"Last chance to back out of this," Lyza told the beta held in hand. Aiden was handled with care, made comfortable, as he was given this one final opportunity to decide against this suddenly sprung outing. "It's been a while since you've been out. The last time wasn't really the best of experiences. For all of us, really… so hopefully we can make up for what happened." 

If Aiden chose against this, then Lyza would abide by those wishes. Yes, it might impede some forms of work, as well as what she had planned, specifically, but that was a risk to be taken. The Designer meant it many times when she said she wouldn't force anything on the Beta. At least… nothing like this. Perhaps a few events, here and there, when Aiden was more open to… intimate notions. But currently, that was the furthest possibility. 

They were both just a single step away from going out into Los Demonios. A city that already held a potently violent reputation without deep seeded plots of world domination. And early in the morning though it was, that did nothing to take away from the danger that seemed to flood every corner of every street in the City of Demons. 

Early birds, and all that. 

This one city which has painted a target on both of their backs. Risks were being taken, concerns were being raised, thin lines were being trodden, and all because Lyza was tired of being cooped up in some old garment factory. It's been four months since they've all been forced in there, and she'd damned if that was going to extend a month longer. She needed to breathe something that wasn’t musty, decades old clothing. 

Of course, Aiden was apprehensive to leave at first. He understood what was at stake, should they both leave. Both he and Lyza held arguably the biggest targets among their little rag tag groups of horrid people. Lyza's sister wanted her under heel, and there were plenty who wanted Aiden to extend their own agendas. The great many possible problems surely outweighed the brief respite that was theoretically just a simple walk. 

That was what a sane mind should focus on. Instead, against reason and common sense, Aiden found himself sharing the same rickety boat as Lyza. There was a desire to leave, and the moment he gave the Designer a silent but needed thumbs-up, she met it with a genuine smile. 

"Okay, looks like we're stuck with each other for the day then." The Designer joked. "Just try not to get on my nerves like you would in the past, okay? I'd hate to have to be the 'bad guy' again, after everything we’ve been through~."

In actuality, Lyza doubted that Aiden could say anything which might invoke some sort of ill response. She's honestly been looking forward to some "one on one" with her fellow Beta. It was strange, even now, to admit that he and her… felt like one and the same. Now on a more even playing field despite her much grander scale. They've spent so much time together these past few months, yet have talked so little of their own conditions; both new and old. It'll be pleasant to share some conversation. 

Aiden chuckled. "I only promise to try. Can't always take responsibility for what slips out."

"Oh, you absolutely can~." 

Despite the danger they were putting themselves in, there was true and genuine comradery between the two of them. From individuals who couldn't much stand each other, they have made strides to form a bond. For Lyza, there was affection. For Aiden, trust. They made things work. 

Better than others who shared a similar history.

The rest, at a glance, were glad to see the smiles on their faces. Save for Matthias, who chose to withdraw from seeing the two leave, Roxanne and Maya made sure the two would have everything they needed. 

"Sunglasses, hoodie, phone?" Roxanne asked, making sure Lyza had everything she needed. 

"Tracker, facemask… Capsule?" Maya added, making sure to include anything that might aid in remaining 'unseen and untouched'. From her own vantage point that was below Roxanne's generous chest, held firmly in the scientist's grip, she was able to tell for certain whether Lyza would be telling the truth, or simply saying what was wanted to be heard. 

The Designer looked over her body, making sure she had everything that was needed, alongside an assortment of clothing for both her and Aiden that wouldn't make them stand out. An admittedly painful display for one versed in making wondrous attire, but some sacrifices needed to be made; regardless of how painful they are. 

"Yes, yes, and yes. To both of you." When Lyza was semi-satisfied with how she looked, and ensuring she was well prepared for any… issues… She helped to put both her Girlfriend's and Business Partner's worries to rest. "Everything's good. Unless you want me to go out in a hard hat and safety vest, there's nothing else I really need."

Though reluctant, Maya looked up to give Roxanne the go ahead. Everything was greenlit, as far as she could tell. 

"Fine," Roxanne still found herself nervous, but anything beyond initial aid would just amount to stalling at this point; and she had work to do. The longer she dragged this on the less time she would have to contribute to her own plans, thereby ruining the initial goals of Lyza’s little outing. "Fine. Can't blame us for being careful, right?"

"Of course not," Lyza assured. "It's completely natural to be worried. But please, do lighten up. Both of you. Aiden and I will be back before either of you know it." 

"Hopefully, with some interesting stories to share on both sides~."

Not one to waste daylight, Lyza was off. With more bounce in her step than usual, given from the chance to finally stretch her legs, the sounds of the Designer’s heels echoed across the empty factory as she and Aiden made their exit. They had some much needed respite to catch up on, and they had a whole day to themselves to make up for lost time. 

For Roxanne and Maya though, they weren't as fortunate as to have time for themselves. Their work was just getting started, and the odds were that the absent Matthias was already getting a headstart into what needed to be done. Roxanne needed to follow through, as did Maya. Though, before they could commit to that, there were still some ‘promises’ that needed to be kept. 

When it was clear that Lyza and Aiden were fully gone, and the risk of them returning for something forgotten wasn’t apparent, Roxanne quickly made her way to where Maya's portable house was. The only real bedroom in the whole facility, which had been occupied by the Designer for much of the duration in which they've all been in hiding. Situated on the floor, nearly hidden between a fine mess of lesser-quality clothing, Roxanne bent down carefully as she set Maya softly on the ground in front of the house where her prize was no doubt held. 

Likely moved there while Aiden and Lyza got ready, Maya could only wonder what sort of steady terror the little thug that was her gift was experiencing. They knew they were going to die. There was no avoiding that conclusion to the story that was their life. But she couldn’t help but wonder if they would fight for every little minute they had left, or if the thug was just going to accept their end with an iota of dignity. If the latter, then Maya promised they wouldn’t go with even that. She had ways of ensuring her prey made all the wonderful noises she so loved hearing. Even at this lesser size of her’s, some skills just never diminished. 

So enthralled was Maya at the prospect of getting to indulge in older vices, she didn’t even notice as the Scientist behind her began to rise up. Their size, their weight, their everything in comparison to her own were placed at the bottom of wonders when faced with this privilege. "Don't take too long having your fun," Roxanne told the already beaming Beta as she turned away. Maya was large enough to take things from here. Roxy didn’t need to supervise them, and while intrigued over what Maya might do to her ‘treat’, there were things to take care of. "Think you can make some progress in an hour or two? It might be asking a lot, but we still have other things to focus on." 

A low chuckle was heard despite the difference in scale. Maya could feel her mind slipping, and were she to look in a mirror she’d likely find her eyes glossing over, just as they always seemed to do when she… snapped. “Mo… more than enough time…” 

She was practically salivating at this point, creating an air of unease that understandably unsettled the Scientist above. Instinctively, Roxanne took a step back, despite being unable to come under danger herself. She knew better than to test her luck with Maya, be they 5 foot 9 or 12 inches tall. Though Hers' was a different way of living now, some things just never changed. 

Surprisingly though, any precaution was unneeded as Maya, in a bid that might catch even Aiden off guard, slapped both hands against her cheeks. She repeated the process twice, with the last sounding more forceful than the first. She turned around, a smile strewn across her lips and cheeks as red as cherries. 

She gave Roxanne a thumbs up, her body shaking in anticipation but her mind coming to a sense of semi-sanity. “I’ll… try to wrap up as quickly as possible.” Maya said, her voice shaken but stable. “I know a few tricks that’ll get him… t-talking. You just make sure everything’s… ready on your end for when I finish…”

It was unexpected, seeing Maya struggle to keep her own mind in check. Before, a myriad of things might have forced her mental faculties to just slip away. The one cause that's cost her equal parts pleasure and grief. At one point, she may have even allowed herself to slip into madness. Now, it was clear she was attempting to keep up with the promise made to her dear One and Only, and begin again. To do better. 

To be better than the person she was months prior. Not perfect, just good enough to be trusted. 

It was encouraging, though Roxanne hoped that wouldn’t impede with any results. 

Regardless of if it did or not, it was out of her hands now, and as she stepped away, Maya made her own way inside. 

Her home, the toyish house she shared with her beloved Aiden, felt strangely empty without him. Even knowing he would return by the end of the day, to know that he was not here, after months of being by her side, was as bitter a feeling as it was obsessive. It is better she distracted herself quickly with her work, rather than fall into some despair. It would be humiliating for anyone to see her in such a state. 

The two Beta’s shared a room. Though Aiden often assured Maya he could sleep by himself, preferably on a couch, he was usually ‘persuaded’ in joining his once Tormentor for a night. Nothing scandalous or suggestive was carried out between the two, and really it was more to put Maya’s mind at rest. A comfort to be sure, as not even half a year ago she'd likely take advantage of such vulnerability. Now, as Maya entered that same room of comfort, she found herself face to face with one that would try to disrupt her peace were their situations reversed. A thug, bruised, broken, and scared. Last of the many who had tried to break her. 

Maya smiled, doing her hardest to keep herself focused on the task ahead. A chuckle escaped her lips. 

A sign of the uphill battle that was her mental conflict. 

Roxanne’s gift was small. So much smaller than some might expect. Not many actually take into consideration how vastly different sizes of inches were, and in no way was this more clear to Maya than in the here and now. She was weak at 12 inches tall. A toy that could be fatally kicked away if someone so wished. Her security came at the grace of her… friends… and without them she held no illusion of serious survival. Aiden was even less than that, and an unaware footfall could spell a bloody end for him.

This thug, at their meager height, was even more pathetic than the two of them combined. 

At only an inch tall, the former hoodlum was roughly as big as Maya's foot. Perhaps a few inches larger, relative to their size, but already that was a clear indicator of how insignificant they were. 

No doubt, the act of even her simply stepping on them would cause disastrous amounts of damage. Possibly even death, considering the state of their body. Maya was almost jealous, to not have shrunken down as much as them. Though her own doll size gave her some privileges over others in a similar boat, it also meant she was deprived of certain… advantages that came from a smaller scale. 

She could only imagine what sights she might see, where her size to be on a level comparable to the average shrinker. To see Lyza from an even lesser perspective, to view them as the pale goddess they were.

Exploring the landscape of their body, getting lost in its beauty and splendor. Ensuring that everything they felt was geared towards greater pleasure, even at the cost of self-preservation. 

It was already exhilarating as a thought. To experience if for one's self would be… unfathomable. 

But those were matters and thoughts for another day, as now Maya recalled she had herself a time limit to contend with. 

Making her way to, and standing above, the once potentially frightening thug, the Serial Killer slowly raised her foot closer to their chest. They were motionless, terrified; standing but too afraid to run. All they could focus on was the length of Maya's legs, their power. The blue of her eyes, their captivity. The red of her frazzled hair, as deep as blood. 

Each and every point of Maya's body flooded the man with a sense of fear that can only come to one who understands their life amounting only to brief entertainment. 

There was no resistance when the Serial Killer's foot forced the man onto his knees, then his rear, and then finally his back. They were forced flat against the soft, carpeted floor of what was essentially a more expensive dollhouse. Nothing was broken. 

At least not yet. 

Maya's weight was kept to a minimum, and all her bare foot did was rest softly on her Prey's chest. 

“Now, I’m sure you heard yesterday, but we need just a smidgen of information from you.” Maya told the thug, as her toes dug into the man’s chest. Her sole met bruised skin, and a grimace of pain was seen on her Treat's face. 

It's a look she's seen countless times before. Always, it was followed by a rush of pleasure that coursed through her body. It was enough to make Maya lose some control momentarily, and unintentionally she extended more weight than what was needed onto the Man's body.

Quickly, quietly, she felt the first of many ‘pops’. A broken bone, a rib no doubt, that likely would have placed plenty into a state of strange disbelief; maybe even shock. 

Pain would of course come, but only after the disbelief settled in. The impossibility that this was happening to someone, the realization that they could break in such a manner. Such an understanding amplified both the pain and despair, well beyond what was actually inflicted. 

It was a form of art so terribly few were privy to…

Though an accident, it was something that can be used. Maya doesn't intend to kill this little pest. At least not yet. As she said, there was still information that needed to be gathered. Anything really that might prove useful. 

To that end, she couldn't help but wonder what else she could break, so as to get the thug to spill their guts.

Figuratively… and potentially literally. 

So long as she didn't kill him too quickly, things should be fine. 

“I think you should talk as quickly as possible,” Maya recommended, knowing her mind would slip the longer this pleasure was allowed to persist. “There’s no telling what I'll do to you if you hide anything you shouldn't.” 

The fresh air, polluted though it was, was by far a preferred change of pace when compared to the stuffy environment of Lyza's previous abode. While no hate was geared towards the factory, there were qualities to it that she certainly wished to improve on. It was old, run down in some capacity, all to give it a sort of inconspicuous feeling. A smart tactic to be sure, but while livable there was only so much that could be taken in regards to an ill environment. 

She had tried to give it a cleaning early on into this period of hiding. Make the whole place somewhat more livable. Effort that ultimately went unappreciated by Matthias; but even with Roxanne's help in the matter, it was a pointless battle, and the endeavor was ultimately dropped when things only began to look halfway decent. 

"Haaaaah, this is so much better!" Lyza exclaimed with a stretch. Though she wore clothes meant to conceal her overall appearance, garments she wouldn't normally be caught dead in, it was still pleasant just to walk free.

Or as free as one could be, when they had a target on their back. 

Giving her chest a quick pat, Lyza made sure her little 'tag along' was enjoying himself just as much as she was. With some amount of effort, Aiden pushed his way free from the pocket upon the Designer's jacket, finally able to take in for himself a breath of fresh air. "Isn't this nice, Aiden? Much better than staying indoors all the damn time, right?" 

The Beta was inclined to agree. It's been quite some time since he's been out in the open like this. 

Last time, he and Maya found themselves jumped by Lynette's goonies. While that thought of such an event repeating remained, he could not deny the pleasure that was just even an iota of freedom. The cherry on top of this whole thing was that he didn't much need to walk for himself. Through Lyza, he was given free rein to just kick back, relax, and enjoy the show that was the towering giantess walking through thankfully fairly empty streets. Aside from the occasional passerby, there felt like nothing to worry about here. 

"Even better when you have someone to be your ride," the Beta replied. "Thanks for that by the way. It's not like I can walk far for myself, but it still felt appropriate to offer some appreciation there."

Lyza chuckled. "No need. It was either the jacket pocket or my heels," stamping her feet down a few times against the pavement, Aiden couldn't help but shudder at the thought of being caught underneath even the fair weight of someone like Lyza. The constant clicking they made as she walked did not help to ease such tensions "Of course, I'd like to think we're beyond that point, you and I. Don't need to use threats for you to cooperate, I hope."

"I'd also wager to guess that you prefer your current spot over any other alternatives~" 

Their relationship had improved, that much was clear. Enough to where Aiden was fully allowed the opportunity to ride against Lyza's chest. While not the… biggest he's seen, especially when compared to the likes of others, it was still far from what would have been allowed years ago now. 

"It's certainly the softer option," Aiden admitted with a soft laugh. "Though I don't think you're winning any contests."

Lyza visibly choked back a snort, raising a hand to her lips as she hid away her amusement. "Clearly. Have you seen the bust on Roxy? Almost reminds me of my Sister’s!" 

The two shared a laugh. An action once thought impossible for people who at one point could not stand to be in the same room as one another. But as said before, they've formed a bond. While not making full amends, as certain things just can't be forgiven, they were… good to one another. Maybe the most level headed of their whole group. This escapade of theirs, while holding a large deal of risks, can bear fruit to many worthwhile developments. Not the type which are being worked on by Roxanne and Matthias, but rather their own. 

Pulling out her phone, Lyza readied her camera, but to Aiden's confusion.

"Skipping to just taking pictures?" The Beta questioned. "I know it's been awhile since you’ve gone out like this, but I don't think Demonios is going to have anything picture worthy. At least, not down in the slums."

He was right. As part of the means to escape her Sister's eyes and ears, Lyza and co had fled to the lowermost parts of the city. The slums were the perfect place to hide away in, where poverty and out of date buildings like the factory were in abundance. Far beneath Lyza's tastes, it was the last place Lynette would think to search. That said, she wasn't here to sight see. 

No, definitely not that…

She just needed to make sure the camera on this 'Roxy brand phone' was as good as the scientist's skills warranted. 

"It's nothing like that, Aiden." Lyza explained with a smile. She tested the zoom feature on her phone's camera, and was astonished to see just how refined it was. "At least not yet…"

The resolution was without a doubt better than anything on the market. Even holding it as close as she could to her face, as far away from the ground as she could manage without looking ridiculous, Lyza found herself fully capable of narrowing on anything floor level with extreme, unparalleled clarity. The occasional ant scurrying out of her path, the smallest of cracks that would normally go unnoticed. It was all within her sights. Even turning her gaze outward, away from what would directly be beneath her, Lyza found the resolution to remain as clear as crystal. 

Her smile grew wider. Her crimson eyes shined brightly. 

"I know that look…" though few in instances, Aiden has seen when thoughts formulated into plans for the Designer. When she's working with the latest article of fashion, dissecting it and improving on designs, or when she's making something from scratch. A masterpiece addition to her collective craft. Only when that luster was gone did she not feel a plan was worth it. In this, through her current expression, it was clear that there was confidence. "You've thought of something, haven't you? There's more to this outing than just giving Roxanne the time she needs, isn't there?" 

Lyza's smile softened as she returned her phone to her pant’s pocket. Her sights falling on Aiden, she delicately rubbed the Beta's head with her index finger. 

"You're right on the money~."

Aiden was right, Lyza did have ulterior motives. A course of action she… couldn't necessarily share with the rest, as they would no doubt hold more than a few choice words to say to her. 

But this was something she felt she needed to do. Take different matters into her own hands, contribute in a fashion she knew she could. Because if she was going to replace her sister, take her seat of power before eventually taking Josephine Minerva's vacant space, then she needed to take charge of certain priorities. 

If Lyza was to be a Queen, a powerful figure fashioned to lord over others, then she needed to start acting like one. And that includes setting the stages for what would hopefully be a potential usurpation.

"But before I tell you what it is, we're going to need a taxi first." Applying some minimal amounts of force to Aiden's head, Lyza gently, but assertively, forced the Beta back into the jacket pocket. "Which means, you'll just have to stay down there a bit longer than you probably thought. Don't worry, I promise to make it up to you later~."

As she was technically his ride, Aiden was in no position to question Lyza's motives. But as he fell silent, and as her steps began to pick up pace, he knew her to be set on nothing short of a war path. They were taking charge, moving with more purpose than she likely had in months. 

While the others dabbled in chemistry and science too advanced for Lyza to wrap her head around, she instead played into her own strengths.

Observation

With a groan, Aiden lied back down against the bottom of the pocket, unable to and unwilling to fight the inevitable. 

"Just try not to do anything that'll get us killed," The Beta groaned under breath, fully aware that he could not be heard as Lyza continued her search for a quicker mode of transportation. "Or just… don’t do anything dumb."

Having once died himself, that was something he… would highly recommend against.