“Does he do that often?” Kim said to Alexis after watching Rektor faint. In all her years, she had never seen someone lock their knees and fall on their back like a board. But there the three were with Rektor on his back and two giantesses on their hands and knees staring at his unconscious body wondering if they should care for him or say a joke at his expense. Both thought of a joke but decided against saying it out of respect for the whole situation.
“I’ve never seen him do that before, do you have any water with you? A good drop from your water sack should bring him back.” Kim followed the instructions given by Alexis and pulled out her water sack. She unscrewed the huge sack and was careful to drop only one droplet of water on Rektor. Kim couldn’t help but think of the size difference. She was sure this was her only son, she looked into his eyes when he first appeared and she knew. How her son managed to survive as long as he has after been banished is a credit to him and him alone. Well, maybe it had something to do with her genes he chuckled to herself.
“Why did you do that?” Was all that Rektor could muster as he coughed and coughed from having some of the water go down the wrong pipe. He sat up and still had both towering over head to the point as he looked up he saw only those two and the sun was blocked out. Rektor had never liked this feeling. He didn’t like it as a child and even with his love for Alexis he still had to overcome his hesitancy to being covered by another person. Feeling small was something that Rektor understood after his childhood but he had never been surrounded by so much woman before. “Could I get some more room and a little air.”
“Of course” The women said and gave him some space. Rektor squinted his eyes and looked at all the contours of Kim’s face and slowly reached her eyes. He stood up and continued to stare. He didn’t know what he was looking for if anything, he guessed it was just if he could believe her, that he was her son.
“You don’t believe me do you Rektor?” Kim said to the man who only reached her ankle. “So, you’re saying I’m a liar?” Kim said flatly.
“No, I’m not saying you are a liar, however I am 30 years old and the idea of meeting my mother was never a possibility to me until now. I am only waiting to convince my heart and mind.” Rektor was very careful in picking his words considering that calling a woman a liar was a dangerous offense which could lead to a violent altercation. More so, she could be telling the truth but may have motives that are unknown now. Playing it coy was the only solution Rektor could come up with until he learned more.
“Rektor, maybe you two just need to talk to learn more about yourself.” Alexis trying to play mediator.
“Fair enough young lady, what do you want to know about me?” Kim said standing up to her full height and crossing her arms while looking down upon Rektor.
“For starters could you please lower yourself, like, sit down or kneel?” Rektor wasn’t trying to challenge Kim but he still didn’t feel like he could get his point across with such a distance between them.
“I don’t see why I should, I always talk to the younger ones in the clan like this and they are fine with it. I’m not trying to intimidate him or anything like that.” It wasn’t out of arrogance that Kim didn’t want to lower herself but more so ignorance.
“Kim, it’s just that” Alexis stared to explain “even thou you aren’t trying to be intimidating you are the second tallest woman I know. It may be easier for Rektor to talk if the distance was more reasonable. Remember he isn’t part of a woman’s clan or any clan for that matter in the last fifteen years. For now, how about we all just take a seat.” With that Alexis sat down and crossed her legs. Kim took a moment looking at the two and how Alexis had defended and explained Rektor’s comments. Kim slowly lowered her body causing the ground to Rumble as she sat on the ground. For Kim, this little action of sitting down seemed like a huge offering to her son and Alexis. In female clans, they always preach about equality and how the men are the superficial ones but she knew better. There is a saying from the biggest female’s in terms of size and prestige within the clan. BIGGER IS BETTER. To sacrifice even the perception of size was a new feeling for Kim.
“What makes you so sure I am your son?” Rektor asked with a genuine interest.
“I gave birth to you; a mother just knows. Also, it was obvious to all who saw you that you were a leaper. Alexis and you may not know this because you were the last Leaper I know of who was born but they are the size of my thumb at best when born. The mid-wife didn’t know you were born until she heard a faint cry. When she looked close enough she saw your tiny body on the ground. We were all surprised that an infant that size could survive the drop but you did, I guess that was your first leap.” Alexis and Rektor looked at each other and then turned their attentions back to Kim. “I cared for you like you were my own until the exchange occurred.”
“But I was your own.” Rektor countered.
“Yes and no that you are my own. Mothers have an obligation to take care of the infants until the exchange. I took this as a serious honor however once you left I didn’t give you as many thoughts as you may have wished for, for a time you were my own but once you left life goes on.” The cold words of Kim hit Rektor like a brick. He knew how the gatherings and exchanging took place but to hear he was forgotten was like the feeling he had when banished. It was simply another slap to the face from a life which kept on giving him a left and a right.
“So, if you’re saying that this son, if it is me or not you never loved?” Alexis knew that Rektor was very able in an argument or conversation to get the questions he needed answered. Kim who was the Supreme Elder of her clan before she left for her stroll was also an expert of tongue and cheek conversation and getting what she needed out of a conversation. Alexis seeing both talk and their mannerisms started to believe Kim’s assertions that Rektor was her son. Alexis watched as the 70-foot giantess looked at Rektor and then tilted her giant head to the side and stared off into space thinking of the best reply just like Rektor.
“I have had eight children in my life. Seven of them were girls all over 60-feet tall. I love them with all of my heart.” Kim jutted out her massive chest towards Rektor and placed her hands behind her trying to get more comfortable. She turned her torso from left to right and loud pops were heard by all. “Sorry, getting old means your bones don’t agree with you as much as you’d like, now, where was I? Ah yes, I had eight children. The last seven were girls. They are all now in a position of power within the clan. But my first child was the son. I always loved my son and I was ruled by tradition and the law of the land. His sisters would sometimes ask about you. I would always tell them that I believe you are alive and that I love you. I explained to Amber my second oldest when she asked about you that you had been banished. But I said that people in our family were tough and you were probably alive. But as for thinking about you every day? The weight of leadership is a heavy burden which makes your thoughts and time valuable. A wondering mind of a leader can lead to tragedies.”
“Let’s say I’m starting to believe you what do you want from me?” Rektor stood up and started to talk away.
“You’ll have to forgive him Kim he always does this when he starts thinking. I don’t even think he is paying attention to us right now or for the next five seconds. We’ll walk behind him and if he stares a little more into nothing I’ll slam the ground with my foot to bring him back.” Alexis said shocked at how rude Rektor could be in front of a former Elder of a clan.
“Who says I want anything, in fact if I were to want anything perhaps I already have it and knowing that my son is alive is all the want I need.” Alexis seeing Rektor was still deep in thought brought her right foot up and slammed it into the ground but noticed that Kim had done the same thing. The shocked of 160 total feet of woman hitting the ground at the same time caused Rektor to be jolted in the air. He quickly performed a few spins and flips and landed on his feet looking back at the two women.
“Rektor focus!” Alexis said while using her middle and index fingers to motion between both of their eyes as if to remind him to not be a jerk.
“Sorry, sometimes I zone out when I think.” Rektor said with sincerity. Kim hearing this was even more certain he was her son. Zoning out while thinking was a family trait.
“Well, young man you seem to have a lot in common with my other children as well. I’m not sure how to further convince you to believe I am your mother however you are who you make yourself.” Kim said giving up a little hope that she could convince him he was her son.
“What did you say?” The eyes of Rektor became the size of dinner plates and it was if his ears picked up. Rektor slowly bent his knees effortless took off landing on the shoulder of a startled Kim. Kim who was no stranger to battle but had never seen a leaper leap before couldn’t but help be amazed at his grace in the air and landing.
“I said you are who you make yourself, I tell all my children that and I told…”
“You told the father of the leaper who was born to tell him that when the time was right.” Rektor said cutting off his Mother. “The father told that child before he was pushed into the wilderness. That child at the age of fifteen would cry himself to sleep at night and picture the woman who said that, it was a prayer for that young child.” Both Alexis and Kim looked at Rektor still standing on Kim’s shoulder looking down to the floor of the forest. It was at this moment that the person who looked so strong to both the ladies appeared weak. Alexis heard many stories from Rektor about being banished but he rarely talked about how emotionally hard it was to be alone. “As he got older he would leap to clans both male and female clans and saw the children laughing and playing and he would wonder what was wrong with him to be shunned in such a way. But he always remembered what was passed from by his father from his mother and the child believed it, you are who you make yourself.”
“Rektor, son, I always loved you.” Kim tried to comfort her crying boy.
“Rektor, I will always love you.” Alexis tried to comfort her crying man.
To Rektor this was all too much. What does this mean all mean? Why now after so many years without a Mother would life bring her back? Would his Sisters even talk to him? All these questions and more rumbled inside his head as he tried to put his life into perspective.
“I love you mom.” Was all Rektor got out before reaching out and hugging her neck. Kim tried her best to hug her son but the size differential was obvious and for a woman who wasn’t used to anyone under 30 feet handling Rektor was an odd sensation. “I love you Alex” and with that the three hugged each other as they stopped trying to one up each other on a question. The power from size was gone and it was just three humans having a moment.
“So where do you go from here?” Rektor asked his mother and the long hug.
“Oh I only came here because I saw a weird bird a few days ago and it was heading in this direction. I have been bound to the clan for so long that when I went on my stroll I decided to follow where my heart and mind took me and right now it is looking for that bird.
“Bird?” Alexis looked at Kim with an idea. “Was that bird flying like no other bird and was bigger than any bird you have seen?”
“Yes, and it was headed in that direction.” Kim said pointing directly to where Sarah and the facility were.
“Kim will you allow me and Rektor to have a moment in private?” Alexis opened her right hand and Rektor jumped form Kim’s shoulder landing graceful upon his landing zone.
“Of course, but I think you two know more than you are letting on to be so private about a bird.” Kim walked back a few steps to give those two the privacy they asked for.
“Rektor you know what that bird is right?” Alexis whispered.
“Yes, it has to be the airplane they use to scout. Most males and females wouldn’t dream of walking this far to the coast but my mother would be on that stroll and not obligated to clan rules anymore.” Kim could tell this was an intense discussion. “If we tell her she can’t go that way she could do it anyway and if you aren’t there it could be hard to defend. If we bring her back and she goes nuts people seeing the normal people who knows what she’ll do, but at least we will have you there.” Alexis didn’t like any prospect.
“So it’s settle we will bring her back to the facility and introduce her to Sarah and the others. I think you should leave now and warn them. I’m big enough to handle myself and we should at least make sure that they are prepared for another female to be in the area.” Alexis normally didn’t make the plans but she understood that she maybe the only thing that can stop Kim if she decided to act out against the normal people. Rektor could leap, Alexis was even bigger than Kim but the normal people would probably be able to stop her but not before she had done some destruction.
“Now, where is Rektor going?” Kim was now more confused than anything. “And how does his leaving involve the bird I saw?” Kim crossed her arms just under her chest. As an elder she was not used to having people keep things from her.
“We have something to show you and Rektor is just going to make sure it is prepared. Will you please follow me.” Alexis asked Kim calmly. The two walked towards the facility and continued small talk. The topics ranged from how Alexis met Rektor to how her clan was ran compared to Kim’s clan.
“So I take it you love my son?” Alexis was not prepared for that question.
“I do, it is hard, he is so stubborn, and when he believes he is right it is like trying to stop the sun from rising to get him to change his mind. But I don’t think I’d be the person I am without him.” Alexis noticed Kim place her right hand on her shoulder and give a firm squeeze. It had been a long time since she had felt something like this from someone close to her size.
“I noticed you didn’t say anything about size or height. That is good, perhaps because you left your clan before you were put into a leadership position your thinking wasn’t changed. I wish you two the best. And, the stubborn part, all my kids are like that. Maybe you two could visit them, it maybe weird but I wouldn’t mind having all my kids around me just once in my life.”
“I’ll talk to Rektor, it may actually help with one of our goals.” Alexis and Kim just turned the corner and the guards, Sarah and Rektor of the facility were outside staring at the two massive giantesses however as Alexis was used to always looking down for the normal people Kim was staring straight ahead not expecting to see 20 or so little people.
“Oh, what goal is that?” Kim replied.
“To bring peace to this area at least and bring men and women back together.” Kim was skeptical for obvious reasons.
“Oh, that’s going to be a challenge and who will help you?” Kim felt a strong pull on her shoulder and looked at Alexis with the obvious look of why for the rough touch.
“Well, there is me, , hopefully you and all of those people down there?” Alexis pointed to the group and as Kim started seeing the people, the guns, the vehicles of these little people it became too much for her and her knees locked and like a board she fell over having been a victim of fainting. Alexis tried to catch her but was not prepared for that turn of events luckily no one was harmed or damaged from Kim’s fall.
As Rektor saw his mother faint he leaned over to Sarah whispering “Fainting must run in the family”.