* * * * *

SOMEWHERE IN THE COSMOS

"Thunderation!" exclaimed Zeus, as he stormed into the sewing room: "What is going on, here? I just got a complaint from your Uncle Hades that you're bickering is waking the dead!"

"It's Lachesis, Papa!" replied Clotho, as she pointed an accusatory finger at her middle sister: "You won't believe what she's been doing. Or, should I say; what she _hasn't_ been doing?"

Zeus looked at the youngest sister: "Atropos, what is she talking about?"

Atropos looked up from the whetstone, where she had been honing her shears.

"Lachesis has been conducting unauthorized experiments."

"Greek translation?" her father demanded (with steadily decreasing patience).

"She's neglected to give a certain mortal any lots, whatsoever.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?????!"

A dark cloud immediately appeared over Zeus' head, with miniature lightning bolts crashing in and out of it. From the top, bottom, and sides.

"Is this true?" he finally asked (once he had calmed down enough to let the cloud dissipate).

"Well, I..." she began.

"Wait a minute!" exclaimed Atropos: "Make her swear by the River Styx that we're lying."

"Yeah," added Clotho: I'll bet she can't."

Zeus looked at Lachesis: "Well? Can you?"

Lachesis glared at her smugly grinning siblings. Then, with the utmost reluctance, she shook her head. Causing Zeus to sadly do the same.

"Why off Earth would you do such a thing?" he wanted to know.

"I was bored!" she heatedly replied: "I mean; it's not like the Good Old Days, where everybody believed in us. These days, my allotments are restricted mostly to science fiction and mythology buffs! So, I decided to see what would happen if I gave a spectacular life to one man, who's not into that form of literature. And, almost nothing to his younger brother, who's crazy about that stuff!"

"And, what did happen?" demanded Zeus, who was mildly curious, himself, by this point (though he would not admit it).

"Nothing yet. I was just about to start the most interesting phase of the experiment, when these two caught me using the magni-scrying glass."

"Alright, then," said Zeus: "Let's _all_ see what happens. Then, I'll decide what your punishment will be."

* * * * *

TARZANA, CALIFORNIA
(JULY 20, 2012)

"I still don't believe it!" shouted Gabriel Bullfinch: "How can anybody be ineligible for a consolation prize?!"

His younger brother merely shrugged.

"That's the way my jinx has always worked, Gabe."

Robert "Bob" Bullfinch was not exaggerating. His first two years of high school, he had loyally attended every single one of the football team's home games. Primarily, because his older brother was their newest starting quarterback!

Unfortunately, the team had lost every single one of those games. And, miserably so.

That was when it had first occurred to him. He was a jinx! A bringer of bad luck to those around him. Of course, when he said as much to his parents, they instantly told him there was no such thing as a jinx. That the football team's miserable athletic record was strictly a coincidence. So, Bob decided to test that theory.

During the fall of his junior year, he attended only half the home games. And, sure enough; the football team did much better that year. Not only did they manage to make it all the way to the first round of post-season play-offs, before being knocked out of the running. But, Gabe had also graduated with an athletic scholarship to Auburn University!

To prove this was no coincidence, either, Bob boycotted _all_ the home games during the fall of his senior year. And, sure enough; the football team became state champs!!

That was twenty years ago, though. Since then, they had traveled down extremely different paths. Where Gabe was now a famous and widely read sports reporter, after retiring from the NFL, Bob worked as a junior accountant.

In the billing department of a funeral home.

They had recently reunited to celebrate Bob's thirty-fifth birthday by going to see THE PRICE IS RIGHT. And, for once, it looked like Bob's jinx might remain dormant. Or, even better, that it might have even faded away, completely. If for no other reason than his was the first name to be called to "come on down!"

Unfortunately, not only did he not win his way up on-stage. But, every contestant who did...failed to win their individual pricing game. With the culmination of these failures being a double over-bid on the two Showcases. Followed by the aforementioned declaration of ineligibility with regard to Bob's consolation prize (a fortieth anniversary commemorative edition of the Popeil Pocket Fisherman).

"That's bullshit, Bob!" Gabe now heatedly declared: "And, I'm gonna prove it to you, once and for all."

"How so?" his brother replied (defiantly crossing his arms)

Gabe grinned: "How'd you like to be my guest at the Olympic Games in London?"

TO BE CONTINUED

* * * * *

As the jumbo jet took off from the international airport, in Atlanta, Georgia (where it had stopped to refuel), Bob Bullfinch got tired of re-reading his great-great-grandfather's compendium of Greek myths. Instead, he opted for some lighter reading.

THE LONDON TIMES CROSSWORD PUZZLE BOOK FOR DUMMIES.

He was only half-way through the first one when Gabe finally returned from the men's room, and snatched it away from him.

"Hey!"

"Why are you still rotting your brain with this drivel?"

"I was bored," the younger Bullfinch heatedly replied: "Not all of us have meetings scheduled with the Mile-High Club!"

"And, you're going to remain bored, this whole trip, unless you hunker down and mellow out," Gabe retorted.

"Meaning what, exactly?" demanded Bob.

"Learn to relax a little more, and schmooze with the ladies a lot better. For one thing; don't tell them you're a mortuary bean-counter! Instead, tell them that you work in the payroll department of a..."

He stopped to think for a second. Then, he snapped his fingers: "...a major modeling agency!"

"A modeling agency?" Bob laughingly echoed.

"Don't knock it," replied Gabe: "Remember Bronco McGuffin, who recruited me for the Giants? He never failed to have college swim team girls fawning all over him, with that one."

"And, here, I thought _honesty_ was the best policy."

"If it were," said Gabe: "...the phrase 'honest politician' would be redundant. Not oxymoronic! I mean; just look at two of the events they've got scheduled for Day 17 of the Olympics. Men's and women's fifty kilometer power-walking!"

Bob shrugged: "So?"

"So, my honest opinion is that nothing (repeat: _nothing_) that resembles a bunch of people, headed for the nearest restroom with imminent cases of diarrhea, deserves to be an Olympic sport! Yet, if I were to cross the path of one of those female power-walkers, it'd be rude of me to say so, straight to her face. So, I would diplomatically lie through my teeth, and wish her luck."

"And, this approach _always_ works for you?"

"Well, let's just say it makes most women like putty in my hands. Ready and willing to be 'sculpted' like that girl statue Whatsis-face brought to life."

"You mean, Pygmalion and Galatea?"

"Exactly!"

Zeus glowered as he heard these words. And, Lachesis could barely suppress her smile as she said:

"Hear that, Papa? He not only bad-mouths the Olympic Games, founded by your favorite son, Herakles. He also disparages how Aphrodite brought Galatea to life, in answer to Pygmalions's prayers!"

"Perhaps," replied Zeus: "...he'll keep a civil tongue in his head if I put a little lightning up his ass!"

"NO, PAPA!" screamed Atropos: "That would make the plane crash. And, none of its passengers are fated to have their threads cut, today."

Lachesis nodded: "She's right. But, I have a better means of teaching him a lesson, Papa. And, it dove-tails, quite nicely, with what I had planned to do next, anyway."

"That being?"

Lachesis now grinned, most fiendishly: "It involves one of your storms...and Grandpa Cronos' hour glass."

Five minutes later, Pan-Global Flight 737 found itself encountering a freak thunder squall half-way between Greenland and Bermuda. Necessitating re-activation of the "Fasten Seat Belts" sign by the pilot. And, at one point, the turbulence got so bad that all the passengers were jolted back and forth, then side-to-side, in their seats.

In Bob and Gabe's case? They bumped heads together, and knocked each other out!

When Bob finally regained consciousness, he found himself flat on his back, on top of a rough surface. Turning his head to the right, he called out his older brother's name. But, no one was there. Then, he turned to his left. Again, no Gabe. So, he levered himself up to a sitting position, with his elbows. And, strangely enough, that did seem to elicit a response. A nearly deafening one, as a matter of fact.

"AIWA!"

Hands over his ears, Bob looked upward at the apparent source of that sound. And, his astounded eyes fairly bulged as he suddenly beheld two Chinese giantesses looking down at him!

tbc?

* * * * *

SOMEWHERE IN THE COSMOS

Iris, goddess of the rainbow (and auxiliary messenger of the gods), curtsied as she reappeared before Zeus.

"I have them, Milord. Snatching them away just as their flight cleared the storm system. As per your orders."

"Excellent! Let me see them."

Iris reached down into the cleavage of her semi-strapless toga and removed the Bullfinch brothers. Holding them up and out, for inspection, within the palm of her left hand. But, even with her arm fully extended, Zeus still had to bend forward and squint!

Bob, the younger of the two, had brown hair and eyeglasses. Whereas his older brother, Gabe, had black hair and 20/20 vision.

"Hmph! Not exactly impressive-looking...even by mortal standards."

"Well, not everyone can be a demigod, Papa," reminded Lachesis.

As the middle Fate stepped forward, she brought with her a giant hourglass that she held, across both arms, horizontally. Upon reaching Iris and her father, however, she re-positioned it, so that she was now holding it vertically. She then opened the left-half of its wooden lid.

Iris looked at Zeus, who nodded.

"Drop them in, my dear."

Into the giant hourglass went the two mortal brothers. And, downward they went, into the whirlpooling Sands of Time.

* * * * *

AQUATIC CENTER (JULY 28, 2012)

It was hard to tell who was more astounded, at that moment. The two Chinese giantesses, looking down at Bob.
Or, vice-versa.

The former immediately started a wildfire conversation in Mandarin Chinese. The only English Bob could discern, on the part of the taller of the two, was the word "Wenlock." The shorter of the two shook her head, while replying with a sentence that included the word "Mandeville."

While they were so engrossed, Bob took greater stock of where he appeared to be. Looking at the surface on which he sat, he observed that it was made of wood, and appeared to be a hundred yards long by twenty feet wide. And, then, there were the gunmetal-gray skyscrapers on either side of him and his...hostesses.

"Holy Land of the Giants!" he suddenly muttered to himself: "It can't be! But, I think it is."

He had come to realize that he was in a giant girls' locker room!

It was at this point that he slowly crawled over to the edge of the giant wooden bench he was on, and looked at the floor. Sure enough; there were two giant gym bags, far below. Both of them bearing bilingual identification tags. The English portion, of the bag on his right, read:

"WU MINXIA."

While the English portion of the ID tag, to his left, read:

"HE ZI."

Suddenly, a shadow darkened the spot where he knelt. Bob looked up, and saw Minxia's right hand descending on him. Causing him to immediately flashback to a certain re-run of THE TWILIGHT ZONE that had starred the late Jackie Cooper!

When the hand re-opened, he saw that he was looking up at He Zi. And, it was the latter who asked him (in very halting English) if he was Wenlock or Mandeville. So, he replied (as loudly and slowly as possible) that he was neither one. That his real name was Bob Bullfinch. Unfortunately, something must have gotten lost in the translation. Because, the two Chinese girls looked at each other and squealed in delight:

"Beibei Beijing?!"

Whereupon, they hurriedly put him back down on the bench, in order to finish doffing their sweatsuits. And, Bob had to admit; the light blue swimsuits those outer garments had been concealing were definitely a lot easier on the eyes.

tbc

* * * * *

Well, to be more accurate, they were mostly dark blue, with a pale blue area patterned to resemble a wave breaking on the beach. And, it was to this area that Bob Bullfinch suddenly found himself being pinned by He Zi's hands.

"Hey!" he shouted: "What's going on? Why...? Oh, no. Please, don't...!"

Alas! In his panic, he had forgotten that these two girls spoke little-to-no English as a second language. But, even if they had been more fluent at ESL, it still would not have stopped Wu Minxia from laughingly applying pale blue kinesiological tape over Bob's entire body!

As a result, he was completely covered from head to foot. His every verbal protest coming out as:

"Mmmmmmmmmmmph!"

Consequently, the two young ladies went out to the pool to practice their synchronized diving.

* * * * *

HORSE GUARD PARADE GROUNDS

Gabe Bullfinch woke up with a splitting headache. Consequently, it took him quite a bit of time to recognize that he was no longer aboard the jetliner. Or, that his younger brother was no longer next to him.

So, he sprang to his feet and began shouting Bob's name. That is; till he noticed his surroundings.

"Oh, shit!" he muttered: "It can't be...!"

But, as in Bob's case, there was no ultimately denying that he was stranded on what resembled a giant wooden bench inside a giant locker room. In his case, though, he was all alone. Or, at least,...he had been.

Because, suddenly, there arose behind him a near-deafening cacophony of sounds; verbal and otherwise. The latter were very rhythmic. Sounding for all the world like "flip-flop." While the former sounded like a conversation in Spanish. Only the pronounciation of some of the words was totally strange.

Then, suddenly, everything grew dark.

Slowly, Gabe turned; one hundred eighty degrees. Then, he slowly looked skyward. And, there, looking down at him, in drop-jawed amazement, were a pair of giantesses wearing green-and-gold bikinis. With the underside of each of their matching sun visors' brims identifying them only by first name.

The pony-tailed blonde was "Larissa." And, the pony-tailed brunette was "Julianna." With the latter being the one who quickly snatched him up in her right hand.

Gabe, of course, struggled for all he was worth. He even shouted for them to let him go! But, the shrillness of his voice (caused by his shrunken larynx) merely made the two women giggle. Simultaneously, his persistence in struggling seemed to arouse their maternal instincts. In fact, Larissa took to stroking the top of his head with her right forefinger. All the while muttering something that sounded like "pobre' homonuculo."

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE AQUATIC CENTER...

Bob couldn't see much through the translucent kinesio-tape. So, he had no idea where these two Chinese lovelies were taking him. That is; not until his ears began to stuff up.

The last time that had happened was just after their take-off from Atlanta, on the second leg of the flight to London. That could only mean these young women were climbing to a slightly greater height.

"Oh, no!" he thought to himself: "Not the diving board!!"

As if in answer, he felt a sudden series of vibrations go through his body at the same time as a flurry of up-and-down motions.

tbc

* * * * *

HORSE GUARD PARADE GROUNDS
(JULY 28, 2012)

Ultimately, it was not so much the soothingness, of Larissa's caresses, that forced Gabe Bullfnch to stop struggling, so much as fatigue (both physical and mental). Even so, Larissa looked at Julianna and smilingly said something in Portuguese that, for all Gabe knew, translated as:

"See? I told you it would work."

If such was the case, however, Gabe was prompted to renew his struggles when he saw what the Brazilian blonde was doing next. Namely; withdrawing a roll of green kinesio-tape and looking at him as she came back towards Juliana.

"Oh, no you don't, you big...! Help! Help! Somebody help mmmmmmmmmmph!!"

The rest of Gabe's outcries were muffled as he was subsequently wrapped up in the tape. Ultimately resembling a verdant, three inch-tall mummy. Whereupon, Larissa deposited Greg in the last place anyone might look: Juliana's cleavage!

Following that, the duo went outside to take on their first competitors in the qualifying rounds of women's beach volleyball. The duo from Mauritius.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE AQUATIC CENTER...

Just as Bob Bullfinch felt he was about to throw up, from all the bouncing up-and-down, he suddenly had a different feeling. Like all the blood was rushing to his head! That lasted for all of five seconds, however. To be replaced by a tremendous sound, followed by a blanket of wetness enveloping his entire body.

This was followed, in turn, by a wave of vertigo, as the two divers resurfaced. And, then... merciful blackness.

When, Bob awoke, he was face-down and coughing up all the water from his lungs. He then heard two thunderous sounds like enormous sighs of relief. Whereupon, he found himself being turned over on to his back. And, that was when he saw them.

Two smiling giantesses who hugged each other in evident relief.

The taller one (Wu Minxia, if his memory was not playing tricks on him) said something inquisitive in Mandarin. Somehow managing to prop himself up on his elbows, Bob took a wild guess, and replied:

"Yeah, I'm fine, all things considered."

It swiftly became obvious, however, that he had spoken too soon. For, the next thing he noticed...is that he was stark naked!

"Hey!" he yelled upward: "What happened to my clothes?"

The two Chinese divers laughed as they saw him assume a fetal position, in an attempt to preserve his dignity. He Zi, guessing what he had asked, gave a somewhat lengthy answer that Bob could only speculate meant (in summary):

"They were all wet, so we threw them out."

So, he shouted back upward an inquiry as to what he could wear in their place. Pointing to himself, with his right index finger moving back and forth from head to foot. And, Wu Minxia--correctly guessing what he was indicating--immediatley brought out an ensemble that looked like miniature blue Chinese pajamas. But, with a matching headdress that resembled a cross between a lizard and fish.

When Bob shrugged, to indicate a puzzlement that was only half-pretense, the two young women giggled. Then, pointing at him, they replied (in perfect unison):

"Beibei Beijing!"

"Aw, shit!" he swore to himself: "I was afraid of that."

He opened his mouth to politely protest, of course. But, before he could utter one syllable, the two Chinese giantesses had completely garbed him in the doll-sized costume! And, he looked so cute, to these lovely young ladies, that they instantly felt compelled to pick him up and take turns smothering him with kisses.

Yet, as uncomfortable as Bob felt, at that moment, Gabe would have gladly traded places with him. For, the only smothering he was getting involved Juliana landing on her chest, in the sand, whenever she prevented their opponents from scoring!

tbc

* * * * *

AQUATIC CENTER,
JULY 29, 2012

Through the magni-scrying glass, Zeus and the Fates chuckled as they saw Bob Bullfinch stripped naked, once more. For it was now time for the actual event: synchronized women's diving from the three meter-high springboard. Only Wu Minxia and He Zi would not be wearing blue swimsuits, tonight. This time around, they were wearing black swimsuits with red-and-gold PRC flag motifs.

Such being the case, Bob Bullfinch could not be kinesio-taped to the outside of these swimsuits. Instead, he was wrapped up like a mummy and stuffed down Wu's cleavage!

And, was he forced to endure it only or twice? No. He had to endure it five times!

Miraculously, however, he neither drowned nor slipped out of her cleavage. Instead, once he was unwrapped (back in the privacy of their dormitory bedroom), the two Chinese divers showered his naked little body with kisses. Resulting in a highly...instinctive reaction...that both girls giggled at once they inevitably noticed it.

Furthermore, before dressing him back up, as "Beibei Beijing," they mummy-wrapped him within the red ribbons of their gold medals. Taking pictures of him, like that, using the built-in cameras of their celluar video-phones.

He Zi sent her share of those pictures to her younger sister, trampoline gymnast He Wenna, and the latter's room-and-team mate, Huang Shanshan. While Wu Minxia's share went to the duo representing the PRC in women's beach volleyball: Xue Chen and Zhang Xi.

Naturally, Bob was a little nervous and self-conscious when he was shown off to these four giantesses. Yet, had he been able to speak fluent Mandarin-as-a-second-language, he would have been positively _frightened_!

* [...] = "translated from Mandarin Chinese." *

[HUANG: "It's true! However did you find him, Minxia?"}

[WU: "We were simply getting ready for our practice dives, and there he was."]

[XUE: "He's so cute. Could we possibly borrow him for the start of tomorrow's Pool B matches?"]

[ZHANG: "Yes! Then, maybe, some of his good luck would rub off on us."]

[WU: "Of course, you can. Why do you think we invited you over here, so close to curfew?"]

[HE ZI: "We need him back by 3 August, though. Not only because that is the start of individual women's diving. But, also, because I want to loan him to Wenna, for her competition."]

[HE WENNA (hugging the former while squealing with joy): "Oooooooooooh! Thank you-thank you-thank you-THANK YOU!"]

[HUANG: "I don't know. Wouldn't a Nini Beijing be more appropriate?"]

[HE ZI: "Not to worry, Shanshan. I already phoned my older sister. And, Kexin says she'll be glad to lend us one of her fuwa's spare outfits."]

[XUE: "Then, it's settled. Hand him over."]

And, with that, Bob suddenly found himself being transferred to the custody of the beach volleyball duo. A transfer he naturally protested! Yet, with his tiny, shrill voice, the only response he got was more delighted giggles.

"No, please! Give me back to them. Please, give mmmmmmmmmmmph!"

The next day saw Zhang and Xue face off against the Russian duo, in women's beach volleyball.

tbc

* * * * *

HORSE GUARD PARADE GROUNDS
30 JULY-2 AUGUST, 2012


The next few days were a blur to Bob Bullfinch.

The opening beach volleyball match, between the Chinese and Russian women, occurred the next day. With Bob (mummy-wrapped in beige kinesio-tape) spending it in Zhang Xi's cleavage. And, every time she dove to prevent an otherwise well-aimed spike, by the Russians, she landed on her chest!

Naturally, this forced him to black out from the pain. Yet, somehow, he never died from the tremendous impact. Instead, he merely revived, as good as new!

Still, his usefulness as a good luck charm came into question immediately after the Russian duo beat Zhang and Xue, two sets to one. Zhang Xi was all for giving him back to He Zi, right away. But, Xue Chen talked her out of it. Instead, the short-haired Chinese girl took to wearing Bob in _her_ cleavage. And, the Fates could not help giggling as they watched (and allowed) the Chinese duo to beat the Swiss girls in two straight sets. Followed by victory over the Greek duo, two sets out of three.

In those matches, Xue Chen did a lot less chest-diving than Zhang Xi. But, Bob still felt just as much pain, each time. And, each time, he still woke up as if nothing had happened to him.

Furthermore, they still kept up the established practice of only clothing him in public. At the end of each eventful day, upon returning to the privacy of their dorm room, they still stripped him naked and played with him. Tickling his gonads, right up until he started to squeak, too vociferously, for their peace of mind. Whereupon, they would calm him down by showering him with kisses. The latter procedure placing his little head inside their puckered-up mouths. Subsequently sucking out just enough oxygen from his lungs that he became too dizzy to squeak in ecstasy!

And, when their coach knocked on their dorm room door that curfew was imminent, they quickly imprisoned him back in the top drawer of the dresser. Kinesio-taping him to the wooden "floor" beneath a pile of panties.

Finally, however, the third of August arrived. With it, came an end to the Pool B matches for women's beach volleyball. And, it was with a mixture of relief and dread that Bob found himself being returned to He Zi. The latter looked down at "Beibei Beijing;" smilingly told him (in Mandarin) that it was nice to have him back; and, then, showered his little head with kisses.

After that, came the start of individual diving.

Zeus, however, deactivated the magni-scrying glass. Much to the initial disappointment of the Fates.

"What did you do that for, Papa?" whined Lachesis: "It was just about to get interesting!"

"Let us now see how his older brother is faring," he suggested.

This cheered up Lachesis, Clotho, and Atropos, immensely. Whereupon, they started giggling in anticipation as the magni-scrying glass tuned in on Gabe Bullfinch and his captors, Julianna and Larissa.

tbc

HORSE GUARD PARADE GROUNDS,
LONDON, ENGLAND
28 JULY-1 AUGUST, 2012

* * * * *

Gabe Bullfinch was completely helpless. Not only had he been bound-and-gagged with kinesio-tape, so that he now resembled a miniature Egyptian mummy (inexplicably painted green-and-gold). Larissa had also stuck him down her cleavage! Both vertically and face-front.

As a result, he found himself facing her chest wall. Or, more precisely, the area of it that resembled the center portion of an hour glass.

"And, not a minute of it wasted, either!" he could not resist thinking to himself.

As if in retaliation for that old sexist joke (and, perhaps, plagiarizing Benny Hill, as well), Larissa now dove to prevent one of the Mauritian girls from scoring on a spike. She succeeded! But, there was a price.

She landed on her chest. Sending waves of pain flowing through Little Gabe's body.

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!"

Consequently, he blacked out. Only to revive, just in time, for the start of the second set! Which the Brazilian duo ultimately won, just as adroitly as the first.

There followed two days of (emotional) rest and (physical) recuperation for Little Gabe.

Then, on July 30, Larissa and Julianna faced the German duo. This time, it was Julianna who got to hide their little good luck charm inside her bikini top for two victorious sets out of five. Otherwise, history repeated itself. Especially, for Little Gabe!

Attempted spike.

Power dive.

Counter-punch.

Crash landing on sand.

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!"

Black out.

This is not to say that he was not rewarded for helping the Brazilian girls with their victories (first two sets won, out of a scheduled five). No, indeed! Part of his rest and recuperation included nice massages, all over his shrunken body. Their thumbs doing most of the massaging, both back and...front.

But, on August 1, came the biggest challenge, yet. Larissa and Julianna's final opponents in the Pool A preliminaries of beach volleyball. The girls from the Czech Republic. And, these two had a habit of uttering outcries that made them resemble participants in a Maria Sharapova Sound-alike Contest!

"Ho!"

SLAP!

"Hoo!"

SLAP!

"HUP!"

Spike!

So, the Brazilian duo changed their strategy, once again. For one thing? Larissa and Julianna performed "Rock/Paper/Scissors" to see which of them would carry Little Gabe during the first match. Larissa won.

Then, instead of high-fiving each other when they scored a point off the Czech duo, Larissa and Juliana merely...bounced off each other's chests.

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!"

Finally, the first match was over. And, once more, the Brazilian girls were victorious. So, in keeping with their earlier decision-making ritual, they surreptitiously transferred Little Gabe to inside Julianna's bikini top. Following which, came the announcement for the start of the second match.

Aside from that, it went much the same way as the first.

Attempted spike.

Power dive.

Counter-punch.

Crash landing.

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!"

Mercifully, subsequent black-out...and victory.

This time, Little Gabe did not revive until all three of them were back in the girls' dorm room. By which time, it was only an hour until curfew! But, they (the girls, that is) deemed that long enough to make use of the ingredients they had somehow managed to smuggle in: a ceramic cereal bowl; a half-gallon of vanilla ice cream; an aerosol can of push cream; and a plastic squeeze bottle of chocolate sauce.

Suffice it to say that, with Little Gabe's admittedly unwilling help, Larissa and Julianna managed to invent a whole new dessert: chocolate "mouse."

To be continued.

* * * * *

NORTH GREENWICH ARENA,
LONDON, ENGLAND
(AUGUST 4, 2012)

Zeus and the Fates laughed so hard, at Gabe Bullfinch's discomfort and indignity, that they switched back to watching his younger brother, Bob, through the magni-scrying glass.

"Let us see if he is faring any better," said the red-headed thunderbolt thrower.

It quickly became evident that his "hostesses" had been doing pretty well! Both He Zi and Wu Minxia had advanced to Round 2 of individual three meter springboard diving. Along with twenty-eight other women! But, Round 2 would not be starting until 2:30 P.M. (British Summer Time). Whereas, women's trampoline would commence half an hour earlier.

So, He Zi saw no reason for concern when she handed the little man over to her younger sister.

With an ever-increasing sense of deja vu, the younger Bullfinch was mummy-wrapped (from little head to little foot) in kinesio-tape. But, only after he had been smuggled into the girls' locker room in He Wenna's gymbag. Only after she and Huang Shanshan had made certain they were alone, near their lockers. And, only after they had stripped off the "Beibei Beijing" costume with a lot of mischievous giggling.

It was a mixed blessing, though, that this time he was _not_ placed in anyone's cleavage. Instead, He Wenna used a spirit-glue stick to adhere him to the calf of her right leg before putting on her leotard!

Bob struggled for all he was worth. For it had occurred to him that, should he fall out from his present place of concealment, he might get noticed. And, subsequently, rescued. Perhaps even turned over to some kind of scientific group who might be able to explain what had happened to him!

Alas! That failed to happen.

Not only did he stay right where he was. But, during her routine (which followed that of the Canadian trampolinist), He Wenna often squeezed herself into a fetal position at the top of her leap. So that, as a result, she unwittingly pressed him into her flesh, with her elbows, with each bounce!

And, so, went the rhythmic progression.

BOING!

"MMMMMPH!"

BOING!

"MMMMMMMMMMPH!"

BOING!

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!"

Finally, her routine ended. And, after receiving her score (which was somewhat lower than the Canadian's), it became Huang Shanshan's turn.

She and He Wenna gave each other a hug. An embrace that appeared, to the TV cameras, to be congratulations for the latter and a wish of good luck for the former. What they failed to catch, however, was Little Bob being slipped down the back of Huang Shanshan's leotard!

As a result? Everytime she leaped upward, Bob fell straight down toward her posterial cheeks. Yet, just before he might otherwise have fallen in between them, she would basically do a somersault at the arc of her leap. Consequently sending Bob on an upside-down slide towards the neckline of her leotard!

Hence, this became the rhythmic progression.

BOING!

"MmmmmMMMMMMMMPH!"

WHOOSH!

"MMMMMMmmmmmmmph!"

BOING!

MmmmmMMMMMMPH!

WHOOSH!

"MMMMMMmmmmmmph!"

Finally, after another agonizing "eternity," Huang Shanshan's routine ended. Dismounting from the trampoline, she hugged her teammate a second time. Consequently sticking Little Bob down the back of He Wenna's leotard.

Fortunately, for her, Huang Shanshan scored slightly higher than He Wenna. As a result? The latter took the bronze medal, and the former took the silver, in women's trampoline. And, following the ceremony, the two went racing over, as fast as they could, for the women's 3m springboard semi-finals, at the Aquatic Center.

Not even stopping to get out of their sweaty leotards before donning their sweatsuits.

tbc

* * * * *

SOMEWHERE IN THE COSMOS
(AUGUST 4, 2012)

"Now, where were we?" muttered Zeus.

"I believe I can answer that, Milord."

The Fates looked in the direction of the new voice, and beheld their Aunt Mnemosyne. Mother of their half-sisters, the Muses!

"It began," said the goddess of memory: "...with the revelation that your daughter, Lachesis, had been conducting unauthorized experiments with a pair of mortal brothers; Robert and Gabriel Bullfinch. To the latter (the older brother), she gave nothing but good fortune for his first forty years. While to the former (the younger brother), she gave nothing but bad fortune for thirty-five. Then, she reversed the pattern."

"You approved this, as what would happen to them was partial punishment for the older Bullfinch slandering the Olympics. Thus, both Robert and Gabriel were shrunken down in size, yet made invulnerable. So that they could better endure a number of humiliating experiences (literally!) at the hands of various female athletes."

"At this point, Robert Bullfinch has been treated somewhat more gently, by his captresses, in comparison to his brother."

Zeus thanked Mnemosyne for that concise recapitulaton. Whereupon, the goddess of memory nodded, then teleported away. Following which, Zeus and the Fates resumed their vigil with the magni-scrying glass.

* * * * *

AQUATIC CENTER

Once more, Bob Bullfinch found himself enshrouded with kinesio-tape...and ensconsed within Wu Minxia's decollete'. And, once more, he felt those not-so-good vibrations as the young Chinese woman began jumping up and down for her individual three meter dive.

"Boing! Boing! Boing! Boing! BOIIIIIIIIIIIIING!"

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPH!"

Up from the springboard, she went! Somersaulting at the top of her arc. And, then, straightening herself out for the first of her five dives.

Bob, however, had once more blacked out by the fourth dive. Ergo; he was not conscious when Wu Minxia's teammate/roommate went next. Not initially, anyway. It was only when He Zi hit the water (at the end of _her_ first individual dive) that he awoke!

KER-SPLASH!

"MMMM--blub--MMMMPH!"

Four dives later, the judges deemed that He Zi had done well enough to take the silver medal for this event. While the gold went to Wu Minxia. And, the two young ladies were so overjoyed by this that they promised to show Bob their utmost appreciation, upon returning to their dorm room.

Although, as they told this to him in Mandarin Chinese, he did not understand a single word of it. It therefore came as quite a shock when he found himself put in an empty Dasani bottle, back at the dorm...and then violently spun around and around. This naturally made him so dizzy that he was initially unable to see that the bottle neck was pointing to He Zi. It was only after she started slobbering him with giant, wet kisses that he came back to his senses!

"No, ple...!"

"MMMMMMMMWAH!"

"Please, sto...!"

"MMMMMMMWAH!"

"Please, n...!"

"MMMMMMMMMMWAH!"

And, as the Fates would have it, it was Wu Minxia who won the next spin.

"Let us let them enjoy themselves, in private," advised Zeus: "We will now turn our attention back to his older brother."

tbc

* * * * *

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA
(AUGUST 7, 2012)

Most everyone else in the crowded Manhattan sports bar was watching the Summer Olympics from London. More specifically; they were trying to see which two of the four pairs of semi-finalists (in women's beach volleyball) would be facing off against the duo of Walsh and Trainor in one day's time.

One man, however, was not.

He was a short white male, perhaps five feet/ten inches tall. With graying brown hair putting him in his mid-to-late forties. And, with brown-rimmed spectacles (perhaps made of imitation tortoise-shell) upon his eyes.

Instead of watching the various TV sets, like everyone else, he was working on a lap-top computer!

The newcomer's curiosity was aroused, in spite of himself. And, as most of the other tables and booths were filled to capacity, he at least had a legitimate excuse for going over and introducing himself.

"Excuse me. Are you saving this chair for anyone?"

"Huh?" replied the scholarly type (taking off some earphones in the process): "Beg pardon?"

"Is this seat taken?"

"Oh! No, go right ahead."

The newcomer sat down. He was also a white male. But, with black hair; blue eyes (sans glasses); and a height of six feet/three inches.

"Chuck Robertson," he introduced himself: "Public defender."

"Pleased to meet you," replied the scholar, shaking hands: "Aryc Omcic; professor of comparative literature at U-Conn/Torrington.* And, American-born son of naturalized Slovak immigrants!"

Chuck snickered, good-naturedly: "I take it that's the first question you're usually asked, concerning your name?"

"Guilty as charged."

"So, what's more engrossing than eight half-naked hotties spiking a volleyball around on the sand?"

"I'm using my summer sabbatical to meet my annual 'publish-or-perish' obligation to the college. This year, I'm doing it on a relatively recent literary phenomenon called 'gts-fan fiction.' "

"Oh! Isn't that the sub-genre of erotic science fiction where men get shrunken down to one foot or less, so that normal-sized women look like fairy tale giants to them?"

"Yes; though, sometimes, it's also normal-sized men meeting actual giantesses within the stories. Right now, I'm devoting an entire chapter to a sub-style of the sub-genre called 'unaware stories.' That's where the male protagonist (usually a self-centered lover of attention) becomes shrunken through either an act of God or some far-fetched earthly means. And, almost immediately, he becomes endangered by giant women who are totally oblivious to his existence. Despite numerous strenuous efforts to the contrary!"

Chuck nodded: "From the few on-line stories I've read, they seem to be the most popular format of gts-fanfic."

Professor Omcic frowned: "And, that's what I find puzzling. The popularity, I mean! In real life, there are some normal-sized people who are already socially invisible. So, if shrinking were possible, why bother to shrink such people at all? It'd be more redundant than..."

"...the phrase, 'criminal lawyer?' " suggested Chuck (with a smirk).

Professor Omcic smiled back: "You said it! I didn't."

"Seriously, though," continued Chuck: "If we were in court, I'd have to conclude from the evidence that most of the appeal comes from the depiction of poetic justice. And, whether or not the shrunken man in question dies at the end of the story depends on the mind-set of the author in question."

"Interesting!" replied the professor: " In other words, half of all unaware stories are latter-day Swiftian fables disguised as sexual farce."

"If that's the way you'd like to summarize it, yeah. I think so."

"Yet, narcissistic attention-seekers are the protagonists in only half of those stories," continued the professor: "What about the other half?"

Chuck shrugged: "I think you could probably stereotype the rest as well-meaning work-a-holics who unwittingly ignore the wrong woman. Usually portrayed as a vindictive narcissist, in her own right!"

Suddenly, their conversation was drowned out by a deafening cheer from everyone else in the place.

"What happened?" Chuck shouted towards the bartender.

"Treanor and Walsh are gonna face the other American women!" he yelled back: "Brazil and China are gonna have to settle for seeing which of 'em gets the bronze medal!"

tbc

[...] = "translated from the Portuguese."

* * * * *

The team was dressing in the girls' locker room when they heard the sound.

"Psssst! Psssst!"

The locker room had no radiators. So, it could not be escaping steam!

["Fabi! Sheilla! Over here."]

Fabiana Oliveira (the team's libero *) and Sheilla Castro looked towards the entrance of the locker room, and instantly recognized their countrywomen, Julianna and Larissa. Then, they looked at each other in puzzlement when they saw the mischievous grins on the latter duo.

["Come here!"] Julianna repeated.

And, Larissa nodded in agreement. Emphasizing this with an urgent beckoning gesture of her left hand. So, the two other women just shrugged and went down the aisle. After all, it was not like they were only half-dressed! Sheilla--like most of her teammates--was already wearing her yellow tank-top, green shorts, white sneakers and matching knee-high socks. While Fabi's outfit was conversely colored.

["What's up?"]] demanded the libero [["Why the melodramatic whispers? It's not like your male paparazzi trying to get snapshots of us in the nude."]

["We wanted to give you a little good luck charm in your matches against the Serbians."], Larissa replied.

["And, we do mean 'little.' "], added Julianna with a giggle.

Sheilla looked at the beach volleyball players with concern.

["Are you two drunk?"]

["Of course not!"] replied Larissa with a vehement shake of her head.

["And, THIS should prove it."] her partner added.

Whereupon, they held up poor little Gabe Bullfinch. Still mummy-wrapped in kinesiological tape (bearing Brazil's national colors). Still making the same ineffectual attempts to burst his way out of them by miniaturized muscle, alone. And, still unable to utter an intelligible plea for help through his gag.

"Hllllllllph mmmmmmmmmmph! Plffffffffff, hlllllllph mmmmph!"

He also gave Sheilla (the tall, pony-tailed brunette with black hair) and Fabi (the short, pony-tailed blonde with dark honey-colored hair) his best "puppy dog" expression. But, the indoor volleyball players were just too open-mouthed with shock for any sympathy to register in their conscious minds.

["What...? Where...? How...?"] Sheilla finally stammered.

So, Julianna and Larissa explained the mysterious circumstances under which they had found the naked little man. Which, to be fair, made it a rather brief anecdote.

["So, let me get this straight."], Fabi summarized: ["You want to give him to us, in the hopes he can improve our chances."]

Larissa nodded; adding how she and Julianna had certainly been doing well by him.

["Big deal!"] Fabi retorted: ["That doesn't mean his good luck will literally rub off! And, we certainly can't wear him around either of our necks like a St. Christopher medal."]

Sheilla suddenly grinned.

["Then let's place him somewhere less conspicuous."]

Whereupon, she grabbed the little man in her right hand, and stuffed him down her cleavage. Adjusting her sports bra, accordingly, so he did not accidentally fall out. And, none too soon, either! For their team captain, Fabiana Claudino, spotted them just a moment later.

["Fabi! Sheilla!] she exclaimed: ["Chit-chat on your own time. We have a game to win."]

And, win they did. Three straight matches! Each one ending with the Serbians unable to get anywhere close to twenty-five points of their own.

Needless to say, Fabi and Sheilla kept Little Gabe a secret. All the way back to their dormitory room. After all; one victorious game might only be a coincidence. But, two or more victories? That would certainly be an indisputable pattern!

tbc

* * * * *

[...] = "...translated from Mandarin."


Zeus and the Fates laughed hysterically at the change in Gabe Bullfinch's fortunes. But, finally, they calmed down enough that they became curious as to how well Gabe's younger brother Bob was doing. So, they used the magni-scrying glass to tune in on him at the Horse Guard Parade Grounds, circa 6:00 P.M.(GMT) on 5 August, 2012.

There, they saw Xue Chen and Zhang Xi taking turns wearing him as they had become accustomed to: mummy-wrapped in kinesio-tape, and stuffed down each of their cleavages. Xue wore him that way, during the first set, against the Austrian beach volleyball duo. Followed by Zhang throughout the second set. And, as the Chinese duo won both sets, there was no need for a third!

A fact these lovely young ladies celebrated somewhat differently than before. Up to now, they had thanked "Beijing "Beibei" for his granting them good luck by unwrapping him, and then showering him with kisses, in the privacy of their dormitory room. Yet, as he had clearly demonstrated he did not like that, they decided to have fun with him another way.

Instead of releasing him from the kinesio-tape (as he had been half-expecting/half-dreading), they simply laid him down on top of the night stand located between their beds. Then, after drawing up two chairs and sitting down, Zhang used her left index finger to keep Little Bob pinned to the wooden surface of the night stand. While, at the same time, Xue used her right index finger to start tickling his bare feet!

In short? As Bob began to convulse from the tickling, he simultaneously began to bring himself to orgasm, in the process.

"PLLPH! NMPH! HMMPH-HMMPH-HMMPH-HMMPH-HMMPH-HMMPH-HMMPH! NMPH! PLLPH! HMMPH-HMMPH-HMMPH-HMMPH-HMMPH-HMMPH!!!"

Xue Chen could not help giggling: ["What is he saying?"]

Zhang Xi grinned and shrugged: ["How should I know? I'm not that fluent in English. But, it sounds like 'Please! No! Haha-haha-hahaha! No! Please! Haha-haha-hahaha!' "]


Finally, however, their head coach came around to knock on their door to announce "lights out." The next day, they went over to North Greenwich Arena, where the women's gymnastics finals were being held. In this case; the individual event finals for uneven bars. Officially, they were going to wish He Kexin good luck. But, in reality, they were going to _insure_ it (as they saw it) by "loaning" Little Bob to the twenty-one year-old girl!

By this point, though, Zeus had grown a little bored with the relatively easy victories of the Chinese girl athletes. So, he decided to make things a little more interesting.

The Master of Thunderbolts increased the ambient static electricity, surrounding Zhang Xi's body, by about two percent. Consequently, just as He Kexin reached to take Little Bob from her countrywoman's hand, they momentarily shocked each other (as if they had both just walked across a fuzzy carpet in their bare feet)!

["AHHHHHHH!"]

Little Bob dropped to the ground. The kinesio-tape unraveling as he did so! As a result, he was able to rappel down it like a mountaineer on a rope. And, when he reached the floor, he did not hesitate for a second in fleeing further into the girls' locker room. Looking frantically around him for someplace to hide his naked little self.

The best he could find was a pair of white ballet flats...next to a gym bag labeled "B. Tweddle."

tbc

* * * * *

When most people talk about "blind panic," they usually refer to a state of fear so intense, one literally cannot think. And, thus, one cannot clearly foresee the results of certain, potentially unwise actions.

In Bob Bullfinch's case, he vaulted over the side of one of a pair of ballet-flat moccasins (with a speed and agility born of that self-same panic), and landed on his back. Just like a contender in the running high-jump! He then sprang back on to his feet and ran all the way to the toe end of the moccasin.

Unfortunately, for him, that moccasin (and its left-footed counterpart) belonged to the British gymnast Elizabeth Tweddle. "Beth," to her friends. And, she was scheduled to compete in the individual uneven bars event!

Now, this particular apparatus was similar to the parallel bars used by male Olympic gymnasts...with one difference. One bar was slightly taller in height than the other. Hence, the name. Beth, of course, was a little nervous about her chances for a gold medal. The same as all the other girl gymnasts. In her case, though, her anxiety was not being alleviated by the persistent ticklish feeling she was having in her right-footed moccasin!

"What the bloody deuce do I have down there?" she muttered: "A feather?"

Because, from the very first moment she had put them on, something kept making her flex her fourth and fifth toes. Although, she was naturally and completely unaware that it was Little Bob attempting to keep from having his ribs crushed by those same two toes!

Just the same, when her turn came to approach the portable springboard, she put a determined smile on her face. Because, she knew practically everyone in the United Kingdom now had their eyes on her.

[Indeed, most of the home-viewing male audience over 40 admired how svelte she looked in her bluish-black leotard with the Union Jack emblems patriotically decorating each sleeve.}

Finally, the buzzer sounded. Followed by the wooden, baritone-sounding "boing" of the springboard. And, Beth was on the uneven bars. Hopping from one to the other. Performing circular acrobatics at arm's-length that would have dislocated the shoulder blades of anyone else. And, mid-air leg splits that might have herniated a man twice her age!

Little Bob, of course, could see none of this. Not from his present vantage point. He was totally pre-occupied with keeping himself from throwing up all over Beth's toes during the rolls, spins, and flips. Nor it did help that every time she brought her feet back together, at the end of each mid-air split, the collision of her ankles sent a seismic vibration through his shrunken body that was positively jarring!

Needless to say, the G-forces of that routine inevitably made him black out. Thus, he was totally unaware that the Chinese girl who had intended to wear him within her leotard, during her routine, won a silver medal, regardless! While Beth came away with the bronze, and Aliya Mustafina of Russia came away with the gold.

It was only when she finally returned to the privacy of the girls' locker room that Beth finally reached deep down inside that right-footed moccasin. Determined to discover what had proven so ticklish to her.

"Bloody Blazes!" she exclaimed at the top of her lungs.

Aliya Mustafina, puzzled by that outburst, came over to look at what her Olympic roommate was holding in the palm of her right hand. Consequently, she was prompted to give forth with her own exclamation:

"Bozhemoi!"

They stared down, in mutual unblinking astonishment, at the naked shrunken man who was just now reviving. And, when Little Bob was conscious enough to perceive those stares, he could only mutter four words of his own.

"Oh, no! Not again!"

tbc

* * * * *

It was Beth Tweddle who stooped down to pick up the little man in her right hand. With only his head sticking out the top of her clenched fist.

"All right, you! Who are you, and what were you doing in the toe of my ballet flat?"

So, Bob Bullfinch did the best he could to recount everything he had gone through since he had blacked out aboard the jetliner.

"For all I know," he concluded: "I'm actually in some London hospital bed with a concussion. And, this has all been just a bad dream!"

Aliya Mustafina grinned: "Does this feel like dream, little man?"

Whereupon, she began stroking his head with her right index finger.

"Cut that out!" he barked up at her (though more in embarrassment than anger).

Both gymnasts merely giggled.

"So, what should we do with him?" asked Beth of her Russian roommate.

"You've got to help me," shouted Bob: "Please! Show me to your coach...or the team nurse...or even the Judges' Committee!! Somebody--anybody--with the authority to get me looked at by someone who can explain how I got this way!!!"

"Nyet-nyet-nyet!" exclaimed the Russian girl: "If we show you to either of our coaches, they will kick us off both our teams for harboring a man in our dorm room."

"But, I've never been to your dorm room," Bob protested: "I told you..."

"I know; I know," replied the English girl: "You were held hostage by the Chinese as a living good luck charm. They'll nickname me 'Beth Twaddle,' if I try to sell _that_ story. Especially with China taking the silver in the uneven bars, just now!"

"We shall just have to keep you with us, overnight," decided Aliya: "Then, we see what to do with you, tomorrow."

"Now, wait a minute!" yelled Bob, only for Beth to cut him off by covering his face with her thumb. Aliya then giggled, once more, as Beth used her left hand to pull the neck line of her dark blue leotard outward. Thereby allowing her to drop the shrunken American down inside!

After which, the two gymnastic medal winners donned their sweatsuits and headed for the tram that would return them to the Olympic girls' dormitory.

MEANWHILE, SOMEWHERE IN THE COSMOS...

Zeus and the Fates were laughing their heads off (figuratively speaking).

" 'So close and, yet, so far,' " quoted Lachesis.

"Aye!" agreed her thunderbolt-throwing father: "Now, let's resume watching his older brother, Gabriel."

Thus, the magni-scrying glass changed scenes, once more. Specifically; to the dorm room of Sheilla Castro. The foremost server on the Brazilian girls' indoor volleyball team. She knew a little more English than her beach volleyball-playing roomate, Juliana. So, Gabe Bullfinch was able to tell almost the same thing to her as his younger brother had told the gymnasts. And, with just as much dubiosity demonstrated by Sheilla.

"Still," she added: "...you _have_ proven yourself an effective good luck charm. So, our team captain has ordered that I hang on to you during our five games against the Russian team, tomorrow. Good-night, little one!"

"No, wait...!" pleaded Gabe. Though, to no avail.

He still wound up in the top drawer of the dresser assigned to Sheilla...for the next eight hours.

tbc

* * * * *

The next morning, Bob Bullfinch found himself being treated just as much like a pet as he had been among the Chinese girl athletes.

First, he was kept in the dresser drawer, until Beth and Aliya had finished their morning ablutions. Then, he was forced to watch as the two gymnasts got dressed in front of him...while he remained stark naked. Then, they took him to brunch, with Bob ensconced in Beth's right sweatsuit pocket. Thereby allowing Aliya to secretly slip him crumbs of her food!

Bob would have refused, out of old-fashioned male vanity, if he could. But, he had to keep up his strength if he was going to make another escape attempt if the opportunity presented itself!

That opportunity was provided by the ever fickle Fates.

Beth and Aliya had just dropped off their trays, and were now off to join their respective teams on the tram ride to North Greenwich Arena. Individual balance beam finals were next; set to begin at two o'clock that afternoon (British Summer Time). Followed shortly after by individual finals in floor exercise. Yet, as they approached the main entrance to the cafeteria, who should they meet coming in but the two teams who would be facing off against each other, in women's indoor volleyball, at 3:50 BST.

Brazil and Russia.

Aliya stopped to introduce her dormitory roommate to Svetlana Kryuchkova, Maria Borisenko, Yekaterina Gamova, and Yulia Merkulova. The shortest of whom still towered over both gymnasts by five or six inches. As a result, all four girls gave each gymnast a group bear hug in the spirit of Olympic comradeship. Unintentionally lifting both Aliya and Beth off their feet. This, in turn, sent Bob flying out of Beth's pocket...

...like wet soap from between a pair of hands!

To this day, he still does not know how it happened. But, he saw a gray folding chair heading straight for him. So, he instinctively stretched out both arms and caught the left armature of that chair's back rest. Whereupon, he slid down that armature like a fireman's pole. Landing on the empty seat, itself!

From that vantage point, he watched the two sets of competitors separate. Compelling him to drop flat on his stomach to avoid being seen (as the chair was _not_ pushed all the way in, under the table).

"Yeesh!" he muttered to himself: "I never knew aluminum could be this cold!"

Even so, he managed to not make a sound as the two gymnastic giantesses went by. He then got up and scouted around. Looking at each of the folding chair's legs. Deciding that the left leg would get him to the floor beneath the table, unseen, he slowly climbed off the seat and on to the leg.

Once again, the cold metal almost made him shriek with involuntary startlement as his gonads came into contact with it! Yet, he steadfastly maintained his silence until he reached the floor.

Breathing a sigh of relief upon doing so, he began to plan his next move.

"I've got to find someone who will have more sympathy for my plight. Preferably, one of the American athletes."

As if in answer to that prayer, he saw two more gymnastic giantesses headed for the cafeteria's entrance in order to catch the tram. And, one of them was the current underdog of Team USA: Jordyn Wieber!

The other one, walking beside her, was the Romanian gymnast Catalina Ponor. And it was her presence that made Bob a little hesitant. After all, she was slightly taller than Jordyn. So any attempt, on his part, to contact the latter might be spotted by the former.

But, this did not alter the fact that they would pass by the table he hid beneath any second. So it was--quite literally--now or never!

He chose now.

Running for all he was worth, in this miniaturized state, he exited from his ad hoc hiding place and made for the sneaker on Gigantic Jordyn's left foot. He jumped into the air as high as he could...and grabbed hold.

"OOF!"

He knocked some of the wind out of himself as he landed. But, the fact remained that he _had_ landed. And, more importantly, he was managing to hold fast! Despite the jarring, rhythmic vibrations that went through his little body with each one of her strides.

Out through the front door they went. Each one going to the tram cars containing their respective team mates. Little Bob thought he was home free! That is; till the Fates proved fickle, once more.

"Oops!" said Jordyn: "Catalina; your right sneaker's untied."

Which it genuinely was. So, Jordyn's Romanian roommate knelt down to tie it. And, as she completed knotting it, she saw him...and gasped.

"Spiridus!* "

tbc

* * * * *

The seventh of August proved quite a turning point for several athletes at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Fabi Oliveira and Sheilla Castro had finally revealed Little Gabe's existence to their team captain, Fabiana Claudino, the day before. And, agreeing with their reasoning that "once equals coincidence/twice or more is a pattern," she told them to hang on to him until _after_ the game with the Russian indoor volleyball team.

Sure enough; the Brazilians beat the Russians, three matches to two! Consequently, Little Gabe would not be allowed to go free. Instead, he would be returned to the custody of their countrywomen, Juliana and Larissa, for their nine o'clock evening game against the Americans, Treanor and Walsh. Unfortunately, for the former, the latter proved victorious.

As a result, the gold medal for beach volleyball would have to be resolved between both pairs of American girls. While Julianna and Larissa would have to contend for the silver medal against the Chinese girls.*

Meanwhile, Little Bob Bullfinch was having more troubles of his own. He had been spotted by Catalina Ponor, of Romania, while she was tying her right sneaker. The unknotted lace of which had been pointed out by Jordyn Wieber. Unfortunately, for him, Jordyn thought the excited utterance of the word "spiridus" was just another Romanian way of saying "Thank you!"

Hence, she did not see him get snatched up off her own left sneaker as Catalina sprang back on to her feet and raced off to join her teammates for the tram ride to North Greenwich Arena.

It was at this point that Lachesis (middle sister of the Fates) looked at her father.

"What now, Papa? Should we let the Romanian girl hang on to him?"

Zeus grinned...and shook his head.

"Having denied him a consolation prize from 'The Price Is Right,' why not cheer him up by giving him something much better? Like, say,...a Ferrari?"

Whereupon, the image within the magni-crying glass instantly changed to the tram's arrival at the arena. And, as the female gymnasts disembarked, Catalina Ponor began to simultaneously wriggle and giggle for some strange, unfathomable reason.

Unfathomable, that is, to all normal-sized witnesses.

In reality, however, Little Bob had finally decided to fight back in the only way left him. For Catalina had only had time to stuff him down the neck line of her leotard as she had boarded the tram. Consequently, as the nature of their sport requires female gymnasts to be less-than-well-endowed, the naked little man fell all the way down to the bottom! More specifically; to that area near the waist line where a girl gymnast's legs emerge from her leotard.

And, as Bob's arms had not been spirit-gummed to his sides, for once, he was perfectly free to use them for...moving around.

The resulting "weird behavior" this caused in Catalina naturally started earning her peculiar glances. The best she could do, to rectify this, was run into the arena ahead of her coach and teammates. So that she could enter the privacy of the nearest ladies' room and extricate this naughty little spiridus!

Yet, Little Bob was already on his way to being removed just from the jostling he was undergoing. He had been half way through his third circuit of Catalina's waist line when she started her urgent trotting. More specifically; he had been on the upper portion of the Romanian girl's right calf. And, upon correctly deducing why his progress had suddenly been interrupted by earthquake-like bouncing around, he hurriedly grabbed hold of some fabric at the rim of Catalina's right leg hole.

He then slowly wormed his way past the rim...and into the tunnel-like legging of her sweat pants. Whereupon, with no other recourse evident to him, at that moment, Little Bob released his grip on that bit of fabric. Subsequently tumbling downward toward the cuff of the legging.

He did not know how long he continued to tumble after landing on the floor. But, as his head gradually stopped swimming, he felt currents of fresh air flowing around him. Eventually making him realize he was no longer in some giantess' sports bra, or sweatsuit pocket, or whatever. He was free...and in the open!

Then, it hit him: "In the open?!""

He immediately sprang to his feet and looked about for a place to hide. Unfortunately, his realization had come too late, as he once again found himself being literally over-shadowed. Followed by his being snatched up by some gigantic right hand.

In this case, the one belonging to none other than Italian girl gymnast, Vanessa Ferrari.

tbc

* * * * *

NORTH GREENWICH ARENA,
LONDON, ENGLAND
(7 AUGUST, 2012)

The petite Italian girl looked at him, curiously.

"Che cosa e questo?" she muttered to herself.*

Little Bob Bullfinch tried to control his fear. But, the intense stare he was getting from Vanessa Ferrari was making him increasingly self-conscious. And, when she used the index finger of her free hand to gently move his shrunken arms away from the center of his waistline, he just plain blushed!

One of _two_ instinctive reactions she did not fail to notice.

"Un uomo piccolo!" she gasped.

Whereupon, she partially unzipped her sweatsuit's jersey and tucked Little Bob into its left inner pocket. After that, he was--once again--bounced around in complete darkness. That is; till he was once more blinded, temporarily, by bright light. And, when his eyes had readjusted, this time, he found himself looking at an all-too familiar strip of material.

"Oh, no," he pleaded: "Not again. Not more kinesio-mmmmmmmmmmmmph!"

Sure enough; once again, Little Bob was turned into a miniature mummy. Only, this time, the adhesive part of the tape was on the outside! As a result, when Vanessa Ferrari tucked him down the neckline of her turquoise leotard (with translucent sleeves), he only fell as far as her navel before stopping...and sticking.

He struggled with all of his might to free himself. But, he might as well have been a fly on a strip of fly paper for all the good he did himself. Therefore, he eventually had to admit defeat and just hang there. Unable to even articulate the words "Help me" without it sounding more like "Hmmmph mmmmmph!"

He listened as the American gymnast, Aly Reisman, went through her floor exercise final, first. Followed by the Romanian gymnast (and Catalina Ponor's teammate) Sandra Izbasa. Finally, it was Vanessa Ferrari's turn. And, Little Bob's fears...

...proved worse than imagined.

He did not even _try_ to listen to--let alone, recognize--the music she was performing to. All that consumed most of his other four senses (as he obviously could not touch anything) were the prison wall of turquoise fabric he saw before him; the seismic vibrations that he felt go through his body when she hand-sprang; and the slight taste of regurgitation from the motion sickness that he was starting to develop!

Worst of all, however, was the intense pain that went through his body whenever she belly-flopped on the rubber floor mats. The last one she performed, just before the conclusion of her exercise, mercifully caused him to black out.

When he finally revived, it was to the unlikely words of:

"Keechie-ah-keechie-ah-keechie-koo!
Keechie-ah-keechie-ah-keechie-KOO!"

Vanessa Ferrari was tickling him awake. But, definitely _not_ on the soles of his feet.

"No! OH! HAHA! No, plea---HAHAHAHA! Please, don't do-HAHAHAHAHA! Please, stop---HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Ahhh," sighed the auburn-haired Italian gymnast with relief: "Molto bene; molto bene."

The tie score she had had with Aliya Mustafina might have been decided in the latter's favor. But, at least Vanessa would be going home to Italy with something more unique than a bronze medal.

tbc

SOMEWHERE IN THE COSMOS

* * * * *

Zeus and the Fates had eager grins on their faces as they watched, via the magni-scrying glass, Vanessa Ferrari slowly and gently lifting shrunken Bob Bullfinch toward her puckered lips. Yet, just as the Italian gymnast was about to kiss the upper torso of her naked little prize...

...he vanished.

"Thunderation!!!" bellowed Zeus: "What happened? Where did he go?"

"I happened to him, Father," said a new (and decidely male) voice in reply.

Zeus and the Fates turned as one. There, standing behind them, was none other than Hermes: mischievous main messenger of the "gods!"

"Alright!" demanded Lachesis (middle sister of the Fates): "How did you find out? I thought your day job as American sports writer, 'Mark Curry,' would keep even you too busy to notice."

"Silly girl!" Hermes laughingly exclaimed: "Considering how fast I can get around, there is nothing that can escape my notice, for long."

"Fine," replied Zeus: "You've made your point and had your fun. Now, put him back and let us go on with our experiment."

"I'm afraid I must refuse, Father."

"WHAT?!"

Zeus' entire form began to crackle with electricity at this impertinent reply.

"Please, calm down, Father. Long enough to let me explain, anyway."

With Lachesis and her sisters placing reassuring hands on both his shoulders, Zeus (reluctantly) did as requested. Following which, Hermes quickly ran back out the way he had come in. Swiftly returning with Thalia, the Greek Muse of Comedy!

And, there, in the palm of her outstretched right hand was Little Bob Bullfinch. Sound asleep.

"At my insistence, Thalia has agreed to draw a comic strip reminiscent of what the mortals call 'an animated cartoon.' The storyline depicted in that comic strip will be an automobile race between caricatures of Vanessa Ferrari...and Jordyn Wieber."

"Thalia and I think the latter deserves him, as a consolation prize, just as much as the former. But, we anticipated you might disagree. Hence, this proposal. And, whichever of these young mortals wins, gets to take the little man home for keeps. What do you say, Father?
Is it a deal, by the River Styx?"

Zeus looked at Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Each one of whom eagerly nodded her approval! So, Zeus (reluctantly) nodded, as well.

Whereupon, Thalia lifted her left hand, which turned out to be holding a scroll. At the same time, she carefully (though, not completely) enclosed her right hand around Little Bob. She then filled the gap in her right hand with the center portion of the scroll. At which point, she gave a nod to Hermes, who subsequently unfurled it.

Revealing a parchment seemingly as limitless as any of the tapestries woven by the Fates!

* * * * *

SOMEWHERE IN THE SECOND DIMENSION

When Bob woke up, he was initially disoriented. A moment later, however, he suddenly recalled everything he had been through. Yet, the gymnastic giantess who had been about to kiss him was nowhere in sight! Could that mean he really had been having a nightmare? And, that he was really still aboard that jetliner, en route to London, with his brother Gabe?

Two things swiftly proved him wrong.

First off; what he initially thought was a very narrow and uncomfortable bed soon turned out to be a giant flagpole...with a giant green flag hanging downwards from it. And, with himself, Scotch-taped to the underside of it!

Secondly? There was the near-deafening announcement that came over a pair of loudspeakers atop an even more gigantic flagpole.

"Ladieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees, and gentlemen. Today's race is a special, winner-take-all event. With Mr. Robert Bullfinch as first prize! Coming up to the starting line, in a 2012 Ferrari California, is that glamor gal of the gas pedal; Penelopeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Pitstop!!"

Thunderous applause ensued.

"And, driving a custom-restored 1967 Ford Mustang GT California Special, her challenger. From Italy, via Bedrock, USA; Pebbles...PAESANOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

More thunderous applause. Following which, the announcer said:

"Last, but not least? The honorary waver of the starting flag for today's race; Trixie 'Mrs. Speed' RRRRRRRRRacer!"

Yet, more thunderous applause. When it finally subsided, the announcer asked Trixie if she was ready. She nodded. Whereupon, the announcer thunderously told her to wave the green flag!

Consequently, Little Bob felt a powerful surge of vertigo that left him seeing multiple (two-dimensional) images. While the announcer simultaneously screamed:

"AND, THEY'RE OFF!"

tbc

* * * * *

The two cars roared on to the L.A. Freeway. Each one alternating with the other for the initial lead. One moment, it was the Ferrari California driven by Penelope Pitstop (who bore a strange "resemblance" to Jordyn Wieber). The next moment, it was the Ford Mustang GT California Special driven by Pebbles Paesano (who bore an equally strange "resemblance" to Vanessa Ferrari)!

Of course, the FCC only allowed a certain amount of dead air, every so often. So, the phantom announcer had to keep talking. Even if it meant belaboring the obvious or merely spouting trivia that was only mildly interesting.

For example:

"In case you weren't aware of it, folks, Pebbles Paesano is the daughter of one-time Indianrockolis winner Goggles Paesano (who was, unfortunately, disqualified on a technicality). So, her race-car driver's education came mostly from him. The remainder, after he passed away, was obtained from her father's identical twin proteges, Rock and Gravel Slag. And, she must have been a very apt pupil. Because look at her springing into the lead!"

In this case, he was speaking quite literally. For, as they entered the on-ramp leading to the interchange with the Santa Monica Freeway, Pebbles' bare feet suddenly emerged from the bottom of the Mustang. With actual coiled springs on the soles of them!

As a result, she virtually leap-frogged over the Ferrari California.

Little Bob Bullfinch, still bound to the green flag, looked up at Trixie Racer (who bore a strange "resemblance" to Beth Tweddle).

"I don't believe it."

The latter's only response was to smile back at the shrunken naked man and wink.

"Now, they're approaching the Slosson Cut-off! From there, the two racers will start heading northward towards the Canadian border. And, from there, to the finish line at...Juneau, Alaska!!"

MEANWHILE, BACK IN THE REAL WORLD...

Little Bob couldn't believe his ears. For the first five minutes of this wacky race, he had felt like both an observer and a participant. His three-dimensional self watching his animated counterpart enduring the same form of humiliating captivity. But, now, to hear someone who sounded like Mr. Kimball, from "Green Acres," committing plagiarism?

"That announcer just ripped off Johnny Carson!" he exclaimed (to the flesh-and-blood Beth): "Johnny Carson used to do that joke as part of his Tea-time Movie skit on THE TONIGHT SHOW.* "

"Don't worry, little fella," replied Beth: "No one's really getting their slosson cut off. After all; this game's only PG-rated!"

That was the other crazy part of his current predicament. He had just awakened, ten minutes ago, within the common room at the Olympic Women's Dormitory. With Beth (wearing a practice leotard in basic black) clutching him tightly over her folded legs. While Vanessa and Jordyn--wearing the same kind of leotards--played a weird video game. Their petite derrieres moving almost hypnotically, side-to-side and/or up-and-down, everytime they maneuvered their respective joysticks to simulate the race cars going around a curve.

"Beth; Ms. Tweddle. Please! Just hand me over to Jordyn. She's a fellow American. She can, at least, get me home!"

"Sorry, mate," Beth replied: "She's got to win you, fair and square."

And, with that pronouncement, the gymnastic giantess used her left hand's thumb to gag Little Bob's mouth.

tbc

* * * * *

The weird race on the video game screen was nearing its half-way point, when, suddenly, the video screen...

"ZAAAAAAAAAAAP!"

...short-circuited. Acrid puffs of white smoke arising from the flames behind the blown-out hole in the Plexiglas.

SOMEWHERE IN THE COSMOS

"Thunderation!" exclaimed Zeus (viewing through the magni-scrying glass): "What just happened?"

"I did, Grampie," replied a new (and decidedly) female voice.

"Eris????"

The "goddess" of discord came out from behind a nearby pillar; shamelessly grinned; and nodded.

"Grandma Hera sent me to find out what was keeping you. When I saw what was going on, I went back and told her. Knowing how easily bored you get, she told me to wait a mortal hour. If you hadn't tired of picking on these particular mortals, by the end of that time, I was to put a stop to it for you. Which I did! By throwing my golden apple into that video game's circuitry."

She held up the aforementioned fruit in her right hand. Its chaos-causing nature automatically making it invisible to mortal eyes (while the after-effects would be all-too visible).

"Oh, great!" complained Lachesis: "Now, we'll never know who would've won."

"Why not split the difference?" suggested Hermes: "The way you did with Cousin Persephone."

It was now Zeus who bore the shameless grin.

"Good thinking, my boy!"

BACK ON EARTH...

"OK," said Beth Tweddle: "This is how we'll do it. Because the race ended in a draw, you'll each share custody of him for the next ten years. Half the year spent in America with you, Jordyn. And, the other six months with you, Vanessa."

"Fine," replied Jordyn Wieber: "But, who gets him for the first six months of _this_ year?"

"Let's flip a coin for it," suggested Beth.

Jordyn nodded in agreement, as did Vanessa Ferrari. Jordyn called "heads;" Vanessa called "tails;" and the coin...

...came up the former.

As a result, Little Bob Bullfinch wound up winging his way back to the United States in Jordyn Wieber's carry-on bag (following the day of Closing Ceremonies). His shrunken, naked form once more resembling an Egyptian mummy wrapped in kinesio-tape! Whereas, his older brother, Gabe, wound up having to speak Portuguese. As the victorious Brazilian women's in-door volleyball team fully intended to keep their word about never letting go of their little "good luck charm."

In both cases, none of their friends or co-workers ever saw either of them, again.

THE END


* * * * *

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT,
TORRINGTON CAMPUS
(LABOR DAY, 2012)

Professor Aryc Omcic looked at his work.

"Not bad, if I do so say, myself."

He then hit the "send" button. Transmitting the story to Chuck Robertson back in Manhattan. The night after Team USA had emerged victorious in women's beach volleyball, he had confessed to the public defender that--should his dissertation be accepted for publication--he would attempt to write a giantess-fanfiction story of his own.

"You going to do it under your own name?" Chuck had asked.

"Of course not! I'm going to use a pseudonym. Like maybe, for example,...Sue Donym?"

Chuck had instinctively winced.

"Keep working on it. Until then? Don't quit your day job."

TRULY, THE END.