Defeated

This was done as birthday present for a dear, dear friend - I hope you all enjoy too!

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"You're kidding."

Nicole shook her head, a rueful smile on her face. "It's all true."

Ariel laughed. "I had wondered what had happened to her. The resignation email on a Friday night was so abrupt."

The redheaded woman beamed. "Written by me, from Ivana's phone, of course."

The clip-clop of absurd heels sounded against the tile floors, announcing the approach of the tiny Ivana - where she wanted to or not.

"And she had planned to come after us both?" Ariel needed to know more.

"When she realized the three of us had cracked the shrinking formula, she had planned to take us both out and claim it all for herself. She invited me around to her place, was going to spike my drink, and then do the same to you. Of course, she's not as smart as she thinks she is. She had been acting strange, so I emailed her during our chat to distract her, and while she was looking away, I swapped the drinks."

Ariel's gaze turned to the shrunken Ivana, and couldn't suppress her laughter. "And down she went?"

Nicole nodded, satisfied. "And down she went."

Something clicked in Ariel then. "Oh shit, and you were both away from the lab so the solution she needed to reverse it..."

"All the way at work. So..."

"She's stuck like that." The two women said in unison.

Ariel regarded the woman who had meant to ruin her. "I've never seen her so... compliant. She looks scared to talk."

Ivana felt her knees tremble, holding Nicole's tea patiently. Ariel was right.

"She took some wearing down." A smug grin creased Nicole's lips. "I think her new job suits her much better..."

Ivana could feel the cup of tea getting heavier in her hands.

Nicole turned towards her former co-worker, gesturing for her reply. "Don't you agree, squirt?"

The shrunken woman tensed. "Yes ma'am!" She yapped; her voice slightly higher pitched as a result of her transformation. Ivana felt beyond humiliated, but she knew disobeying was a bad idea.

Ariel burst into laughter. "I love your outfit, Ivana!"

The formerly towering woman could barely look at her tormentors. "T-thank you."

Nicole's eyes narrowed. "'Thank you...'?"

Ivana swallowed nervously. "Thank you, ma'am!"

The redhead reached down and took her tea. "Good girl. Now, I believe you still have some chores, right?"

Ivana nodded and stumbled away, still getting used to her heels.

Ariel turned to Nicole. "Such a little helper..."

"I told her if she does as I say, I'll see if you and I can figure out a reversal but... what's the rush?" The woman grinned, lifting her tea to her lips, as Ivana's heels sounded down the hall.