--Lazarus Long

D.X. Machina
Just East of Cedar Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Teri's Taurus maneuvered the I-94 strip just south of the U of M. The Vikings were playing today, and last-minute stragglers were heading to the Dome to watch Brad Johnson, Jake Reed and Cris Carter--and pray that Robert Smith could make it through the season without injury.

The tape player played a song by Son Volt.

May the wind take your troubles away....

I looked out the window and thought hard. Somehow, I always expected that if I was sent on a holy quest, it would be with fanfare and pomp and circumstance--not with eggs, bacon, and toast. But the Lord works in mysterious and capricious ways--and besides, he probably wanted to have some of the Potatoes O'Brien--they are heavenly.

It shook me, though.

When God feels the need to get involved, it can't signal good things.

* * *

Scott Chelgren
Inside Mira Swenson
Somewhere in Minnesota

I think I was fortunate; Mira wasn't having her period.

Other than that, it was about as unpleasant a time as one could have inside a woman.

Well, maybe not the most unpleasant--I'd barely lived through that. Mira didn't seem intent on crushing me, and as far as I could tell, she was just going about her daily business. Shopping, eating, occasionally giving me a firm, no-nonsense squeeze. Twice, removing me from her to simultaneously taunt me and pee.

All pretty prosaic, all in all.

The most disconcerting thing was the smell. I knew this smell intimately; I was never one of those men who expected blow jobs with nothing in return. I'd gone down on Mira dozens of times; I'm a big fan of it.

But this smell was everywhere, soaking into the very fiber of my being.

And it was a fucking evocative smell.

I remembered every time we'd ever made love, every fight we'd ever had, every good time and every bad time. It made me shudder. And that made her just a little bit wetter.

As the day wore on, I lived in dread of meeting her boyfriend.

I had no idea how much I had to dread.

* * *

John, son of Maria
The Village of Tasgeni
The Land of Their Followers

The wind whipped through the village, and my blood was cold. We had seen a new Goddess, and though her visage had seemed troubled, and not altogether cruel, we knew that her wrath may be upon us soon.

I looked at our fair village, named for the mythical Princess who saved her kingdom from destruction. Not far away was the Village of Karen, and far to the east, the great rift, through which one could visit the Isle of the Greater. There was less land to be had there, but the Goddesses there appeared smaller, less immense.

Less frightening.

"John! Get yourself back here! You have many chores to perform if you hope to get supper tonight!"

It was my wifekeeper, Belinda. She was fair, and not that tall--she only stood one head taller than me. And as women went, she was kind. She rarely beat me, and could even show me what seemed, sometimes, to be love. I knew men whose backs bled from the stings of their wifekeeper's rod.

"I am your humble servant," I said, as I began to till the field again.

She walked up to me, her long blonde hair tied back, her blue eyes sparkling as she looked down at me. "If you do a good job, I may even let you couple with me," she said with a wink. "But I'd work hard if I were you, my little groomsquire."

I smiled as she walked towards the square, then trained my eyes back to the skies. They were empty of Their terrible gaze. I shook, as I thought of how different things would be if only men ran the world. We would surely never beat our wifesquires the way they beat us.

But who would be foolish enough to think that God was a man?

* * *

Sarah Kensington
Uptown
Minneapolis, Minnesota

We were disappointed to find that Teri and D.X. were out; we'd hoped to get going on finding Scott. But we consoled ourselves with shopping, and I splurged on a late dinner at the Lotus.

By the time we got back to the psychic studio, we were both a bit surprised to see how much was going on. D.X. had a computer going, and a rapidly growing mountain of paper surrounding him. Teri had canceled appointments, and was busy packing, though she admitted that she knew not what for.

"Big things are happening, that's all I know. We got charged today with a Holy quest."

The details of the Holy quest were...well, full of holes. D.X. seemed sure he'd been visited by God, or a representative thereof, and he was busy trying to use every source he had to find out what the Cadre was up to.

Finally, after about an hour, he got up from the computer, and sighed.

"Well, near as I can tell, they're looking for me. Other than that, I don't see what they're trying to do. If a conflict's coming, it's not coming from the Cadre."

"I still don't get it," I said. "What's the worst thing that could happen? I mean, so women get to shrink men, what's so bad about that?"

D.X. smiled a weary smile. "Nothing's wrong with that. In fact, it can be beautiful. But...well, tell me that if women were bigger and stronger than men that they wouldn't misuse that power, as surely as men have misused it?"

"Well, most women wouldn't misuse it. Most women, I think, would be kind."

He shook his head, sadly. "Most men--the vast, vast majority--are kind, decent, caring men. No more than one out of a hundred is monster enough to rape. No more than one out of ten cruel enough to strike a woman.

"But those men--less than one and ten at the most pessimistic--cause all women, everywhere to look over their shoulders. Women wonder: is my husband kind? Or will he smack me around? And most men will be kind, and never strike their spouse, ever--or only when their spouse is striking them.

"But you know someone who was raped or assaulted; we all do. And that colors everyone's thinking, even men's." He had a glass of some sort of whisky; he paused to take a sip, followed by a sip of water. He drew air in again, and said, "Women tend to think that men don't ever think about anything more deep than the size of their penis, but it's not true. Every man has had a moment of anger in which he thought, my God, am I going to lose it and hit her? And those moments stick with you. I don't trust men; I don't even trust myself.

"But women are no less human than men. If the roles were reversed, women would oppress, men would cower. It would not be unjust for the genders--only a million years could even the score--but it would be unjust for every man who cowered at his wife's hand.

"It's why they both fear me. Because I don't believe either side is black, or either side is white. Men and women alike can't be trusted. That's why I work to try to balance the scales. Maybe it's a fool's errand. But I can't abandon the principle of balance just because it's foolish."

He stared straight ahead. I said, simply, "D.X....I'll help you however I can. So will Kelly."

"What?" said Kelly, inquisitively.

"Think of the little man you and Laurie found...and consider this payback," I said. "You owe him this."

Kelly blinked, then said, "I'm in."

D.X. smiled, and said, simply, "Thanks."

Then, suddenly, "You should go home. Teri and I will be by at about eleven."

I was too stunned to question. We just went.

* * *

Anonymous
Somewhere in Minnesota

I had just about given up when I saw the vaccuum cleaner.

The mother of Brittany--my captor--was currently vaccuuming her daughter's room, not that carefully, but then again, she had a great deal on her mind, I was sure. Through all of this, I had seen no husband or boyfriend. She was a single mother, and I pitied her.

She turned off the vaccuum to move some clothes, and that's when I made my attempt. With all my might, I banged on the window of the dollhouse, hoping the rattling would be loud enough for her to hear.

I watched as she straightened somewhat. Then, she turned, and walked a bit towards me, her bare feet leading into a worn pair of jeans. She loomed over the house.

I worked harder, and was rewarded with a view of her knee, then her entire face. It felt like an earthquake as she dropped to the ground.

I gasped. She was looking at me, her blue eye, framed with her glasses, looking in directly at me. It was incredible.

Neither one of us said a word at first, until she said, soft enough to be a roar, at a tone that shook the house, "OH MY GOD...."

It was but a moment before she had opened the house and plucked me into the air. I sat on her giant palm and stared at her face, and I was scared.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" she asked. "HOW ARE YOU EVEN POSSIBLE? WAIT A MINUTE...WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN MY DAUGHTER'S ROOM?"

With the last statement, her eyes narrowed, and a great protectiveness crossed her face.

"Madam, please, I mean no harm. Your daughter happened upon me and...well, I am at a bit of a disadvantage. She had no trouble securing me. I hoped to get in touch with you because, well, I am in distress, and while your daughter apears to be a fine girl...."

Her countenance changed as I spoke, from angry to concerned to bemused. "I DOUBT BRITTANY WAS MUCH HELP. BUT AT LEAST YOU HAD A PLACE TO LAY YOUR HEAD! ANYHOW, COME WITH ME, I'LL SEE HOW I CAN HELP."

Her voice was melodious, and I couldn't help but feel a bit infatuated; she was lovely, and at the moment, she was my great protector. I felt drawn to her. "BY THE WAY, I'M JESSICA FLANAGAN. AND YOU ARE?"

Against my general policy, I said, "My name is Smith. John Smith the Seventh, at your service, madam."

She smiled. "YOU'RE NOTHING IF NOT POLITE, MISTER SMITH. NOW...TELL ME HOW YOU GOT TO BE SO SMALL?"

* * *

Scott Chelgren

Mira was hot for this guy, at least initially.

They went out to Buca, and then for coffee. They spoke the same banal lines that people speak when they're on their third date. And I felt every squeeze, every push, every thrust she conceived in her mind.

She was, I think, trying to make me jealous.

But then, suddenly, jealousy was the last thing on my mind.

They were at his place; they were kissing a bit, and making out fairly easily, when suddenly and without warning, his rough hand reached up her skirt and pulled at her panties.

"PETER...NO, NOT YET...." I heard her say.

"COME ON...IT'LL BE FUN...." he said, as he pulled harder.

"I SAID NO, PETER....PETER....PETER!"

The last time had a bit of desperation. I felt her struggling, and I quickly surfaced, only to see him trying to pin her with one hand and unzip with the other.

Mira had been a jerk.

But nobody deserved this.

I quickly grew to six inches high, and was about to attack his dick, berserker-style. I didn't relish the possibility, but the distraction might allow Mira to break free from her predatory friend.

I wished that he was my size. Then it would be easy.

And suddenly, and very much without warning, he was.

"What the fuck?" he said, as he was suddenly six inches tall between the legs of a woman he had tried to rape. Before he could say more, I was upon him, landing a quick right and a knee to the groin, dropping him like a ton of bricks.

"Son of a bitch! What the...ahh...ahh!!!!"

I turned, to see that Mira had righted herself. She reached for him and grabbed him, hard.

She looked down at me, her eyes big and tearful. "DID...DID YOU DO THIS, SCOTT?"

I nodded. I thought I had done it, and if not...well, enough weird stuff happened around me that I felt justified in taking credit for some of it.

She held Peter up to her face. He was saying something like, "What the fuck who the fuck is he what the fuck are you what the fuck is happening to me oh my fucking God...."

"SHUT...THE FUCK...UP," she said, eyes filled with rage. "I COULD CRUSH YOU IN ONE HAND, PETE, AND I PROBABLY WILL, SO I WOULD APPRECIATE A LITTLE FUCKING RESPECT."

I looked at her. She had her panties around her knees, and a scratch on her right cheek. She was a fighter.

She squeezed.

Pete screamed, like he was being beaten to death--which he was. "Mira!" I shouted. "Don't!"

She stopped for a moment, turned to me, and said, "WHY NOT? HE WOULD'VE RAPED ME, IF NOT FOR YOU."

Part of me thought he deserved whatever he got, but I answered, "If you kill him, he'll become a missing person--and the last person he was with was you. It'll make things tough on you. He's not worth it. I'll fix this," I said, somehow sure I could.

She looked at me uncertainly, but said, "YOU'RE RIGHT--HE'S NOT WORTH IT. HE'S JUST A LITTLE FUCK. TELL ME, SCOTT--CAN YOU CONSPIRE TO KEEP HIS DICK DOWN AT THIS SIZE?"

"I can try," I said.

"THAT'S ALL I CAN ASK. HERE YOU GO!"

She tossed Pete at my side, and pulled her panties up. "Pete," I said, low enough to show I meant it, "I saved your life, and you're fucking lucky. But you may not think of it that way. You see, I'm going to return you to your normal size--in twenty minutes. But every time, from now for the rest of your life, when you lust after a woman, you will instantly shrink to six inches tall--and keep shrinking until you get the thoughts out of your head. And you'll stay that size, one hour for every five minutes those lustful thoughts are in your head. And the next time you meet a woman, she may not be as nice as Mira."

"Wait!" he said. "What if I do meet someone? You can't curse me like that!"

I smiled. "Pete...I said nothing of love. Love a woman--really love her--and you're home free. Anyhow--Mira? Ready to go dear?"

She swooped down upon me, and picked me up. We went out to her car, and drove a few blocks, before she turned off the motor and started to cry.

After about ten minutes, she wiped her eyes, and turned to me.

"SCOTT...I'M SORRY. FOR EVERYTHING NOW, AND EVERYTHING THEN."

I smiled at her. "I'm sorry too, Mira. We both owed each other more than we paid. I'll always love you."

She beamed a bit. "I'M GLAD. I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU TOO. DO YOU HAVE ANYONE?"

"A girl named Sarah. She's a Freshman."

"OCH! THROWN OVER FOR A FRESHMAN! WELL, WE'RE NOT EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER, ARE WE?"

I laughed, "God, I hope not."

We both laughed, hard and joyful, before she finally sighed, and said the words I'd been praying for.

"SO...WHERE DOES THIS SARAH LIVE?"

* * *

Thirteen minutes later, we were in Middlebrook Hall, the twentieth floor, outside of Sarah's dorm room.

Mira knocked, and after a while, Sarah's roommate answered.

She was pretty, with her long red hair and what looked to be laugh lines. I stared between the fingers of Mira, where I was presently hidden. "YES?" she asked.

"EXCUSE ME, IS SARAH KENSINGTON HERE? I HAVE SOMETHING OF HERS...."

From out of nowhere, she appeared. She was a little bit rounder than she had been--the Freshman Fifteen was getting her. Not to matter--it had added more curve to her body, to startlingly good effect. Her brown hair hung crazily--she was getting ready for bed, it appeared. She was not put together at all, and my heart leapt. It was Sarah, the most beautiful, most perfect woman I had come across.

Mira handed me to her. I feared, at first, that Kelly would question, but she was looking at Sarah, smiling wide. "SO THAT'S WHY D.X. SENT US HOME!"

But Sarah wasn't answering. She held me with trembling hands, looking down upon me with tearful eyes, and said, simply, "IF YOU EVER, EVER RUN AWAY AGAIN, I...."

"Never. I love you too much. I'll never leave again." And with that her lips were upon me, kissing every inch of my figure. I had been away too long.

I was about to say my goodbyes to Mira when suddenly, I looked up and saw two new people. A man, in his thirties, bald with a goatee, and a beautiful dark-haired woman.

I felt naked, which of course I was, and a bit like an attraction.

"SCOTT," said the man, "THE BLOCK'S IN YOUR MIND. REMOVE IT. WE NEED YOUR HELP." He than turned to Sarah, and said, "I'M SORRY, BUT WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME. HE CAN ALWAYS CHANGE BACK LATER. SCOTT?"

I struggled with the implications....

The block is in your mind....

I thought of the moment I had chosen this path. I knew I could open a window, and be full-sized. But I chose against that.

Was he asking me to....

I looked at her. She was nodding to me. "SCOTT...IT'S IMPORTANT. I'LL EXPLAIN LATER, BUT YOU CAN TRUST THIS GUY."

With her endorsement, I redirected my attention at the upward limit.

And found, to my surprise, I could move it all the way up to 72".

In but a second, I was sitting, for the first time in months, in the middle of a normal-sized dorm room. Sarah--normal size, still beautiful--rushed over and hugged me. I pulled back, and saw her beaming.

"I guess my misadventures our over," I said, after a long kiss.

"No, Scott, they're just beginning," said the man. "Come on, everyone. We're going to New York. Via the studio, of course."

* * *

D.X. Machina

Scott looked at me like I'd kicked him. I'm sure he wanted to stay here with Sarah, and probably at a diferent ratio. But I knew something he didn't:

He was an adept.

And I needed him. If half of what Ronnie Ceres had told me was true, I needed every bit of help I could get.

The ride to the psychic studio had been uneventful, except for some serious face time between Scott and Sarah. We gave them privacy, except for Kelly, who occasionally would say something like "Wow! That was a good one!" I liked her; she had spunk.

When we arrived, I meant to head for the computer, grab some information, and head out; It was a bit crowded with five people in the car, but I would let Scott shrink presently; I just wanted him to know he could be any size.

We had a long trip in front of us.

I didn't do any of these things, though. For as soon as we entered the door, they greeted us. One a middle-aged man with a bit of a paunch, the other a human-sized mouse on two legs.

"Well well well," I said. "Bigg and Little."

It seemed the Cadre had found me after all.