Sizeran chapter 3

Sizeran Chapter 3

Alicila floated in the water as the sun slowly dipped into the sky. “Are you sure you don’t want to shrink down and join me?”

Cassandra sat on the beach and watched Alicila. “I am sure.” She tapped her fingers on the sand. “I am not getting that small. I don’t know how you handle it, Alicila.”

Alicila laughed as she splashed around in the water. “Oh, come now. We have an entire range of sizes we can be Cass.” Alicia dove under the water, smiling as she felt the cool liquid against her skin. Moments later, she emerged and looked up at her giant friend. “We all don’t have to be gigantic all the time.”

Cassandra crossed her arms. “I just. . . it is just weird.” She sighed. “I guess it’s a good thing you are doing this out here where no one can see you as who knows. Someone could have stepped on you or something. You are just so damn small.”

“I am only about ten feet tall.”

Cassandra threw her arms out to the side. “Exactly! Who in their right mind wants to be that big? It just. . .” She ran her hands through her hair. “It just makes my skin crawl.” Her eyes widened as she saw Alicila’s face. “I didn’t mean it like that. You are wonderful being the size you are.”

Alicila spun around. “I know everyone is sick of me not wanting to be a nice and regular size.” Alicila narrowed her eyes. “Well, I am getting sick of everyone telling me what height I should be. I should be able to pick and choose. Who told us what height Sizeran’s should be at anyways?”

“It is just umm. . .” Cassandra sighed. “I don’t know. I guess safer? Like I said, someone could step on you.”

Alicila slammed her hand against the water. “I can be careful. And, well, everyone else should be able to handle themselves as well. Hughh.” She looked at her reflection in the water. “I just wish everyone else could see the beauty that I see for being all of the different sizes we can be. It is just amazing. To see the world through many different viewpoints.” She took a deep breath and listened to the calm ocean around her. After a few moments, she turned around and looked up at Cassandra. “Umm, hey. Are you ok? I didn’t think what I said would have that big of an impact. Cassandra?” Alicila narrowed her eyes as she noticed her friend was staring at something in the distance.

“What are you looking at?” Alicila increased her size by twenty feet and followed Cassandra’s gaze. In the distance were strange-looking objects on the horizon, barely visible due to the sun’s glare. “What are those things?”

“I don’t know. I don’t like it, though.”

Alicila watched as more flying objects appeared. “What do you think we should do?”

“Umm. . .” Cassandra took a few steps back. “Maybe we should head back now. It is getting late, after all.”

Alicila looked one last time at the strange objects in the distance. “Maybe you are right.” She gulped. “I don’t think we should stick around here either.” She took a step forward, but her foot slipped down a crevice in the seabed due to her new height and weight. “Ughh!”

Cassandra turned around. “Alicia!”

Alicila fell to the ground, the water coming up to her neck. “Ugh, my foot is stuck.”

Cassandra ran up to her. “Can you grow to get out? Or shrink?”

Alicila shook her head. “If I shrink myself, I could drown. And if I try and make myself grow, I could severely hurt my leg.” She winced as she pushed onto the ground. “Ughh, it’s wedged in there tight.”

Cassandra watched as the strange objects came close. “I have to get you out of there now.” She threw her arms around Alicila’s body. “Before those things get any closer.”

“I am trying. . .” Cassandra winced. “But this isn’t exactly easy here.”

Alicila cried out in pain as her leg slowly wormed its way out of the hole. “Oww. You are ripping my leg off.”

“I am helping you out of there.” Cassandra took a deep breath. “Now, hold still.” Cassandra yanked Alicila out of the water with a mighty tug and clear onto the beach. Alicila screamed in pain as she rubbed her bruised leg.

“Ughh, thanks.” She tried to stand but immediately fell down, blood dripping from her torn pant leg. “My ankle feels like it has a thousand biting insects in it, and the rest of my leg isn’t much better.” Alicila forced herself to her knees. “I don’t know how fast I can move.”

“You have to. Those things are almost to the beach.” Alicila turned her head to see dozens upon dozens of strange floating objects made of wood and metal heading their way, almost like floating fish. “We have to get out of here.”

Alicila tried to stand again but tumbled downward, knocking a tree over. “I just can’t. I am worried I will break my ankle if it isn’t already.”

“Then shrink down so I can carry you.” Cassandra gulped. “Hurry, we don’t have any time.”

Alicila did as she was told, shrinking her body, so she was small enough to fit into Cassandra’s hand. “Please. Don’t crush me. I haven’t been carried like this since I was a little girl.”

“I promise.” Cassandra turned around. “Let’s get out of here.”

***

Telean crossed his arms as they flew closer to the pair of giantesses, watching one of them shrink down. “They can change in size. That is something I didn’t expect.” He turned around and looked at Ien. “So, captain, what are we going to do?” He smirked. “We can’t really be sailing right for those giantesses?”

“I am going to be setting the ship down on the beach if that makes you feel any better sweet, heart.” She laughed. “Don’t worry yourself one little bit.”

Telean laughed. “Oh, I am not worried.” He looked back over the railing and at the island as he lowered his voice. “Just not happy that we have to return to an island filled with giant crazy people.”

Telean’s eyes widened as two of the sky cutters to the right suddenly increased their speed and chased after the giantess. “What in Velrok are they doing?” He turned and looked at Ien. “Captain!?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Hells if I know.”

Telean ran up the deck and stood inches away from Ien’s face. “What do you mean? You are running this ship!”

She pushed him away. “Yes, I am running this ship, genius.” An Aensien water blade materialized in her hand. “But that doesn’t mean I am in control of this operation.” She took a step towards Telean. “Now, do you want to try and test me, Telean? I will be sure to carve up that pretty face of yours.”

He saw the look in her eyes and stepped back. “No thanks.” Ien let the blade sink back into her body. “But how can you not know what is going on?”

She narrowed her eyes. “I was hired on recently. Keel has been impressed with my. . . ehem track record. That is all you need to know.” She watched as the ships chased after the giantesses. “Besides, all I know is I was hired on to keep you in line. Keel doesn’t trust you.”

“For what? Trying to save people?”

“For not saving his cargo.” She shrugged. “Apparently, that is very important, and I am here to ensure you get the job done.” Ien narrowed her azure eyes. “And trust me, I will do just that. And if we are to chase down giantesses to ensure that happens, we will. If you have issues with it, you can just jump into the ocean now.”

Telean sighed. “Fine. Fine. I do have one question, though. Are we going to go hound those poor ladies?”

“No.” Ien snorted as she brought the sky cutter down to land. “I do know that we and one other ship are to scour the isle for the supplies you left behind. As for the rest, I assume they are for protection.” She watched as most of the other ships flew inland. “And you should be thankful. They are protecting us from that giantess welcome wagon.”

Telean turned around. “Whatever.” He walked away. “From what I saw, those two giantesses seemed very frightened of us. Hell, one of them shrank themselves, and I wouldn’t put it past that lady if she tried to hide. Besides, why do we need to chase people so we can be protected?” He walked across the deck to where Melrek stood.

“Hey, Telean.”

“Melrek. We are going to land soon.”

“That is what everyone else is saying.”

“When we do, there is something we need to do.”

“What is it?”

Telean grabbed Melrek’s arms to pull his head closer. “We need to sneak away to find out what is going on. This doesn’t feel right. It hasn’t since we left port. I don’t like that most of the ships are flying off to chase two of these giant people. I don’t like that it takes a small army just to get some supplies.” He sighed. “We need to find out why we are really here.”

“And how are we going to do that?”

“I don’t know. But how are we going to do that when we have the Aensien assigned to us watching over our back.” Telean tapped on his chin. “Maybe if we can find these so-called supplies first and see what is in them, that would be a good start.”

“What about contacting the locals?”

Telean shook his head. “After the way I saw them react to us, I think they would step on us. No. That is not something I want to risk.”

“Fine.” Melrek crossed all of his arms. “But how do we get away. Especially if we are being watched?”

Telean tapped at his chin and then smiled. “I have an idea, though if it backfires, it will probably get us both killed. Are you up for it?”

Melrek nodded his head. “You saved my life. I will do whatever crazy plan you have in mind.” He put his hand on Telean’s shoulder. “I trust you with my life.”

“That warms my heart, my friend.”