“Madison, put your mother back down,” Greg said, shouting so that his voice could be heard. As soon as his voice elevated, he felt the collar constrict around his neck. The loss of air was immediately noticed as he struggled to breathe as easily and freely as he normally did. Greg grasped the collar, trying to rip it from his neck, but the collar only continued to tighten. It wasn’t until he let go and stopped talking for several moments that the collar released its tension from around his neck. As Greg caught his breath, he cupped his hands around his mouth this time in an attempt to project his voice as best he could without actually raising his voice. In hopes of getting Madison to put her mother back down on the table.
Cindy felt sick as she looked down towards the ground. She couldn’t believe just how far away the floor was from where Madison held her in her hand. The drop-down to the bottom of the habitat Madison had brought into the kitchen by itself appeared to be at least 50 feet or so to her. The drop to the floor was even further down. She could barely make out the bare feet of her daughter on the kitchen floor.
“Don’t drop me, Madison. Put me down, please, Madison.” Cindy pleaded as the panic of being held up this high into the air began to hit her. It literally felt like you were dangling over the side of a cliff or a bridge with only someone holding onto your arm to stop you from plummeting to, if not death, near fatal injuries and sure paralysis.
A part of Cindy knew that the drop was only several inches down, but her mind couldn’t separate the fact from reality. Looking down now, it wasn’t just several inches. It was many times her own height. Her brain’s interpretation of height and distance scaled with her diminished body. As Madison extended her arm out further and further from her body, everything felt like it was moving in slow motion to her.
Madison carefully lowered her mother into the habitat she had picked up for her parents. It wasn’t until her mother was just an inch or so above the bed, she had set up that she released her hold on her. Madison listened to Cindy shriek in terror as she fell the final short distance before landing on the bed.
“OMG, Mom, seriously! Your face was priceless! You totally freaked out like I’d just tossed you off a skyscraper or something. Chill, it was barely a drop, and you were acting like it was the end of the world. It was hilarious!” Madison said, bursting into laughter.
Cindy looked upward at her daughter from behind the glass walls of this habitat. Even from the second level, it would be impossible to scale the walls and get out. The reliance on Madison was clear. The only way out was through her.
Cindy looked up going through the process she had just gone through. She knew it was worse for Greg as he was smaller than her. While not absolute, it was understood as fact that female littles were normally bigger than men. It was also discovered that female littles had other unique differences in the female body made the virus and subsequent mutation abilities slightly less effective when it came to reduction leaving them normally larger than the men. However, the virus had the side effect of leaving their metabolism rate increased in comparison to their male counterparts. The increased metabolism seems to be a byproduct of the female little being more effective at muscle toning while struggling more with muscle building.
This discovery by Generitech scientists gave more credence to the belief that Smallara was a virus that acted as a catalyst to the genetic mutation which reduces the bodies in 7.5% of all people. Through studying the remains of past generations. They were able to determine the further back in time you go the greater the percentage of the population that is susceptible to Smallara.
Littles, or the slang term underbreds, regardless of gender, were granted several unique abilities across both genders. One such ability that has been discovered through extensive testing is Enhanced oxygen utilization compared to that of a homo Sapien. It was found that this was possible because Littles have increased mitochondrial function. This allows for the cells that make up the little body to be able to extract more energy from less amount of oxygen. This works in tandem with the littles having a significantly improved cardiovascular system and structure that enhances the delivery of oxygen to the tissues which make up the little’s body when compared to that of the homo sapiens they originated from. It was found that the organs in a little body needed less oxygen to operate compared to homo Sapiens so they weren’t as susceptible to things like hypoxia. Generitech Scientists were shocked to see that in those hypoxia or low oxygen situations their bodies actually increased the production of oxygen-carrying molecules like erythropoietin to stimulate red blood cell production throughout the body.
While littles have a longer lifespan than humans they mutated from. That longer lifespan can be shared with their guardian after they have undergone the mutation by extracting byproduct leftover from the mutation in the littles body.
As Cindy looked at Madison, what worried her most was if she and Greg were truly stuck like this, that would mean be susceptible to her influence. As littles derive pleasure from human touch but more specifically that of their guardian. This is due to the increased exposure and time around the pheromones of their guardian. This leads to the little entering a bonded state with their guardian in which they are more vulnerable to their influence and ideals. Bonded littles then tend to do things that will please their guardian so that pleasure can be reciprocated in the form touch. While the littles find the touch pleasing it has been found that humans also get the benefit of reduced stress and anxiety. While also being calming or relaxing mentally.
It was frightening for Cindy to think that she could end up bonded to Madison. She loved her daughter, but she knew she could be a bit of a brat. The idea of ended up bonded to her was worrying but as time ticked on it seemed more and more like a real possibility. As Madison set Greg down next to her she felt a little better knowing she was atleast not going through this alone. She couldn’t imagine what people who have to go through this alone do. As she looked over at Greg she could see in his eyes that he was coming to the realization that no amount of money was going to buy them out of this. That they very well may have to live out their lives as Littles.
So that bonding is real. Great now mind control exists too. Sorry Kelli.
It hate how the one of the few benefits of a tiny is taken and shared with to the so-called superior Homo-Sapien. If they weren’t so small the tinies would be so superior in their biology. Only silver lining is they won’t outlive their Guardians but I am not sure if that is positive or not.
Funny to see how Littles would be the ideal workers in outer-space. Low oxygen. Low gravity to fly around. Small appetite.
Maybe deep water diving too but water resistance and pressure would be a factor.
Sorry for the late reply. I was away from internet all weekend.
I wouldn’t say its mind control. As its not like a bonded little will then blindly follow the whims of the guardian.
It’s just they are more influenced by them. But its not like a blindly follow or your body doing something against your control.
The tiny has way more benefits than just a longer lifespan. If you are comparing species to species the little would have a lot more advantages.
That’s a interesting thought I never had. They would be ideal for space and exploration. Under water is another good idea. There are things Littles could do a lot easier then people now. Could open up to new job opportunities.
That is okay.
I also made another comment on the previous part discussing how Madison is an indirect victim of Smallera. Curious on your thoughts about it.
Madison and McKenzie for that matter are also victims of the circumstance you are right. This story does very much cover some of that ground which is why I originally had said its not as much of revenge story in this retelling.
As while Madison is still a brat and does bratty things at itmes. It is also very much exploring the reality as you put it of what life is like in this situation.
Its very different then Sara and Jordan. Even Mia and Bryce are different. Gavin and Mallory, each story kind of explores a different facet of a relationship and how it works in the world.
I very much agree with you that Madison and McKenzie are victims and there lives will be forever different and changed because their parents are now their dependants.
Yeah. I am pleasantly suprised the revenge angle is being downplayed. Madison is a brat but she is in for a rude awakening after the initial hype wears off. Like I stated Madison is the worst off Guardian by losing her 2 biggest support pillars.
I hope she soon realizes how many responsibilities she now has and grow to appreciate what her parents sacrificed in raising her.
Makes you wonder. If a tiny gets the reversal medicine. Do the benefits stay with them when back to full size. Until the person unfortunately shrinks again, would a person be temporarily superhuman?
A tiny Olympics or sports leagues might be fun ideas to play with.
1) that collar is so dangerous. How is he supposed to cry for help if he needs it? Or or just heard over other sounds? Even with the increased metabolising.
2) a) if a pure-bred takes the remnant from and underbred, does that alter their DNA, making them into an underbred/purebred hybrid, or hybred, of some sort?.
2) b) would Madison take remnants from both her parents or just one?
3) it’s weird knowing that the vulnerability rate is much lower than it could have been, would it ever have been more than 50%?
4) loved the explanation that of how the petting worked, and how it was pheromone based, and how the reverse influence was only tiny and minor in comparison.
5) “Bonded littles then tend to do things that will please their guardian so that pleasure can be reciprocated in the form touch” that sounds like an addiction, lol
6) Madison enjoying Cindy’s terror was a bit rough.
Sorry for the late reply. I was away from internet all weekend.
1) I wouldn’t say its dangerous. They can still talk louder. iT’s more shouting and screaming that it hones in on. The guardian can also manually adjust the sensitivity and have it key on more specifics. Madison just has it on the default mode at the moment. She hasn’t programmed it or calibrated it all really.
2)No, it doesn’t alter the DNA. It remnant slows the aging process and slows some of the deterioration a body goes under in a homosapien. But it doesn’t alter the DNA of homosapian.
2b) Madison would probably just take one. There would be no benefit to taking two. You don’t get double effects or stacked benefits. McKenzie would presumably take the other.
3) Yes, I think in editing I ended up removing that line as it was clunky but if you go back far enough over 75% of the world would be vulnerable. Genetic change takes place over many, many generations of people. Almost imperceptibly. So the further you back you go if Smallara is released the more damage is done. In the current timeline only 7.5% of the total population of the planet remained unevolved and the virus has now furhter cratered the differences. Just like in theory humans and apes were all once monkeys and then through evolution separated and genetically separated over time. Similar is happening now.
4) I’ve worked on putting some science to it and doing some research to make things plausible. I wanted to further highlight some of the differences between little and person to greater show that they are different while giving littles some advantages over people and vice versa. But humans have more advantages over the little even if the little is biologically more advanced and probably considered superior.
5) Well It could probably considered an addiction I guess. Its more like a craving I guess is how i envisioned. Kind of like how if you normally drink Soda your body will crave and want soda. The petting/touch is kind of similar. Where its pleasurable and enjoyable so the little craves it like the body might a Soda or a favorite snack. If it were to permentantly they may go through withdrawal similar to giving up a soda or coffee and your body goes through caffeine withdrawals.
6) She found it funny I would say more then enjoy. Its a subtle difference. But, enjoy makes it seem different then intended. As it was a unintended reaction that her mother had in madison’s mind. So she found that reaction funny.
All good, I hope you had a good time without it.
1) ok, but what about distress cries or screaming in terror, these aren’t things human always do voluntarily, and in the situations where their required, being incapacitated is suboptimal.
2) Dang, I was sure I was onto something, lol. I suppose that means it also isn’t a factor into why guardian pets are more effective
2) b) I figured that out McKenzie would want one after it was too late to edit, lol.
3) 75% is wild, that’d easily be a damn apocalypse, I wonder why it was evolved past, it’s not like there was any pressure on the gene that would have made it unfavourable before the Smallara Virus came into play.
4) yeah, the science is always a treat, it’s nice to see littles get a few small wins.
5) you realise that Cravings are a symptom of addiction right, like you’re description made it sounds like littles are getting controlled through addiction.
6) I see
1) There are some downsides like you point out. But it is training collar. It’s not necessarily a forever collar. In theory Madison could turn off the feature as well.
2) well the DNA of the little is altered. It just doesn’t alter the immune person.So the changes make the littles body. The way i envisioned the petting work is its like a calibration. The more time spent and in contact the body calibrates to the guardians touch how they apply pressure, how there skin feels, the smoothness or roughness of the guardians skin and how that feels on the littles body. Even the grooves of their fingerprint. The little being more sensitive touch is more aware of the differences from person to person. So they grow to enjoy their guardians touch. The touch of another person would feel different.So it wouldn’t inherently invoke the same reaction.
3) Yes, if it happened 100s or 1000s of years ago it would have been more devastating. The why is just the mystery to any evolution. Sometimes the answer can only be seen when you look back in a historical context with the knowledge of how things unfolded. Perhaps the why is left unanswered until later history.
4) It was important to me that they had some gains and some wins.There are couple of other differences that haven’t been fully mentioned but will be revealed in time.
5)well, yes, you are right, but Cravings and addictions are related, but there are differences. Cravings are part of addictions, but addictions cover a broader pattern of behavior and consequences.
Cravings make up the intense desire of an addiction. But you can crave something without being addicted to it. But you can’t be addicted to something without having cravings. If that makes sense.
1) “not a forever collar” Yeah, just until it gets them killed either through inability to call for help or immobilising them infront of a predator.
2) So would it be possible to have multiple people calibrated at different levels? Like Jordan would be most calibrated to Sara, second to Ellie, followed by Chloe, then Tiff and so one with all the Characters that would hold him regularly?
3) could it have theoretically disappeared entirely if Smallara never manifested.
4) That’s cool, I’m glad they’re advantaged in some ways, though I still think each and every little would toss every advantage just to be a tallie again.
5) That’s true, cravings are just a symptom not automatically a diagnosis. I probably went too far in my likening the two,
Though out of curiosity (and at risk of beating a dead horse too much), could a little get addicted to the petting, even if the process isn’t automatically addictive for them?