It was still and quiet in the metallic manufacturing plant. Even the machines had gone to bed it semeed. Yet one hero was on the run. One person still had something she had to do and while she wasn't quite sure why or where she had come from, she was led forward by the haunting screams of a damsel in distress. It was life or death.
"Lexi!!" she'd scream, her voice echoing into the cold unforgiving dusk as the beams of light became blinding to the worried superheroine as she dove, seemingly gaining speed at an alarming rate but never quite able to reach her.
"Hold on!" Lexi screamed, holding back tears, her arms reaching as far as they could go but it seemed like the poor falling woman just got further and further
"Lexiiiiiiii!!"
"NOOOOO!!" Alexis screamed, sheets doused in sweat, face warm with panic as she'd place her hand on her cheek, her mirror a fuzzy image in the background of her room as she was tingling with regret. "Fuck... fuck fuck fuck..." she'd sigh, her eyes producing tears once more as she tried to maintain some kind of composure but it was too late. She had had the dream again.
It was enough that final exams were right around the corner. The guilt was killing Lexi. She was gone. It was all her fault. She'd shake her head and look down at the ground, not even seeing the usual sight of her curious cat Tiny who would usually be out and about during the night. It was just her in her room, left to wonder why or how things had gone the way they did.
The start of that story would take us back to a couple months earlier, shortly after spring break ended.
It had been about a month for Lexi since the Fairy Festival. Unfortunately despite their best efforts and those of protestors from around the region, the construction of the new Enormo Enterprises facility was still well underway and likely to be completed soon. Since that fateful night, and ensuing battle at the colony, a few more of her friends learned of her secret identity as ShrinkGirl ... a secret that was growing less and less secret by the day. To that end, she'd receive a call from her friend Josh and tsk as she rolled her eyes, drawing a reaction from her best friend Leah Henderson who was walking alongside her.
"Everything okay?" Leah asked
"Yeah..." Lexi groaned
"You don't SOUND okay" Leah remarked
"Josh has another ... mission for me..." Lexi sighed, "You have some time?"
"Need me to be the getaway vehicle again?" Leah would smirk,
"Not so much" Lexi replied, "just could use the company ... it's another stupid one ... cat in a tree"
"Awwww you love cats though" Leah shrugged
"Yeah but like ... I could do that now... save a cat from a tree... I'm SHRINKGIRL..." Lexi stated confidently, although not so loudly that she would draw any public attention, "I should be doing more ... hero stuff"
"Well isn't that what we did during spring break?" Leah shrugged, "I mean, sure ... we could've gone to the beach or done normal spring break stuff but you decided to go on hero patrol ..."
"Leah we both know it's still too cold to go to the beach, and also you were awesome on the getaway after that bank robbery we stopped" Lexi replied
"Bank robbery YOU stopped" Leah rolled her eyes, "and that was WAY too close for comfort... I think it's awesome that you wanna do good and help people and all that but ..."
"What?" Lexi asked, a bit concerned
"I don't know... it seems like you're going a bit ... overboard?" Leah shrugged "Maybe let the cops take care of the small crimes... sorry ... didn't mean the pun"
Lexi shrugged, "M-Maybe you're right ... especially with classes coming back, I've gotta stay focused"
"Speaking of ... how ARE your classes going?" Leah asked
"Mixed bag ... I'm great with English and literature because I love to read and write ... biology ... eh, not so much..." Lexi answered
"Yeah I'm surprised you took that, you barely made it through our chem class last semester" Leah commented
"WE barely made it through" Lex corrected her with a grin
"Does this make Josh kind of like our Professor X?" Leah asked
Lexi would raise an eyebrow in response
"I don't know, like he briefs us on missions and stuff?" Leah shrugged
"When he gets a floating wheelchair and mind reading powers, I'll see what we can do..." Lexi sighed, "actually... don't give him any ideas"
------
"Oh dear, I don't know why this keeps happening..." a nice old lady by the name of Ethel would proclaim, making room for the 2 younger women as they stepped out onto the patio to observe a tall tree that stretched up into the sky higher than the house it dwarfed. Tucked behind one of the branches of that tree would be a frightened looking black and white cat with shy blue-green tinted eyes as said eyes darted every which way. It wasn't hard to see the cat was spooked, even from a distance.
"Um... okay, stay here and uh ... let the experts handle it" Lexi nodded, running out towards the tree to begin the rescue.
Ethel would look over at Leah and give her a confused look, "does your friend always dress like a superhero?"
"It's a ... whole thing" Leah shrugged
Lexi would tap her foot impatiently looking up at the tree, "Okay uh ... cat ... here I come..."
With that Lexi would begin climbing the tree but would be greeted with frightened meowing and even a claw swiping her way as the sought after feline would disappear deeper into the thickets of the tree.
"Oh dear... Oliver, don't be mean to our company..." Ethel sighed
"Oliver..." Lexi sighed, trying to call to the cat sweetly while also drifting up closer to him. "Don't be scared, okay?"
Lexi would take a deep breath and think, realizing she may only have one shot to calm this frantic cat down and return him safely to his owner. She focused her energy as she would at times to becoming smaller and would seemingly disappear behind a tree branch.
"Oh dear ... I think my glasses are failing me..." the befuddled Ethel stuttered, watching the sight but what she was watching didn't quite add up. Leah on the other hand simply shook her head and shrugged
"Yeah uh ... that must be it" Leah sighed, crossing her arms and watching "this is quite the life I lead..." she'd think to herself watching Lexi approach the cat at a more mousy size before growing back and wrapping her arms around him in a hug.
"Gotcha!" she'd yelp, before their combined weight would inevitably collapse the tree branch, sending Lexi onto her butt harshly while Oliver simply leapt off safely and walked back to the house at a hastened pace. Leah would run over to help her best friend up.
"You okay, Lex?" Leah asked, eyebrow raised, "good thing I came along for this mission"
"Yeah yeah ..." Lexi groaned, rubbing her lower back as she got back up, but then smiling a bit as she watched the reunion between the older lady and her cat, Oliver. Okay, that moment was sweet enough to make it all worth it but still... there had to be more than this.
Later back at Josh's that's exactly what the fledgling superheroine would discuss with her "Professor X"
"Well ... we got a lady who needs her chimney sweeped..." Josh offered
"Pass"
"A short girl from Middlebury who wants you to go as her date to a dance so that she doesn't look so short..." Josh shrugged
"Is that one real?" Lexi leaned in to read, noticing it was, "Ugh ... I'm starting to think people aren't taking this seriously..."
"Well, hey" Josh shrugged, trying to be encouraging as he patted his friend on the back, "maybe you need some time away from all this... how about D&D at the comic shop with Chris and I?"
Lexi would give an uncomfortable grin but wouldn't outright say no. At least as of now, she didn't have anything else going on.
"Okay if I roll a 7 or higher, I take out your Steganocerous" Chris proudly proclaims, taking luck into his hands and spilling a 20 sided die onto the table. To Josh's delight, the number comes up as a 5. Chris makes note of the result on an expanding piece of scratch paper while Lexi sighs, fairly bored as she checks out things on her phone.
Leah had class, Chrissy had work and it seemed this was her only option.
"You sure you don't want in on this?" Josh asked, "I told you I'd write you a character real quick"
"Nah, it's okay ... I ..." Lexi started, her eyes suddenly drawn back to her phone as it lit up with a phone call. It was Chrissy. "Hello? Oh ... oh really? S-Sure I'll be right down. Thanks"
Lexi would slowly get up and nod politely to the two gentlemen still playing their game of fictional creatures doing battle.
"What's up?" Chris asked, noticing Lexi's imminent departure.
"That was ... Chrissy" Lexi nodded, with a bit of a grin, "they need some extra help down at the Krazy Kookie so ... I'm gonna just throw on an apron and lend a hand"
"Awww man, we were almost done with the quest too" Josh sighed, "but okay ... do what you gotta do"
"I'm sure you'll be sure to let me know how it goes" Lexi quipped, as she headed out the door, swiftly returning to her cell phone to text Chrissy.
"Thanks for the out ... you're a lifesafer" Lexi would text, figuring Chrissy knew. They had a certain 'signal' when one or the other would get into a situation that was less than ideal. Chrissy's code word was "muffinpastry" whereas Lexi's was "holycraphelpmeimscrewed" ... not the most conspicuous wording, for sure.
To Lexi's surprise though, another text message would come pouring in not even a minute later.
"No, Lex, for real, we need your help" Chrissy messaged, "Mara called out"
...again?" Lexi would ask herself but roll her eyes. Perhaps some time at work could help her feel more like she was making a difference. After all, at least lately it seemed like very little of her "hero work" was having an impact.
-----
"This ... ShrinkGirl character is having a major impact!" an angry kingpin announced over a video conference call some miles away from this.
That kingpin would be none other than the intimidating and well known (among a certain circle) crime lord Byron Biggs. Byron was responsible for much of the chaos which erupted in Minitropolis over the passing weeks. Usually a bit more behind the scenes, he had become especially proud of his handiwork of late and so his crime ring had been giving the name "The Chaos Crew" with many of them being hired by him or his associates in exchange for a cut of their loot. It was an effort to undermine the police and ultimately line the pockets of those who were above such things as ethics or morals. If a few people had to go to jail or be killed for their recklessness, so be it. Byron Biggs would almost never face any charges anyhow, being so high up the food chain.
At the moment though he was speaking on a video conference call with a few of his associates who ran different outfits of the Chaos Crew from around the city. On the West Side was Spike Slade, responsible for the small crew who got ambushed by ShrinkGirl not too long ago. On the South Side was Crazy Eddy ... last name unknown. His tactics were a bit on the shady side and his name was ... well ... self explanatory. Running the South Side was Pyro Pete ... not much explaining needed there. And finally, in charge of Minitropolis East was ...
"The fuck cares?" the sassy young female crimelord retorted, casually launching a bullet towards the video screen and missing by a good margin just for target practice while her other hand fished for another mini cookie in a pouch that rested upon her lap. This young woman would be known as Roxanne Wright but her friends and foes alike called her Roxie, if they even had time to call her anything before she put an end to them. Extremely dangerous, reckless and ultimately uncaring, Roxie was a loose stick of dynamite that even the chaos crew feared, yet Byron Biggs put her trust in her to run one of his biggest crime rings in the city. Foolish? Perhaps.
"Roxie ..." Byron Biggs groaned, "We've had a talk about this..."
"Yeah? And I didn't care then either ... you guys are all just wimps" Roxie shrugged, "I've fought the Shrinkbitch ... she's nothing ..."
"Nothing or not" Byron warned, "she's been taking out members of our crew. Karl is off the grid as are many others"
"Not my fault they got beaten by a girl" Roxie shrugged, "no offense ... oh wait, I'm the only girl on this call, isn't that a bit sexist?"
"Here she goes..." Spike sighed
"Maybe the way we're approaching this is wrong" Byron stated, seeming very calm as he adjusted the navy blue tie on his matching dark blue blazer with the silver pinstripes, "maybe some bank robberies, arson and the like aren't going to deter this do-gooder... we know how to contend with Minitrop's "finest" ... the Mini Troop is, let's face it, a joke, but this ShrinkGirl is a wild card..."
"She's nothing..." Roxie shrugged again
"If you're so confident in stopping her, let's see a plan" Spike retorted
"Yeah, I'm tired of you always talking shit, except when it comes to your stuff!" Crazy Eddy interjected
"I could waste her anytime I want" Roxie shrugged, "but where's the fun in that? I have bigger fish to fry and truth be told, I don't even know why I'm part of your little fan club"
"It's called the CHAOS CREW!!" Crazy Eddy shouted, seemingly deeply offended by this, "We are here to ..."
"Yes yes I know, create havoc across the city, hurt all feelings without no pity, kick down people til they feel shitty... I mean for crying out loud, did you rip this off Team Rocket from Pokemon?" Roxie laughed until she snorted. Her mic was put on mute and she was visibly upset through the video screen while the other jeered a bit. Byron shook his head in disapproval.
"Look. I realize unity isn't exactly something we preach here ... we're kind of an ... all men for themselves operation" Byron declared, "and we can continue to do what we do for the most part but it's only a matter of time before this ShrinkGirl becomes a bigger problem so I say we nip it in the bud ... Roxie, you are the ONLY one to face her comprehensively ... you know her strengths, her weaknesses ... how do we get to her?"
Roxie sighed, twirling a gun in boredom, "Alright ... Alright ... I'll tell ya ..."
The others looked over with anticipation.
"...for $50,000...." the smug Roxie continued, slamming her gun down on the table, barrel first
"50,000??" they mostly gasped in outrage, except for Biggs himself, who seemed remarkably calm.
"Okay" Byron Biggs conceded
"Hmm?" Roxie smiled
"Deliver me a winning plan to stop this threat ..." Byron announced, "and you can have your usual fee plus the 50k ... but don't fail me again Roxie"
"Yeah yeah yeah ... and whattaya mean, again?" Roxie snapped, crumpling up her now finished bag of Rutschmann cookies which she chucked carelessly into the corner of the filth infested apartment/hideout.
"...never mind. Where do we get started?" Byron asked
"Leave that to me" Roxie smiled "first step ... recruitment"
----------
As it turned out, not only was Chrissy not lying about needing help at the Krazy Kookie, but things seemed especially busy that evening, until finally they were able to turn in for the day, Chrissy seeming a bit tired out. She'd look down at her watch.
"Late for something?" Lexi asked with concern
"Oh, I just told my friend I'd try to see her tonight but doesn't look like i'll have enough time" Chrissy shrugged. "Actually, you'd like her... I think you met her... she's on the cheer team, Rachel Rutschmann"
It was then, it finally dawned on Lexi. Something that should've seemed a lot more obvious before.
"Rutschmann?" Lexi nodded, "Like Rutschmann's cookies?"
"Oh boy..." Chrissy rolled her eyes, looking a bit guilty as if she had shared a forbidden secret by mistake.
"Chrissy you KNOW I've always wanted to know where our cookies come from, they're freakin amazing"
"Okay okay yes ... Cindy Rutschmann is Rachel's mother but she doesn't like to talk about it..." Chrissy relented.
Cindy Rutschmann, for those of you wondering was the owner and co-founder of Rutschmann Cookies, a very famous brand of cookies who provided their wares to various local colleges under different names. Naturally, the Krazy Kookie served some of the Rutschmann's specialties including Fudge Frenzy and Apricot Delight.
"Right right right ..." Lexi nodded, toning down her enthusiasm just a tad. After all, Rachel was probably used to getting questions about that all the time, her origins and how much she loved cookies and all that. The answer, surprisingly, was ... not very much. "S-So ... are you seeing her tomorrow?"
Chrissy would let out a sigh.
"You can join us..." Chrissy smirked, watching as her friend Lexi cutely delivered a fist pump, "but don't just talk about cookies the whole time, okay?"
"Chrissy ... Chrissy cmon" Lexi smirked, "You're talking to Lexi here ... the Lexster, I've got a memory like an elephant and am super repsonsible ... I'll be on my best behavior..."
"First time I met you, you forgot your pants..." Chrissy giggled playfully as the two continued walking home from work.
Giantess World
