she asked under the façade of innocence, "So you don't want the money?"

Annabelle slumped to the crystal's floor. The giantess was going to make this as painful as possible. 

Oliver scrunched up his face in the way he did whenever he was caught in a lie—a quirk that Annabelle had once found cute, but now could only view as cowardly. 

"No, um, that's okay, I'll take it," he muttered.

The Shrinkee watched the transaction take place. Oliver placed the flash drive into Leah's hand. The giantess sent the money through a mobile payment app. Annabelle steeled her mind though the entire exchange.

If Leah wanted a reaction from her, she would be disappointed. Annabelle was used to people disappointing her. It was the one thing she could count on. The second she saw Oliver consider giving her private songs to Leah, she snuffed all feelings she ever had for him. 

It was no big loss. He was a person after all, and that's what people did—they looked out for themselves, even at the expense of her—especially at her expense.

Oliver exited the bedroom, leaving behind the red cardigan on Leah's bed. Annabelle didn't even bother watching him leave, there was no point anymore. There would be nothing worth memorizing, worth remembering about him. 

After a minute of quiet, Leah's thundering foot falls echoed through the crystal as she walked over to her desk. Leah sat down at her desk, surprising Annabelle. She thought Leah would've grabbed her laptop and instantly played her music. 

Instead, the giantess unfastened the crystal necklace from her neck. Annabelle was jostled around from the movement. Leah gently placed the necklace onto the desk and removed its top. 

Annabelle blinked. She must've wanted a reaction from her right away. She probably was expecting her to be a puddle of tears when she crawled out. 

The giantess was in for a surprise.

Annabelle causally crawled out of the necklace, taking in the bedroom air. She caught a hint of Oliver's scent, and immediately exhaled to get it out of her brain. 

Annabelle finally looked up at Leah. Her face was straightened with an even expression. Her eyes were trained onto Annabelle's tiny form. 

No matter how nonchalant the giantess was acting, Annabelle knew she wanted to see her upset and heartbroken.

Tough shit.

Annabelle craned her neck so she could meet Leah's gaze. The Shrinkee smirked, "I have to say, this was an immaculate plan." She laughed, "I mean attempting to fuck one of my closest friends while you're literally wearing me? It's practically art."

Leah's face didn't change, she continued to silently look down at the Shrinkee, which admittedly pissed Annabelle off. The Shrinkee's lip twitched. She went on, "Admit it, how excited were you when he mentioned that he had my songs? I bet you weren't even listening to him once he said that he had them, I bet you were already thinking of the most painful way to get them, weren't you? God, your mind works so fast, it's almost worthy of worship."

Annabelle narrowed her eyes at the unchanging giantess. She snarled, "Almost." 

The little bit of anger she'd let out when she spat out the word "almost," started to expand. 

She laughed harshly, "I'm sorry to disappoint you Goddess, but you miscalculated one thing: I. Don't. Care." Annabelle tilted her head to the side as she stared up at the silent giantess.

"Do you honestly think that I'm not used to people betraying me? abandoning me? If you wanted to see me cry over some dude that I met only a few months ago, then sorry, but you're going to be disappointed."

She started pacing, unable to keep her angry energy inside. "And did you think I would be, what, devastated because you kissed him? Because you tried to fuck him? He's a teenage boy. It doesn't take a lot to convince them to have sex."

She ran her fingers against her scalp. "And-And if you thought that I would actually be hurt just because he sold some songs so he could have money to offer him some security while he moves to the other side of the country, then good for you—you don't know what it's like to be poor," she snapped. 

She ranted on, "God, I actually feel bad for you. You did all of this—planned all of this—and all you got were some subpar songs."

She crossed her arms and waited for Leah to respond. Annabelle gazed up at the giantess, who peered down right back at her with the same even expression. Annabelle bristled at the giantess looking down at her like she was so above it all.

"It's not like you made me learn some major truth or something," Annabelle huffed. She resumed pacing along Leah's desk. "I already knew that when it came down to it, he didn't love me. I knew he didn't. When it came down to it, he traded my love song for some money—and someone in love wouldn't do that—so he didn't love me...Why would he? No one ever has."

Annabelle's feet turned to lead. She slowly stopped pacing. Her gaze shifted towards the surface of the desk. Her voice became harder to project. 

"He said all of those things. He said I was the only person who understood him. He said he my eyes were his favorite things to look at. He said all of those things, but he gave away my love song. Why did he say all of those things? Why didn't he just keep his mouth shut? Why did he make me think—" Annabelle became furious. 

She didn't know exactly at what. She couldn't tell if it was at Oliver, Leah, or even herself.

"Fuck!" She shouted. "I didn't even want friends! They came over to me! I was fine spending college alone, but they wouldn't fucking let me. They were so fucking persistent, so fucking incensed to show me that people would actually want to hang out with me. After I lowered my guard for a second, he just bulldozed his way into my brain until he was all I could think about."

Annabelle shook her head bitterly, "I didn't want to feel this way, I had just gotten used to having friends, but he just kept fucking flirting, and I started to think that it could work—as if I wasn't a fucking Shrinkee. He kissed me—why did he kiss me? He kissed me like he loved me, but then he gave my love song away. He almost fucked someone else, and he gave my love song away. Fuck! Fuck! No, I don't care, I'm used to this, I don't care."

The Shrinkee fell to her knees. Flashes of memories of her and Oliver bounced around in her mind. From eating lunch together, to singing in his beat up car. She'd always thought even if she never got away from the giantesses, she would at least have the memories of their friendship. She shook her head wildly, as if she was trying to shake the images out of her head.

"I don't care, I don't—"

Leah's enormous finger slowly placed itself underneath her chin, stopping her completely. Annabelle looked up at the giantess. Her eyes were full of pity. 

Annabelle's face crumpled. The Shrinkee's heart wretched. 

"Why couldn't you let me have this? Just this one thing?" She pleaded. Tears easily began to stream down her face. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. 

Leah shook her head, intense sympathy in her features. 

She answered, simply, "Because it wasn't real, Poppy."  

That pushed Annabelle over the edge. The Shrinkee's legs gave out. She burst into deep sobs. Gigantic, slender fingers gently surrounded her. 

Leah scooped her up and placed her onto her chest. Annabelle nestled her head into Leah's cinnamon scented flesh. Her salty tears dripped onto Leah's enormous chest. 

Although she was lost in her own self-pity, she heard Leah rummaging through her desk. The familiar purr of her laptop filled the quiet bedroom. A moment later the sounds of a piano chord replaced the quiet. 

Annabelle's sobs rattled her entire being. She leaned her body completely into Leah's soft chest. Somewhere—beyond her despair and wallowing—she heard the melody of a song she'd made for a boy that didn't deserve it. 

"You have a lovely voice, Poppy," Leah breathed. The Shrinkee would have to take her word for it. 

She could hardly hear anything over the sound of the Leah's gigantic, pounding heartbeat.