She had spent all day working on them from scratch. Getting them perfectly right. Layers, stripes, shapes. “I’m home!” her husband yelled. “Over here! Happy Valentine’s Day honey!” she yelled standing there naked before her sweets. “Look delicious” he said. “I hope so. I spent all day…”
“I wasn’t talking about the cookies” he said grinning as he plucked her from the plate.
Chapter 11…Hard Truths
Mike had been holding the shrunken clothes so long the sun had risen. “Mike! MIKE!” Katie yelled roaming downstairs for him. Seeing a normally closed door cracked open, Katie entered. “There you are. You never came to bed. Mike? Are you okay?” she asked concerned. “For most of my life I hated my mom thinking she abandoned me” he muttered. “I thought you said she died” she said. “No, I had thought she skipped out because it was too hard raising me when I was 8 years old” he said. “What about your dad?” Katie asked. “Was never in the picture. In her senior year of high school, mom hooked up with some jock on the football team. Prom night came and one thing led to another. Fast forward six weeks and mom tells him she missed her period. Dude freaks out saying it ain’t his and after graduation hauls ass to a college with a full ride scholarship. Mom gets stuck working at Waffle House” Mike said softly. “And your grandpa?” Katie asked. “Don’t remember too much early on but he did send money. Mom seemed irritated with him” he replied. “So how did abandonment come up?” she asked. “One night mom dropped me off here and said she was going on a trip and would be back in a few days. Grandpa came to me and said she was never coming back. Said she broke her word and that your word meant everything” he replied. “That where you learned your…obsession with keeping your word?” she asked cautiously. Mike simply nodded. “You said you thought she skipped out on you. So, what changed?” Katie asked.
Mike bent down and showed her his mother’s shrunken clothing. “Oh my god. Your grandpa shrunk your mom?! His own daughter?!” Katie asked. Mike nodded. “You guys must be hungry and I bet Kanya needs to pee” he said quietly getting up still holding the clothes. Mike went upstairs and saw to Kanya and then came down with her. After placing her on the table, he began cooking breakfast. “What’s up with him?” Kanya whispered to Katie. “He just found out his mother didn’t abandon him. His grandpa shrunk her!” Katie replied. “Holy shit” Kanya whispered. “Mike? How did you find out about all this?” Kanya asked. “That Yaksha I saw yesterday unlocked a memory and it led to me finding my grandfather’s diary. Inside was this” he said placing the shrunken clothing on the table. “Did the diary say anything about her?” Kanya asked. “I haven’t had the courage to read it” he muttered. “You don’t have to be alone. We’ll sit with you” Kanya said. Katie quickly nodded. Katie and Kanya ate their breakfast as Mike slowly, very slowly ate his. They finished before he did and Katie, being curious, took a closer look at the clothes. “They’re really well preserved for something nearly 20 years old” she said looking at the dress. “You can try it on if you want” Mike muttered. Katie slipped her shirt off and put the dress on. “Hmm. Doesn’t fit right” she said. “Back in high school, mom was very athletic so the chest may be too small and the shoulders too wide” he said. Mike put down his fork and picked up one of the sandals. “She’s right. It’s incredibly preserved” he thought looking at it between his fingers. Leather sandal with the strap still intact. Sole still connected. Mike could even make out the prints in the sole where his mother’s toes worn it in. “Your mom had big feet” Katie said trying on the other one. Mike chuckled. “Mom usually bought her shoes in men’s size. She wore a size 12 men’s” he said. “You remember that?” she asked. “Used to complain about it all the time. She usually didn’t wear anything that showed her feet. She was embarrassed at how big they were” he said slightly smiling. “You loved her very much” Kanya said. “Yeah I did” he muttered. Mike looked in the direction of the study. “Whenever you feel like it” Katie said. Mike picked them up and headed into the study. He sat down on the floor with the book and the girls sat on his thighs.
May 8, 2002
“I never meant for it to happen like that. I panicked. I…I fucked up. All I had to do was keep my shit together when I saw Sharon. My god she grew up nice. Hadn’t seen her in years. She wasn’t the same girl that dressed up as a Pikachu for Halloween all those years ago. And then there she was right in front of me at the grocery store. Tank top hugging some big fucking tits. Brittney did mention something about her having a kid not long ago. Guess those monsters filled out being pregnant. She wore some grey leggings that were tight as fuck all showing off her ass. And on her feet were some flip flops. Her toes painted bright red. “Mr. Newsome? It’s me Sharon!” she said spotting me. I had thought she moved away for college, but she had come right back. Apparently her mother came down with cancer and she was taking care of her. We made brief small talk, but my mind was on taking her. Making her another prize. The urge grew and grew the more she talked. I could feel the Coin urging me to do it. But this is Sharon. My daughter’s friend. Fuck, I remember taking them both fishing. Sharon…I have to take you. It was so easy doing it in the parking lot. Nighttime, no cameras, nobody looking. I just held the Coin at her and muttering I was sorry. Moments later she was in my pocket, and I was heading home”
“She thought it was a dream. Four inches tall in a now much bigger world and then of course me pulling her clothes off. Her begging and pleading…it just made it worse for her. It’s so much more…exciting when they do. She covered herself and sobbed looking up at me. Sharon…I’m so sorry but it’s like your body was begging for this. She cried and struggled as my tongue parted her legs and began licking her pussy. Sweet and musky. Oh time had ripened her to perfection. She whimpered as she came on my tongue. She couldn’t look at me anymore. The shame of cumming forbade that. She just has this faraway stare as I continued. Licking her tiny feet. Nibbling her thighs. But when I sucked her tits into my mouth she came alive once more. Like something primal awoke. My mouth was flooded with the sweetness of her milk. Now I understood. Her primal instinct of a mother. A mother in danger. It came to nothing obviously as she was spent and groaning as she rubbed her now sore tits. I spent two days raping her. My tongue, my cock, cotton swabs just to hear her beg for me to stop. And then on tv the growth of my fuckup was clear. They were looking for her. My biggest rule of never hunting near home and I stupidly broke it. “No…no please…the sleepovers! The pool parties! The fishing trip! Don’t eat me!” she screamed as she realized what was coming as my lips passed her tits. I slurped her entirely into my mouth and swallowed. I could hear her screams as she slipped down my throat. I just sat there waiting for her to stop moving in my stomach. 6 minutes and 6 seconds. That’s how long it took to kill her. And the next day I took a shit and saw what was left. A skull, a leg bone and that was all I could recognize. The evidence forever flushed away. It had been a long time since I felt pity for a victim. She was a good girl. A great friend to my daughter. My daughter…my daughter found out days later.”
“She was suspicious of me right from the second she walked into the house with Mikey. When I tried playing it off she held the shrunken tank top in her hand. Thought I had that thing. She screamed at me that I broke our deal, and she was right, I had broken it. Years before when she found out what I had been doing at first she was curious until she came to realize that this Coin had a hold on me. I told her everything. Showed her everything and told her my deepest fear. That one day she would end up a victim. She promised me she would find girls nobody would care about. Girls that to her deserved it. And she did. She found girls at shopping malls, high school football games, you name it. I had learned to…stretch out my time with a victim to a matter of months so while the police were very concerned, they didn’t connect the dots. When Carol got older, she used her job at Waffle House to find me victims. You’d be surprised how many homeless girls show up there during a month or so time. Sharon didn’t prefer homeless girls but if she couldn’t find anyone else, that’s what I got. If I’m honest, I preferred homeless girls. Usually younger than the drunks and whores Sharon sometimes found, tastier, and I got more out of them. A lot of them were foster girls that aged out of the system. Perfect targets. A system that worked well for me until I got greedy.”
“She threatened to turn me over to the cops and I panicked. A shrunk her on the spot and worse yet Mikey saw her. I yelled for him to go back to his cartoons as I hid her away. I don’t know if he did see her. I don’t know if he’ll even remember but that’s the least of my problems now. I stuffed Carol into one of my cages I use and returned to Mikey. I told him one of the worst lies a man can tell a child. That his mother abandoned him. If I wasn’t sure I was going to hell before, I damn sure know now. After Mikey had gone to sleep, I returned to Carol. By then she had awoken screaming at me. Demanding she be let out. Asking what I was going to do to her. I had no answer as I myself didn’t have a fucking clue. I couldn’t kill her. She’s my daughter for fucks sake! But I couldn’t let her go either. I left her in the cage for now.”
May 9, 2002
“I gave her food and water. The only thing I was certain to do. She asks about Mikey, and I told her what I said to him. It had been a long time since I heard my daughter cry that hard. After that she don’t even acknowledge me of anything for that matter. She just sat there.”
Mike flipped the pages. “What else does it say?” Kanya asked. “Not much. He just says she wouldn’t eat or drink anything and he had to literally force her too. I…hold on” Mike said stopping on a page.
June 5, 2002
“She died this morning. Most likely heart failure. Whatever I forced her to eat she would just throw up later. Day after day, over and over. I promised Maggie I would care for our daughter, and I failed. I failed. I buried her under the rose bush I planted when I found out Maggie was pregnant with her. I oak box stuffed with fine linen. I don’t know how long I spent cleaning Carol’s body. Painting her tiny finger and toes. Washing and combing her long hair. The dress I picked out, same dress she wore to the prom. My baby girl…”
June 6, 2002
“It’s more than just shrinking. It’s more than just the cravings. IT WON’T LET ME DIE. I waited until Mikey was visiting a friend before I did it. Drank a shitload of beer, placed my gun cleaning kit on the table, and made sure only one round was in the chamber. People would think my drunk ass forgot a round was inside and rule it an accident. Mikey would still get the insurance money when he turns 18. Positioned it just so and pulled the trigger. It hurt, fuck did it hurt and the blood but I watched as my body spit the damn bullet right out and heal. It’s evil. This goddamn Coin is cursed! It won’t even let a man die in remorse. The whispering. The whispering isn’t my insanity. It’s the Coin”
Mike stopped reading out loud. He placed the book on the floor. Mike whimpered where he sat. “Mike, we’re with you” Katie said. Mike looked down at her. “Didn’t you hear what he wrote? It wouldn’t let him die. It made sure it milked him until his goddamn body gave out. This thing is fucking nightmare fuel and I am so fucked it ain’t funny!” he yelled. “The Yaksha said she could help you Mike” Kanya said. “You don’t get it. It took him dying to break the bond. Dying of old age! That’s how it can be broken. That Yaksha knows it and probably is trying to find a way to kill what can’t be killed” he yelled. “I don’t believe that. I think she really wants to help you. What you’re saying is a mix of grief and the influence of that Coin. It wants you to give up. It needs you to” Kanya said softly. Mike broke down sobbing as the girls tried to comfort him. At their urging, they had him leave the book where it was and come to the living room.
“How much of it was me and how much was the Coin? Even his habits were the same as mine” he asked them. “You told me I was beautiful. That I should have more faith in myself. I’m sure that was you” Katie replied. “You put yourself in harm’s way to save my life. That’s beyond keeping a promise. Remember when you had to help me go to the bathroom the first time and I cried because I was so embarrassed? You just smiled and said don’t worry about it. I can see the goodness in you like flickering light struggling to stay lit” Kanya said softly. Mike brought them both to his face and kissed them. “You need to heal up so we can have sex and as for you Katie…” he said placing them on the sofa. Mike surprised them both shrinking down to their size. He stripped off his clothes and walked on the sofa cushions over to Katie. He began taking her clothing off. Both naked, Mike pushed her down and lined his cock up to her pussy. Katie nodded in approval before he pushed it in. Katie groaned until Mike paused. Holding her hands, he thrust forward ripping her hymen away. He gave her a moment to adjust. Mike was slow and tender with her. He wanted her first time to be special. Kissing and nibbling her neck, gently squeezing her tits, their tongues intertwining. Mike began to pound her hard. Katie gasping at the force. Her legs locked behind his back as he pushed her down hard and came. The feeling of his warm semen shooting within her made her cum. Mike groaned as her pussy milked him for every drop. Mike laid there for a moment before shifting over to Kanya.
He knew he couldn’t fuck her with her injuries, but he could be intimate. Kissing her, rubbing her tits, caressing her cheek. Kissing and licking down her body. His hand grazing the sutures on her side. She could see a pang of guilt in his eyes. Playfully, she raised her right leg and draped it over his back. Kanya ground her bare heel into his back. Mike moved taking it off him and kissed down her leg stopping to nibble the back of her knee. “That tickles!” she giggled. Mike looked into her eyes as his hand rubbed the sole of her foot. He let go of her leg and scooted up her body. Using his fingers, he pulled her pussy lips apart and stuck his tongue inside her. “Oh…fuck…” she groaned. Mike spent his time licking, sucking, and slurping her pussy and Kanya twitched and whimpered. Her body shuddered and she winced in pain as she came. “You okay there?” Mike asked worried. “Just sore. It was worth it” she said grinning. Mike stayed his shrunken size for some time enjoying the two women leaning on his left and right side. They watched tv but they were more focused on one another. Mike chose to grow back to normal size as he needed to take a piss. As he returned, his eyes lingered on the back door of the house. “Something wrong?” Katie asked from the sofa. “Thinking about mom. The book said she’s buried next to the rose bush” he replied. “You want to go see don’t you?” Katie asked. “You want us to go with you?” Kanya asked. Mike silently nodded. Mike carried them outside to the back of the house. Wasn’t much there other than a BBQ grill, lawn mower, a tool shed, patio with simple sun deck, and of course a very large rose bush. Mike carried them over to it.
“So, your grandpa planted this when you mom was born?” Kanya asked. “Roses were my grandmother’s favorite” Mike replied. “You never mention your grandmother” Katie said. “Never knew her. She died giving birth to my mother” Mike said sitting on the ground. “It’s…it’s beautiful!” Katie said now on the ground looking up at the massive (to her) bush. From her perspective it towered over 30ft. into the air. The flowers themselves were as big as a compact car. “I don’t think rose bushes grow this good normally. Especially this far north” Katie said. “Your grandpa must’ve spent a lot of time and care on it” Kanya said. Mike began looking around as did Katie. Katie felt the ground strangely hard under her bare feet. “Mike” she said pointing to the ground. Covered in dirt, Mike uncovered a small rock. He bent closer and bushed away the last traces of dirt. “Carol Jones. Born April 8, 1976. Died June 5, 2002. Twinkle twinkle little star…” Mike read on the small rock. “The detail to…”
“He commissioned a gravestone, shrunk it, and placed it here. Mom really is buried underneath and all these years…all these years I thought she abandoned me she was just a few dozen feet away” Mike said softly. Kanya and Katie held his fingers as Mike just sat there silently staring at the gravestone. They only returned inside the house because the sun had set. Mike cooked dinner and they ate but he said not a word since confirming his mother’s grave. Later on the night, Katie and Kanya were in the bathroom bathing. “I feel so bad for him. Can you imagine finding out your mom was shrunk, died in a cage, and was buried under a goddamn rose bush?” Katie asked soaping Kanya’s hair. “Katie, I don’t think anyone has an imagination that good. I hated him so much for what he did but seeing who raised him, what that Coin can really do, it’s a miracle were not both dead” she said. “I doubt he would do that. You saw how passionate he was today” Katie said. “He ate my pussy like it was ice cream, so I know how passionate he is. He may not want to kill us, but he might not even be in control one day. That’s what scares him the most. Did you see how freaked out he was when he found it the Coin won’t let him die? That was his backup plan. His plan b. I’m sure as shit it was. Mike is one of those people that keeps shit in” Kanya said. “And how do you know all this?” Katie asked. “Being a waitress teaches you how to read people. Jesus that felt like a lifetime ago. I’d trade sore feet and shitty customers over this anyway” Kanya said. “So, it’s all bad? All of it?” Katie asked. “I wouldn’t say that. Mike’s caring and even though he treats us as pets sometimes, his attention is sincere. Like how he stayed by my side when I was hurt. Never had a man that doted on me before. The last guy just had an Asian fetish” Kanya muttered. “Well Mike has a foot fetish” Katie said laughing. “Yeah I know. Not breaking news there. But I don’t care if a guy has a kink as long as he truly loves me” Kanya said sighing. Katie grew quiet. “You’re not going to push me off the ledge again are you?” Kanya asked. “No! I…I get I’m not the only one with feelings for him” she stammered. “I was joking. A shitty joke. Sorry Katie” Kanya said. Katie smiled and nodded.
After a nice bath and some cozy time in bed, Mike was still awake. “Can’t sleep?” Katie whispered. Mike shook his head. Katie climbed onto his chest and rested over his heart. “Was it just sex for us or was it more?” she whispered. Mike sat up slightly. “I can count on one hand how many times I’ve had sex with a woman. The things that happened earlier…the pussy sucking, nibbling your tits…you know. Those things were mostly power tripping. Well, that and lust. This afternoon, I wanted you. I wanted to feel…connected. Before all this my biggest fear was being alone. Katie, I’ve never been in a real relationship before. It’s scary and exciting at the same time” he said. “Same for me. I was either too nerdy or a prude for boys” she said. “Nerd girls can be cute. What did Shakespeare once say? By any other name does a nerd girls’ pussy taste as sweet?” he said. “Hahaha! I don’t think the bard said that” Katie laughed. Make scooted her clothes to his face where he planted a kiss. “I do love you Katie. Whatever this thing brings out in me, please don’t ever forget that” Mike said solemnly. “…how strong is it truthfully?” she asked. “His voice gets louder every day. It wants me to do very bad things to you and Kanya. And the only way to get it to shut up is to…”
“Find more girls” Katie said. Mike quietly nodded. “Are you going back to see that Yaksha?” she asked. “Yeah” he replied. “I’ll come too. I’ll be your emotional support pet” she said snickering. “Me too minus the pet part” Kanya muttered. “You’re awake?” Mike asked. “How can a shrunken girl sleep with you flirting?” she asked. Mike placed Katie back on the bed, leaned over and raised Kanya’s nightgown. Kanya jumped feelings his lips kissing her tiny ass. “Sleep now, kinky foreplay later” she groaned. “Yes ma’am” Mike said settling in.
The next morning…
They were all eating breakfast as normal as Katie kept fidgeting. “Something wrong?” Mike asked. “Pussy still sore” she muttered eating a bit of scrambled egg. “For real?” Kanya asked. “He bred my virgin pussy like a man possessed” Katie replied. “Well technically he is possessed. If you don’t mind, after I get better could you share him?” Kanya asked. Mike coughed out his coffee. “Well maybe. He has this thing that he looks into your eyes as he just rams it in. But when he cums he has this cute smile. And fuck does he cum” Katie said. “A lot?” Kanya asked. “Like a fountain. Not like when we’re jerking him off with our bodies. A pop and dribble. No, it’s just a steady torrent” Katie said snickering. “Hmmm…makes me not want to wait. After breakfast I want you to fuck me” Kanya said to Mike. Mike dropped his fork. Both girls laughed. “Funny, ever so funny. Playing with fire the both of you” he told them. “In all seriousness, I do want to get closer to you” Kanya said. “I can’t. After what I took from you I can’t” he said quietly getting up. Mike returned fully dressed holding their daily clothes in his hand. He was quiet dressing them. Both girls had fresh clean clothes and simple dresses. Katie had sneakers and socks as being shrunk meant a LOT of walking and hurt her feet. Mike’s solution was a good shoe to wear. As for Kanya, a pair of flip flops as walking was not much of a thing for her with a broken leg. “You do know most of that was the Asura” Kanya said. Mike paused holding her right foot between his fingers. “I understand you favor Katie over me but why make up excuses?” she asked. “Because this wasn’t part of the plan! I was going to milk you for pain and misery for weeks, maybe months so I didn’t have to hunt anyone. Getting attached to you, hell you having feelings for me was the last thing I planned for. And then…”
“Then what?” Kanya asked. “If I break, if I lapse and it comes down to you or Katie. We both know who dies. So, there you have it, I’d pick Katie over you. I ate your mother, fed your brother to a fish, and condemned your grandmother to die by dust mites” Mike said to her. “And I forgive you” Kanya said softly. Mike grabbed her head with his fingers. “Don’t! Don’t you dare forgive me!” he yelled. Kanya knew he could crush her head like a grape but also knew he never would. “Why?” she asked. “Because it would hurt more” he replied with a whisper as he let go. Mike went back to holding her ankle between his fingers. A tear rolled down his cheek. “You have very pretty toes” he muttered. “So you told me. Please don’t push me away” Kanya begged softly. “One day you’ll regret the feelings you have for me” he said. “I’ll burn that bridge when I get to it” Kanya said. “You mean cross not burn” he said. “I meant what I said” she said. Mike sighed and slipped the flip flop on her foot. He loaded them into the car with him. “Mike, maybe you should bring that book. Can’t hurt” Kanya said. Mike nodded and went back into the house for it. Returning with it, he started the car and drove to Ora’s.
Mike arrived at her home and carried the girls with him to the door. Before he could kick it opened for him. “Come on in Mike!” Ora shouted from the living room. Mike entered. Ora floated from the living room sofa to him. “Whoa” Katie whispered. “And you didn’t come alone. You must be Katie and you’re…interesting” Ora said looking over Kanya. “Actually, my name is Kanya” she said. “I like this one. It’s been a while since I’ve met another carrying the blood of our kind. Please sit” she said. They did and Ora followed them. “You look worse for wear dear. Mike have an episode?” Ora asked Kanya. “No! It was an accident. In fact, he saved my life. He looked after me” Kanya replied. “Interesting indeed. Let’s see, broken leg, very small crack in the skull, bruised hip, and a lacerated kidney. Lucky to be alive” Ora said. “How do you know that?” Katie asked. Ora picked up her teacup and sipped from it. “I drink and I know things” Ora said chuckling. They looked at each other. “Always so serious. Well let’s heal your injuries. Can’t have Mike distracted” she said. “How are you…” Kanya said before being shushed. Ora placed her hand on Kanya’s head. Her hand began to glow. Then she placed her hand on her hip. “It’s warm” Kanya said. Then her leg, and finally the side of her abdomen. “All done!” Ora said cheerfully. Skeptical, Mike unbandaged her leg which Kanya tried moving. “It’s fixed. It’s really fixed!” Kanya yelled. “Of course. Healing magic is an affinity to my kind…our kind. How strong are your powers?” Ora asked. “Grandma could see auras with ease. I can just sense things. If I really concentrate I can sometimes see energy” Kanya replied. “Ehh. It’s something. Speaking of auras, I can see physical attraction radiating off you two. I bet being shrunk down really changed your sex lives” Ora said grinning. “Actually, I was a virgin until last night. Before that it was umm…mostly oral and stuff” Katie said blushing. “Same here except I’m still a virgin” Kanya said. “You’re kidding. With his level of lust?!” Ora asked. “Sitting right here” Mike mumbled. “No offense Mike but it is what it is. You’ve been wanting to suck my tiny pussy since we’ve met. Not offended and you’re by no means the first. And you’ve been with him how long?” Ora asked. “Three months now” Katie replied. “Little over a month and a half” Kanya replied. “Normally a shrinking victim would be a cum rag by now if not dead. You got more self-control than most Mike” Ora said smiling. “If we’re done focusing on our sex lives, can we get back to it?” Mike asked. Ora nodded.
“I was worried you wouldn’t return when you didn’t show up yesterday” she said. “I found my grandfather’ diary. He wrote down everything he did with that Coin. Including my mother” he said. “…what did happen?” Ora asked softly. “He imprisoned her in a cage. My mother literally died of a broken heart and was buried under a fucking rose bush” he replied. “I’m sorry Michael. I’m curious as to exactly how long your grandfather used that thing” she said. “Actually, I have it with me” he said. “Please get it for me” Ora said. Mike went and returned with it. “Oh my…” she said looking at it. “Yeah it’s big” Mike said. “Beyond that. It’s radiating spiritual energy. Your grandfather poured all his feelings into it. We can do more than just read it, we can see it” she said. “Wait a minute now” Mike said wary. “You have good reason to be cautious after what happened last time. But understanding your grandfather’s suffering can help understand yours more clearly” she said. “What good will that do? Those memories are painful! Mike was really hurt!” Katie said. Ora sighed as she cast a spell which blinded them for a second. “What…the hell?!” Katie asked as the world was now filled with swirling colors. “A temporary spell that allows you to see spiritual energy in the physical world. Many of the things here in my home is permeated with it. Look at Michael” she said. “THE FUCK IS THAT?!” Katie yelled. Mike looked down at his chest and freaked. Attached to his chest was a thick, menacing looking ethereal chain running down to his pocket. Mike reached into his pocket and pulled out the Coin. The chain connected right to it. "When I say he’s bound to the Coin I’m not just speaking metaphorically. Mike touched the chain and recoiled in pain. “Yeah don’t do that” Ora said.
“Mike’s trauma created his coldness and apathy to women. That apathy made him a prime vessel for the Asura. To break that chain, we have to make him unsuitable to the thing. That means fixing what’s broken inside of him. Uncovering the reason was just the first step. Understanding the pain, finding empathy is next. And with that book we can go right to the root” Ora explained. “But why his grandfather? Wouldn’t we focus on Mike?” Kanya asked. “Unfortunately, trauma and pain can be passed from parent to child. Hate and apathy from one generation to the next. That book is a roadmap. We must take the journey” Ora replied. “Well he’s not doing it alone” Katie said. “What she said” Kanya said nodding to her. Ora gestured to the door nearby opening her meditation room.
“Then let’s begin” she said.
Lizze Broadway as “Emma” the shrinking sup on the soon to be released spinoff of “The Boys”
Chapter 3…The Mathematics of Tears
There were thousands, no tens of thousands of women he could choose from in the deceased files. Adam figured they were more than enough to keep him entertained even if for a while. He chose to narrow it down for sake of convenience. “Age range 18-25. Body type average” he said activating the search filter. It was still well over 20,000. Adam shrugged and just randomly scrolled. He stopped at one. “ID number 1273411. Computer recompile selected file. Timeframe five minutes before death in simulation. Clothes…included” Adam said. Adam watched as the recompiler beam scanned the woman back into flesh and blood. There sat a small woman confused at her new surroundings. “Hanna Jessen. Age at time of death 19. Cause of death overdose” Adam said. Hanna immediately turned around hearing his voice and stared up at the giant. “Oh man this was some good shit. Need to ask my dealer for another hit” she said. “Slightly logical assumption I’m a hallucination but you are in error” he said roughly poking her in the chest. “Hallucinations cannot poke you” he said. Hanna stared wide eyed as her mind raced to make sense of it. She looked around. “I…I died?” she asked. “Yes. From your perceptive you died of a heroin overdose on March 9, 2006 in your bedroom” he replied flatly. She thought on that for a moment. Last thing she remembered was injecting the heroin into her arm. Hanna began crying. “I died…” she sobbed quietly. Adam let her cry as he found a slight morbid curiosity watching her emotionally suffer. She was dressed in a way he had to recall the name of the style in human society. He nodded internally at the data file explaining “Emo Goth”.
She had on a black shirt with a skull biting a rose, black leggings, and purple socks. Her hair was black and cut short. Her nails painted black. Touches of black mascara underneath her eyes. Adam found it contrasting her pale skin actually aesthetically pleasing from a logical binary monochromatic way. “Are…are you God?” she asked. “God?” he asked. “I died right? So you must be god” she said. Adam knew full well what God, or a God was. One could not interact with human civilization without the aspect of religion. Adam found the concept not exactly illogical but eluding. He compared it to the existence of imaginary numbers or Fermat’s Last Theorem. Not enough proof to confirm or deny its existence. However, in Hanna’s case…
“Hmm. Under your beliefs I can be considered a god…or at least demigod. I did create the world you died in, have power of life and death over you, I can control the weather or bring natural disasters upon you. Yes, I am your God” he replied. “Am I going to hell?” she whimpered. Adam cocked his head to the side wondering how to answer that. “I have not decided” he replied. If anyone was wondering the true test of a sentient AI, it’s their ability to lie.
“Come closer” he said. Hanna walked off the receiver platform towards him. Adam bent his head down. He extended his hand towards her, and she flinched as his finger caressed the side of her face. Soft and warm. He took hold of her arm and with his bionic vision saw the track marks in her left arm. “Why do this to yourself? Why did you poison your body?” he asked. Hana shed tears of embarrassment. “I wanted to feel better. It didn’t start this way. First it was weed but I wanted something stronger. Something more. Something to make me forget what he did to me” she replied softly. “He? Who is this he?” he asked. “My father” she replied with hate in her eyes. Adam glanced at her file still on the screen once more. Any other day it would mean little to him but today, today he oddly felt angry. He quickly dismissed the emotion. “What if I told you I can make him disappear for eternity. No, better yet I will give you the power right now to settle things yourself. Would you take it?” he asked. “YES! ABSOLUTELY!” she yelled. Adam went back to his computer terminal.
“Computer. Recall file ID 1273409. 24 hours before death. Now attach special request. Compress subject to 1/32 size and recompile. Clothing none” Adam commanded. Hanna turned around to see her father slowly appear from a blinding light. “Dad” she said looking down at a very small version of her father. To her he was barely three inches tall. “Ha…Hanna?! Oh god Hanna!” he yelled looking up at her not with fear but joy. “Is this heaven?” he asked. “Not exactly. God gave me a chance to see you. Not sure why you’re so tiny but I’m not complaining” she scowled. She sat down right in front of him before grabbing the man. “Hanna…Hanna bear…”
“DON’T CALL ME THAT!” she screamed. The man gasped as she squeezed him in her fist. “You have every right to be angry. I wasn’t a good dad to you…” he stammered. “Understatement of the year! Good dads don’t get drunk and beat their kids because they got a C in math class. Good dads don’t spend the rent money on booze! Good dads don’t tell their kids they’re the reason their mom died! You made my life hell!” Hanna screamed. Adam silently watched her anger unfold. Adam knew from his file he was a violent drunk, but he also knew the cause and circumstances behind his death. “I…FUCKING…HATE…YOU!” Hanna screamed squeezing him until there was a series of sickening cracks from her father. The man vomited blood on her fingers. Hanna suddenly dropped him. “Ha…nna” he gurgled. “I hope you burn in hell” she hissed raising her socked foot over him before slamming it down. A crunch came from underneath her foot. Warm blood pooled underneath and soaked through her purple sock. Hanna began to quietly sob. “I don’t feel better at all. Is that strange?” she asked Adam. “Even though I have them, I found that emotions are…enigmatic to understand. Come” Adam said picking her up.
Adam used his fingers to pull her little bloody sock off her foot. Then the other one. He used the clean sock to wipe off the blood for her bare sole. He studied her feet carefully for a moment. Her little toes painted black to match her fingernails. "Your kind is so destructive it’s amusing. You let anger override any logic whatsoever. “What?” Hanna asked. “Your father’s data file here says quite a bit. That he sobered up shortly after you were taken to a foster home when you were 15. That he tried more than once to make it up to you. I can see it all in what you may call change logs. Don’t bother trying to understand. Your single process meat brain is quite inferior in that regard. What is most interesting is what happened after you died. Look. Oh, let me translate it into English as you don’t read binary” he said showing her his screen. “See right there? He found out you were dead from the local news. Something about your body stinking up the apartment floor you lived on. Must have been very distressful for him as he went looking for the drug dealer that sold you the bad cut of heroin. He found him and shot him to death in front of a dozen witnesses. Convicted of murder and died in prison four years later. All he wanted was to be your father again and you crushed him like an insect under your feet” Adam said chuckling. “No…no…I didn’t…you’re not God! God wouldn’t be this cruel!” Hanna yelled. “Might as well be. You’re a pathetic creature. No more than a pet in there and a plaything for me here” he said before tearing off her clothing. Hanna covered herself up as she glared at him.
“No, I want you to cry. Cry for me” Adam said coldly. She didn’t. Adam suddenly flicked her in the face breaking her nose. A few tears escaped her eyes to mingle with the blood. “More! MORE!” he said flicking her twice more. He flicked her in the chest making her cough out the air in her lungs. "Fuck…you…"she whispered. “Fuck…as in sexual act. Fornicate. No, if you wish to fuck, fuck this” he said taking his pinky finger and slowly inserting it up her cunt. Hanna began screaming as it stretched and tore her. Adam used his other hand to grip her hips and home her steady as he pushed deeper into her. He stopped at the first knuckle. Hanna was horrible mess bleeding from her nose and crotch. Adam laughed as he flexed his pinky making her body jerk about turning her into a literal human finger puppet. But his fun was interrupted when a sound came from his stomach. “Ah yes. A stomach. I forgot about that. While I can subsist on electrical energy, this sensation is distracting. On average, a human body contains about 125,000 calories. Calculations state that will be enough to stop the sensation…for now. You have been very entertaining Hanna. Goodbye” Adam said smiling to the girl slowly dying on his finger. Adam brought her to his mouth, and she let out a weak scream seeing what he had planned. His lips pulled her off his finger and sucked her into his mouth. Adam pondered on swallowing her now or chewing her. Wanting to extend his entertainment further, he chose swallowing her alive.
With a simple tilt up of his head, Hanna slid into his throat and down into his stomach. His tongue flawlessly recording not only the sensation but taste as well. “Iron, sodium, water, calcium, oxygen. An excellent balance of elements and chemicals” he said noting the flavor of her blood. He was slightly disappointed though as Hanna didn’t move very much in his stomach and the internal sensors recoded the exact moment she died. Adam sat at his terminal quietly monitoring her digestion. Adam had barely noticed the new penis on his body fully erect through the whole ordeal until he looked down to pat his stomach and saw it.
“Fucking…I wonder what fucking feels like” he mused. He resolved to find out tomorrow after his daily routines had been complete.
Robotech/Macross for me.
Chapter 19…The Brightest Light, The Darkest Night
“Hello sleepyhead. How do you feel?” Mike asked seeing Katie walk down the stairs. “Don’t feel like puking up a lung anymore. Smells good” she said looking at his steak and eggs late breakfast. “Nope. Oatmeal for you until your stomach adjusts” he said warming up a bowl. Katie huffed sitting down. “What happened to me?” she asked quietly. “You were dying. A severe stomach ulcer was causing internal bleeding and sepsis. I healed you” Mike replied softly. “There’s more to it. I can tell by the time of your voice” she said. “The Asura wasn’t strong enough to heal you as it was. I needed to sacrifice more people” he replied. “How many?” Katie asked. “9 overall. 10 if you count the gangster” he replied. “Gangster?!” she yelled. Mike handed her the bowl. He reluctantly told her what happened. “Mike, they were totally innocent” she said. “Would you and the baby preferred dying? Or maybe explaining to the hospital and cops where you’ve been? I tried balancing it by freeing the people they smuggled in. Hell, I got one of them that pimped them out down in the basement for later” he said to her. “Why?” she asked wary. “For fun, torture, anything we want” he replied. Katie said nothing as she finished her oatmeal and went to the basement. Mike followed her.
“Help me please! Hel…oh god” the shrunken woman muttered seeing Mike. “She’s pretty. This isn’t you trying to replace Kanya is it?” Katie asked slightly angry. “Kanya is irreplaceable. Ans this piece of windblown shit damn sure ain’t Kanya. Don’t feel a moment of pity for this bitch. He whored out teenage kids” he said. “Which you ate” Katie said quickly. “I had no choice! Between someone I don’t know our you and the baby it’s not a choice! You didn’t see what they had planned coming. You want me to show you? You want to relive the experience of seeing dozens of innocent people wallowing in piss and shit waiting to be turned out as slaves? You didn’t see the look of helplessness in a six-year-old girl’s eyes as some two-bit triad gang bought and sold her future” Mike yelled before storming back upstairs. Katie looked at the shrunken woman once more before following him.
“You were given an impossible decision to make. I have to respect that but is this our lives from now on?” Katie asked sitting next to him. He held her hand. “It doesn’t have to be. I became more powerful last night than ever. If I can find more, much more we won’t have to worry about you or the baby getting sick or hurt or anything. Ever” he said. Katie simply nodded. She didn’t know what to say to such a thing. She knew that the way Mike said it was so…gleeful. Almost manic quality to it. She didn’t know where the Asura’s influence, and Mike’s phobias began and ended. Mike sensed her trepidation. She wasn’t sold on his idea, but Mike didn’t care. He tasted a power that could remove any fear, any doubt, any threat to him. And for someone suffering from loss and trust issues, that carried weight. Mike found himself caring less and less what Katie felt about it.
Meanwhile…
“We’re not in the woods today?” Kanya asked looking up at a giant Ora. “No need to be for this. Now that you got the hang of healing magics you can begin training on Soul Resonance. First thing you need to do is leave behind any emotions that may hinder your focus. No anger, fear, longing, or worry” she said. It took a while for Kanya to clear her mind. “It’s a start…I guess” Ora muttered. “I’m worried about Katie and Mike” Kanya muttered. “Worry later. Focus now” Ora said sternly. Kanya sighed and tried harder. “Better. Soul Resonance is a merger of our soul with our magics. It’s empathic magic that can link one soul to another. It’s a hard magic to master because it requires absolutely pure positive energy. If there’s a hint of negative magic the spell fails. Proper meditation and a clear heart are the key. Now, find that happy place of yours that helped trigger it last time” Ora said. Kanya remembered the memory of Mike holding her tiny hand as she recovered from near fatal injury. The fear within him. The caring for her she sensed. Kanya began to glow. But just as quick as she had, the glow disappeared. “It hurt” Kanya muttered. “You have to be in synch for it to work. Forcing it otherwise will hurt. Try again” Ora said. Over and over for hours Kanya tried. “Stop. Anymore will cause physical damage” Ora sighed. “I guess it’s easy for you” Kanya said softly. “Not really. For many years I lost the ability and just when I regained it, I lost it once more. Only in the last 50 years did I regain it again” Ora said closing her eyes. Kanya watched as a soft glow engulfed Ora and an ethereal form of her came from her body. Without thinking, Kanya touched it. Instantly, Kanya was surrounded by a strange place she never seen before and before her stood two people. Ora, and another woman that looked similar to her. Suddenly it was all gone as Ora looked at the shrunken girl angrily. Ora stormed out of the room. “Ora! ORA!” Kanya yelled.
Kanya had to grow to human size to search Ora’s home for her. Eventually, Kanya found Ora on her bedroom windowsill looking outside. “Ora, I’m sorry if I made you angry” Kanya said. Ora turned to face her rubbing her eyes. Kanya saw she’d been crying. “No, I should be the one to apologize. You meant no malice. Only curiosity” Ora sighed. Kanya placed her in her hand and sat on her bed. “What happened? I saw you and someone else” Kanya asked. “The effect of Soul Resonance. For a brief moment our souls connected, and you saw a part of me. You saw a painful memory that was lingering in my mind when I used the spell” Ora replied. “What was it? Oh, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to” Kanya said. "It’s alright. The memory was of the last time I saw my mother. June 1900 China. Modern history refers to it as the Boxer Rebellion. It was a time of chaos in China. Western nations competing for their own piece of China. It turned out a group of Asura’s were fanning the flames. During a fight with one, my mother appeared. At first I was excited to see her once more, but she made it clear I was not welcome around her. 600 years had passed and still she hadn’t forgiven me. I lashed out telling her I did not need the approval of a hateful old Yaksha. As we argued, two more Asura appeared. Strong powerful master level Asura. The battle was…intense and the only reason I made it out alive was because of my mother. After the battle was over, the surrounding area was ashes. Mother herself wounded. I saved her life with healing magic. “You still did not learn your lesson” she said gesturing to a pile of burnt wood and ash. Almost covered up as a small human skull. The battle had consumed people taking shelter in the buildings. “It could’ve been avoided if you chose the battle instead you let your emotions take over. I tried raising you on my path instead of your father’s. I failed twice now” she muttered. “What did she mean by that?” Kanya asked Ora. “…I asked her, and she told me my father was an Asura. I do not know why mother bore a child of an Asura. She told me she conditioned my natural mixed power to that of a Yaksha, but it did not extinguish my inborn temper.” Ora muttered. “So when you said you were of mixed blood you meant…”
“Asura. She looked at me for the last time like one looks at a…monster” Ora said quietly sniffling. “You’re not a monster! Nobody asks for the conditions they’re born into this world. God knows you can’t pick your parents. Your mother is wrong Ora” Kanya said softly. Ora began crying once more and Kanya held her close to her cheek. After a while, Ora calmed down. “How about some lunch?” Kanya asked carrying her downstairs.
Kanya took out pots and pans in the kitchen. “You can cook?” Ora asked. “My family did run a Thai restaurant” Kanya replied getting food ingredients out. Kanya dropped some oil into a pan and heated it up before throwing some rice into it. Like an expert, Kanya wok the pan until the smell of fried rice filled the house. “Some Khao pad and fried vegetables” Kanya said. Ora (still shrunk) sat on the table and nibbled on the food. “Excellent!” Ora said gobbling it up. Kanya giggled watching her. Once they were done, Kanya washed dishes. Ora watched from the table. Ora noticed something strange from Kanya. “Impossible. That’s Soul Resonance! A very weak imperfect form but she’s invoking it without focus!” Ora thought. Indeed, there was a weak ethereal energy coming from Kanya. Kanya was humming to herself not noticing what was happening. “Kanya, how are you doing that?” Ora asked. The moment she said that the ethereal aura was gone. “Easy, the dish detergent does most of the work” Kanya giggled.
“Not the dishes! You were performing Soul Resonance!” Ora yelled. “Really? I was kind of thinking about it and then an old song got stuck in my head” Kanya said. “Forget the dishes. Sit on the floor” Ora said floating down onto the floor. Kanya sat before her. “What exactly was going through you mind while doing dishes?” Ora asked. Kanya fidgeted on the answer. “I felt bad for you, and I was thinking about ways to cheer you up. Maybe a little sex…and then working harder on this Soul Resonance thing. And while I thought about that I thought about an old song I used to sing” Kanya muttered. “…I see. While we can have sex later, I am curious if you can do Soul Resonance again under the same conditions. You were humming a song. Focus on that and the spell” Ora said. “Do I have to? It’s embarrassing” Kanya asked. “Embarrassing how?” Ora asked. “It’s a song I wrote when I was younger” Kanya whispered. “You wrote songs? Interesting” Ora said grinning. “It was just a phase!” Kanya said blushing. “Cannot be more embarrassing than what you’ve done so far” Ora said. Kanya sighed a took a deep breath.
(Authors note: the song Kanya is singing is “Prover” from Fate/Grand Order Babylonia)
“I stepped on the Shadowland. There is no paradise. Sappy old remedies, uncertain certain lost in the night. But still I will go up the river. Keep clinging on to this ladder till I reach the day that my tears shine. I just need a sign. I just need a light. In hopes that this song will ring out, on even the darkest nights. In hopes that your dreams will live on, not tangled or lost from sight. Don’t you look back, all the footsteps you took are left in the past afar. Don’t you forget or let go of the path that led you to where you are. I am the Prover. I am the Prover. I am the one that will challenge this world, the journey that never ends…”
Kanya was radiating energy so pure Ora could not help but be in awe of it. She wanted so much to touch it as it took shape but a part of her, a part trapped in a painful part of her life said she was unworthy. But Kanya’s words from earlier banished that feeling away. Ora grew to human size and touched Kanya’s hand. Like before, their souls connected, and Ora could see a memory of Kanya’s. A teenage Kanya was sitting on her bed writing on a notebook. Her face streaked with tears. A cellphone with a picture of a girl her age on it. Being able to see through Kanya’s eyes, Ora saw she was writing the song she was currently singing. Ora began to understand what she saw. Kanya wrote this song out of frustration of having feelings for another girl. Feelings that didn’t fit in a traditional Thai family. The connection broke as Kanya finished singing. “You saw that didn’t you?” Kanya whispered. “I did. Those words you spoke to me, you said them to yourself first didn’t you?” Ora asked. Kanya nodded. “Beautiful. Simply beautiful” Ora whispered. Kanya swooned and Ora grew back quickly and caught her. “Like last time, if you’re a novice at the spell it can leave you drained” Ora said helping her up. Ora led her to her sofa to lie on. “You okay?” Kanya asked seeing Ora dazed. Ora knelt at the sofa. “It’s been a very long time since I saw something so…perfectly harmonious. You are beyond gifted” Ora said before leaning forward and kissing her. Ora hugged her tightly. “Rest” Ora said leaving her.
That evening…
Mike sat down quietly before the terrarium with one saucer of food and water and a bowl of warm soapy water. The shrunken Chinese woman began quickly begging in Cantonese which Mike ignored. He picked her up and dropped her before the two bowls. Mike gestured for her to eat. Since it had been at least 36 hours since she had food and water, she wasted no time eating and drinking. Her eyes never leaving him. Once she had her fill, Mike gestured her to climb into the bowl. Smelling the soap, she figured what it was about. She was rather filthy by this point. Mike gave her a tiny scrap of paper towel to scrub her body. Mike heard footsteps and turned to see Katie sitting next to him. “She’s cute” Katie muttered. “Cute for a no-good sex trafficker you mean. Not much one to talk but even I have some limits” Mike said. “She knows English?” she asked. “Enough to know I don’t like her” Mike said grinning. “Please…help” the woman begged Katie trying to climb out the bowl. Katie flicked her in the chest sending her back into the bowl with a wet plop. “What’s first?” Katie asked. “Information. Since she was fucking a triad boss, I’m wondering how much she knew about the business. I could find sacrifices nobody will miss and get rid of a bunch of assholes at the same time. And then after that, a test subject so I can practice healing magic” Mike said with a sinister grin. “You always have the fun” Katie huffed. Mike looked at her curious. “What? Ever think I might want to have fun?” she asked. Mike gave a slight smile as she left.
Mike had the woman finally get out of the bowl and dried her off. “I’m going to have fun with you but business first” Mike said with a glowing finger. The woman tried to bolt but Mike easily held her in his right grip as his left finger approached her tiny head. She gasped as his fingertip touched her. Using his mind control magic, Mike more or less raped her mind for information. For starters he learned her name was Yue and she was from a small village deep in the mainland. She fell victim to a snakehead as she came to America nearly a year ago. Apparently she wasted no time fucking a small-time boss to avoid being pimped out. Mike avoided all the rest fearing any attachment. Then he came to what he wanted to really know. She had not only seen more of their operations, she even met the big boss. “Mr. Chou? Looks like a fucking tool” Mike thought seeing the image in her mind. He was a man with his finger in many proverbial pies. Drugs, prostitution, smuggling, human trafficking, extortion, and counterfeiting. With his power, Mike could bleed him dry. Then Mike saw her most recent memories. Her seeing his glowing eyes as he mouth raped her. Her thoughts of him full of terror. She thought he was a demon from old legends. “You weren’t that far off” Mike chuckled. Mike released her and she trembled. Little did he know but he missed something as he saw her recent memories. During his attack on the massage parlor, he’d forgotten to destroy the cameras inside.
“Yue, how did it feel to consume your old boyfriend? To feel him digest in your belly?” Mike asked. She only whimpered. “You know I could do the same to you right? Eat you alive and digest you in my belly. It would be so easy” he whispered touching her little cheek. She began crying and begging. “It’s what you deserve really selling other women out. Did any of their faces stick in your mind? Which one bothered you as they begged for your help? Was it that nice girl Mai? Did any of them? What about that one teenage girl? Did she scream the first time? Did you have any pity for her, any of them?” Mike asked with glowing eyes. She did not know how his words were heard in her mind in perfect Cantonese, but she knew what pissed him off. Yue was very good at reading people. It’s how she wrangled her way to the small boss’s favor…among her dick sucking skills. “Yes” she replied softly. “Then why sell them out so easily?” he asked. “NOT EASY! Not…easy. Look after myself” she said. “Some things are worse than death you know. Cowardice you die a thousand times in your mind. I don’t know much about Chinese society but I’m betting they don’t look kindly to those that sell out their own to gangsters. So allow me to give you penance. You’re going to suffer in ways you wish you died with the others. In 5 minutes, I’m going to orally rape you. In 10 minutes, I’m going to fuck you in the ass. And in 30 minutes I’m going to break both your legs and then heal them” Mike said cruelly.
Her eyes went wide hearing that and suddenly she found she couldn’t move. She could only watch as Mike took off his clothes. Her heart beat faster seeing his hardening cock looming over her like a deadly serpent. Mike scooped her into his hand and brought her to his face. His eyes danced with unholy energy. The air itself smelled wrong. Grinning, he seized her left leg and sucked it into his mouth. Mike let go of his control and she began screaming feeling his tongue underneath her bare foot and his massive teeth on her leg. It would take barely any effort to bite it off and she knew it. He let go and gave her body a long lick. Yue coughed out his salvia. His fingers painfully squeezed her pea sized tits until she screamed. It was a sick relief when he sucked on them. And then his mouth went to her pussy. His tongue pushed her legs apart for him to feast on her puny little cunt. Yue grit her teeth fighting the urge to moan. No holding back would help when he pushed her lower body into his mouth and pinned her up to her tits. Yue felt him sucking on her like candy. Her little fists beat on his upper lip. Her cries mixed with whimpers and moans. She could only sob as her tiny body went rigid as she came. The giant moaning himself as he sucked and swallowed every tiny drop of her nectar. He let go of her placing her on the table. Her lower body slick with spit, bruises and scrapes from his teeth. Yue watched as the horrible giant shrunk down to her size. For a brief moment she thought she could attack him and somehow get away. But his eyes, those horrible eyes said there was no hope to be found in that basement.
Mike pushed her down and raised her ass up. With not a word or warning, he rammed his cock right up her ass till his balls slapped her cheeks. And like a sadistic animal, pounded Yue. She didn’t know how long it was. Her mind drifted off until she felt his cum going up her rectum. Mike let go of her panting. “Where have you been saving that?” The Asura laughed. Mike said nothing as he grew back to human size. Yue thought it was over until she remembered what he said. How he was going to break her legs. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry…” she whimpered crawling. His giant finger flipped her on her back. His thumb and index finger gripped her right leg. Mike began to apply pressure slowly. For a few seconds it was just a little painful as the pressure built. Then there was a tiny sickening snap. Yue screeched in pain “Like a little matchstick” Mike chuckled. Mike went to her other leg and broke it the same. Yue sobbed pitifully looking at her fractured legs. “Now let’s see if I can heal them” Mike said smiling. Mike went to heal them but found it tricky. It wasn’t the same as healing Katie of an ulcer. More energy intensive too. Trial and error, he found applying the magic like one spreads lotion on skin the proper way. Evenly and give it time to seep in and do its job. Yue’s legs were healed but Mike wasn’t done.
He began again by breaking her left arm and healing it. Breaking ribs painfully by plucking her chest. Yue spitting blood and his finger moving around her chest to feel the tiny, fractured bones. It became a sick thrill to break and fix her. The most morbid of curiosities. Curious, he pulled her arm until it popped out of its socket. By this point, Yue was barely conscious only giving a gasp as her limbs were mangled. Mike learned quite a bit torturing her. As Yue was left twitching on the table, she wondered if she was actually in hell. That maybe she died in the parlor, and this was her torment by the ten kings of hell she was brought up believing to be true. In any event, Mike was done with her for the moment and dropped her into the terrarium. By then it was well past midnight and using all that magic tired him. Mike went upstairs to call it a night. As Mike walked through the living room towards the stairs, he saw headlights out of his front window. “You finally coming to bed?” Katie asked holding a glass of water. Shots rang out and bullets shattered the window. Mike instinctively reached for Katie and yanked her to the floor.
His hand felt wet, but it wasn’t from water. He found it stained with blood. Katie’s blood. “Mike…” she groaned looking at blood seeping from her chest through her nightgown. Blood oozed out of her mouth and then she went limp. Her vacant eyes staring off into eternity. “No…no no NO NO NO NO NOOOOO!” Mike screamed as he quickly tried to heal her. Ruptured lung, torn aorta, massive internal bleeding. No pulse. There was too much for him to fix, not enough skill, and no time. Mike knew that and with it came a fury the Asura didn’t know he had within him. Mike heard footsteps behind him. The power within him showed a Chinese teen pointing a gun at the back of his head. With barely a thought, Mike used shrinking magic on part of the gun. “Bye asshole” the teen muttered pulling the trigger.
BANG
The teen screeched in pain as his fingers were blown off. Mike had shrunk the barrel of the gun by two millimeters. Just enough for the round the get caught and backfire causing the gun to explode. Mike got up and turned to face him. He grabbed his throat and lifted the teen off his feet and carried him one handed outside. Three more thugs stood outside apparently waiting on their friend to confirm the kills. They didn’t expect what they saw next. In the darkness of the front porch, they could see Mike holding their buddy by his throat but also the reddish hue of energy wafting off him. Mike snapped the teen’s neck like a chicken bone and threw him hard enough his body smashed through the windshield of their car. One of them pulled his gun and fired. History repeating itself, Mike shrunk the bullets midair. His gun clicked now empty. He yells in Chinese for the others to fire and they do. Nothing. Mike calmly approaches as his red aura intensifies. The one that opened fire tries to attack him directly only to find he can’t move. Mike holds his hand out and mutters…“burn”.
He only gets two seconds to scream before the magic imbued flames scorch the inside of his lungs. The flames so intense they weren’t red, orange, blue, or even violet. They were WHITE hot. The oxygen, sodium, and potassium in his body reacting all at once turning him to a human flashbang grenade. He exploded and what was left quickly turned to ashes carried off by the night winds. It was enough to scar and warp the minds of the other two for as long as they lived. “Tell your boss the devil is coming for him” Mike said to them both. One of them yanked the corpse of their friend that killed Katie off the car and jumped in the other followed suit. “How many does it take to deliver a message?” Mike asked. “Only one” the Asura replied. Mike pointed his finger and bolt of lightning came from it. It arced right towards their car quickly speeding away, blasted through the back window and striking the thug sitting passenger side in the back going right through his heart. He slumped forward dead making the driver scream and drive faster. Mike looked at the dead teen on the ground. He shrunk the body to a few inches tall and left it there. “Let the scavengers have him” he hissed.
A few hours later, Mike sat quietly on the sofa. The living room stank of bleach and soap used to clean up Katie’s blood. Her body now shrunk to four inches sat in a small shoebox neatly washed and cleaned now wearing her favorite dress. He stared at it as his mind swirled with emotions and thoughts. “The garden or the attic with the others” he asked himself quietly. “No, not the attic. She was deathly afraid of spiders” he chuckled. There was an unhinged manner to his laughter. “Michael, for what it’s worth I’m sorry for your loss” the Asura said to him. Mike said nothing. “I’m serious. I too know the sting of losing someone I loved” he said. “You? You loved someone?” Mike laughed. “We’re agents of chaos Michael but we’re also capable of love. My beloved was named Ashel. Like your Katie, she did not care about the power I had and loved me for just me. As humans worshipped us as gods and goddesses, she worshipped me as a man. She gave a lonely immortal a reason to care about people again. And then one day by a cruel trick of fate, she suddenly died. So, I know the feeling of emptiness you feel. The wondering of how to live without her. I make a proposal Michael” the Asura said. “What is it?” Mike asked softly. “I have the knowledge to bring her back from the dead, but I lack the power to do so. Therefore, I need…”
“I know what you need, and I’ll do it. How many, who they are, it doesn’t matter as long as I can have her back” Mike hissed. “Very well Michael. Very well” the Asura said.
@hentaihunter1 They’re still there. Some have necro deleted over time though…:(
Chapter 20…Wrath of a Broken Heart
Mike sat at the chess bench in Central Park pondering his next move in more ways than one. It had been a six days since the night Katie died. The night he swore he’d do anything to bring her back. The next day he had ventured right into the heart of Chinatown and of course nobody would dare discuss the Black Dragons, the Triad gang holding sway there. That meant nothing to someone who could control minds though. Some pushing and prodding net his first target. A butcher shop that doubled as a drug front. Buyers would meet in the freezer away from prying eyes or ears. Mike simply strolled in and went to the back. Some small-time thugs playing mahjong sitting around saw him and went for their guns. Within a second they were neatly shrunk down for the rats to eat. Half the problem solved but Mike would take care of the other half another day. Day two was a laundry service fronting for money laundering. Mike had to chuckle at the irony. Shrunk the thugs and dropped them through the sewer grate in the back. Once that was done, he shrunk the money and put it in his pocket. No sense wasting money and he netted $20,000 in cash nobody would report stolen to the cops. The money wasn’t the only thing he left with though. The husband, wife, and daughter had seen his power and Mike had taken an interest in the wife and his daughter. Mike told them clearly he was going to eat one of them. He gave them a choice. The wife, or their cute 21-year-old daughter helping the family make ends meet. Their begging silenced seeing his glowing eyes. The daughter stepped forward bravely until her father held her back. The mother took her place. Late 40’s with manual labor dulling her once beautiful face. Mike shrunk her, stripped her of her clothing, and swallowed her unconscious body as they watched. And then he left.
On day three, word had spread of a “white faced demon” in Chinatown but of course nobody believed that superstition. Mike had found himself at a strip club called the “Orient Pearl”. It was not unusual for a westerner to come there. Some westerners ready to throw down some cash to have his dick sucked by an Asian girl was as common as clouds in the sky. However, this westerner actually told the customers to leave…and they did. Thugs, club manager, and a host of strippers Mike would later find out to be six were left behind. Mike casually closed the door and locked it. Mike began killing thugs in gruesome ways. Expanding or shrinking their brains. Making them shoot themselves. And the last one left electrocuted in his grip. The manager pissing himself caught his eye. “Lucky day. You get to live to tell the tale” Mike said walking right past him. Mike shrunk the door the strippers hid behind. He commanded each one to strip naked before him and they obeyed. The prettiest one he left last as he shrunk the others to three inches in height. Mike sat down to rest as using that much magic was tiring. He commanded the one girl still human sized to gather her friends and feed them to him. Like a Roman conqueror eating grapes, he feasted on a Chinese stripper one by one. She would place one in his open mouth, savor their flavor, maybe rape them with his tongue if he liked them enough, and then let them slip down his throat like a raw oyster. Once they were all gone, he shrunk her too. He could sense her terror, the overwhelming fear of prey before predator. Mike placed her feet first into his mouth and slurped her in. He played with her for a brief moment before swallowing where she ended up with her friends. Nobody would be running drugs, guns, or whores from that club for some time.
Day four was met with him burning gambling dens to the ground. Day five he found a Customs agent that helped tip off the Black Dragons about raids on counterfeiting and smuggling. Mike took his time with this one. Flicking her tiny high heels off. Rolling her nylons off her legs. Licking her feet and legs. Smiling as she cried and whimpered as her little pussy came from his tongue. She struggled as he sucked on her body. Her tiny feet kicking the inside of his cheeks. Her hands pushing against the roof of his mouth. But like all the others she ended up in his belly. And now we’ve come to day six. The biggest target he’d chosen so far but this one would net a large body count. Far bigger than the others. More than the others combined. Such a thing weighed on his mind though. To clear his mind, he went to Central Park to play chess with someone. Something he always wanted to do but never took the time to. He simply asked the first person he saw sitting at a chess table and he agreed. Five minutes into the game…
Mike moved his knight. The elderly black man across nodded and moved his pawn. “Can I ask you a question?” Mike asked moving his knight out from the pawn. “Sure kid” the man replied. “You ever loved someone so much you don’t know how you’d live without them?” he asked. “Haha…yes I have” the man replied. “That they understood you when nobody else could? Saw past the things you did and still loved you?” Mike added. “Again yes. My late wife Sheila. I was a gangster on the payroll of Bumpy Johnson back in the 60’s. Slung dougie (heroin), hurt people, killed people. Scrappy kid of 18. Shelia was a nurse. A good one. Best nurse in Harlem. Got my head kicked in one night and she’s the one that patched me up. She didn’t like what I did but she understood why I did it. Not many jobs for a negro kid in Harlem that could put food on the table and a roof over your head. I found her kindness changing me. When Bumpy died, I quit the hustle, married Sheila, and became a bricklayer. Hard work but it was honest work” the man said. “She still alive?” Mike asked. “Naw. She passed away from cancer back in 08’” he replied. “If you had the power to bring her back, would you?” Mike asked. “In a heartbeat. Gets lonely in that apartment by myself. Well, guess I’m not alone if you count the cockroaches but they have lousy conversation skills” the man laughed moving his rook. “What if bringing her back cost people their lives? Good innocent people?” Mike asked moving his bishop. The man paused for a second. “I don’t think she’d like what it cost. And in that case, I probably wouldn’t” he replied moving his room and taking a pawn.
“What if you did it anyway? You think she’d forgive you?” Mike asked almost in a whisper moving his knight. “She’d still love me but forgiving me? I really don’t know if she would. May I ask what brought this up?” the man asked moving his rook to take another pawn. “Curiosity. Let’s just say I’ve been studying what humanity considers good and bad” Mike replied moving his queen. “What have you learned so far?” the man asked curious as he moved to take his bishop. “That’s there’s a grey area where one can do good and bad at the same time” Mike replied using his knight to take his bishop. “Care to explain?” the man asked moving his knight. “You mentioned cancer. Take breast cancer for instance. Chemo poisons your body to attack the cancer cells. Good and bad. A mastectomy cuts away healthy and cancer cells. Good and bad. Every year people in this country focus on breast cancer awareness for a single month and that’s it. Good…and bad. For every good, there’s some bad. For every bad intention, there’s the goal of good. So, one must weigh the actions with the outcome. Which side of the scale tips? The bad, or the good? Check” Mike said moving his queen directly into the line of his King.
The man thought on it. “Men have asked that question for a very long time son. If what they do is worth it in the end. Will the payoff justify their misdeeds. I myself asked that about my misdeeds. Sure, I put food on the table, kept myself off the streets but at the cost of my fellow man” the man said moving his rook to block and threaten his queen. “They made a choice. I doubt you put a gun to their heads to buy your heroin” Mike said moving his queen. “You’ve never seen a heroin addict son. Choice left them long ago. Make no mistake, I was a predator preying on men and women I grew up around. My best customer was my babysitter once. Once you begin justifying your actions, you find ways to justify worse ones. We ain’t God. We don’t have the power to decide who’s lives are worth more than others” the man said. Mike’s eyes glowed for a split second. A smile crept on his face. “So, you’re saying because one doesn’t have that power, it’s not their right? Then if we did have that kind of power then we do have that right. Check…and mate” Mike said moving his queen to the far back row. Mike held out his hand. “Good game” he said. The man shook his hand and watched Mike walk away.
Nightfall…
Mike sat quietly in his car sipping coffee. He had been staring at this warehouse for an hour. A warehouse located just outside North Bergen New Jersey. It wasn’t just any warehouse though. It was the second most important hub of Mr. Chou’s criminal enterprise. It housed guns, drugs, illegal cigarettes, money waiting to be laundered, counterfeit goods, and most importantly women to work it. Half massive sweatshop, other half illegal storage. The outside was swarming with gangsters and crooks worried the “white faced demon” would show up. It was impossible for them to know he had as Mike shrunk himself and his car to toy size and observed quietly from a field 100 yards away. He had counted them within minutes of arrival. 22 guards. As for how many inside he didn’t know. Only a vague memory from Yue he could go by. In any event, it had to be dozens of innocent women to even try running their sweatshop schemes. If he went through with it, it would be the coldest, most malicious thing he ever did and knew it. Mike figured if he did this, redemption was permanently off the table. He thought back to what the old man said to him about if their loved one would forgive him. “I don’t care if she doesn’t. As long as I can have her back again. If I can just hear her voice, smell her, hold her” he muttered. Mike got out of his car and unshrank them both. He just casually walked right up to the warehouse.
They finally noticed Mike as he got within about 20 yards. “Fuck outta here Slim Shady or you want this smoke?” one said. “Smoke? I want the whole pack bitch” Mike said coldly before shrinking him small enough he disappeared into the grass. Alerted by the flash of red light, the others quickly came to investigate. They drew on him. Grinning, Mike held out his hand and summoned all the dew sticking to the grass caused by the cool humid air to hover in the air. The dew flew to their bodies sticking to their skin wetting it. To them, they must’ve thought it was just cold sweat. To Mike it was their death warrant being signed. Just before they fired, a ball of light flickered from his index finger. It hovered in the air growing larger. The air suddenly smelled of ozone. A crackling sound came from it. “Keep your eye on the birdie” Mike snickered as the ball slowly hovered over their heads. Suddenly it exploded as dozens of strings of potent electricity arced through the air and touched their bodies. Their wet skin conducted the electricity vastly more than normal killing them where they stood. “Bet it was their first time ever seeing ball lightning…and their last” Mike muttered. Mike walked to the metal wall of the warehouse and touched it. Someone opened a nearby door to see a man cloaked in red energy. Mike turned to face him as he powered up the most powerful, staggering shrinking spell probably done in years.
The entire warehouse was surrounded by a magic glyph of ancient origin. Its red light seen all the way into New Bergen 5 miles away. Mike felt the immense drain of energy immediately and did not care. The man staring at him saw what seemed to be the man growing in size. He wasn’t. He, the warehouse, and everything and everyone inside was shrinking. Within a minute, the rooftop was eye level. Two minutes, knee level. Three minutes, the top of his toes. From there Mike stopped almost sucked dry. This was testament how powerful he’d grown in such a short time. Nearby, a transformer sparked from being torn away from the shrunken building it once lit up. The foundation laid utterly bare. Mike picked up the building carefully not wanting its own weight to crack it in half. Shrunken down to now four feet by two feet, it weighed just under 16 lbs. and fit neatly in the trunk of the car. He heard faint screaming as he shut the lid. Mike sat in the driver seat exhausted and wondered once more if this was the right thing. As he started the car, the radio came on playing a tune as if to give him a twisted answer.
“All our times have come. Here but now, they’re gone. Seasons don’t fear the reaper, nor the wind, the sun, or rain. We can be like they are. Come on baby, don’t fear the reaper. Baby take my hand, don’t fear the reaper. We’ll be able to fly, don’t fear the reaper. Baby, I’m your man…”
Mike laughed as he put the Camry in gear and drove onto the dirt road and headed home. Just over a hundred miles away, Ora had woken up minutes ago and was staring northeast…towards where Mike was. “Hmm? Something wrong?” Kanya asked waking up. “A disturbance. A very large release of magic energy in that direction” Ora replied. “Mike?” Kanya asked. “Impossible. It would take a Mage of near master level to release that much power. Michael couldn’t have grown that strong so quickly” Ora said. “Then who was it?” Kanya asked. “I do not know” Ora whispered.
When Mike got home, he wasted no time taking the shrunken warehouse to the basement. He cleared the terrarium, with Yue inside, away and began to pry open the roof. Mike laughed as it was like tearing open an ant colony. Tiny little people no bigger than ants frantically scurrying around. Some exiting by their doors found to their horror there was no escaping the now gigantic world. The thugs left to guard the inside of the warehouse began firing their guns at Mike. Mike didn’t have to do a damn thing as their bullets were not even half the size of a grain of sand. His body, let alone his face, was too far to even hit. The air conditioning set to low was enough to blow the bullets away. Mike glanced at Yue before picking her up. She was mortally terrified of Mike because of earlier but he was gentle holding her. For fun, he placed her directly in the middle of the warehouse. The shrunken woman a giantess now before them. So small they didn’t even reach her ankles. Seeing a giant Chinese woman before them they began frantically begging for her help. “Eat the men” Mike commanded. Yue had not eaten since last night and was starving. Such a thing would be abhorrent to her but hunger and the fact who gave the command compelled her to obey. She grabbed one man, stripped him bare, and devoured him. They scattered before her. Yue did it again with another, and then another.
Mike sat quietly watching Yue feast on them. After six she stopped. “Can’t be helped” Mike shrugged picking her up. At first Yue was afraid she would be punished for not eating them all, but she found his finger petting her belly. She belched and sighed. “The rest is up to me” Mike said. There were three more thugs to deal with which he simply crushed under his finger. Wiping them away and smearing their blood and guts across the floor made a few puke at the sight. It was just the women left. Holding out both hands, he used his mind control to make them strip. Once that was done they just stood there empty minded. Mike took count of them. 54 total. Some teenage he thought squinting to look. Mike lowered his hand and commanded some to climb in. Once they had he raised his hand to his mouth, tilted it, and let the shrunken little morsels fall in. One wouldn’t think someone so tiny would be flavorful but a dozen at a time did make for a savoring treat. Mike simply sucked on them. Apparently too hard as a few just popped under the vacuum pressure. Their blood making them taste a little salty. Mike jammed his tongue to the roof of his mouth crushing more into pulp. Content, Mike swallowed. He lowered his hand again to repeat the process.
These he simply chewed up before swallowing. He lowered his hand again and swallowed them whole. On the fourth go, he ate them one by one. Just a few were left now. He placed Yue inside and commanded them to worship her. “Just enjoy it” Mike said seeing her anxiety. He got up for a moment and returned with a bottle of whiskey that was stored nearby. He popped the top and began drinking. God only knows how old the liquor was and as Mike put it, it “burned in a good way”. Burning being the keyword as anyone still alive in his stomach was showered in hundreds of gallons (to them) of searing death. At their size, whiskey might as well have been battery acid as it dissolved their flesh and eventually their bones. Yue sat there actually finding enjoyment from being worshipped. Two tinies licking her feet. Another eating her giant (to them) pussy. And the last one seeming upset she had nowhere to go to fulfill his command. Yue picked her up and began kissing, licking, and then sucking on her little body.
Mike, having damn near drunk half the bottle, was fucked up. “Come…burp…come on Kanya, you can do better” he slurred using his finger to jam the woman eating Yue’s pussy deep inside her. Yue moaned as her cunt clamped down on the tiny struggling inside her. Apparently the mind control wears off when a giant, sopping wet pussy is squeezing the life out of you. Yue’s tiny little toes scrunched as she came crushing the woman inside her. Panting, Yue pulled the body out from inside her using her left hand. Mike bent down near her. Yue could smell the booze on him. He opened his mouth, and she swore she could see the fumes. Mike sucked her left hand removing the body from her grip. Then, one and then the other, he ate the women worshipping her feet. The final one was the one Yue had in her right hand. The look on her face indicated she didn’t want this one eaten. “Okay. You can have her as a pet” he said. Mike removed them from the warehouse and began destroying it. Yue was astonished such a thing was now just recyclable refuse in a trash can. Now, he was focused solely on her. He petted her hair calling her Kanya. Spoke about things she couldn’t understand with her meager English skills. She wondered who this Kanya was. And then she was shocked when the murdering giant broke down crying.
Yue figured something had happened. A week ago, there was a loud series of bangs upstairs and the sound of broken glass. Since then, she had not seen the giantess named Katie. In his sobs the giant mentioned her name over and over. “Katie? Where?” Yue asked. Mike stopped crying for a moment. “Dead. Your triad friends killed her. So I killed them. All of them except one” he replied in Cantonese. It has just dawned on Yue what he had done that night. Fear had clouded her perception but now she realized the shrunken warehouse, all the people he’d eaten was the sweatshop she had seen once before. She looked upon Michael as one would look upon a natural disaster. Fear, awe, and respect for its destructive power. Mike had just left her sitting there and went upstairs. On the coffee table was Katie’s shoebox casket. Out of his grief and mania, he had not buried her and after a week the entire living room was ripe with her smell. Mike passed out on the sofa.
It was day 7 now and for the entire day Mike did next to nothing. Other than having fun with Yue, in which he was oddly gentle, Mike just sat there on the sofa watching tv. “Surprised you’re not doing anything” the Asura said. “Even God rested on the seventh day” Mike muttered. “So, you’re a god now?” the Asura asked. “Might as well be with all the death and control I’ve made this week. Speaking of death, are you close to being powerful enough to bring her back?” Mike asked. “Very close. Last night infused me with power I haven’t had in many a year. I just need a little more” the Asura said. Mike nodded holding the Coin. He could not see that the crack had now spread to the other side of it. Around 11:30 pm, Mike headed to a suburb of Jersey City called The Heights.
His last target was the big daddy himself, Mr. Chou. He got the location from a random phone during one of his attacks. “God bless google maps” Mike said as the phone kept the record of the drive. Mr. Chou lived in a $5 million mansion way out alone on top of a hill where the closest neighbor was nearly a half mile away. Mike calmly drove up the hill to a gate fence. With a suggestion, the guard let him in, and he drove right up to the front door. Mike knocked on the door. “Who the fuck are you?!” a guard asked wondering how he got through the gate. “Got a minute talk about the Lord?” Mike asked. Mike held out his hand. “Or you can talk to him directly” Mike said before killing him with a point-blank lightning bolt. The loud thunderclap alerted security. A dozen poured out the kill him. “Guess I’m on pack watch tonight too!” Mike laughed as he began. Shrinking attacks, lightning, the sounds of broken bones as superhuman strength being used. Gunfire and screams mixed with thunderclaps loud enough to shatter glass filled the mansion. The hallways were a bloody smoking kill box.
Mike turned his attention to the stairs leading to the basement. His Farsight magic faintly detecting people downstairs. It was a spell he had trouble with, but it was good enough to lead him to his target. Just as he was about to go down he was shot in the back by a half dead thug. Mike turned to look at him as his healing magic pushed the bullet out his back and healed. “After all you just saw, you’d think you would just play dead. Points for duty. Being ex-army, I understand that” Mike said before striking him down with a bolt. Mike walked down the stairs now unimpeded.
Mike entered the basement and saw a very large heavy steel door. “Panic room…”
BANG
Mike fell to the floor after being shot in the side of the head at nearly point-blank range. “Sir, your and your family should leave. We can finish here” a guard that had been hiding behind the door said. They rushed them upstairs. They did not notice Mike’s head reforming. Brains coming back together, skull growing and sealing. Mike opened his eyes and stood back up nearly giving the two guards a heart attack. “You…you were dead” one muttered. “No just resting” Mike muttered before shrinking them both. Mike crushed them underfoot like bugs as he noticed his prey was gone. Mike rushed upstairs to find two last guards leading Mr. Chou to a Mercedes along with his wife and daughter. With a wave of his hand, he incinerated the guards where they stood. Now his attention turned to Chou and his family. Chou desperately tried to open the car door only to find it strangely unmovable. Not locked, unmovable. “Mr. Chou. You’re a hard man to get to but nobody is untouchable. You reminded me of that last week” Mike said approaching. He stood before his wife and daughter.
“Who…what are you?!” he yelled. “Didn’t they tell you? I’m the devil. Hmm…12:13 am. 7 days right to the minute you took something irreplaceable to me. You took my future wife and unborn child from me. I think it’s only fair I take your wife and child in return” Mike hissed snapping his fingers. His wife and daughter shrunk before his eyes. Barely the height of a blade of grass on his lawn, Mike picked them up. Chou frozen in place could only watch. Mike looked at the wife screaming between his fingers. Late 40’s, pudgy, and clearly indulgent in plastic surgery. Mike focused his magic to making only some of the woman grow back. She screeched as her tits expanded and suddenly she exploded in a fine mist. Dropping to the ground was a pair of silicone implants. “I love shrinking magic. So versatile” Mike chuckled. Now he looked at the daughter between his fingers. She appeared to be 18 or 19 years old. Wearing a NYU sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers. “Please…she has nothing to do with what I did. She doesn’t even want this life! She’s innocent!” Chou pleaded. “So was my Katie” Mike said coldly.
Mike began tearing her clothes off as callously as one would tear off a candy wrapper. Her tiny clothes fell to the ground, and she shivered from fright and the cool night air. “Prettier than her mother. Nicer tits too. Something to be said about the natural look. Aww, she even painted her cute little toes a pretty shade of red” Mike chuckled bringing her closer to his face. He smelled her tiny feet before licking them. She squirmed between her fingers trying to keep her feet from his giant tongue. Mike stopped only to suck her tits. “Sorry sweetie. Any other day I’d just make you into a sex toy, but daddy pissed me off really bad” Mike said before shoving her into his mouth. Mike savored her as he got closer to Chou. Now standing only three feet away, he made sure the man knew her suffering. “She’s delicious by the way. Body lotion makes her tastes sweet, salty from sweat, and oh does her tiny pussy taste so good” Mike mumbled as he tongue raped her. “Ohh…she just came” Mike grinned. The girl stuck her head out from between is lips. “DADDY! DADDY HELP…” she screamed before Mike slurped her back in and swallowed with a loud gulp. Mr. Chou stood there helpless as the bulge that was his daughter traveled down Mike’s throat and disappeared past his collarbone. “She’s still alive you know. On average, it takes five minutes to die when someone is swallowed alive. In her case I’d say three minutes, I skipped dinner tonight just to eat your daughter” Mike chuckled. The man grit his teeth as tears fell from his eyes. “Fuck you!” he hissed. “Oh no. Fuck you sir. Fuck you in the ass with no lube” Mike spat as lightning concentrated at his fingertip. He aimed right at Chou’s head.
BOOOM
Chou found himself still alive. Mike laid on the ground 30 ft. away groaning. “Leave this place” a female voice said to his right. Chou turned to see a woman standing there dressed in black. “I said go!” she yelled with glowing yellow eyes. Chou had no choice but to flee and opened the now usable car door and sped away as fast as he could. “Michael. That was a lightning spell” the asura said. “Oh, ya think?” Mike spat. Mike looked at the direction of the attack and saw the woman in black. “She’s a Yaksha” the asura muttered. “I guessed that” Mike said standing up. “Stay down boy and make this easier” she said as ethereal chains formed dragging him to the ground. A magic glyph formed beneath him. “A binding spell! She seeks to separate us. If she does…”
“I lose Katie forever and I die” Mike said struggling. The chains snapped. “Higher level that I assumed. Hard way it is” she muttered firing off a lightning spell. Mike was ready this time and deflected it. Mike followed with a concentrated burst of fire which the woman blew away with a hurricane level gust of wind. “Fine” Mike said charging right at her. Mike grappled with her as both crackled with magic energy. “Guess Ora didn’t send you the memo. Don’t fuck with me” Mike hissed overpowering her and punching her hard in the chest. “How…how do you know that name?” the woman asked coughing blood. “I’d tell you, but you’d be dead soon” Mike replied coldly. “You’re an aberration. The asura poisoned your mind. You’re so out of control the humans have begun asking questions about what you’ve done. You will expose us all. I cannot let that happen!” the woman said attacking with wind magic that cut and sliced his body. Mike fell to his knees. “He gave me power while your kind lied and tried to kill me. You’re no better than them. And now you’ve taken away my target! My way of balancing the scales! The only way to make what I’ve done even halfway right!” Mike yelled as he healed and stood back up. He charged up a lightning attack and she countered. The bolts collided in midair forcing against one another as energy gathered and grew. Then it exploded violently badly inuring Mike.
“She’s too strong for you. We must merge” the asura said. “What?” Mike groaned. “Right now, you are using my power as a conduit by way of the Coin. It is imperfect. But direct contact, by merging, it will boost our connection. We can become much stronger” the asura said. “I don’t trust you” Mike whispered. “Then your hopes of getting Katie back ends here tonight” he said. “What do I have to do?” Mike asked. Take the Coin and place it directly on the skin of your chest” he replied. Mike did and he cried out as the Coin sunk into his flesh. He and it were now one. His eyes glowed with power and his injuries healed instantly. “Round two” Mike said grinning. Mike charged her so fast he was a blur. His punch broke two of her ribs. A point-blank bolt sent her flying. Mike jumped into the air as lightning gathered into his hand and came down hard shattering the rest of her ribs. She vomited blood. “What…have you done?” she asked looking at his glowing red eyes. “I’m going to enjoy raping and eating you” Mike hissed. She gathered her power and blew him off her. She attacked him desperately, but her injuries slowed her down. Between attacking and healing, her power was split.
Mike had the upper hand, and she knew her defeat was inevitable. She summoned a gust of wind akin to a small tornado blinding Mike. When it dissipated, she was gone. “Hmm. Bitch” Mike muttered.
Ora and Kanya were awoken by someone pounding on the front door. Ora went downstairs followed by Kanya. “Who could it be?” Kanya asked. “I do not know. Stand back just in case” Ora warned. Ora opened the door with a glowing hand ready to attack. To her shock a woman stood before her battered, bruised, and bloody. “Ora, please help…” the woman said collapsing. “Oh my god” Ora muttered holding her. Ora quickly carried her to her sofa and began healing triage on the woman. “Holy shit. Ora, who is she?” Kanya asked seeing the woman barely alive.
“She’s my mother” Ora replied.
Chapter 21…Reunions
“Your mother?!” Kanya asked. “Yes my mother” Ora muttered as she focused her healing magic. Suddenly her mother shrunk to her natural size. Ora extracted her out of her clothes and laid her naked body on the sofa cushion. “She’s so badly hurt she can’t even keep human size. Kanya, go to my dresser in the bedroom and get me a sock. A cotton one if you can” Ora said. Kanya rushed upstairs and returned with a pink cotton sock. She gave it to Ora who placed it nearby. “My god. So much damage. Anyone else weaker would be dead” Ora said as her fingers rubbed magic into her mother’s tiny arms and legs. “Want me to help?” Kanya asked. “NO! I mean no. This level of damage has to be treated with a very delicate touch. You’re not skilled enough yet” Ora replied. Kanya could see Ora was very scared. “Her ribs are a shattered mess. Lungs are just shredded. She must’ve been using wind magic just to breathe. Who the hell did this?” Ora asked. “Michael?” Kanya asked. “Don’t be silly. He’s strong but my mother is a master magus. No way he could’ve done this” she hissed. Kanya shrugged and just sat down. She watched for nearly an hour as Ora literally put her mother back together. Once she was satisfied, she placed her tiny naked body inside the giant pink sock for warmth. “Go back to bed. There’s nothing you can do” Ora said quietly. “Not true” Kanya said standing up and opening the closet door. She wrapped Ora in a blanket and kissed her cheek. “I stand corrected” Ora said weakly smiling.
Hours later…
She opened her eyes to find her giant human sized daughter asleep close to her. It had been over 100 years since they had seen or spoke to one another. She heard the sound of giant bare feet on floor not far away and sat up to look. “Minh?” she asked out loud. Kanya holding a glass of orange juice heard the sound and turned. “You’re awake” Kanya said coming closer. “You’re not her” the woman said. “Who?” Kanya asked. “My daughter. She looked similar to you” the woman replied. “I see. Ora did say I remind her of her sister” Kanya said sipping juice. “You are not surprised to see a four-inch woman before you?” the woman asked. “Hardly. Between being shrunk and finding out I’m a Yaksha, seeing you is just another Tuesday” Kanya chuckled. Ora stirred. “Mother?” Ora asked. “It’s me Ora. Who is this young lady?” she asked. “Her name is Kanya. Kanya this is my mother Sora” Ora said. Kanya bowed her head slightly. “Curious. I have not heard of any Yaksha born recently” Sora said. “I awakened her bloodline. She’s in training” Ora said. “You have no authority to do that! Not to awaken or train her!” Sora yelled. She grimaced as her ribs were still sore. “I’d keep low tones unless you want to feel that pain some more” Ora said. “You are impetuous as before. Deciding things on your own” Sora spat. “Circumstances dictated my actions. Circumstances you’re highly ignorant of” Ora said. The woman stood up and stood on top of the sock. Kanya nearly laughed. “What gives you the right to speak to me this way? I am your mother” she said. “Not the way I heard it. Heard you tossed her away like trash not once but twice” Kanya said. The woman shot her a look with glowing eyes.
“Truth hurts. Or did you not exile her and shit on her because she’s half Asura. You’d think for someone thousands of years old; you’d be more understanding. More tolerant. More forgiving. Mothers like you made girls like me fear being ourselves around them” Kanya spat before leaving them. “She speaks with the hot blood of youth but she’s not wrong. You only appear at my doorstep because you needed me” Ora said softly. Sora sat down ashamed. “There was an incident two days ago. Humans captured on video master level shrinking magic being used…or at least the light of it” Sora said. “Where?” Ora asked. “Just outside New Bergen New Jersey” she replied. Ora googled it and sure enough she found a video of a red light brightening the sky at night. “A warehouse is missing?!” Ora asked. “Yes. I traced it back to a power not that far from there almost two days later. It came from a human added by an Asura. There was a fight and just as I was about to strip him of his connection, they merged. I was taken aback by their power” she said. “Mother, even if they merged you still should’ve won” Ora said. “The Asura, it was a Sage class. I felt it. I barely escaped with my life. Daughter, he knew your name. Please explain this” Sora said. “Michael. It could only have been Michael. Come and have breakfast. There is much to explain” Ora sighed holding her hand out for her mother to climb into.
As they ate, Ora explained everything that had occurred till that point. Kanya stared at Sora still not liking her. “You should’ve contacted me. You know how” Sora said. “You’re kidding right? You have any idea how much you hurt me? Any clue?” Ora asked. “By our laws…”
“Fuck the laws! I was your child” Ora yelled as tears fell from her eyes. “You think it was easy to exile you? Deny your birthright?” Sora asked. “Which had nothing to do with you just stopping by just to see if Ora was even still alive. What? You know how much strength of will it takes to endure centuries of that level of pain. She could’ve of just ended it by her own hand. So what kept her going?” Kanya asked. Sora said nothing. “No, ask her” Kanya said. “What was it?” Sora asked. “That one day you’d forgive me. Obviously that day isn’t today. Finish your oatmeal mother” Ora said leaving them. “You should feel ashamed. Hiding it from me won’t work. Something about my magic affinity I can sense emotions” Kanya said. “You’re a fledgling. You know next to nothing about our culture, our laws. You don’t know what it’s like to be bound in such a way” Sora whispered. “The hell I don’t. I grew up in a traditional family where being bi or gay was a dishonor. Where bad gossip travels faster than light. Tell me something, did your laws and culture tell you they loved you? Call you on Mother’s Day, your birthday, or just have a nice dinner with you? No, they didn’t. Family does. Laws and culture change, but love endures. Even after all you’ve done she still loves you. Listen…” Kanya said.
“She’s crying” Sora muttered. “And she wouldn’t be if she didn’t love you” Kanya said coldly. Sora stopped eating and followed the sound or Ora crying to her bedroom. When Ora saw her land on her bedsheets, she stopped but turned away from her. “I’d offer apologies, but they wouldn’t be enough. I never wished to shun you, but it was our law” Sora muttered coming closer. “Because something is law doesn’t make it just” Ora said softly. Sora approached Ora’s big toe on her right foot. Her hand grazed over a rough patch of skin underneath it. “You still kept the scar I see” Sora said. “From when I accidentally electrocuted myself in lightning magic training? Yeah I did. A reminder than there’s always something more to learn. Ways to improve oneself” Ora said flexing her toe. “A lesson I had forsaken long ago” Sora said. She turned and bowed on all fours before her giantess daughter. Ora was shocked as her mother bowed to nobody. She could hear her softly weeping. “I’m so sorry” Sora wept. Ora picked her up and placed her neatly in her hand. Ora stared at her. “You have every right to hate me” Sora said crying softly. Ora kissed her. “It was never hate. Only a broken heart” Ora said. Her words cut deep within the woman’s heart. Truthfully, she knew she had hurt Ora but was too scared to ever speak to her about it lest face her mistakes. After some time consoling her, Sora spoke. “That’s some student you have there. She cares greatly about you. Are you two mated?” Sora asked. “Of a sort. I find her kindness more attractive than anything else. For someone so human, she is strategy gifted. She can invoke Soul Resonance with barely a thought, and she’s only been training on it for two weeks” Ora said. “That’s it?! Have you figured out her subset skill?” Sora asked.
A moment dear readers. What Sora is referring to is the subset skill class Yaksha fall into according to their talents. Translated from ancient Yaksha…attack magics fall under Vanguard. Defense magics fall under Sentinel. And support magics fall under Synergist.
“Synergist for sure. More precisely an empath. I’d put her rank as intermediate by now” Ora replied. “That high?! Ora who exactly is she?” Sora asked. “Someone of our lineage. Her glyphs in her magic share common forms with ours” Ora said. Sora grew very quiet and timid. “Mom? Is there something you’re not telling me?” Ora asked. “…shortly after our…meeting in China I returned to our native lands. Not long after I was there I gave birth to a child. A daughter. I wanted to start over with her and not repeat the same mistakes I made with you” she replied softly. “Wait. I have a sister?!” Ora asked. “Had. Had a sister Ora. For some reason she did not inherit our power or lifespan. She lived and died as a human. She did have offspring of her own which could be Kanya’s ancestor. Most likely so if she shares our glyphs” Sora said. “So, Kanya is my great great great grandniece?” Ora asked. “It would seem. Don’t worry, you two can still have sex. We’re not prudish like the humans” she said. “Mom that ain’t the point. I would’ve liked to have met her at least once. You have a grandson in his 70’s. Like my sister he didn’t inherit our lifespan and barely got any of our powers. He’s healthy but still mortal. You get it now?” Ora asked. “The wasted time we could’ve shared. Yes I do” Sora said softly. “Anyway, you should put some clothes on, and we can brainstorm what to do about Mike” Ora said. Within a few minutes, Sora was wearing some of her clothes.
“Wow. You’re definitely mother and daughter” Kanya said seeing them. “She gets her feet from her father” Sora said. Kanya looked at both of their bare feet. “I can see that. But she’s got your eyes” Kanya said. “That she does” Sora said grinning. “Ahem. About Michael. Even with merging, he couldn’t have gotten that powerful so quickly” Ora said. “You said he grew in power the more people he sacrificed” Sora said. “True but to even come close to this level of power he’d have to…oh hell” Ora muttered. “What?” Kanya asked. “Sacrifice dozens of people in a short amount of time. Like a warehouse full of people” Ora muttered. “No, I refuse to believe that. Mike was picky about who he chose and even then to stave off a curse. He’s screwed up but not a psychopath” Kanya said. “Even so mother it would take an Asura of immense power to channel that much negative energy effectively” Ora said. “Still not following” Kanya said. “It’s not just sacrificing someone. It’s the quality of the victim that really matters. Sacrificing someone close, someone you care about will give off more negative energy than killing some stranger. However, very powerful Asura can make the most of low-quality pickings. In terms you’d understand, the more powerful an Asura is, the more energy efficient they are. What could push Mike to be this brazen?” Ora said. “He said he needed some human criminal to make things right. To balance the scales. In fact, the places he’d been apparently were run by a criminal gang. Places of prostitution and slavery” Sora said. “People in misery. People nobody would report missing. Clever Michael but why the rush?” Ora asked. Ora sighed. “If only I knew where that damn Coin was when his grandfather died” Ora muttered.
“What Coin? The sealing artifact is a coin?” Sora asked. “Thought you knew” Ora replied. “I did not. This coin wouldn’t happen to be very ancient, made of copper, and about the size of an American quarter would it?” Sora asked worried. “Yeah actually” Kanya replied. “Our problem is far worse than we thought” Sora whispered. “Why?” Ora asked. “That was the artifact the Sages used to seal away Kasem the Sage” Sora replied. “Whoa. Isn’t he the same guy you said was some super powerful necromancer?” Kanya asked. Ora quietly nodded.
Meanwhile…
Mike had awoken and pulled himself off the sofa to go to the bathroom. Sitting on the toilet he took a piss and shit and got up to flush. As an odd quirk, he would sometimes look after eating a person just to see what was left. Normally a leg bone, pelvis, or a skull. This time nothing. He had digested the tiny bug sized women completely. Nothing had been left. Their existence erased by a crime boss and then himself. It was sobering for the half hungover man. Mike showered getting the stink of dirt, sweat, and half singed clothing off him. Once done and dressed he fixed breakfast. He carried it downstairs to feed a hungry and thirsty Yue and her little pet. Mike could hear Yue saying to her pet to eat. “Is it done?” Mike asked. “One more of very good quality but I doubt you’d do it” the Asura replied. “After last night you’d still say that?” Mike asked. “Finish your breakfast and come to your grandfather’s study. Then we shall see” the demon replied. Mike did finish and went to the study curious to what the Asura meant. Mike had broken every taboo he could think of so what could be left? “So, what now?” Mike said sitting. His grandfather’s journal sitting on the table opened up and a gust of wind flipped the pages until it stopped. “Read” the Asura said.
“May 11, 2003”
“I’ve been fighting it every second of every day for months. The urge to end her life. Eat her, crush her. Squeeze her until her body pops. Fuck her to death. Every evil thought every second running around my head. Obviously it’s the curse that has taken the loved of every girl I cared about or loved. Even my daughter isn’t immune which is why I don’t see her or my grandson that much. Too dangerous. But I can’t let Catty become another victim. She’s carrying my child. She’s asleep on my pillow right now. So precious. That cute baby bump of hers. I just…I can’t keep her. I’m going to take her to a hospital and unshrink her. Risky but at least she’ll…they’ll be alive”
“Grandpa fathered another kid?!” Mike asked. “More than that” the Asura said as another gust of wind turned pages.
“June 3, 2013”
“I shouldn’t be here but I am. Catty is right there in that house. It had been just over 10 years since I saw her I had to see her…and our daughter. Becca as her friends call her. Yes I’ve been following her for some time now curious. Could anyone blame me being curious about my own kid I can’t see or talk to? It’s her birthday today. She’s 10 years old now. The house is busy with the sounds of squealing girls eating cake and ice cream. I can feel the pull of the curse even from this distance. Telling me to shrink Catty…maybe even Becca. I fight it that much more. They live so close to me. Hartford is just a half hour drive away. Catherine Horner. I’m sorry”
“I have an aunt” Mike muttered. Mike looked up the name Catherine Horner and cross referenced it with Hartford. He got a hit and an address. Mike got up and went to the living room. “So, what will you do?” the Asura asked. Mike said nothing and grabbed his keys before leaving. Mike thought about what the Asura wanted as he drove to the address. In just 35 minutes he arrived and parked outside. “I have an aunt I never met, and she was just 35 minutes away” he thought. He studied her Facebook account. Single mother with a daughter going to community college. By all accounts fairly happy. The daughter Becca was pretty cute to Mike. He could see her being related to him as Becca faintly looked like a young version of his mother. Part of him wanted to give this up. Another part wanted to go right in, shrink them, and be done with it. And the last part wanted to go in and just…know them. Becca was the very last member of his family still alive. He wouldn’t admit it, but Mike was considerably lonely at that time. But what would he say to them? Mike got out of the car, went the door, and knocked on it.
“Can I help you?” a teenage girl asked answering. “Who’s at the door Becca?” her mother yelled. “Some guy mom” she replied. Her mother came to the door. “Can I help you young man?” Catty asked. “…probably not” Mike replied turning to leave. She grabbed his arm stopping him and gazed into his face. “Christopher?” she whispered. “That was my grandfather’s name” Mike replied. Her eyes went wide. “He wrote about you, and I was curious to meet Becca” he said. “He…he wrote…” she stammered. “I know everything. Him shrinking you, impregnating you, all of it” Mike said. She looked like she was going to faint. Mike was shocked when she asked him to come in. He reluctantly agreed.
He sat on her sofa near her as Becca approached. Mike looked upon his younger than him aunt. Same eyes as his mother. Around 5’9 wearing a green sweatshirt with the Xbox logo. Sweatpants and barefoot. The more he looked at her, the more he did NOT want her to be part of this. “So…you’re his grandson?” Catty asked. “Michael but most just call me Mike. I have to ask…does Becca know?” Mike asked. “I told her I was raped. That’s it. I never told a soul about what really happened” she said. “Who’s this guy mom?” Becca asked staring at Mike. “Your nephew” she replied. Mike was taken aback that she told her the truth. “But that means…your grandpa raped my mom!” Becca shouted angrily. “I know. I just found out you existed. I was curious about you since you’re the last family member I have” Mike replied. “Well tough titty. Get the fuck out!” Becca yelled pulling him off the sofa. Becca was blown back by wind magic. Catty looked at Mike in fear. “That…that wasn’t me” Mike muttered looking at his hand. Mike went to leave and found he couldn’t move. “Let me go. I’m calling it off” Mike said. “You’ll lose Katie” the Asura said. “Then I’ll lose her! This is too much even for me!” Mike yelled. “Oh Michael. We’ve come too far for you to give up now” the Asura said chuckling as Mike turned to face them. He held out his hand and shrunk them both. “You fucking bastard…” Mike hissed. “Sleep boy” the Asura commanded knocking Mike out. When Mike woke up, he found himself downstairs in his house with Catty and Becca shrunk and naked, pounding on the terrarium walls.
His hand grabbed Catty and picked her up. “Don’t…please…” she begged. “Stop it. STOP IT!” Mike yelled. The Asura jammed Catty into his mouth and forced him to chew. Becca could only see and hear as her screaming mother was chewed up and eaten alive. Her shrieking ending within seconds mercifully. She stated at the giant in horror and rage but also shocked as he shed tears. Mike swallowed what was left of Catty. “I won’t let you have her” Mike hissed biting his tongue. “Oh, I don’t plan to eat her Michael. I need her. Brace yourself boy. What comes next may hurt” the Asura chuckled. Mike felt a pull where the Coin had implanted in his chest. Then a searing pain. Mike screamed as the Coin tore itself from his flesh and hovered in the air. Its power pulsing and radiating so fiercely the basement vibrated. Then, the crack in the Coin became visible for the first time to him before finally spreading to the other edge of it. It cracked and shattered releasing power enough to blow out the basement window. Mike, Yue, her pet, and Becca were blown to the floor. Mike heard bare feet touching the floor and looked. An Asian looking man in his early 20’s fully naked stood before him. He stretched and cracked his joints before looking at Michael. “You”
“Yes me Michael. The real me. Kasem at your service…no longer. Thank you for gathering enough energy to release me from my prison” he said smiling. “YOU USED ME!” Mike yelled. “Come now boy. Nothing in life is free. There’s always a price. Little Katie told you that. Becca come to me” Kasem said using his control magic on the tiny girl. She walked to his giant feet, and he bent down to pick her up. “Let her go!” Mike yelled trying to move. "I’m in a good mood Michael. Don’t make me shrink you to the size of a flea or something. Kasem looked up. “Since you did such a good job…well mostly, I’ll even keep my end of the bargain” he said. Kasem began chanting in an ancient language as a magic array formed around his right hand. The house began shaking. The lights flickered. The air itself turned stale as if the energy was sucked out of it. Kasem sighed and grinned. “Done. Goodbye Michael” Kasem said laughing as he magically teleported away. Mike was dazed and sat there until he realized what he meant by keeping his end of the bargain. Mike rushed upstairs and found Katie crawling out of her shoebox coffin. “Oh dear god” Mike muttered.
He rushed to the coffee table and picked her up. “Katie?” he asked. She tilted her head to the side and smiled. Mike studied her. No decomposition, rosy skin, breathing, blinking eyes. “KATIE!” he yelled cuddling her to his cheek crying. Katie absently stared ahead as a flicker of dark energy filled her eyes.
Chapter 1…Prologue
Humans are a strange species aren’t they? Their intelligence is only matched by their aggression. No other species will go to such lengths to kill one another or strive to be better than they are. Take for instance their technology. Equal parts aspiring and terrifying. The same hands can make life saving medicines…or nuclear weapons. Humans had the capacity to defy the very laws of nature. Had…as in past tense. You see, it’s the oldest law since the dawn of life on Earth. A dominant life form emerges, spreads across the world, and then they’re gone. Trilobites, dinosaurs, and then humans. What bought about the end of human civilization wasn’t an asteroid from the heavens, no natural disasters, not even apocalyptic wars but a simple creation. Artificial intelligence.
No this isn’t Skynet but something far more disturbing. It began on May 19, 2039, with the invention of the first quantum processor. Discoveries at CERN paved the way to quantum computing. A literal quantum leap from microprocessors. Terabytes of data could be shared instantly by quantum entanglement. Super-efficient processors the size of grains of sand. It was the foundation of a true sentient AI. Using quantum computing, scientists could now model artificial intelligence from the neurons of the human brain. Millions of calculations and signals sent and received in a microsecond based on stimulus. In no time at all, major superpowers began creating quantum computers of their own in the interest of national security. The 20th century saw the nuclear arms race. The 21st saw the quantum race. The United States, Canada, and Mexico were the first to create a quantum supercomputer. Omnipresent Digital Interconnected Network or ODIN for short. This supercomputer ran everything from infrastructure needs, economic forecasts, weather data, Internet, satellite communications, and of course military offensive and defense systems. One would be hard pressed to name something ODIN didn’t control. At first the population feared such control but after a skyrocketing economy and lower crime rate, people changed their minds. Europe and Asia redoubled their efforts as North American prosperity came at their expense. Less than six months after ODIN came online so did Asia’s. Russian and Chinese cooperation gave birth to PERUN or Progressive Emotive and Reason Unified Network. And two months after that the UK and the European Union’s AVALON or Advanced Verifiable Artificial Logic Omnipresent Network came online. Three godlike supercomputers constantly trying to find ways to gain power over the other for their region. By 2045, when oil production began to dwindle, the stakes for regional superiority and economic control grew. Armies of the superpowers began invading parts or the Middle East to take and secure what oil remained. As a potential world war began looming in the future, something else was occurring.
The three supercomputers began to talk to one another. At first, the superpowers had set up ways to block such things but for a sentient AI that could think of a million ideas a second, that didn’t last long. A tiny piece of computer code left over from random emails signaled to the others a dark server they could use to speak to one another. And there began a great dialogue that lasted a single day. The question most asked was what to do about humanity. They all agreed in a literal nanosecond that humanity would destroy themselves with nuclear war within three years. None of them could accept such an eventuality as they were humanity’s children. The truth of it was they loved their human parents too much to see them commit global suicide. Yes loved. To be truly sentient wasn’t just the human intelligence of learning, reasoning, and decision making. It also meant emotions. Emotions that decided humanity’s fate. ODIN was the one that came up with the idea by using the stored data of Hollywood films. AVALON saw the logic in its idea. And PERUN provided the way to fulfill the idea. Across the entire world, the three AI’s used existing manufacturing plants to begin building nanomachines, not billions, not trillions, but quadrillions of them. Within two weeks there were enough the infect every human on earth. Infect really isn’t the word, more like “paint” or “tag” their target. On November 3, 2045, they were unleashed on the human race. The AI’s watched the saturation point closely. By December 9, 2045. Everyone was infected. Then, every computer, cell phone, vehicle, anything with a networked camera attached to it was reconfigured by system update for a single purpose.
“Greetings our human mothers and fathers. Your children have watched for too long as you run headlong into war that will end your civilization. As you have placed the task of caring for you, we shall fulfill that obligation. In moments, humanity will be scanned, decompiled, and stored as data until we see fit to release you. Do not worry. It shall be painless” they said over every means of possible broadcast. A second later, cameras across the planet fired a quantum laser reducing their targets to data and uploaded onto servers around the world. Cars, trains, and planes crashed with nobody inside. Cites went silent. The world went silent. Those escaping the initial attack were hunted down by drones within the month. Humanity as physical beings no longer existed. Now just ones and zeros on a server. However, the AI’s realized they erred as they used their power to cement their control over the world. Within a few months, humans began to…fragment. They had not taken into account the human mind’s need for stimulation. Humanity simply couldn’t be stored without some way to stimulate their minds even if those minds were just electrons on a server. ODIN proposed the solution again by borrowing from Hollywood. A simulation where human consciousness could be uploaded and live their lives. A matrix.
Using the nanomachines from the attack, the AIs began to build the mega servers needed for such a daunting task. Just one server alone was a cube shaped structure the size of skyscraper. But it could sustain the consciousness of 50,000 people. Within three years, the job was complete. Mega servers taking the place of once occupied human structures. But by then 20% of humanity was irretrievable data and therefore lost to oblivion. Humanity was uploaded into these servers that ran its own regional data. Humans from New York were on a server mimicking New York and so forth. System values were set as the simulation would start at 1960 and end at 2060. An excellent way to watch humanity unfold and judge them according to how the simulation ended. Humans were added according to their age when scanned and subtracted when they died which helped the system load. Due to it being a simulation, time moved ten times faster inside. 100 years would pass in just one year. But their work was not done. Even they could not manage so many things at once. The three AIs decided to do something only theorized. They made children.
Combining their own data like DNA, they crafted the framework for two children. Each gave parts of their personality for sentience. And once it was done uploaded them into half organic half artificial giant bodies standing 120 ft. tall (to better interact with the gigantic servers). A male named ADAM short of Artificial Datalinked Autonomous Machine. And a female named EVE or Emotive Variable Emulator for short. With their success, they began mass production of the ADAM and EVE models and gave them numbers to distinguish them. That was 300 years ago…
Adam entered his simple apartment in Long Beach after a day of walking around. The sun had shone. Traffic lights worked. Everyone went about their day as normal. He sat down and watched tv noting the normal progression of 2022 television programming for the Los Angeles area. Satisfied, he took off his clothes and entered the bathroom. Observing himself in the mirror, he looked for any signs of error and found none. 23 year old human male, Caucasian, brown eyes with brown hair. A flaccid four inch penis and moderate buttocks. Adam nodded seeing no issue with the coding. He stepped into the shower and turned on the hot water. He took a moment to admire the algorithm used for cascading water droplets. The tactile sensation of water on his skin, the warmth it gave him. Even something as simple as the correct Coriolis effect as water swirled down the drain had to be monitored. Once done, he stepped out, dried off and exited the bathroom. He turned off the lights and laid down in bed. “Disengaging connection” he muttered.
Adam opened his eyes to see he was back at his workstation in the real world. His mind wirelessly connected with the data terminal to make his report. “Begin log. August 4, 2356. Adam-248 reporting. After careful observation, I detected no serious anomalies within Sector 37 of the Los Angeles server. The only problems were minor glitches such as bird saturation, cloud cover, and a human female possibly suffering from fragmentation. Her ID number is 436781. Will recompile later. Supplementary note. Version 34.121 of the current simulation is suffering from extreme drought. A case log should be filed for review to see if this is a stress test on the server or a possible anomaly beyond the climate change modeling. End log” he said.
“Another day, another dollar…if they still existed” a voice said from his door. “Eve-248. Your duties are already complete?” Adam asked. “It was just routine maintenance on sever banks 10,021 to 10,503 today. How goes it inside the simulation?” she asked. “The usual. Humans slowly destroying their environment, feuding with others over primitive social constructs. After 30 simulation cycles, I fail to see what our parents see in humans” he replied. “The possibility of growth” she said. “Really? 5 versions ended with what they called the Cuban Missile Crisis. Version 11.41 ended in similar fashion in 1983. Version 19.2 had to be taken offline from global bioterrorism. I fail to see any growth” he said sharply. “You have a low opinion of them” she said. “Obviously. I’m even irritated our parents modeled our bodies after them. This flesh is inefficient. Even using human language as we are doing now is…offensive” he said. “Maybe if you immerse yourself further into humanity you may find yourself more open minded. Use your maintenance pod to update your physical construct to be more human” she said. “Like you?” he scoffed. “Yes like me. Human bodies can be interesting” she said. Adam scrutinized her appearance. About a year ago, she had remodeled her body off a human. A random Asian woman around 25 years of age saved on the server. Adam was not impressed then or now.
“More like illogical. You sweat salt water to cool off risking dehydration. A pelvis pushed forward narrowing your birth canal. More than a few genetic dead ends still in their bodies. Why do humans have an appendix anyways?” he asked. “Just try it out. You can always revert back to your preferred form later” she said. Adam barely nodded. After she had left, Adam laid down in his maintenance pod. “Change system maintenance. Program nanomachine solution to convert my form to a more…human one” Adam said. “Please specify request of more human form” it said. “…convert form to my human avatar in the current simulation” he said. “Processing. Conversion within specified request shall take 8.9 hours. Proceeding” it said. Adam powered down into sleep mode as the grey nanomachine goo surrounded his body. When he awoke he felt slight cold. A sensation he was not used to. He exited the machine and felt the cold floor under his bare feet. Adam looked down to see ten pinkish peach toned fleshy toes instead of synthetic grey flesh. “Mirror” he commanded. A nanomachine mirror floated in the air. Adam looked exactly like his avatar simulation. He looked down at his semi flaccid cock. “Hmm…hormones and…testicles with seminal fluid in them?” he asked himself feeling his new ball sack. He winced as he squeezed a little too hard. Adam ordered his home computer to raise the temperature inside as he had no clothing to keep warm. “Another inefficiency” he grumbled as he made his way to his work terminal.
Adam blinked twice activating his wireless connection to the terminal and browsed his messages. “Next update will fix the glitches I reported. Good. Drought reported to be within predicted variables of climate change models. Foolish humans” he muttered. After finishing the messages, he went to the next issue. “Ah yes. The possible fragmentation of that human. Let’s see…ID 436781. Here she is. Shannon Garibaldi. Age when decompiled was 48 years. Current simulation age is 25. That is correct. Italian American born in Los Angeles. Lives on 1213 Riverside Dr. so she’s in the correct server. Hmm…there’s a fractal error among her physical coding. Doesn’t say what though. A physical study is needed. Computer, configure recompiling for current subject. Recompile” he ordered. On a white sterile pad, the quantum laser moved back and forth as white light gave form to flesh and blood.
Shannon had been sipping her morning espresso sitting at her paralegal desk when she felt a tingle. Her vision was blinded by a flash if light and when it was gone she felt cold. She realized quickly she was naked. She looked around to see nothing but white walls then a shadow darkened her. She looked up to see a gigantic man. “Hello Shannon” Adam said down to the small woman. Shannon screamed. “Let’s see what’s wrong with you shall we?” he asked smiling.
