High Maintenance Girl

04: A General Look at Lily

       While Lily is busy with her testing and evaluation, Dean has his own problems to worry about. Having entered a trailer, he is standing in a room which has been converted into an office. The room's decor has a military feel to it, even the desk that Dean is standing in front of has similar knick-knacks and decorations on it. Sitting behind that desk is a woman who is busy looking over some paperwork, Dean's various reports on Lily, dressed in a uniform that befits her rank.

     General Jean Natal is looking over the reports Dean has handed her. Her brow is furrowed, accentuating the few wrinkles she has on her forehead and eyes; worry lines that are a result of her military career. Sighing through her nose, she runs her fingers through her short, black hair, her brown eyes reading every word which Dean had typed up. It is obvious that she is none too happy with what she is reading, especially since it is covering Lily's activity. After reading the last line she exhales sharply before turning her attention towards Dean. "Tell me, why are you Lily's custodian? I mean, how difficult is it for one man to keep one woman in line."

        Dean keeps his composure, he knows that the general is not too pleased with his report, "If there is one thing I have learned about Lily it is that she tends to be irresponsible. Most of the time she has good intentions with her actions, she just fails to realize just what she is capable of."

       "And your job is to prevent her from doing such things!" General Natal slams her hands on her desk as she stands up, looking upward at the man who is standing on the opposite side of her desk. "We all know what she is capable of, what she could possibly do if she wanted to reach a colossal size."

       "Lily is not that type of person. Besides, she is adhering to the agreement that was made."

       "I know, I know," the general says with a sigh. "I'm just frustrated is all. I suffer a simple injury and they shove me behind a desk, away from any action. To make things worse, I gotta play babysitter to a woman who acts like she needs one. Still..." She reaches for a pile of newspaper clippings; all of which focus on Lily, the oldest one is two months old, when she first started growing. "I often wonder about the type of soldier she could have been."

        "You know you can't recruit Lily," Dean points out, "that would go against the Spring Treaty that was signed. Lily is not to be weaponized or used for any military operations."

       "And in turn, no one is to act aggressively towards her. I know, I read the damn thing multiple times trying to find a loophole of some kind. It is ironclad."

       "Besides, even if one could recruit her willingly, Lily would make a terrible soldier. Her ability to follow even the simplest orders is lacking."

       "You don't have to tell me. Your ideal soldier is one who wants to serve, who is disciplined. That is not Lily." She looks back at Dean, "You are performing within expectations as far as I am concerned." She moves from behind her desk, making her way to the door of her office. "I can only imagine what she could be doing if you weren't around to supervise…" General Natal stops mid-sentence by what she is seeing.

     Dean looks around the stunned general, groaning when he sees the same sight that has the general stunned… "Lily..."

       Sitting in the middle of the strip is Lily, at an impossibly large size, or rather a size that should be impossible. Even sitting on her knees not a single person is close to being eye level to her. But the woman's size is not what has both General Natal and Dean staring at her in shock, it is what she has in her hands. A tank. She is holding the military vehicle, turning it over, as though it is some kind of toy. The armored plating is dented, crushed by her massive fingers. The treads on one side hanging loose.