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Disclaimer

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All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

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Is this story right for me?

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• This story is lore heavy. Meaning, the central focus is on the overall plot, character development, and terrible tropes. If you're here for the lewd, I'm afraid there is going to be quite a bit of set-up that I highly recommend you not to skip. I'm working hard to make a captivating story that everyone can enjoy, and so your patience will be much appreciated!!
• With that in mind, this story is NSFW. There will be elements of nudity, obscene language, mild gore, and potential hand holding. Reader discretion is advised.

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Okay, but like, if it's lore focused, then how much emphasis is there on the lewd?

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Great question, myself. There will be chapters entirely dedicated to comprehensive scenes of "lewd material", that work with the context of the story, but don't actually contribute to the plot. These chapters will be marked with "(Filler)". They can be skipped without consequence (or skipped to, if you decided to forsake the actual story). 'But Dinem,' you ask yourself. 'That's not remotely what the term filler means!'. Yes, you are completely correct. Unfortunately for you, I live in a free country where my incorrect colloquialisms are not punishable by the extent of the law, meaning I am free to misattribute terms however I please. (But really, I just couldn't think of a better way to mark them).

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Other things I should get out of the way

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• The "macros" of this story are all female. Should there ever be a scene where the humans (tinies) become giant (wink wink), then an opportunity presents itself for male content. As of now, that is not the plan, but as I am happy to write that sort of stuff, so if I get enough feedback requesting it, then I will consider adding male giant content.
• In all honesty, I do not read or write works of fiction frequently, and a lot of this is going based on my gut. Your feedback is very valuable to me, because I want to make this story the best I can make it. If you have any feedback that can't or shouldn't be plopped in a review, then my Discord and Twitter are on my profile, and just shoot me a message!
• This story does not, as of yet, have a predetermined timeframe, number of chapters, or interval in which new chapters get released. Honestly, even the overarching story is not yet entirely envisioned or set in stone. Reader feedback and reception, in all honesty, will probably play a role in not only the trajectory the story takes, but how long I continue it, and how complete it feels.
• I totally recommend you up your text size to 2, click the + sign twice from the default
  
• I will be updating this page in the future, so stay tuned.

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Table of Contents

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• Chapter 1 - A New Leaf (2021 October 10)
• Chapter 2 - A Promise (2021 October 10)
• Chapter 3 - Arto (2021 October 10)
• Chapter 4 - [Coming soon...]

Happy reading! Please consider leaving a review :)

        “That is – quite a request. It’s definitely uncommon for any woman to be interested in becoming a Unit. You have to understand your job will be a very dangerous one. What you may perceive to be just a small slip-up is not only a danger to your survival – but the entire colony’s. It would be imperative that you act with not only caution but also assertion.”

        My fist clenches up tight. While not outright sexist, his biases manifest in such a way as to discourage me. However, while I was not exactly close friends with Jack back on Earth, I still interacted with him enough to know that he was not a bad person. He could be a bit condescending at times, the Oxford English accent doing him no favors. Still, subtle facial cues also support the idea that he is not trying to dissuade me out of incredulity, but concern. I need to stand firmly and confidently to gain Jack’s trust. To join the Second Squadron would finally be a chance to give myself a sense of meaning, and protect those I love from the fate that awaited Leon. Leon… I am the only one left who believes that he is still alive – and as a Second Unit, my training and experience would grant me the tools necessary to rescue him.

        “With all due respect, Jack… there are many powerful leaders even in the First Squadron who are women. You’ve said it yourself, the most imperative trait for success in becoming a Unit is aspiration. What I aspire to do is to join the First Squadron alongside those leaders. What I aspire to do is become independent, to become trustworthy, to—”

        “To rescue Leon,” He interrupts me with a hint of reproach, and an apparent ability to read my mind. “That kind of simple-minded thinking won’t get you very far. What happens when you search endlessly, and after years, you come to terms that there is no other explanation than his passing? You need to be driven internally, motivation and longing are things that dissipate over time.”

        “And how are you any different, Jack?!” My composure quickly deteriorates. Jack struck a nerve, and he is well aware of it. “You are driven by the goal of protecting the colony! We are both just fighting to protect others. So, what happens if every last one of us in the colony perishes? You and I both know damn well that can happen in the blink of an eye. You can’t claim that–”

        “Don’t fucking say that ever again. Heaven forbid that ever happens.” Jack’s raw emotion shines through for just a moment. He puts his head down and recomposes himself, quickly realizing that he had lost his professional conduct. However, his nervous energy lingered, and manifested itself as he paced back and forth around the dimly lit room of tree bark. “The point, Lin, is that my raison d'être extends beyond this colony. We all long for the day that another rift is opened, and we can return to Earth. So long as one human so much as breathes, I will be fighting tooth and nail for our preservation.”

        I took some time to process what Jack said. Perhaps that makes Jack and I more similar than he thinks. Another rift opening is just a pipe dream in and of itself – despite what Doctor Froh’s everlasting optimism would tell him. Perhaps it is even more far-fetched than my dream that Leon is out there somewhere, probably being held prisoner, and is in need of a hero. Still, it would straight up be a lie to claim that my drive was anything but monomaniacal. In a last-ditch effort to restore a decaying opportunity, I tried to appeal to Jack’s realism.

        “Look, Jack…” My voice became gentler, trying to relieve the tension that had built up. “I know you don’t trust I am up to the task right now. But this tree is quickly running out of Lebenssaft. Our entire colony will need to migrate in a matter of days. The Second Squadron needs strong, capable Units willing to lead, comfort, and inspire the uneasy masses. I can promise you, you will see quick results with me. My head is screwed on tight. If I fail you, then – you can take action against me as you wish. But you will never know unless you give me a chance. And I will never know unless I try.”

        Silence lingers in the room for what has to be a few minutes. Jack keeps his hand up against a wall, head down, contemplating the situation. The mental burden he has to bear in his position must feel like carrying the weight of the entire world on his shoulders. I know he isn’t alone, but he must mentally feel alone. He isn’t just the leader of the entirety of the Second Squadron, but a de facto leader of this colony. Rapidly deteriorating situations keep unfolding, and he is expected not only to handle them but to keep everyone calm. This migration would be the third for us, and we had faced many more casualties than newcomers. We have to be down to a hundred by now. Units used to comprise around one in every ten members of the colony, but after enduring so much loss, they now make up nearly a third. The First Squadron has a mere five Units here, whereas the Second Squadron has a couple dozen. Some Units of the Second Squadron have been considering migrating to much larger colonies, as the current ratio was just a waste of human manpower. Jack has put up little resistance to leaving them to their own devices, as it may make him appear weak. As if he couldn’t handle the task with a smaller squadron. Circumstances began to make him despondent, but I am here now, offering my hand.

        “Tomorrow,” Jack’s sudden remark interrupts my train of thought. I tilt my head. “Your training starts tomorrow.”

        My eyes light up with limitless glee. I am being given the opportunity of a lifetime, I have taken the first step. A fire starts up again inside of me, reminding me of my goal, reminding me that any human can be more than a bug. I spring up and down, and then I reach up to his shoulder, and grab a ball of Jack’s uniform in my hand.

        “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jack! You won’t be disappointed! I will learn everything quickly, and I’ll quickly become your most reliable Unit! You don’t know what this means to me!”

        Jack knocks my hands off of his vest, shaking his head.

        “Don’t make too many empty promises, I don’t like being let down. Stay humble. I have a lot to teach you. You are to report back to my office tomorrow at sunrise. Just as easily as I gave you this honor, I can take it back, so you ought not be late. Admittedly, I still think of you as a friend, but as the dynamic between us has changed, you are to refer to me from now on as General Jack. I will return the same respect to you, Unit Lin.”

        “Sir, yes, sir!” I give Jack a military salute, and nod my head quickly.

        “You’re already messing up! I told you to call me General Jack, not sir!” Jack says with a sarcastic smile, obviously teasing. Jack, of course, has a soft side, and my goofy demeanor that arose from my excitement drew it out. I follow Jack out of the room and into another room, the Quarter of Operations, which is completely empty apart from us two. Contained within are some workout equipment, a whole bunch of makeshift weaponry, stockpiles of rations, tables littered with meals yet to be cleaned up, memorabilia, the barracks, and just about every other thing an all-in-one room for Unit operations would need. The environment itself fills me with excitement, even though the imminent migration would render this all obsolete.

        “So,” Jack says, beholding before him a large closet with unisex uniforms. “What size are you?”

…

        Noel would be in for quite a surprise when I returned home in a Unit uniform. She had stayed optimistic that the interview would go well, especially considering the already existing dynamic between me and Jack, but there was always that lingering skepticism. Right near the tree hollow are the steps up to the main living spaces. Jack likely would not give me a Unit living space until we migrate, but I may turn the offer down, as I don’t want to abandon the idea of living alongside Noel. She just means too much to me, and if there is anyone I am fighting for besides Leon, it is Noel. She deserves to be kept safe and happy.

        I open the door to our room. What I see just melts my heart. Noel had prepared a cake with candles for me. By the look of it, it had to be packed with Lebenssaft and everything sweet. Noel probably prepared the cake expecting that if I was accepted, we could celebrate together, and if I was rejected, I would at least have a cake to keep my spirits up. Noel may not be very capable, but she would undoubtedly do almost anything to keep me happy. Just the sight of it made my heart speed up a little, and I tear up a bit. Of course, she's sleeping, sitting, and slouched over at the table with her face down in her arms. Thankfully, she didn’t have to see my embarrassing arrival.

        I slip my boots off to minimize the amount of noise I make. I sneak up carefully behind her, and wrap my arms around her sides, hugging her tightly from behind. She jumps up, startled by the sudden physical contact.

        "Sneak attack!" I shout through laughter.

        "Lin, you dork, you scared me!" 

        She reciprocates with laughter, extending her arms above her head to hug me back, nuzzling against my head. She slides down her chair, escaping the lock of my embrace, and descending all the way to the floor. She then jumps up and spins around. Her face quickly shifts from a smile to a wide gape.

        "Lin, you – you really…"

        "That's Unit Lin to you, you rascal! Don't wear it out!"

        Noel does not hesitate at all to intentionally tackle me down to the ground by the shoulders, shouting my name. She nearly gives me a concussion for the thousandth time, but by now I am used to protecting my head from colliding directly with the ground.

        "Lin, I knew you could do it, I knew you could!"

        Noel, despite being only a year younger than me, often has as much energy as a little kid on a sugar rush. She's never shown that level of excitement and affection with anyone besides me, even on Earth. She has been my best friend for months, and I've been hers, drawn increasingly closer to each other thanks to our circumstances. At times, I've felt like “best friend” was even too light of a term - sometimes merely seeing her elicits something in me.

        She pulls her head back and stares down at me, and we share a nice moment where we can just stare at each other in bliss. She is a brunette with a light coating of freckles over her nose. She wears the dorkiest attire sometimes, but her most notable feature is the aviator hat and goggles she wears on her head all the time. I have never fully understood why she does it, but it gives her adorable flaps that I love to play with.

        "I'll protect you at all costs, Noel. Promise. Okay? Just stick with me." I reassure her.

        "Hey, not fair! You think I can't protect you too, because I can!"

        "Well, you already do protect me by keeping my spirit afloat. I would honestly feel lost without you here, Noel. But please, don't jump in a line of fire just for me. I am training to take on the giant world we've been plopped into, and one of the most important things for me is making sure you don't get hurt. Anything else, I'll get through. You just have to trust me."

        She brushes the hair away from one of my eyes that I neglected since she tackled me to the ground.

        "You're doing it for Leon mostly though, right?"

        "No! I– it's not mostly for him. Yes, I'm going to find him, but protecting humans at all costs is my main goal. Macros threaten our existence all the time, and I refuse to let them take the life of someone I care for."

        Noel tilts her head, displaying a bit of what I thought was skepticism, but then she smiles weakly. That smile starts to disappear as she begins to realize something.

        "You're not going to forget me when you start living with the other Units, right..? I would have to find a new roommate, but no one compares to the mighty Lin."

        "That's the great part. I'm not going anywhere! I am going to put in a special request to be able to continue to live in the Main Living Quarters. I honestly don't want to live in the Barracks."

        Noel seems delighted. She springs upwards, rushing over to the table.

        "I almost forgot to tell you! I baked you a cake! Plenty of Lebenssaft. Don't worry, I didn't steal from the colony reserves, these were actually my rations that I had just been stowing away."

        "You really need to be careful," I scrunch my eyebrows. "If you don't get your fix, you'll definitely start shrinking. It's already difficult enough to live in a world of macros, but we manage. If you shrink any further, there's no telling what would happen to you."

        She squats down on the floor with me, handing me a fork and cutting me a slice.

        "I know, don't worry. I've talked plenty with Professor Froh. I made sure I wouldn't be endangering myself. It turns out that we actually get rations around twice as often as we really need to. We are just so used to eating two or three meals a day from back on Earth, so it's kind of odd to imagine you could get by with only one serving of Lebenssaft a day," She shoves food in her mouth. "But it's just to be extra cautious that they collect so much for us."

        "I see – you better make sure you're saving some of your rations for the migration. The Units won't be able to carry enough for everyone, so you really don't wanna risk it. Hey! Are you even listening to me?"

        Noel is already stuffing her face with the cake she made before I even take my first bite. It’s hard to believe that she was paying attention when scoop after scoop was shoveled into her mouth. I roll my eyes and smile, joining her in the festivity. We spent the rest of the night having a drawing contest that devolved into anarchy. Becoming a Unit never meant I had to lose my childish side. It turned out the cake gave us both a serious sugar rush, and so I crashed. And as the morning bells sounded, we were still out cold.

        I hop on one foot as I attempt to strap my boot on with a single hand, using my other hand to comb my unkempt hair. Based on the loud sound of the battalion training downstairs, which normally happens around noon, I had definitely overslept the mandatory meeting with Jack. A few minutes later would make no difference at this point, but I still decided to make a fool of myself by attempting to get dressed, comb my hair, brush my teeth, shave my legs, and file my taxes simultaneously. Well, maybe not one of those.

        One accident simply begets another, as I begin to tumble down the stairs from hopping on a single foot. Once I finish tumbling down the stairs, my face crashes directly into Jack’s boot – apparently, the universe is trying to force a concussion on me since Noel couldn’t. I scramble to my feet, saluting to Jack! My uniform is half on and half off, only one arm is through the vest’s sleeve, my boot has fallen off on the way down the stairs, and the comb sticks in my disheveled hair.

        “Good morning, General Jack! S-Sir…”

        Jack shakes his head in clear contempt and disgust. Not only did I fail my first order from Jack, but my poor presentation is embarrassing him in front of the other Units of the squadron. My heart sinks, not only imagining that I had probably already lost my job, but also imagining how Jack must feel right now.

        “I – I just don’t have words. What is that on your forehead?” Jack exclaims.

        “What is what on my forehead?”

        Jack reaches into his duffle bag, and pulls out a hand mirror, shaking his head all the while. There was a sharpie representation of a poop emoji drawn onto my forehead. Noel, no doubt. I just want to disappear at this point, I don’t even care about the stupid job anymore.

        Jack grabs me by the arm forcefully, pulling me away from the squadron training in the middle of the open lobby, and into his office instead. The room is filled with dead silence for several minutes until I finally mumble an apology in humiliation. I take my Unit badge off of my vest, and lay it on the table in front of me.

        “I suppose you want this, I’m so sorry for everything, Jack. This is entirely my fault. I want to believe that this is just my first step in a long journey of self-improvement, but – I can’t shake the feeling that maybe I’m just not up to snuff. If I can’t be in the Second Squadron, maybe I could just do some general recon work for you and Froh?”

        Jack shakes his head, deciding to finally let off steam.

        “First off, it’s General Jack, not Jack. Doctor Froh worked his ass off to get a doctorate, and he deserves a title too. The least you can do is show respect. Second, I simply cannot describe how gutted I am right now. You walk down those stairs looking absolutely bonkers, and act as if nothing’s happened. You want to cause a fucking exodus of Units, do you?”

        “No, no, that’s not it at all–”

        “Shut up! I’ve already told you how much pressure it’s been to keep Units from leaving as it is. Now, you make me look like an incompetent leader. How are we supposed to undergo a migration in such a bloody chaotic world of psychotic giants if we haven’t even the resources to do so?”

        Silence continues to linger. After it seemed Jack had exhausted all of his anger for a second time, he hovered over me in a manner that made me feel threatened and uncomfortable. He takes my badge on the table and hands it back to me.

        “Look. You’re not off the squad just yet. Redeem yourself by taking this proper seriously. You follow my, or any First Unit’s orders to a T. Your first job isn’t particularly demanding, but what it is is daunting. You will be on recon duty. We have a map of the area, your job is to mark any potential hazards along the way to our migration point, and in the immediate vicinity of our current tree. You exit the hollow, circle about half a klick in all directions, and then continue down the path to our next nest. You aren’t expected to reach it, but you are expected to mark this map with some new findings. This isn’t just for us, but to acquaint yourself better with the vicinity, since you will be expected to leave the nest often as a Unit.”

s down some further details before leaving me to my own devices. I was certainly fortunate to not have been demoted, but this would definitely be a permanent stain on my record. I grab some equipment from storage that I believe would be useful in defending myself and alleviating hunger, stuffing what I could into my backpack behind. I get some rude and mocking stares from other Units in passing, but I do my best to ignore them. My flushed cheeks tell a different story. I wash off Noel’s present on my forehead.

        Before I head out, I decide to pay a visit to Doctor Froh. He may not be a Jack, but I would certainly call him a jack of all trades. He studies rifts and Lebenssaft, he designs new equipment for the Unit, he compiles data on the world around us and how it differs from Earth. All of his research and contributions make him an irreplaceable asset. He used to work alongside other researchers until he was requested out here. Our migration nest is much closer to his most esteemed research partner, which seems promising, since word spread that our messenger told Doctor Froh that his colleague was close to “cracking the code on rifts”. Unfortunately, a note on his office door reads “On an expedition”, which means he is not around. It also worries me, since Doctor Froh is frail and old, and unless he’s being accompanied by a Unit, he is at risk of putting himself in serious danger. No time to waste then.

        I exit the hollow of the tree, pushing aside the drape that hangs in front of it. The hollow is artificial as all human-made hollows are. The drape is painted with a camouflage that looks like the tree itself, in order to hide the door which would give away our location. Humans are not exactly welcome here in the world of macros, especially since our reliance on Lebenssaft damages, and eventually kills the trees we inhabit. It is not something we do out of greed, but necessity. Still, the campaign to eliminate all humans rages on, as the situation of a pest is of no relevance.

        My vest matches the color of the grass around, as it is imperative that Units do not reveal the location of our nest. No one else is allowed to leave without explicit permission from a First Squadron officer. The alternating guards who stand outside of the hollow are close to the only exceptions that have been granted recently, as they are viewed as essential to monitoring outside situations when a Unit is not doing so. The guard nods to me with a slight smile, clearly unaware of the situation that unfolded inside.

        “Congratulations on your promotion, Lin. You’re going to knock it out of the park, I know you will.” He says to me.

        I almost wish I could take him along, as it is difficult for me to admit that I am trembling at the thought of scouting such dangerous terrain. Indeed, everything looks like an inflated version of Earth, so familiarity is a non-issue. The only real differences are the animals and some of the plants that inhabit the area. There is virtually no wildlife from what we have observed, but of course, that may be because humans have not discovered the end of the urban sprawl. Still, even insects are extremely uncommon, which is a stark difference. Most obviously, Arpakies, nicknamed macros for their size, are not human. They are humanoid, resembling somewhat of elves with pointy ears, but also a mixture of other distinct attributes such as short pointy horns and fanged teeth. Shockingly, their body barely differs at all externally, not even their feet or hands are different. They were more or less human with a few distinct quirks. The other difference is that they all appear to be female, at least, by appearance. Doctor Froh tells us he has not quite discovered yet how they are able to reproduce.

        I cut off my own train of thought, reminding myself that I will likely see plenty of Arpakies during my recon mission. Whether I’d have the balls to study them up close or not was another story.

        I start to wander aimlessly through blades of grass that individually stood a bit taller than I was. Traversing unfamiliar terrain that seemed somewhat repetitive over large distances is ironically terrifying and banal at the same time. The lack of any wildlife or almost any noise in what was otherwise very familiar territory is eerie. The grass is freshly cut, the field of which is adjacent to a macro university building. The fact that, according to Jack, the colony’s DEFCON level was never raised above five, was likely a result of the fact that our particular tree was pretty far out in the meadow. Students who study or spend recreational time underneath trees likely choose trees that are closer to the school itself. Those trees are rich in Lebenssaft, but the few people who dared travel to those trees to prevent a migration were unfortunately never heard from again. At this exact moment, I am heading in the very direction of those trees, closer to the building, closer to macros. No one is loitering the area for the time being, which only makes the entire trek more daunting. I was ordered to travel all the way to the entrance of the building's courtyard, despite it not being in the direction the migration would be taking place. The radius is simply impossible to cover in a single day, so I come to the decision that I will head to the courtyard, return to our tree for a break, and then travel as far as I can towards our migration nest. For a time, things remained repetitive and dull.

        My journey has taken me to the canopy of the behemoth tree directly adjacent to the courtyard entrance. The tree looks similar to an American Elm, yet has to be far larger, as it would envelop even macros in its colossal shade. Still, the tree seems to be devoid of life, no birds, no raccoons, no insects. There is a sudden rush of tranquility that overcomes me. I stand underneath the tree's inviting aura with soft breezes that pass around and through its aerodynamic structure. It is vacant of hollows, and most interestingly, its bark has a soft yellow glow, reminiscent of a fictional magical object, or maybe just a selected object in a video game. I rub my hand along its bark, and I suddenly feel at peace to the degree that I could take a nap. I lean back against the tree, accepting its invitation for a well-needed break. I rest my backpack underneath my head, staring at the drawing that Noel and I had made together yesterday. I smile and place it over my face to block out any sunlight that the tree couldn't.

        A short while passes, when suddenly there's a rustling of paper, light permeating through my eyelids, and breath rolling over my body. It couldn't be, an Arpakie couldn't have spotted me already, I would surely feel the tremors of students set home free, idle chatter that alternates rapidly between a language I can understand and one that I cannot, and of course, frantic screaming that a human was spotted on site. It doesn't make an ounce of difference, however. I was now in fight-or-flight mode. I spring right up from where I was laying, my head smashing directly into something up above. It feels like a nose…

        "Arto! What the hell, don't scare me like that!" I shout on impulse.

        Arto collapses to the ground himself, blood running down the side of his face, his gloved hands covering his eyes from the pain. Small whimpers exit his mouth in distress, clearly as caught off-guard as I was. Now snapped out of my earlier trance of primal reactions, I come to Arto's immediate aid. I have a sudden temptation simply to snatch the newsie cap off from the top of his head and use that to wipe away the blood. I reach into my backpack and pull out some gauze, just about the only thing I have that would suffice.

        "Sorry, Arto, I didn't mean to do that. You caught me so off-guard, I thought an Arpakie spotted me. I'm sure you were just here to deliver a letter to me after all though, huh? You should have come accompanied with a Unit though, the trek here is dangerous."

        Arto carefully sits up, his cap uneven on his messy hair. He rubs the tip of his nose with his eyes squinted, trying to alleviate some of the pain from the headache I likely caused. He is probably the most innocent, and maybe youngest boy in our entire colony. He is just a delight to be around, he always carries a smile with him whether he is out scouting, delivering a letter, or passing along confidential information among Unit Divisions. Even now, he manages to force out a smile, looking up at me with doggy eyes you can't help but adore.

        "It's okay, Lin. It's my fault for taking your drawing and all like that. I had a hunch that was Lin lying out under that there tree, but I couldn't say for sure. I had to make sure, you know? Didn't want to look silly shouting out the wrong name. I wanted to congratulate you and all for becoming a Unit. I knew it was your dream and all, wasn't it?"

        "Oh, Arto, you didn't have to come all the way here for that, I'm happy you did, though," I found myself impulsively caressing his cheeks. "I am so excited for it, yeah! My first mission was a recon one, isn't that neat?"

        Arto starts twirling his hair, laughing a bit uncomfortably. 

        "Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to get your hopes up. I wanted to see you, but I just happened to bump into you by accident, I didn't know at all where you were at. I was out here passing a message on from Jack to Norris. I'm actually a bit late, but I'm really so glad—"

        "To Norris?! Arto, you know where Norris is, right?" I point across the pathway leading out of the courtyard. "He is all the way out of the school district near Central. It's constantly bustling there, day or night. Not only will you have to deal with a hurricane of students, but thousands from every walk of life not even minding where they walk as they go off to nightclubs and the sort. You know what nightclubs are, right? Chances are by the time you get to Central, it will already be past evening. You can't just… you're putting yourself in danger! You won't even grab a Unit to accompany you?" I can't help but let my maternal instincts to protect Arto seep through. Arto showed up unaccompanied by a Unit on his way here, and now was throwing himself into the most dangerous possible situation without one.

        "I really appreciate your concern, Lin, honest. I need to start taking on more daunting tasks on my own, though. I need to grow stronger, so I can protect the colony too. If I can't even make this journey alone, how would I ever become strong like you, Lin?"

        The moment of flattery immediately dissipates under the weight of the situation. I put my hands on either of his shoulders.

        "I'm gonna level with you here, kid. Not even I would make that trip alone right now. It's literal suicide. I'm telling you this not only as your elder but as your friend. You are not making this trip, do you understand me?" I wag my finger like a teacher disciplining a child. Which may actually be an accurate representation of the current situation.

        Arto looks down, dejected, but then right away back up, with newfound passion in his eyes.

        "Once I come back from doing this alone, you'll have no choice but to respect me! Right, Lin? I would have done something even you're afraid to do."

        He is challenging me at this point. I don't mind, though. His safety is more important than my pride.

        "Look," I sigh, clearly unable to compromise. "If you're dead set on this, then at least let me accompany you. I want you to have faith in me, but at the same time, you have to understand this is still a huge risk. Still, I'm giving you my word that I will give up my life to protect yours."

        Arto shakes his head with a smile. "With all due respect, Lin, I really think I ought to… to…"

        I grab Arto's hand, lacing my fingers in between his. I hope that he can feel the warmth of my hand even underneath his gloves. I have to do everything to give Arto a sense of security. Despite his innocence and his bubbly personality, he has always been somewhat reserved and afraid to accept outside help. He wants to be independent, but he is taking risks far beyond what could be expected of him. I tightened my grip, lifting his hand up to my chest, swearing to protect him. As my smile grew, his smile dissipated, along with his grip on my hand. He bows his head in silence, seemingly deep in rumination. After a short silence, he lifts his head again, now appearing in mild distress.

        "Lin, you really do make me feel safe, no one else tries nearly as hard as you do. I have to," Arto seems to be at sixes and sevens, tentatively choking out his next words. "I have to be honest with you… th-that I haven't been honest with you. You were the only person I would have ever felt comfortable saying this to, but you were always around Jack, and I was, I was going to keep it all inside, but it's something I need to tell someone, because I don't know how much time there is left, and I can't do this alone…"

        My mind turns to static. Arto's behavior took a major shift, and his words were nonsensical. Could the pressure of the situation be messing with his brain? I grab Arto on both shoulders, putting my forehead up against his, softening my voice to slow his racing heart.

        "Arto, please calm down, hon. Everything you say is going to be safe with me. Just back up a little, and—"

        I cut my own words short as I discern a group of Arpakie runners sprinting up towards the school courtyard, and consequently, towards us. Each of them is barefoot, the stampede of their feet making contact with the asphalt reverberating into nothing more than soft slapping noises. They slow down to take a breather, keeping a steady pace towards us.

        "Arto, mission abort! This is too dangerous now! We need to head back to the colony."

        Arto's eyes glaze over, the situation freezing him over into a statue. For the first time since I first met Arto, all emotion and desire just seem to have drained out of his form. Whether or not this is simply his unorthodox response in processing the situation falls into irrelevancy with so little time to react. I spent no more than a couple of seconds contemplating the situation, and then formulated a plan. I would sweep Arto up from off the ground and carry him back to the sanctuary of our colony. I knew I would. I had to.

…

On that day, the sun had been especially strong, threatening to tan anyone with its laser beams within mere moments. While a slight exaggeration, even Unit travel was heavily discouraged due to the risk of skin poisoning. I was perched up against the gigantic tree stump, taking advantage of the expansive umbra the canopy of the tree afforded me. Professor Froh was pacing back and forth and talking a mile a minute to burn off nervous energy, as he usually does. That, coupled with his thick German accent, made it often difficult to decipher what he was saying.

“You know, Lin, whether or not you've noticed it, both the heat and the air are more overbearing in this world than back on Earth. This is no coincidence. Despite a similar atmospheric composition, save for some elements like hydrogen, the air on this planet is slightly denser than what we would have back on Earth. There is a misconception going around that the immense heat is caused by the size or intensity of the sun, but in fact, that is caused by the density of the atmosphere. Denser atmospheres tend to retain more heat. Think Venus, yeah? A key feature of the environment, known as adiabatic lapse – Lin, are you paying attention? This is all very useful knowledge!"

I shook my head, trying to accustom my brain to normal conversation after the tenth mini-lecture this week.

"I was, I promise, Froh. It's just a lot to process, you know? And uhm, also…"

I pointed over into the distance, further out into the plain, at Arto and a group of kids within only a year or two of him. Arto seemed clearly uncomfortable, and that held a tight grab on my attention for some time.

"Ah yes, it's, how is he called, Arto, yes? He seems to be getting along well with the recent refugees to our colony. You know, Lin, Arto seems the type to be interested in scientific research, wouldn't you say? I've always had great admiration for the youth. Why don't you go ask him what he thinks of this proposal? I don't think he plays an active role in our colony yet, and that would be yes a great way to assimilate him!"

Professor Froh presented me with a perfect opportunity to escape from an excruciatingly boring conversation, but also to come to Arto's aid. The group was in the midst of laughing and exchanging harsh banter while pointing at Arto. Arto reacted by laughing uncomfortably alongside them, as if he were in on the joke himself. His arms and legs were huddled up close together despite the intense heat. 

I walked up to Arto and put my arm over his shoulders, catching him by surprise.

"Hey, Arto, what's up, man? Good to see you, again!" I turn my head towards the refugees and tilt it, raising an eyebrow. "I don't mean to pull you away from your friends, but Froh came and told me he was super impressed by the results of your study! You're really moving your way up in this colony, aren't you? With someone like you on the team, it's only a matter of time before we get a grip on this world and rifts, don't you think?"

Arto stared blankly at me, holding out a long moan of confusion, not catching onto what I was trying to do. I smiled and threw a quick wink and nudge at him, urging him to just play along with it. Arto looked back at the group of refugees, and then back up at me, nodding, and lowering his voice by an octave.

"I'm really glad to hear that. I'm just doing my job, you know?"

Arto looked at me with a plea desperate for affirmation that he responded in the correct manner. I nodded at him and grabbed him by the hand, immediately causing his face to turn cherry-red.

"Come on back with me, Arto. We have to discuss some things with Froh." I gave the group a nod and then tugged Arto along with me.

"Thank you, Lin… you really didn't have to do that for me. I was doing fine over there, you know? They really seemed to like me."

"Arto, you don't have to hide your feelings around me," I reciprocated Arto's whisper with a whisper of my own. "I know how stressful of a situation that can be when you don't feel like you fit in. It happens to all of us, to people like Jack, Heather, or even Connor."

Arto shook his head and looked away. "I'm not as worried about fitting in as you think. My real… my real problem is that I don't feel like I'm contributing anything to our colony. All of you work so hard, and you all have your own talents, but what do I do? All I do is observe. I observe and pray that no one notices me."

I stopped for a second, taken aback by his words, feeling empathy in his position. He wouldn't exactly be asked to do so much as a minor, even in these extreme circumstances. Everyone needs a sense of purpose, though. That's why I've fought so hard, so I could one day apply to become a Unit and rescue Leon. Then, an idea popped into my mind.

"Hey, Arto. I just had a thought." I said beaming, turning him towards me. "You can't see yourself as anything more than a fly on the wall. Heck, you want to be a fly on the wall, it's comfortable for you! But you also want a sense of meaning, right? So… what do you think about the idea of facilitating communication among others? You can distance yourself from the situation, while still doing something super helpful!"

"Like… like a messenger boy?"

"Like a messenger boy!" I said with a joyful nod.

 …

        Arto took a step back, staring up almost vertically towards the sky, clutching onto his messenger parcel. My response to the delicate situation was swift in my own eyes, but in reality, that couldn't have been further from the truth. The next moment happened in mere seconds, but seemed to drag on for millennia. The toes of an Arpakie girl thousands of times our height crashed no more than a few meters in front of us. Her complexion is paler than my own. Her legs glossy, sweaty, and extending like skyscrapers into the sky, converging into a pair of black denim shorts that only come down halfway to her knees. She wears a plaid shirt over a white crew-neck t-shirt, trying to pull some mixture of a tomboy and an athletic look. She has a few colorful silicone wristbands and a running headband to push her short green hair back. Every part of her would normally scream "cute" to me, but right now it is screaming "danger". She is panting, hands attempting to massage her tired legs. She begins to stretch one outwards, exposing the underside of her barefoot to us.

        One of the runners plops herself down underneath the shade of a tree opposite where we are standing. She pours a continuous stream of water from her flask onto her scalp, as if she were cooling down a steaming engine. She wrings out her hair, and then offers her flask to one of the other girls. The other girls follow suit in accompanying the relaxing girl underneath the tree, losing themselves in idle conversation. Every girl except the one who stood before us.

        "Nadjina, you're making us look bad by not slacking off! Just come on and take a break. After this, we'll sprint back to the canteen and we should be able to snatch some grub before our next classes start."

        Nadjina nods, spins around to face the other girls, and stretches her arms and legs. She takes a few steps backwards towards us, threatening to take a rest where we stand. Following through on her commitment, her knees begin to buckle, which sends her monumental ass descending down with no consideration as to where it lands. The dimensions of the rapidly descending threat rapidly increase in my sight, and threaten to snuff both of us out instantly.

        Adrenaline kicks in. Arto is in danger, and I need to do what I can to rescue him. I grab his hand tightly, and begin sprinting away from the threat, screaming in desperation as my legs outpace my thoughts. Arto is able to keep up the pace temporarily, but soon enough his legs begin to give out. Had I only picked him up and carried him in my arms like I originally had planned, this hindrance would never have transpired. His legs, unable to keep up the momentum, begin to drag lazily across the ground, first only his calves, then the entirety of his legs. Arto has become something akin to a rag doll, passively accepting as I drag him across the ground. His hat falls off, and his pants begin to rip, but this is all unbeknownst to me, as he remains completely silent, and I remain focused on my goal ahead.

        After a couple of seconds, the resistance from behind ceases. I don't look back, so I complacently assume that Arto was able to recover and keep pace with me again.

        What feels like an explosion followed by an intense shockwave knocks me to the ground. By no means does this mean we are safe yet, merely being spotted is grounds for elimination in the eyes of an Arpakie. Still, we managed to survive the first major hurdle, and that was avoiding the unwitting lethal impact by the Arpakie. I take a moment to catch my breath, looking back to analyze the girl, and then I look down at Arto. Down at Arto… down at where Arto should be. But all I see is the endless expanse of the grass underneath the shade of the tree. My heart skips a beat as I realize the weight of the situation, the thoughts I neglected and buried, maybe out of adrenaline, maybe out of fear or helplessness. In my hand lies Arto's glove, the fingers of which are still laced around my hand, but the hand that used to occupy it was nowhere to be found. 

        My emotions run haywire, my rationality and desire for self-preservation dissipate into nothing, the endless expanse of my despair now fully unraveling itself. I shout Arto's name in a whimper at the top of my lungs, an endless stream of tears cascading down my face and onto the ground. I start running back, running back to the girl who just a moment ago I feared. Without halting my advance, and without halting my screams, I scan the perimeter, in a desperate search for the boy I swore to protect with my life.

        At last, my screams catch the attention of the girl overhead, sipping away at her water tumbler. It takes her only the blink of an eye to lock her eyes onto my infinitesimally small and defenseless body. In this moment, it would take no more than a subtle movement for her to turn me into a statistic. Not only can she, but as far as an Arpakie is concerned, she should. It is her civic duty to protect the environment, and no amount of pity would make any other action justifiable. By a divine miracle, however, she remains passive, not allowing me to leave her laser vision, but not reacting with any immediate hostility.

        I start punching against her pant leg, screaming Arto's name, as if simply striking her would prompt her to obey my selfish human whims - my desperate desire to know the truth, whether I had failed or not. One miracle begetting another, the girl seems to comprehend the situation, granting my desire. Whether it was a display of pity or mockery remained to be seen.

        The girl tilts herself to the opposite side using her arm for support, revealing the underside of her rear. She performs this in a subtle and adroit manner, such that, to her friends across from her, it looks like she is merely stretching before resuming the final part of her sprint. Naturally, I begin scanning the underside of her butt, and the flattened grass within the imprint of her original seat.

        To my absolute terror, the worst of my superstitions are confirmed. Amongst blades of grass that had remain stuck to her rear is a small but noticeable red bloodstain. Using her rear as a map to navigate the area in which she sat, I begin navigating myself through the blades of grass, towards where I believe Arto may be found. Panicked whispers of denial escape my lips, and I begin to feel lightheaded, while simultaneously distancing myself mentally from the situation, which makes it significantly harder for me to find where he may be.

        The girl above, Nadjina, spots him before I do, and assists me in my desperate struggle. She gently pinches Arto's sides, lifting his limp body up off the ground, and placing him gently on the ground in front of me. Despite everything one would tell you about an Arpakie, she seems to have a genuine look of regret and concern on her face, one which she quickly has to hide to avoid arousing suspicion from her friends. She scoots over, so as not to sit back on top of us, looks back at her friends, and tries her hardest to join their conversation in a natural manner.

        I can barely see Arto through my tears, though, that was probably for the best. Any life that once occupied his gentle form is no longer present. In an effort to spare myself, I refused to study his body any further than I needed to in order to confirm my worst nightmares. The lurid details are too much to handle. The rest of the world falls into irrelevance in that moment. My screaming resumes, prompting another concerned look from the girl above who tried to pretend she was incognizant to the situation below.

        I must have tuned out the world for a few moments too long, because the fleet of Second and First Squadron personnel surrounding me and Arto catches me off guard. While I am caught up in my emotions, replaying the moment of Arto's demise over and over in my head, the Units juxtapose my very existence with haste and professionalism. The next few moments are barely comprehensible to me, but I am able to pick up some crucial details. Heather, a First Unit, lifts Arto and performs a Fireman's Carry to transport him to safety. Jack, meanwhile, also wastes no time, lifting me in his arms and shouting some incomprehensible orders at the other Units that now surround us.

        The evacuation is a success, there is no further hostility from any of the Arpakies. This, however, falls unbeknownst to me for a time, as I pass out after letting out the last of my whimpers.

…

        Some time passes, and I wake up with a throbbing migraine. I find myself on a familiar bed, the one that Noel and I share. For a moment, I want to believe that it was all a horrible nightmare and that Jack was still waiting for me downstairs, clearly infuriated by my lack of responsibility. My eyes scan the room, however, and the evidence just does not add up. Noel normally wakes me up if I sleep past a certain hour, since she is such a slugabed, but right now, she was nowhere to be found. Also, there was a note taped to my door from Jack, adding further insult-to-injury, as I am now forced to detract myself from my optimistic fantasy. I give every ounce of effort to prevent myself from reenacting the play in my head for the sake of my mental sanity, but my mind grants me no such salvation. I can still feel the smooth leather of Arto's glove squeezed into my hand, I can still hear myself screaming Arto's name in desperation, I can still smell the odor of an exhausted runner who unwittingly wiped out the life of my friend.

        I stumble over to the door, struggling to maintain my balance. My eyes adjust to the words on the paper, glossing them over, but needing to reread it several times to begin comprehending the meaning of the letter.

Hey Lin,

I know you're probably still shaken over the events of former, and I am sympathetic to that. No one, not even we Units, are exempt from feeling immense pain over traumatic events. Whether it's making a difficult decision with rippling consequences, or coping with a harmful fate that you used to feel you could control, we will carry these scars with us for life, but they help us build character and face realities we used to think impossible. Since arriving here in this world of fire and brimstone, death is just one of the many things I, and many other Units, have had to come to terms with and accept. Reminding yourself that this would have been unavoidable given the extreme circumstances should bring you at least a little peace of mind. This is how, even your vulnerable Jack-O'-Lantern, has pushed forwards. Your mission for this evening is simply to recuperate. A sharp mental state is necessary for any Unit. I will be in my office most of today, if you need a shoulder to cry on.

-Jack

        Through my tears, I am able to force out a smile at the term "Jack-O'-Lantern". That was a nickname I gave him when he scared the life out of new Unit recruits to bend them into shape. This is probably the first time I am ever seeing this level of humility and comfort from Jack, however, I never put it beyond him to handle a mission this intense. My tears continue to flow and stain the paper that I decide to hold onto for keepsake purposes. For a short time, I normalize my breathing and focus on what is important. Maintaining my mental and physical sharpness.

        I walk the short distance over to the table where a good bit of Noel's Lebenssaft cake sits. I start chowing down, remembering the good time that Noel and I had spent together just last night. Unfortunately, that topples into me recollecting the entirety of the events that led up to this moment, and it sends me into a second sobbing fit. Would they be holding a funeral for Arto? Could I bear witness to it?

        To my surprise, I feel something in my pocket. Arto's glove is stuffed into it, the Units seemingly sympathetic to my cause and allowing me to retain it. I limp on over to my bed, collapsing into its warm and inviting surface, and stare up at the glove. I rub my thumb gently over the smooth surface, stare up towards the ceiling, and return back into a slumber. Some hours following, Noelle’s arm wrapped around my body, her face onto my shoulder, offering any such comfort of which she was capable.