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As with my previous stories, this one contains several elements inherent to the pre-established 'Diaper Dimension.' These include, but are not limited to: Diapers and their usage for their intended purpose Breastfeeding Non-consensual mental regression through various means (Including possible drugs, hypnosis, and/or surgery) References to surgery to achieve various nefarious goals Humiliation Giants, aka, Amazons or Bigs Predominantly female domination (some male) Babying of adults (perceived or otherwise) Experimentation on humans Kidnapping Coerced or manipulated actions through possible means of white lies, gas lighting, or incentives Mild language or use of explitives Depictions of death, illness, or handicaps Graphic imagery associated with any of these warnings This story has not been labeled as mature, due to a lack of specific references to anything overtly sexual, but this warning serves as a 'turn back' point for any readers who do not wish to read about the previous warnings. Lastly, this list is subject to change during the course of writing this story. While most of the plot is ironed out, more warnings may be added if needed. For those readers interested or do not care about the warnings listed, please enjoy the following story or for the first story, go to the following link: https://www.dailydiapers.com/board/index.php?/topic/86107-a-stuffys-tale-one-bunnys-journey-in-the-diaper-dimension-chapter-17-complete/ For those interested in the sequel to the first story and the near parallel story of this one, go to the following link: https://www.dailydiapers.com/board/index.php?/topic/90405-dashs-redemption-a-stuffys-tale-and-diaper-dimension-story-chapter-15-complete/ Hey everyone! So, as promised, this is the follow-up mostly concurrent story with Dash’s Redemption. I know that story didn’t prove to be the most popular of all the stories I’ve written, but I think this one should be a little more of the standard fair, and to be blunt, I’m almost kind of using this as a bit of a palate cleanser before moving on with my other stories this year. Further, due to how this one even popped up and the fact that I’m going to probably be shying away from other stuffy’s tales in the near future, I just wanted to finish this one up right away, rather than waiting a long time on it. If I continue to do the voting for the next stories from you all, I have a feeling I wouldn’t get to this story for a very long time, if ever. So, I’m doing it here and I’ll probably be going very fast through it. Unless something massively changes, expect successive days of chapter postings. Also, just as a tiny warning here, there is a particular scene that could be troubling to some readers in here. I do have my little warning previously, but I just wanted to add another one here. It doesn’t last long, but I just wanted to ensure that everyone knew about it first. Also, on that note, Emma’s story has already been partially written out, and sometimes, to fall, things need to break a bit. Please keep that in for the other chapters as well… Moving forward, right now, this story is standing at about 16 chapters. While that’s about twice the length I was originally thinking it was going to be, I think you all will definitely enjoy the fleshed-out characters more and some of the implications and connections I’ve added here. All that being said, I’m only going to be polling two stories this go around. As I stated at the end of my previous story, because this story wasn’t even on the list, the polling will just be between the Tell Me More sequel, or the Bethany semi-follow up to The Opening. For those of you just reading this story, I will be sharing these two options at the start of my next chapter. Lastly, just to clarify, when I said that I was going to ‘retire’ the age regression virus story, I only meant that I wasn’t going to include it in the polling for just the next few stories at least. I may consider asking about second choices, which admittedly could have changed the outcome of what I was seeing you all wanting this round, but I’ll keep that in mind for a future story poll after this one. For now, in the year of mostly sequels, I usually include in the poll two sequel stories, and one new story, and at the moment, I will just be including another completely separate story instead of the age regression virus story. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys this first chapter of my next story! Chapter 1: I Was a Teacher on Break Well, I finally made it here. A month of research and continuous travel agents talked to, had all led up to me being here… in another dimension no less. I of course had been born before they came, but now, almost 20 years later, it just felt like a distant memory. The therapist I used to see said it was repressed memories or some nonsense like that, but basically, I always just remembered the race of Amazons, sorry, Bigs, in my life. Alternate dimensional theory was now a cornerstone of most college courseloads, but still… being here and seeing everything, really was just something else. I had heard the rumors about this place, but I had always just chalked them up to paranoid people trying to get in the way of everyone enjoying our new paradise on Earth. After all, life expectancies had essentially doubled and things like medicine, energy, and education were all on the rise. In retrospect, it’s probably why I became a high school English teacher. I was Miss Breckenridge, or Miss Emily if they were trying to suck up to me somehow, but it was a solid job, and I got most summers off if I chose to. With our salaries much higher than decades before, teaching had become the hot new career for aspiring academics. That being said, despite all the changes, raging teenage hormones and attitudes did not. So, out in Arizona, when the summer session was coming up in the beginning of May, I decided to spread my wings a little bit and try something new. * * * “Are you really going?” Vicky asked me skeptically, her history teacher roots making her highly suspicious of any country or race coming to another, where one was drastically more technologically superior to the other. “What if it’s like the Aztecs and the Spanish… and we’re the Aztecs?” I could feel the raw apprehension in my friend, and I stopped packing up my room for one moment to try and ease her mind. “Relax, Vicky. You worry too much about that sort of stuff. It’s been over twenty years since they came, and we’re all still here. No smallpox or invading army turning us into slaves.” I was actually quite impressed I could still remember her nerdy little reference and shoot something back to her myself. There was a reason I was an English teacher instead. She just shook her head though. “English teachers… you all are just dreamers… I bet you imagine yourself like some brave new explorer going over there, huh? Like in one of your precious books?” I smiled. “Oh, yes. Emily Breckenridge… explorer extraordinaire!” She lightly shoved me on the shoulder. “I’m serious, Em. Jus be careful, will you?” She then lowered her voice and walked slowly closer to me. “Look, I just read this article about some guy that went over there. There’s some freaky stuff going on. Like treating you all like… babies.” I rolled my eyes. “Give me a break, Vic. I read the same stupid article as well, and the five stories that have been published like that since I was a teenager, as opposed to the hundreds of positive stories. I mean, did you happen to read that it was posted in some tabloid piece originally? I think it was even nestled between Aliens replaced my cousin and the fountain of youth being discovered near some daycare in Florida in that issue. You can’t believe everything you read. I might be a lowly English teacher,” I joked, “but take it from me… you can’t believe everything you read. I mean, you don’t really think that Mr. Darcy was real, do you?” Now, it was Vic’s turn to roll her eyes. “Fine, just don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She then retreated back to my classroom door before turning back to me with a face I could only recognize as worry. “Just promise me you’ll be safe, okay?” I sighed and paused once again as I packed all my stuff up for the summer. “Yes, Vic. I will be as careful as I can be. I’ll even stay in contact with the embassy as soon as I get settled, okay?” My friend just nodded, heaved a great sigh, and left my classroom. I could tell that she was legitimately worried about me, and to be honest, I was no fool and had done my research. It was almost a hobby of mine now I had spent so much time on it, but I had thoroughly investigated every company and agency getting people over there. After numerous searches, I had finally found a tour group that seemed pretty open and widely expansive across the country. Plus, they boasted, with real statistics, a 90% success rate, even over multiple trips. For perspective, the next highest was only at 70%. So, armed with my new knowledge, I packed my last To Kill a Mockingbird marked-up copy away and headed back out to my car. I refueled at the nearest EV charging station, went home and retrieved my travel suitcase, passport, and papers, and hailed a driver to take me to the nearest rail station. The new rails were all the rage lately to get between the states and plus, they connected most of the country together now. Having one just on the outskirts of Phoenix, I was able to get to most places in the country in half the time it used to take. To my delight, that included the portal facility out in Nevada. Unfortunately, they were still constructing the one to serve the greater Arizona area, but with the rail lines, I was just as happy to go to a main transport hub, instead of bouncing around the country to get to your intended destination like before. So, one 300 mph trip later, I rocketed into place right in front of the portal facility now gleaming before me. “Miss?” a kindly woman waved at me. “Checking in today?” I nodded and rolled my bag over to her. “Yes, uh, one flight to Virgan,” I informed her as I grabbed the ticket in my top suitcase pocket. It was hard not to get frustrated with the paper copies, but apparently last year, some poor guy was sent to Australia on their side because his electronic ticket was hacked by Big spies on this side of the portal. I wish I could say that it was an isolated incident. “Hmmm… Virgan. A very exciting and upcoming place. Come this way,” she beckoned me inside. I, of course, followed behind her and to the travel desk located just inside. Some portal facilities acted just like any other airport terminal, while the one here in Nevada favored the more ‘personal touch.’ According to their website I had read up on a month ago, it led to less unfavorable incidents. ‘Less though… not none…’ The lady quickly helped me along and after checking that I was all set, she handed my ticket back to me. “Perfect. You’re all set, and it actually looks like we’ve got a portal coming right up to Virgan in the next 15 minutes.” She then pointed to a hallway behind her, marked with a giant number ‘1’ on both the walls and even the flooring. “Just follow the hallway down here and get into the tram. Only that tram and just go to the gate they tell you after. Hold onto your ticket no matter what.” I nodded with the seriousness she intended in that last part. I for sure didn’t want a mix-up and end up in aplce like Honshu. Still, I smiled back. “Thank you.” I then resumed wheeling my bag and made sure I stuck to the single designated ‘1’ hallway. Minutes later, it ended, and I hopped onboard a tram service in the car marked with another giant red ‘1.’ The cars in front of us were then marked with a blue ‘2’ and green ‘3’ right after. “All aboard. Leaving for portal building in ten seconds…’ the electronic voice called out from the speakers above. I closed my eyes for a moment and only reopened them when I felt a lurch and could feel the warm sunlight from outside bathing the car. There wasn’t a town for miles around and even the main hub of the portal facility was separated from the actual portals themselves. One expert cited radiation, another explosion, but another more ludicrous theory was that the original portal almost blew a hole in the dimensional fabric of space time… or something like that. I was grading papers at the time and for most of us living on Earth still now, as long as the portal remained stable, the old reasons of why the separation mattered less and less with each passing year they remained safe. In the midst of my thoughts, the car lurched to a stop right at the height of the looped track and in front of the actual portal building. Inside seemed pretty plain, but once again, I just followed the large red ‘1’ on the floor and from the signs overhead. Those from cars ‘2’ and ‘3’ still had to wait for their portal to be recalibrated and relocated to another region of the other dimension. Finally, though, I showed my ticket once more to a tall, burly man waiting by a pair of revolving doors, and satisfied I was who I claimed to be, I moved past him and to the large room on the other side. Rumors had swirled for years about the specs and veneers of the portals changing, but they still looked like they did for the past almost 15 years now. Circular hubs vibrated and pulsed as the energy coils recharged while several bumbling scientists muddled and fussed with the bevy of controls and dials before them. Occasionally the lights would flicker, but since none of the scientists below seemed the least bit concerned, I felt pretty confident that nothing was amiss. Seeing a few others have their tickets be inspected and then directed elsewhere, I stepped up and made sure my ticket was already out of my suitcase. “Ticket, please,” one of the younger scientists, dressed in the stereotypical lab coat, asked me. “Richt… here you go.” I handed him the ticket once more with a smile. He just took it without any overt sign of emotion before handing me a single blue triangular pill. “Good. Just in time. Group 4, down in front by the portal,” he said, readjusting his glasses while gesturing over to the large crowd of people there now. “Take the pill before and just give the coils a time to recharge and you’ll be off in no time.” I nodded and followed over to the rear of the line before swallowing the pill whole. Just as I got in line, though, the coils began to vibrate even louder, and the scientists panicked briefly. I wondered if I should, but at the last second, one of the more elderly ones cranked a handle all the way to the left and the vibrations turned into a low pitch, like a low note had just been plucked on a base guitar. It pulsed for a moment, before the whole place shook once more and then stopped as liquid then seemed to fill in the previously empty circular device on the platform above the crowd of people that I was now a part of. As soon as the seemingly calmly bluish liquid touched though in the center, it let out a final twang, sucked in and out, and finally, was still. The resulting surface still shimmered with an unearthly blue and seemed about as reflective as glass and as full of life as a bubbling stream. “Beautiful, but ugh! Popped my ears I think…” I mused out loud while trying to blow my nose to fix the fullness I felt in both ears. “Yeah... these things have a tendency to do that,” the man in front of me said casually, turning around over his shoulder a little bit. “Punching a hole in the universe or something like that. Popular Mechanics ran an article a few months back… I think that’s what it said…” He seemed less sure at the end, so I wasn’t sure if I was getting the full picture of the article, but it still made sense. “Right… guess this stuff isn’t for amateurs anymore…” I said half-heartedly, recalling when the technology was released to the public and a few start-up companies tried to make their own. As people began to enter, I remembered the results were… unfavorable, or at least from what I’ve been told. Then, after the man in front of me went through the portal, I stepped up, my ticket was ripped in half and the scientist there gestured to the portal. “Whenever you’re ready…” I nodded and took a breath. ‘Just like an explorer in one of your books, Em… just go right on through… it’s a whole new world.’ I took another breath and as the final bit of air released from my lips, I stepped forward and bathed myself in the shimmering metallic blue in front of me. All at once, I felt my body being stretched, on fire, contorted, deep frozen, and smashed like a ripe tomato in the summer. It was awful and I wanted to puke. My legs dangled in the air, and I swore I could feel wind in my face as the ripples of thousands of explosions of color rocketed before my eyes. Just as I began to completely freak out though, my feet touched solid ground again. “There you go, missy,” a loud booming voice above me noted. “Easy does it.” I felt a hand guide me by the shoulders, and it honestly took me a minute to see that first, I was in a very different and almost elegant building compared to the near-warehouse one I had just come from, and second, the hand on my shoulders actually seemed to almost be able to reach both of them, being so large and all. I almost yelped out a bit of surprise when I looked up and there was a woman staring right back at me. “Hey there, let’s get you cleaned off, huh?” I panicked and almost wanted to run away right there, but the woman just guided me to what almost looked like one of those old phone booths my grandparents used to use. Instead of a phone inside though, as soon as the door was closed, the whole chamber filled with a whiteish, greenish smoke. I felt I had arrived at my ultimate doom, but not even three seconds later, all the smoke was sucked away and the woman guided me back out. “Perfect! All clean and sterilized. Now, just right down those steps and to your destination!” Her tone unnerved me, and it took me a second to pin down why. It wasn’t condescending... quite the opposite in fact, but with a mild amount of panic, I realized it was that same type of sing-song voice that was used in customer service… crossed near seamlessly with the tone one would use with small children. ‘Damn! I knew I should have worn my leather jacket over here instead of my light blue sweater!’ I was in this dimension for less than two minutes and I already felt marked. It didn’t seem to matter much though, as another Big then escorted me to a singular waiting room. “Please. Wait right here and have a cookie and some juice. You might have lost some sugar on the way over here with our new methods and from the pill you took.” I nodded listlessly, parked my suitcase in front of a chair, and grabbed myself an oatmeal cookie and what appeared an awful lot like grape juice, though it was called ‘uva’ juice. I almost even opted out of drinking it, fearful of all the nasty rumors I had heard about Bigs spiking drinks or whatnot, but feeling lightheaded, I figured it was better to drink it now rather than pass out later. Feeling rejuvenated after a moment, I saw there seemed to be an almost unending stream of travelers arriving after me, so, my juice empty and my cookie eaten, I stood up and pulled my suitcase along with me. One hallway, covered in pictures of happy tourists, later, and I was standing outside at what looked like a bus and taxi depot. “Ticket, ma’am?” a voice asked me. Now, I was prepared to be surrounded by the whole giant lot of them, but as an adult, once just gets used to the notion of most other adults being about your height. Standing a few inches under 6 feet tall, at worst, I just had to look up a little… no need to readjust where I was standing to not hurt my neck. The Big before me though was not anywhere in the ballpark of six feet tall. “Ticket, ma’am?” he asked again, his expression almost seemingly asking if I was okay as well. My eyes just stared up at this being, who despite looking like he had just graduated high school, seemed to be almost twice my height. “Uh… uh… here…” I shakily said, retrieving my ticket and then handing it over to him, still in awe of the differences in our sizes. Inside, I was half-dazed, but now here in the full light, my senses were feeling a little overwhelmed at the view before me. For a moment, he seemed to dislike my awe, or was just impatient, but once he looked at my ticket, his smile returned. “Oh, look at that. Local travel. Wonderful! I’m sure you’ll just love our city! Loculofus is the best kept secret in Virgan!” I could see right through his sales pitch, but in truth, I wasn’t really sure how long I was going to be staying in the capital of Virgan. Still, it was a nice greeting at the start of my trip here. “Uh, I hope so. Can I get a ride, or a…?” He wasted no time and held up his finger to stop me. “Wait one moment.” Then, with the speed and power of a train whistle, he parted his lips and blew into fingers, creating a high-pitched sound. A car quickly pulled up. “Here you go, ma’am. First ride is included with your transport. Be careful out there but enjoy the city!” I nodded and quickly loaded myself and my suitcase into the car, before he shut the door and waved goodbye to me. “Thank you!” I quickly shouted as the car began driving away. He smiled, nodded, and then just went to help the next in a string of us new portal Littles here. The driver had to navigate some pretty odd ways out of the portal facility, but as he began to make his exit, he finally piped up. “Where to, miss?” I was so distracted by all the differences from back home that I had completely neglected to tell him where to go. “Oh! Sorry about that… uh… just once sec…” I then pulled out a map I had purchased beforehand of the city on my phone. There was a whole slew of apps now dedicated to helping Little tourists like me, and this one had received the best reviews so far. “Uh… monument park, please?” He hesitated for a moment, but still nodded his head. After a few routes onto the main highway system, I saw my first glimpse of the steel and granite city, all refined in its splendor after the reconstruction from the last Height War, or at least that’s what my travel guide said. It filled me with excitement, but the driver then spoke up. “Uh, miss? I’ll take you to where you want to go… free charge and all, but are you sure about wanting to be dropped off at monument park?” “Yes…” I said confidently, but the way he was looking back at me and seemed nervous, caused a few cracks to form in that feeling. “Uh, just out of curiosity, why do you ask? Is there something problematic there now?” He quickly shook his head. “Oh, not at all. Just that… well, most Littles want to go to their hotel first. As I said, I’ll take you where you want, but I’m just putting it out there.” For the briefest of moments, I considered what he was telling me. I had two things I knew though that went against his advice. First, most Littles went to their hotel and ended up having a problem anyway… some hotels even being centers of regression programs apparently. Second though, I had looked up the distance on my phone before I left and saw that there were beautiful monuments in the park, and it was only about nine blocks to my hotel. To a daily walker like me, it didn’t seem so bad. I shook my head. “No. Thank you for your concern, but I want to see the park while I still have the chance. I don’t think the walk will be too bad anyways.” He nodded and continued driving. Not long after, we pulled up and I could see the petals blooming on all the trees lining the park and the avenue beyond it. I got out, breathed in the fresh air, and then leaned back over and thanked my driver. He nodded back and sighed. “Good luck.” With that, he drove off and I was all alone. Now, I had grown up in the rubble of what was once our country after all our own wars and crises. It had toughened me up a bit and being alone on the streets wasn’t exactly new to me, so I just rolled my suitcase along and began to take pictures of all the art decorations and sculptures dedicated to the past heroes of Virgan. Military seemed to be the most prominent, but as I continued, I saw a few scientists, creators, and lawmakers as well. Curiously, all were sculpted the exact same size, despite the obvious markers at the base of each denoting, Big, Middle, or Little. I wasn’t exactly sure what to make of it, but a very long block later, I decided to stop for lunch. The line was a bit odd, to see from the outside with the varying heights and I will admit, it was the first time I was truly intimidated here, being sandwiched right in between two Bigs, both of whom looked at me with a look I didn’t quite recognize. A little more sleezy and I thought that they would have hit on me, but a little softer, and I would feel like they were my dad about to ask if I needed any help like it was my first day of school or something. I didn’t really like the look and just focused on my order and getting my food. “One hot skylos, please?” I asked the man at the counter. He almost seemed to grumble, but then turned around and caught sight of me. He paused for a moment and seemed almost perplexed for a moment as he stroked his stubbly double chin. “You’re not from around here, are you?” he asked gruffly but with a warmth I didn’t really expect. I shook my head. “Is it that obvious?” He laughed and some of the other Bigs did as well, but a few just looked impatient. “You could say that. See, what you just ordered is about a quarter of your entire body length.” He then looked at me up and down and smiled. “Seeing as you’re new and just out the portal, I’m gonna give you two pieces of advice. First, look up extensively what you’re going to buy before you do. Not everyone’s gonna be as nice as me.” A few of the previously impatient Bigs chuckled. The vendor briefly looked up in annoyance but then came back to me with a smile. “Second, just get off the street and get to where you’re going fast. This area ain’t the best for you types and all. Got it?” I swallowed at his last warning and quickly nodded. He smiled widely back and reached in and gave me a normal sized looking what I would call, hot dog. “Here. No charge. Just get to where you’re going pronto. Good luck.” I tried to pay him after, but he just insisted on the goodwill gesture. So, I soon found myself hurdling down the block about as fast as I could. I only got about two blocks before I just had to stop. I was feeling faint, and my stomach was nearly gnawing me in two. Not liking it, but feeling I had no choice and listening to my stomach over the vendor, I sat down. I tried to eat about as fast as I could of the hot skylos, but for some reason, it seemed to fill me up much faster than I was used to. Not intent on puking today, I slowed a bit and tried to plan out my trip. See, I had planned out most of this trip already, but I had given myself two options, of which, I would just cancel one when I figured out what I wanted to do. Going north, I could hit Libertalia’s capital city, New Columbia, and eventually make my way up to New Eboracum City. Both cities and all that lay between were practically the same as where I had just come from, but being in the north, it was usually safer for Littles. On the other hand, I could go south to Carolusa and eventually Flosus. I would hit a few cities but going south meant more of an emphasis on the natural wonders. Waterfalls 200 feet tall weren’t uncommon and the mountain views were voted as some of the best on the east coast. On the flipside though, being the south, Littles didn’t tend to do better down there. Still, as soon as I finished my last bite, I knew I had to table the decision until later. Unfortunately, I only got about a block further when I realized just how long the blocks were here. First, I was already battling the longer stretches of the two types of blocks, as every block east or west was about two going north or south. Additionally, because of the supersized everything here to accommodate the Bigs better, that amount could easily be doubled again. So, while I had read nine blocks to my hotel, I probably should have read it more like 36 blocks, and right now, I had only just about the halfway point. Tired, sore, and still running on fumes from the amount of energy the portal travel had taken out of me, I stopped and looked at my map once more to see if there were any shortcuts to the hotel. From what I could see, there weren’t any, but I finally saw a friendly-looking couple walking my way. Both being Bigs, I knew it was a risk going up to them, but I was desperate, so I decided to take my chances. “Excuse me?” I asked the pair once they got withing talking range. Both stopped and looked down at me with large smiles. “Yes? Can we help you, miss…?” the woman asked nicely. “Uh, Emily,” I replied back a little hesitant over giving my name out. Still though, I wanted their help, and I didn’t want to offend them by keeping that secret, or if they were the tricky types, I had heard that some Bigs viewed a Little not giving out their name as an admission they were too young to know it. “Good to meet you, Emily,” the man spoke up. “I’m Jim and this is my wife, Lilly. How can we help you? Are you lost?” I noticed he was eyeing the map on my phone. I blushed and nodded. “Geez. I guess I’m a little too obvious out here with my map and all.” “Just a little,” Lilly said, still smiling. “Might want to memorize the route and look at it sparingly.” I nodded. “Definitely, but I need to find my hotel… the Hotel Eirinison?” “Ooh. Fancy schmancy. It’s just up the street here,” Jim said, pointing in the exact direction I was headed. “Right, but…” I gestured to my suitcase still rolling behind me, “do you have any suggestions for getting there quicker? A shortcut maybe?” Both seemed nervous and looked at each other before nodding. Lilly turned to me. “We do and it’s a cut-through alley just ahead beyond the statue of the Little soldier up there.” I looked beyond and saw it. “It will lead you straight through to the other side...” “But we strongly suggest you stick to the park and street path you’re on now,” Jim emphasized while Lilly nodded her head in agreement. “It’s a little longer but it’s safer.” He paused and looked back to where they had just come from. “You can also cut over two blocks from here after the metal sculpture. It’s not much but it will save you a little time later.” “Well, thank you both.” I then stuffed my phone back in my pocket and we both said our goodbyes before departing back our separate ways. Strangely though, as they left, I also received my third ‘good luck’ today from them. Each of the three had been said in about the exact same tone after each had warned me about a potential danger. With each ‘good luck’ before, I had listened to and then ignored their advice and as I came to the Little soldier statue as Lilly had pointed out, I was at yet another decision. The Little soldier stood proud and tall, but I could also see the fear in his eyes as if he was looking at someone particularly frightening before him. I definitely wondered about that war, seeming to be the last in all the major conflicts here, but now, I felt I just had to summon the courage that soldier once possessed as well. It didn’t hurt my resolve either that ‘Hotel Eirinison’ was emblazoned on the building front I could see right at the end of the alleyway. So, sighing, I turned right instead of just continuing through the park. Oddly, the whole city seemed to have been rebuilt following one of the apparently more severe bombings here during the war. According to one source, the vileness of some of the Bigs toward Littles in the south stemmed from the Great Height war as many Littles captured or invaded cities to the point where mass bombings had to be conducted to win them back. Still, most news articles purported the south was fully swinging back and most cities only blazed with light and progress. This alleyway though, seemed to be immune from all that progress. An asphalt street snaked its way in between the facades of two brick buildings, both worn and even crumbling in a few spots. Downtown had now become a mix of both the new and the old, and from the looks of it, I was definitely in the old part. About a minute later and almost to the other side, I thought I heard a clinking behind me. I turned to look, but I didn’t see anyone, so I just kept walking. Another clinking. This time, I spun around faster. Still no one, but now, a single cardboard box wavered slightly on top of the trash from the backdoor of what I could only guess was a restaurant. Nervous, I turned back and saw the hotel sign, closer than ever. Right then, I heard another clinking sound. This time though, when I turned around, I came to face-to-face with a single Big. “W… who are you? Wh… wh… what do you want?” I could feel my pulse racing. He cocked his head to the side. “Lost are you, little one?” He smiled and I could see him flash a pair of yellow teeth, matching horribly well with his tattered clothing. I wanted to retreat, and I even backed up a little bit, but then, I heard another clinking sound behind me. This time, I only turned a little, to keep the other crooked teeth man in my view still, but to my horror, I saw the other end of the alley was now blocked as well. “Hello, sweetie…” the well-manicured man said confidently, walking a little closer to me. This one was dressed much nicer than the other one and the bearded mute man by his side. Whereas the other two’s shoes were patched or dirty, his shoes shined. “Please… just leave me alone…” I hated how I sounded so weak, and I really wished I had just listened to the other Bigs, but I knew it was too late. I thought about yelling out for someone to help, but the crooked teeth one came closer, and his coat opened a little to reveal a large terrifying knife hanging from his belt. It silenced any of those notions pretty quickly, especially considering the knife seemed like it could have easily split me in two. The three just sinisterly laughed, as each stalked ever closer to me. I could feel my stomach in my throat, and I tried to see a way out of this, but I was failing at every angle. There were more of them, and each was twice my height. Also, once again, they gave me the same look between creepy and caring. If I could have crawled out of my skin right then, I would have. “I think she wants to play, boss…” the crooked teeth man taunted, laughing dumbly at his own joke after. The mute man just smiled, and the rich man’s eyes lit up. “Perfect. Just who we were looking for.” Each got within striking distance and the rich man stared back into my eyes with both desire and satisfaction. I could only imagine in terror what he had planned for me. “Now, sweetie, you stay quiet, and my boys won’t have to get nasty. You got it? Nod if you do, darling.” Remembering the knife, I slowly nodded and allowed myself to be escorted by the three back down the alleyway and away from my hotel. The mute man took my suitcase as the crooked teeth man handed it off to him and the rich man pounded on one of the doors. I could hear music inside and I looked up to see where I was likely headed. To my horror, I saw a single clearly regressed Little pressed up against one of the panes of glass above me. They seemed so lifeless… almost dead even and I felt very different than them, but I knew with all the technology of the Bigs, both good and bad, the distance between me and that Little was uncomfortably close. So, seeing the three men momentarily be distracted by their own dealings, I knew it was a small opportunity, but I saw my opening. Despite the threat of the knife I had seen, fear of whatever happened to that Little happening to me was a bigger motivator. Then, in fear and taking a quick breath, I ran. I didn’t get far though when the crooked teeth man caught up with me. His hand grabbed onto my blue sweater, but I just yanked out of his flimsy grip as he almost started to brag back to the rich man. Unfortunately, the force catapulted me forward and smacked me into the side of dumpster. Still, undeterred, I got back up and ran once more. “You idiot!” the rich man admonished the crooked teeth man. “Don’t damage the merchandise. You know what a prime Little like that would go for!” Meanwhile, the mute man had just kept running and tried to catch up with me once more. I was doing pretty well, but his strides proved too much though and he lunged out to grab me. He succeeded but I guess he also liked to play with his prey. He then began to push me around a little. It wasn’t much, but a few gentle shoves here and there in the decrepit alleyway quickly tore holes and seams all over my clothing. For their part, the crooked teeth man and rich man only chuckled amusedly at my torment as they walked closer. Finally, the mute man stopped, but I then realized his widened stance and his beckoning face just wanted me to charge him. So, in hope I could bust my way out, I did, and he caught me by the scruff of my neck once more as I tried to wiggle loose when I failed to. My wiggling didn’t work but I also realized he had left himself vulnerable in trying to control me more. Seeing the opportunity, with myself half-cocked and one foot already in the air as I teetered over the pavement, I used my free leg and kicked him right in the crotch as hard as I could. He yelped in pain, let me go, and dropped to his knees in agony. Unfortunately, I guess it had just rained here and I dropped right into a puddle of water. Still, I could hear the angry shouts of the rich man echo off the alleyway walls. “Go! Go after her! Don’t lose her before she gets back to the street!” I then realized that the alleyway had been chosen on purpose by these Bigs. It represented a dark territory for authorities to patrol and while Littles weren’t treated well in the south here, there were still some rules. So, looking ahead and seeing the street only a quick run away, I knew if I could make it, I would at least be safe from them. So, I ran for it. I could hear the panicked thuds and splashes of the shoes running behind me, but I didn’t dare look back until I was safely out of the street once more and touching the Little soldier statue. I stared back defiantly at the three now defeated men before me. Each could have squashed me like a bug, and I felt triumphant as they soon left and vanished into one of the nearby buildings. Unfortunately, my feelings of triumph quickly ended. The mute man, before going back into his hiding place in one of the buildings, sneered at me as he retrieved my suitcase and took it with him. All my clothes, passport, and money were held within that bag. I had my phone still, but now, I was wet, bruised, and penniless in a land in an entirely different dimension other than my own. Still, I felt I had to press on and at least get into the Hotel Eirinison. Unfortunately, as I grimly suspected when I started walking over there, garnering numerous looks of shock and pit from nearly every passing Big on the way, they wouldn’t let me check-in unless I had my passport from the portal travel bureau. As it stood, that single laminated card was in my suitcase and had taken me a month to obtain it back home. Here in this dimension, I heard rumors about where some took three months to get a new one… if they even made it that long. So, on the verge of being destitute, I went back outside and sat on a park bench by a tall radiating fountain. The city shimmered all around me in glorious magnificence and technological might, but I was now trapped in the same scenario I had worked so hard to avoid in the first place. ‘Shit and double shit! What the heck do I do now?’ I cursed my independent attitude prevailing against the advice of the other Bigs. If I had only listened to even one of them now, I might have been safely tucked upstairs in my hotel room planning out the rest of my trip. Instead, I was now outside and in a world of hurt. And it only got worse as I looked around. To my left, I saw a police car and cops get out and detain a clearly homeless Little. They seemed so scared getting hauled into the back of the police cruiser, and I morbidly wondered what waited for them at the station and afterward. I felt a shiver of fear creep up my spine, and though I was nowhere near looking like that particular Little, my scuffle with the three hadn’t left me too much better off. Then to my right though, I saw what looked like a religious service talking to and helping out another homeless Little as they offered them blankets and hot soup. It was unusually cold for early May, even around here, but my partially soaked clothes clung to me tightly and the wind seemed to pass right through them. I would have availed myself of the free service right then, but as I looked at them closer, I recognized the logo on their front smocks as the Acolytes of Artemis. They were a charity organization dedicated to helping the poor and needy Littles of their world. It was a perfectly wonderful calling for many Bigs, but underneath it all, lay the foundations for the ruin of every Little who sought their services. Most, it seemed, were simply lost to the system, and were never seen again. I shook my head at the notion and just wrapped my arms around myself. It provided little, but some comfort. At the same time though, the reality and desperation of my situation began to settle in. I still had my phone, and I could go to the Earth embassy in the city for sanctuary, but the process was always complicated without a passport. It was possible, but it would take time and most Littles weren’t allowed in until they could at least be verified. As a result, many kidnappers were said to be lurking right outside the gates for desperate and unsuspecting Littles. Worse though, here, I knew the embassy was at least 15 blocks away from my hotel. Having just walked nine to get here and being totally exhausted now, I didn’t like my chances. It was all just too much to deal with. I was a strong independent woman. My time on the streets in a crumbling city before I was 13 had taught me a lot, but it was my hometown. I knew each alley to avoid and where the best free food was on garbage days. I had fought my way out of that mess, but now… I felt I had nothing. So, not seeing a way out, I just dropped my head in my hands and began to softly cry. Now, I know I shouldn’t have, but sometimes, emotions just bubble to the surface whether you like it or not. Crying though, and so obviously, I was making myself vulnerable to any passing Big. I was surprised it took longer than five minutes for one to finally stop and slowly sit next to me. “Tissue?” she finally asked with concern in her voice and holding a large single disposable sheet in front of me. I didn’t want to accept the offered item, but I knew my face was probably a mess and I hated to turn down such a generous offer, even if it was a stranger. “Thank you…” I said quietly, trying not to reveal my ruined face to the Big. From my quick glance at her though, I could see her blonde hair practically shining in the day’s sun, and I could see a little hopeful smile play across her lips as I took the tissue from her hand. I then blew my nose and dabbed off my cheeks. “There… much better, huh?” I nodded. “Thank you, uh… sorry, I didn’t get your name.” She smiled and outstretched her hand to mine. “Nancy. Nancy Donahue. Good to meet you…” “Emily. Emily Breckenridge,” I replied, with a smile on my face, shaking her offered hand. I had no doubt that my makeup was ruined, and I still had no plan, but right then, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. Whomever this Big woman was, I felt that things were finally going to turn around for me.