The full implications of your status are revealed
"Listen here Denis, this entire town is under what we locals call "El Achicamiento"("The Shrinking"), a phenomenon that is all over the main part of town, and whose effects are simple: the size reduction and well as several modifications to the affected living being, allowing them to be able to act in the same manner as before, despite the reduction in body mass in direct violation of the laws of physics and biology. Ever since it was discovered the local Research Institute had done its best to research it, but even today many things remain to be explained. What's important for you is that since you shrunk "the natural" way, there is no cure; no matter if you leave this town, you're forever this tiny. So, sorry for that." explained the teacher, in a sad tone. She felt bad about your situation.
As for you, when she explained this, you are bewildered: whatever happened to you is a known thing, so that means...you look up, with a mix of anger and sadness, and ask:
"Wait, what? Does this mean that...what happened to me is a known thing? Why wasn't I warned about this? And why you and all the local women are normal-size? Shouldn't you also be affected by this "Shrinking" stuff?"
"Well, yeah, your complaints are perfectly valid, however...we had no choice: the main source of revenue of this town is tourism, and I hope that you can easily imagine the effect the knowledge that a thing like the Shrinking existing becoming more widespread. So we locals are forbidden to share this, not to mention the local authorities have done everything possible to keep male tourists away from the main town; yeah, just the male tourists, for the shrinking for some goddamm reason only affects males. The Institute still has to find the exact reasons why females are immune to the effects of The Shrinking."
And there you have it: for this town to prosper, they decided to hide an important factor affecting people. You can't blame them for it: as this teacher explains to you, it seems they had little choice on the matter, not to mention they had done everything they can to make sure guys are not entering into a place where they end up forever cursed. Yet despite your rational mind telling this...you can't avoid starting to tear up a little: all this situation occurred to you mostly because you were unlucky; had your car not broken down near the main town, or not broken down on the first place, this would have never happened to you. So...unfair.
The woman again notices your reaction to this and starts to calm you, gently petting your head. She then says:
"Yeah, I know...what happened to you was unfair. But I think we can help you adapt to your new condition; with our help, you can quite easily live a good life."
"Wait, really? Is that possible? Can I live...a good life? Even if I'm forever stuck...this small?" you ask, in a hesitant tone; right now, your situation looks completely bleak, so when good news is about to be presented, you are not capable to believe them, at first.
The woman smiles and says:
"Indeed, you certainly can! After all, we locals have gained a lot of experience, taking care of our loved ones that are affected by our condition. Sure, you're the first non-local affected by this I've seen in my life, and many of the recent generations of locals have grown up without any male relatives, but there are still enough people who know how to take good proper care of a shrunken guy for them to thrive. So no, not everything is darkness around here: you can very easily hope to live an excellent life despite your new size."
Her kind words have the desired effect on you: you clean up your tears and slightly smile. You then speak, saying:
"That...sounds very nice. To be able to live a good life despite...my situation...I'm interested to see how I'm going to live from now on."
"Great! Now, as for how exactly you're going to live from now on, there are several alternatives: first off, one of my students might become your sole guardian and caretaker, making sure to keep you safe and comfortable. I know my girls, and I can trust many of them would take excellent care of you."
"Ok, you sound confident...I'm will consider it, but before I want to know the rest of the potential alternatives," you reply, intrigued. Sure, living under the care of a single girl, even though you know no one in this town, sounds reasonable enough, especially considering that your situation is permanent.
"Sure, no problem! Now, if you would rather have more flexibility in regards to who takes care of you, you could become this entire class care, with me and the girls taking turns regarding where are you going to sleep and otherwise remaining with us in the classroom, under the watch and care of all of us." the teacher says, in a cheerful tone.
When you say this, one thought immediately comes to your head, and provokes you to ask:
"Wait, that alternative...sounds like I becoming the class "pet"!
"Hmm, a few might look at it at first, and sure, you could be considered a "pet" by the ignorant. But you wouldn't be one: you would have full independence regarding your actions, with us always making sure to aid you wherever possible. Either way, it is still a possibility, you're not in any way, shape, or form forced to take it if you find it demeaning," replies the woman, in a calm tone. She was sort of expecting a reaction like yours.
Her words calm you down and sigh. You then say:
"Thank you...by the way, sorry if I might sound a bit demanding: I just want to make sure that I will still be treated as a person, even if I'm now tiny in size.
"No problem Denis, your reaction was expected, and understandable: I wouldn't want to become a pet for anyone if I was in your shoes. Now the third option is the following: I could personally take care of you, and therefore you would live with me from now on. I have some experience taking care of tiny persons, so if you want an easier experience, look no further than me."
"Ok, nice to tell me that: good to know that the woman that is so patiently explaining and aiding me to deal with my situations is also willing to take care of me," you say, smiling.
The woman for a second blushes, before calming down, and saying:
"I appreciate the compliment. Now, there are two alternatives, but these are by far the riskiest: on one hand, I could deliver you to a "Tiny Center", a place that specializes in taking care of strayed and/or lone tinies such as you currently; however, some of those have developed a shady reputation and rumors abound regarding similar conditions for the others. I'm sure that there are indeed still some that do take good care of their tinies, but I, unfortunately, cannot promise anything. On the other...if you didn't come alone to Mexico, I could deliver to your fellow acquaintances. This would mean that you would return to people that you know, but bear in mind none of them have any sort of experience dealing with and handling someone with your conditions, so accidents (some of them with deadly consequences) are likely to happen, at least at first."
You gulp a little when she says this, and after a brief silence, you reply:
"Thanks for telling me that...I will bear in mind those options; regarding the fourth and final alternative, I did indeed come with friends, all of them female by the way, to this country, but since you're correct in the fact that none of them will have experience dealing and handling me. Not to mention the extreme shift in the dynamic I will have with anyone of them....might not be fun.
"Yeah...having a friend who is now forever half an inch is going to drastically change how the two interact with one another. I've heard tales from friends who had foreign acquaintances that did choose to return to their people back in their homelands...not everyone had a good time dealing with it." says the woman, in a sad tone. She might be speaking from personal experience.
That warning remains, but there is still the possibility of you and any of your friends adapting to the new circumstances. Not to mention you know them all, and can trust they would do their best to aid you. So, you prepare to think of all the options, but before that, an idea comes to your head and makes you ask the woman:
"Hey, before anything: I know that the knowledge regarding the shrinking is kept secret. Does that mean that I cannot contact my family or friends if I choose to remain here with a local? And, if I choose to return to my friends, does that mean that they would be forced to remain silent regarding my situation? I'm worried about any of those things...
The woman smiles, and replies in a gentle tone:
"Don't worry Denis, we don't go to such extremes to make sure that the knowledge doesn't get out: sure, necessary precautions would be expected to make sure no misunderstanding happens in either case, but other than that, you're free to remain in contact with your loved ones."
You nod at her, thankful to know this. With that worry erased from your head, you start thinking. What alternative sounds more appealing to you? Would you prefer to be taken care of by a single student, by this entire class, or by its teacher instead? Or would you be willing to risk it, either by going to a Tiny Center or returning to your friends? The option is yours to take.
Calvitonks
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May 29, 2023
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