Tales of Dollopolis

Chapter 1. "Freaky"

by Skytower

Simone Stronghollow had been born and raised in the Stronghollow mansion, a place designed and built by her great grandfather. The mansion sprawled somewhat and from the outside looked a little like a child's idea of a castle. Over the generations various Stronghollow's had added to the mansion. Another wing, a solarium and greenhouse had been added and the rooms had been modified for each era. Simone's uncle had been a supervillain and had expanded and modified the cellar. But none of her ancestors had ever dreamed of adding what Simone had added to Stronghollow mansion. She had built a swimming pool and under that pool Simone had built Dollopolis.

Of course she hadn't built it herself, any more than her ancestor had built the mansion itself. In his case workers were hired away from the railroad to construct his mansion. In Simone's case it was a mind-controlled construction crew that had put the swimming pool in and dug out the extra space for the shrunken city. The city of Dollopolis had been built by The Group.

Simone had grown up rich in a rich section of Pine Hills. Three of her playmates had been Deborah and Delilah Pennytorch and Tremont Coach. Simone had always thought them a little bit odd, but she had never suspected what they could do. They were brilliant. They were beyond brilliant. They had cured her of cancer and created a process that could shrink down anyone to whatever size they wished. Molly Dolemont had joined them at some point and the four of them together had set out on a path that would lead them to world domination.

Simone planned to go along with them. A year of terminal illness followed by months of confinement by her brother and his mistress while they had waited for her to die, had shown Simone how hollow her life had been. How little she had used her wealth for anything but herself. But at the same time Simone could never forget other rich friends who had decided that their wealth was meaningless. They had started out on well meaning crusades and none of them had survived. They had either been consumed by the world or they turned away from it in disgust; their idealism ground into cynicism. It was not enough to want to change the world; you had to have some idea of how to do it.

So far The Group had shown that they had the ideas. Simone had heard from Merry how they had changed her state. Jobs were up, the schools were better and the poverty rate was slowly dropping. None of the changes were obvious unless you knew where and how to look. They weren't quick fixes, they the beginnings of long term sociological changes. Their methods were frightening, but they produced results. Their principle agent of change was Merry McCormick, the woman they called Officer Dolly and the woman Simone loved. Merry was shrunk and sent on mission after mission, never failing them. Simone knew The Group as friends and nominal superiors. She often thought that to Merry The Group were like gods.

But as good as Merry was she was only one person. The Group had decided to create an entire city of shrunken women. In that city devices could be made, shrunken women could be trained and societal models could be tested. The first societal model had failed. But that had been with two women and one man. This second one was Simone's chance. The Group had given Simone the power to grow and shrink at will, and given her the title of Duchess. She would rule the city of Dollopolis as a sovereign with nearly absolute power. To populate the duchy Simone and Merry were to seek out poor wretches who had no place in society. The desperate, the outcast, those to whom the world was a club that constantly beat them. Only women were to be allowed. The first two shrunken girls were Jessie and Lizzie. Then had come Monica and Snowbelle. But between the first two and the last two things had changed. The result of that change stood in Simone's throne room and watched her as Simone sat on her throne. They had to look up. Simone's usual height in Dollopolis was twenty-four inches tall. Everyone else was twelve inches tall. The height difference gave Simone a little more power both in the perception of those who saw her and in reality because she was stronger.

I wish Merry or Lizzie or Jessie were here now, Simone thought. But Merry was preparing for a mission and both Jessie and Lizzie were at least a half of a day from recovering from injuries. That left her alone to keep a series of lies going. There were three people in the throne room. Daisy Obrien rested on a Victorian lounge chair. She was dressed in a white robe. Daisy was a well built woman with shoulder length blonde hair. Her skin was going gray and there was a weakness in her eyes. In her eye. A laser pointer, a lesson to Simone about the dangers of being only twelve-inch inches tall, had blinded one of Daisy's eyes. Daisy usually kept her hair swept over that eye, so much so that Simone often didn't notice it. Daisy was pregnant and it was that pregnancy that demonstrated why Dollopolis would only be inhabited by women. Inside of her twelve-inch tall body was a normal sized baby. A shrunken woman could not risk a child. If both of them were to live the baby had to go. Beside Daisy was her cousin Abigail. Abigail had the same color hair as Daisy but she was a little shorter and a little heavier. She was wearing a robe too. If things went well Abigail would be grown to full size and carry the baby until Daisy recovered. Then Daisy would be returned to full size and the baby returned to her body. Beside Abigail was Daisy's husband Brent. He was a little taller than both of them and his hair was a lighter shade of brown. Like her one of his eyes was milky white but Brent didn't hide it. Brent would do anything to help his wife.

And so will I, Simone thought. But it's The Group that will help them, but I have to make sure they never realize that. Oh Goddess please make me a good liar!

Simone waited a few moments, framing her thoughts into those of a member of the aristocracy. Not only her thoughts, but also her manor and her way of talking; all had to be planned out before she did anything.

"What do you mean by 'freaky changes'?" Brent asked. There was a definite challenge in his voice.

"The problem Brent is that when I first proposed conducting the mystic ritual that would switch the baby into Abigail's body I had three people to help me. Now I have only myself. I am powerful enough to perform the spell, but it will not be easy and preparations will have to more elaborate."

"How come more people would make a difference?" Abigail asked.

"Magic comes with a price." Simone said. "The more you want magic to do, the more has to be paid. The more power is needed."

"So what do we do?" Daisy asked.

"Above all else you must trust me." Simone said. "And once we start there is no stopping this."

"We trust you." Brent said.

{No, he does not.}

{Can't really blame him.}

{If ever a man has been through hell it is this one.}

{They both have.}

Simone knew that no one else heard those words. Part of the process that allowed her to shrink and grow allowed The Group to hear and see what she heard, and to speak directly to her mind.

"We do." Daisy said and Simone knew that she meant it.

{It is best if Brent was excluded from the rest of this.}

{Good thing we made Dollopolis a girl only place.}

"To start with Brent I'm afraid there is no place for you in this." Simone said.

"What?"

"This spell was created by women, for women and no man can take part in it. I'm sorry."

"I'm not leaving her." Brent said fiercely.

"Brent…"

"No." Brent cut his wife off. He reached over and took her hand. "I'm not leaving you."

Simone let out a regal sigh and hoped she wasn't overdoing it.

"Brent if you really trust me you must let me do this in the way it has to be done. A man anywhere near the ceremony will disrupt the balance and that would be dangerous for everyone."

"So I just sit and wait?"

"Yes." Simone said. "The ritual will take at least a day anyway."

"A day?" Abigail asked. Simone wasn't sure about the young woman yet. She was brave, but she was also insensitive and self-centered.

"A day or so in the temple of healing." Simone said. "The preparations will only take a short time."

"Brent" Daisy said and this time there was a firmness in her voice that hadn't been there before. "We do this her way."

After a long look Brent nodded.

{We placed a bottle of 'magic' ink and a crystal in the temple.}

{Take it and go to a pond a little bit away from the temple, we'll direct you.}

{You, Daisy and Abigail will all soak in the pond for a bit.}

{Tell them it is a sacred healing place.}

Simone stood up.

"First off we shall go to the temple of healing. There I have a crystal we will use while we bath in a sacred pond."

"If the pond is sacred why use the crystal?" Abigail asked.

"To begin matching your body and Daisy's body." Simone said. "There are certain parts that must be made equal."

{Good catch.}

{We just thought the crystal would make a nice prop.}

{Something for you to speak over and impress them.}

{Abigail's curiosity may be a problem.}

Simone walked over to Brent.

"Brent, with Merry gone and Lizzie and Jessie injured I'm afraid you'll be alone through all of this. I'm sorry. Stay in the castle, go up to my room, you can see the temple from there. The globe over the temple will be glowing blue until the spell is done, then it will flare brightly and fade. Do not leave the castle until it does."

"I won't." Brent said.

{That should hold him.}

"Am I still going to get drawn on?" Abigail asked.

"Yes." Simone said. "But now both you and Daisy will be inscribed with the runes."

"Freaky! Can I do it?"

"No." Simone said before Daisy could say anything. She put her large hands on their shoulders and started to lead them out of the castle. "I'll do it. But I will need your help."

The pond was near the ridgeline that bordered Dollopolis. The city was built on a giant 'U' shaped platform. The outer edge was a mountain range while the inner edge was a river. Simone led Abigail and Daisy along a thin path to a small pond that sat beside a sheer rock face. Water cascaded down from the rocks above and filled the crater. Around the pond were trees and flowers. Some of the trees were normal looking trees but they were dwarfed by what had to be regular size flowers. Daisy blinked as she saw a sunflower standing taller than a pine tree.

Simone walked in front of them holding a small crystal and a jar of black ink. She had been silent during the walk and only answered Abigail's many questions with single sentences or words. Abigail of course would not stop talking.

They stopped at the edge of the pond and Simone put the ink jar down and then let her robe fall to the ground. There was still something very jarring at the sight. Simone stood twice as tall as Daisy and Abigail. It was one thing to see a giant; Daisy had gotten used to that while the Professor held her and Brent captive. But Simone was not a giant, she was just… taller; and that seemed wrong somehow. When she turned Daisy couldn’t help but stare at the larger than normal breasts on Simone's chest. Breasts that were topped with bright red nipples. The rest of Simone drew Daisy's attention as well. She was slim but not lean. Her short red hair framed a soft, friendly face with hazel eyes. It was a normal body in all but size, but that size fascinated Daisy. It fascinated her more than she was comfortable being fascinated with another woman's body.

Simone closed her eyes and threw the crystal over her shoulder.

"Dead center?" She asked.

"Pretty much." Daisy said.

"Good." Simone said. "A good omen."

"We gotta be naked too right?" Abigail asked.

"You don't have many sacred waters on your world do you?" Simone asked. "Of course you have to be nude."

Abigail looked around and for the first time Daisy realized that her cousin was nervous.

"Abby you do this all the time." Daisy said. A thought struck her and then she added. "Don't you?"

"Welllll…" Abigail let the word trail off. "Sorta."

"Abby how many times?" Daisy demanded.

"A couple." Abigail said looking away from her.

"How many?" Simone asked. "And I should warn you Abigail that lying next to a sacred pool can have very serious consequences."

"Three." Abigail said quietly.

"What?" The word exploded from Daisy's mouth. She felt anger rising within her. "So how come when we are at the lake you go down to the beach without a suit? You drive Brent crazy when you do… that." Daisy stopped at the look on Abigail's face. "Is that it? You just want to drive my husband crazy?"

"I just want him to lighten up a bit." Abigail said. "I mean you two are so white bread."

"What else have you been lying about?" Daisy demanded stalking toward her. "You really into S&M? Did you really sleep with that guy to get a good deal on the house?"

"Well…" Abigail again let her voice trail off. "Not if you want to get really technical about things…"

"Excuse me." Simone said. "Daisy you can settle this later."

"I'm sorry." Daisy said turning around. Inside she was seething. Abigail had been bragging about her wild life style for years. "But we are going to talk about this Abby."

"Before you talk Daisy you might remember what Abigail is about to do for you."

"Oh. Yes." Daisy felt her rage drown in Simone's words. "Ok, good point. We'll talk about it…" Daisy waved her hands dismissively and then added "Latter."

"It's not like I really lied or anything." Abigail said. "I really do have some S&M stuff, and I did loose my top once when I was swimming. That was the time that Brent saw me and…"

Daisy ignored her and let her own robe fall to the ground. Her skin was gray and her body awkward with a pregnancy she couldn't handle. It was driving Daisy to near despair that she unable to handle her own pregnancy. Having a child was something she had dreamed of since she had married Brent. To have it end up this way was a cruel irony. Even though she told herself that the baby would only stay in Abigail long enough for her own body to heal… it felt like she was failing her child before it was even born.

"How long do we stay in?" Daisy asked.

"Till we are done. I will know when." Simone said. She looked at Abigail. "Don't worry Abigail, Dollopolis is empty at the moment. The only one here besides us is Brent and he can't see you."

Daisy turned and saw that Abigail had loosened her robe but was holding it up at her shoulders.

"Why?" Daisy demanded getting angry again.

"Well…"

In one step Daisy stomped over to her cousin and pulled the robe away from her. Abigail gasped and stepped back.

"Why?" Daisy demanded.

"It wasn't all a lie!" Abigail protested. "I do have all that S&M stuff, you've seen it."

"Do you use any of it?"

"Some." Abigail said shrugging. She took another step back. "Sometimes. I know a guy who uses me as a model for his X-rated superheroine web sight. Look Daisy the trust fund ran out a few years ago. The only thing Uncle Sue left me was his diary and all the stuff. And a contract to write erotic stories for Hustler."

"Huh?"

"Yea. So I write stories for the magazine and I keep going to college."

"So what hell are you doing telling Brent and I all these damn stories?" Daisy demanded.

"You were a test audience." Abigail said. "The more I freaked you two out the better the stories got. I liked doing the act, for you, for Aunt Sue, for everyone. I mean it got me into all the parties and the free food and… Well sometimes I didn't even know it was an act. Well not really."

"I'm speechless." Daisy said turning away from her. "I mean it. I'm speechless. I'm entrusting my baby to a serial liar!"

"I didn't hurt anyone!" Abigail protested. She ran and dodged in front of Daisy. "Did I? Look Daisy all my life my fantasies were better than my reality, I just liked being wild Abby better than I liked being plain Abigail."

"Un-believable!" Daisy snapped. She turned to Simone. "You wouldn't believe how many birthdays and Christmas's I just gave her cash because I could never bring myself to buy the stuff she talked about! I'd cringe when ever she stayed with us at the lake!"

"Look I'm sorry." Abigail said. "But I didn't think…"

"That anyone would talk to plain old Abigail." Simone said. "That without the drama your life would be nothing but take out and internet chat rooms?"

"Ouch!" Abigail said backing up a step. "That's brutal. I went out. Sometimes. And I'd try on all of the S&M stuff. I… I do self bondage you know."

"So for six years it's only been an act?" Daisy demanded.

"Yes." Abigail said. "My therapist says I have James Bond Syndrome, that I slip into fantasy a lot."

"James Bond Syndrome?" Daisy turned away from her. "Simone I've changed my mind, I can't do this. Not with her. Let me do it with you."

"Hey wait!" Abigail said. She again dodged in front of Daisy. "Look ok, I'm sort'a loose up here " Abigail tapped her head with her finger "but when you and Brent vanished I was the one who went hunting for you! I was the one who slept with a guy to find out where the auction was! Really! Me! No one else in the family did! I worked at a strip club and I sneaked into a lawyers office and… well I did stuff. Real stuff. I got knocked out, I got shrunk… Twice! And I did it for you and Brent."

"I'd say that tips the scale in her balance Daisy." Simone said. "What ever her lies her actions demand recognition."

Daisy looked at her cousin and wondered just when Abigail had started fooling her and if she was still fooling her. This was the most important thing in her life and Abigail had always been scatterbrained. But then she saw the plain earnest look in Abigail's eyes. And more the solid steady look in Simone's eyes. Simone had offered her body as a place to hold the baby and Daisy had chosen her cousin instead. Getting Abigail into Dollopolis had been risky. If Daisy went with Simone again all of that risk would have been for nothing.

"Ok, we'll do it." Daisy said.

"Good." Simone said.

"I won't let you down." Abigail said.

"But before we start I am curious." Simone said. "Abigail why didn't you let the police handle it when your cousin went missing?"

"Cause Brent and Daisy are the only ones in the family who like me." Abigail said. She looked at Daisy. "Really like me. Everyone else thinks I'm a freak. My act scares them off. But every Christmas I get something, even if it is only cash, every birthday they call and I get me a cake. No one else does that for me."

"You don't need the act." Daisy said.

"Yea I do."

"I think this is something you will have to settle later." Simone said.

"When this is all over we sit down and talk." Daisy said. "And you tell the truth about everything."

"Got it." Abigail said. "Only truth, I promise."

How can I ever believe her again, Daisy wondered? About anything?

"Daisy?" Simone asked and Daisy realized that Simone had said something too her.

"Sorry." Daisy said.

"I understand." Simone said. "As I was saying, because Merry isn't here you'll have to carry me into the water and let me rest on you."

"Carry you?" Daisy asked looking up at her.

"You two have to balance." Simone said taking a step back. "You can't do that if there is anyone in the pond larger than you are."

Simone raised her arms and closed her eyes. Her face took on a look of deep concentration.

"By Royal Command, I wish to be small, smaller, smallest!"

Simone brought her hands together with a clap and the air shimmered around her. Instantly she was so small that she only came up to Daisy's knee. Daisy watched in astonishment as Simone lowered her arms. She had seen Simone shrink and grow before, but this time was different. Simone had never been smaller than Daisy was.

Simone swayed for a moment and then fell to her knees.

"Are you all right?" Daisy asked bending down.

"I'll be fine." Simone said. She fell forward and for a few moments rested on her hands and knees breathing deeply.

Daisy started to reach for her and then stopped. For the first time she was looking at a woman who had actually been shrunk to a smaller size than she was. Simone's body had seemed so massive before but it was now so small, but still fascinating and even more fascinating. Daisy again started to reach for her and again pulled back, even though she wanted to touch Simone; to feel that small nude body in her hands.

Simone got to her knees and seemed to recover somewhat.

"I thought you had no trouble shrinking." Abigail said.

"There are limits." Simone said standing up. "As I said there is always a price to pay." She walked over to Daisy and raised her arms. "Pick me up Daisy and take me into the water."

Daisy didn't trust herself to speak. She reached over and placed both hands palm down in front of Simone. Simone stepped onto the cradle she had made and Daisy stood up. Simone seemed almost weightless in her hands. She sat down and Daisy could feel the flush rise to her face as Simone's tiny butte settled into her palm. Still not trusting herself to speak Daisy walked into the water. That it was warm water didn't help at all. She felt a sandy bottom under her feet.

"You have to keep your whole body submerged from the neck down." Simone said.

Daisy walked into the water and then slowly sat down, raising her hands to keep Simone above the surface. Abigail sat next to her.

"It's all right dear." Simone said to Daisy. "I have to be in the water, same rules, though I don't have to be as submerged as you. Try angling your knee so that I can sit down."

Daisy shifted her balance and held one arm behind her back, bracing into the sand so that she could lean back and bring her left knee up. Simone stepped off of her hand and then sat down on her knee. Daisy slowly lowered it so that the water lapped around Simone's shoulders.

"That will do." Simone said spreading her legs so that they fell around Daisy's knee. Daisy felt a little pressure as Simone dug in.

Daisy was breathing hard and her body was seemingly full of fire. Simone sat on her knee, her arms behind her to grab onto the top of Daisy's knee and her legs spread out to grab onto Daisy's leg. The position caused her breasts to stand out and gave Daisy a complete view of Simone's sex. There was little distortion from the water because Simone wasn't that far beneath the surface.

"Simone I am sorry about what I said to Merry." Daisy said. The apology was a desperate try to get her mind away from the feelings that were swirling in her body. Did Simone know what she was feeling?

Simone's face turned hard as she answered.

"Daisy Merry is more noble than you will ever know. You do not know how badly you hurt her."

"How'd you meet her?" Abigail asked.

Simone was silent for a few minutes.

"There is no harm in telling you. Before my duchy was Dollopolis it was just another kingdom. A border land. My family was like all families on my world. We had two basic enemies, everyone who wasn't a part of the family and everyone who was a part of the family."

"I thought you said family was everything in your world." Daisy said.

"Oh it was." Simone said. "The basic philosophy was this 'No one can kill my brother but me.' Only brothers and sisters could kill each other, and only for the throne. Children were not allowed to kill their parents nor were parents allowed to kill their children. But parents were allowed to kill each other and if the throne was up for grabs elder brothers and sisters could kill each other to get it."

"That's crazy." Abigail said.

"Well it sounds crazy to you." Simone said. "But for us it worked well for generations. It made certain that those who ruled were the smartest, luckiest and the most brutal power mad despots on our planet."

She actually sounded proud of the fact. Daisy's feelings must have shown on her face because Simone laughed.

"It wasn't as bad as you think." Simone said shaking her head. "It kept life interesting."

"How'd you ever manage to grow up?" Abigail said.

"Honor." Simone said. "A rigid code of honor. Take me for example. My brother and I lived with our uncle, our parents were killed when were young. Now we knew that one of us was going to inherit the throne when we grew up, me since I was older, but only if we managed to kill our uncle. If we didn't and he had children the throne would go to them. But since he had not killed our parents we were honor bound to regard him as our parent, and since we couldn't kill him we couldn't kill each other."

"Why not?" Daisy asked.

"Because if we did and he realized that we did he would have to kill the survivor. Brother and sister were not allowed to kill each other while at least one parent was still alive."

"But after they died?" Abigail asked.

"Ah, well there honor comes into play again." Simone said. She absently splashed at the water with her hand. "If the brother and sister were single they were fair game, but if either were married, and had children they were off limits. If that were to be the case the other sibling would just have tough it out and hoped that he'd get lucky and they'd all die of natural causes. The entire idea you see was to keep the bloodline strong through competition, but not loose it entirely."

"You said you had a brother?" Daisy asked.

"Yes. He spent years trying to kill me. Then he got lucky. I got sick. An incurable disease. He saw his chance, locked me in my room and waited for me to die."

"Merry stopped him." Daisy said.

"Yes." Simone nodded. "At the time I didn't know her of course. Well I knew of her, every noble on the planet knew about 'Bloody Merry'."

"Bloody Merry?" Daisy asked.

"Merry was born of noble blood." Simone said. "A smaller kingdom than mine as a matter of fact. Her family lost a war and was nearly wiped out. By our law her fate should have been to be the slave of the noble family that conquered her family."

"Someone tried to make a slave out of her?" Abigail asked.

"It does seem silly in retrospect." Simone agreed. "They didn’t live long enough to regret their decision. Merry turned outlaw and soon became the most wanted, and most feared outlaw in the world."

"Just for not being a slave?" Daisy asked.

"That would have made her an outlaw." Simone said. "But Merry didn't just run away from tradition. She stomped on it. And she stomped on the noble family who had defeated her family. She blew up their castle, poisoned all the wells in the land, and diverted a river so that the crops would flood and fail and that was all in her first year. By her third year as an outlaw Merry had killed so many nobles that her name had become a curse."

"Why?" Daisy asked. "I mean didn't she stop with the ones who killed her family?"

"No." Simone said. "She rebelled completely against the traditions of our world. She decided that the only good noble was a dead one and set out to find a lot of good nobles."

"She can't have been that bad." Abigail said. "She only one person."

"Oh my dear she was worse." Simone said.

"How many did she kill?" Daisy asked.

"I don't know exactly." Simone said. "I know by her fourth year as an outlaw it was at least one hundred and twenty. But it wasn't as much as she killed it was how she killed."

"How?" Abigail asked.

"Merry didn't really make a distinction between the noble families and the people they ruled. If she set out to kill a noble family then she'd set out to destroy their lands and towns as well."

"She's nuts!" Daisy said.

"She might have been by your standards." Simone said. "I have told you already Daisy that my people were not very mature emotionally."

"How did she do all of that?" Abigail asked.

"She never killed the same way twice." Simone said. "As an example, one time there was a city by one of our seas. The son of the ruler of that city was determined to make a name for himself and by luck or skill he captured Merry. Then he started to take her back to the city. On the way Merry got loose and killed him. Then she found a ship and went into the sea. There she somehow got the egg of a… well in your language I guess you could call it a Kraken, a giant sea beast. Merry hid the egg in the royal palace and to get it back the monster destroyed the entire city and a fleet of one hundred ships."

"My god!" Daisy said.

"Man she's got a temper." Abigail agreed.

"Poison, fire, explosives, beheadings." Simone shrugged. "She would burn nobles alive if she could. She kept at it for nearly six years, mostly alone. One time she forced a sorceress to make her an invisibility poison and in one month she decimated the ruling families of five kingdoms."

"She did this all by herself?" Daisy asked.

"Oh yes." Simone said. "She was outside the laws of my people and cursed for it. No one would help her and the price on her head was incredibly high. I think she was the most alone person there has ever been."

"How did you stop her?" Daisy asked. She was appalled by the casual way Simone was telling the story. It might have been all a lie for all the concern for life that the woman was showing. But more scary was the fact that a mass murderess had offered to carry her baby. Daisy shifted her leg and Simone was lifted a little out of the water. Simone didn't seem to mind.

"I didn't. The Four Great Powers did." Simone said. "They captured Merry, altered her so that she could shrink and grow at their command. Enslaved her really. You see they had decided that our culture was too barbaric to continue. They decided to change things."

"I'm glad someone did." Daisy said.

Simone smiled.

"And you culture is perfect? At any rate part of gaining control of the world was gaining control of my kingdom. They developed a cure for the incurable and sent Merry to give it to me. She gave it to me, snuck me out of my castle and to a general who was still loyal to me. But my brother captured her and for days tortured her. He needed to know who the general was. He had no idea who she was of course."

Simone had stopped smiling.

"He did things to her… that even your Professor wouldn't have done. But she gave me the time to rally my troops and take back my throne."

"What happened to your brother?" Daisy asked.

"He turned his back on her as my troops entered the castle." Simone said. "That was all that she needed. I don't think you want to know what part of him is in her trophy room."

"I don't get something." Abigail said. "You said she hated nobles, you're a noble."

"And she hated me at first." Simone said. "But I had allied myself with the Four Great Powers and they would not allow her to kill me. Though she did try. When we first met, as she stood over the dismembered corpse of my bother, she charged toward me with a horrid look in her eye. But before she could reach me the Four Great Powers shrunk her. Then they gave her to me while they worked on other matters. From time to time they used her but for the most part they left her with me. I realize now that they needed someone to tame Merry, to slow her down. To chill her out as you would say."

"How'd you do that?" Abigail asked.

"I had a size advantage." Simone said smiling. "But even so… It took me quite a while and more spankings than I can count before I could trust her not to be chained while I slept. Even at her reduced size she killed four of my guards. But over time, with kindness and firmness I tamed her."

Simone shifted her position so that her stomach was on Diasy's knee. She kicked her legs up and down softly. Daisy stiffened as the woman's ass was turned toward her. Simone shifted again and turned so that she was facing Daisy. She shifted again so that her breasts were resting on Daisy's knee and then Simone rested her chin on her hands. She still kicked her feet absently at the water and Daisy felt the vibrations along her legs.

"She was such a fierce little dear at first." Simone said fondly. "I'd had slaves before of course, but they were captives who followed tradition. Not Merry. I'd hold her down and spank her and then let her go and tell her to do something and she'd try to run and I'd have to spank her, or she'd try to attack me and I'd have to spank her… Honestly my fingers got very sore." Simone slapped her hand against Daisy's leg and Daisy had to fight to keep it still. "Spank, spank, spank. I think that might be the key to most relations."

"Just spanking her worked?" Abigail asked.

"Not at all." Simone said. "I also played with her body, giving her little massages and pressing my little finger between her legs, and toying with her breasts and tickling her now and then. It was forced pleasure but it was pleasure. As full of hatred and anger as she was Merry couldn't stop her own body from feeling that sort of pleasure. I did it enough times for the right reasons, always as a reward, never a punishment. And if I spanked her very hard I would spread something on her backside to numb the pain overnight." Simone rubbed her breast. "Unless the transgression was severe. And there were other, more private methods, methods that I will not discuss."

Daisy swallowed hard as she pictured a tiny Merry being masturbated by a giant Simone. The image was impossible to get out of her head. It was thrilling, it was revolting… it was scary. She imagined the fierce fighter that she had seen so far being worn down by firm discipline and love… Daisy swallowed hard.

"I have to tell you I fell in love with Merry long before she did so with me." Simone continued. "The path from hateful slave to friend to First Knight and Duchess Consort was a long one for her. You can not know the depths of her hatred. But I also kept her with me as I ruled and she saw how fair I was. And I never spanked her without cause. Gradually I tamed her."

"But she loves you now." Daisy said.

"She does, but even now she's never told me so." Simone said. "She shares my bed and thrills my body, and I know she would do anything for me, but those words still haven't come."

"When did she finally stop hating you?" Abigail asked. "When did you two get together?"

"Before the end." Simone said. "A few years before the end of our world. A group of nobles led an army against us, one of the last such tries before the monsters. Merry led my knights against them. When it was over most of my knights were dead but the enemy was defeated. But during the battle a small group infiltrated our base and captured me. But Merry heard of it just as the battle was over. They ran and she pursued them, leaving the other knights to secure the battlefield. When she caught up to us Merry tore the men apart."

"She killed them?" Abigail said.

"Not quickly." Simone said. She shuddered and again Daisy felt the vibrations all the way up her leg. "Eventually she let the last one die after he begged enough. Then she turned to me. I was bound and helpless. The Four Great Powers were still asleep."

"What happened?" Daisy asked.

"I looked at her. She was covered in blood, soaked in it really. There was a sword in her hand and a wild look in her eyes. She'd been my First Knight for nearly a year by then and I'd trusted her to lead my knights into battle. But I'd never trusted her enough to put myself in her power. She still slept in a cage, still shrunk. When she was in my presence Merry's arms and legs were bound. Now I was completely in her power, because I was not only bound but small as well. I couldn't free my arms to grow. And Merry was full sized. This was her chance not only at freedom but at murder."

"You were scared." Daisy said.

"Terrified." Simone said. "She held the tip of her sword between my legs. Then she moved it up my body to my throat. And then she smiled."

"What happened then?" Abigail asked when Simone stayed quiet for a few minutes.

"At the last moment she hesitated. Usually she was so decisive in her actions, seeing her hesitate seeing the slight puzzlement in her eyes, I realized that maybe I had finally tamed her. I asked her to free me and she did."

Simone stretched and nearly feel off of Daisy's knee. She dug her small fingers into Daisy's skin to keep her balance and Daisy felt her entire body go stiff.

"That night I asked her to come to my bed. And she did."

Simone stretched again, more carefully this time, and then wiped away a few tears.

"That was the key I think. That I had asked her, not commanded or begged. She would have laughed as I died had I begged her or cursed me as I died if I commanded her. But asking… Asking was different. We made love that night as equals, yet before morning she shrunk herself and for once I did not put her into her cage, but rested her between my breasts."

"What about the other nobles?" Daisy asked. The images that were filling her mind were setting her body on fire. "The relatives of the ones she killed? Didn't they look her up?"

"Some of them came seeking vengeance." Simone said. "None of them succeeded. Some came with armies and none succeeded. Remember that by killing their relatives Merry cleared the way for many of them to ascend to the throne. Some were actually grateful. Of course once she got over her hatred of me Merry's fierceness needed another direction and that direction took its form as the protection of Dollopolis and myself. It quickly became known that if a noble led an attack against my lands his or her lands would be destroyed. But if they did not move against me they were safe. I was known as 'The Tamer' and many of them were grateful that someone had at last stopped 'Bloody Merry'. Still being tied to one place presented a danger for Merry. She was captured and tortured at times by bounty hunters or vengeance seekers. You can't know Daisy what she's endured to keep my duchy and myself safe. She's allowed herself to be captured, tortured, nearly killed time and time again. Everyone outside of Dollopolis was scared of her. Even in my lands people would draw away from her. Most of them anyway. But not children. Merry is very good with children."

"She's destroyed cities." Daisy said. "You said so yourself."

"Yes I did." Simone said.

"There were children in those cities." Daisy said.

"There were." Simone admitted. "I'm sure Merry would say that she has never killed a child with her own hands, but that can not be denied. On the other hand Daisy I've seen her nearly die to protect children. Once Merry commits herself to you there is no limits to what she will do. She was the one who first came up with the transfer idea. She was the one who begged me to discover if it could be used between our races. She was the one who risked her life to bring back the Temple of Healing. Right now Daisy she would die for you without a second thought."

It was incredible to Daisy that a woman small enough to sit on her knee could make her feel defensive. But Simone did.

"But now it is different. Merry's scared you see." Simone said. "And so am I. We've seen our world vanish, we've been thrust into a world with beings who are far more powerful than we are. Merry lives to protect Dollopolis. Do you imagine she would have any chance against Force Group J?"

"But…"

"But nothing." Simone interrupted her. "Daisy look at me now." Simone stood up and carefully balanced on her knee holding her arms up and away from her body. "I am helpless before you. Dollopolis is helpless in the same way. We are ants at the feet of giants and those giants who were supposed to be above reproach have offered us nothing but treachery. Can you blame Merry for her anger and me for my fear?"

Daisy was silent as her mind tried to formulate and argument against what Simone was saying. But before she could Abigail shattered the conversation.

"Hey what happened to your bush?" Abigail asked.

"What?" Simone asked.

"Your bush." Abigail pointed between her legs.

Daisy looked and sure enough the small patch of red hair that had been between Simone's legs was gone.

"Ah." Simone said smiling. "Didn't I mention that? Part of the purifying process."

"Oh my god!" Daisy said. She realized that her hair was short, any of it that had been in the water was gone. Abigail's hair was the same.

Abigail stood up and Daisy saw that all her hair bellow the neck was gone. It wasn't just the pubic hair; it was all of the hair. Cupping Simone in her hands Daisy stood up and looked down. Her hair was gone too.

"Well." Simone said smiling. "Shall we dry off and go one to the next step?"

"We're done?" Daisy asked.

Simone nodded.

"The lack of hair is a good way to tell that the powers in the water have cleaned your bodies and matched their rhythms."

I am a great liar, Simone thought as Daisy carried her away from the water. I can't wait to hear what Merry will think of her life story. I just hope that Earth Force and Force Group J buy it. Enough to leave us alone at any rate. As half savages it should keep them from prying too closely.

Deep down Simone had to admit to herself that most of what she had told both women was drawn from her deepest fantasies. Drawn and spiced up somewhat, but drawn from her own desires.

Daisy put her down in front of the jar of ink. Simone could tell that the woman was having trouble with her size. Apparently small women turned Daisy on, and they did the same to Abigail. Simone wondered if seeing a nude woman barely half of your height triggered some sort of response in a woman's brain. It had for Simone the first time she had held a shrunken woman. She wasn't sure about Abigail but Daisy had seemed solidly heterosexual.

{Well done on the story.}

{It seems to have answered a few of their questions.}

{Officer Dolly will be proud of you.}

{Now to the painting. We will put the images into your head and tell you where to place them.}

{Paint Daisy first.}

{The symbols you will use will be a mix of true magical signs and random shapes.}

{It should convince anyone who reads their minds that you are from another dimension.}

{We really should write a complete history when we get a chance.}

Simone looked up at Daisy.

"Daisy I'll start with you." Simone said. "Just stand still and spread your legs a bit."

Daisy spread her legs apart and Simone walked between them. It took all of Simone's will power not to look up. Instead she dipped her fingers into the ink and started to draw the symbol that appeared in her mind onto the side of Daisy's ankle. The paint was thick and heavy but it went on smoothly.

"Don't you need a brush?" Abigail asked.

"For magic it's best to use your fingers." Simone said. She finished the symbol and moved to the back of Daisy's ankle. Simone could see the paint soak into the skin and dry almost instantly. And it lasted on her fingers as well, it was three symbols before she had to dip her fingers into the jar again.

"Will these go over my entire body?" Daisy asked.

"Yes." Simone said. She forgot where she was for a moment and looked up and quickly looked back. She was standing directly between Daisy's legs and while Simone was well acquainted with the area she had never seen it from her angle at her current stature. Simone wasn't sure what her reaction was but she hoped it wasn't noticed. She had to convince Daisy and Abigail that she did this sort of thing every day. Or at least every other day.

Simone drew symbols around both of Daisy's ankles. She used all of her fingers at once, then just her index finger and for the small parts just her little finger. It was a strange thing to have the Gothic style symbols just appear in her mind. Simone was used to words, not symbols. Daisy and Abigail had fallen silent. Abigail sat down and leaned her back against a tree.

"Abigail I'll need your help now." Simone said.

"My help?" Abigail asked sitting up.

"The reach dear." Simone said. She raised her arm and her reach only went a little past Daisy's knee.

"Oh." Abigail said. She went over and started to pick Simone up but then hesitated. First one hand and then the other started near Simone and then pulled back.

"Just hold my legs and don't let me fall." Simone said lifting her arms.

"Hummn-mmnn." Abigail said. Her fingers closed around the lower half of Simone's legs and Abigail lifted her up. "This is really freaky."

"It's quite common in Dollopolis." Simone said hiding her own tenseness. Abigail's grip was snug not tight but just the feeling of the giant's fingers around her legs aroused Simone.

"I'm not holding too tight am I?" Abigail asked.

"No this is good." Simone said. She was amazed at how calm her voice sounded.

"You are… I mean…" Abigail reached over and ran her finger over Simone's breasts.

"Abigail simply hold me." Simone said firmly. She took hold of Abigail's fingers with her hand and pushed. For a moment they didn't move and Simone had a stab of fear go through her.

"Abby!" Daisy snapped.

"Ah! Sorry." Abigail said pulling her hand back. But she pulled it back very slowly.

"I wouldn't get too familiar with your hands Abigail." Simone said. "Remember Merry is my lover and she can be jealous."

The message got through as Simone saw the color drain from Abigail's face.

"She won't do it again." Daisy said.

"No, no I won't." Abigail said.

"Don't worry." Simone said turning back to Daisy. "I can understand a little curiosity. I felt it myself when I first held Merry in my hands."

"What did she do?" Daisy asked.

"Nearly bit my thumb off." Simone said. "I think I still have the scar. It was a while before I held her without gloves. Now if you will Abigail, hold me close to her leg."

For the next few minutes Simone painted but it was more difficult now. Abigail's hand shook and the closer Simone got to Daisy's vagina the more Daisy shook. When she finally reached the vagina Simone was shaky herself. And Daisy was aroused. The lips of her labia were thick and wet and Daisy herself was breathing hard. The smell of the fluid filled Simone's head and she was wet herself.

"Almost done down here." Simone called after a few minutes of painting.

"Great." Daisy nearly shouted.

"Daisy this is turning you on!" Abigail said.

"No it isn't!" Daisy snapped.

"Don't worry Daisy." Simone said. "It's not un-common after bathing in the sacred waters. I'm sure Abigail is feeling it too."

"The water?" Daisy asked.

"Yes, it's a great aphrodisiac. One of the reasons I had to tell Brent to stay away."

{That is your biggest lie today.}

{You should see your vital signs.}

{The only time we've seen this sort of thing is when Merry makes love to you.}

{We shall have to add another factor of ten to the scale.}

Simone bit back a retort and kept on painting.

A half and hour later Abigail put Simone on the ground and then fell back breathing hard. Daisy stumbled back against a tree and her body trembled. Her body was covered in tiny black symbols. After the vagina the largest hurdle had been the breasts. Simone had never seen an aureole so close before and still managed to keep it in focus. It had taken every bit of self-control Simone had not to try to take the nipple into her mouth. In fact Simone realized that she now knew Daisy's body better than anyone, even Brent.

"Let's rest a bit before I do Abigail." Simone suggested. In the back of her mind was a picture of Merry's large breasts and the waxen aureoles with the firm tips that thrilled Simone when they were both normal sized. Trying to imagine them when she was as small as she was now-and Merry was tall-nearly drove Simone into climax then and there.

"Good idea." Daisy said.

After a few minutes Simone felt her body calm down. She could see that Daisy and Abigail we calming down as well.

"Simone, how come all the houses in Dollopolis are Earth-type houses?" Abigail asked.

"Ah, well there is an interesting story behind that." Simone said.

{We can't wait to hear it.}

{That girl's curiosity is going to be a problem.}

{The problem is we didn't design Dollopolis with this situation in mind.}

{Simone I think it is best you blame this on Merry. She has told Ms. Dream that she got hooked television shows from Earth after leading the team that discovered the dimensional portal.}

"You see." Simone said. "When the duchy was first shrunk there were no houses. The Four Great Powers didn't see the need. After all Dollopolis was in a force field, well hidden and there were no natural predators. The weather was well regulated so no one gave a thought to housing."

"No one thought of houses?" Daisy asked. "Where did they think everyone would be staying?"

"I never claimed that the Four Great Powers were perfect." Simone said. "I suppose I should start from the beginning. You see originally the Four Great Powers decided to save only select bloodlines. They constructed Dollopolis in my castle. It was platform with a few houses on it. Merry would go out, kidnap selected women and bring them to Dollopolis. Don't look at me like that Daisy." Simone saw the look of anger on Daisy's face. "No one was brought without agreeing first. These were usually the youngest of the noble families, children who had no real future in our society. They were kidnapped only because no family would have let them come voluntarily."

"I’m sorry." Daisy said.

"It's all right. It worked well at first, but then the plague struck. I quickly realized that we needed more room. So I and the Four Great Powers teamed up to take part of my lands and shrink them. I chose a valley and we began work. But my lands were attacked and we had to dump all of the shrunken women into the valley right away. Merry was the one who said that houses weren't necessary and I was too busy to say anything. I realized later that her hatred of the nobility hadn't really vanished completely. The thought of noble ladies running around naked with no homes was very amusing to her. But that changed as we started to drag in every woman we could find who hadn't been infected."

"So you had all those women and no place to put them?" Abigail asked.

"I can't begin to tell you how chaotic those times were." Simone said. "It's a bit of a blur to me now. Another problem quickly arose between women of rival families. Even Merry had trouble keeping order. And when the houses did get started those rivalries grew worse. Each noble lady wanted a copy of her house, of her castle at times."

"You needed neutral housing?" Abigail asked.

"Desperately. By that time a group of my… well you would call them scientists, discovered the dimensional viewer and your reality was the first one that was tuned into. Merry was in charge and she liked what she saw."

"She was in charge of scientists?" Daisy asked.

"Why do you find that strange?"

"She's… Well…"

"She's a bitch." Abigail finished.

"Abby!"

"Well she is." Abigail said.

"Merry is a great motivator." Simone said. "And most of the scientist were captured nobles from other families. I think a similar situation arose in your world. Didn't the United States and Russia used to routinely abduct each others leading minds?"

"I don't think so." Daisy said.

"Oh come on they did it lots of times." Abigail said.

"Well I make no apologies." Simone said.

"You don't have to." Daisy said.

"No, I don't."

"I just don't see Merry as having the right temperament to run a scientific research project." Daisy said.

"As I said Merry is a great motivator. Once those scientists learned who she was they couldn't work hard enough. Merry only had to walk into their labs to send some of them into panic attacks."

"I can so believe that." Abigail said.

"So Merry decided to model all of the houses on what she saw on television shows?" Daisy asked.

"Yes. And if you think she motivated those scientists you should have seen the reactions when Merry walked through the ladies in the valley. At any size." Simone sighed. "There were times I traded too much on Merry's reputation."

{The history of Dollopolis seems to be that Merry is responsible for all the contradictions.}

{This will work well for us.}

{In the history of many cultures one person is often easily blamed for everything.}

{Keep going Simone, but it is time you got to painting Abigail.}

Abigail nearly jumped up and ran when Simone stood up.

"Your turn dear." She said.

"Ahmm…" Abigail managed to get part of a word out of her mouth but that was it. She stood up and spread her legs apart.

Why the hell am I doing this, Abigail wondered? But she knew why. She had gone to Professor Artimous's house and seen him drive away with a box. She had snuck into his house and found Daisy's and Brent's clothes on the floor. That had started it and playing Nancy Drew had led her here. Now all of her lies were out and Abigail winced when she thought of what Daisy thought of her.

It's not fair, Abigail thought as Simone painted small symbols on her. I'm helping them; I've always helped them. I helped them move, I helped… well I always helped. I bet I'm going to get another lecture. I hate those lectures.

Daisy was watching her and Abigail could hear the lecture that was too come. Every so often Brent and Daisy would corner her with lectures. They both seemed to think of her as a wayward daughter, and they both wanted to run her life. Abigail sometimes wondered if that was the real reason she had kept up her wild girl façade. But deep down she knew it wasn't that. Abigail had grown up on adventure and excitement and had never really done any of it. It had all come into her life pre-packaged with snacks and commercials. As long as she had a television Abigail had the life she wanted. A safe, scary, thrilling and boring life. Not pretty enough to attract any of the guys she really wanted, not ugly enough to drive all of the guys away period and too scared to even think of girls, Abigail had funneled her life into her fantasies and she'd been happy there. For real human contact she had Daisy and Brent. But then they had vanished and Abigail had searched for them.

And now here she was, stuck in a tiny city with tiny women and… And she was about to become pregnant. By magical proxy. The whole concept was too much for her.

"Daisy could you help me here?" Simone asked.

"All right." Daisy said.

Daisy walked over and picked Simone up. Abigail watched and sure enough Daisy's fingers found their way over Simone's tiny breasts and more, they found their way over Simone's tiny ass.

It's not the water, Abigail thought. Simone was lying. This is turning us all on! Why isn't Simone threatening her? Why me?

Abigail could feel Simone's fingers as they traced designs on her body. They were warm and soft and she could barely keep still. When Simone touched her thigh Abigail lost it and backed up, giggling nervously.

"I'm sorry!" Abigail gasped out. "This is just so freaky!"

"I suspect it is for you." Simone said in that English-accent of hers. Abigail couldn't tell what it was, but the voice was turning her on as much as the touching.

"I'm ok now." Abigail said stepping forward.

Abigail managed to keep it together until Simone started to draw a symbol next to the vertical slit of her vagina. Then she lost it again, laughing hard and backing up at the same time. She stumbled and grabbed at Daisy to keep from falling. But she startled her cousin and Daisy stumbled with her and Simone went flying through the air.

Abigail made the transition from laughing and nervous to scared instantly. Simone had flown through the air and landed hard against a tree.

"Simone!" Daisy shouted scrambling over to her.

"Is she ok? I'm sorry!" Abigail said rushing after her. She had a vision of her future if Merry returned to Dollopolis and Simone was hurt and Abigail guessed it wouldn't be a pleasant future.

"I'm fine." Simone said standing up.

"I'm sorry!" Abigail said. "I'm really, really sorry, I just couldn't… I mean…"

"It's fine." Simone said sternly holding her hands up. "Just calm down and we'll try again."

Abigail took a deep breath and Daisy picked up Simone again. But as soon as Daisy brought Simone close to her body Abigail shrieked and danced backwards.

"Abby what the hell are you doing?" Daisy demanded.

"I can't help it!" Abigail said. "It's just…"

"Don't you dare say it's 'freaky'!" Daisy said.

"By Royal Command I wish to be taller!" Simone called out.

They both jumped back as Simone suddenly grew to twice their height.

"Don't be angry Daisy." Simone said. "This sort of thing has happened before. Wait here, I'll go and get something that will solve the problem."

Daisy waited until Simone was out of sight and then turned on Abigail.

"What are you trying to do here?" Daisy demanded.

"Hey I'm sorry!" Abigail snapped. "I'm not using to a tiny women using my body as a canvas! I'm not even use to another woman touching me!"

"What? Oh yea, I forgot about the great lie!"

"Hey look I'm sorry about that! But I'm weirded out when that woman shrinks and touches me! So were you!"

"Of course I was!" Daisy shouted. "This whole thing freaks me out! You think I'm enjoying this?"

"Hey your pussy was wet!" Abigail said.

"That was because of the water! Simone said so."

"Bull. That was because she was small and she was touching you. You want her Daisy you want her touching you, you…"

"Shut up!" Daisy shouted slapping her. Daisy pushed Abigail back into a tree and held Abigail against it by her shoulders. She brought her face close to her cousins and Abigail was suddenly afraid.

"This is my baby Abby! My BABY! You don't play games with this! Because if you do I swear I'll tear you apart! Do you understand me! No more games!"

Abigail had never been afraid of her cousin before but she was now. Daisy's eyes were wild with anger and the Gothic symbols on her tense body made her look fiercer than she had ever looked before.

"I'm not trying to mess it up." Abigail said. "I just freaked out!"

"Don't do it again!" Daisy said. She broke away and stomped over to another tree. Daisy's body was trembling with rage and Abigail's was trembling with fear.

But with a little anger as well. Abigail bit back the arguments and retorts that came to mind. But there were things she could definitely have said.

"Here we are." Simone said walking back toward them. She held up a few coils of rope. "This should do it."

"Huh?" Abigail said.

"Don't worry dear." Simone said. She took Abigail's hand and led her over to two trees that were spaced apart. Abigail suddenly felt helpless next to the taller Simone. The Simone that she had held and fondled seemed like another person.

Simone took her wrist and lashed it to one tree. Then she took Abigail's other wrist and lashed it to the other tree.

"Here." Simone said tossing some of the coils to Daisy. "Get her ankles."

"But… Ah…" Abigail tried to talk but the words didn’t want to come.

"Owe!" Abigail shouted as Daisy tied her ankle to the tree. "Not so tight!"

"Sorry." Daisy said. Abigail didn't think she sounded sorry.

"There." Simone said stepping back.

Abigail was now standing with her arms and legs spread out and held securely.

"Ah… But…" Abigail tried.

"By Royal Command." Simone called out. "I wish to be small, smaller, smallest!"

Simone shrunk, stood for a moment and then fell to the ground and rolled over onto her back. She lay there breathing heavily.

"Simone?" Daisy asked bending over her.

"I'll… I'll be fine." Simone said. She tried to get up and failed, settling for sitting on her hands and knees.

"This is really costing you isn't it?" Daisy asked.

It's not exactly free for us either, Abigail thought but kept the thought to herself. She was afraid they'd gag her.

"Nothing ever comes without a price." Simone said. She stood up. "Now shall we continue?"

Poor girl this really is too much for her, Simone thought. For both of them.

Abigail was now held still, but that seemed only to increase her fear and arousal. Her pussy was actually wet enough to drip and it took all of Simone's concentration not to taste the lust scented liquid. Daisy was no better and could barely keep her hands steady. Her fingers kept wandering over Simone's body and that was making Simone's body hot. It was a strange dance of denial between the three women. All of them were aroused and all of them were trying desperately not to show it or admit it.

"Simone how long do you think I'll have to carry Daisy's baby?" Abigail asked.

{Two weeks, maybe three.}

{Best to be obscure to them.}

{Exaggerate.}

{But you better have a tale to back it up.}

"A few of your weeks." Simone said. She was drawing an intricate design on the small of Abigail's back, just at the base of the spine. "Perhaps a month."

"There won't be any trouble making the switch back will there?" Daisy asked.

"There never has been." Simone said. "A little higher dear."

Daisy moved Simone up about a half of a foot and Simone started to trace a design along Abigail's spine. The bound young woman trembled and tried to look over her shoulder.

"How many times has this been done?" Daisy asked.

"Enough so that I know it will work." Simone said. "Remember Daisy that keeping the bloodline alive was paramount in my world. This spell was used many times, just not on shrunken women that often."

Daisy didn't say anything but her thumb drifted up Simone's legs and brushed against her ass a few times. Simone swallowed hard as she felt her body react.

"You know that one of Merry's most famous crimes was stealing a woman who had had this done to her?" Simone said suddenly. It worked and Daisy's thumb retreated. It was a strange thing but Simone knew that as long as she kept Daisy and Abigail thinking of Merry she was going to be safe.

"She what?" Daisy asked.

"Oh yes." Simone said. "Little higher again."

Daisy lifted her another half of a foot. Simone was now drawing on and between Abigail's shoulder blades.

"What happened?" Abigail asked. "Did she kill her?"

"Oh no." Simone said. "Merry only realized that the ritual had been done after she had kidnapped the original mother. She had been planning to toss the woman into a pit of… well you don't have them on this planet, but the woman pleaded her out it at the last moment. Merry does have a merciful side you know."

"So what happened?" Daisy asked.

"Well Merry went and kidnapped the surrogate and let them both live."

"That made her famous?" Daisy asked. Her thumb started to drift again.

"That and the fact that Merry burned their city to the ground. She let them live but destroyed their city."

The thumb retreated and Simone kept herself under control.

"What happened to them?" Abigail asked.

"Ah well that is a longer story." Simone said. "And I'll tell you about it someday. But for now we are finished. You can put me down Daisy."

Daisy put her down and Simone stepped back. Both women were now covered with drawings and symbols that would have been a tattoo artist's dream.

"What now?" Daisy asked.

"I get untied?" Abigail suggested.

"Yes." Simone said. "Daisy if you please."

Simone hid her smile as Abigail was untied. It was obvious that Daisy still had some issues to work through with her cousin. When Abigail was free Simone stepped back and put her arms over her head.

"By Royal Command I wish to be tall." Simone called.

The shift in reality was as harsh as ever but Simone played her reaction more. As soon as she was grown she fell to her knees and started to breath hard.

"Are you going to be ok?" Daisy asked kneeling beside her.

"I'll be fine." Simone said standing up. "I don't usually do this alone you see."

"What now?" Abigail asked.

"To the Temple of Healing." Simone said. "And we walk there naked." She added as Abigail reached for her robe. Simone had to hide her smile again as Abigail blanched at the prospect of a nude walk.

"Didn't you ever do anything with your clothes on?" Abigail demanded.

"Abby!" Daisy snapped.

"It's alright Daisy." Simone said. She started to walk and they joined her. "Abigail I once had an entire building just to house my clothing. Three stories high it was and I employed a Master tailor and three apprentices just for my own needs."

"Three stories?" Daisy asked.

Simone nodded and this time did not bother to hide her smile.

"I had an entire floor dedicated to lingerie."

I am the greatest liar in all of the world, Simone thought and somehow kept from giggling.

The inside of the Temple of Healing was as quiet as a museum and it had the same atmosphere. The roof was a diamond filled with vague shapes and shifting lights. Four columns, one blue, one green, one yellow and one red supported the diamond. They glowed softly. In the center of the room under the point of the diamond was a round crystal column that hummed with power.

"That looks a lot like the warp core of the Enterprise." Abigail said.

"Yes it does." Simone said. "When Merry first saw the show she came running into the throne room to tell me about it."

There were four coffin-shaped boxes against the central column. Each was knee high and in line with one of the columns. They were all made of glass but two were filled with an opaque smoke. Brent had helped Simone put Lizzie and Jessie into those. Simone doubted they were still there, but when Daisy, Brent and Abigail compared notes later it would look like they were.

"How is this going to work?" Daisy asked.

"You two will lay down in the chambers." Simone said lifting the top off of one of them. "And I will seal you in. Then I will start the spell. You will sleep and wake up when it is done."

"Seems sort of anti-climatic." Abigail said.

"For you it will be." Simone said. She gestured at the empty box. "Daisy if you will."

There was no way for Daisy to hide her nervousness as she climbed into the box. She didn't say anything as Simone put the glass lid on top of it.

"Are you sure about this?" Abigail asked.

"As you would say 'totally'." Simone said lifting the lid off of the other box.

Abigail trembled as she got into the box and her eyes went wide with fear as Simone put the lid on. But she didn't try to break out.

Simone stood between the two boxes and put her hands on them.

{You might try singing.}

{It would look good.}

{Not a long song.}

{They'll be out in a few seconds.}

Simone started to sing Greensleaves but before she was ten seconds into the song Daisy and Abigail were out cold.

"Well that was a fine show." Deborah said lifting the diamond off of the columns.

"What about Brent?" Simone asked looking up at the giants.

"He's out too." Delilah said picking up the boxes that held Daisy and Abigail.

"I liked Merry's history." Deborah said picking Simone up. "Very Klingon-like."

"What now?" Simone asked. She settled into Deborah's arms easily.

"You're going to have to go through some make-up before they wake up." Delilah said.

"We've decided to study them a little." Deborah said. "To explore the dynamic of an un-supervised person with sudden responsibility and power. You'll have minimal interaction with them."

"We need you to sit work on some other problems. And perhaps sit down and write the history of Dollopolis." Delilah said. "Not a full one, but enough to stop relying on improvisation."

"Do you think it's safe to leave Brent and Daisy at the mercy of Abigail?" Simone asked.

"Not at all." Deborah replied smiling. "That will be the study."

"At the very least it will be amusing." Delilah said.

…to be continued.