Going Through Changes

#1 - Moving

With Khione's packing habits, it was a wonder that she was able to fit everything into her last suitcase. She stood looking down on her luggage, feeling accomplished with her hard work. Her hands instinctively reached the back of her neck, attempting to rub the stress away from her growing headache, but she was entirely unsuccessful. She was moving to the giant sector in less than an hour, and she had never been there once in her entire life. This wasn't some vacation... this was a one-way trip.

"Khione, honey, are you ready?" Her mom's soft voice broke the eerie silence of her now empty room—no more sounds were coming from the fish tank or the faint ticking of her clock.

"Yeah," she paused, eyes lingering on the blank walls and subtle carvings in the baseboards. How could she leave this all behind?

Her mom noticed her hesitance and made her way over to Khione, "I know it's going to take some getting used to, but I really think this is going to be a great opportunity for you.. I really do."

"I know, mom." The blonde's fingers traced the walls as she made her way out to the car; she didn't want to forget what it would be like to be able to carry herself around the house unassisted. Pausing in front of the mirror, Khione's hand brushed the non-existent dust off of her baggy jeans and oversized sweater...she couldn't help but wonder if she had chosen the right outfit. Though it was a silly thought, she couldn't get it out of her mind.

"You look fine, dear, and we're going to be late, so you better get a move on!" Her mom was unable to hide her excitement for any longer. How she was so chipper to be surrounded by people twenty times, her size was alien to Khione.

"Sorry, mom," Khione's voice faded into the background of her luggage rolling against the driveway. Of course, she was happy for her mom, but she didn't want to leave her friends or high school. She was going to have to start all over... and start over with giants. Despite her mom's usual skill for observing Khione's feelings, she couldn't help but overlook the girl's apathy towards moving.

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The car ride was too short, the security before boarding the plane was too short, the flight itself was too short. It seemed as if Khione's attempted procrastination for meeting the giants wasn't in her control and only made the time go by quicker. Khione tried to walk slowly through the airport's exit but was unsuccessful at that too because of her mom constantly tugging on her arm to go faster.

At the end of the exit, the foggy glass became the only barrier between the giants and herself. It didn't matter that her mom had constantly reassured her that nothing bad would happen; it didn't matter that the giants were 'nice' and 'friendly.' None of it mattered because she was still barely the size of their fingers. She was so insignificant compared to their massive forms, their inescapable gaze, or their ear-splitting voices. She was small, and that was that.

The sliding glass doors opened for her and her mom. She felt her heart pounding within her chest, seeing the large pink Converse casually standing in front of the entrance.

"Leila, give them some space okay?" The large man said. Khione only assumed that he was Ben, her mom's fiance. The giant girl in pink Converse—Leila—could have only been eight years old.

Leila nodded and stepped back quickly, making the ground slightly shake beneath Khione. Khione, in response, speedily grabbed her suitcase to support herself. "Hey! You're wearing Converse too!" Leila pointed down at Khione's black high-top Converse and completely ignored her shocked expression. Leila started to bounce with excitement, her hands clapping with joy.

Khione slapped her hands to her ears to silence the thundering noise. "Leila, don't do that! They're a little more sensitive to noise than we are, okay?" Ben said in a soft voice. "Are you guys okay?"

"Of course Dear. Just a little startled." Her mom piped up before Khione could make a sour remark. Khione grumbled something to attribute to the forming headache she now had, but it went unnoticed by the rest of the giants.

A boy with dark down hair came around from the other side of the car, his hands buried in his pockets and his head low. "All the bags are put away, do you want me to get that one?" He pointed at Khione's bag but didn't really acknowledge Khione herself.

"Yes, thank you Kane. Could you also bring Khione into the car?" Ben said, not really paying attention to Kane at all but rather on Linda—Khione's mom—and getting her into the car safely.

Kane's hazel eyes met Khione's for the first time, his feet started to carry himself to her, creating thundering steps along the way. Khione couldn't help but let out a whimper seeing Kane's form towering over her and getting closer. He bent down and put his palm face up for her to climb onto.

"Need a ride?" He said quietly with a smirk.

Khione opened her mouth to give a response, but nothing came out, so instead, she stepped hesitantly forward, coming closer to the open hand waiting for her. She briefly looked down at her own hands and wondered what it would be like to hold someone else's entire life in her own palms.

"H-have you ever done this before?" She fumbled nervously on her words, hands fidgeting with the sleeves of her sweater.

"Not really, but how hard can it be? I doubt you'd be that heavy even if we were the same size." His other hand scooped up her back with no warning, making Khione jump in response. "Oh sorry about that, guess I should have asked first.."

"Yeah probably," Khione mumbled snarkily to herself in an attempt for Kane to not hear her...but with her luck he did.

"Agh, come on Khione, you're taking such a long timeeeee!" He groaned and began pushing her forward to his palm, his large digits softly touching her back. She stumbled face-first onto his palm and gave him a seething look of pure hatred.

"What. The. Hell....Asshole."

"Sorry, I'm kinda impatient, and you're kinda rude so...I guess we'll be an interesting mix." He smiled, not even showing a hint of sincerity in his apology.

"I'm not rude! You shoved me!" She scoffed at his attitude.

But then her world started levitating, and she couldn't hold back her scream—Kane's decision to stand up rather quickly made her fall into the center of Kane's palm...again. Khione had to pull her cascading white hair into a ponytail in order for it to not get tangled with the way Kane was manhandling her. 

"Woah, are you okay?" He eyed her nervously.

"Do I look okay?!" Khione spat, words loaded with venom. She glared furiously at him and then turned in the other direction. "Let's just go to the car. And walk slowly this time!"

"Got it, Princess."