Hours had passed. The sun had rose. Keith was asleep as Aspen tried to avoid normal traffic. No need to explain why her window was blown out to any cops on the road.  "It's beautiful isn't it?" Keith asked scaring the hell out of Aspen. "Thought you died" she said quietly. "Nope. Still among the living. Using a sock for a bandage though wasn't the smartest idea. Stopped the bleeding but is sucking the blood out of me slowly. Least we're near Mt. Fuji. They say a brave man climbs it once. A fool climbs it twice" Keith said looking at the peak. "You know a great deal about Japan" Aspen said glancing at the cup holder. Claire and Hikari were sound asleep. "When I was younger I read about different places, different cultures. Dreamed about standing atop the Mayan pyramids. Seeing Big Ben. Walking under the Arc de Triomphe. Enjoying the feeling of being small in the world not just...hmmm" he said catching himself. He felt his shoulder.

"Keith. I just wanted to say you mean more to me that just my tech assistant" she said glancing at him. "Aspen. You gave me a home. Someone to talk to. You don't know how much that meant to me" he said. Aspen wiped her eyes. "Too bad you're human. I'd fuck you into my pussy in a heartbeat" she chuckled. "Yeah...too bad" he said. Aspen took an exit and drove a short distance. Hikari woke up as if she sensed something. "Over there. Park there" she said. "Can you get there by yourself?" Aspen asked looking at a hawk overhead. "My powers are dismissed. I should be fine though if I'm careful" Hikari replied. "We'll take you to her. We won't risk you being eaten by something" Keith said carrying Claire out the car with him. "No! You must enter the forest. It's dangerous to humans!" Hikari said pointing to a sign in Japanese.

"It says it's forbidden to enter the Forest of Suicides. A curse barrier protects the forest. Any human that enters will feel the overwhelming urge to kill themselves!" Hikari told them. *

(Authors note: there really is a Forest of Suicides at the base of Mt. Fuji. While not forbidden to enter, it does have a shitload of warnings. Popular and romantic spot to off yourselves for centuries)

Aspen took Claire from Keith. "I have my little reason to live right here" she said kissing Claire. "I'll be just fine Hikari. You can't get rid of us that easily" Keith chuckled. The koonago was touched at the sincerity of the giants and hopes they could brave the curse. 10 minutes into walking and everyone was fine. "Curse smersh. Enjoying the sights Claire?" Aspen asked her lover riding on her shoulder. "It's so pretty. Which a had a change of clothes though. It's kinda breezy being naked" Claire said. "I actually like seeing that tiny booty and those cute titties bouncing and jiggling as I walk" Aspen chuckled. "Aspen! Keith is right there!" Claire told her. "Oh come on. Not like he can't hear our fuck sessions back home. When we get home were going to have so much fun you won't be able to walk. Cool Whip heated up for you to swim around in. Your little body trembling as I suck it off nice and slow" Aspen whispered. "Me rubbing your nipples till they're rock hard. Caressing your lips with my bare feet. That begging look in your eyes when I lick you" Claire whispered back. Aspen grinned and then stopped in her tracks.

"We won’t always be this happy. I'll find some way to fuck it up. Your mom will disown you because of me. I'll step on you accidentally or smother you. I'll kill you like mommy and daddy" Aspen said starting to weep. "Aspen that's not true at all!" Claire said. "IT IS TRUE! Living off my parents’ insurance money. Money I'd never have if I didn't kill them. If I didn't distract daddy as he was driving then he, mommy, and even Jessica! I don't deserve happiness! I should just die!" Aspen screamed. Aspen took a bunch of fast steps as Claire held onto her hair to avoid falling off. Aspen snatched up a pointy stick.

"NO!" Keith screamed gripping her arm just before the sharp point could pierce her throat. "It's the curse! She's been afflicted!" Hikari yelled hanging on. "Aspen! Look at me! You're not alone! You have people that love you! Share you pain with us! Don't burden yourself with it alone!" Keith screamed. Aspen hesitated hearing that and Keith took advantage. With a chop to the base of her skull he knocked her out. Keith lowered her to the ground and pressed the button on her size watch. His trembling hand held the shrunken woman. "Down here!" Claire shouted pushing a dead leaf off her. Keith scooped her up and placed her on his free shoulder. "Oh dear god. Never knew she had such guilt inside her. Who the fuck is Jessica anyway?" Keith asked looking at Aspen. "Her unborn baby sister. Aspen told me that her mother was 5 months pregnant when the accident occurred. She was jealous of talk of a new sister and they were driving to the movies. Wet snow was on the road and her dad said something and pissed her off enough to kick his seat."

"Her dad looked behind him to her and the car drifted into the opposite lane. He overcorrected and they skidded right into a telephone pole. Aspen was the only survivor. As you saw she blames herself to this day" Claire explained. "That's nonsense. It was an accident and she was just a kid. If she felt like that still she should've told us" Keith said touching her tiny face. "Like you should tell her you're a borrower?" Claire responded. Keith had no comeback. "She looks so fragile like this laying in my hand" he whispered fixing her hair slightly. Claire wanted to say something how he kept petting her but his look of sympathy spoke of his true feelings.

"How are you feeling you two?" Hikari asked concerned. "Upset but not suicidal" Keith responded. "Goes for me too" Claire said. "It must not work on borrower Claire but why doesn't it affect you Keith?" she asked. "I'm like her. A borrower" he replied. Hikari looked shocked. "Long story. Please...please tell me were close to where we need to go" he said feeling slightly dizzy. "Beyond that line of rocks far ahead" Hikari pointed out. It was only another five minutes but to Keith it was like five hours as his feet got heavier with each step. "Aw crap" he said checking his wound. A trickle of blood came out but worse was the purple and slightly black ring around it. "Infected. Borrowers are prone to getting sick easier. We heal fast but get sick fast too. Claire. You know more about the watch than Hikari. Make...make sure you don't let the time limit hit. Press the button before 6 hours" he weakly said. "We're here!" Hikari yelled floating off his shoulder. "Take...them...I can't hold out" Keith said as the world began spinning around him. He got on one knee and placed Claire on the ground and handed Aspen to her. Keith promptly fell out. He could hear them both crying his name.

Aspen awoke with a start. She was in a futon and thought that everything was a bad dream brought on by bad sushi. However, she was dressed on nightwear unfamiliar to her. The outside door was cracked open letting in a nighttime breeze. It seemed okay but the sight of a ladybug the size of a basset hound landing near her room told her things weren't what they seemed. "Oh! You're awake. You need to resize soon" Claire said dressed in a fine kimono. Aspen looked at her size watch. A countdown of 39 minutes remained. Aspen stood up and changed into a pink kimono neatly laid out for her. Her bare feet slapping wood floors as Claire led her to the front of the home. She slipped on some sandals and was amazed as she stepped out the entrance door. "My god Claire! Look at it!" Aspen yelled.

"Incredible isn't it! An entire tiny city tucked in the forest. Everyone you see here are koonago" Claire said to her. Aspen was awestruck as she gazed at buildings, shops, homes in perfect scale with architecture harking back to medieval Japan. A koonago child of 6 pointed to Claire and Aspen and her mother quickly ushered her to keep walking. Men stared at them with obvious lust. "How big is this place?" Aspen asked. "Hikari said its four-square kilometers with 1500 koonago living here. They're worse off than borrowers" Claire replied. Aspen felt for her necklace and was relieved she still had it. It recorded everything. "Keith! What about Keith?!" Aspen yelled. "Calm down! Keith is fine. They dragged in through half of town before we realized he had his shrink watch on him" she said. "I should check on him" Aspen said. "First things first. Make your way to the center of town before you grow back" Claire said.

Claire followed her to the center and stood back. "Back up everyone!" Claire shouted. Aspen regrew herself and looked at the new view. "Amazing. Oh. Don't be afraid!" she said as people scrambled to get away from the giantess. She was a little heartbroken that they scurried away. Something caught her eye. "Look out!" she yelled seeing a distracted cart driver about to run over a koonago boy. The driver pulled his string to signal the beetle (that was pulling the cart) to stop. The child was frozen in place. Aspen snatched the boy up a second before being run over. "That was close wasn't it?" she said looking at him. Aspen was smitten with the boy. She had never seen such a cute tiny. Not even an inch tall and at most 8 years old. She had to pet him. The boy cried as her finger got close and as she petted him as gentle as he could he began to stop crying. "See? I won't hurt you" she said softly. Apparently, his mother was jumping up and down yelling for her kid. "Oops. My apologizes" Aspen said placing him down. The boy gazed at the foreign giantess and waved as his mother hugged him tight. "Huh. You look really young to have a kid" Aspen said judging the koonago mother to be no older than 17.

In fact, she noticed two distinct odd things that now stood out as she had caused a crowd to gather. For one, a least a hundred koonago had gathered at her feet and including the boy she had in her hand earlier, only 5 children could be seen. Surely, they didn't hide them all that fast. And then the second thing that was odd. Not one looked to be over 50. Elderly borrowers were rare as slow due to age was like a terminal illness for a tiny person. But Hikari said they were protected here. Aspen decided to let the mystery remain for later. She was still worried about Keith. "Claire! Where is Keith?" Aspen said not finding her in the crowd. Claire pushed her way forward tripping and landing face first on her lover's big toenail. "At a hot spring that way. But first before you go you should wait until he's back. Right now isn't a good time" Claire said. "You said he was fine" Aspen said taking a large step over the crowd. Many a male enjoyed looking up her yukata as a certain cultural perk for them stood out. Aspen spotted the hot spring. A shrunken Keith was alone but a few girls stood nearby looking at him and snickering. The giantess above them scared them off. "And here I was worried" Aspen said seeing a tiny Keith soaking and moving his shoulder.

"Aspen!  Didn't see you there. How do you feel?" he asked surprised she showed. "That's my line" she said. "Healing nicely. You scared me there you know" he said. Aspen sat down and slipped off her sandals. She placed her feet in the water inches from him. "I remember what happened. What you said. It broke the curse for just a moment. Never seen that look in your eyes. You were terrified of losing me" she said. Keith looked at her toes under the water. "I've lost to many loved ones already" he said quietly. Aspen picked him up. "You know my policy about tiny males" she grinned. Her grin stopped as she looked at his shoulder. "Why? I don't even see so much as a scar. How did it heal so fast?" she asked. Keith answered her question by looking at the spring. "The spring? But it only heals koonago...and borrowers" she said. Keith looked guilty. "Aspen I can explain" he quickly said. Aspen dropped him like a stone into the spring and he smacked right into her feet. Painful, but not serious as he bobbed up. "Okay you're mad" he said.

"Really Keith?!" Aspen yelled. "I don't even know what to ask first" she said. "I'm guessing why I never said anything is top on the list" he said. The giantess shot a glare right at him. "At first because I needed a place to live" he replied. His honesty was rewarded with a big toe impacting his chest. Aspen was so pissed her face was red and tears in her eyes. "Here me out please. You have no idea what my life was like before I met you that snowy night. What was to tell you? Hi, I'm a 6'2 borrower that is freezing to death. Can I crash at your place? You would've called the cops in a heartbeat. As our working relationship grew I gave it real thought about telling you the truth" he said. "And why didn't you? You could've trusted me!" Aspen shouted. "I was afraid you'd react like this or worse. I just didn't want to be alone again!" Keith yelled. His little body trembled as some of the truth came out. Aspen had been around enough borrowers to recognize trauma. Keith had all the signs.

Aspen sat down and picked Keith up. "I never wanted to lie Aspen" he said running his fingers along the lines in her palm. "So you grew yourself with a size watch? Didn't know it could do that! Claire could..." she said before Keith raised his hand. "No. That's not how it happened and the size watch can't grow people beyond their regular size. It..oh...we got an audience again" Keith said seeing koonago staring at them once more. "Really? Never seen Americans before?" Aspen asked annoyed. "Uh...I think that's not what caught their attention" he said. "What?" Aspen asked. "You really didn't notice? I would've noticed the breeze right away. Aspen...you're not wearing panties" he said. Aspen was hunched over exposing her bare ass and back cleft of her pussy to anyone in view. "And I waltzed right through town" she said. "So they got a show" Keith said. "This isn't funny Keith" she said enclosing her fist.

"Just trying to lighten the mood. I rather see you laugh after what almost happened in the forest" he said. Aspen opened her hand and pulled her kimono to cover her ass. "You love me don't you?" she said. "I set my feelings aside when I saw your relationship with Claire" he replied. "If you love me then why do you stare so much at Claire?" Aspen asked. There was a hint of jealousy in her tone. "She reminds me so much of someone I lost. I do love Claire but not in that way. Not like you" he said. Aspen brought him to her lips and kissed his bare chest. "That was for thinking about my feelings" she said. His tiny dick stood at attention. "I only want what makes you happy Aspen. It hurt me just as much it hurt you not to tell you what I really was" he said. Aspen saw that she was still be perved on. "Stay still" she said to Keith before tossing him into her mouth. She looked dead at them and made a swallowing motion. In truth she had pinned Keith under her tongue. She wriggled her fingers as if she wanted another morsel and the koonago ran. Aspen spat him out in her hand.

"That was mean Aspen" Keith said shaking her spit off him. "Don't be a baby. Claire doesn’t mind it when I do that" she said. "Not that. I meant scaring them. Now they think you'll eat them" he said. "What was I supposed to do? They kept ogling my ass!" she yelled. "To them your ass is the size of a car dealership. It's kind of hard not to stare. Besides, it's not a bad thing to look at" he said. "Like I didn't notice your hard on" she said. "I can feel your warm breath and see my reflection in your eyes. Yeah I'm aroused. I'm close to busting a nut right now" he said. "Then go ahead" she said blushing. Keith couldn't believe what she just said. Nevertheless, he began wanking as he stood in her palm. His tiny feet sank into her flesh which was slightly quivering. Aspen stared intently at him and then moved her mouth to the edge of her palm. She opened it as a gesture to shoot inside it. "Aspen..." he whispered just before shooting his tiny load into her cavernous mouth. Aspen snapped it shut and savored it for just a moment.

"Don't look at me like that. I told you I like tiny men" she said seeing his enamored   gaze. "So that's why. Put me down Aspen. Now" Keith said coldly. Aspen was taken aback by his tone but did sit him on the ground. "What are you so pissed about?" she asked. "You only did that because I shrunk. That's not fair to me at all. You can't switch your emotions for someone depending on their size" he lectured. "You're going to lecture me after what you did?" she asked. "TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT ASPEN!" Keith shouted. "You took advantage of my feelings for you. I thought you were better than that" he said quietly. Keith left her sitting there. Aspen sat there staring at her feet wondering why she even did that. Now Aspen and Claire had an understanding of a sort. Claire knew full well her attractions to male borrowers but as long as it was "just a one-time fling" Claire let it slide...reluctantly. As Claire saw it, Aspen had no romantic feelings other than the one for her.

The problem here was, Aspen couldn't deny that there was something going on between Keith and her. A "one-time thing" never works between friends. As far as Keith was concerned, Aspen used his feelings to scratch an itch. She saw him grow back to human size in the distance aware of his impending time limit. She wanted to apologize but a koonago landing on her shoulder stopped her. "Aspen? Why does Keith look like he is about to cry?" Hikari asked. "I hurt his feelings. Hikari. I kinda want to be alone" Aspen said. "Oh. I came because mother has summoned you all to the palace" she said. "Then we shouldn't keep her waiting. At least it will distract me" Aspen said standing up.

Aspen was led to the palace and waited for Claire and Keith to arrive after Hikari went to get them. All looked upon her as she shrank down. As Claire and Keith did arrive, Aspen glanced at him and Keith looked away. Claire cocked an eyebrow seeing some issue between them. "Take it you're upset you found out the truth?" Claire asked touching her shoulder. "That's not it" Aspen said looking forward. "This way please" Hikari said. As they entered, they took off their sandals and walked on the polished wood floor. Attendants bowed respectively as they made their way to the throne room. The sights helped to distract Aspen and Keith. Beautiful wood block paintings of koonago men and women hung on the walls.  A stand in the middle of the final entryway before the throne room held a sewing needle. "The original needle Issun-bōshi used to kill the oni" Hikari said proudly.

"Hikari. How old is this place?" Claire asked. "Centuries. It was built shortly after the unification of the three lands" Hikari replied. It was hard to believe that all they saw was actually small. The hallway that they had been walking on for the last three minutes was only three feet long. Eventually they entered the throne room. "Please sit as I do here" Hikari said sitting on her legs. They say down next to her and soon a koonago woman appeared. There was an air about her. Regal and proud. Even the streaks of gray in her hair didn't give away her age much. No wrinkles in her soft face or world weary were her eyes. Aspen thought she must've been. The oldest koonago she had seen yet. Maybe 55 or so. The woman sat down on a short pedestal and crossed her ankles. Even her tiny feet appeared younger than one would expect. "Wow. Your mom is a MILF" Keith whispered. Hikari cringed hearing that. "Keith-san please. The MILF you're referring to has the power to kill millions. Your tiny body she could crush in an instant if she sensed disrespect" Hikari whispered.

"Now daughter. There's no need to say that. These strange humans have done a great service. Greetings gaijin humans. My name is Himeko-hime or if you prefer Queen Himeko" she said smiling at them. "It's an honor queen" Aspen said bowing with respect. The koonago Queen was pleased with the respectfulness of the shrunken human. "Tell me Aspen, Claire, and Keith. While I'm grateful for returning my daughter. I'm suspect of your character as you were at that cursed inn" the Queen said. "My queen. Me and my friends are what you could call seekers of knowledge. Back home I run a documentary subscription service as a way to expose the injustice done to borrowers. We came to Japan to see if the legends of the koonago were true. It was said that your people are considered national treasures. We only wanted to film the existence of your people and hope to import the respect Japan gave to your kind to mine back home" Aspen said. The Queen tapped her tiny toes against the tatami mats.

"And you see that's not the case, don't you?" Himeko asked. They all nodded. "I let you into my city as my daughter begged me so. Seeing how you behaved even as you strolled around human sized, it appears I made the correct choice" Himeko said. "My queen. This is amazing! I've never seen such intricate work and community. Even the people speak English!" Keith said. "Unlike humans. We do not horde knowledge for the promise of obtaining wealth for it" she replied. "Not a fan of college apparently" Keith thought. "Do you mind if we ask questions about your kind?" Claire asked. "Not at all. It has been some time since humans have made it to my city. I'm intrigued by how you can change size without magic" she said. "You can do magic?" Aspen asked. "Very much so. Those of my bloodline can control water and earth magic along with a few others. Other bloodlines can control wind or fire" Himeko replied.

"Can you tell us how long your kind has been in Japan?" Aspen asked. Himeko glanced at her necklace and grinned. The queen walked right over to her and sat down. "Your camera can see me better yes?" she asked. Startled, Aspen could only nod. This close, Aspen saw a faint glow about her pupils and she smelled of cherry blossoms. "How long? Not even I, the oldest koonago alive knows that. My earliest memory is of my mother feeding me a rice grain so very long ago. Back then the people you know as Japanese hadn't arrived yet" Himeko said. "What? But that was thousands of years ago! May I ask how old you are?" Keith said. "I'll be 4,013 next spring" she replied. "And you don't look a day over 55" he said. "I see why you wish to mate with him Hikari. He says sweet things and means them" Himeko said. Hikari fidgeted with her feet as embarrassment overtook her.

"A gift of our kind. Once we hit or sexual maturity, we age at a much slower rate than humans. The cost though is it is hard to have children. I had Hikari here 145 years ago and no children since" Himeko said. Keith looked at Hikari. "Still cute" he said. Hikari was beet red. "The story of koonago began long ago. As far as we know, we came into existence alongside the arrival of the Ainu. Those you would call true natives of Japan. Some think the gods shrank tribes of Ainu so they could serve as guardians and overseers of nature. In those days, the humans coexisted with nature and koonago. Time passed and koonago broke into four families to watch over the four main islands of the nation. Each one masters of an aspect of nature. Hokkaido was home to the wind and water tribe. They could control ice and snow storms. The second was wind and earth in Kyushu. Bringers of harvests. The third fire and earth. Able to quell earthquakes and volcanoes in Honshu. And the fourth were masters of fire and water. The creators of dispellers of storms in Shikoku".

"Eventually, those from the continent arrived and settled here. We saw their hard lives and took pity on these humans. We gave them fruitful harvests, calm skies, and gentle winters. In return they worshipped us. Built shrines to us. Called us kami or gods. We even intermarried. Humans allowed us to shrink themselves to take koonago brides. Koonago relinquished their power and lifespans to live as humans. Then one day a new religion entered the lands. Buddhism taught humans we were not gods but creatures and worse yet tiny demons. No longer kami but yokai. Creatures.  And still we watched over humans as we saw many of them still appreciative of our kind."

"And one day a horde from the land of Korea came to take Japan for their own. The people prayed to their Buddha to save them from these Mongols and yet they ignored asking us to help. So we did not. Later me and some others watched them grieve for their dead from under leaves, floorboards, trees, and whatnot and saw the folly of helping only be rewarded worship. Children, innocent children, cried for fathers that died. Mothers cried for sons they would never see alive again. Then a lone girl, a child no older than 8 had trekked to a shrine for us overgrown with weeds and grass to pray. Her giant bare feet dirty and scraped from rocks and thistles only inches from me. She clapped her hands as custom to pray and I saw in her hand a seal of the imperial family. This was no ordinary child. She was the Princess. She had taken upon herself to sneak out the castle and make her way here. A pampered child had forsaken her safety and comfort to beg us to save the humans. She had shown more respect than humans had done for centuries. When the Mongols returned, we were there to greet them."

"The koonago daimyo of Shikoku made a typhoon that scattered the invading humans and obliterate their fleet. We gained favor in their eyes until the land became embittered with civil war. Turning to Buddhism to find a way to escape the crushing sadness, the humans virtually forgot about us once more. I myself, wandering to observe humans discovered a young one. A monk in training living with his master on a mountain, a young man of 15 found me. Expecting him to curse me or try to kill me he shared food with me. I fell in love and would shrink him to mate. It thrilled him to fuck in his begging bowl as I recall. The unexpected happened and I bore him a child. Years passed and I would bring the child with me so he could see her. One day his master caught us with him. Told him he was being deceived by lustful thoughts for demons. In those days you had four options as to how to live, a farmer, soldier, monk, or bandit."

"Not wanting to be an outcast and lose a peaceful life, the monk chose the worst thing he could do. He coldly crushed our daughter underfoot like a bug. She had just celebrated her 15 years of life and chose her gift to be with her father for a day. I lost my mind that day and cursed the monk.  I shrank him and watched knowing what would come. His master cast him out and left him to survive as small as I was in the wilderness. A death sentence if you have no magic to defend yourself. As the civil war dragged on, even koonago began to die as villages, forests, and towns burned. We began to retreat to the Mr. Fuji as it could protect us with its own power. The families merged to become one and we built this city. I myself refused to ever again help humans and ruled as Queen as I was now the oldest"

"Times changed once again and the land was unified. The new rulers calling themselves Tokugawa embraced both us and Buddhism and even asked to open relations with us. They gave us daughters and sons to help cement our union. Thinking humans had changed I gave them one final boon. I permanently silenced Mt. Fuji. It would never erupt again. Years passed and our population grew. The human and koonago offspring proved they could get pregnant easier but they were weaker and died sooner than the purebloods. Wanting a child myself seeing others have them I approached a human with the idea. We both understood that marriage was impossible as he was too important to leave his people. A young man of 20 gave me a child. His touch making me forget the centuries of pain and grief as we had sex under his throne.  He was a great man even at that age. It was he who gave us the name koonago. No longer yokai. We were koonago which meant tiny woman but we knew that the word was meant for male and female of our kind."

"I gave birth to Hikari and he loved us so much he declared koonago a national treasure to be protected. But like all human eras, that too gave to change" Himeko said sadly. "Hikari. You're the daughter of Emperor Meji?" Keith asked. "I am. My bloodline would make me a suitable wife would it not?" the little koonago replied scooting very close to Keith. Aspen felt slightly irritated at how close she was to him. "What happened?" Claire asked. "Japan had westernized so much that they wanted an empire of their own. They militarized in both weapons and ideology. Superstition gave way to science and koonago were a sore reminder that there are things that science cannot explain. Dozens of soldiers appeared in the forest to massacre us."

"And they almost did. Friends I had known for a thousand years were crushed under their boots like bugs. Hikari's nursemaid was cruelly eaten just for sport. It was then I turned on the suicide curse that protects this city and my people. I wanted as one by one they killed themselves. In my grief I saw our people decimated. We were once a people of tens of thousands and now barely 1700. The dirt itself was red mud. Sandals and kimonos were the only proof that a koonago once stood in a pit made by a human boot. My rage boiled over and I used my magic over the earth to shake the tectonic plate. By the end of the week, I had killed over 100,000 humans and leveled entire cities*"

(Authors note: I did a lot of research for this chapter. Himeko is referencing a real historic event. On September 1, 1923 an earthquake measuring as high as 8.2 struck right near Tokyo. It leveled the city including nearby villages and towns. The casualties well over 100,000 people not including the 40,000 missing due to 33 ft. high tsunamis and landslides)

"Even I was appalled at what I had done and as a people we withdrew from human society. We did nothing to stop the horror of the Second World War that came less than two decades later. We watched as cities that we had seen begun as just a collection of leaky huts and grown into majestic city miles in every direction...burned to ash in a day. Right...wrong. We didn't care about that. I've seen humans kill one another since I was weaned from my mother's breast. Why would humans with gold hair and blue eyes be different from any others? The war did end as they all do and we watched humans rebuild. By this time my heart had softened a little and Hikari here witnessed children eating bark from trees and no parents to provide for them. We used out magic to soften storms, fertilize soil and keep earthquakes at bay."

"The older generation knew this was our doing and went back to worshipping us. Years passed and the new government gave us the respect we deserved once more. Protected us. Gave us food and any supplies we needed. It seemed at long last we found a lasting peace with humans. Then my daughter here ventured out to explore and went missing near Tokyo. I sent people to search and they went missing. As we can sense the death of others, I knew that they had not died but strangely I couldn't sense them at all. They were there and suddenly they weren't. I went to meet with the prime minister and sensed his lies. He knew something. I have an ultimatum. Return those missing or I destroy their city. They had one year and so concludes my story. Sorry if it was long" Himeko said.

"No. It was very informative. Well you don't have to destroy them now do you?" Aspen said. Himeko looked to the side. "I haven't decided. They still haven't adhered to my threat" Himeko said. "But Hikari is right here?! You can't do this?!" Keith yelled. Himeko leaned forward and flicked him in the forehead. Instantly Keith was shrunk down and now Hikari towered over him. "I went from front the largest borrower to the smallest..." Keith said looking at the gigantic queen. "You will not dictate what I can do lesser being. I have tolerated your...outbursts out of respect for my daughter" she said standing.  The queen stepped forward. Her tiny feet now massive to him stopped near enough to him he could see the faint hairs on the top of her toes. Hikari snatched him up away from her mother's feet. "Mother he meant no disrespect! He is worried about how many could die!" Hikari yelled.

"I suppose I can accept that. My point is you had to rescue her. If it wasn’t for you shed still be a sex slave. They must be held accountable" Himeko said sitting back down. "My humblest apologies my queen" Keith squeaked out in Hikari's hand. Pleased she touched his head and grew him back. Hikari looked slightly dejected he wasn't shrunk in her hand anymore. "Allow me to make an observation. Humans are far more dangerous now. They have weapons that can scorch the earth or poison it. You do this and they will bomb your city from the sky where your curse can’t touch them" Keith said. "And our storms will knock them out the sky" Himeko retorted. "No typhoon can stop a missile. You do that and at best you will have to live on the run. Between the Internet, cellphones, and satellites. You'll be found and they'll kill you. You can kill millions and they can kill your entire race. Now ask yourself. Is it worth the risk?" Keith asked.

The tiny queen thought about his words. She had seen with her own eyes decades ago the power of a nuclear bomb. It astounded her that humans could make something as bright as a star and deadly as anything in nature. "Someone must pay" she said very quietly. Himeko didn't look regal or proud at that moment. She looked like someone who just wanted anyone to answer for the loss of some of her beloved people. Something Keith resonated with all too well. Keith got up and sat right beside her. He squeezed her hand and she looked at him as if insulted. "I understand that feeling. I lost my sister to a human" he said to her. The queen turned away not wishing them to see her cry. "What if there was a way to satisfy both points of view?" Keith asked. "The humans at the inn" Aspen said. "That...that would work. We've been using the natural springs to make a connection to them all day. We were about to take back our people" Himeko said.

Himeko led them to a dark room with glowing water on the floor. Four girls surrounded it and a thread of energy came from them. "Wow. Aspen make sure you're recording that" Claire said. The spring shown the inn and one by one koonago dove in. 30 minutes later they returned with the humans and also the borrowers kept there. Himeko ordered her attendants to see to them all. The trio didn't see the queen again until they were summoned later that evening.

"There were 22 borrowers rescued and 19 koonago. From what the others said at one time there were as many as 40 koonago. 21 lost..." Hikari said sitting with Keith. The tiny girl softly sobbed in his arms. "I'm sorry for your loss" he said. The girl kissed him with no warning shoving her little tongue in his mouth. Keith broke the kiss. "Hikari...I..." he was saying until the koonago began to take off her kimono. She looked exceptionally beautiful. "Am I pleasing enough? I used the juice from blackberries to paint my toes for you? That is your thing isn't it? Pretty feet?" she asked. "Hikari...I can’t give you what you want" he said. "You love Aspen" she said softly. "Yes I do. If I did it my heart wouldn't be fully into it" he said.

"You are too kind for your own good. Keith...may I ask a boon of you?" she said. Keith nodded. "Give me a child. Even if you can't stay with me just give me a piece of you" she pleaded. Keith thought for a moment. His borrower instincts demanded he fuck a baby in her. At his age he normally would have at least 10 kids by now. He did love Hikari. He just loved Aspen more. He weighed is answer. Telling her no would crush her. Saying yes however would feel like a betrayal of sorts to Aspen. Then again Aspen did friend zone him quite quick. Keith had her come close and pulled her down onto the futon.

He let instincts take over as he tore his clothes off. Hikari gasped at the size of his dick. She had wanted to see it since she first saw him as a rumor of westerners had colossal cocks compared to Asians. "Are all penises that big in America?" she asked touching it. "If you're lucky. Tell me if it hurts" he said lining it up with her pussy. He got the tip in and pushed into her. It did hurt but she dared not speak out. "Christ you're tight" he groaned as it felt like he was splitting steel. He bottomed out and gave her time to adjust. Keith took ahold of her left foot and rubbed her sole with his thumb. She sighed as he sucked her toes. The taste of blueberries on his tongue from her toenail polish. "That tickles" she said feeling his tongue between her toes. Seeing her better now he began to make love to the princess of the koonago.

Minutes passed into an hour and Keith was on his third and final cum. Hikari was on top and laying on his chest as he bounced her up and down his shaft. She let out a cute squeak as she came. Her tiny pussy milking him for the last drops of semen. Both collapsed out of breath. "Keith?" she asked watching him get up. "Time limit" he said putting on clothes. Hikari nodded and let him leave. She felt her belly. "And I hope the kami will answer my prayer" she muttered. Keith sat outside the city human sized as he checked the cool down for shrinking again. Tiny splashing nearby said he wasn't alone.

"Didn't know you were there Aspen" Keith said looking down at her. "I can leave" she said. "No. Don't leave" he said looking at her tiny body. Aspen sat back down splashing the water with her legs. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you like that. I'm a real shitty friend" she said up to him. Keith yanked her out the water. Aspen was actually scared of him until he opened his palm. "If we're being honest right now. I love you so much it hurts. There I said it. Holding you like this makes you seem all the more precious. Having said that your heart belongs to Claire and I can live with that. You and Claire deserve each other. You don't love me. You like me more when I'm tiny to you but that's not love is it? Real friends get over shitty moments like we had. Can you?" he asked. Aspen wiped her eyes and nodded. Keith out her back in the water. "When we get home, I'll tell you everything there is to know about me" he said.

Aspen got out the water and dried herself off. "You're far nicer than other guys" she said. "I learned the hard way that being nice can change everything. Let's head back" he said hiding his hand out.

When they returned Hikari and Claire were waiting. "You've been spending more time with him alone" Claire said to her. "I'm still your giantess if you think he's horning in on your territory" Aspen smiled. "Prove it" Claire said. Aspen whispered something in her ear. "In public?!" Claire said. Aspen nodded. Claire smiled with a huge grin and couldn't wait for their next play time. Keith shrank back down as Hikari led them to the edge of town. A crowd had gathered at a raised stage. On their knees and needles at their throats were the humans, now shrunk and naked, that happened to be at the inn. The middle-aged woman hostess, the servant girl, the older female guest that ate the boy, the young female guest, the guards, a young cook, and the fat man that nearly ate Claire. Aspen, Claire, and Keith recognized them all.  

"You all stand accused of killing koonago in various ways. How do you plead?" Himeko asked after stepping on stage. The crowd yelled in Japanese at them until they were hushed. Each one plead for mercy amidst babbling and crying. The middle-aged woman herself was hysterical saying Himeko had no right to judge her as she was a "lowly koonago". Instantly Himeko shrunk her down till only she and the closest to the stage could see tiny speck of a woman. The queen squashed her under her tabi socked foot with no hesitation. As proof of her judgement on her, Himeko took off her sock and tossed it into the crowd. The stain of blood easily seen on the white sock.

The others begged utter forgiveness bowing and scraping to earn her favor. "As you cry for mercy that is admission of guilt. I will render verdict. For the men...as no woman wishes to have you mate with them after what you've done, the sentence is death by tanuki. As for the two human females, your lives will be spared as you will give your bodies over to birthing new koonago. I recall the death toll was 21" Himeko said. "NO! We can't give birth to that many! It would take decades for that if we even survive!" the teenage girl cried. "Then I suggest you get started. You can join the fate of the males if you wish" Himeko said. The women were hauled off the stage screaming and sobbing. "Now summon the tanuki!" Himeko cried out.

The men were left alone until three girls appeared stark naked and pregnant. They danced in front of them gracefully. Their tiny feet seemingly to glide just above the floor. One by one they fingered themselves and wiped their juices on the chests of the men. The men no longer afraid. Just entranced by them as if magic. "That's fucking weird. How's that a punishment and what's a tanuki?" Claire asked. "This is a sacred dance called the Dream of Judgement. Only pregnant girls may perform it. As what’s a tanuki...a raccoon like animal that's has a hunger for female koonago soon to give birth. She smears her vaginal juices on the men to fool the tanuki into thinking they're females carrying child. Now don't move for the next part" Hikari explained.

Out of nowhere a giant furry animal appeared right at the back of the stage. An invisible barrier shimmered as its huge paws touched it. It sniffed around. "Fuck me sideways" Aspen whispered seeing the creature as big as a two-story house in front of them. Its beady eyes locked into the fat man and scooped him up in his paws before devouring him like a fat strawberry. "Help me!" one of the guards screamed as the tanuki bent down and seized him in its mouth. His body disappeared with ominous crunching. One by one they were eaten. Blood and body parts littered the stage and only the young man remained. "I NEVER HURT ANY KOONAGO!" he screamed. "But you did kill and serve up borrowers" Himeko said casually. The older teen whimpered as the creature raised its paw with sharp claws and slammed it down hard.

He screamed as the claws tore into his flesh. The tanuki yanked him back. "Don't eat me...don't eat me..." he choked out as his lies were pulled into his open mouth and then clamped down tearing him in half. Aspen and Claire couldn't look at the sight. Keith did dumbfound. The tanuki licked up the blood, scraps of flesh, and gave one last look at the crowd. "Away with you" Himeko said hitting the creature with a gust of scattered dust. The tanuki scampered off into the woods to digest its meal.  Aspen, Keith, and Claire stood motionless shocked beyond thought. People had gone about their business as the spectacle was done leaving them. "Aspen? Can we go home now?" Claire croaked out. Aspen silently nodded.

"It is gruesome yes but the punishment does deter capital crimes" Hikari said seeing their faces. "We have a thing back home preventing cruel and unusual punishment" Aspen told her. "Do you not have electric chairs and gas chambers?" Hikari asked annoyed. "Yeah we have those. I’m not going to debate the death penalty here. That's something above my pay grade. What I'm saying is what we saw was not just cruel but barbaric. The only thing missing was popcorn and your mom selling tickets" Aspen said. Hikari stepped real close to her. Her eyes flaring as she reached for her. "Who are you to judge my culture human? I have had to deal with your rivalry long..."  Keith grabbed her arm.  

"Don't you dare. You use your power to bully the helpless then you're not better than the humans that kept you prisoner" he said throwing her hand aside. Aspen was so frightened she instinctively cliched Keith's arm. Hikari saw that and adding to his words cut her deep in her tiny koonago heart. "Now it's time for us to leave" he said to her. Hikari looked down and her sandaled feet. Her little tears falling on her little toes. "I did not mean to threaten. I was incensed and jealous. I apologize" Hikari said. Keith put his hand on her shoulder. "It takes a big girl to admit wrong. Big in character I mean" he said smiling. Hikari chuckled at his joke. She hugged him and Keith kissed her lips softly. "I'll treasure what you gave me" she whispered. Keith looked at her belly somberly. "Time to go" he told Aspen and Claire.

The girls shot him glances as they walked to the entrance to the city. Most especially Aspen. The crickets chirping sounded like sawing logs still being tiny. The moon however looked just as far away as it ever did to Aspen and Keith. Two attendants stood beside Himeko and Hikari. "My daughter informed me you will leave us tonight" the Queen said. "Yes my queen. We wish to return to our lives" Aspen said. "I understand. You have done us a great service. Rest assured we will care for the borrowers like our own. Honestly, it will be a boon to us to have fresh blood and diversity. The koonago cannot keep living in the past. The world is being homogenized and so should we. Take care Aspen, Claire, and you most especially Keith. I shall lift the curse for you so you can return safely. Hikari, you wish to say something?" Himeko asked.

"Aspen. Please take care of Keith for me. May you enjoy your luck to have him in your life. Keith...when the time comes I will chose a suitable name the reflects both our cultures" she said bowing. The parted ways and Aspen and Keith regrew to their normal size. Claire sat on Aspen's shoulder enjoying the night air. As they neared the road, Claire spoke. "I have to know. Did you fuck her?" Claire asked Keith. Aspen shot her a look. "What? She was so into him" Claire said. "She wanted a kid and I did have feelings for her. So yeah I fucked her Claire" Keith replied still walking. Aspen's jaw was tight.  She didn't want to hear that. "And you just left her" Aspen said. "Regardless how I feel I have an obligation to you...on more than one level. Anyway, a person can love more than one person" he said looking back at her. That shut Aspen up.    

"Well I guess the car was towed along with our shit in the trunk" Keith said. "Let's get to walking then" Aspen said to them.

Later that morning...

Aspen sat comfortably in her leather seat. "We should've took first class to begin with" Claire said. "No kidding. Nobody got a seat up here on this red eye flight. How's the tea?" Aspen asked. "Just right. Feels so good on my skin" Claire said sitting soundly in a cup of green tea.  Aspen took a sip and licked her lips. "Hey!" Claire said bracing herself putting her bare feet on the rim. "Yummy. A dash of salty flavor mixed with sweet. Claire flavored tea. We could sell this shit" Aspen chuckled. Claire grinned as she raised her leg up. The giantess sucked her tiny limb all the way to the clad in her mouth. The little borrower wriggled her toes as her bare sole was tickled by Aspen's taste buds.

"I'm sorry that we didn't spend as much time together on this trip" Aspen told her. "Speaking of together. What's with you and Keith?" Claire asked. "Complicated. He admitted his feelings for me but I don't feel that depth of love. However, I got jealous of him and Hikari. I was moved at how he pleaded for me in the forest. What I feel for him isn't the same how I feel for you. You're my soulmate..." Aspen said looking over at the sleeping Keith. "Can I give you a borrower perspective? Mom told me when she was a kid they lived in a community where men and women had more than one lover. A necessity as you can imagine. Humans and borrowers aren’t all that different in the long run. Maybe what you're feeling is a crush?" Claire asked shaking the tea water out of her blonde hair. "Maybe. I don't want to marry him. I want to marry you. Maybe that's the measuring stick."

"I know so little about him. I did a People Search on him when I met him. Nothing. Not so much as a Netflix account. And now I found out he's a borrower. How did he get that big? Is Keith his real name?" Aspen asked. "Does it matter? He's still the same guy that cares about you" Claire said climbing out the cup and snagging a napkin to dry off. "Personal reasons I guess. He did say he'd tell us everything when we got home" Aspen said. "What will you do with that footage?" Claire asked drying her hair. "Get Keith to edit it. Hours of shit on it. We'll send the unedited version to the Japanese government. They can see how close to destruction they came and back the fuck off koonago. Hold those responsible hopefully" Aspen replied.

Two days later...

"As news from what the media is dubbing the "Koonago Revelation" is still coming out of Japan, the rest of the world is wondering if other species of homo smallicus exists in their countries, and most importantly, if they are as powerful as koonago. A sex trafficking ring specializing in koonago was exposed by an anonymous source to the Japanese government. Their response was to quickly denounce those involved as koonago were a state secret and protected as national treasures. Many Diet members were exposed and one had gone missing despite an exhaustive search. The resort inn involved was raided and evidence of brutal treatment was exposed as kitchen utensils have been found stained with koonago and even borrower blood. As word got out of borrower involvement, the price of borrowers skyrocketed so much that overseas sales have fallen sharply. Many borrower rights activists are saying we should use the Japanese model for how they treat their native tinies as a protected species. Their opponents say as borrowers have no powers, they are not eligible to be compared to the nature powered koonago. As more develops we will keep reporting on this story. Now for your local weather..." the news reporter said on the tv...

"Way to go Aspen!" Claire shouted holding a piece of popcorn. "Yeah that went over better than I hoped. Stirred the pot so to speak" Aspen said reaching into her popcorn bowl. "What do you want to do next?" Claire asked. "Well my pussy is aching for a tiny girl to go into it. Know anyone up for the task?" Aspen grinned. Claire stripped off her pajamas. "Ready when you are" Claire said walking between her legs on the soft carpet rug. "Guys. I'm ready to talk. Oh...I can wait" he said seeing them ready to get dirty. "No...it can wait. I want to hear how a 6'2 borrower can exist without a size watch. More importantly why the government is hunting you...if that's really true" Aspen said pulling her sweatpants back up.

"Well they are looking for me. As to why...well I should begin at the beginning" Keith said sitting down and getting comfortable ready to tell them the whole truth...