Annabelle stretched her arms as high as they could go until her fingers brushed across the top of Nell's phone. The Shrinkee pulled herself up until her chin was over the device's edge. She was lifting herself up when the gigantic freshman finally looked at her with large surprised eyes.

Nell quickly set the phone down and Annabelle's feet once again met the surface of Nell's desk. "Poppy what are you doing?"

Annabelle frowned. "Are you still angry with me?" She asked. Ever since the chaotic dinner, Annabelle hadn't been able to shake off the guilt she felt for going behind Nell's back to investigate Mr. Acker.

Nell gave the briefest of pauses. "No, of course not. How could I be mad at you?" 

Annabelle shot her a dubious look. Nell sighed, "Look, I know why you did what you did. And I get why you didn't tell me. But you could have given me a heads up—for Harley's sake."

Annabelle winced when Nell mentioned Mr. Acker's latest prey. Nell was right. In burying her head in the sand like she usually did, she'd left another girl to be groomed.

The guilt deepened for the Shrinkee. She looked up into Nell's brown eyes. "I'm sorry. You're right, I should've warned you. It's just..." Her voice failed. Her emotions were overwhelming. 

Nell leaned in closer, just that simple act making Annabelle's surroundings much warmer. She encouraged Annabelle to continue with a gentle nod. 

"I've been kind of shoving down every bad feeling since I was little—well younger," Annabelle corrected herself. "And now I just do it all the time, sometimes without even thinking. But this time me pushing it down meant I wasn't just ignoring my own pain—but Harley's too."

Nell nodded. Her face revealed an understanding that Annabelle appreciated. "Believe me Poppy, I know what's like to move all of the uncomfortable thoughts to the back of your head," she said, her gaze lingering on the Shrinkee. 

The gigantic teenager was lost in thought before she snapped out of it. Her face flushed and she continued quickly, "But if you ever need anyone to talk to, you know I'm always here for you."

Annabelle smiled, "Thanks, I know." A bittersweet warmth filled Annabelle. Nell's support gave her brief flashbacks of Chloe. She hadn't felt that kind friendship in so long. 

Nell docked her palm against the desk. Annabelle crawled onto her soft flesh. The constant scent of lemons tickled her nose. She'd been spending a lot of time with Nell lately. Ever since the dinner, Naomi had spent all of her time meeting with her parents and other BSA members. Annabelle knew they were planning something for Acker, but she didn't want to even think about it. She'd swore Nell to also avoid speaking on whatever the BSA had planned—even though she knew the freshman was also part of it.

Nell lifted her hand and settled onto her bed. With an ease that had come with practice, Nell shifted onto her stomach without jostling Annabelle too much. Annabelle prepared herself to be placed onto the plush surface of the bed's comforter, but instead Nell kept her in her hand as she lay on the massive bed.

Like enormous metronomes, Nell's legs kicked up in the air behind her. "Guess what Poppy?" Nell grinned, her shinny braces gleaming. 

"What?" Annabelle asked, a smile forming at just the excitment Nell was displaying. 

"I got rid off all the bugs in the house."

Annabelle's eyebrows slowly raised, "Really? All of them?" Her mind went right back to the overwhelming violence Nell had used to destroy the praying mantis. Her eyes flickered to Nell's swinging feet.

Nell nodded, proudly. "I improved upon my mom's bug spray. When she developed the spray, it was used for preventative measures, but I made it so the bugs already in the house wouldn't be able to survive it," she explained. 

Annabelle blinked. "Seriously? That's really impressive," she remarked.

Nell's face blossomed with red. "Oh, it wasn't really that hard. I just tweaked my mother's spray—"

"No, but really that's so cool," Annabelle insisted, "I didn't want to say anything, but I was a little afraid that another bug would sneak up on me again."

"Oh no, Poppy, Naomi wouldn't let anything happen to you, and I—I mean of course I would—if you're with me then—" Nell tripped over her own words, confusing Annabelle. The giant young woman's face somehow became even more red. 

Nell cleared her throat, before Annabelle could say anything. "And it's not like you really need protecting," Nell smiled awkwardly. 

"What do you mean?"

"You were pretty good at getting me away from you. All you would have to do is use your special tickling strategy," she joked.

Annabelle giggled, "Yeah, the next time I see a spider, I'll just tickle one of its legs."

"No I'm serious," Nell laughed, "You almost took me out with your fingers. Don't underestimate the power of tickling."

Annabelle rolled her eyes, "Yeah, sure."

Nell raised an eyebrow, "Oh you don't believe me? You sound like someone who needs a taste of her own medicine."

Annabelle's smile dimmed a bit. She eyed Nell's fingers as they started to wiggle. "No, but um seriously, don't," she said through an awkward chuckle. 

Nell, still grinning, moved her fingers closer. Annabelle felt Nell's hand lift her up slightly from the bed. A pit formed in the Shrinkee's stomach. She tried to scoot away from her approaching fingers, but realized Nell's hand had shifted her other fingers into a makeshift wall.

Annabelle looked up at the giggling enormous freshman. There was no escape.

"W-Wait wait—" Annabelle was cut off as Nell's fingers descended upon her foot. She wiggled her digits against the much smaller girl's feet. Annabelle tried to kick her fingers away, but Nell didn't even flinch. 

The Shrinkee burst into involuntary laughter. Every nerve in her feet lit up as Nell tickled every inch of her sole. Annabelle gasped through laughter, attempting to convey her seriousness to Nell.

"N-Nelllllll!" Annabelle pleaded through her laughs.

If anything, the Shrinkee's begging on spurred her on. Nell's fingers rose up to Annabelle's stomach, then under her arms and neck. The gigantic girl's fingers were everywhere. Annabelle's back arched. Tears filled her eyes. She needed her to stop, but Nell was too powerful.

She didn't even realize what she was doing to her. The giant girl just continued to giggle above her, not understanding the impact she was having on the Shrinkee. Annabelle's stomach sang with pain from being clenched for so long. 

Annabelle couldn't even wiggle away, Nell was too persistent.

"See? It's more effective than you'd think," Nell laughed, still ignorant of the extent of overstimulation she was putting Annabelle through.

Annabelle could only continue to laugh. Tears poured down her cheeks. She truly had no control. She could feel something building up inside of her. The Shrinkee panicked. 

"Pllleeasse dooonn'ttt," Annabelle pleaded. She didn't know if she was talking to Nell or her body at that point.

Nell only giggled from above and continued to dance her fingers across her limbs. Annabelle couldn't take it any longer. 

She screamed as her back arched again. Her pelvis lifted and her toes clenched as her body released itself.

The Shrinkee's bladder emptied itself in its entirety. 

Instantly, Nell froze. Annabelle gasped at her release and turned onto her stomach. The Shrinkee cradled her knees and turned away from Nell.

"Poppy?" Nell asked, genuinely sounding perplexed.

Annabelle's face burned. Her lower half was damp with her urine. "I told you to stop," she snapped. 

The Shrinkee could feel Nell's hand grow warmer. "I-I didn't—I thought you were joking," she stammered.

"I wasn't," Annabelle barked. Tears threatened to fall again. She was so pathetic, drenched in urine, shaking in the hand of someone the same age as her. 

Annabelle gritted her teeth, "This is why I said I was afraid of you giants, you don't even understand how strong you are."

"Poppy, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," Nell insisted. Annabelle said nothing, but clenched her eyes shut to keep the tears from falling.

"Okay, um, I know Naomi can't see you like this, so let's get you cleaned up," Nell said, flustered. 

Annabelle didn't say anything. She knew Nell was right, but she was in no mood to speak to her. Nell began to walk her to the bathroom. Annabelle's bottom became even more wet. Nell's hands dampened her skin with sweat. 

Nell stepped into the luxurious bathroom and turned on the faucet. It roared to life, shooting water out, full force.

Annabelle flinched from the sound. Nell quickly fiddled with it so the pressure lessened until the water gently flowed out the nozzle. 

Nell's gaze went back and forth from the faucet to Annabelle. If the Shrinkee hadn't been so humiliated and angry, she would've felt bad for her.

"Should you uh..." Nell started.

Annabelle frowned, but still began to undress. It was difficult with Nell's hand trembling, but she managed it. She removed her clothes and stood naked in the gigantic college freshman's hand. 

Unlike when she was being held by the giantesses, Annabelle was able to cover herself without any chastising. 

Annabelle waited to be placed underneath the water, but Nell's hand stayed still. Her irritation growing, Annabelle whipped around to the enormous freshman. 

The girl's massive face was beet red. When Annabelle turned to her, she saw a lump travel down the giant girl's throat as she gulped. Annabelle furrowed her brow. 

"S-Sorry, it's just you're really pretty," she sputtered.

Annabelle blinked, not knowing how to react. Her anger evaporated and confusion took its place.

Before she could respond, Nell clumsily moved her hand under the faucet. Water poured over the Shrinkee. Annabelle tried futilely to get away from the gushing flow of the water, but it was too overwhelming. 

"Sorry!" Nell yelped.

Just as quickly as she was placed under the faucet, Nell yanked Annabelle away from the water. The Shrinkee fell from the force of Nell's sporadic movements. Her face collided with Nell's palm. She landed on her stomach, her torso and chest squishing against the surface of Nell's hand. 

Annabelle heard Nell gasp from above. Once again, the giant girl acted without thinking. She dropped Annabelle onto the cold hard sink. The Shrinkee's head slapped into the sink's surface. Annabelle grunted and swallowed a shout.

"Shit! Sorry!" Nell panicked. 

Annabelle tried to get gather her bearings, but she was starting to see two Nells in her vision. Her head was swimming. Guilt plagued the Nells' expressions. 

"I-I'm sorry—"

"A bowl," Annabelle groaned out. 

Nell blinked down at her.

"A bowl," Annabelle snapped, "get a bowl and fill it with water."

Nell only hesitated for a second before scurrying out of the bathroom. Her gigantic feet slapped against the floor, shaking Annabelle.

The Shrinkee rubbed her eyes, waiting for her healing to take care of the concussion she'd no doubt received. Just as her head started to clear, the sink shook again. Nell returned with the bowl. Her face was even somehow more contorted with guilt.

Wordlessly she filled the bowl and sat it on the sink's counter. She looked between the bowl and Annabelle, uncertain. With shaking hands she reached for Annabelle, before stopping short. 

Annabelle sighed and gave a short nod of consent. The gigantic girl gently picked her up and placed her into the bowl.

The warm water slowly started to melt Annabelle's tensions away. Silently, Nell began washing Annabelle's clothes under the faucet. Annabelle kept her eyes on the bath water. She knew Nell's clumsiness wasn't her fault, but she was frustrated at the gigantic bespeckled girl because it made her think of the giantesses and how adapt they were with handling her tiny body.

Soon, they both were finished with their respective cleanings. Nell turned off the water. She looked down at the dripping clothes and placed them on the sink's counter.

"Um, it has to dry now," she said.

Annabelle nodded. "That's fine," she replied. She leaned her head back against the bowl's wall.

Nell bit her lip. "But uh, you shouldn't stay in there for too long. You could get sick," she said. 

Annabelle held back another sigh. "I can't get sick," she replied. When Nell looked down at her with eyebrows scrunched up, Annabelle explained, "just another gift from my Type 0 cells."

Nell's eyes widened, "Seriously? That's so cool," the giantess chirped, her girlish voice echoing around Annabelle's bowl. The Shrinkee only shrugged. She'd prefer being able to bathe in a non-bowl sized tub to anything her Type 0 DNA could offer. 

Nell's gaze stayed on Annabelle for a moment before she shifted her feet and said, "I really don't want you to get pruny or anything."

Annabelle opened her mouth to protest, but realized she didn't have the energy. She stood up in the bowl, allowing Nell to pick her up. Although she was plucked from her warm water, Nell's hand held a surprisingly comfortable warmth. Annabelle looked up to see Nell was looking anywhere but at her naked body, yet her face was a bright red.

Annabelle gave a tiny exhale and wrapped her arms around her chest, cursing the curves thrust onto her by her Type 0 mutation.  

Nell returned to her bedroom. She strode over to her bed. Her enormous feet shook Annabelle with every step the gigantic freshman took.

Gently, Nell bent down and placed Annabelle onto the bed. Nell's huge face neared Annabelle's small naked form. Her bespeckled eyes were noticeably looking away from her body.

"Um, I think I have some old Shrink-Wear stuff somewhere under my bed if you want," she suggested.

Annabelle looked at the huge girl's nervous expression. A pang twisted her heart. Annabelle knew Nell hadn't meant to embarrass her like that. She wasn't the giantesses. The fact that she was looking for clothes to wear instead of leaving her naked was evidence of that.

Annabelle defrosted a bit. She gave Nell a small, appreciative smile. "Okay, thanks," she said.

Nell's face lit up. "Yeah? Okay! I'll find something that you'll like!" She chirped.

Before Annabelle could say anything, the enormous freshman had ducked under the bed to begin her search. Annabelle snorted, amused by the girl's enthusiasm. 

She could both hear and feel Nell rummaging down underneath the bed. Annabelle was knocked onto her behind from all of the movement. 

Finally, Nell backed out from underneath her bed. Her small ponytail had come undone and her jet black hair brushed across her shoulders. She was slightly out of breath, but a wide smile still donned her face. She held a mess of balled up and tangled Shrinkee clothes in her hands. 

She stood up to her full height, casting a vast shadow over Annabelle. Her eyes were cast downward, but at the bundle of clothes in her hand, not Annabelle. In fact her focus was squarely on the clothes. Nell sighed and started to pull at the tangled ball of outfits.

"This is gonna take a minute," she muttered. Annabelle was just about to tell her to not bother when the massive girl started to turn around.

Annabelle automatically craned her neck upwards to the heavens that were Nell's colossal form. Her heart sank when she realized Nell was starting to sit down. 

Time seemed to slow down to a halt. 

As a Shrinkee she was always aware of the sizes of everything around her, but she was just realizing she'd never really looked at Nell's body. Despite her insecurities, Nell had a cute figure. Although she lost to her sister in the size department when it came to chests, Annabelle realized Nell's behind was surprisingly large and perky. She hadn't noticed because she hadn't exactly been staring at her body. It also didn't help that Nell often wore baggy clothing. However, that day she'd decided to put on tight shorts that hugged her bottom. Even with the bright blue fabric, Annabelle still hadn't noticed until that moment.

Nell's gigantic ass headed straight for her. Annabelle's mind splintered into two. She couldn't decide whether to scream and get the oblivious girl's attention, or make a run for it. Before she could even consider her options for more than a second, time sped back up. 

Nell's butt descended upon her without giving the Shrinkee a moment to brace herself. The two globes quickly became her world. The enormity of Nell's form landed completely on Annabelle. 

Instantly, Annabelle was crushed. The pressure was beyond anything she'd felt when Nell had stepped on her. The Shrinkee couldn't even think of breathing. She would've hoped the mattress's soft surface would've lessened the pressure she felt, but it turned out nothing could weaken the intensity of being sat on by a gigantic person. 

Annabelle was fully pressed into Nell's ass. A sweltering heat stuck to her body. She couldn't even move her body enough to twitch. It was a indescribable feeling being crushed by something so soft. The fabric around Nell's butt formed around Annabelle's body so tightly that she couldn't feel anything but the fibers in Nell's shorts as they slightly shifted with every breath she took.

Then it was over. 

Unlike when she stepped on her, Nell immediately got up. Annabelle was shocked when she didn't find herself rising with the enormous freshman, stuck to her shorts. Instead, when Nell jumped up, she left Annabelle deeply imprinted into the mattress. 

Light found Annabelle once again. She sucked in air, surprised that only a few of her ribs were broken. Her vision slowly recovered. She heard Nell blubber out apologizes as she kneeled next to her bed, her humongous head hovering over her with a distressed expression. Even if she hadn't been talking a mile a minute, it was difficult for Annabelle to understand anything with her heart pounding away in her ears. 

Slowly, her bones mended itself. She closed her eyes, thankful and surprised that she wasn't in more pain. 

"Poppy, I'm so sorry," Nell whimpered. 

Annabelle was far too exhausted to be angry. Still on her back, she looked up at the giant freshman. Her eyes were watery and her bottom lip was trembling. There was some part of Annabelle that felt pity for Nell, but a larger part knew she simply was too clumsy and dangerous to be around. The Shrinkee knew she had to go back to her cage. Now that the bugs were gone, there was nothing keeping her from going back.

"Nell..." Annabelle started. 

"Wait!" Nell squeaked, "I know what you're going to say Poppy, but please let me explain something first."

Annabelle struggled as she sat up. She was too sore and too naked to entertain her. "Nell, can you just take me bac—"

"I-I like you!" Nell blurted. 

Annabelle blinked up at her. Nell's face was burning red, but her eyes were serious. The Shrinkee wanted to respond, but found herself speechless. Nell continued to speak, her words spilled out of her like they had been piling up and up until they toppled past her lips.

"That's why I keep acting so stupid around you. I'm just overthinking everything I say and do. Then I get distracted with how cute and funny you are and I end up hurting you. And before you say anything, I know you probably don't feel the same way, but could you hold off on saying anything until you hear this?"

Suddenly Annabelle was in Nell's hands. The giant freshman simply moved her further back on the bed, away from the bed's edge. She returned back to underneath the bed. 

Annabelle's mind was a swirl of confusion. She didn't know what Nell was planning, but she knew she had to put a stop to it. She would be kind with her rejection, but she knew she had to shut her down. 

Nell came back from under the bed with her keyboard piano. Annabelle was overwhelmed with second hand embarrassment. There was no way she was gonna actually serenade her. 

A blush grew across Nell's cheeks. "I've been practicing, and I kind of wrote you something," she revealed, placing her keyboard on the bed. Annabelle was knocked onto her knees from the force of the piano being placed onto the bed.

Annabelle cringed, pulling herself back up, "Nell, listen—"

"Just hold on Poppy, please just give me a chance," she pleaded. Annabelle didn't have time to protest again. 

Nell's shaky fingers played an awkward sounding chord. Annabelle started walking over to the piano. She had to stop her, it would be far too painful to let her sing the song and then reject her.

Nell hummed the first note, stopping Annabelle in her tracks. The Shrinkee froze in place. Her brain tickled with electricity. Nell started singing.

Annabelle tripped and caught herself on the piano's surface. An all encompassing warmth blossomed inside of her.

Her voice was wavering and off pitch, but Annabelle was almost brought to tears with how beautiful it was. Annabelle gazed up at her Goddess. Her vulnerability was so inspiring. The song revealed the deep and pure feelings She held for Annabelle. The words directly struck Annabelle's heart. Her Goddess was so perfect.

The song ended entirely too soon, and by the end, Her Goddess' face was somehow even more red. Her beautiful brown eyes were still locked on Her piano. 

"S-So yeah...that's how I feel," She mumbled, fiddling with Her fingers. She took a deep breath and said, "You don't have to say anything or give me an answer—"

"I love you too Goddess," Annabelle blurted. She meant it with every atom of her heart. 

Her Goddess snapped Her head up. She looked down at her with wide adorable eyes. "Goddess—Wha...Poppy? You do?" She breathed.

Annabelle nodded. She climbed up on top of the keyboard, needing to be closer to her Goddess. 

"Yes, Goddess, I love you more than I can even put into words," she said. 

Annabelle's Goddess blinked back tears. Annabelle cursed her size. If she wasn't shrunken, she could wrap her Goddess in her arms and cradle Her. Instead Annabelle did the next best thing. She climbed onto the piano, ignoring the ringing of the keys as she stepped on top of them. Annabelle grabbed her Goddess' finger. She peppered it with kisses.

"Goddess, I love you so much," she said through her kisses. 

Her Goddess suddenly took Her hand away. Annabelle flinched, shocked and devastated. She looked up her Goddess Who was peering down at her with hesitancy.

"Poppy...why do you keep calling me that?" She asked, before clarifying, "You only ever call my sister and the others that." Her stunning face was twisted in confusion.

Annabelle's heart sank, horrified to think she'd done anything to upset her Goddess.

"I'm so sorry, Godd—I mean—I don't want to do or say anything to make you uncomfortable," Annabelle, insisted, "I'll call you anything you want."

"Oh—no—I mean, um, Nell is fine," her Goddess said. "I just—um are you okay?" She asked.

Annabelle nodded, "I'm just really happy that you told me how you feel," she said. She gripped Her finger affectionally.  

Her Goddess smiled back down at her warmly. Annabelle wanted nothing more than to gaze up into her Goddess' eyes for all eternity, but there was something off about her Goddess' smile that was distracting Annabelle.

"Goddess?" Annabelle asked, "What's wrong?"

Her Goddess' lips twitched before She quickly recovered. "What are you talking about Poppy?" She said, pseudo-confused.

Annabelle raised her eyebrow. "Nell, come on," she pushed.

Her Goddess faltered. Her braces made an appearance as She bit Her lip, uncertain. "Okay," She sighed and blurted out, "I think maybe possibly you could be having an imprinting episode."

Annabelle shook her head without hesitation. She squeezed her Goddess' finger. "No, Godde—Nell—I'm not having an episode. I'm just happy and in love," she insisted.

"I just don't want to hurt you or like take advantage of you—" 

Annabelle laughed, "You aren't taking advantage of me, I promise. We're just two people in love. Is that so bad?"

"Okay, but I overheard my parents and the others talking about what you're like when you have these kinds of episodes," She explained.

Annabelle snorted, "And what am I like?" 

Her Goddess gulped. "You'll do anything I say—anything I want."

Annabelle smiled and kissed Her finger, "I mean why wouldn't I do anything for the person I love?"

"B-But it's not love—it's chemicals," her Goddess argued.

"Isn't love really just chemicals releasing in the body?" Annabelle retorted while she kissed her Goddess' finger.

Her Goddess pulled Her hand away, causing Annabelle to cry out. "Goddess!"

Her Goddess' eyes widened, "See? You're calling me Goddess again! I told you, you're having an episode."

The Shrinkee ran a hand through her hair. "Fine, if you're so afraid of taking advantage of me then just don't," she said.

"I can't Poppy," her Goddess groaned, rubbing Her face.

"Why not?"

"Because you're just standing there, naked," she snapped, "do you know how hard it is to control myself around you, and now you're—"

"Yours," Annabelle said, looking up at her stunned Goddess, "I'm yours Goddess. Now tell me, what do you want to do?"

Her Goddess was silent for a while. She adorably covered Her face with Her hands. Annabelle could see She was growing red even before She revealed Her face again.

She mumbled out, "I've never kissed anyone."

Annabelle blinked. Her heart pounded in her chest. "So do you—"

The Shrinkee was already in her Goddess' palms. Her Goddess' had wrapped Her warm hands around Annabelle's body. Before Annabelle realized how much she loved Her, Annabelle would've only been concerned over how tightly her Goddess was holding her, or the sweat from her Goddess' hands coating her body.

Now, she only thought of how cute her Goddess' nervous, but energetic energy was. Her Goddess puckered Her ginormous lips and shut Her eyes tight. Annabelle held back a giggle. Her Goddess was so cute.

The Shrinkee also closed her eyes and braced herself. Her Goddess enthusiastically brought the Shrinkee to Her mouth. She smushed Annabelle's face against Her wet lips.

A mixture of lemon and her Goddess' breakfast was all Annabelle could smell. Her Goddess' lips were so wet and soft. A healthy coat of saliva covered Annabelle's head. It began to drip down her body, wetting her chest. 

Her Goddess held her in a way that constrained her arms against her body, so Annabelle was fully immobilized. The Shrinkee didn't care. She just wanted her Goddess to be happy.

And that She was. 

Her Goddess pulled Annabelle back from Her enormous mouth, a thick trail of saliva dropped from Her lips. Those same lips spread out in a wide smile. Her Goddess beamed, showing Her braces glistening with Her saliva.   

"You're such a good kisser, Poppy," She giggled cutely. 

Annabelle didn't have the heart to tell Her she hadn't had the mobility to kiss Her back, so she just smiled back with a, "Thank you, Goddess! I'm glad I could be your first kiss."

Her Goddess blushed. She stood up, bringing Annabelle up high. She moved the keyboard piano to the floor and climbed back up on Her bed. Getting comfortable, the enormous coed leaned up against Her bed's headboard. Her gorgeous face loomed over Annabelle's tiny form as She held her in her fist. She still gripped onto her body as though She was afraid Annabelle would slip through Her fingers.

She started to stroke Annabelle's hair, petting her gently. The Shrinkee leaned into Her touch. They silently enjoyed each others company.

After a while, her Goddess asked, "Who was your first kiss, Poppy?"

Annabelle frowned, the memories of Oliver floating to the front of her brain, "Someone who I thought was my friend," she admitted.

Her Goddess deflated a bit, making Annabelle regret answering Her honestly. "They weren't?" She questioned, Her voice soft and sad. 

Annabelle couldn't help but smile. Her Goddess was so gentle and compassionate. She shook her head. "Maybe they were. I'm not sure if I'm being unfair. He was in a pretty difficult position," she said, considering how Oliver had been manipulated. 

Her Goddess grimaced, "Who put him in that position? Was it my sister?"

"No no, it wasn't her," Annabelle said, "it was Leah. She was trying to show me that I was bad at choosing friends and I needed to only rely on her or something like that."

Her Goddess' face darkened. "Poppy, I am so sorry. Even as kids they were so awful. They've only gotten worse as we've gotten older. I can't explain to you how disturbing it is to me that they have you," She grumbled. 

Annabelle contorted her neck so she was able to kiss her Goddess' fist. "Goddess let's not talk about them right now," she said.

Her Goddess sighed, blowing a gust of wind over Annabelle. "I just hate that you're trapped with them, being tortured by them. I wish I could do something nice for you," She said.

Annabelle snorted, "You are doing something nice for me. Just hanging out together makes me feel so much better about everything."

Her Goddess frowned, "Yeah, but I want to do something more."

Annabelle's lips curled, "Goddess, I told you, you're doing so much for me. What else do you want to do? Free all the Shrinkees?"

The fist around Annabelle grew tighter. Her Goddess' eyes widened. "Yes, Poppy," She breathed.

Annabelle's smile was still on her face, though the Shrinkee was confused. "What?"

"I'll free the Shrinkees—the ones they keep under the house, downstairs" She announced, excited. 

"Wait wait wait," Annabelle said, "you have Shrinkees under the house?" She remembered the doors Naomi had attempted to hide from her after she had the tracker injected. 

"Yeah," her Goddess nodded, still grinning with excitement. "I've only seem them once or twice, but they're like villages or something."

The colonies. Annabelle didn't know why she hadn't considered that there would be colonies here. She wondered if Byte knew. She would need to tell him.

"But yeah," her Goddess said, "we can like totally like—well maybe not free them—but just see if they need help. I wouldn't put it past my parents to be starving them or something like that."

Annabelle considered it. She could use the opportunity to investigate the place and pass on the information to Byte. She'd imagine if she brought him useful information, maybe he'd include her in the resistance's happenings. 

It was risky though, and she didn't want to get her Goddess in trouble. Annabelle looked up at her eager Goddess. "Maybe let's not rush in there, but we could just peek around?" She suggested.

Her Goddess shook Her head, "Poppy, let me do this for you. I'll be fine."

"This is a big ask, Goddess," Annabelle frowned, "You could get in serious trouble."

Her Goddess pursed Her pink lips together. A slow blush blossomed across Her cheeks. "Then, uh, why don't you do something to make us even? Like I do this for you, and you do something for me?"

Annabelle nodded without hesitation, "I'll do anything for You, Goddess."

Her Goddess' hands grew warmer. "I-It's kinda embarrassing," She muttered.

Annabelle smiled, enjoying the bashfulness of her Goddess. "Come on, just say it, Goddess," she smiled.

Her Goddess swallowed. Her eyes flickered from Annabelle to Her lap. "Y-You know how just now I accidently sat on you?" She started.

Annabelle's brows rose up her forehead. "Oh," she said, immediately getting it.

Her Goddess face turned an even brighter shade of red. She furiously shook Her head, causing Annabelle to also shake in Her fist. "Nevermind, nevermind!" She cried.

Annabelle's head wobbled while in her Goddess' tight grip. "Goddess, it's okay! You can do it!" She shouted over her Goddess' cries of embarrassment. 

Her Goddess stopped instantly. Her adorable brown eyes were saucers as they looked at her. "Poppy...are you sure?" She asked in obvious disbelief.

"Of course," Annabelle insisted, still trying to recover from her Goddess' manic movements. "Even if I wasn't in love with you, you're doing such a big thing for me. It's the least I can do."

Her Goddess' mouth was agape with shock before She slowly beamed down at the Shrinkee. "Poppy, thank you so much. I was so afraid you were gonna think I was weird."

Truthfully, Annabelle was a little taken aback by her Goddess' request, but it wasn't her place to judge. She was far too in love for that. 

Her Goddess looked at her curiously, "S-So it's okay that I—"

"Go for it," Annabelle assured.

"O-Okay," her Goddess breathed. Annabelle felt her Goddess' fingers unclench from around her body. She softly placed her onto the bed. Her Goddess stood all the way up to Her full enormous height. She turned around, and Annabelle's chest tightened as her Goddess' colossal behind filled the heavens.  

Her Goddess didn't say word, but Annabelle could see Her trembling with anticipation. An expansive shadow found Annabelle once again as her Goddess started to lower Herself. Unlike before, Annabelle didn't try to run or shield her body. Instead, she lay down onto the bed and spread her arms out. Her Goddess' moon-sized butt descended towards her. It wasn't long before it was on top of her body.

Immeasurable pressure fell against her as her Goddess sat down. She felt her Goddess shift and wiggle around. She couldn't tell if She was trying to get comfortable, or was just trying feel her more. Either way, it was an endless amount of weight on top of her. Annabelle could feel her organs shifting.

Still. Her pain was nothing compared to the happiness she was bringing to her Goddess.

Pressure alleviated for a moment. Her Goddess lifted Herself slightly from the bed. The pain didn't subside, and Annabelle's lungs were too squished to take in any substantial amount of air. Just as quickly as her Goddess raised from the bed did She land on top of her again. And again.

Annabelle's body screamed in protest as her Goddess repeatedly wiggled and bounced on her. Eventually Annabelle couldn't take in any air at all. Her body was flattened. 

The Shrinkee's mind began to trickle out of consciousness. Although the pain was extensive, Annabelle could hear her Goddess' moans, and the Shrinkee desperately wanted to stay awake to hear Her.

But after wiggle after wiggle and bounce after bounce, Annabelle knew she couldn't hold on forever. Her pain took ahold of her, forcing her mind into an vast escape of oblivion.

---

Annabelle sighed at all the open textbooks spread out in front of her. Her eyes turned away from it, and up and around the library she sat in. It was  She leaned back in her chair and looked across the table at Nell, whose nose was buried in a fantasy novel. She grinned at the bespeckled teen.

"Is it getting good?" She asked. 

Nell's eyes briefly met hers as she glanced up from her book—only for a moment. "It's amazing!" She chirped, her eyes still glued on the words.

The librarian walked briskly past their table with a harsh, "Shush!"

Annabelle flinched, while Nell didn't seem to notice. The co-ed was absorbed in her book while she mindlessly munched on a bowl full of grapes. Annabelle couldn't help but notice the skin of the grapes were getting caught in her braces, but Nell didn't seem to mind, so she kept it to herself.

Annabelle sat up and resumed her studies. She was working away when she heard a squeak tickle her ear. Annabelle looked around. Nell was still hyper-focused on her book. The library was empty except for the librarian that glared at them very five minutes or so. 

Another squeak reached Annabelle. Then another. A chorus of squeaking poked Annabelle's attention. She followed the sound to Nell's bowl. Annabelle's stomach dropped. The grapes had disappeared. Instead the fruit had been replaced with tiny people.

Annabelle tried to jump up, but found her arms had been fastened to the arms of her chair with leather restraints. 

"Nell!" She cried, "Nell, there's people in your bowl!" Her wide eyes looked pleadingly at the co-ed. She didn't even look up from her book. She continued to read on as if she couldn't hear her.

Nell reached into the bowl, plucking up a shrunken man. Even from across the table, Annabelle could hear him screaming his head off. Still, Nell was engrossed in her book. Without looking up, she opened her mouth and deposited the man onto her tongue. He, along with his screams, disappeared behind her lips as she shut her mouth closed and began chewing.

"Penelope!" Annabelle screamed, but Nell continued to eat the man, seemingly not even noticing he was not a grape.

"Penelope!" Annabelle called out again, struggling against her restraints. 

The librarian was suddenly standing over her. She bent down near her face and hissed, "Shush!" Spittle sprayed against the side of her face.

Annabelle tried to explain what was happening to the librarian, but her mouth wouldn't open. She looked down in horror to find her mouth was duct tapped over. 

The librarian rose back up, smiling smugly as she strutted away. Annabelle fought and attempted to scream through the tape, but only muffled grunts came out. In front of her, Nell resumed her vile snack. 

Annabelle had to watch blood dribble down Nell's chin while she continued to read. A familiar voice reached her.

"Belle!"

Annabelle's eyes flickered to the bowl. Her heart squeezed within her chest when she saw Chloe in the bowl filled with people.

Annabelle screamed behind the tape. She jerked in the chair. Chole was waving her arms, frantic. Nell reached into the bowl once again. Her hand just missed Chloe's tiny body. She gathered up a man instead. The small man flailed in her palm, screeching.

Nell's mouth made quick work of him. She pushed him past her lips and chomped down on his diminutive frame. Her braces caught his remails, causing the shiny metal to be littered with flesh and intestines. Annabelle gagged behind the tape.

"Belle!" Chole continued to scream. Annabelle closed her eyes. She couldn't take her own uselessness. She wanted to shut it all out. Still, she could hear Chloe's voice. It actually seemed to become increasingly louder.

"Belle!" 

Annabelle's eyes snapped right open. Chloe was suddenly right in front of her. Annabelle jumped and scanned around her. She was surrounded by high, curved walls. People pushed against each other, attempting to escape. Annabelle's gaze continued upward. Beyond the walls and above into the heavens was a colossal figure.

Nell took up every inch of the sky, munching away above them. Droplets of blood rained upon her book from her greedy mouth.

Annabelle whimpered. She was in Nell's bowl.

A sharp grip squeezed Annabelle's shoulders as Chloe grabbed her. Her dark eyes were full of teary panic.

"Belle! We have to go! She's gonna—"

Nell's enormous hand cast a shadow over them. Annabelle and Chloe screamed as the hand headed straight for them. They tried to run, but the bowl was so crowded they couldn't move away. 

Nell's fingers reached for Annabelle, but Chloe shoved her, moving her out of the way. 

"No!" Annabelle screamed, falling onto the bowl's floor. Nell's fingers wrapped around Chloe. Annabelle scrambled to her feet and reached out for her, but she was already in the air.

"Chloe!" Annabelle cried.

Nell licked her bloodstained lips and brought the screaming purple-haired girl to her mouth. Annabelle pleaded through her sobs.

"Penelope, please!" Annabelle begged.

Nell's eyes were glued onto her book. She didn't even blink. The huge girl popped Chloe into her maw. She closed her mouth and began to chew without fanfare. 

"Nooo!" Annabelle screeched. She fell to her knees. Her best friend was dead. Annabelle's heart twisted in her chest. She felt as though it would explode at any moment—she prayed that it would and it would put an end to the grief she felt.

Annabelle pressed her forehead against the bowl's floor and continued to sob. People around her screamed, but she could hardly hear them beyond her own crying.

She barely even registered when Nell's fingers returned to the bowl. The gigantic pillars found her body. Annabelle didn't fight back. She lay limp and dazed in Nell's distracted hand.

Nell lifted her to her mouth. A hot and humid air blasted onto her as her lips opened., revealing a carnage of body parts and blood. Still, Annabelle did not react. Chloe was dead. There was no point in fighting anymore.

Nell's metal mouth widened ever so slightly as Annabelle was set on her hot, wet tongue. Annabelle only closed her eyes, not having the energy to scream. 

In an instant, there was only darkness.

--

Annabelle jerked awake, sharply sucking in air. She swallowed a scream. She was still trapped in the darkness, but she wasn't in a mouth. She was in a hand. Lemon-scented. Nell.

She was alive. She wasn't eaten. Chloe was alive.

Annabelle exhaled, relieved. She could feel the familiar rhythm of foot steps. Nell was walking somewhere, taking her somewhere.

She was in a tight grip. Her head was covered. Annabelle wiggled in Nell's palm. She felt the walls of Nell's hand tighten around her.

"Hold on a second, Poppy," Nell's muffled voice whispered. A repetitive beeping sound reached her ears. Annabelle heard a dull click, then the creaking of an opening door. The beeping stopped.

Annabelle heard the sound of Nell's footsteps again. She could tell Nell was walking faster than before. Finally, Nell uncurled her fingers from Annabelle's body. The Shrinkee was lifted up to Nell's gigantic face.

Her eyes bore into Annabelle with concern. "Poppy, you're awake!" She whispered, washing hot breath over Annabelle.

Annabelle looked up at the huge freshman. Her brown eyes no longer seemed to sparkle with an endless deepness. Her skin didn't illuminate with holy energy. She was just Nell.

A huge wave of shame covered Annabelle. She couldn't believe she let it happen again. She rubbed her hands over her face and groaned, beyond frustrated with herself.

"I guess you're not having an imprinting episode anymore, huh?" Nell said softly, with a sad smile.

Annabelle could only shake her head. She didn't even want to think about what she'd allowed Nell to do with her—with her body. Like always, she pushed it to the back of her brain.

She looked past Nell's face. They were in a much bigger room than she had initially noticed. The ceiling stretched high, and the walls were yards from each other. There was a door on each wall. Annabelle didn't need to ask to know they were underneath the Sano's mansion where they held the colonies.

"Nell," she started with an exhale, "let's go back. We shouldn't be here."

Nell's face dropped, "No, we're so close, if we can just get through one of these doors, we'll reach a village."

Annabelle glanced back at the door nearest to them. There was a numbered keypad and a fingerprint recognition pad. Nell must've followed her gaze because she said, "All of the other locked doors were easy to get through, but I'm still trying to figure out this one. I swear I just need a few—"

"Really, it's okay," Annabelle insisted. She was telling the truth. She had more than enough to bring back to Byte. 

"Poppy, I said I was going to do this for you, so let me do it," Nell said. The giantess' eyes were narrowed with determination. 

Annabelle swallowed another sigh. She was so tired. The earlier...incident had left her exhausted. She didn't have the energy to argue with Nell. 

She pursed her lips and nodded. "Yeah, all right, go for it," she said gesturing to the keypad. Dr. and Mr. Sano would catch them soon enough. Even if they hadn't gotten her chipped, there was no way they didn't have a security system down there. 

Nell smiled, apparently happy to have Annabelle's blessing. The giant freshman stepped over to the keypad and began fiddling around with it. Annabelle sat back in Nell's hand, watching her attempt to manipulate the key pad. Thankfully, Nell had dressed Annabelle in a simple blue sundress, so she was no longer naked.  

After a minute of unsuccessful breaking and entering, Nell groaned and took a step back. Annabelle relaxed her shoulders, thinking that Nell was giving up. Instead the gigantic teen. lifted Annabelle back up to her face.

"I think I need two hands for this," she said. 

Annabelle had to stop herself from yelling at Nell to just leave. She held back her opinion and nodded, submitting to Nell's decision.  

The Shrinkee's stomach flipped as Nell set Annabelle down onto the cold, stone floor. Nell's humongous form loomed over Annabelle as she stood up to her full height. Annabelle slowly backed away from Nell's massive slippers. She had a lot of feelings towards Nell at that moment, and being placed next to her gigantic feet wasn't helping how overwhelmed Annabelle felt.

Nell continued to work on the keypad when Annabelle noticed a light coming from underneath the door. The Shrinkee crept closer, appreciating the distance she was placing between herself and Nell's feet. 

Annabelle observed a crack between the floor and the door's underside. It wasn't large enough for a Shrinkee to get through for obvious reasons.

Annabelle frowned and looked closer. The crack wasn't wide enough for a normal Shrinkee to pass through.

She glanced up at Nell. The huge teenager was still struggling above her. Annabelle turned back to the crack. She hadn't considered actually contacting the colonies herself. She was still assuming Nell's parents would stop them at any second, but it had been several minutes and Nell had been allowed to fumble around with the keypad without any interference. 

Annabelle kneeled next to the crack. A gust of cool air wafted from the other side of the door. She wasn't sure—but did she actually have an opportunity?

She looked between Nell and the crack. The Shrinkee had humiliated herself in such a severe way. If she could salvage some information for Byte, maybe she wouldn't be a complete waste of a person.

Annabelle cupped her hands around her mouth for an impromptu amplifier for her voice. "Hey Nell!" She called up to the massive girl.

Nell's eyes shifted away from the keypad. She couldn't wipe the frustration from her face fast enough before she looked down towards Annabelle. 

Annabelle ignored the surge of fear that came from being near a giant radiating a negative emotion.

"I'm going to try and go under the door," she declared, pointing to the crack.

Nell furrowed her brow, "No Poppy, we don't know exactly what's behind there."

"It'll be fine," Annabelle said, "your parents will be coming soon. We don't have much time."

Nell's face contorted with anxiety, but she relented, "Fine, but be careful."

Annabelle nodded, turning to the crack. She grimaced. It seemed narrower than before. She got into a crawling position and began to squeeze herself through. 

It was a tight pinch to wiggle through. She went head first, which turned out to be a mistake. Annabelle's skull screamed as her head pressed against the door's bottom. She wanted to pull herself back, but she couldn't muster up the friction from her feet to pull body back. Instead she pushed forward, knowing fully well that her skull had fractured at least partly. 

Thankfully, Annabelle managed to get her head through. She grunted, swallowing screams as she managed to pull her arms past the door next. Her chest gave some resistance, but it was far easier to pull through than her head. Annabelle shimmied her way through the door, until she reached her ankles. Annabelle yanked one leg through, scratching her skin as she did so. She managed to pull through the other one, but not before a sickening crack shot across her leg.

Annabelle whimpered as she pulled her limp foot from under the crack. She was in a tremendous amount of pain, but she'd gotten through.

While she waited for her body to heal itself, Annabelle took the opportunity to observe her surroundings.  

The ceiling seemed to expand upwards forever, but the room's width was much smaller than the one she was just in.

The room was barren except for the center of the room, where four grey walls came together in a large square. The walls were too high and too solid to see what it was containing, but Annabelle knew she'd found one of the colonies. The Shrinkee didn't waste any time.

She limped over to walls, her bones healing with every movement. By the time she reached the walls she was fully healed.

She heard the sound of numerous voices as she came up to the wall closest to her. There was a Shrinkee sized metal door in the center of the wall. It seemed so out of place, given that Annabelle saw no other path inside. The Shrinkee gave an uncertain knock. 

"Um, hello?" She called, regretting her choices already. 

Silence greeted her as a response. She could hear noise coming from beyond the greater walls. Annabelle knocked harder.

"Is anyone there?" She yelled.

"W-Who's there?" A deep masculine voice shouted back. He would've sounded intimating if not for the utter bewilderment that coated his tone.

"Uh hi," Annabelle said, cursing her awkwardness, "Um, is there someone I can talk to?"

"Who are you?" He demanded.

Annabelle fiddled with her fingers. God, she didn't miss talking to new people. She didn't even know how to start. It was difficult to know what to say when she didn't even know if they were brainwashed or not.

She started with, "M-My name is Annabelle. I came from outside, the BSA took me too. I just—can I talk to the person in charge?"

There was another bout of silence—this one was more brief than before. 

"H-Hold on!" He shouted. Annabelle heard the sound of footsteps scurrying away. Her heart fell. She really didn't know how much time she had. Really, she was surprised the Sanos hadn't already caught them.

Her stomach uncurled when the door reopened. She jumped back when she saw what came out of the door. Two beefy Shrinkee men rushed out of the doorway. They held pitchforks, both pointed at her. Annabelle shot her hands up in a surrendering position. 

"W-Wait," she yelped. 

A third figure appeared through the door. He was also a man, but he wasn't nearly as muscular as the two men that threatened her with pitchforks. He had long blond hair tied in a low ponytail. The style reminded Annabelle of Byte. A long scar crossed from his brow to his chin. He was also using a makeshift crutch that looked to be made out of some kind of wood. 

He stood behind the men and their pitchforks. 

"Who are you?" He asked, his voice more curious than demanding. 

"A-Annabelle," she replied, "are you the one in charge?"

The man took a step forward. The other men tensed as he got closer to Annabelle. "Chief," one of them cautioned. His voice matched the one she'd first heard from behind the door.

The apparent "Chief" ignored them. He stared into her eyes so intensely that she almost looked away. He didn't blink as he walked up to her until he was only a few inches from her. 

She looked up at the lankly man. His eyes were a bright blue, yet they held a darkness in them that let her know he'd seen the worst parts of life.

"You're a Type 0." He stated it like he was identifying a type of bird. He was analytical, but intrigued. 

Annabelle flinched. She took a step back. The other men looked confused. They obviously had no idea what that meant. 

"You've heard about me?" She asked, taking another step back. 

He looked over her face, impassive. "No, but I've heard of your kind. And I know the BSA have recently acquired a Type 0," he said.

Annabelle frowned. He was making her sound like an alien. 

He tilted his head, his eyes still locked onto hers. "Why have you come here?" He inquired, for the first time his expression changed. His lips twisted into a slight frown.

Annabelle straightened up, "Q-Questions, I have questions."

The Chief's frown deepened. "You risk all of our lives for your curiosity?"

Annabelle moved closer, causing the men to raise their pitchforks again. She stopped in her tracks. The Chief gave them a quick look, and they lowered it again.

"It's not curiosity, I want to help you," Annabelle explained, eyeing the pitchforks with unease. 

"Help...us?" The Chief blinked, as if he didn't understand the concept. 

"Yes, if you could just tell me how you got captured by the BSA—"

The Chief tilted his chin up. "We are loyal to the Better Society Association. It does not matter how we came to be here, only that our lives are spent in service to them," he stated. 

Annabelle's heart sank.  

HE IS LYING.

Annabelle nearly jumped. She hadn't heard Poppy's voice in a while. She considered what she said. Poppy may have been on to something. They didn't have the same fervent devotion Toe Jam had. In fact, from the way they were looking at her, they seemed more afraid than anything.   

Annabelle placed her hand on her chest. "I swear I am not a spy for them. I only want to help you," she insisted. 

The Chief looked her over. His light eyes scrutinized her face. 

"It's just as I've heard," he said suddenly, "I cannot gauge what is the truth from just your words. Your kind is unparalleled at lying. Your face masks any lies that would spill from your mouth."

The men looked on, surprised that their Chief was unable to discern the truth from her. Annabelle shook her head, "No, I promise I'm not lying. I swear I just—"

"I never said you were lying," the Chief interrupted, "I said I would not be able to tell if you were. That places me at a huge disadvantage."

Annabelle clenched her fists. She was a Shrinkee, just like them, yet they looked at her with such hurtful distance.  

Before Annabelle could defend herself, the Chief continued, "Come with me."

Annabelle's eyes widened. The other men seeming similarly shocked.

"C-Chief!" One of them protested. But the Chief was already walking back towards the door. Annabelle quickly scurried after him, careful to avoid the pointy ends of the pitchfork the stunned men still held.

Annabelle followed him through the door. She had so many questions, but the words died in her throat when she saw what waited for her on the other side of the doorway.

Apparently the walls had been hiding an entire settlement. When they walked through the door way, she was instantly greeted with a bustling community. 

Annabelle immediately saw why Nell had called the colonies little villages—they essentially were. Huts lined the border of the settlement. People pulled carts full of a disgusting smelling dirt that Annabelle recognized as fertilizer. 

"Stay close to me," Chief ordered. Annabelle nodded and picked up her pace. She heard an anxiousness to his voice that gave her pause. 

She looked around to see what had unsettled him, when she felt dozens of eyes boring into her. She took a second glance at the people and realized they had stopped their bustling. They had all turned to look at her. She felt a familiar gaze fall upon her. Her eyes quickly turned away from the people, and the guards with pitchforks stepped around her and Chief, blocking them from the view of the crowd.

Annabelle swallowed, her mouth dry. "Is everyone here—"

"This colony only consists of men, yes," the Chief answered. 

"Oh."

"Don't worry, no one will touch you while you are with me," he assured. 

Annabelle's muscles slightly relaxed. She tried to keep her eyes on the Chief as they walked, but it was difficult to do so when she could feel the crowd staring at her. 

"Where are all the women and children?" She asked, following the Chief through the town square. 

The Chief's expression darkened, but only for a moment. His impassive mask quickly returned. The guards weren't so easily able to hide their feelings. Their faces contorted with bitterness and sorrow.

Instead of answering Annabelle, the Chief led her to a hut that was slightly larger than the others. He gestured for her to go inside, but Annabelle was distracted by something in her peripheral. 

She took a step back and gazed above and beyond the Chief's hut to see a potato—a normal sized potato. It loomed over the colony like a magnificent statute. She didn't know how she'd missed it before. 

One of the guards grabbed her arm and pulled her into the hut. The other guard slammed the door behind them.

The Chief was already sat at a wooden table in the middle of the hut that looked roughly crafted. It took up much of the small space that was allotted in the hut.

Annabelle took a seat in the stool across the Chief. "How did you grow a potato down here?" She inquired. She had more pressing things to ask, but she was perplexed over how they had managed to grow a crop without sunlight and water. She had so many questions. Did the BSA provide an already grown potato? Did they help them grow it?

The Chief crossed his arms, "It's more than likely the BSA knows exactly where you are."

Annabelle shifted in her seat, annoyed the Chief had ignored her. "Yes, that's true. I don't know why they haven't come after me yet—"

"Is this about Eric and Evan?" He suddenly inquired. Before Annabelle could even begin to voice her confusion, the Chief continued, "If you've come to determine whether Eric told us anything about what he saw—the answer is, no he didn't."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Annabelle said.

The Chief eyed her. He was silent, staring at her face again. Then he spoke.

"They're testing me—or you—or both of us," the Chief stated. His voice was monotone, "They're always testing to see what we do." His eyes glossed over, as if he were getting lost in a memory. 

She leaned forward. She asked gently, "How did you get here?"

The Chief, who had been revisiting something in his mind, stared at her. His face softened. Slowly, his muscular arms uncrossed. He opened his mouth, when he caught the gaze of one of the guards. The pitchfork wielding man gave his head a small forbidding shake.

The Chief snapped his eyes back over to Annabelle. His face hardened again, blocking off whatever memory he'd been considering telling her. His eyes filled with distrust and his face contorted, twisting his expression into something nasty. 

He stood up and turned his back to her. "Even your face is dangerous," he said. "I do not know if you are working with the BSA, or you are another captured soul. Either way, you will remain here until one of our owners comes to get you. I will not allow your presence here to endanger the lives of my men. They have already lost so much, and we have come too far—"

"I came here to help you," she defended herself, jumping to her feet. "You're not alone, there are others who can help!"

The Chief nodded for the guards to follow him. They started to file out after him. Annabelle rushed after them, but a loud explosion from outside the hut shook the very ground where Annabelle stood. She stumbled a bit before she caught herself on the table.  

A thunderous voice boomed all around them. "Poppy! I did it, I got the door open!"

Dread poured into Annabelle. She needed more time. The men lost all color in their faces. Terror gripped the guards. 

Annabelle's wide eyes landed on the Chief. He clenched his crutch. His face was pale. He whipped his head towards the guards. 

"With me," he ordered. 

The guards snapped out of their fear-induced stupor. They were by the Chief's side in an instant. A rhythmic booming shook the Shrinkees. Nell was walking up to the colony. 

Annabelle ran up to the door, but the guards pushed her back. "Stay," the Chief commanded, "let me talk to her." His eyes were full of distrust. "I don't know what you'll say to her if I let you speak first."

"No," Annabelle protested, "I know her. I won't say anything that will get you in trouble. I promise."

The Chief continued for the door. He answered her as he turned his back to her. "Be that as it may, I cannot take that risk. Wait here, this will not take long," he answered.

"Wait I—"

The men exited the hut, closing the door and shutting Annabelle away. The Shrinkee ran up to the door and attempted to open it, but it was instantly slammed shut again.

The gruff voice of one of the guards snarled at her, "Stay in there."

Annabelle kicked the door. "Will you just let me—"

The door vibrated as the guard pounded against it, silencing her. "Fuck," she hissed. The powerful shaking of the footsteps only grew stronger and stronger. Annabelle had to hold onto the table to stay upright. 

Finally it stopped. 

Nell's voice rang through the colony, "Um...hello. Where is Poppy?" 

Annabelle heard the muffled reply of the Chief. She pressed her ear against the door to make out what he was saying, but was unable to decipher anything of use.

Nell's voice, however, rang out clear. "Oh okay, well did you talk to her? Did you tell her what you need help with?"

There was another muffled answer from the Chief. Nell responded, "There has to be something you need or would like help wi—is that a potato?" 

The ground shook as Nell presumably moved towards the vegetable. "How did you grow that down here? Did Mom give you access to LED lights to grow this? This really—"

Nell's voice broke off into a squeal that rattled Annabelle. Not too long, a tremendous quake brought Annabelle to her knees. The hut threatened to collapse on itself.

Panicked shouting erupted from outside. 

"Sorry, sorry," Nell grunted. Annabelle quickly jumped up. It didn't take her long to figure out Nell had slipped and fell. 

The giant freshman groaned, "Ugh, where are my glasses?"

Annabelle hurried for the door. Nell with impaired vision was a recipe for disaster. She slammed her palm against the door. "Let me out," she called.

An ear rattling crunching sound struck from outside the hut. "Shit," Nell hissed. The shouting grew louder, and screams roared from beyond the door. 

"Sorry!" Nell squeaked again, "Move away, I can't see—"

Another boom accompanied by a crunch and more screams erupted. Annabelle pushed harder against the door. It budged open slightly, but wouldn't open enough for the Shrinkee to escape. Something was blocking it. Annabelle rammed her shoulder against it again. It opened up more, but Annabelle still couldn't get through.

Thunderous crunching, stomping, and cracking continued from outside. The terror filled shrieks fueled Annabelle's efforts.

She threw herself against the door—hard. Her shoulder definitely wasn't okay, but the door swung open. Annabelle flew forward, tripping over something. She looked back and nearly threw up from what she saw. Splayed in front of the door was one of the guards. The entirety of his torso upwards was gone.

Rather, it was crushed. Only a bloody, mangled clump of skin had been left where his head and stomach and everything in between should've been. 

Annabelle's breath was caught in her throat. It'd been a while since she'd seen something so horrific. Annabelle's attention was snatched from the mangled corpse when the Chief's hut exploded in front of her. A colossal hand collided on top of it, shattering it into rubble. 

Annabelle followed the hand upwards to see Nell's frantic face, contorted and confused. Her glasses were gone from her face. She was kneeling. Her eyes squinted downwards and her hand repeatedly grazed the ground as she tried to find her missing eyewear. 

Each time her hand met the ground, destruction followed. Nell seemingly was unaware of the countless huts and people that were obliterated with each movement she made.

Annabelle was dropped to the floor when a man bumped into her, shrieking. They both fell, his large frame on top of hers. For a moment their eyes met, but his were unfocused with terror. His bloody face was twisted with fear. He scrambled to his feet and started to run away. 

At that moment, Nell stood up to her full immense height. Still squinting, she took another step. Annabelle crouched down instinctively as the humongous freshman's foot created a shadow over head. It passed over her and landed directly onto the poor man who'd run into her. His existence was ended in seconds. Blood splattered all around the foot. Some landed on Annabelle. Nell's other foot quickly joined them. It was also covered in blood, but a thick white substance also coated it. Annabelle was confused until her eye caught were the potato was—or had been. The huge vegetable had been squished and destroyed, its remnants scattered all around the colony. Nell must've accidently stepped on it.

The shouting of the men became muffled as Annabelle's heart pounded in her ears. She was paralyzed by her surroundings. Huts had been destroyed—crushed. Men lay on the ground, their bodies crumbled and mushed. 

POWERFUL. OUR GODDESS IS POWERFUL. LOOK HOW EASILY SHE SNUFFS THEM OUT WITHOUT EVEN TRYING.

Annabelle's lip trembled. Tears stung her eyes. She had to say something. She had to stop Nell's accidental rampage. Yet when she opened her mouth, the only thing she felt herself producing was the rising bile that threatened to erupt out of her. 

She swallowed, pushing past her revulsion. Annabelle's legs were jelly, but she managed to move them towards the stumbling gigantic freshman. With each misstep Nell took, Annabelle struggled to remain upright. Nell's foot steps were like brief earthquakes that rattled Annabelle's entire being.

Annabelle nearly was within earshot when something gripped her ankle. Annabelle, already unstable, tripped onto the ground. Her head snapped towards the obstacle that had caused her to fall. 

She froze when she realized what had stopped her. Or rather who. Disgust swept over Annabelle as she looked at the Chief. The once steel faced man had been halved. Yet unlike his guard, half of the Chief had been been crushed vertically. The right side of his body was a mush of flattened intestines, bones, and skin.

Annabelle was too horrified to even pity him. He didn't even look as though he should've been alive. Although he looked like death, he still gripped Annabelle's ankle with a tightness that would leave a mark.

"M-My w...wife..." he breathed, his words almost drowned in the blood that streamed out of his mouth. Annabelle couldn't say anything. Her wide eyes just stared at him. She knew it was wrong. She should've been comforting him, but she couldn't force herself to move.

More words dribbled out of lips, painted with the deep red of his blood. When he spoke, a splattering of tiny drops landed on Annabelle's legs.

"My wife...and daughter...they are in...another colony...BSA said...if we grew crops we could see our...families...pl..please...I need them to...be..safe..."His grip released from Annabelle's leg. His breath slowed until it stopped entirely.

Annabelle blinked. Dead. He was dead. He'd been alive—imposing and breathing—only minutes ago, but now he was dead. She stared into his lifeless eyes. There was nothing there.

A scream pierced through her ears. Annabelle didn't want to turn towards it. She couldn't take anymore death. The Chief's cold eyes gazed back at her. They were empty and hollow. 

She needed to be the same. 

Annabelle closed her eyes. She allowed the screams to wash over her until they were only distant noise in the background. She followed of the Shrinkee mantra. Breathe in. Breathe out. Don't freak out. 

Annabelle gently removed the Chief's hand from her leg. She leaned forward and closed his eyes shut. Annabelle found her footing as she stood back up.

She walked over to where Nell was bent over, still searching for glasses—her hands crushing everything as she brushed across the colony for her missing eyewear. Annabelle's footsteps were light and steady. She walked through the tremors created by Nell's searching.

Annabelle stepped up to the enormous college student. She looked her over. She was still so oblivious as to the chaos she was causing. 

"Nell," Annabelle called out to her, voice hollow, but strong. The huge freshman didn't hear her. She continued to cause destruction, clueless. Another hut collapsed under her massive hand.

"Penelope!" Annabelle shouted.

Nell flinched and finally stopped. Her brows scrunched together. 

"Poppy?" She called. Her eyes still narrowed as she attempted to see. "Poppy is that you?"

Annabelle took a deep breath. She declared, "Nell, you have to stop. You killed—you're hurting everyone."

Nell's face drained of all color. "Really? Oh god. I told them to get out of the way," she cried.

"Just stay still," Annabelle said. She was so exhausted. 

"But I need—"

"I'll find your glasses," Annabelle said, "just stay there."

Nell thought for a moment, but nodded. Annabelle trudged through the colony. She passed half dead men. She passed corpses that were mangled and crushed.  

Annabelle ignored them all. She couldn't let herself feel. She walked through the aftermath of Nell's clumsiness with a dull heart.

Finally, she saw it. Near the front gate a part of the glasses' frames poked out from behind the colony's wall. Annabelle didn't know how it had landed there, but it was on the other side of the wall. Annabelle would've been impressed with Nell's clumsiness if it hadn't been so deadly.

She toiled over to the gate's door that she'd been let in before, passing the grinded bodies as she did so. The Shrinkee opened the door and was faced with the gigantic eyewear. She stopped herself from calling out to Nell. She wasn't sure the kind of damage the massive freshman might cause retrieving her glasses.

Annabelle was weighing her options when a beeping sound echoed through the room. A second later, the door opened. The massive figure of Dr. Sano strutted through, flanked by several suits.

Annabelle slumped to her knees, allowing her exhaustion to take over. A part of her was relieved. She just wanted everything to be over.

The footsteps of the giants shook Annabelle's small body as they came closer. She kept her gaze to the ground. A shadow fell over top of her.  

She heard Dr. Sano tsk from above. "What an expensive lesson to learn," she sighed. 

Annabelle didn't have an opportunity to consider what Dr. Sano meant. She was swiftly scooped up in the colossal woman's slender fingers. 

Annabelle kept her head down. She held onto the numbness. She couldn't feel. It would be too much.

"Mom is that you?" Nell's flustered voice rang out, "Poppy is—"

"I have her," Dr. Sano answered, "I'm going to clean her up. I suggest you do the same for yourself. Once you're finished, meet your father and I in the west parlor. We need to talk."

"Mom I—"

Dr. Sano addressed the suits, ignoring her daughter, "See what's salvageable. Bring any survivors to the lab on sub level 4 for quality inspection."

Dr. Sano tightened her fingers around Annabelle, securing the Shrinkee in her grip. She started walking towards the exit when she stopped for a moment.

"For the love of god, someone please hand Penelope her glasses," she ordered. With that she left, carrying a hollow Annabelle in her palm.

---

Annabelle stared at her hands. They were so clean, but she felt as though they were dripping with blood. She was in the parlor, freshly dressed in a dress that smelled like soap, sitting on another expensive table. The adult Sanos talked above her, musing over how much they lost scientifically and financially. They also seemed relieved that Naomi was away, working overtime handling preparations for whatever she had planned for Annabelle's former teacher. 

Mr. Sano stroked Annabelle's back, lacking the same grace and soothing his eldest daughter possessed. 

"How long were you planning to let them be down there—unattended?" Mr. Sano asked, his voice not carrying the accusatory tone the question would typically hold.

Dr. Sano replied with a sigh, "I didn't expect Penelope to be able to get inside to reach the colony."

Mr. Sano allowed his lips to slightly curl. "Our little girl certainly is resourceful," he noted, "I'm just relieved she didn't stumble on—" He cut himself off. His gaze fell upon Annabelle. His strong finger continued caressing her. "And it definitely was interesting watching Poppy interact with those colony bugs." He asked his wife, "Did you get the info you were looking for?"

Dr. Sano responded, "Yes, their response to her confirmed some things...and raised several questions."

Annabelle kept her head lowered and her gaze low. The chief had been right. They purposefully let them speak to one another so they could spy on them. 

Annabelle's shoulders slumped. It was all such a fucking waste. So much death for just an experiment. 

Mr. Sano grunted, "Well I'm glad you got what you wanted darling, but can you please clue me on when you make decisions like these—especially when it involves the colonies. You know how long we've been crafting the perfect angle for the public—and now just like that—one of our main agricultural colonies is gone. We're going to have to reassess with PR."

"I know honey," Dr. Sano said, her voice betraying her exhaustion, "I apologize for the disruption, but Poppy's blood tests didn't have the result I expected. I just needed to see her interact with Shrinkees in person. This was the perfect opportunity."

Annabelle stayed still. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Mr. Sano questioned, "And your findings?"

"The results of the blood tests are inconsistent with what I saw today," Dr. Sano said, causing Annabelle's heart to pound in her chest. "I'd like to do more testing, but I suspect I won't be able to any time soon since—"

A knock on the door interrupted her. Mr. Sano retracted his finger from Annabelle. 

"Come in," he ordered, his voice much more stern than before. Annabelle heard the sound of slippers shuffling against the hardwood floor. The faint smell of lemons tickled Annabelle's nose. The Shrinkee kept her head down. She couldn't look at Nell.

The table shook slightly as Nell took a seat across from her parents.

"Penelope—" Dr. Sano tried to start.

"I'm sorry," Nell cried, "I shouldn't have gone down there without permission."

Mr. Sano's voice immediately lost its edge at Nell's teary voice. "Baby, why did you go down there?" He inquired.

Nell whimpered, "I wanted to see if they needed help."

"Did Poppy ask you to do this?" Dr. Sano asked. Annabelle tensed at the question.

"No," Nell blurted, "I suggested it to Poppy...I was trying to impress her."

Dr. Sano exhaled, "Sweetie, we have protocols with how we deal with bugs for a reason. Because you wanted to help, we've lost so much inventory—not to mention the strides we were making in research." 

"I'm so sorry. I never should have went. I ruined everything," she whispered, "All of your hard work is gone because of me."

Annabelle's mouth turned dry. Her stomach twisted at Nell's words.  

Mr. Sano added, "And you probably scared little Poppy over here. Your mother says she was covered in blood."

Annabelle heard Nell swallow. She spoke, her voice quiet and sincere. "Poppy I can't even—I'm so sorry I put you through all of that. I should have just listened to you and went back upstairs," she remarked.

"Why are you apologizing to me?" 

Annabelle didn't know at what point her thoughts had been words spoken out loud, but she was far too furious to hold herself back.

She finally lifted her gaze from the table. She glowered at Nell, who was freshly bathed and in her pajamas. All traces of homicide was washed from her person. Still, Annabelle could still hear the screams, she could smell the blood.

"W-What?" Nell said, " Because I didn't listen to you and I-I scared you—"

"Who the hell cares about me?" Annabelle snapped. She stood up, her eyes locked onto the confused looking girl. "Nell, all of those men—all of those people—they're dead. Don't you understand that?"

Nell's eyes started to pool with tears. She sniffed, "P-Poppy I'm sorry."

"Stop fucking apologizing to me," Annabelle exploded. Nell flinched. The Shrinkee knew the adult Sano's were watching, but frankly she didn't give a shit.

"I'm not the one who's dead," she shouted, "you nearly wiped out an entire colony of people. They aren't coming back, Nell. Because of you, they will never see their families again."

"Poppy—"

"When you got your glasses back, did you look? Did you look down at the all of the people splattered below you? Did you see their huts destroyed? Did you see their squished bodies?" Annabelle yelled, tears filling her own eyes.

Nell's head drooped. A tense quiet fell over the room.

She muttered, "I don't know what to say."

Annabelle's fists unclenched. Her anger gave way to something else—a desperate desire for the Nell she thought she knew to return. The one who was kind and didn't want to participate in her family's horrific games. 

She walked up to Nell, her face longing for some kind of assurance. "Say that you're devastated over the lives you took. Say that you are going to always see their faces when you close your eyes at night. Say that their deaths are just as horrific as any non-Shrinkee's," Annabelle demanded.

Nell raised her head up, just enough to meet Annabelle's eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek. "Poppy..." was all she could manage to say. 

Annabelle shook her head. Disappointment flooded into her. "You really don't see Shrinkees as people, do you?" She asked, her heart breaking. "Even me."

"I love you," she cried, slamming her hands onto the table. Annabelle shook, but managed to remain standing. 

"Like a person?" Annabelle shot back, "Or like a pet?"

Nell sniffed, tears flowing freely, "I love you Poppy, I love how funny and smart you are. I love that you don't mind all of my dorky hobbies. I love that you're so kind and beautiful."

Annabelle stared up at the huge, sobbing freshman. Keeping her voice even, she asked, "If right now—right this second—you found out there was a cure for HDD, would you give it me so we could date as equals out there?"

Nell opened her mouth to respond when Annabelle stopped her, "Or would you rather me stay this size forever—imprinted onto you?"

Nell blinked. Her mouth slowly closed and her eyes fell back to the table. 

Annabelle nodded slowly. She bit down on her tongue to stop her tears from falling. Annabelle walked over to the adult Sanos, refusing to look at Nell for another second. She plopped down in front of Mr. Sano and cradled her knees to her chest. 

"From now on I'll just stay in the cage when Goddess Naomi is away," Annabelle said to the table.

Mr. Sano's voice was gentle, but firm, "That's not really for you to decide, little Poppy—"

Nell sniffled, with a hiccup, "I-It's okay, Daddy. I'll give her some space for now."

Dr. Sano inserted, "Baby, are you sure?"

"Yeah," she sniffled again, before speaking to Annabelle, "Poppy, it may not be the way you want, but I really do love you. I still stick by with what I said—my sister and her friends don't understand or appreciate you the way I do."

Annabelle glared at the table. "If you're so different from Naomi and the others, then why do you sound exactly like them?" She snapped. 

Before Nell could respond, Annabelle whipped her head up towards Dr. and Mr. Sano. She glowered up at them, jumping to her feet. All the rage she felt for the murdered Shrinkees in the front of her mind.

"You can't hide your crimes away forever," she seethed, "people will find out what you've done."

Mr. Sano chuckled while Dr. Sano's lips curled into an amused smile. Mr. Sano patted Annabelle on the head with his massive finger. 

"Oh Poppy, we know that already, but I think you'll be surprised by the reaction we get," he said. 

Annabelle pushed his finger away. She was too angry to digest his words. All she knew was she wanted the BSA to burn.

Dr. Sano poked Annabelle's stomach, making her fall onto her behind. "If I were you I'd channel my anger into a more worthy target."

Annabelle's rage filled eyes bore into the doctor, but her fury only made Dr. Sano's smile grow. 

"I see why the girls like you so much—" she said, "—so spirited. But it would be a shame for you to waste all of your anger on us—not when Naomi has been working so hard to secure your revenge."

Annabelle's rage faltered for a moment. Her face briefly flashed with confusion.

Mr. Sano clarified with a question that shot sour bile up Annabelle's throat. 

"You wouldn't force your Goddess to handle your former teacher all by herself, would you?"