Jacqueline could hear her father calling her through the wood, but she knew he wasn't looking for her; the area he would have to search was just too big, and unlike his youthful daughter, he didn't have the time or energy to familiarize himself with the landscape. He was content to own a good chunk of the land and leave it at that.

The young woman, on the other hand, was fascinated with the woods behind her father's grand house, often opting to spend time there rather than in her own room. From a very early age she had felt comfortable amidst the lush, vibrant greens. She had spent many nights asleep on a bed of moss, waking up with leaves in her hair and grass stains on her clothes. Her father always admonished her when she returned, but it never once dissuaded her.

Now she used the forest as a retreat. She had gotten into a horrible fight with her father over her freedoms as a girl of sixteen, and in a fit she had rushed off into the woods, seeking out her friend. She called the little one's name softly, so as not to give away her position.

“Lelynn!” she called in a loud whisper. “Lelynn, are you here? Can you hear me?”

Something flitted past her ear. She whipped her head around, her long golden hair flying free in the air behind her. “Lelynn, is that you?”

Laughter, and another brief gust from behind. She whirled, sticking out her hand and closing her fingers in a gentle-but-firm manner. Wriggling in her soft fist was a gorgeous winged woman, pouting in mock anger.

“Let me go right now, you great big oaf!” The tiny woman was only a few inches tall, but even still her struggles were noticeable to Jacqueline, who uncurled her fingers. Her prize unfurled her wings and floated back into the air, hovering in front of her giant friend's face.

“Lelynn, I'm so glad you're here. He's in another one of his Moods today!” Jacqueline said, exasperated. “I'm so tired of him trying to overcompensate for his lack of parenting! It's like, either be a dad always or just stay out of my life, you know? He's so difficult!” She stomped her foot to punctuate her point.

“W-well, at least he wants to be your father sometimes, right? That's got to count for something!”

Jacqueline folded her arms underneath her small breasts and sat down on a nearby rock, pouting. “Not when his definition of 'being a father' involves getting in the way of everything that I want to do.”

“Like what?”

“Like go to a party with, like, four other people!” Jacqueline was clearly upset. “What does he think I'm going to do, just lay on my back, spread my legs and not move from that position until dawn? He's just so... so...”

“It just sounds like he cares, Jackie.” Lelynn floated down to rest on her friend's knee, curling her knees up to her chest as she stared up at Jacqueline's pretty face. “It's gotta be hard having such a beautiful daughter. He wants to make sure you don't get taken advantage of.”

“Right, in the same way that he didn't take advantage of my mom. You know she turned thirty-four this year?” She made a noise of disgust. “Such a fucking hypocrite.”

“Don't be so hard on him. He's doing it out of love, you know that.”

Jacqueline fixed her gaze on her tiny friend. “Whose side are you on, anyway? What do you even know about having par-” The words died on her lips, but it was too late. Lelynn's wings sagged, and Jacqueline immediately tried to recover. “No, no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I-I just meant... oh god, Lelynn, you know I love you.” She scooped the fairy into her hand, cradling her against her heart. Lelynn's eyes had watered over, but she didn't let herself openly cry.

“Yeah, I know. Forget it, you didn't mean it,” she said coldly, flitting up and out of the human girl's embrace.

“I mean... in a way, I kind of envy it. I wish I was as free as you, just flying about all day, doing whatever I want.” She looked at a specific part of her tiny friend's anatomy. “And of course, having such a gorgeous set of wings.”

Despite herself, Lelynn smiled. She'd always taken pride in her wings, and complimenting them was a surefire way to make her happy. “You don't really want to be me, though. I mean, this is all I do. I don't spend time with any other fae. You're one of my only contacts. I'm sure you'd get lonely.”

The human girl just laughed and shook her head. “I can't imagine it being anything short of wonderful. It's every human's dream to come free of the pull of gravity and soar through the air. It would be positively magical.” She let out a soft giggle. “Literally, I guess!”

“You think so? You really think you'd like to be me?”

There was something odd with the way the fairy had asked the question. Jacqueline tilted her head to the side, still smiling. “...Yes?” she said hesitantly. Lelynn came to a rest on Jacqueline's knee again, stilling the thrum of her wings. It felt to the two girls as though a hush had fallen over the entire woods and it was just the two of them there.

“There may be a way for that to happen,” Lelynn said in a conspiratory whisper. “I know this spell that allows two consciousnesses to swap bodies. I-I've never done it before, of course, but I've learned it all the same. It's only doable if both participants are wholly willing, though, so if you'd want to, we could do that.”

It took Jacqueline a moment to process what she'd heard. “Swap... bodies?”

“Yeah. So you'd be me, and I'd be you.”

“For how long?”

“Until we cast the spell again. It's easy enough to cast, and we could just do a short trial-run to start off with if you want. Just to see how it feels, you know.” Lelynn's wings twitched with excitement. “It could be fun! You could flit around to your heart's content!”

Jacqueline's eyes were fixed on the fairy's wings as they shimmered in the sunlight. “They are really beautiful,” she whispered absently, causing the fairy girl to blush again. Slowly a serious expression overtook her face and she shook her head. “But... but no, I couldn't. I mean, I shouldn't. My father would be worried.”

“He wouldn't even have to be! We could do it for an hour or so, just enough time to play around with, then you're right back in your own body and home before supper! It would be fantastic!” Jacqueline was having a hard time resisting the offer. The thought of being as free as a fairy appealed to her, and finally she nodded.

“Okay. Just for an hour or two, right?”

Lelynn shot into the air with excitement. “Oh, yes! Just a short little while, I promise!” She hovered in front of Jacqueline's face, stretching her arms out, palms pointing at the human girl before her. “Okay, so, touch your index fingers to my palms to make a circuit.” Jacqueline did as she was told. Lelynn closed her eyes and began to chant. A blue glow began emanating from the points of contact between the two girls, and Jacqueline could feel an energy swim through her body. Suddenly the world lurched away from her. She felt like she was underwater, sinking no matter how hard she paddled in any direction. She let out a sharp shriek as something heavy impacted her back, and she curled her limbs up defensively, as if to ward off the foreign sensation.

When she finally opened her eyes again, her first reaction was to scream in fear and surprise. Her own face, now in titanic proportions, was smiling down at her. She kicked and scooted away, her bare ass chafing as she slid across the ground. “Hello, little Jackie!” her own voice called down to her. The giant body stretched an index finger out, playfully teasing the newly-made fairy.

“I-it worked!” Jacqueline was breathless. She got to her feet and started flexing her new muscles. Her wings stretched and folded in front of her, and she ran her hands along the silky-smooth texture. Lelynn had always stressed being careful around her wings, and she definitely understood why. Even at her size, she could tell how easily they could be damaged. They regenerated after a time – Lelynn was always complaining about small cuts and tears in them – but it was important to be careful to avoid dramatic injuries if possible.

“It did! You're a tiny little fairy now Jackie, and I'm big, strong you!” Jacqueline found herself being picked up by her own body and held before an all-too-familiar face regarding her with delight. “I'm so happy that you really wanted to go through with it. I was a little nervous that you were just saying it was what you wanted for my benefit.”

Jacqueline looked up at her now-giant friend, confused. “Your benefit?” She giggled. “What are you even getting out of this? You're just a boring old human now!”

Lelynn shook her head, beaming. “On the contrary, Jackie! Humans are magnificent! Why, just look at what I can do!” Without further warning, she gripped Jacqueline's wings and tugged them free of her body. A sudden, sharp pain shot from Jacqueline's back, and she yelled in pain and surprise, twisting around in Lelynn's hand.

“What did you do!?” Jacqueline screamed. “Oh god, what did you do?”

“I took your wings off, little girl.” There was a definite edge to Lelynn's voice now. “I doubt you could have even used them right off the bat – there are intricacies to flight, and more than you'd think. But none of that matters now, because you won't be going anywhere.”

“What... what are you doing? Lelynn, why did you do that to your own body?”

The human body laughed. “You know what? Keep it. It's yours now, I don't want it anymore.” She twirled, the sudden dramatic movement terrifying the small girl. “I'm a human! I'm a normal, giant, human girl!” Lelynn giggled exuberantly. “And you... well, I guess you're something of a loose end, aren't you?”

Jacqueline's eyes went wide with fright. “W-what do you mean?”

“Well, it's not like anybody would believe you right away if they found you claiming to be me – or, well, your body to be mine, anyway – but there would still be the seed of doubt, wouldn't there?” She clucked her tongue and shook her head. “That just won't do. I have to make sure you don't tell anybody about this.”

“No! Wait, what? No! You said only for a few hours!”

Lelynn giggled. “You really are innocent, aren't you? Either that or stupid. Come on, little girl. Look at us. I'm not going to just give you this body back. Do you know how long I had to be your friend just to get you to give it to me?”

“So... so this whole time... you were just... you were using me?”

“Well... not the whole time,” Lelynn admitted. “I wasn't lying when I said you're one of the only people I talk to. That's part of the reason why I wanted to get out of that shithole of a body. You have friends, family, a life outside of these god-forsaken woods.”

“You can't just have my life, Lelynn! That's not fair!”

“No, I guess it isn't. But you're wrong, I can just have your life. I'm you now, Jackie, and you're me. And unfortunately, you being me is a liability for me, so I'm going to have to get rid of you.”

The blood in Jacqueline's small body turned to ice. “You're going to... kill me?”

“Sort of! See, I'm not allowed to kill you as long as there's still magic that bonds us. But it only checks for me directly killing you. Like I can't just crumple you up in my hands like a wet rag right now.” She curled her fingers up, crushing Jacqueline into a small ball. The fairy screamed in fright, pressing helplessly against the giant hand. “As easy as this would be, I just... fucking... gah, nope. Can't do it.” She released the exertion, unfurling her hand once more.

“But what I can do is cause you serious bodily harm that will indirectly lead to your death.” She took Jacqueline's left leg between her fingers. “For example,” she said, then snapped the limb with a soft twist.

“Nooooo!” Jacqueline shrieked. She was experiencing pain like never before, squirming in the hands of this gigantic, treacherous sadist. She was deeply hurt by her friend's actions, and she struggled to understand. “Why are you doing this!? I thought we were friends! I'm your friend, Lelynn!”

“We can still be friends, Jackie. I just... I don't want to be me anymore. I'm so lonely all the time, and playing little pranks on woodland animals gets old really fast. Which, by the way, you're going to want to look out for. I have a lot of enemies in here.” Her eyes briefly scanned the woods, as if expecting to be surrounded by a horde of enraged critters.

“Please, Lelynn, just let me go see my parents! Please! Y-you can stay in human form, just let me be with my family!”

“But sweet Jacqueline, I thought you hated your father! You said you wished he would just stay out of your life forever!” She lightly stroked Jacqueline's hair. “Now you can have your wish!” She twisted the fairy's other leg, snapping it at the shin. Jacqueline was now sobbing in Lelynn's palm, writhing in agony.

“I... I just... want to go home...” she whimpered. Lelynn tilted her hand, and the tiny girl tumbled free of the human's palm, swiftly falling to the ground below and landing on her side with a dull crack. Lelynn smirked down at her.

“You are home. This is where you live now.” Jacqueline tried to rise up to her knees, but the pain in her legs was too great. She propped herself up on her arms, staring high into the sky above her only to see her own face staring back with cruel delight.

“Please...” Lelynn opened her mouth to speak when Jacqueline's father's voice rang out through the wood once more.

“Jacqueline! Please, come inside!” The new human girl smiled down at her pathetic-looking friend.

“So sorry to leave you like this. I really do wish I could put you out of your misery, but rules are rules.” She shrugged. “Tell you what, if you can actually get yourself to the house I'll see what I can do about getting you a nice little cage to live in, okay?” Lelynn giggled and gave a small wave to the broken fairy at her feet. “Bye-bye now, Jackie. Or, I guess that's me now, isn't it?” She laughed again, spun on her heel, and walked away without looking back.

Jacqueline shrieked in powerless rage as her own body took massive strides away from her, even as she dragged her new broken body over the coarse ground. Every pull sent pain shooting up from her legs, but she was determined to get back home.

She crawled for hours, taking frequent breaks to rest her weak, weary arms. She couldn't stop thinking about Lelynn taking over her life, spending time with her friends and family. She'd trusted the young fae, and she'd been repaid in betrayal. Time slowly crept by, and soon the sky began to get as dark as her thoughts. Her whole body was weak with exertion, and the night's chill sank into her small and unprotected form.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain from her abdomen. She cried out, twisting painfully to face the source, and saw a small red ant regarding her. Whatever it had injected with its bite started to burn, and in anger she lashed out, striking it on its carapaced head. Small as she was, the ant was still significantly smaller, and she could rip it apart if she had to. It paused for a moment, then retreated back into the forest. Jacqueline looked down and regarded the bite. It hurt, but it didn't seem serious. She was just about to start crawling towards her house again when she saw them.

Dozens of ants were coming for her, taking a strange, slightly-jagged path towards her. Her breath caught in her throat, and she tried to push herself away, but it only served to intensify the pain from her legs. She screamed as they approached, lashing out wildly. Two ants fell to her blows, but the rest crawled up her body, their mandibles sinking into her soft flesh.

“No! No, please help! Daddy I'm sorry! Please help me! HELP MEEEEE!”