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"You serious? My son?" Rex asked Pathos. "Yes. He's definitely your son. I had to squint to look at that tiny face but he has your nose and eye color. Handsome little guy" Pathos said. "Squint? Little? Why would you-" 

 

"He has this crazy plan to bolster morale and I signed off on it. He's going to use the STRIKE X. Yes. That one" she said taking another drag on her giant cig. "That's nuts. Not everybody can pilot that thing. It's why it never went into mass production. He's going to get himself killed using that in battle" he said. "Then maybe he should have someone familiar with it to show him how to use it" she said. "Who? Aaron and Leila took off into space, Julia is dead, Ned was never much of a fighter, and Vazquez retired. The only one left that seen that machine in combat often is...whoa. You aren't thinking I train him?" Rex said. "Why not? You are a colonel and have extensive combat experience. You said yourself he's going to get killed if he isn't trained" she said. "Rinna. This is not something asked lightly. My wife is going to shit bricks hearing all this" Rex said.

 

"You always were the worry wart even way back then" she said. "I've changed since we were teens. I worry about others more and you should too. I've heard stories about your command style" he said. There was a long pause. Pathos dropped the cigarette and ground it under her giant foot. "I'm calling out of concern for an old mating partners offspring. You going to hike up your panties and stop playing weekend warrior and see to your son or not?" the large woman growled. "Where do I have to go?" he asked. "Cairo. Two days" she replied. "Understood. Rex out" he said ending the call. "Changed my ass" she said.

 

"Who was that?" Chen asked. "An old friend. I have to go to Cairo. Chad needs me for training. Apparently, he going to pilot Aaron's old machine" he said. "Most unwise. He’s going to get hurt or worse" she said. Rex laid down on the carpet floor. A habit he picked up years ago. He liked talking to his wife this way from her "perspective". "This call looks to have angered you" she said walking up to his face. "Old memories. Not all of them good ones" he said quietly. His tiny wife sat down close enough that she could see her reflection in his eyes. "The person on the phone was Brigadier General Rinna Pathos. But years ago, I knew her as Rinna. She and I were...mating partners" he said. Chen immediately bristled. "Easy now. It was damn near 25 years ago. Well before we met one another" he said stroking her tiny face. Chen was still pouting. "Yet you still stay in touch with her" she said. "As friends. Well I wouldn't even call it that really. We reconnected right after the war" he said.

 

"And you never told me about her why?" Chen asked. "Didn't seem important. Do you think you need to tell me all about your old boyfriends?" he asked. "I only had two of those. One is you" she said. "And here I thought someone so cute would have a lot more" he said. Chen smiled at the flattery briefly. "Alright. I got nothing to hide okay. Under the old program, we had to mate at least once a month to stave off extinction. This was the idea. However, some mates were chosen by the State. Health, genetic fortitude. Race and so forth. When we reached the age of 15, Rinna was chosen for me because we shared certain genetic traits. Mostly the easiness of conception. We were given a room every two weeks to procreate. It was weird as fuck now I think about it. Small talk as we fucked but we shared very personal feelings and thoughts. She herself prefers females to males. Not a crime but there was a stigma of being a species traitor if you were gay. She felt trapped. Like living a lie. I felt so bad for her. We kept at this for years. It was...upsetting to see her not get pregnant. I don't mean it like that Chen. They were mentally torturing her for nothing. She sobbed her heart out to me and I just held her. What could I say or do? Fate answered when the War began. We stayed in touch out of support."

 

"We were assigned completely different locations but we exchanged thoughts we dared not share with others. Maybe about two months before we met she sent me a disturbing encoded message. She was stationed in Prague and her group has pushed back a Union counterattack. She took 3 losses while her and the others killed at least a hundred. She described how the bodies looked like broken toys. They celebrated by snatching humans out of buildings. They would just ram their fist into one and grab whoever was inside. She watched them torture them. Stepping on them. Setting some on fire. Eating them. What disturbed her the most was one female commander slowing tearing a human male apart and making his wife watch. She described how she could hear the woman beg for them to stop only to laugh at her. When the man died, they tossed his mangled torso away like trash and crushed the woman. She asked me how we could fight this war with such cruelty."

 

"Killing soldiers was one thing but massacring civilians? Tiny ones that had no hope of survival? She asked what I thought about Leila. I read between the lines. She wanted to defect. Her communication make me think about what the Ingress was doing. That's why I was in the mind of even thinking about sparing you. I didn't hear from her again till after the war" he said.

 

"But you stayed in touch with her and didn't tell me" Chen said pissed. "Honestly I saw no harm" he said. Chen turned away from him. Rex petted her back with his finger and she brushed it away. "Come on. Don't be like that. She's just a good friend" he said. Chen glanced over her shoulder. "She's your ex and you've been talking to her" she said turning slightly. Rex gently turned her to face him. "You need to understand that it isn't like that in my culture. Don't be mad" he said. Rex placed his palm behind her and pushed her back. With two fingers, he gently caressed her tiny foot. Chen looked away. He began pulling off her jeans with his fingertips. "Stop. Jun is in the other room" she said. "She's asleep" he said. He took off her shirt. Chen, even after 2 kids and 20 years still looked beautiful. Chen couldn't stay mad at him with that soft look in those big eyes. Slowly, he sucked her legs into his mouth.

 

With a gentle suction, he pulled off her panties. He released her and spat her panties out. He began rubbing her belly. "Remember when I did this for you when you were pregnant?" he asked. "When I couldn't sleep" she said. He touched her breasts with his fingertip and she sighed. "And I used to suck on these when they were swollen with milk" he said. Chen blushed at the memory. "I swore I'd never hurt you and I meant it" he said looking at the tiny wife in his palm. Chen nodded and opened her legs. She let out a slight squeal as her giant husband began sucking on her pussy. She felt silly being so jealous. She knew what kind of lifestyle he led before. Many did as almost no Ingress was monogamous before coming to Earth. Even married couples were expected to mate with strangers once a month. Children from those Unions were another story.

 

Rex always loved licking her tiny snatch. Sweet and delectable like sugar with a touch of Earthy flavor like smoked chocolate. She gripped his upper lip and pressed her bare feet into his cheeks. Rex could feel her tiny toes flexing as her orgasm built up. Then a creak of wood ruined the moment. The large heavy thud of footsteps and loud slaps of bare feet came from the steps. "Oh my god she's awake and coming downstairs" Chen muttered. There was no time to get her dressed again so he did the only thing he could think of. Rex shoved his wife completely into his mouth. Chen was petrified. Only twice had she been in his mouth like this. Once during some foreplay on their wedding night and 5 years prior when they both got drunk. The last time ended badly. He swallowed her but was lucky enough to puke her back up. Needless to say, they both agreed never to do that again.

 

"Oh Jesus she’s delicious. Don't salivate!" he thought. Jun passed him and smiled weakly at him. She was staring down at the floor as she walked by force of habit. More often than not back when she was stripping would a customer sneak a feel of her toes or peak up her skirt for a freebee. It wasn't good business practice to squish a customer no matter how perverted. Rex gently smiled back and felt his wife move on his tongue. He caught his breath and stood motionless. Jun walked to the kitchen and poured a glass of juice. "Hurry up!" he thought watching his giantess daughter take her time. Rex was scared that his wife might drown. Saliva was pooling in his mouth. She drank her juice and walked back past him. Rex relaxed slightly and then Jun stopped. "Where's mom?" she asked looking at the floor. Rex raised his arms and shoulders. Jun sighed and went back upstairs. As soon as the footsteps stopped he quickly spat Chen out. Rex gulped down air and salvia and coughed. Chen was soaked. Her hair stuck to her body.

 

"Too close. Too close" he muttered. He carefully carried her to their bedroom to clean her up. After a good shower she emerged. "As much as I like seeing you in just a towel the mood escapes me" he said. "You almost ate me" she said. Rex nodded. "I have to fly out tonight" he said. Chen climbed up a makeshift staircase to their bed. Rex sat back on the bed at looked at the ceiling. He felt his wife climb onto his chest. "I'm not going to scream. I'm not going to cry. Just promise me you'll bring our son home alive" she said. He grabbed her by her waist and brought her to his face. He kissed her very softly. "I swear" he said in a whisper.

 

2 days later...

 

Chad was admiring the sunrise over the Great Pyramids of Giza. It was remarkable they were untouched by the War. Aeris wasn't with him this morning as she was requested to be at the R&D division of the base. It was one of the largest bases in Africa and was a jumping point for transports to Ingressa that lay in the south. It's official name was "1st. Northern Africa Union Defense Command" but most called it " The Sandbox". A massive complex that spanned 5 miles in each direction and had personnel of 900 humans and hybrids and 175 Ingress. Bristled with defenses and even could project a limited shield system if need be. 114 ACE's. 36 STRIKE II's. 88 giant flight combat suits. Not to mention a host of armor support. It was damn obvious that this base was really meant to be a vanguard against Ingressa in the off chance the nation decided to end its neutrality stance and opt for a more aggressive approach to nearby countries. Ingressa knew of this of course and understood but didn't like it. It was like having a loaded gun in the house meant for just you.

 

"Captain Chadwick Cyrus. Report to hanger bay 3" he heard on the speaker. Chad was excited. He knew that meant the infamous STRIKE X was ready for him. He ran like a boy in a toy store to the hangar. Even out of breath he gasped at the sight of it. No longer black, it gleamed in the sunlight like polished alabaster.  The camera eyes lenses were switched from red to blue for nicer, friendlier profile. Some things stayed the same though. The Stray Dogs emblem was still on the right shoulder. A bulldog with a spiked collar with a bullet shell in its mouth where a cartoon cigar would be. The machine was bent at the knee ready for its new pilot to board it.  Chad climbed into the cockpit. He sat there quietly enjoying the moment. "Aaron Pherson sat in this seat" he said. "Your anxiety levels are high. You this excited?" a familiar voice said. The face of an Asian woman popped onto the main screen. "Ai? Is that you?" he asked. "Yes it is. They chose me to interface with this unit due to my familiarity with the pilot. I admit this is difficult for me. This is no ordinary mech" she said. "Boot us up. Let's see what we got" he said. The cockpit hummed to life as systems older than he was began operating again. With the added light, he noticed something carved into the metal panel above the HUD. "Neither strength alone nor will alone" it said. Chad didn't understand the meaning but it must've been important to Aaron.

 

"Ai. Let's do a system check" he said. "Starting...shields nominal. Thrusters nominal. Weapon systems online. Twin reactors functioning normally. Uh...BITS system online" she said. "BITS system?" he asked. "A weapon system unique to this machine. "Captain Cyrus. We're reading complete startup of the STRIKE X. Proceed to training area 2 located on your HUD" a voice said. "Roger control" he said seeing a waypoint highlighted on his screen. "I don't need training. I'm a full pilot" he said. "Chad this machine is vastly different from your old ACE. I’m having trouble regulating it. How does the neurolink feel?" she asked. "Weird. Like everything is magnified. I see there aren't many hand controls in this unit. Does it rely on mostly mental commands?" he asked. "It appears so. Try walking" she said. Chad thought about walking and the mech obeyed. "This isn't so hard. Man, this place is over a mile away. We can just jet over there instead of dogging it" he said. He instinctively moved his right hand to punch the throttle and saw there wasn't one. The mech's arm did mimic his movement though. "Oh right. Got to think it" he said. He gave the idea to take off.

 

The STRIKE X roared briefly as the thrusters engaged and suddenly it shot into the air. Chad was slammed into the seat. The altimeter ticked off as he climbed straight up. Within seconds he was well over 5,000 ft. in the air. "Slow down!" he yelled. The machine stalled and began falling. "Ai level us out!" he yelled. "Trying! Got my hands full with other stuff!" she yelled. The ground was coming up fast. He could see a giant figure below. Chad thought of righting the mech and slowing throttling up. The mech obeyed and his descent slowed. He hit the tarmac at 40 mph. Not enough to damage the machine but it wasn't gentle either. The sheer weight of the 200-ft. tall machine cracked the surface in a crater. Chad focused on getting up. The machine picked himself up.  "Interesting way to leave an impression on your first day with that machine" a male voice said. On the screen was a giant man with his back turned. He wore a combat flight suit. The wings tucked back.

 

"Hey it my first day with this. You never fucked up wearing that?" Chad said. "I did actually. But my wife caught me before I went splat. I'm here to make sure I don't have to catch your big ass if you decide to crash again. Among other things" he said. The man turned to face him. "Dad? DAD?!" Chad yelled. With a thought, he used the STRIKE X to hug his father. Hydraulic strength squeezed the giant. "Gentle!" Rex yelled. "Sorry. This thing is really touchy" he said. "I know. Aaron once told me all about it. Hell, I've seen this thing in action more times than I can count. I'm going to train you into using it. We don't much time. Only three days but I'm confident you'll do fine. Now, run around the track" he said.

 

Chad thought this exercise was trivial for him but he did it. He took off running. In no time at all he was moving at over 250 mph. "I said run not goddamn sprint!" Rex yelled. Chad focused on slowing down. "Visualize what you want. Don't just think of an order" Rex said. "Why slow down dad? It can't get tired" Chad said. Rex pulled out a gun and fired. The shot knocked Chad on his ass. "That's why. The faster you move the easier you can lose your balance" Rex said. Chad saw his dad wasn't fucking around. "Stand up. I need to show you how to use those fancy weapons" he said. Chad willed the machine up. "You might've noticed your AI is having trouble running your mech. She's an A class but this machine was made to use an S class. Those are mostly extinct now so you'll have to make due. What this means for you is greater mental fatigue over time. She can handle the regular stuff. Environmental controls, reactor temp, etc. You however have to focus harder to do what you need to do"

 

"Just about everything is the same as it was before it was retired except the plasma gauntlets were switched for positron ones. Notice that cross shaped thing on your back?" he asked. "Yeah. What is it?" Chad asked. "The Beam Independent Targeting System or BITS for short. It splits into four segments and can target four enemies" Rex said. "Fucking cool! Why doesn't the ACE have this?" Chad asked. "Because it's dangerous. It takes a special person to use it without risking friendly fire. After the war there were 5 STRIKE X's built. Three were lost in accidents. The other two retired. Keep in mind you must vector four different devices at once. Not easy. This machine was the test bed for a lot of tech. Some successful like the cloaking and positron cannons. Others not like the twin reactor system. These old reactors tended to explode when hit wrong. The new ones were safer but incompatible with the design" Rex said.

 

Rex tapped his omnitool and two holograms Ingress sized popped up. "Switch your weapons to training mode" he said. Chad had Ai complete the task. "Weapon power at 1%" she said. "This part will be familiar since the ACE got the targeting system from the STRIKE X. Think about targeting one" he said. Chad did and the target reticule locked on. "Fire" Rex said. A beam of light shot from the wrist and hit the target. It disappeared. "Good. Computer. 5 targets. Difficulty level 1" Rex said. Within a second, Chad was surrounded by holographic enemies. Rex quickly got out of the way. "Begin" he said. Immediately they began firing on him. The shots did no real damage but his shield was going down like it did. "If your shield fails you will register damage!" Rex shouted. Chad spun around and fired quickly. He gunned them down easily.

 

"Don't get cocky. Computer. Level 3. 5 targets" Rex said. Chad was eager to fight and found these slightly harder. They dodged better. Shots more accurate. Even when Chad moved around he found them trying to anticipate him. Chad won though with his shields down to 25%. "Good but you're forgetting about that cannon you got. In a firefight remember what you have at your disposal. Now, are you ready?" Rex asked. "Bring it dad. This isn't so hard" Chad said smugly. Rex didn't like the attitude. Reminded him of him too much. "Computer. Level 7. 5 Targets" he said. Again, the fight was on and this time Chad remembered to use the positron cannon. Rex noticed he wasn't focusing on pulling back to regroup. "Remember, if you get overwhelmed don't just knuckle down. Pull back for a counterattack" Rex said. Chad didn't answer. Rex saw the boy was too focused on point blank fighting. Rex saw a way to teach him a lesson. "Computer, level 10. 5 targets" Rex muttered. It began again and sure enough Chad was taking simulated damage and not falling back. His positron cannon cleared three away but the other two kept circling around. Chad was getting irritated. He was losing concentration. Getting sloppy. His shield quit and one knocked him down. They were close enough he could see their faces. Females. Judging by their uniform they were simulated soldiers of the Empress.

 

One held his arms with her feet. The other using her simulated tonnage to keep him pinned. He fired his autocannons in his head but was so rattled he never targeted them.   The rounds missed her completely. Chad couldn't see her and switched to an auxiliary camera. She took out a dagger and made a slashing motion. "Damage to armor!" Ai yelled. Chad began to panic. He couldn't feel the hits but the systems told him of damage. Suddenly he heard the cockpit seals popping. "What the fuck?!" Chad yelled. "The systems are saying the cockpit armor failed. She's getting through!" Ai yelled. The hatch opened. Staring dead at him was the face of an Ingress replica. She gave a wicked smile. Chad nearly pissed himself. She reached in and yanked him right out. The hologram laughed at him and raised him to her mouth. "Only human" she said with a whisper. Chad screamed for help as she shoved him into her mouth.

 

Flashbacks to when he was eaten by his girlfriend danced in his head. It was too familiar to him. Teeth half his size. A tongue wet and rough twice his length. The utter darkness. Then the angle shifted. "NOOOO!" he screamed as he slid backwards. *gulp*

 

He was squeezed down a soft tube which opened into a hollow sac. Her stomach. There was no acids or heartbeat. Quiet as a tomb. "Computer freeze program" Rex said irritated. Rex walked over to the frozen holographic giantess and bent down to her belly. "Game over. You lose. I know you can hear me in there. The few that survived such a fate tell stories of hearing voices outside an Ingress' belly. Now to get you out of there. Computer. End simulation" he said placing his hands underneath the crotch of the giantess. Her and her partner vanished and Chad tumbled out. Rex caught his son in his hands. "WHAT THE FUCK DAD?! YOU JUST FUCKING STOOD THERE!" Chad yelled up as his giant father. Rex narrowed his eyes. Chad knew that look. He fucked up.

 

"I stopped wiping your ass when you were 4 years old. You need to take of shit yourself. Your mother made me promise I'd get you home alive and by fucking God as your superior officer and father I'm going to do just that. Now are you going to fucking listen to me now or do you need to be fucking eaten again?!" Rex yelled. Chad nodded. "Good. Where you went wrong is you didn't pay attention to your enemies. Computer. Restart previous program and freeze" Rex said. Chad watched the five Ingress reappeared. He shuddered looking at the one that ate him. Notice anything different about them? Anything you can use as an advantage?" Rex said.

 

"No" Chad said. Rex carried him around so he could see their backs. "Notice anything missing. I'll give you a hint. They weren’t widely available during the war" he said. Chad thought hard for a minute. "Wait...where are the wings? The flight packs?" Chad asked. "Bingo! These Ingress can't fly but you can! If a ground assault won't work then switch to an aerial one! If close combat doesn't work then fall back and use ranged attacks! They had your number when they surrounded you" Rex said. "Dad it's hard to think like that in combat" he said. Rex placed him back inside the STRIKE X cockpit. "Get some distance" he said. Chad backed up. "Resume program" Rex said. Chad watched his father drop his gun. "Computer. Plasma rifle (Ingress) circa 2150" he said. A gun formed in his hand.  He had never seen him fight but his dad was nearly 50 years old now. Could this war weary giant beat them?

 

Chad got his answer. He never seen his dad move like that. Fast strikes with the butt of his gun. Firing point blank. A kick to her knee shattered it and the holographic Ingress fell. Rex wasted no time eliminating her. When they circled him, Rex fired into the ground. Simulated dust and smoke clouded his vision. Chad switched to thermal. He watched a red form systemically eliminate the last three. "Computer. End program" he said winded. Chad was speechless. "That is how you kill the enemy. Fast and hard. Lay it on them. Use the environment to your advantage. Your machine is capable of so much and you will learn to use every advantage you got. Now, begin again" he said.

 

Hours later...

 

"Well you did much better than previous and you were only eaten again twice and simulated crushed 3 times. Blown up 4 times but you did clear this level" Rex said. Chad looked exhausted. "There were really Ingress that tough?!" Chad asked. "More than tough. We collected tons of battle data during the war. More so from peacekeeper missions. The ones you fought there were killed during a peacekeeper mission. In the early days, True Way was filled with ex-soldiers loyal to the Empress. Hardened vets all around. Those you fought there probably had 20 years’ experience already. Let's get some grub" Rex said. Due to their work food was brought to them in the hangar.  Chad popped the hatch and got out. He sat beside his dad and began chewing a burger. "So I got to ask. Why the hell are you small again?" Rex asked. "Well me and Aeris went back to New Perth after leaving the house and we got ambushed by this Baris guy. The one tearing shit up. He um...shrank me back to kill me" Chad said. "Aeris? Baris? The aliens?!" Rex asked. Chad realized he hadn't been told who Aeris was and what she really looked like. Rex was dumbfounded when he was told. "A killer alien was sitting on my couch and eating my food. Fucking my son..." Rex said. "Dad, don't be that way" Chad said. Rex shook his head.  

 

"What way should I be son? Shit people do in the past doesn't disappear because they try to do right in the present" Rex said. "So, you're saying she should be condemned for the rest of her life? What about you dad? You weren't exactly Mr. Right before you met mom" Chad said. Rex didn't answer. Rex finished his giant burger and tossed the wrapper. "You once asked me how many people I killed. I answered "I didn't know". That was a half-truth. I dont know how many I killed after I met your mom but I do know how many I killed before. One. Only one. A resistance fighter made her way into our headquarters shortly after we began our campaign. It was very common for us to capture humans for entertainment. Young men and women were preferred. Anyway, one young woman let herself be taken. She was very cute and very submissive as I remember. We all were curious to see the new crop so to speak. I watched as they carried her in a glass container. The men were surprised how accepting of things she was. She didn't protest as they told her to strip naked. Not a mark on her dark-skinned body. Her hair touched her bare buttocks. They said things to see her get frightened. "You taste like chocolate? Ready for some real cock? Things like that. Didn’t faze her."

 

"One guy picked her up and began poking and pinching her body. Instead of fighting, she acted like it turned her on. So all day they used her. Sucking on her. Licking her. Jerking her up and down their cocks. Jesus, I remember how her once pretty hair was all matted and crusty by...ahem. Well the others went about their business looking for some human to torture. I didn't get involved. Humans seemed...I don't want to say pets but more needed to be cared for. I just sipped a beer and watched. We all an alert of an unauthorized signal coming for our location. Get this son. The girl had a beacon implanted under her skin. Damn thing was feeding firing coordinates! Girl was busted and took off. We had to kill her or at least the beacon before we were hit by God knows what. Girl was fast for a tiny thing. People diving to catch her. Stomping around her. Then she got near me. They yelled for me to kill her."

 

"I did. I raised my boot over her as she tried to dodge and slipped on the floor. I remember throwing her hands up and screaming in some Earth language I didn't know. I slammed my foot down as hard as I could. The sound. The sound her body made. I'll never know her name son but I'll always remember that beautiful face of hers begging me not to crush her. I'm doing right by humans but that doesn't excuse me killing that girl" Rex said quietly. "Dad I saw words carved inside that cockpit. Neither strength alone nor will alone. What does that mean?" Chad asked. Rex smiled. "That something Aaron once said at the one year anniversary of the end of the war. This one drunk STRIKE pilot came up to us while we were toasting to fallen friends. He told Aaron he could've killed the Empress himself if he had his machine. Called him a glory hog. Whoo did that piss off Leila. Thought for sure that guy was going to end up a stain under her high heel that night. Aaron didn't get mad."

 

"He replied..."it wasn't my STRIKE X that beat her. Neither strength alone nor will alone carried that day. It was teamwork. From my wife here watching my back right down to my ordinance officer who loaded a spent uranium shell that pierced an Ingress' chest. True, my machine is the most advanced one out there but without people to maintain it to pilots like you who watched my back as I was surrounded, I wouldn't be alive, the Empress would be, and humanity would be playthings of a giant woman with delusions of godhood. I don't think of myself as a war hero. I think of myself as a guy who did crazy shit because he had to and survived. Did you lose someone you cared about in the war?" he asked. "My brother Frederick. He died at Baikonur" the pilot replied. "Then we'll drink to Fredrick for his sacrifice wasn't in vain" Aaron said. And they drank and drank. Chad, did you pilot his machine thinking it would make you stronger?" Rex asked.

 

Chad nodded. "Did you want to be stronger so you could be a better pilot?" Rex asked. Chad didn't answer right away. "I wanted to protect her. She carries the biggest burden out of all of us" Chad replied. Rex picked his son up in his hands and smiled softly. "You really love her don't you?" he asked. "Yeah. Yeah I do. Both sides of her; Nara and Aeris" Chad said. "As long as you remember the important reasons you’re doing this then you'll be alright. You are Cyrus after all and our family as always marched to a different beat and came out winners" Rex said ruffling his hair with his finger. Chad laughed and pushed his finger away.

 

"Get a few hours of rest and come back. We start on BITS training this afternoon" Rex said. Chad nodded and left. It wasn't long after that he smelled cigarette smoke and turned around.  "Rinna. Wondered where you were" Rex said. Brigadier General Pathos didn't have one most of her uniform due to the heat. A white uniform top and skirt with pantyhose and flats. The giantess sat next to the giant casually. "How's his training?" she asked. "Fast learner like his mother. Died a bunch of times but he has improved his concentration and coordination" Rex replied. Rex looked at the smiling Ingress woman. Her face hadn't changed much. A slight trace of crow’s feet under her eyes but that was it. "Is he as unsure of himself as I remember his father to be?" she asked. "Cut him some slack. He hasn't been through what we have. Besides, I remember a certain girl who was unsure of what to do with herself once" he said. "How's Chen and your daughter?" Rinna asked stretching her legs. "Worried. Chen knows all too much the horrors of war and we very much wanted to spare our kids that. What about your family?" he asked. My wife is watching our sons. She took them to her mother's in New York State" she said. Rinna was quiet for a moment. A roar overhead signaled another transport. "Man, they just keep going to Ingressa" Rex said. "Yeah. Thousands more on the way too. Mostly humans though. This Baris is using them to feed his army. I've...I've read the reports. Entire villages emptied" she said. "How long do we got. Don't bullshit me" Rex said. "A week maybe. He made a u turn at Normandy when he saw or felt London’s hub gone. London got off lucky. He's headed straight for Ingressa. Considering that the average Ingress can cover 500 miles a day, we got maybe a week" she said. "Some breathing room" the giant huffed. "Not as much as you'd think. We're sabotaging bases left and right across his path. It's like chopping off a foot to save a leg. Satellite reports show he has over 13,000 under his control. The poor bastards fleeing east are running right into his control signal" she said.

 

"We'll be ready Rinna" Rex said with a smile. He squeezed her hand. "You better" she said standing up. Rex watched her leave and returned his gaze to the STRIKE X. "Aaron...hope things are better on your end wherever you are" he said. It was late in the afternoon when Chad returned. "You ready for more?" Rex asked. Chad was silent. "They got all these wires and shit hooked to Aeris while she's sedated" he said. "I heard they're working on special equipment for her. Stay focused son" he said. Chad climbed into his machine. "Now we teach you about the BITS. For now, we are only using one and at low power. Ai will assist you with that. You can do that Ai?" Rex asked. "Got enough processing power for that" she said. A BIT attached from the back and hovered next to him. "Try walking around. Get a feel for it next to you" he said. Chad moved around a bit. "Good. Ai, give him control" he said. She did and it wobbled a bit. "Easy, clear your head" he said. It stabilized.

 

For the next 20 minutes, he practiced moving it around. A bump or two but he was getting used to it. "Computer, two enemies. Level 1" Rex said. Two Ingress popped up. "Use only the BIT and attack" Rex said. Chad found it more difficult but he got the kills. Rex had him train with two and then three of them. Chad found it hard to concentrate. "Watch the crossfire! Watch!" Rex yelled until Chad shot himself with a BIT. "She's on your mind isn't she? CLEAR IT!" Rex yelled. Chad got pissed without approval he used all four. Rex turned up the assault program to 10 to push him. Remarkably, he won. He hovered in the air as he shot off multiple shots. Chad felt a trickle of blood from his nose. He was dizzy and powered down. "Chad? Chad!" Rex yelled running to the machine. "I'm...I'm fine. Just tired" he said walking away. R X worried he pushed him too hard.

 

Chad returned to his room and fell asleep. He awoke during the night and Aeris wasn't there. He dragged himself to where she had been. "Is she okay?" Chad asked Kana who was exhausted and looking over notes. "She's fine. We're almost finished mapping her brainwaves. Incredible" the Ingress woman said. Chad climbed onto her desk. Her large stocking feet was propped on the desk. A fan was blowing cool air on her. "What are you guys doing?" he said sitting near her keyboard. "We got an idea of using her signal to counteract Baris' control. We plan for her to wear a special suit modified from a recon suit that can broadcast her signal. Won't be as powerful as an actual city comm hub but it's better than nothing" she said. "She looks worn the fuck out" Chad said. "She been trying to narrow down his frequency all day for us to make a defense. Poor girl is wiped. Imagine, expanding your mind across an ocean, mountains, and valleys. She be fine come morning" she said hovering her finger over him. Chad wasn't looking at her but he didn't have to. He could hear the whispers of her thoughts. "You can let me but I want you to tell me what you're hiding from me. I can sense it" he said.

 

Kana made a fist and released it. "She's pregnant. Hormonal tests confirmed it. Judging by the speed of it, the baby with be our size. Only two weeks but you know what that means for an Ingress" she said. "Yeah like a month right? I took the interspecies sex Ed class back in high school. Kana I can sense the jealousy" he said. Kana took her feet off the table a quickly stood up. "Go ahead Kana. Let it all out" Chad said looking up at the giantess. "It's...it's not fair! Why couldn't she stayed dead?! I...could've had you to myself" Kana said starting to cry. "Kana, I'm not stupid. I know you've been in love with me for awhile now. I'd have to be blind not to notice. Do you really want to be the rebound girl if she stayed dead? Is that all you think you can be?" he asked. She didn't answer. Her teardrops fell with small splashes on the desk. "You know that old saying that there's somebody for everybody? Cheesy as fuck but it's true. I'm a living example of that. Seriously, my mom’s special someone was a fucking giant from another dimension. Kana there is someone out there for you" he said. She stared blankly and walked off leaving him there.

 

It was 0357 hrs. and the base was reasonably quiet on her end. The runway and hangers were busy but that was it. Kana stood outside looking at the stars. She was barefoot and the cool concrete chilled her giant soles. It was cool outside with them being in the desert after all. Kana glanced at the STRIKE X being worked on. She wanted Chad to be hers so badly she could feel it in her loins. He was perfect to her. Strong and fragile at the same time. Cute. Young bright, and tiny like the star she saw twinkling over Khufu’s pyramid. She glanced over at the training pads. The furthest one away was out of sight and she thought of an idea. She almost dismissed it entirely except at this moment she was going into heat and the conversation with Chad didn't help. She knew it was wrong and morally apprehensible but the holo system there had unrestricted (as in morality restrictions) coding that could be used unlike personal holo systems.

 

"Computer" she said until she gave it some real thought. She resolved herself. If this is what she would do then she would do it the way she wanted. The way she dreamed of. "Computer. New simulation. Victoria Base set to normal scale. Nighttime. One occupant. Captain Chadwick Cyrus. Current age and height" she said. She bit her lip as the computer processed the command. All around her a projection formed. It was her base. Of course, the projection angled things so it changed as she moved and walked. She walked silently to where the barracks were located. His barracks. She sat down and looked through each window. She smiled seeing him. She felt a slight giddiness watching him in his bed. She reached out her hand and stopped. She looked around as if she was going to be caught doing something naughty. Satisfied, and getting some more nerve, she used her fingernail to pry open the window. With that being done, she reached in.

 

With the gentleness only a doctor would have, she pulled him from his bed and out the window. "Computer. Make the subject...agreeable" she said. It didn't seem anything had changed to her so she chose to wake him to see. "Chad? Chad honey wake up" Kana said touching his chest. He didn't stir. Her heart was beating fast as she began to take off what little clothes he had on. He only had his underwear on now. Kana was blushing looking at him. His tiny chest moving up and down as he breathed. She gently kissed it. Now Chad began to stir. Her warm moist breath awoke him. "Kana? What's going on?" he asked groggy. She didn't answer him but she did pet him. "I love you so much" she said. Chad looked around. "Kana. Somebody could see us" he said. She placed a finger on his mouth. "Shh...there's nobody else here. Just us" she said. She kissed his body over and over slowly. "Do you love me?" she asked.

 

"Well yeah" he said nonchalantly. There wasn't much feeling in it but it was an enough for her. Chad watched as she began tugging off his boxers. Chad lifted his legs to accommodate her. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw his tiny penis erect. She had seen it before on the real Chad but never this way. This was Kana the lover looking at not Kana the doctor. She stroked his shaft with a gentle touch and he moaned slightly. She sat back on her butt and lifted him to her mouth. "Oh god" he said as she sucked his crotch. The giantess swore she could taste his manly musk on his private parts as he blew him. She teased his balls and even the crack of his ass with the tip of her tongue. He grunted loudly and shot his load onto her upper lip. She wiped it off with a finger and sucked on it. "Sweet and salty as I imagined" she thought. She placed him on the ground. Kana slipped off her skirt and panties and laid them nearby. She spread out her legs to surround him. 

 

She was surprised to see him step backwards and recline on the sides of her feet. He had a smug look. "What?" she asked worried something was wrong with the program. "You have a really pretty pussy. Pretty feet too" he said grinning. Kana felt like she would die of embarrassment. Although, she did enjoy him complimenting her body. Chad kissed the pad of her right big toe and even gave it a few licks. "Don't...they're nasty" she said. "Nothing is nasty about you" he said stopping. The giant woman was almost shaking as the diminutive man walked closer and closer to her vagina. She let out as gasp as Chad began humping her. "He's...he's fucking me" she thought. Kana smiled and closed her eyes. The tingling she felt was slowly building as her fake tiny lover fucked her. She wondered how something so wrong felt so right.  She reached down and gently inserted him into her.

"Wriggle. Wriggle inside me" she hissed pushing him deeper. Chad was waist deep in her and began kicking his legs. She moaned loudly and began pulling and pushing him in and out of her. Faster and faster she went until she, in the heat of the moment, shoved him all the way inside. She pressed her hand over her cunt and a finger in her. She felt his head underneath her finger. His legs and arms kicking and pushing her vaginal walls. The thought of him inside her most private place was too much. "I LOVE YOU!" she screamed cumming. She bucked her legs and feet so much one foot crashed right through his barracks. It took her a moment to realize what she had did in the end. She quickly yanked him out. He wasn't moving. Suddenly, his body disintegrated into pixels and vanished. "Respawning primary subject due to operator error. Resuming simulation" the computer said. And like that he was back. Kana was mortified.

 

"Sorry I died there. Want to go again sweetie?" he said. Kana didn't even know what to say. "Kana? What do you want me to do? Rub your feet? Or how about you sticking me up your butt?" he said.  Her eyes went wide. It sank in the utter folly of what she did. "You will do anything I say won't you?" she said with a whisper. He nodded. She picked him up and brought him to her face. "Feed me" she said opening her mouth. Chad jumped right in and she immediately spat him out. "Will you forget about Nara?" she asked. "Yeah sure if you want. I don't care about her " he said. She knew Chad would never dismiss someone he even remotely cared about so callously. "You really will do whatever I say won't you?" she asked. Chad only smiled at her. "Hate me. Hate me!" she screamed. "Unable to resolve logic problem. Restate another command" he said in a monotone voice. Kana realized why morality programs existed in these holo simulators now. it was to protect the user from mental pain and suffering. Not the other way around. "End program" she said quietly. The simulation shut down and she was alone in the darkness. Kana just sat there sobbing. It was the only time she wished she never met Chadwick Cyrus. Kana snuck back to her room and got into bed. She didn't go to sleep though. She just stayed awake and cried.

 

The next morning Chad was busy training with his father. His mind was on Kana though. He remembered the dark jealously he sensed inside her. "Focus! Keep focus!" Rex said watching his BITS tumble. "Okay. Break time" Rex said. Chad popped the cockpit and got down. "Dad, can I ask you a question? A really tough one and I need a real answer" Chad asked. Rex looked at him. It wasn't often his son asked in such a manner. "What do you do if you tell someone the truth and it really hurt them?" he asked. "It's probably for their own good son. Lies rarely help people. Why?" Rex asked. Chad explained what happened between him and Kana. "Wait...you can read minds?" Rex asked. "Dad. Focus" he said. "Alright but we'll get back to the mind reading part later. Jealously is a powerful emotion son. You mom doesn't like Rinna...I mean Brigadier General Pathos. I get why though. Women are passionate creatures and I can tell you from experience Ingress women are dangerous when they're in heat. What she felt was probably magnified many times. Just give her some time okay. Let her sort her feelings out" Rex said. Chad nodded.

 

As the day progressed, Rex found his son performed better when he was allowed to relax. Being wound up made him reckless. "Doing good. New lets have some real fun" Rex said unfolding his backpack wings. "Your opponent will be me. They to catch me" he said taking off. "Okay old man" Chad said jetting off after him. Chad was naturally faster. He throttled up and the g forces pushed him back into his seat. He hung tough though. Closer and closer he was getting to his father as he climbed higher and higher. Then Rex flew into a cloud bank. Chad knew this strategy since Nara used it on him before. "Ai. Radar sweep" he said. A ping got his location.

 

Chad fired right at his target. He saw his father just turn into pixels. In its place was a small sphere. "Wha?!" Chad said. *pop*. His machine registered a direct hit. Shields went down to 80%. "Nice try kiddo! How did you like my decoy sphere?" Rex said over the comm. Chad turned to where the shot came from only to see a contrail. Radar picked him up again. Chad lined up his shot and took it. Four shots. All but one missed. "Getting better!" Rex said. Rex dove for the deck and Chad chased him. Chad poured on the speed and jerked up just as he got near him to avoid hitting the ground.  Another shot from Rex dropped his shields to 60%. "Remember! Ingress are going to have better agility than you so you need to compensate! Limit their movements!" Rex yelled. Chad grinned. "Alright" he said. "Ai. Power up the positron cannon to 15%" he said. "That could be dangerous" she said. "Do it" Chad said. Chad concentrated. If he missed his real target he could really hurt his father. "Lock" the HUD said. He fired. Rex turned to look at what his son was doing. A red beam shot past him by a few scant feet. It hit the sandy soil kicking up a cloud. Rex flew right into it and his engines stalled. Chad was on him in seconds.

 

"Tag. You're it" Chad said firing away with both gauntlets. Rex was slightly pissed at the risk he took but he couldn't deny the results. He had won. "Yeah you won" Rex said. Chad was silent. "Don't let it go to your head" Rex said flicking his finger into the cockpit hatch. It made a metallic *thunk* sound his giant finger. "Care for a rematch?" Chad asked. Chad didn't give him a moment to answer before flying off. "Showoff" Rex said hearing the sonic boom. Red followed his radar ping into clouds. "My own trick. He really is cocky" Rex thought. However, Chad had one last trick up his sleeve. Rex fired at the target only to find he was not getting an enemy kill hit. He wondered why as he closed the distance. As soon as the clouds got thin enough to see he found out why. "Nice move son" he said as four BITS were grouped tight and fired simultaneously. Chad was hovering 50 ft. behind watching. "Slick move using them to hide your radar profile" Rex said. "Thanks. It was a wild guess though" Chad said. Both returned to base to rest.

 

"Come back tonight for a final test" he told him. Chad was eager to see Nara. He missed her. "Kana? You've seen Nara?" he asked going to the R&D. "In the canteen" she replied softly not looking at him. Chad watched as the giantess stepped over him and quickly left him. He didn't need to use his power to sense the pain in her heart. Chad made his way to the canteen where he found her devouring a salad as big as a swimming pool. "I doubt it will try to escape your clutches" he said walking up a staircase leading to the top of the table. Nara grabbed him immediately and assaulted him with kisses. "Whoa girl! Nice to see you too!" he said. "It's been a shitty two days here! I couldn't leave that room and they had wires in my fucking skin!" she yelled. "What for?" he asked. "Some business with recording my neural impulses. They had me reach out telepathically as far as I could" she said. "What? Mind control stuff?" he asked. "No, just to see how far I could read a mind. Not control it" she said. "And?" he asked. "Got as far as some place called Sicily" she replied. "That's still impressive" he said. "Yeah but keeping it up is tiring. I did get a look into a few minds there. Ingress and hybrids are scrambling to leave. Jesus Chad. Some are fucking swimming here" she said. Chad saw she was disturbed. "How's Aeris taking it?" he asked. "Hanging in there. She's gotten better at regulating her stamina but she's still worried if she can make a difference" she replied.

 

"Now my turn. What's on your mind. You seem distant" she said. "I really hurt Kana's feelings last night. It was bad" he said. "Is it about her feelings toward you?" Nara asked slightly serious. "Uh...yeah. I made her tell me everything. It hurt her" he said. She narrowed her eyes. "What did she say?" she asked. "That's kinda private. Needless to say I made her accept reality" he said. Nara didn't like that answer. Suddenly she got a call to return to R&D. "I have to go. Guess they got my new equipment together. See you tonight?" she said. Chad nodded and waved bye to her. Chad returned to his father and even though he was told to relax, he still wanted to get better. So with that they began training again. Rex watched as his son quickly picked up on how to use the machine's natural overwhelming strength for melee combat. "You're really good at sword combat" Rex said. "Had a lot of training with Nara. Dad I should tell you something. She's pregnant" he said.

 

Rex was speechless. He lowered his sword and looked down at the ground. "Computer. End program" he said to the simulator. "Dad? Say something" Chad said. "They’re positive?" Rex asked. "It's growing at an Ingress pace. So yeah" he replied. "Hop on out" Rex said. Chad was worried. His father looked disturbed and here he was telling him to get out his machine. Chad obeyed though. Rex held his son and brought him to his face. "Congratulations son" he said hugging his small son to his face. "Dad! I'm a grown man!" Chad yelled. "Still my little boy" Rex said. They had forgoed most of their training by that point. Rex was busy talking to his wife. Chad was answering every question his mother threw at him. "Mom slow down! We haven't even picked a name yet! Yes I plan to marry! You know that! No I don't know what kind of ceremony we will have. Her parents? Uhh...we'll see. Okay let me talk to Jun" he said. Chad winced as his sister squealed like a little girl at the news. "Yeah, you will auntie Jun. of course you can be her bridesmaid. I'm sure Nara will love that" Chad said. After the call was done Chad asked his dad a question. "Dad? Were you nervous becoming a dad?" he asked.

 

"Fucking petrified. Especially when it came to Jun. You two were unique cases. Hybrid twins are rare and one big and one small? Whoo. Jun had to be transferred to an incubation tank very early and her growth had to be stabilized. Keep in mind medicine was still in the dark when it came to hybrids. She didn't grow as fast as an Ingress but still accelerated. You on the other hand even though small you grew fast too. Your mother was eating damn near 5 times a day. She won't tell you but there was a time where her life was in danger. She made very clear you were going to be born. As it turned out you and Jun were born on the same day after all. Freaky shit. I remember holding you mother in my hands as she had me bring her to Jun. she touched her finger and smiled as your sister cried. That was the second most memorable moment of my life" Rex said. "What was the first?" Chad asked. "The day I decided not to eat you mother and try fighting for humanity" Rex said grinning.

 

As the sun set, Rex led him to a different training location. This one far larger and more remote than all the others. "Dad what is this?" Chad asked. "A training facility for young Ingress and giant hybrids. When our people first moved here most cities were not suitable for us to walk around in. Basically, we kept bumping into shit like billboards and building walls. Hell, some even accidentally crushed vehicles and the occasional person. A law was enacted that Ingress had to pass a training course to live or visit an urban or suburban environment. Now get ready. This is going to be a real test of your abilities. Computer run simulation Rex 1" he said. Chad watched as the entire area changed. He was surrounded by Ingress in old uniforms and some in different ones, STRIKEs, tanks, soldiers, and in the background, something he only saw twice in his life; the Ark. "Welcome to the battle of Osaka. The final battle that ended the Dimensional War. Your role is going to be Aaron Pherson. Nice right. Think again. This is where he was surrounded and most vulnerable. Your mission is to survive. Good luck and remember to be aware of your surroundings and rely on your teammates. Neither strength alone nor will alone. Computer. Begin" Rex said.

 

The simulation began and Chad immediately looked around for enemies. He knew this battle very well. After all his idol was the hero of it. Chad thought he knew it by heart. He would learn the hard way that knowing and understanding is two different things.  "Careful Aaron" a woman said. To his shock it was aunt Leila. He hasn't seen her in years but he knew her face. "Just as pretty as I remembered" he thought. "Don't worry a...Leila. I got this" he said. He went to move and found he couldn't he could barely move a finger let alone an arm or leg. Chad remembered. The STRIKE X had a special function called Overclock. It ignored cool down times and gave a massive offense and defense boost but only for a limited time. After than the machine went into lockdown mode to cool off. The simulation was feeding this data into the machine. "How the hell am I...wait. Dad said to rely on teamwork. Okay....umm Stray Dogs report in!" he yelled.   "Vasquez here! Julia online! Rex coming in hot! Atreya cutting through! Ned bringing the rain!" they shouted. Chad nearly lost his shit hearing their voices. Like living the most awesome dream to him and to top it off he could give his father orders.

 

"Form up on me. Set a perimeter until I can move again. Rex you're good with a gun so take point" Chad said grinning. As enemy Ingress approached they fake Stray Dogs mowed them down. Chad was awed. He never seen soldiers so in sync. If someone got hit they fell behind another and let their shields recharge. The two STRIKEs were popping Ingress at long range. However, their sheer numbers were causing the defense to crumble. A stray shot hit Chad. "Damage to shoulder armor" Ai said. An Ingress woman was charging right at them. "Holy shit the size of her!" Chad said. The history books had no mention of this Ingress but she did exist. She was larger and more physically fit than normal Ingress. She was tall even by Ingress standards. Towering at 235 ft. a muscular to the point her tight uniform advertised she could fuck you up on your best day. She held a hull plate from the Ark and used it as a shield as she ran at them. "Ai?! I need to move!" Chad yelled. "Still a minute left!" she shouted. "Don't got a minute!" he yelled.

 

Atreya moved to block her and was knocked aside. Chad watched a stream of blood fly from her mouth. Vasquez and Julia went to gun her down but that reinforced plate was taking the hits too well. They yelled as they jumped out of the way to avoid being run over. The Ingress took out a short sword and lunged it at Chad. "Don't think so bitch!" Leila said grabbing her arm. The crazy giantess threw the plate away and pulled out a pistol. She fired point blank at Leila. Leila was knocked on her back. The woman turned her attention to Chad. Suddenly she cried out in pain. Leila had stabbed her right in the foot. The giantess kicked her angrily and pulled the blade out. "We can move!" Ai yelled. Chad went to grab her to prevent her from aiming at him. His hands squeezed her wristbones as hard as he thought. She didn't scream. Only a grunt.

 

Insanely, she began head butting the mech. She broke her nose and bloodied her scalp and forehead but eventually the impact caused Chad to lose focus. This was all she needed. She slipped out of his grip and grabbed his arms. With her mighty strength, she pulled them apart so he couldn't aim himself. Then with a forceful kick to the cockpit he stumbled backward. The others pulled out melee weapons fearing their rifles could hit him. Unfortunately, they were forced to hold back the Ingress encroaching. It was beginning to look like another game over for him. Chad was dizzy. The impact was hard enough to override the inertial dampeners in the cockpit. The enemy giantess grabbed the outside hatch and began to pull. "Watch traitor as I tear your precious human out of his toy and eat him alive" she hissed. Chad saw the horrified look on Leila's face as she fumbled around for any weapon to stop her.  Chad concentrated. A fire began burning in his heart. He had enough seeing that look of pain and hopelessness.

 

She couldn't see it but a lone BIT detached from the machine. Chad grabbed her by the throat and forced her head to look up. The giantess stopped grinning. Chad used his fingers to manipulate her jaw to open her mouth. "Eat this you giant muscled freak" he said. He jammed the BIT right into her mouth lodging it halfway in. Its frame glowed as it prepared to fire a strong burst. Chad looked deep into her holographic eyes that were wide from fear. *BLAM*

 

It tore down her throat, pass her stomach, and exit just above the crack of her ass. Chad let go of the dead giantess. "Simulation clear" the computer said. Everything disappeared before him. Chad didn't move. "That was...that was" Rex said not finding the correct words. Rex walked over to him. The blue lights for eyes glowed on the machine. Rex got on his knees. "Son? Are you okay?" he asked. No answer. "Ai. Pop the hatch" Rex said. The hatch opened. The interior light showed Chad just staring forward. Rex reached out to him. Rex knew what this was. With delicate care, he unbuckled his son and picked him up. Rex sat down and cradled him. "Now you know what war is really like. It's not glamor, fame, or glorious. It's death and the hope of not dying" Rex said. He could feel his son trembling in his hands.

 

"How did you do it dad?" Chad asked. "I had your mother. She reminded me that at the end of the day I had someone I could come home to. Talk to. Cry to. You notice she wasn't in the simulation?" he asked. Chad nodded. "She was forced to fall back around that time. We got cut off. Yeah, I sounded cool as shit but I was freaking the fuck out. Look, nobody comes out of war unscathed. Nobody. The trick is to remember that battles will end and you must leave that pain, fear, and grief behind. Otherwise you end up a casualty. Not by a beam shot or grenade but by your own heart" Rex said poking his son's chest. "Let's go back. I'll carry you this time" Rex said. Rex flew back with his tiny son in his hands. He carried him in his hands many times but it had been years since he did it like his son was hurt. He glanced down to see his son watching the horizon over his fingers. Rex became very afraid. He had done all he could to prepare him for his destiny. If that destiny was to end badly, this could be the last time he could hold his son.

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