It is imperative to understand that no business, no matter how dominant or well-established, will last forever unopposed. Sooner or later there will always be a form of competition, and a bigger fish will appear eventually. How that competition is dealt with differentiates a successful business from all others.

Baochai Fang had not raised her many children personally. Even her eldest child, Min, was very distant from her own mother. The legacy she left for the future Chairwoman, and her eldest daughter was accessible for the entire world in a series of novels which became popular amongst aspiring entrepreneurs. 

Min had studied every word in her mother’s books to the point she could recite any page, and committed the meaning of her teachings to memory. Somehow it was that lesson that she had always seen as superfluous; the Amrita Corporation was the bigger fish. Over a third of the world’s economy was in their back pocket, they had politicians at a multinational level at their beck and call. 

And then in a few short days the tower of cards had all come crashing down. Some of her family had hastily sold off all of their stock in the day before it plummeted to become nearly worthless, as a series of unprecedented global investigations into their business practices were launched. It was not just the slush funds, tax evasion, and other illegal activities that were suddenly under surveillance. Human rights violations, collusion with certain bureaucrats, law enforcement agencies, and a laundry list of other high-profile crimes had all been exposed in a matter of hours. Every politician worth his salt severed ties with the Amrita Corporation immediately.

To make matters worse, rumors about the fate that had befallen Grace, Lihua, and herself had all spread to the furthest reaches of the company. Every Descendant of the Fang Sisters had watched in horror as one of their own, the traitor no less, walked across the earth like a true goddess. Compared to Jisoo, they were all just little sparks of meager flame stacked next to the burning sun. Most had attempted to go into hiding, and fled their respective posts to find someplace to hide. 

Amidst the downfall of the titan of a company, the Chairwoman was content to simply watch it all burn away. The Board of Directors had either fled as well, or begged Min to come up with some kind of solution. In mere weeks the entire company would likely be dissolved, although as far as she was concerned that had already happened. What would follow next would be a slow, painfully humiliating defeat.

Surely the peons they had stepped on for generations would use this opportunity to save face, and drag the family through the mud. Already the central government had sent its attack dogs after every headquarters on the mainland, and across the globe other governments were following suit. It was a pointless display meant to curry some favor with the citizens; ultimately the small faction of communists that remained in the central government who had fallen out of favor in the newer pro-corporate leadership would soon regain their popularity and smash the Amrita Corporation to pieces. 

It was inevitable. There was nothing that could be done, the Amrita Corporation did not have the resources to attempt Operation Deliverance anymore. Most of their employees in the vast legitimate sector, no longer held back by the fear of reprisal from the operations specialists, had unionized and revealed countless company secrets and demanded a hefty severance pay. Perhaps eventually the world would learn of the truth behind The Diminution…

Chairwoman Min exhaled a puff of smoke and leaned back on the specially crafted desk made to accommodate her new stature. “Did you come here to boast?” She called out to her dimly lit office as the shadows from outside crept across the walls. “Let’s make this quick, I have quite a bit of work to do before the sun goes down.”

“The sun is already down.” Another voice replied from the darkness across her office, followed by a series of footsteps before the woman revealed herself. “Besides, you don’t look too busy.” The intruder remarked and stood over the comparatively tiny woman ominously.

Min observed her features carefully. “Now that’s a face I haven’t seen in a few decades…” She mentioned. “It’s good to see you again, mother. I never thought I would see the day when Baochai Fang walked through these halls once again.”

“Baochai Fang is gone. My name is Suji.” The woman clarified, and removed her hood to release long dark locks of midnight black hair. 

She was clearly younger and less regal than Baochai in her prime, but no less beautiful. Perhaps the biggest difference was in her eyes; dark brown orbs that emanated determination and spirit rather than golden suns of vainglorious confidence. “Very well, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” Min inquired curiously and set her work aside. “Are you dissatisfied with Jisoo’s decision to spare me, and have come here to end me once and for all?”

“I honestly have not decided what I will do with you, so keep that in mind as we have an amicable discussion.” 

“Oh? You want to talk things through?” Min asked and raised her brows in surprise. That was most definitely unexpected. “You came alone, without Jisoo’s knowledge or approval. I assume that was not unintentional.”

“It’s not like I need her permission to act on my own ambitions or schemes, especially when I have my own hand of cards to play.” Suji replied in an equally calm voice and crossed her arms.

Before either woman could say anything else there was a loud crash at the door. Immediately over two dozen heavily armed security officers in suits led by a woman around Suji’s age with long dark hair and golden hued eyes rushed into the office. 

Hmph. It took them long enough to realize something was wrong. Min thought as they fanned out across the room. Not that it matters anyways. 

“Get away from the Chairwoman immediately!” One of the guards barked and pointed his rifle at Suji, who remained nonplussed, perhaps even amused by their arrival. She locked eyes with one of her many cousins who had remained loyal in these dark times and had led the squad into the office.

Meiling stood several inches taller than Suji, but was clearly taken aback by her appearance. So much so that she could not issue another order to her men. “B-By your face…” She said in utter shock. “B-Baochai Fang…?” 

“There’s no way that’s her…”

“B-But she does look exactly like her!”

Min observed the reaction of her lower ranked and less important subordinates. None of them were privy to the secrets of their clan, or knew of the true ancestry of their lineage. Jisoo’s resemblance to Daiyu was less impactful since Daiyu was notoriously shy of the public.

By comparison Baochai’s visage was known to practically every member of the Amrita Corporation in any generation. She was practically worshiped as their progenitor, their true origin.

‘I have my own cards to play.’ 

Suddenly the tension in the room was pierced by the harmonious sound of Min laughing from atop her desk. The guards looked quizzically at her, and exchanged nervous glances with one another. Meiling as well appeared terribly confused. “A-Aunt Min?”

“It’s quite alright Meiling. Me and my mother require a bit of time to discuss some important matters. Please, leave us be.”

“B-But…?”

“Leave. Now.” Suji said authoritatively, in a voice that could slice through solid stone. At once the soldiers and Meiling scurried away like pests, and hurried to leave the office.  She then turned her attention back to the Chairwoman.

I see some things never change in any lifetime… Even in death Baochai Fang’s ambition lives on. Min thought and straightened her back as her ‘mother’ sat across from her with a little smile on her face. “Well, let’s talk business.”

Although her powers were seemingly limitless, there were certain things that were considerably harder for Jisoo to pull off. It was not too difficult to manifest physical objects with her mind. 

A fork or spoon could be created effortlessly, a complex machine such as a smartphone or a television that functioned properly took a modicum of effort by comparison. 

However a fully functioning organic leg was frankly a bit of an undertaking, one that Jisoo felt somewhat uncomfortable with. She had warned her little friends that it would not be so easy to replace what had been lost, but she would certainly try her best to heal an old wound. 

Maeve held her best friend's hand tightly as the golden aura from Jisoo’s power washed over her entire body. The speck felt the comforting radiance of her godlike abilities, and was not bothered by any pain or discomfort even as her body struggled to acclimate. 

Compared to growing or shrinking, manipulating or protecting, this is actually kind of hard. Jisoo thought as she entered a deep meditative state and connected with Maeve on a more intimate level. She probed deep within her memory base to find neurounic pathways associated with walking, running, jumping…

From there she had to connect layers of nerves and muscle tissue harmoniously. It was not a seamless process, but given her borderline omniscience she could easily pluck the information necessary to undergo such a task as fashioning a complete leg. Making it actually comfortable and intuitive to use was considerably harder. 

What good is all of this raw, destructive power if I cannot share it with my friends? Not just Maeve, I want to help everybody on the planet who needs it. Jisoo insisted to herself, and focused hard on the procedure until the golden light finally dissipated. “Do you feel alright, Maeve?” She asked gently to the mousy girl placed on her thigh. “Did I harm you?”

“N-No… Quite the opposite I think…” Maeve murmured, and looked down to see that where the stump of her right leg had been amputated, a new completely mundane organic leg had been reformed.

Maddie and Eren were both also perched on Jisoo’s thigh, and watched in awe as Maeve thought hard and actually managed to wiggle her toes around a little on her right foot. “Take it easy. Your body has to very slowly adjust.” Maddie warned, and placed a firm but affectionate hand on Maeve’s shoulder to keep her down. “Do you feel dizzy? Disoriented or anything?”

“Not at all. It’s like I just woke up for a really relaxing nap or ate a good meal!” Maeve exclaimed and willed herself to rotate her ankle a bit. She gained a bit of confidence, and bent her knee a little. 

The smile on Maeve’s face made Jisoo’s heart melt. Compared to the previous uses of her powers, this felt so much better. Her magic could be used to make people happy, it did not have to be used as a force of fear to deter their enemies. 

If I can fix Maeve’s leg… Is there a chance that I can give my dad the power to walk again? Jisoo thought, and watched as Maeve was helped to her feet by both Eren and Maddie. “How does it feel?”

“…It’s weird. Sort of like when your foot falls asleep and you are slowly regaining the feeling.” Maeve mentioned, and pinched her skin between her fingers. “And it feels totally natural! Jisoo this is amazing!” She exclaimed, and practically bulldozed into Jisoo’s pelvis to give the giantess a sort of ‘hug’ as she sprawled across her hip.

“I’m just glad I could help! But please let me know if anything starts to feel weird or something.” Jisoo insisted, and affectionately placed her hand over Maeve like a gigantic blanket. She then turned her attention to Maddie. “And if it’s alright with you, I can try to treat whatever illness your grandfather has. It’s the least I can do to give you back the time I stole from you.”

“Jisoo… I…” Maddie said softly, as fat teardrops began to roll down her cheeks. She also leaned against the giant woman’s soft, welcoming hands and gave her a hug.

I know we agreed that we’re even, but the truth is that we really aren’t. You’ve suffered so much because of me. Jisoo thought remorsefully as she nuzzled the redhead with her elephantine fingers. “I’ll figure out somewhere nice for both of you to live. I can fix up Jefferson Commune and help the people there too, and make both of you a nice house.” She promised. “I won’t let anybody hurt you or bother the commune either. I’ll figure out some way to keep everybody safe.”

“Thank you, Jisoo.” Maddie wiped the tears away from her face. “You’re a really great person. I can’t possibly thank you enough.” She professed. 

Shortly after she had worked her magic to give Maeve the ability to walk once more, the speck was eager to see what she could do. Under the watchful eye of her three friends, Maeve jogged a few laps around the table. 

Once she was no longer wobbly, she broke out into a full sprint and asked Eren to race her from one end of the table to the other. Both specks had remarkable stamina, and could expend an impressive amount of energy in a short period of time to move insanely fast. 

Maeve let out a joyous laugh and flopped over onto her back after she just barely managed to inch her way to a narrow victory over Eren. He slumped next to her, also exhausted, and congratulated Maeve on her earnest win. “This is so wonderful… Thank you Jisoo, a thousand times over.”

“Let me go fix you up something to eat for lunch. You must be pretty exhausted now huh?” Jisoo suggested, and gathered up all of her friends in her hand. “Do you  have any preferences?”

“How about those chewy rice cake things you made? In the red sauce? I think Maddie would really like it!” 

“Oh, tteokbokki? Unfortunately I used up all the tteok last time but there’s a way to make a very similar dish with rice paper. And you can add fillings like cheese or seaweed to this version too.” Jisoo offered as she led everybody into the dining room. “Maybe you can give me a hand in the kitchen, Maddie? Eren mentioned you’re a great cook.”

“I’m not sure how much help I can be at the moment, but I would love to learn from a maestro firsthand.” Maddie replied, and accompanied the titaness into the kitchen while Eren and Maeve were dropped off on the couch. 

Before she left, Jisoo gave them the television remote and flipped to a random channel.

“So what’s on your mind? I’m guessing you pulled me away to talk about you-know-what.” Maddie remarked once they were out of earshot. 

Inside the kitchen, Jisoo placed her on the counter next to a pile of assorted vegetables which the giantess set aside. Each spring onion was about the width of an birch tree compared to Maddie, and emanated a pleasant aroma that made her stomach rumble. 

Jisoo rifled through the cupboard until she found the rice paper. “Me and Suji had a bit of a disagreement a few days ago. Then all of a sudden she disappeared, I had imagined she would have cooled off by now.”

“Do you think she’s in trouble?”

“I didn’t want to breach her privacy so I only used my powers to confirm that she’s not distressed or something like that. Although it doesn’t take magic to infer that Suji can take care of herself.” Jisoo admitted and began to draw some water to soften the sheets of translucent paper. 

Maddie nodded and thought about what implications this could have. “She doesn’t approve of your proposal to shrink the rest of the world, I assume.” 

“It’s good that she is giving me her honest opinion, but I sort of wish she would propose an alternative.”

“Well there’s no need for us to rush into any decisions. I had put some thought into some more logistics for how this could work.” Maddie revealed. “Ambient threats to human life such as wild animals or natural disasters can be alleviated with pre-existing technology. Ironically, the pest control used by the Amrita Corporation to eradicate most known species of vermin a few decades ago can be used to ward off swarms of murderous squirrels for instance. And the climate control systems used by highly advanced countries like Singapore can be adapted to safeguard designated residential areas.”

“Have you put any thought into my earlier suggestion by chance?”

“I think it’s worth looking into, but robotic technology definitely has not reached the point where we can rely on artificial intelligence or machines to take care of human civilization.” Maddie responded. 

The best course of action will likely be to shrink clusters of people over time so the world has time to adjust to the change. If we focus on a few particularly vocal individuals with a wide audience and strong anti-speck sentiment, there’s a chance people may view it as karma. 

Many people considered The Diminution a form of divine intervention. Since there was no logical explanation any scientist could provide, many people believed it was the work of a divine entity. Shockingly those conspiracy theorists were not too far off, since a magical create with powers that bordered on true godhood had indeed launched the incident. 

It would be less troublesome to integrate currently existing specks into a shrinking population, than it would be to convince those that benefited from the plight of others to welcome specks as fellow citizens. 

The good thing is that we have time to think this through and determine if this is really the best course of action. Although she’s asking for my advice and her sister's advice, I can already tell Jisoo has made up her mind. A Second Diminution is imminent. Maddie thought to herself.

“H-Hey guys? There’s something on the news you both really need to see!” A voice called out from the living room, just barely audible over the television speakers. The urgency of Eren’s voice gave both Jisoo and Maddie cause for concern. 

Swiftly, Jisoo set aside her cooking utensils and plucked Maddie from the counter to return to the living room. “What’s wrong?” She asked as she walked inside. “Was there some kind of…?” 

Jisoo slowly trailed off once she looked up at the television to see what the live broadcast was about. Her eyes widened in shock to recognize a familiar figure walking up towards a podium, surrounded by dozens of eager photographers. 

The golden flower symbol of the Amrita Corporation was emblazoned onto a banner behind the woman’s head, although the typically haughty employees that appeared in their public speeches or announcements were now seemingly downcast. Remorseful even. 

“…To the world, we sincerely apologize for all the suffering we have inflicted.” A banner at the bottom of the podium stated. 

When faced by serious public backlash amidst a sea of controversy and state-sponsored investigations, it was not unexpected for a prominent company to come out with an official statement. An apology was just fuel for the fire though, likely to be eaten up by a tidal wave of ravenous social media dung flies and critics. 

Even for a business like the almighty Amrita Corporation, a stumble like this was beyond devastating. No amount of posturing could possibly change that, and most certainly not an official admission of guilt. 

Or at least that would have been the reaction the world had, if not for the far more fascinating and impossibly bewildering sight of the legendary Baochai Fang walking across the golden hued stage of the Amrita Corporation public amphitheater in Beijing for all the world to see on a live broadcast.

“Suji…” Jisoo muttered in utter disbelief as she watched her sister approach the podium. “What the fuck are you doing?!”