Mike and Gia

By Timothy

This is a short spin-off to my Joseph Stories.

Mike and Gia

Eric Cheng walked into Ingerson's Fitness Center. Standing by a a rack of Jogging shorts, Eric saw Mike, from another room, finishing up with a martial arts class.

After a few minutes the students, mainly middle-age adults came out. Mike with a towel around his neck, when he saw Eric, extended a friendly hand. "Well hello, what brings you hear?"

"Hey, I thought you just taught wrestling?"

"I do both now," replied Mike. "Brings in more business."

"Ah. Anyway, I heard from Hori that our friend Joseph, had recommended that you teach a few classes to a group of children from the otherside moves from several of the popular martial arts."

Mike was puzzled as he asked, "I would think they would settle with their own teachers? I'm happy to do it of course." Scratching his chin, "I never taught a group of Little people; let alone tiny children before."

"I think Joseph and Fusta have a logic behind it."

Mike nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm sure they do. Fantastic isn't it Eric? A legend brought to life."

"It is. But then so was our involement with the Little people."

"Did Hori say when this is to begin?"

"No, Gia will give the specifics. He just wanted you to know ahead of time."

Mike and Eric chatted for a while; after which time they went home.

Upon entering his apartment, Mike was greeted with a surprise---a little surprise. "Gia," said Mike with joy and warmth in his voice. The little friend was standing on top of a bookshelf.

Extending her wings of light, Gia flew over and hovered infront of Mike's face. "Hi my enlarge human."

"Do you have to call me an enlarge human? It sounds so formal."
Gia laughed. "Give me a few minutes to clean up. And I will be right back." Mike new he was rather ripe after his workout and little people could really pick up on scents of giants.

When Mike did return, Gia noticed Mike's left shoulder was giving him trouble. "Your shoulder is hurting my friend?"

"Just a bit. Nothing major." Gia flew over to Mike's left shoulder and extended her hands. "No Gia, you don't have to."

"We're friends. If I can't use my skill for a pal, as you enlarge humans would say, what's the point of having it. Right?"

"Ok Gia," replied Mike. Gia placed her tiny, delicate hands on the crest to Mike's left shoulder. Mike felt a warmth in the spot. A release from pain followed.

Mike knew the little people after a healing, tend to feel weak. Extending his right hand, Gia floated down onto Mike's palm.

"I just saw Eric. He told me about Joseph's idea."

With her Arms around her legs, Gia looked up at the giant, sincere face of Mike, "Can you do this?"

"Sure."

"Mike, when do you think they could start coming?"

"Anytime really. Thursday and Friday mornings an hour before I open would be the best for me." Mike then put a hand to his forehead, "My nephew kevin comes stays with me Friday mornings now that he is out of school. I promised my brother I would watch him on Friday mornings."

"Kevin knows of us. At leat me anyways. He seems like a good kid."

"Yeah, he is." Mike thought for a moment. Maybe, I could have him do things around the store while I'm teaching the little people."

"That's great Mike. Then next Thursady it is!" For several hours Mike and Gia talked. Placing Gia in his shirt pocket, Mike went outside and walked through the city that was lighting up with colorful neon for the evening. Gia loved peering out of the pocket and taking in the feel of the giant night life.

Later, after Gia had gone, Mike wondered how affective he could be teaching movements to a group little people children. "I hope I won't frighten them. I don't want them to be afraid of me. No, I must trust Joseph and Fusta; must be something about this they need?"

Friday morning of the following week, Mike was nervous. During the time before he had made two dozen tiny mates for the children to sit on.

With nervous palms, Mike waited for Gia and the children. In the training room a dozen tiny circles of light appeared. Out of the Inter-Space Gateway came the children. Mike smiled down at them. They looked so cute in their martial arts tunics. Standing in a single row, the children bowed and shouted up in tiny squeaks, "Morning Master Mike."

Mike bowed. One child started to cry. Mike very slowly, as not to disturb the environment around the children asked, "Whats wrong?"

A older child replied, "She's never seen an enlarge human before. She thinks your a monster."

Mike's heart was touched. "No dear. I'm no monster. "I'm really a big marshmello." The children laughed. "Because I'm big doesn't mean I'm a monster or bad. I'm just different. Different in size only."

Mike asked the older child, "Whats her name?"

"Yelsa."

"What a lovely name. Yelsa, do you have lightening in your land?"

Wiping the tears from her eyes., "Yes."

"Well, I hate lightening. I still, when in bed cover my head with my pillow when it comes. If its really bad, I put on the light." The children laughed again. "No kidding. I really do that."

Mike placed his hand down on the floor. "Would anyone like to climb on?" Several children ran up to Mike's hand. They had to push down on his fingers to climb up. "Now I want you to sit down." The children did. Mike lifted his hand up very slowly. The children in his hand giggled while the children on the floor looked up with open mouths. "Do I look like a monster to you?"

"One girl in his hand said, "Well, kind of. But a nice one."

"Oh thanks alot. I'm a nice monster now am I." Mike made a funny face. The children once more giggled.

Mike placed his hand on the floor. "Yelsa, do I still seem scary?"

"I guess not." One boy teased her for being afraid.

"Hey, no teasing. We are all afraid at one time and another. And its not cool making fun of another," spoke Mike to the boy. The boy looking at the other children turned red.

"Yelsa, would you trust me enough to climb into my hand? Only if you want." She shook her head. "Thats cool dear.

Mike made several martial arts moves. And explained how you use your mind as well as your body. "We learn by books, seeing and doing. Yet, many times we fail to really listen to out bodies." The children looked at each other with questioning looks. "Let me explain," said Mike.

Meanwhile, Gia who had come just after the children looked on with a member from the Great Council. "He's very direct and gentle," spoke the Council member.

"Yes, he is," replied Gia looking up with pride at her giant friend.

When Mike was done, the children thanked him and re-entered the Inter-Space Gateway. The two little people came up to Mike's gigantic sandaled foot. "HI MIke," shouted Gia.

Hearing the high pitch voice Mike looked down. Mike was careful not to move his sandaled foot. He stooped down. The pressure of air he made caused the two little people to be pushed back. "Gia, how long have you been here?"

"The whole time. Oh, Mike this is Boke, a member of the Great Council."

Mike lowered his right index finger. Boke with both hands grabbed the tip of the huge finger and hung on as Mike moved it slightly. "Happy to meet you."

"A pleasure to meet you Mike. I heard many nice things about you from Gia." Mike gave Gia a wink. "Well, I best be going," said Boke who activated his gateway key.

Mike sat down. Lowering his hand, Gia jumped onto it. "I think it went well."

"It did Mike. You were so calm and gentle with the children."

"I tried. I hope they learned something from this monster."

Gia chuckled. "This gentle monster."

"I still have a few minutes before I open the store. Say you and I share a bowel of ice-cream. If it isn't too early."

"For ice-cream?" replied Gia. "Not for me."

In the back room, there was a small frig. Opening it up, Mike removed a desert size container of Strawberry and brought it out. In a desk drawer, Mike had several little people utensils that Gia had given him.

Sitting at a table the two friends had their cool refreshing repast. "I really hope the kids get something out of this Gia."

"From what I have seen I think they have. Learning slowly, what is different or seems different is not always the case. But it seems something societies everywhere never seem to really grasp."

MIke, looking tenderly down at Gia, "Yours seems to."

Shyly looking up at Mike, "We try to." She ran her delicate hand over the shiny nail to Mike's thumb. "Dear friend.

"My little flying joy," replied Mike, giving a gentle stroke to Gia's long flowing hair.

When the buzzer sounded, Mike had to start his day. And Gia entered the gateway.

Friday, a day Mike was concerned with because of his nephew Kevin; kept him out of the way by having him do some mild stock work. During this second day of lessons, Mike was happy to see that Yelsa was less afraid of him this time.

During the following Friday, as Mike was doing a few moves, the door that wasn't totaly closed this time, opened up from the vibrations he made. Going over to the door, Kevin peered in. "Little people!" shouted Kevin. Mike looked over.

One of the little children also shouted, "An enlarge human our age!! Master Mike, can we meet him!?"

Since the cat-was-out-of-the-bag, Mike replied, "Ok. Kevin, come in here and meet some friends of mine. And Kevin."

"Yeah, Uncle Mike," responded kevin looking down at the little children with wonder in his eyes.

"Be slow in your movemnts. Remember your bigger size can be scary to them."

Kevin nodded. Very slowly he walked over to them. He knealt down before them. One twelve year old asked, "What are you smiling at?"

"I guess you."

"Why?"

Kevin replied, "Because your so small. I'm not making fun of you. Its just at home I have toys that are your size and bigger."

Mike was taken back when one of the kids stepped forward---the child Yelsa. "Your not a monster?"

"Me, a monster?" giggled Kevin. "No. But sometimes my sister says I am." The boys in the group laughed and nodded their heads to one another.

Yelsa touched the tip to Kevin's forty foot long ( to yelsa) sneaker. "Can I stand in your hand?"

"Yeah!!" Kevin looked at his uncle. "Can I Uncle Mike?"

Mike replied, "Yes, but let her sit down in your hand before lifting it up."

"Uncle Mike says you can." Kevin lowered his hand. Yelsa walked to the sapling size fingers. She stood for a moment. "Don't be afraid." Yelsa, took a deep breath and climbed on. After she sat down, Kevin lifted his hand to his face.

Yelsa stood up and walked over to Kevin's huge lips. She could feel the draught air that came from the huge nostrals. "You are so very big. You must be brave. I would be at your size."

"I'm not that big. Many of my friends are bigger than me."

Yelsa asked, "Are you still brave?"

"I never ran from a fight I guess," responded Kevin. He lowered his head slightly, "There was a bully who I was---afraid of."

The little boys below heard this. A few shouted up, "I have been afraid too Kevin!"

Kevin moving his head in jerky motions replied, "Thanks you guys." He then lowered Yelsa back to the floor. Looking up at his Uncle, "I wish they could stay at my house or visit."

"Maybe someday," responded a voice.

Turning around, Mike said with astonishment, "Joseph." And seeing Fusta on his shoulder. "Fusta, you too." Joseph and Fusta observed Mike, was dressed in their blue and black Honurai garb.

"Thanks for your fine work with these children," commented Joseph.

"Ah, eah, thanks."

Joseph went up to Kevin. "Someday, you can meet more of the little people. Even go to their land. For right now, we ask you to be patient and just keep it between you and your uncle."

Kevin looked down at the little people. "Ok, but if you promise someday I can see them again."

"We promise," said Mike.

"When you do come. I can show you my house," shouted up Yelsa.

After the children and Kevin had left, Mike visited with Joseph and Fusta. "I think I'm starting to understand the reason for the children in coming. Was it to overcome fears of the differences of people?"

"Yes," replied Joseph.

Fusta added, "It could be a few of them, may have the calling to be Honurai Knights. And if so, they must get over any fears of enlarge humans." Mike nodded his head.

A little later Gia appeared. "Our young friends, now Honurai Knights."

"Well, not yet," replied Joseph.

After Joseph and Fusta had gone, Gia stayed with her enlarge human friend Mike. Later, at his home, they would have much to talk about.

THE END