A content sigh so relaxed, it felt as if the origin of the sound was melting. Karkat reclined against the float that held him aloft, warmly embraced by the gentle waves lapping over him. Sometimes taking a bath at his scale was a challenge, but one he looked forward to if only for the fact it was one of the times he properly got to destress.
It was difficult to set up without any mishaps occurring, but he had gone through enough trial and errors to figure out a schedule around his once random, now planned out, shrinkshifting. Nude but at peace, Karkat crossed a shapely leg over another, body soaked and sudded as he lazed about atop a drifting float, alchemized and shrunken down to match his scale, while an equally proportionate boat idly bounced by, just in case he needed transport. The tinytroll grinned, sliding a hand over himself to ‘clean’, but really, he was focused on resting at the moment. An infamous forty minute bath was going to occur, the water turning lukewarm or not.
Surrounding him, a sea of warmth stretching as far as the eye could see, so expansive not even he could gaze upon the rim of the tub in the distance. Instead, a fog of humid haze from the steamy bathwater, as well as whole landmasses of soapy suds drifting off miles away. It was absolutely serene, no distraction or threat in sight.
Meanwhile, a door closed shut with a snap, too distant to hear. “Karkat, I’m Hive.” A familiar voice called out.
A display of bright green washed over her cheeks, practically making her face glow and almost giving warmth to the natural coolness of her body. “So Uh-U-Um, when did yoU get that … ?” Her eyes keenly focused on something nearly invisible before her, senses enhanced tremendously by space powers. She practically sputtered out her answer, trying to keep calm.
“OH YOU KNOW,” his own came in reply, hands gracefully sliding along the curvature of his form, making sure his poses were slight, delicate, very intentional. “I GOT IT THE OTHER DAY. WAS WAITING TO SHOW YOU …”
The entire horizon before him rumbled, miles upon miles of unending green shifting, the picoscopic mutant having to brace himself to withstand the godlike movement of his matesprit as she leaned in closer to observe his infinitesimal self. Karkat gazed heavenwards to the colossal cherubim that dominated all he could survey and more, still trying to remain collected himself. It wasn’t every day he found himself attempting to fluster her, especially at this size scale, but he was so fortunate to have Kanaya sew this up for him. He was going to just buy it, but a ludicrous price abstained such a thought.
And yes, he did have her make it this size specifically.
“LOOK AT WHAT I BOUGHT TODAY~!” He hummed cheerfully as he practically skipped through the door, the skirt of his new outfit swishing with each movement of his rather pronounced hips. “I COULDN’T HELP MYSELF; I SAW IT IN THE WINDOW OF A COSTUME SHOP ON THE WAY HIVE FROM WORK AND YOU KNOW HOW I GET WHEN I SEE SOMETHING THAT I WANT.”
“IT’D BUG ME FOREVER IF I JUST LEFT IT THERE, TAUNTING ME, MOCKING ME EVERY TIME AS I PASSED. ‘OH KARKAT, YOU’LL NEVER WEAR ME’. WELL GUESS WHAT?! I AM NOW.”
“… CALLIOPE?”
Karkat had to pause as his matesprit stared at him with a rather blushed look on her face, though, he DID note the surrounding room, as well as her were steadily beginning to rise above him …
“YoU look jUst so cUte I had to.” She muttered timidly, practically gawking as he approached with a very purposeful sashay. Karkat merely snickered, winking with a knowing smirk.
“IT’S FINE ‘LADY ENGLISH’,” enunciated with a kiss that lingered, right before he began to drop significantly more, the shrinking speeding up quite a bit. “I’LL GET RIGHT TO WORK~”
By the time he had finished being miniaturized, he was pretty sure he knew where Callie wanted him to work, as he gazed out amongst the green landscape, dotted with dark monoliths, the distant blur of her visage encompassing the very horizon. “In case yoU need some incentive,” she thundered, her rather muted voice now magnified to that of each syllable representing sonic booms. “I’d be happy to give it to yoU~”
He had to steady himself as the very world itself rumbled, the twin walls spanning farther than his eye could see wiggling in tandem, and slooooowly closing in …
His sickles clashed and clanged, mighty swipes that could eviscerate anything that stood in his path. He was speed, he was fury, he was a living blur of flashing red and the glint of life-ending steel. With a roar that filled his whole body, the curved blades carried out the echo of his battlelust …
… Only to pitifully scrape against white wall he was striking. Even though he had been at it for roughly an hour, there were hardly any marks to show his progress save for a few scuffs (that he was secretly proud of at least). Leaning against it tiredly, Karkat huffed, hands on knees. “ALRIGHT, I THINK I’M DONE PRACTICING FOR NOW.”
“Are you sure?” A gentle, if booming, voice called down with a rumble. Above him, Ms. Paint leaned over to peer down, setting aside a book she had been reading and a cup of tea that chinked against the cup it was placed upon.
“YEAH, I AM. THANKS FOR LETTING ME TRAIN, ERR, ON YOU. THE DUMMIES AT HIVE CAN’T EVEN BOTHER TO BE HELD TOGETHER ANYMORE, AND WE CAN’T AFFORD NEW ONES.”
“Oh it’s no problem at all Karkat honey!” Paint reassured, winking and knocking a closed fist against the side of her body, creating a dull rapping sound like hitting a door. “Carapaces are tough, and even at your size I’m sure you couldn’t hurt me. I’m happy to help! Though if you scuffed anything, I may have to charge you a pedicure to make up for iiit.” Giggling as she stated such, wiggling the monolith he leaned against playfully that knocked him over in the process.
“YEAH …” He grumbled, standing back up. Hopefully what he left behind were too small marks for her to properly notice. “IF IT’S ALL THE SAME TO YOU, I’M GOING TO HEAD BACK. SAME TIME THIS WEEKEND?”
“Now hold on,” Spoken sternly. “You need to properly rest after such strenuous exercise! It’s not good for your muscles if you don’t.”
“WELL DUH. I’M GOING TO HEAD BACK HIVE AND REST THERE-”
“I insist you stay here before fully recuperating. Who knows what toll transportalizing could do.”
“I’M SURE-”
“Here, let me help, sugar-speck.” With more seismic rumbling, the entire mass that he had been too small to properly see now rose to fill the whole sky, encompassing his view entirely. Paint’s sole hovered above only momentarily before descending with its vast shadow darkening the world around him like some great eclipse.
The alabaster behemoth of a foot lowered softly and slowly, and even then he could never properly hope to outrun it considering the two factors of it being on a grand enough scale to ever avoid, and the second being he was just too tired and even felt like accepting his face. With the overbearing mass pressing down upon him, surprisingly soft, akin to a marshmallow, Karkat sighed as he felt smothering immobility overwhelm him while Paint’s playful giggles echoed dully.
