--Haldane's Law

Scott Chelgren
Madame Theresa's Psychic Studio
Uptown
Minneapolis, Minnesota

I must say, I wasn't happy with the turn of events.

I had pretty much assumed that once I found Sarah, we'd resume our life together--this time, forever; I'd worked out all the self-pity I had, and accepted my size. It would be tough, but people face tough situations all the time, and don't give up.

I was looking forward to overcoming the obstacles with her.

I was not expecting to be sitting in the back of a crowded Ford Taurus, full-sized, kissing Sarah (and enjoying it) with her roommate looking on.

Not that Kelly was a bad person; she actually seemed quite nice--a bit daffy, but her daffiness was charming.

But I had hoped to give Sarah's body a thorough exploration. Her beauty, her personality, her fire was undiminished at any scale, and I loved her completely.

But I had enjoyed it when she loomed over me.

We arrived at our destination--a psychic studio in a house on Hennepin Avenue--and piled out of the car. D.X. had loaned me sweatpants and a sweatshirt--I was grateful for that, though I would've rather he stayed out of it altogether. Sarah had told me to trust him, and I trusted her--but it seemed a bit imperious of him to demand we all come with him to New York.

Then again, Sarah seemed willing to go. And I would follow her anywhere.

We entered the house, and D.X. said, "Well well well, Bigg and Little. Fancy meeting you here."

He was facing two men--well, that's not quite right. One of the men...if you looked right at him, he looked human. But if you caught him out of the corner of your eye, he appeared to be...well, I was used to giant rodents, but out of the corner of my eye he appeared to be a full-sized, bipedal one.

"What are you doing in the home of a League member?" asked the guy who was, undoubtedly, human.

"I could ask you the same question, Henry Bigg. Why does the Cadre have you in Minneapolis?"

The rat answered. "We're looking for you, D.X. And Anonymous--he's disappeared. We were wondering if you had anything to do with it."

I watched D.X. He appeared shaken by that bit of news, but said, simply, "Anon is missing? That can't be good. But Stuart, what makes you think that I have anything to do with disappearing Anonymous? He's a friend--which is more than I can say for you."

"You sonofabitch, D.X., you always have to be so goddamn arrogant about things. You and I both know that you turned your back on us long ago."

"Watch your tounge, operative. You can say what you will--I'm still a Board member, and I still have rights."

The mouse seethed. "Not anymore, D.X." He raised his palms and closed his eyes, as did his counterpart. D.X. stumbled a bit, as he, too seemed to focus, and slowly, slowly, to shrink.

Teri said, "Oh no you don't," and quickly raised her right hand. It was clear she was overmatched, though, as barely five seconds later, she gasped, and collapsed on the floor in pain. Sarah ran to her, as D.X. crossed below the five foot mark.

"You can't hold out forever, D.X. Better you give up now. We'll go back to Anaheim, and you can explain yourself." The man--Henry--said this, coldly.

D.X. said nothing, but turned towards me. "Scott--I could use some help."

Help? I had no idea what the hell was going on. But suddenly, I felt myself raising my left hand, and thinking:

Block

I didn't know what it meant, but it had an effect. D.X. began to regain height, and the Rat--he was now clearly a rodent to me, even viewed straight-on--grew wide-eyed.

"A fucking Adept? Where did you find an Adept?" he said, backing up.

I didn't know what he meant, but as quickly as I had before, I thought:

Shrink, 1:18

The effect was instant. Both Bigg and Little dropped quickly to 4 inches tall. I thought:

Bind

And as quickly as the battle was joined, it was over.

"Kelly, would you collect our intruders?

D.X dusted off his jacket, and walked over to his girlfriend. "Teri, are you all right?"

She smiled, weakly. "I had no idea how much power was being wielded. How did you stop them?"

"I fought them to a stalemate. Then Scott here finished them off. Nice job, Adept Chelgren."

I was thoroughly confused. "What do you mean, 'Adept Chelgren'? What the fuck is going on here? Did I just do what I think I just did?"

"Yes, Scott. You have more power in your pinkie than I do in my whole body--and I've been training for years. You need to learn to harness it--and I can help you with that. You're an Adept. A natural fountain of GTS power. And, as of this moment, the only living male Adept." He looked at me very seriously. "I once told Sarah that you were going through great changes. The power within you is growing, Scott. If we have any hope of saving the world, we need you with us. Will you help us?"

I looked at Sarah, who was looking at me with awe. I was dumbstruck, but somehow, I knew that this was my calling; finally, I had a purpose in life.

"I will help you, D.X. But...."

"....You would like some time alone with your girlfriend at some point. Well, I don't blame you. We'll straighten this out in a few moments, but first, I want to try to figure out where Anonymous is."

A new voice, small, but jovial, said, "Oh, I think that's easy, D.X. I see you've defeated Little and Bigg. Well done!"

* * *

Anonymous

About two minutes later, I had been restored to full size, and was rewarded by a peck on the cheek from Jessica.

Well, we'd done more than that in the preceeding hours; I will say no more, as I am a man of taste and respect, but I have a much greater appreciation of the female form than I once did.

And besides, Jessica is a fascinating individual, and...well, I have never been in love before, but I rather suspect that I am now.

I like her daughter, too.

After being filled in by D.X. on the current circumstances, I realized that the situation was suitably grave; we would have to leave for New York immediately. Before I left, though, I offered Brittany (who had come along for the ride) an olive branch; she was unhappy at losing her doll.

"Brittany--would you like two little dolls to replace the one you lost?" I queried, looking at Henry and Stuart.

"Anon--you wouldn't--when the Cadre finds out about this...."

"Stuart, please, you should be so lucky. Besides, I'd think the years spent at this size would've prepared you for this. Anyhow, would you like them?"

"Yes! If it's okay with Mommy."

I liked the girl; her mother had raised her with manners.

"It's fine with me; tell me, Jon, will you be back soon?"

"As swiftly as I can, my dear. And then...we will have some time together."

She smiled, sweetly, and gave me a tender kiss, the likes of which I had never enjoyed before. "Come back soon," she said huskily. "I'll be waiting."

* * *

Four hours later, at 3:50 in the morning, we stopped in Madison.

It had been an uneventful, if crowded, ride. Scott had chosen to reduce his height to four inches, the better to curl up in his girlfriend's lap; Kelly and I bantered into the night. She was quite a fine girl, for an eighteen year old. She also was complaining bitterly.

"So far, everyone's managed to find someone but me. D.X. found Teri, Sarah found Scott, you--you found that nice Jessica. But me--I'm all alone. I say it's because of my hair--nobody likes orange hair."

All three of the males answered, in unison, "Everyone likes orange hair." I continued, "My dear, you're lovely, and you're bright; you're only eighteen. It took me until I was forty-one to find someone, and that required a radical dimunition in my scale. I'd say your odds are good, and I, for one, don't feel sorry for you."

She stuck her tounge out, then smiled, and said, "Well, neither do I. But I feel like bitching. So sue me."

Scott and Sarah laughed. And that laughter carried us into downtown Madison, where we lodged at a Best Western on the Capitol Square.

* * *

D.X. Machina
Inn on the Park
Madison, Wisconsin

The dreams were always worse when I was in this town.

I had been a Freshman here, a long, long time ago. I had been here when The Coed was here, and I had defeated her here.

Her soul still lived in this town; I knew that on a level I was unprepared to deal with. And when I was here, she could find me.

She was standing on Library Mall, an easy 300 feet tall, screaming with joy and power.

"THEY'RE GOING TO RESURRECT ME! THEY'RE GOING TO DESTROY THE FUCKING PATRIARCHY! HEY, FELLAS, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ME NOW?"

"Liz!" I shouted at her. "They're not all evil! You don't have to do this!"

She glared down at me. "IT'S NOT SEVEN YEARS AGO, JAKE. THIS IS A NEW TIME, AND A NEW REGIME. THEY WILL SUCCEED WHERE I FAILED. AND WHEN THEY DO, I CAN REST."

"Liz...as much as I would like to give you rest, I can't let them win."

Suddenly, and without warning, another giantess appeared. She was familiar, but somehow distorted--I couldn't see her clearly. She said, simply, "YOU WILL."

I awoke with a start, gasping for air. Teri looked at me through half-closed eyes, and said, "What's wrong?"

I realized where I was--Inn on the Park, a cheap hotel room, at about 5:45 in the morning. "Nothing," I said, lying back down. "Just a dream."

I wished I believed it.

* * *

Veronica Ceres
League Headquarters
New York, New York

It was early morning on a Monday, and I was in my office at headquarters. I was ostensibly monitoring the GTS websites and chatrooms, but my mind was not in my work.

We had become monsters.

The boxes were amazing, technologically. They enclosed a bit of spacetime that belonged to North America, about 100,000 years ago. The people in the boxes weren't really there--they were deep in out past.

But they could see us, and we could see them. And they were bounded by the effect.

It was confusing, but suffice it to say that their very being could allow us to dispense with trying to change society. All we needed to do is move these people into our sphere of being, and simultaneously wipe out all the people living.

It was sheer madness, like some lazy hack writer's plot to take over the world. And we were caught up in it.

I had to stop it; I just didn't know how.

* * *

Scott Chelgren
Inn on the Park
Madison, Wisconsin

I woke up around nine.

It had been strange, sleeping full-size in a bed. I wasn't sure I liked it that much. But Sarah had insisted--"If you're going to be full-sized, then we're going to have to figure out how to sleep in the same bed," she had said, matter-of-factly. And of course, as always, she was right.

But I didn't have to like it--and I didn't.

Sarah was already up, and smiled at me brightly. "Hey there, I was wondering if you'd be waking up anytime soon."

God, she was beautiful. She had pulled her hair back into a ponytail--it was a good look for her. I found myself staring, and finally said, "Man, I've missed you."

She brightened. "That goes for me, too. But it's strange having you be--well, you know, full-size and all."

I said, simply, "That can be remedied."

She said, simply, "If you want to, we can remedy that immediately."

We didn't remedy it immediately; I had some business to attend to in the restroom. But shortly, I was back in bed with her, shrunk down to one inch tall.

"WELL," she said, smiling down at me. "WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO TODAY?"

I didn't speak. Instead, I walked down her right side, stroking her genly with my right hand. As I reached her hip, I slid under the space under her leg--I knew from experience I had nothing to fear.

Once in between her thighs, I heard her rumble, "NOT WASTING ANY TIME, ARE YOU?" Again, I didn't answer. Instead, I stepped forward and began to work on her labia.

They were like immense gates, but they parted with some doing. I could smell her arousal all around me, and it carried me inside.

I stroked gently as I pushed myself up towards my ultimate goal, with good effect. I knew, though, that I really just had to hit one spot.

I found it presently, and kissed it gently. The world shook as Sarah felt my presence. "OHHH...THAT'S IT...." she said, as I begain to massage her clit with all of me, including my pelvis.

It was as good a ride as it ever was. It had been too long since we had this opportunity, and it was everything I could've hoped for. As we both came, I knew for sure that the woman I was with was the woman I would be with forever.

I also knew that as good as it had sometimes been, full-sized sex could never compete with this.

* * *

Two hours later, we were down on State Street, shopping for some clothes.

D.X. had given us five hundred dollars, and told us not to bring any of it back. I asked him where he got the money, and he just smiled, and said, "You don't think gold is impervious to GTS, do you?" So we got some good outfits--I leaned towards Ragstock, I tend to like the Bohemian look, but Sarah demanded we go somewhere respectable, which is why when we finally returned to Inn on the Park, I looked like an ad for Urban Outfitters.

I had even shaved, which was strange. I'd gotten used to the Robinson Crusoe look, but it was nice not to have to mess with the big hillbilly beard.

"We're going to leave for New York tomorrow," said D.X. when we returned. "I want to spend another day in Madison. We need to work on your skills as an Adept, and besides, there isn't a city on Earth that's more fun."

"Why are we worrying about fun when the fate of the world is at stake?" asked Kelly, pointedly. It was the question we all had on our minds.

"Because if the world is to end, then we should all enjoy one last fun time. Haven't you ever heard the saying, 'Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we shall die'? That applies here, folks. Anon and I have been looking at the situation, and--well, it's pretty grim. Basically, you've got the six of us versus two organizations with immense power and vast resources. The odds aren't good."

We sat in silence for a few minutes, before Sarah said, "Well...I guess I don't have to worry about missing my Physics test on Friday."

At that, D.X. smiled, and said, "If we fail, we won't have to worry about anything. And if we succeed...."

"We will succeed," I said, surprised I said it. "But first...I probably need to begin my training, right?"

D.X. nodded. "The rest of you should go wander State Street. We'll meet you at the Living Room--it's a bar on Univerity--at nine tonight. Scott?"

And with that, my training began.