Chapter 2: But Stay the Same

October 17, 2023 11:25 AM

Sanders groaned out a thank goodness as the AS Society base came into view. The base had been built around and into the old Atlanta airport. Now that everyone was so small, no one, save the the Society, could use the old planes making it an obvious choice. The area around the airport was now covered in barracks, armories, and other military equipment. A few giantesses could be seen moving about the area doing whatever odd jobs needed to be done.
Isabella pulled the jeep into the vehicle depot before heading out and toward the main area of the base, remodeled from the old airport. Sanders took a few deep breaths as he tried to pull himself together before the debriefing and return trip to the new city. Damn the Captain for seeming to hit every pothole in the highway and swerving like they were in a high speed chase. He knew she was doing it on purpose, but there wasn't much he could do about it. What he wouldn't give to be able to drive himself again...

The Captain entered the base and passed through the security checkpoint without incident, the giantesses working it knowing the Captain on sight. A few giantesses waved or greeted the Captain on their way. She returned the greetings and pleasantries, but didn't stop to talk. Instead, she made a bee-line for the Ranger's equipment room.

They arrived in short order and the door leading it slid open as the Captain approached it. A small alert rang out in the room to warn any normal-sized people of a giantess entered the room. The room was pretty bare. Near the door were some giant-sized benches and chairs for the giantesses to use while their waited for their team. About halfway into the room, a large red warning line had been drawn and big letters declaring it TINIES ONLY was written all along it. Past it were the lockers and equipment racks used by the scouts of the Rangers. Two other Ranger groups were getting unloaded while their assigned giantesses waited. Sanders didn't recognize them, though.

"Looks like 3 and 7 made it back all shiny and spiffy as usual. Must be nice to only get jobs in the city limits so you can keep your boots nice and shiny," Aviel taunted them as the Captain detached the cages from the holdings.. Apparently Aviel knew them and was doing her usual playful taunting. It had taken him a few days to learn that being taunted by Aviel was not a bad thing. She only did it to people she liked and cared about.

"Yeah, keep talking. Like to see you go down into the old sewers and see if you are still talking like our job is easy," one of the normal sized men yelled back up at her.

"Or have to climb up three stories looking for Resistance guerillas in the old buildings. Maybe then you wouldn't have those toothpick arms," his female squadmate taunted before showing off her own arms. Sanders had to admit, the woman was rather muscular and looked capable of pulling herself up giant sized stairs with ease.

"Like to see you say that to me when I'm not locked in a transport cage," Aviel yelled back at them. The others made a few ohhs and "so scaried" comments, but mostly laughed her off. Sanders didn't take part in the banter, though he did want to. He didn't know these guys and it was only his fourth mission. They would all just get mad if he, a rookie, joined in the ribbing.

By the time the Captain got the cages unhooked and placed them on the ground, the other two groups were heading back to get picked up by their own giantesses. Aviel gave them a few last taunts which they returned as they passed. Most of them only gave small nods or heys to Sanders. The joys of being a rookie in a high risk job...

Sanders headed for his locker as the Captain spoke to the other two giantesses. They talked for a few seconds before the two other giantesses took their scouts and headed out. Aviel appeared beside him and opened her own locker to begin putting her stuff away.

He stole a quick glance at Aviel as she started to undress, not able to resist admiring her figure. Compared to the Captain, she was a lot less busty and didn't have those wonderful motherly hips he loved about Isabella. But, she was a good bit more muscled and toned than the Captain was. Quite honestly, he had no idea what the others were talking about with toothpick arms. Her biceps were quite obvious on her arms even through a shirt and her shoulders had some definate definition to them. Her legs too we-

Sanders suddenly noticed the three claw marks that were in her leg, obviously wounds from her fight with the wolves. They were still bleeding a bit and some of the blood had begun to stain her jeans.

"You're hurt," he said before fishing out his first aid kit, "here let me bandage it."

"Huh? Oh yeah, that. Alright," Aviel said before taking a seat on the nearby bench. Without even a second thought, she pulled off her jeans to let him get at the wound better. Sanders took a second to oogle Aviel's well-toned legs now that they had nothing save her panties covering them. They had just the faintest hint of red hair on them and their muscles were swollen with potential power. Sanders still hadn't gotten completely used to how the other Rangers were so casual about being undressed in front of each other. Sadly, the Captain and the other giantesses apparently had their own room somewhere else, but getting to feel Aviel's muscular legs was more than good enough.

Aviel seemed to notice him staring a bit and took off her flak vest to reveal her white T-shirt under it. Its top buttons were open revealing a good bit of Aviel's C-cup cleavage.

"You sure you just wanted to patch me up," she stopped as she leaned forward to give him a better view of her chest, "or did you just want an excuse to get close to me?"

Sanders felt his face turning bright red as she stammered out, "T-That is not why! I was just being nice!" He turned away from her and went back to getting out of his armor to leave Aviel to finish. She laughed at his back for a few seconds.

"Haha, calm down. I was just kidding. You know that kind of stuff is why everyone still calls you a kid, right?" she asked still giggling to herself. Sanders didn't bother answering as he took off the last bit of armor and put it in its case. He made sure it was locked tight and secured to the locker before putting the rest of his gear away.
"Always so careful with that armor of yours," Aviel said as she pulled her still cut and stained jeans back on.

"The Captain gave it to me so I should take care of it. Besides, its not like you don't do the same with that sword of yours," Sanders said watching Aviel carefully put her sword back up with utmost care.

"That's different. I made this sword with my own two hands. That armor was just a gift," Aviel scoffed at him as she finished putting away the rest of her stuff.

"You are just jealous the Captain gave me something and not you," Sanders said closing his locker. He stretching a bit now that he was out of his armor and could move freely. Aviel gave a short laugh at that notion before closing her own locker.

"Yeah right. More like she gave it to you so you wouldn't get killed," Aviel taunted. Sanders was about to respond when the heavy footsteps of the Captain stopped him. She had moved to the very edge of the red warning area and was bent down to see them better.

"Are you ready?" she asked keeping her voice a low whisper so as not to blast them with it. Aviel gave her a thumbs up while Sanders just nodded. The Captain lowered her hand down, palm upwards, to let them climb on before slowly standing back up. Sanders grabbed hold of her tree like pinkie for support while Aviel just stood in the middle of the palm like nothing was even happening.

Despite the Captain's best efforts, her walk still sent some large tremors through her hand. Sanders couldn't help but grip the pinkie tighter in response, knowing full well a fall from here was certain death. Aviel, though, only chuckled at him and didn't seem bothered by them in the lest. Yet another sign that he was new at this while she was a veteren of the Rangers.

Thankfully for him, the trip to the normal-sized tram back to New Atlanta was a short one. Soon enough they passed the warning signs indicating they were entering a tiny person area, warning the giantesses to watch their step and be mindful of their surroundings. The Captain slowed her pace as she made sure no one was lurking around her feet before heading to the drop off platform.

The platform had been built into the wall of a dead-end hallway to make sure the only giant foot traffic near the area was on purpose. There were a few normal-sized people on the floor heading for the elevators going up to the platform or to the doors leading into the safe normal sized hallways that snaked under the far too dangerous giantess hallways above. Most of them steered well clear of the Captain's building sized feet.

The Captain stopped once she was within easy reaching distance of the platform. She held her hand to the platform to let him and Aviel off. The platform itself looked like any other tram station in the city. A security checkpoint was checking people's IDs and making sure they were who they said they were and were not taking anything they shouldn't. Past them, rows of seats were lined up parallel to the track alongside some large ad towers showing off the latest fashion trends and "in" stuff. Up above was a number of screens showing the time of the next tram arrival. The tram leaving the base only went to the main tram intersection so as to help security and keep the Resistance out.

Sanders and Aviel turned back to the Captain. Sanders had to fight off the urge to stare at her colossal twins now at head level with him. Damn what he wouldn't do to just dive into those titantic tits that would make most houses size-envious. Of course, he knew he WOULD live to regret it if he did and wished he hadn't. He shook his perverted thoughts away as the Captain began to dismiss them.

"Try to stay off your leg, Aviel, and make sure to redress it. I don't want you sitting off-duty with an infection," she whispered to them just loud enough to be heard over the commotion of the station.

"Yes, mom, I'll make sure to do that," Aviel said in a sarcastic tone. The Captain looked a little annoyed, but let it go as she looked over to Sanders.

"Sanders I meant what I said. Don't ever forget to turn your locator on again. If I hadn't stopped when I had..." she said glancing away for a second before focusng on him again, "Don't let it happen again... please."

"It won't, Captain. And I'm sorry for nearly getting myself killed," he said trying to sound as bad as he felt. He knew as horrid as being crushed would have been, at least he wouldn't have to live with it after that. The Captain, though...he wasn't sure she would ever have forgiven herself for killing him even if it had been his fault.

"Good, now get get some rest and I will see you both here tomorrow at 0615. Dismissed," she said before glancing back down and carefully making her way back into the giantess only hallways.

Aviel waited till she was out of sight to elbow Sanders, "Suck up."

"How was I sucking up?" he asked as they both headed for the security checkpoint, "I honestly do feel bad about it. You know how the Captain is, she would have been devastated."

"You have no idea, but you're still a suck up," Aviel said as they reached the security checkpoint. They showed their IDs, got sweep with a metal wand, handed their stuff over to be checked, and finally got the clear to head out onto the main platform. A large amout of other people were here chatting, reading, or just waiting for the tram to arrive. The next one wouldn't get here for another two minutes so Sanders took a seat. Aviel stayed standing and scratched a bit at her wound.

"If we had guns you probably wouldn't have gotten that," Sanders said letting a bit of annoyance come through.

"Oh boy, here we go," Aviel sighed as she rolled her eyes, "I already told you you're going to get in trouble if you keep bringing that up."

"If it saves a few lives it should be brought up. I don't get why we can only use weapons that are meant for a medieval battlefield," Sanders said getting more annoyed the more he thought about it. It was just so...stupid.

"Because if they gave us guns some would wind up with the Resistance. And the Resistance can fight back when they have guns. Our swords and such are useless against the Society," Aviel said sounding like she was lecturing a young kid.

"But they already have guns so why does it matter? If they let the people on the outskirts have guns we wouldn't have to keep going out there everyday chasing away bandits, wild animals, and other problems. We could focus on other more important things!" Sanders said getting more impassioned as he went.

Aviel chuckled at him and asked, "Like what?" Sanders opened his mouth to answer before realized he hadn't thought of that. Food and water was in no short supply anymore, seeing as everyone needed a lot less. Power was pretty much the same. Living space was no longer an issue either. Unemployment was unheard of since the Society gave people without jobs employment usually out of town.

Finally, something hit Sanders to fire back at Aviel and he turned to her with a satisfied look.

"Crime."

"Crime?" Aviel said looking at him like he had just suggested they run back to New Atlanta.

"Yes, there is still a crime problem. Gangs, murders, even some Resistance bombings," Sanders said thinking he had finally found something Aviel couldn't blow off.

"You do know New Atlanta doesn't even have half the amount of crime old Atlanta had, and yet we have nearly double the population. right?" Aviel said looking even more tired of the conversation than before.

"I...really?" Sanders asked looking confused. He honestly had no idea what the crime levels were compared to the original Atlanta. He had just known he heard about some kind of crime a lot on the TV. Aviel put her face in her palm and groaned at him.

"Next time, do some research before you say stupid shit," Aviel said before turning back to watch the tram pull into the station. Sanders couldn't help blush a bit at his mistake. He stood up as the doors to the tram opened and allowed the next wave of people onto the base. Once they were out of the way, Aviel, him, and a bunch of others crowded into the tram for the ride back to the main station.

"Wait...how do you know that?" Sanders asked, suddenly realizing something.

"Know what?"

"The crime levels of old Atlanta?"

"Oh... I didn't," Aviel said with a nasty grin. Sanders glared down at her for the trick as the doors closed and the tram headed back toward New Atlanta.

Sanders didn't talk to her for the rest of the ride, being rather pissed at the trick. Aviel didn't seem to mind though as she just leaned back in her seat and imitated sleep. With nothing better to do he looked out toward the old city skyline.

Just ten short years ago those buildings would have been full of people, the roads chocked with cars, the noise of city life roaring out. Now they were just silent giants, mute testiments of the time before the disaster. Before everyone save the lucky few had shrunk.

Still hard to believe the Chinese had made such a weapon with no one knowing. According to the news, they had planned to shrink the US down and then just march on in, taking over without firing a shot. Idiots fucking something up, though, and managed to shrink everyone save those lucky enough to have a gene that made them immune. A gene that was only active in females no less, not that Sanders was complaining. He had no wish to see a giant to be honest.

For about month everything was utter chaos. Everything that modern society relayed on, computers, cars, buildings, infastructure, was now far too large for anyone to use. Communication broke down, people panicked, and all hell broke loose. Society literally tore itself apart. And then the Advanced Science Society came in.
Those that hadn't been shrunk all got together over the internet and other forms of communication. They talked and, eventually, made a group to try and salvage civilization before it fell apart completely. They got to Atlanta just in time and set about reestablishing everything. New mini-homes, mini-cars, working water, everything a city needed to function.

And now...well now New Atlanta was better than the old one in everyway. The Society was a god-send and had saved not just Atlanta but the whole of the world. Within the first five years of them taking the reins, pretty much everything was back to normal. Save the larger distances and the giant girls.

His thought were disrupted as the tram began to slow. Aviel opened her eyes and stretched as the tram pulled into the main station. The main station was nearly as big as most of the old buildings. Every tram came through here to head toward the different parts of New Atlanta and its outskirts.

Aviel and Sanders got off along with the rest of the passangers and headed for the main part of the station. There was no need for a checkpoint coming off the tram as they had already gone through one. The main area was stuffed full of people going to all over and the area was lined with various resturants and stores. Screens with trams arrival and departure times were nearly everywhere.

"Guess I should head back and rest, don't want Mommy Isa throwing a fit if my wound isn't healing right," Aviel said as the entered the main area.

"Alright. See you tomorrow, Aviel," Sanders said as they headed off in different directions. Just cause she was going to head for bed, didn't mean he was. It was still pretty early so he figured stopping by and checking on his folks and siblings would be good. Nice visit with them, then a short ride back would make for a full day. Then some TV, fall asleep with it on, and then do it all over again.

Funny how things seemed to stay the same.

     Article on Atlanta, GA post-Shrink Disaster.

Atlanta was one of the first cities reclaimed by the Advanced Science Society's American arm. Hoping to make use of its massive airport to ship supplies all over the country, the Society made it a large priority to reestablish the city and return some order to the city in chaos.

At that time, Atlanta had fallen into complete chaos. A few police and other social workers attempted to reign in the chaos, but the sheer distances and inability to provide even the most basic of needs doomed their efforts to failure. In a single year, the population of Atlanta had fallen from 432,427 to less than 350,000. Exact figures of the death toll are impossible to establish with so little being recorded, but it it estimated to be in the 60,000 range with another 10,000 moving out of Atlanta and another 10,000 simply vanishing without a trace.

Thankfully, in the year 2013, the Advanced Science Society arrived in force to Atlanta. They immediately set about rebuilding the city's infrastructure to accommodate the much smaller people and helped build new homes, businesses, and trade for the city. Within two short years, the city had boomed and grown to fill an entire ten block area and have a population of 551,845. Adding to this are a large number of smaller towns and cities radiating outward from the main section of the city. Current estimates of the actual population of the Atlanta city area, including these smaller cities, is in the 2 millions.

These separate cities are all connected by a wonder of tiny engineering, the tram. Designed and built by the Scientist, Gregor Manchent, the tram is capable of moving at speeds rivaling that of full-sized cars. Combined with a high tech computer system that keeps the trams always on time means that passage from the different cities can take only a few minutes or an hour rather than a full day on foot or in mini-cars. The tram is larger considered the reason why Atlanta has grown so large so quickly and is the lifeblood of the area.