“ Maybe we should turn around?” Dawn  asked Graham , the little Homean, no bigger than her thumb and  standing in her cupped hands. It was the standard arrangement whenever they had to go somewhere.

 Now they were passing through the city, a forest of shining buildings rising up to the heavens, making even Dawn feel small. She wished her school was bigger but it was a tiny little thing, barely waist high and even then it was because of the lightning rod that added twenty feet to its pathetic height.

  “  Wait, I thought you wanted to go?” Graham turned his head up towards Dawn’s, her hazel brown eyes begging him to say yes.

 “ I don’t, this kind of thing isn’t for me,” Dawn looked away. Graham had been over the moon when she said yes, it was as if the most beautiful girl on Home had said yes to him. Dawn knew she wasn’t that girl, she considered her body to be inadequate at best.

 Jessica never agreed with Dawn’s assessment, she’d tell Dawn how lucky she was to look so beautiful at her age. Dawn, no matter how much she analyzed her body in the mirror, couldn’t find an ounce of beauty in herself.

  “ I think dances are stupid, it’s for people who can dance without worrying about stepping on someone, for people who are popular. I’m none of this,” Dawn groaned.

 She moved delicately and deftly, her feet gently touching the ground before lifting off with the grace of a gazelle.

 “ It is,” Graham agreed.

 “ So we’re not going?” Dawn asked, hope welling up inside her. She might just get her wish.

 “No,” Graham replied flatly, bursting Dawn’s hopes like a balloon being pierced by a needle.

 “ Pleeaaaseee?” Dawn begged the little guy in her hands.

 “ We have to try it out, just once. At least you look good, you look like a comic book character,” Graham tried his hand at a compliment. He learned quickly that whenever Dawn hesitated , buttering  her up usually got her fragile self-esteem up and ready to try something new.

 “ Oh? Which one?” Dawn hoped it was someone powerful and beautiful, like Wonder Woman or even She-Hulk.

 “ Giganta.”

 “Gee…that’s so creative,” Dawn answered sarcastically.

 “ Well you got the size thing down,” Graham replied, throwing his arms up in defence of his views.

 “ I wish I got the size changing down too, shrink down to a smaller, more compact body. You could invent that shrink ray I’ve been wanting, can’t wait to be able to look you in the eye,” Dawn gushed, feeling whimsical.

“ Until then, you could try dressing like Giganta,” Graham chuckled, Dawn rolled her eyes.

 “ I don’t have her body. Maybe my mom ought to try, everyone would love it,” She blew air out of her cheeks, the comparison between the two giantesses never failed to down her spirits.

“ No, your mom looks more like Kitty Pryde, her work clothes even resemble hers too,” Graham added his own point in.

 “ Yeah, maybe the writer got his trip to Home or something?” Dawn suggested it would be amazing to know that someone other than Tucker had come to Home.

 “ Or it could be pure coincidence, sometimes two people can think of the same idea, no matter how far apart they are.”

 Dawn thought it made sense but her mind had zeroed on in something else. Namely, her looks against Jessica’s.

 Whenever Dawn looked at her mother, she often saw everything she wasn’t. She wanted so much to make her mother proud but after all those incidents at school, she just wanted to show Jessica she could be good at something.

 Dawn peered over hands, wondering if her dress made her look fat.

“ Graham, be honest. Does this dress make me look fat?”

 Graham knew he was fat, his rotund gut  stretching his tuxedo out was proof of that. He tried to dress in baggy clothes to conceal it  but he had to balance it without looking like a heap of clothes.

 Looking left and right, he could spot the slightest definition of muscle on Dawn’s biceps. Dawn had a willowy frame,his was almost elliptical.

“ Dawn, you weren’t and have never been fat,” Graham dispelled Dawn’s own self doubt.

 “ Maybe I should make my dress bigger, it’s a little tight,” Dawn resisted the urge to tug at the spots where her dress bunched up, she didn’t want to drop her only friend.

“ Leave it,” Graham told her  sternly.

 “ I don’t want people to say I’m big, fat and clumsy,” Dawn said to her consternation.

“ No one will say that at the dance, they will...be too engrossed by how good you look.”

Dawn’s pale cheeks flushed a pale rosy red, Graham’s unexpected compliment prompting this reaction.

 “ Aww...that’s sweet of you.”

 Graham grinned sheepishly, he didn’t know why but her current get up of cyan dress, her platinum locks all tied up in a braided ponytail was getting his heart pumping. They had been friends for years but never before had her mere appearance provoked such a reaction from him.

  “ T-thanks,” He stuttered ever so slightly as they continued their trek.

“ Maybe after the dance you come over to my place, talk about how silly we were dancing?” Dawn asked Graham. They usually spent a lot of time at Dawn’s house. Neither of them ever thought of going over to Graham’s, there wasn’t space and his neighbours were not going to tolerate her stepping all over their lawn.

 “ Okay but you got to keep Lucky locked up, that little lizard nearly bit me last time I came over.”

   Although Lucky had no teeth, he did have a beaked mouth lined with blunt teeth, ideal for chomping on fruits and if he wanted, clamping down on Graham’s meaty forearms. Something he nearly accomplished before Dawn had scooped up the reptile, scolded him for being a bad host and sent him on his way.

  “ I can’t, he’s too adorable to lock up,”

 Graham glared at her, pointing at his arm to remind her of how she nearly ended up with less of her friend.

  “ Oh come on…” Dawn whined.

 Graham didn’t relent.

 “ Okay I’ll keep you on my shoulder. I just find it so adorable, my little Lucky protecting his mommy, it’s so sweet!”

  Graham saw it differently but he could see the appeal, Dawn treasured her pet and he would do the same if he were in her shoes.

 “ I understand but you got to keep him on a leash or one day there’ll be nothing left of me.”   

**********

   “ Oh gods George, we’re early! You aren’t supposed to be early for school dances!” Edmund’s loud nasal voice rang out. A few teachers stopped and stared, puzzled by his outburst.

   Most of the teachers, as well as the various student committees were committed to setting up decorations, most of it a sickly green and pasty white. The sole reason being that green and white were the school’s official colours.

   Edmund had resorted to drinking the punch, a bright orange  saccharine drink. He cursed George under his breath, dragging him all the way to a dance. Edmund had made it a point never to attend any school event not listed as mandatory. He considered all of them a waste of his precious time and more importantly, such events were for losers. Or so he believed.

 “ I heard you, what’s wrong?” George panted, his lanky frame hunched over from running across the schoolyard. He’d never moved so quickly before. He wished he didn’t , his rented grey formal suit now bore blacker sweater stains.

 “ What’s wrong!”Edmund eyes widened, his oversized nostrils flared, bulbous nose pulsating as he fought back the urge to thump George.

 “ I’ll tell you what’s wrong George. We’re here, at some crappy dance so you can confess your love to that freak!”

 Edmund gestured at some distant point, fingers trembling with rage.

 He grunted in frustration and pushed back his unruly curls with his hands. He really didn’t want to touch George, a simple touch would probably lead to something more violent.

  “ I-I told you, it’s important that I tell Dawn how I feel about her. I got to do it before someone steals her away,”

 Edmund facepalmed himself, hand sliding down his face and stopping at the collar of his coal black vest. He muttered something about the infiniteness of stupidity and love , George looking flummoxed by it all.

 “ George,” Edmund said in his calmest and sagely voice.

 “ There is no one competing with you over Dawn. That would be the equivalent of two boys fighting over the right to get dropped off the school roof.”

George took it badly, pouting and stamping his feet.

 “ No! You don’t understand, it’s love. I’ve loved her ever since I laid eyes on her. And what she do ?! Go and get chummy with that walking tub of blubber, probably just using him for his brains,” George scoffed at the very idea of Graham actually being loved by someone.

Deep down, he prayed hard the idea was as false as he thought it was absurd.

 “ Shit sticks,” Edmund cursed under his breath, standard protocol whenever George’s absurdity became too much for him.

 “ Dawn’s a freak!”

“No, unique.”

 Edmund shook his head, itching to bash George’s head in. He wouldn’t though, not to his closest friend. No matter how much of an idiot George was, he was still Edmund’s idiot.

 “ George, if you haven’t realised, girls don’t date boys who make fun of them. What are you going to do about that?”

 Edmund folded his arms triumphantly, convinced he had George stumped.

 “ I’ll turn a new leaf, go clean, do whatever it takes to get her on my side,” George proclaimed.

“ I don’t think it’s a good idea but  I got your back, Georgie boy.”

Edmund had to have his back, he had been looking out for George, keeping him out of trouble from teachers or from malicious students, they were everywhere.

  “ Thanks Ed, tonight will be the night where I reveal my hand, where I show the world’s kindest angel how I really feel,” George said dreamily.

 “ Sure, if you like a beanpole, I like my woman with something to grab on to,” Edmund said to himself. George heard nothing.

 “ When did you decide she was your love?” Edmund switched to a less drab topic, getting inside George’s head was never boring.

 “ I told you just now, the first time I laid eyes on her. Her body is nothing next to her mother’s but then again, no one is next to her.”

 “ So why Dawn? Why not Jessica?” Edmund asked, George’s line of reasoning made little sense to him.

 “ Because Jessica is married to one lucky alien. Lucky bastard. Dawn on the other hand is single and I don’t know how no one has even seen the beauty within her,” George gushed.

 Edmund wanted to vomit. He didn’t, his suit was too precious to risk.

 “ More like a lot of gas, I bet you forgot about that didn’t you?”

  George hadn’t forgotten the smell but he remembered the guilt he felt. Guilt over hurting his secret love.

  “ No I didn’t,” George huffed.

  “Can’t believe you still like her after that, my clothes still smell like her ass,” Edmund’s nose burned, a phantom wound from the past.

 “ I think we’re all only homean, Dawn is just allergic to nuts. I bet if Betty Rhodes farted you’d be claiming it was a blessing from a goddess!”

 Edmund pressed his fingers against his lips, demanding George keep it down.

“ Say it don’t shout it. I don’t need the world to know that, it’s a secret,” Edmund rolled his eyes, George could be so thoughtless at times.

 “ That’s disgusting, even if I loved her I wouldn’t smell her-”

The ground began to shake, rhythmic rumblings from an all too familiar source. Everyone at Adder High had become accustomed it , no one even bothered to look up at the source of it.

Except for George, delighted to see Dawn and Edmund, very much displeased she even bothered to show up.

“ Look, everyone’s here,” said Dawn.

  Graham peered over Dawn’s hands. Dawn’s chest rose and fell with each breath, sharper this time from the stress she was under from the scrutiny of an entire cohort.

 Dawn was sure many of them were surprised to even see her in a dress. She had eschewed dresses all her life for the simple fact that she believed she couldn’t carry the look.

 It took quite a bit of coaxing from Jessica to even get her to wear one. Dawn wouldn’t say it to her but she really loved how the icy blue hue brought out the best in her hair.

 “ And they’re all looking at me.” Dawn was none too pleased with being the focal point of the dance. She really preferred being a wallflower than the centrepiece of any event. Nothing ever good happened when she was the latter.

  “ Maybe they like what they see?” Graham asked suggestively.

  “There really isn’t much.” Dawn tilted her head away from the piercing stares of strangers and to the familiar comfort of Graham.

“I’ll sit here while you go get us some drinks. I’m not very good in tight spaces,” Dawn said to Graham as he hopped off her palm.

 Crossing her legs together to prevent anyone from seeing more than they ought to, she leaned back and watched the rest of the school. It was the role she felt she was intended to play, that of the outsider observing society. There was no place for someone as freakish as her.

 *****

 While Dawn sat back, Graham leaned on the hard leafy green table while he poured himself a drink. It was nothing unique or worth salivating, just your run of the mill chemically sweetened syrup mixed in with water.

 He poured some for himself and Dawn, his nerves on edge as he hoped no one would approach him.

 “Graham!”

His shoulders hunched instinctively, sweating pouring out of every pore as he swiveled to face George. Behind him was Edmund, his knuckles white as snow, glaring at Graham like an enraged Grodar, a large ape like creature native to the forests of Home. Thankfully he didn’t smell like one, Graham could still remember the sour acidic odours his body gave off after gym.

 “ I was beginning to think you wouldn’t show up,” George smiled, Graham . This came as a big surprise, not because George was so jovial about seeing him, George and Edmund always enjoyed bumping into him. No, this time it seemed that Graham had nothing to do with it.

  “ O-oh,” Graham stammered, trying to look for the right words. His mind and tongue would not give it to him, leaving him to stare up at George, mouth hanging open like the trunk of a car.

 “ Relax Everly,” George smacked him playfully on the back. Graham stumbled , nearly spilling the drinks as they sloshed about their  plastic confines.

 “Sorry George, I got to go,” Graham gestured at Dawn, watching him like a hen watching her chick. In particular, she kept herself focused on George and Edmund, still a little sore over the peanut incident.

 “ Of course, wouldn’t want to keep Dawn waiting.”

 George stepped to the side like a gentleman, allowing Graham to pass.

“What the hell was that about?” Was George losing it? He had never been this nice to him, not even after Graham got him an A in Calculus, pulling his E+up to a more respectable C.

 He turned back and winced as George gave a friendly wave, nearly gagging on it.

“Well George, you accomplished nothing.” Edmund poured himself a drink but not for George. He would have to get his own.

 “No, I was being nice. She’ll come to me once I win over her best friend.”

“At the rate you’re going you’ll be in a retirement home once that happens.”

He spat into his cup, the beverage too sugary for his own taste.

“Ugh...are they trying to give us diabetes?” He threw his cup to the ground and stomped on it, pancaking the white plastic cup until it could be flattened no further.

*****

“ Did they give you a hard time?” Dawn sipped from her cup, enlarged to her scale.

“No, Edmund was still doing his best impression of the Grodar but George was nice, almost too nice,” Graham couldn’t shake the feeling that George was planning something. Graham wouldn’t put it past them, both of them were devious devils. He swirled the bright sickly green liquid, taking another gulp and swishing it in his mouth. There was no nutty flavour about it, so Dawn wouldn’t be gassing the school again. That was a relief.

 “ What’s wrong?” Dawn broke the silence, apprehensive over Graham’s answer. Neither of them bought George’s story, his track record suggested anything but goodwill to the pair.

 “ Oh nothing, just wondering how we’ll dance later,” He looked up at Dawn with a thin gentle smile on his lips, Dawn only now realising the issue. She had been so caught up in going to the dance , the act of dancing had not even been considered.

   She curled up her fingers, unrolling them. Graham was no bigger than her thumb, she would crush him if he tried the traditional way of holding a girl. She looked up, exasperated over another restriction imposed by her body. She really wished that shrink ray would hurry up and be invented.

  “ I’m sure we’ll find a way,” Dawn smiled back at her friend. She considered letting each of her fingers-thumb included-have their turn with him but Graham wasn’t a good dancer, he often got tired after several minutes. A slow dance then.

 Both stared wordlessly at their surroundings, watching as students from each year and even alumni arrived, helping themselves to the food and drinks as the clocked ticked towards the inevitable opening of the dance floor.

 It arrived, in the form of an announcement from Principal Baldrick, his bald spot covered through some strategic combing. A notoriously hairy man, he took great effort to hide his body from public view, especially after people joked he had escaped from the Wildlife Sanctuary’s Kuranku section. The Kuranku was a large creature resembling the monkeys of Earth.

 Baldrick did not take to the comparison very well but shaving was not an option, the hair grew back within days.

  “ Ladies and gentlemen of Adder High,” His small voice amplified by the school’s sound system.

 “ Another year, another dance. We all deserve this break from our studies,” He paused as students applauded and cheered their approval.

 “ Which is what the annual Adder Dance is for, a chance for us to let our hair down and be merry with our friends.”

Again, he paused for applause.

“ The rules are the same as last year and the year before that. No fighting, no intoxication, no smoking of any herbs on school premises, no pushing, no shoving,” Baldrick looked up, extending each finger as he recalled each and every restriction had piled on over the years, some as an afterthought.

 When he was finally done, students from all corners flooded the dance floor but although Graham wanted Dawn and himself to be in the middle of it, Dawn pulled back on Graham  and held him close against him.

 “What’s wrong?” He noted Dawn looking a tad sullen.

“ Nothing,” She shook her head.

“I just don’t think this is a good tune for me.”

“Okay,” Graham’s smile broadened, if she wanted to wait , he would wait with her. Her hand was comfortable enough to wait on as it was.

Songs flew by but Dawn held back , nerves getting the better of her each time. It took a good hour and a half plus some very gentle coaxing from Graham, who insisted they do at least one dance here.

 “ You look very pretty when you dance back home, I’d like to share that moment. Its always just you twirling about , lets make it a duet.”

 Dawn blushed, hers cheeks flushed with colour, did Graham really think she was pretty?

“Is it because I’m a good dancer?” Dawn was grinning from ear to ear, Jessica could have called her divine and it wouldn’t even come close to this. For some reason Graham could.

“ Because you look happy, you’re really adorable when you’re happy, that radiant smile makes you more divine than our moon.”

 As cheesy and cliched as it was, Graham meant every word, not even a beating by George and Edmund would get him to recant .

“ I do?” Her smile grew two sizes.

“Yeah, so lets dance and show everyone the true Dawn.”

If that was enough for him, it would be enough for her, Dawn thought.

“ Lets.”

Her confidence on the ascendance, Dawn stepped  towards the dance floor until the petite figure of Mrs Meeks got between her and the floor, a good metre or so from Dawn’s  crystal blue slippers.

“ Sorry Ms Martel, I really am. But I can’t let you dance.” She looked even more glum than Dawn did, brows furrowed as she frowned. She looked at Dawn, wishing she could help but she couldn’t, they had discussed this before the dance and they knew it was best.  Her eyes were flooded with guilt and from Dawn’s disappointed look, it really hurt her.

 “ W-why?” She couldn’t understand why.

Everyone had stopped what they were doing, heads turned to watch the little standoff between Dawn and her form teacher. Despite the size gap, Mrs Meeks wasn’t afraid of Dawn, she knew Dawn’s demeanour well enough to know what Dawn was capable of.

“ Sorry dearie. It isn’t safe. I wanted to tell you but wasn’t sure if you wanted to,” Her voice tinged with guilt and regret. But it was necessary given Dawn’s history of being a klutz.

“ You could have just told me not to come,” Dawn spat out. Why did it have to be tonight? She had crashed so hard. Just because she gassed the school and nearly crushed someone didn’t mean she would cause an accident tonight.

 She gritted her teeth, right fist bunched up. She was not some force of nature, destroying lives. Just living in a world too small for her. She wanted to stamp her foot, crack the floor, just let them know her pain.

 “ Don’t,” Graham mouthed to her, caressing her palm. Dawn’s fury subsided as she flittered between her teacher and him. Not to mention her own mother, the disappointment she would if she knew her own daughter let her emotions best her.

 “ Can’t I at least get one dance? Everyone could take a breather, do whatever they want,” Dawn pleaded with Mrs. Meeks. Just once, make an exception for her. Let her feel like a normal girl.

 Mrs.Meeks shook her head, “ Sorry. Rules are rules. We let you come because it isn’t illegal for you to be on school premises.”

 “ Alright, thanks.”

Dawn walked off, defeated. She wanted to go home but with Graham in her hand, she didn’t want to end it prematurely.

*****

“I can’t believe it,” Dawn sat down, dejected about the whole thing. She sat next to the wing housing her classroom while Graham sat on the roof, level with her face.

 “ Oh Dawn,” He wanted to say something comforting but this was a different kind of disappointment. The words clogged in his throat as he tried to verbalise them. He swallowed and resorted to petting her on her cheek.

Dawn reciprocated by leaning in just a little closer, his touch was comforting against her smooth cheek.

 “ I don’t know what to say. Do you want to go to my place?’ Dawn watched the rest of the school dance. The same thought from earlier played in head; It was her role in school, an observer. No matter what she did, she would be consigned to watch from the sidelines. She had asked for homeschooling but Jessica had said they could not afford a tutor and she wanted Dawn to experience the full thing.

Dawn had, and it sucked badly.

“ I don’t mind but... “ He knew why he didn’t want to go, like Dawn he wanted to experience what the rest could.

 “...You want to dance?’ Dawn finished his sentence for him. She sighed, her warm mint scented breath washing over him.

 Graham answered with a downward tilt of his head.

 “ We do hang out at my house a lot. I understand why you would want to try some place new,” She thought about the places they could dance. Thanks to her, there weren’t many to consider. There was one however, that stood out.

 “ I know a place. And its big enough for me to dance without stepping on someone.”

“ Good, lets dance then,” Graham chuckled as he climbed on to Dawn’s hand.

“ Will there be lots of people?”

Dawn shook her head, braid swishing back and forth like a horse tail.

“ You’ll see…” She had her smile back, the idea just felt better and better by the day.

Turning her back to the school, she went to that very place. A place where no one could tell her she couldn’t dance, where she could get her feet loose and shake it as long as she wanted.

********

“Edmund, she’s going!” George yelled over the loud techno dance music, Home and Earth having similar tastes in music.

 “ Oh heavens why is he still so obsessed with that strumpet?” Edmund looked down at the petit willowy girl he had in his arms. She didn’t seem to mind him and they had a few dances but George would only damage his chances with the girl.

On the other hand, leaving her would do it too. Still, he told himself, he could always return later.

“ Sorry my petal, duty calls. I’ll be back, just need to help my friend there. He’s not right in the head,” Edmund whispered.

 “ You go my sweet prince. Return quickly, for your princess needs you!”

Edmund melted , her gesture may have been overly dramatic but he loved it.  Letting go, he rushed over to go.

 George was about to speak but Edmund placed his hand over the latter’s thin lipped pot hole.

“ No, don’t explain. I know what you want. You want to go find Dawn, confess your love to her don’t you? Nod if I got it right.”

George nodded, Edmund releasing his hand.

“ Good, lets move. Dawn Martel has legs like a giant long legged  thing, we’ll be miles behind if we don’t hurry,”

George smiled and applauded him, “ Thank you old friend. I’ll never forget what you did for me.”

“ I know buddy, now lets go.”

With that, both of them ran off towards Dawn, hoping they could join her little session.

When she finally came to a stop, Graham realised they were in a park. To be more specific, the First National Park of Home; the largest and oldest park in the capital city. Twenty square kilometres of paths and greenery juxtaposed with modern lighting and kiosks catered to the young and old . Graham had been here before but  never with Dawn and he had never seen it from her point of view before.

 Above the tall street lamps that illuminated the many stone pathways, the grass-like  and trees looked more like the sea , a gentle gust making the trees themselves sway like kelp in the water while the kiosks stood lifeless, their vendors gone for the night.

 “ You like it?” Dawn hoped he would , she didn’t have any other place in mind. She’d often bring Lucky here for his walks and enjoyed the wide open spaces. It was one of the few places where she wouldn’t feel so claustrophobic and cramped, even at home seeing her father reminded her of the true scale of the world.

“ I do Dawn, I really do. Now no one can stop you from dancing. No one can stop us from dancing.”

 He was extremely disappointed that the school would even restrict her from that. Dawn had told him about a list she got from the school and she could never do on pain of expulsion. It hurt her to even tell him this but Dawn had insisted on being open about it, in case he ever wanted her to try any of them. He couldn’t remember them, since there were over fifty items on the lists although Dawn had memorised them by heart.

  “ I know because it's so big and there’s no one around anyway!” Dawn did a twirl in delight ,throwing her arms up.

  She dropped her leg on to the ground, causing the ground to shake and startling a pair of joggers.

 “ Almost,” Graham corrected her as he spotted the startled joggers.

“Sorry,” she apologised to them. They carried on with their jogging , Dawn slowly walking up to Graham.

“ Finally, we can dance.”

Before Graham could ask how, Dawn had him in the palm of her hand.

“How will we dance? We’re a pretty odd pairing ya know. I could hug your ankle but then it would be like an amusement ride?”

 Dawn’s confused look said it all, she hadn’t considered. Another obstacle because of her size.

“Humph,” she snorted , blasting out air from her nostrils which blew past Graham.

“ You could hang from my top and I’ll sway,” She suggested but immediately wished she hadn’t.

“No I could fall off , I can’t hang on to save my life,” Graham said as he shot down the idea. He also didn’t want to be hanging on to Dawn’s breasts, it didn’t feel right at all.

 “Oh, what about letting you stand on my shoulder, a strand of hair around your waist and I dance?” She offered, it was a lot more appropriate plus safe for him.

 “ But it would just be you dancing with me hanging on like some earring,” Graham said while feeling increasingly let down. Even dancing was such a hassle, he wished he could be as big as her or she was as small as him.

 Dawn thought about it, when she realised the answer was right there. Graham, standing in the center of her fleshy palm would be enough.

She jolted her palm a little, causing Graham to stumble like a drunkard.

“Careful Dawn,” He was a little worried by the sudden movement and devilish glint in her eye.

“We’ll dance with you in my palm, just sway a little. It’s best we can do,” Dawn hummed a tune and began to slowly swish her hips. Her melodious voice filled the night air, Graham found himself tapping his foot along to her oral music.

   It wasn’t difficult, his best friend had a lovely voice and he moved with her. He often heard her sing to Lucky, just before one of his naps when the only thing that could get him to sleep was Dawn’s singing voice. She’d deny it in public but in private, she was even the equal of her mother.

 “ Don’t you just love this? The two of us, finally in a place where no one can tell us what not to do?” Dawn asked in a sing song voice, elated to not have bullies or people telling what she couldn’t do here.

 On the ground her feet, bigger than a bus, moved fluidly , causing gentle rhythmic tremors as they rose and fell to the beat. Dawn wasn’t a klutz when she didn’t feel pressured, here she could spread her wings and be free, graceful like a swan.

 Graham wasn’t as graceful, in fact after a while as Dawn got more into the dance she began to sway more and this caused him to bobble like a boat in a storm. His only respite came when he bounced against Dawn’s chest.

She may not have her mother’s bosom but that didn’t means Dawn’s were small, hers were still  the size of a small house. They were soft enough for the blow to be dampened and Graham wanted to protest but as he opened his mouth, he saw how happy she looked. He’d let it go.

Crucially, he also saw  how beautiful she was. The combination of being bathed in the moonlight, her radiant smile and snow white hair made her look otherworldly and it was breathtaking., almost as if she were a goddess of the moon come to join the mortals in their revelry.

 For that view, Graham would allow himself to be knocked off his feet. He already was, in a metaphorical sense.

 They could have danced if not for the loud anguished wail that followed next.

****

“STOP!” George called out to Dawn who spun one hundred and fifty degrees in his direction. She was mildly startled, expecting no one else but Graham to be here. Yet here was George, probably trying to wreck her day again.

“What do you want?” She asked coldly, suspecting something was up about him. Her cold steely gaze was enough to stop George from coming any closer.

“ I-I can’t let this go on any longer,” he said. He stepped back , trying not to give Dawn the wrong impression. She followed it up by coming closer, her gargantuan feet closing the distance quickly.

 “ I just want some time with my best friend and we’re not in school moron so you got no reason to even try and ruin my life; or are you so pathetic that you got to go out of your way to get your high?”

 Each word punctured his heart, eroding his morale and leaving him speechless.

“Answer me damn it!”

Dawn stomped her foot hard, knocking George off his feet and on to his ass. From here, Dawn looked even more imposing, like a goddess about to unleash her wrath on a helpless worshipper.

George looked around, muttering some choice words as Edmund was nowhere to be found. Probably hiding in some bush, he thought.

He raised his arms straight up in surrender.

“I am sorry for all that but the truth is,I am jealous of you.”

“Oh come on! No one will believe that,” Graham snapped viciously at George from high up, like a judge passing sentence.

 Dawn looked down at Graham, a little touched by his outburst. Normally she did the protecting but to see Graham do it for her, it was adorable to see a boy smaller than her finger defend her. The best part was that George seemed to be fazed by it but then she noticed he seemed hurt.

 It was enough to get her to lower her guard.

“ Why are you jealous of me George?” Dawn wiggled her toes, on the edge of her seat.

 “It’s not you to be specific, it’s him, the fat boy,” He pointed straight at Graham.

“Oh my, I’ve certainly led a life to be envied,” Graham said sarcastically.

“ Not that, it’s you are so close to Dawn Martel, the most beautiful girl in school and you don’t deserve any second of it,” George said.

Dawn’s cheek flushed , turning a deep shade of maroon. She had heard them, he actually thought she was beautiful, the first boy to tell her that!

 “You think so?” She said, softer and gentler than before.

He nodded, “ I know it. You’re not like your mother but that’s what makes you better, you’re so graceful and delicate yet so strong because you’re a giant. It’s amazing!”

“Oh right, this is definitely a trick! A really sick joke from you George. You thought she would believe that you-”

 Dawn placed her finger over Graham’s mouth, muffling his voice until he said no more. She approached her tormentor and bent her knees, not mad but not exactly won over either. She didn’t need to be a genius to work out her answer.

“I’m sorry but it’s a little much for now. I’m glad someone thinks I’m beautiful but our history is too complicated for us to ever be together. Why don’t you start with not picking on me or Graham for a start, then we can consider being friends? I don’t believe people are one hundred percent good or evil, we’re all a mix of both,” Dawn offered her warmest and most reassuring smile. She meant every word, George lacked the cruelty that Edmund could call upon at well. He had a good heart, just misled by bad company.

George wanted to fight it, that he could be with her but the proper counter argument would not form. Every point she made hit him square in the chest. There was no other option.

“ I-I understand. I promise, no more bullying or anything like that. Sorry Graham, hope we can fr- acquaintances,” George turned around and scanned the darkness, looking for Edmund. He knew he was nearby.

 “Erm, over there,” Dawn giggled as she pointed to a hedge where Edmund stuck his head over to see what was going.

 “Thanks, enjoy your dance. You’re really good.”

He chugged off , looking for his friend.

“ That went well,” Edmund said. He kept glancing over George’s shoulder, wary of Dawn.

“She won’t follow, she’s got Graham. I think she’s got a thing for him. Lucky boy,” George looked down at his feet, resigned to his loss.

“Hey there big boy,” Edmund slung his arm over George.

“ Just because she said no now doesn’t mean it will be no next time. For now, lets go get a drink,I got us some fake ids,” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of cards, pressing one into his hand.

George took it, some alcohol would take the edge off the night.

“Okay but promise me thing, we never hurt those two again. Promise?”

Edmund had of course heard everything Dawn said. As much as he enjoyed making Graham’s life hell, he would not get in George’s way.

“Promise,” He and George exchanging a pinky swear, their little fingers wrapped around each other.

******

“ You didn’t believe him did you?” Graham quizzed Dawn who watched her bullies leave the park.

“ I don’t know if it was an act but if it was, it was convincing,” Dawn replied.

“ Doesn’t matter, he’s gone. Lets just dance,” Graham was ticked by George’s sudden confession. But why though? He was confused by it, should he not feel happy that someone thought Dawn was beautiful?

Could it have been George and that was why he felt so aggrieved, his own enemy trying to court Dawn. He knew she could do better, she’d be better off dating her best friend and he hoped she knew that.

 “ Actually,” Dawn yawned, the events of the night tiring her out.

“I’d like to get home but thank you my little knight for protecting me. For that you get this,” Dawn leaned in. It felt natural to do so and only later would she question why.

As her shadow fell over him Graham and looked and was bowled over by her plush lips pressing into him, a thank you for a very wonderful evening.

The moment her lips touched him, he felt as if electricity were coursing through his body. Graham had never felt more alive or proud but why?

 “W-what was that for?” Graham asked her.

Dawn stopped, why had she kissed him? Friends hugged or even highfived each other and while Dawn could do the former , kissing him was beyond that zone.

Neither could come up with a reason , not even after Dawn gave Graham a ride home. They said their goodbyes and Graham went inside while Dawn went to hers.

Inside his home, Graham saw his mother Lenor ,still up and waiting for her son to come home. Like her own son, Lenor had a round face framed with chestnut hair. She was several inches shorter than her own son , coming just up to his chest.

“ How was the dance dear? Was Dawn there?” She bounded up to him and embraced him, snapping Graham out of his daze.

 “ She was and we danced. Or she did, I just stood in her hands and swayed a bit. Then she kissed me, it was weird,” His hand moved up to feel the top of his head, the epicentre where Dawn’s lips had contacted him.

 “Oh?” Lenor said, barely able to contain her excitement.

“I wonder that means Mum, we’ve never done that before,” Graham looked down at her expectantly, hoping his more experienced mother would have an answer.

 “ I would not know dear, that is something for you to figure out,” She replied sweetly, Graham would need to solve this one on her own.

“I’ll sleep on it. Goodnight mom,” Graham replied as he trudged up the stairs.

When she heard his room door close, Lenor jumped for joy, pumping her fist in the air.

“ Oh Dawn, you finally did it!”

******

Dawn came home and the moment he heard the building sized door open, Lucky took off at top speed and was jumping at Dawn’s ankles, clicking his tongue in a bid to get picked up.

“ Of course you get a ride from your mommy Lucky,” Dawn let him climb on to her finger and cradled him against her chest. She spotted a sliver of light from her parent’s room ,surprised they were still up. Taking advantage of that, she thought she’d ask them for advice, they’d know why she did what she did.

  She opened the door and saw Jessica, surprised to see her daughter back. Jessica was tugging a tight fitting shirt over crotch, where a pair of lacy pink panties covered her modesty.

“Oh mom,I thought you would be wearing more clothes?’ Dawn held up a hand to avert her eyes.

“ Sweety ,I didn’t know you’d be back soon,” She kept pulling down on her shirt, trying not to expose herself to Dawn.

 “Where’s Dad? Nevermind I just wanted to-” Dawn halted as she spotted movement from Jessica’s panties, answering her question.

 “Nevermind, I’ll do it in the morning,” Dawn said as she closed the door, grimacing at what she just saw.

 Convinced she was gone, Tucker stuck his head out of Jessica’s panties, hanging on to the lace at the top as he gasped for air.

 “ Did she see me?” He asked Jessica between deep breaths.

 Jessica looked down, over her bosom at her little husband. She chuckled as she shook her head.

 “No but we’re not done either. So get in there my little lover, we’re not even halfway through,” Tucker took in a deep breath as Jessica’s fingers shoved him back in to finish the job.

Lucky leapt off Dawn’s palm and onto the soft ground covered by aco, a short green weed that covered most of Home’s forest. A mild fog blanketed the ground , covering most of the aco and low level flora, forming a natural lasagna of sorts.

While he pranced around in the park Dawn relaxed by sitting in a corner and observing the coming and goings of the park visitors. She kept an eye on Lucky, making sure he wasn’t getting into trouble with people or animals, his curiosity was not always a strength.

 Dawn enjoyed the  tranquil morning hours, she could relax and watch the world go by. Right now, it just consisted of Lucky exploring every nook and cranny in the park while people brought their own pets out for walks or did their morning exercises.

 Her mind was not focused on current events but was reliving the events of the previous night. All Dawn could think of was the kiss, her first kiss with Graham. Her finger pressed against her lips as she felt them, lingering over the spot where she had made contact with Graham.

 Just thinking about it released pleasent waves of euphoria but why though, she wondered. Her brow furrowed as she reflected on her friendship with Graham.

 Friends, that is what they called themselves now. One word summed up their relationship so well but did friends kiss each other? She bowed her head in thought, she had never kissed him before. Why now? Why kiss him? Was he truly a friend? Or had he become something more without her even realising it?

 While Dawn deliberated, Lucky found a small mole like creature while exploring the park.. Instinctively, he chased the smaller creature around until it burrowed itself into a small mound, a hole the only sign it was even there.  

 Lucky paused for a second to decide; should he or should he not thrust his snout inside? It didn’t take  him long to settle on his decision: thrust.

 Which proved to be a mistake as several small but sharp claws slashed at his snout, the sudden sharp sensation of pain sending him squealing and back towards Dawn who gently picked him up.

 “ What’s the matter Lucky?” Dawn cooed as he curled himself up against her finger, whimpering. Dawn held him up against her eye while nudging his body to check for injuries.

Nothing, except for a couple of small scratches. She giggled to herself while he nuzzled his snout against her warm skin, barely the size of her digits but unlike most people, he showed no fear of her.

 “ Oh Lucky, you’re such a coward.Which teeny thing did you upset this time?” Dawn asked in a teasing tone.

 Lucky made a weak growl, conceding defeat.

 “ You may be a coward but you’re my coward,” She laughed to herself as he eased into a sitting position, legs and tiny arms under his torso.

  “Just wish you would like Graham, he isn’t going to take me away from you,” Dawn said to him while his eyes closed.

  Lucky purred contently as he decided to take a nap, he didn’t want to discuss Graham anyway. The little attention grabber was not fit to be with Dawn anyway Lucky thought to himself.

With Lucky abstaining from the conversation, the incident reminded her of the day she met Graham for the very first time.

*******

“Sorry! I’m not used to big crowds?” Dawn smiled sheepishly as she stepped her way through the student body, careful not to step on people.

The gate was too short for Dawn to pass under but she was tall enough to step over it. Dawn chose a less crowded section and stepped over the wall with her long slim jean covered legs. She wore a white top handed down to her by Jessica-she enlarged it with her own powers- and covered with a thin but insulating grey jacket on this cool morning.

 She stopped to look back at the arch, covered in stone serpents with their tongues out, hissing at some imaginary creature. It was an odd school, she thought but then again, who was she to judge? She was an oddity too, normal people were not the size of buildings!

 It was at this point that Dawn felt something hit against her sneakers hard. She looked down and gasped at what she saw.

--------

  Graham was running from George and Edmund , the only people who seemed to take great delight in his misery. He wished he was faster but his obese frame only slowed him down. Worse, he crashed into what felt like some huge freshman.

 Graham was a heavy guy so if he could run into something and be the one who came off second best, that person was strong;and strong people tended to get mad at him. The reasons were stupid but plenty, from not helping them with their homework or just plan old wanting to pick on the fat nerd.

“Oh,I’m so sorry…” He rubbed his head but realised he was not looking at a person but a foot, a foot the size of a bench. As his vision cleared and he saw less stars, he realised that the comparison was inadequate, this foot had to be at least twenty feet long, perhaps even bigger. He looked up, past legs taller than the school and up on to a shirt revealing hints of a flat stomach, past the willowy chest to a very concerned looking  girl , her round face framed by a head of long white hair that fell down to her shoulders.

 “Are you okay?” That was all she said. Graham didn’t say it then but he found her looks captivating.

----------

Dawn bent down, worried she had hurt him through her own carelessness. She didn’t need any more accidents in school, it was through accidents she found herself bounced from one school to the other, none of them keen to have her once the complaints started coming in. Adder High didn’t have the best or even a decent reputation, closer to mediocre than acceptable but its principal had accepted Dawn without Tucker having to present a case for her.

 “Oh my,” Graham exclaimed in shock as he backed away , hands pushing against the ground while still on his bum.

“Y-you’re Jessica’s daughter!”

“Oh, you know me, I didn’t think anyone here did,” She replied. Dawn slowly bent over and pushed Graham towards her with her palm.

 “ O-of course we do, you’re famous! Your dad’s an alien and your mom is a legend! You’re the first alien-homean person ever. You’re living history!”

 Dawn found his nervousness to be off putting but his compliments were very soothing, turning her pale cheeks cherry red..

 “ Oh that’s very nice of you but are you fine? You hit my foot pretty hard,” She bit her lip, hoping he’d say nothing was wrong.

 Graham patted himself , checking for any bruises or broken bones. Dawn watched as he did so and from the lack of yelps, she guessed he must have been alright. Nothing that needed immediate medical attention.

“I’m fine,” Graham stood up. Good thing he did too for George and Edmund arrived on the scene, both wide eyed as Dawn’s form filled their vision.

“Who’s the freak?”Edmund’s ill informed comment coming as a stark contrast to Graham’s knowledge of her, Dawn grimaced at the former’s words. This was a much more familiar feeling.

“Sh-she’s new,” Graham stepped back, behind Dawn’s foot as they advanced although not as confidently thanks to the new player on the battlefield.

 Dawn considered shifting her leg and giving up Graham but the thought of throwing him to those imbecilic wolves made her feel sick.

 “ Okay Tall as Trees, hand him over and we’ll be out of your hair. Trust me, you don’t want to mess with us,” Edmund bared his teeth. George on the other hand seemed to just stare at her like some dumb ape, jaw open so large you could fit an entire burger inside.

 Dawn picked up Graham, wrapping her fingers him like a protective cocoon before turning her attention to the two boys.

 “ Try me,” She bared her teeth back.

 “Well, consider yourself lucky Graham you got a girl to fight your battles for you. Just, I didn’t get your name. You are…” Edmund looked on with impunity.

“ Dawn. Dawn Martel,” Dawn stuck out her chin confidently. If there was one thing she could do, it was stand up to bullies who dealt with their fists. That was easy.

“Good luck Graham but Dawn, you know what they say...the bigger they come the harder they fall,” He turned and left, pulling George along.

 Graham looked up at his saviour, she was amazing! In one moment she had sent those two packing!

“T-thank you Dawn,” Graham wanted to kiss her hand but Dawn stopped that.

“Please, you don’t have to worship me. I’m nothing special, just a person like you trying to fit in. I didn’t get your name,” She asked.

 “ Graham, Graham Everly. I hope we have classes together.”

 Dawn nodded, “ I hope we do too.”

******

Lucky’s content snores broke her, the little reptile was louder then he looked.

“I wonder if Graham is thinking the same. Oh what am I saying, he’s so clever I think he’s got it figured it out,” Dawn stood up and began to head home, making a note to call Graham to see if he wanted to hang out.

 While she  grappled with her feelings over Graham, others from a distant planet were more certain of their feelings over a certain giantess.

******

 “ Ah Private Uganadason, good to see you,” Ambassador Severus smiled warmly at the young cadet. Like all Dolorians, he resembled a humanoid lizard but with opposable thumbs.

In front of him  and Severus was the latter’s colleague from the planet Etrusca, Proximo Aretino. Both resembled the people of Home except for a larger and more muscular build with paler skin; but still shorter than the Dolorians, Idi had several inches on both men.Both wore purple ambassador uniforms, symbolic of their King’s royal colour. However, the two men were very different in build.

Severus was bald with a couple of scar, likely from some wild animal across his face. His eyes were a shade of brown , almost coal like. Proximo had reached old age some time back with a well kept beard that descended past his pectorals. He was thinner , close to gaunt but was able to walk unaided.

 “ You called for me Ambassador Arcus?” Private Idi stood at attention, waiting for the order.

 Severus chuckled at Proximo who returned a knowing smile.

 “ Now now Idi, no need to be formal, this is a very informal meeting. You can go with first names if you wish.”

Idi put himself at ease, his chest deflating over his sand coloured uniform, important when fighting on the surface of Doloria, eighty percent of its land was desert.

 “ Idi, you have been selected for a very special project,” Severus said while Proximo keyed in a six digit code for the lift.

Idi did not smile where most would upon receiving such praise but he did speak although his voice was as bitter as bile,  “ Sir, forgive but what would you want with a lowly private like me? A private from an honourless family?”

Idi hated to even bring that up but then the  military didn’t show the same leniency 18 years ago when his father had been shamed by the government for letting the Home soldiers break free. The worst was the giantess they had, she destroyed an entire base just by growing to her full size. After she escaped with the rest, his father was to be discharged immediately for overseeing the fiasco; Captain Uganda had salvaged some honour through hara kiri, a single shot to the head from his own pistol.

 “ Ah,” His eyes glinted at the mention of his family. Severus never understood why reputation was so important on Doloria. His family would have been dead thrice over if they adopted the same system on Etrusca!

He chuckled at that thought.

“ I never understood your honour system but I’ve read about it. As for why we picked you, its because you’re the perfect candidate for the mission,” a perky bleep from the lift interrupted him as the metal door retreated into the wall.

 The three of them went in , Idi surprised when Severus entered the number for the bottom floor; the lowest floor was accessible for only a select few. On the screen, another prompt to enter the password.

 Idi watched wordlessly as Severus did so, the sudden jerk an indication of their descent into the lower floors. Normally the lift would get you there in a blink of an eye but he could feel time pass by, none of the three men saying a word.

 “ We’re here,” Proximo held the door open as it came to a sudden stop.Idi let Severus pass first before stepping through.

“See anything you like?” Proximo laughed heartily but Idi wasn’t laughing, he awestruck. They appeared to be in a hangar but what was inside wasn’t any sort of spacecraft he recognised. He had studied Dolorian military history but what was at the center didn’t follow any of it. No, it seemed alien in nature.

 It looked like a Dolorian but made completely of metal, pistons and hydraulics were visible at the joints as techinicans and workers welded tiles on to it. He could even spot what looked like armour plating being added to its limbsIt hands were razor sharp although Idi did not know what it was supposed to grab with hands like that, he felt closed fists would have been better.

He assumed it head would look like a Dolorian although that part was currently missing.

 Severus placed a hand on the tall Dolorian and whistled , his shrill tune echoing off the hollow space they were in.

“ It’s a fusion of Etruscan mecha tech with Dolorian biology, I hear the view from the cockpit  is quite breathtaking, once its finished of course ” He remarked while patting Idi on the back.

Idi snapped out of his trance and managed to ask some questions but he could not mask his excitement.

 “ Forgive me but what is it supposed to do?”

   Proximo tittered, “ My dear..lizard, it’s the latest in defence.  Project Rhodes we call it, based on the principle that  the best defence is a good offence.”

“And you’re first in line to pilot it when we deploy it,” Severus added.

Idi felt weak in the knees, this was all too much. He’d live with the shame of his family name’s , all because of his father. The other kids had taunted him for it, adults shunned his mother and him for it. It should have been someone with a better reputation, better test scores but they had settled for him. A grin formed, slowly seeping across his scaly face.

 “ Thank you, both of you, I will not let you down. I will perform to my best once we let it out in the desert,” Idi’s remark causing Proximo to look surprised, as if he’d said something wrong.

 “ Severus, you didn’t tell him?” Severus shook his head.

“We’re not going to the desert little Idi, we’re putting it on Home where you will help Doloria address 20 years of injustice.”

Idi tried to answer but all the came out of his throat was a croak, he struggled for words but instead he fell to his knees.

 “ Sir, how? Home is protected by the Republic! We’ll never even get the codes to bypass the first line of defence.”

 Severus tapped his forehead before smiling slyly, “ You leave that to our friends from Etrusca. You just get yourself inside when the time is right and defeat  the monster known as Jessica.”

 Idi’s lip quivered, he had heard Jessica was revered on Home, his geography lessons told him that the people of Home gave her the treatment reserved for royalty. It was even said that she had an entire planet who worshipped her as a goddess.

 How though, he asked himself every day since the attack, how could a murderer be treated like a hero? A woman like her, killing hundreds of his people , crippling thousands more. She had intruded on their space!

 “ I’ve been waiting for 18 years, suffered the slings and arrows over my father’s soiled name,” His eyes narrowed in quiet rage.

“I will do as you ask, it would be a pleasure to go to Home and bring her back. To let her live untouched while my people are still scarred from her atrocities is a grave injustice. I’ll bring Home to its knees too, they deserve it.”

“Good, very good.That is the sort of thing we expect from a our number one pilot. Now get yourself some rest and,” he put his finger to his lips.

“Do not breathe a word to the others, I am sure you know what happens if you let this slip.” Idi nodded silently and went back to the lift. He took it up to the first floor, Severus smirking as he watched the numbers on the lift flicker.

 “ Good boy, tragic past but so eager to correct it,” Proximo commented as he walked towards the mecha.

 “  Indeed Proximo but that’s what makes him so perfect. He won’t even question us on any missed detail as long as he gets to fight her. A shame she won’t go to trial although what we’ll do to her, she will long for a lifetime on Doloria.”

Proximo chuckled to himself, it was good to finally be working on top secret project again.

“ And if he should kill her in the fight, even better. We’ll know she isn’t the best fighter out there. Idi clears his family name and gets honoured,” Proximo air quoted the last word.

“While we continue our search for the galaxy’s greatest fighter. Win-win but the Rhodes is a good combat suit, our dear prince could wear if it comes back undefeated for the games.”