The Collection

Little Warrior

Jaden swore she had heard something. She was sure of it, something in the kitchen with her. Houses make a lot of weird noises but very rarely do they grunt. She inspected everything, even things far from where she thought the sound came from. 
She saw a glint in the corner of her eye, something sparkly. She looked over and all she saw was the aluminum on the microwave, she was going crazy. No wait, in the crack between the microwave in the cupboard, the same glint. She looked closer into the small gap, it was a little wider on the inside than the opening but there were more interesting things about it. To name something in particular: there was a tiny red-haired girl. She wore a heavy duty belt with many pockets, and a thin backpack with about as many pockets. She only saw the backpack for a second before the girl spun around quickly and stared back at Jaden, but that's how it looked to her. The little woman was breathing heavily, but only from her nose. She raised an arm and pointed at Jaden, no above her, she turned to look. There was nothing there, but when she looked back the girl was gone. Jaden could hear her scampering behind the microwave and quickly pushed it aside and shoved her arm in after the girl. Not sure entirely what her plan was from there but she had to at least meet her. They were in her house and she would meet her by force if she must. As her hand neared the back of the space, that was now holding much more than a microwave, she felt a sharp and tingling pain. Quickly retracting her hand, she noticed the small knife still stuck in it. The cut was small, pull it out, set it aside, the blood will clot soon enough, don't worry about it. Her process made sense, she dove her hand right back in to grab the girl. "You could make this a lot easier, you know." It had clicked that the tiny thing could probably understand her; it was bipedal and could use tools. It could very well be a tiny human woman. The illusive red head popped around by the corner and dashed by the back of Jaden's hand. The little bastard cut a long, slim, and shallow gash down Jaden's hand as she did it. She afterwards scampered back behind the microwave before she could be captured. 
Jaden had to pull her hand out fully, that was gonna be an issue. She dressed it with tissues and a little tape, it didn't bleed a whole lot but it felt good to cover the wound. During the moment of calm Jaden could hear the panting and hyperventilating of the small woman, but was not comfortable listening to it. She could handle emotional things but now she was scared; it hurt to be stabbed. Jaden sighed, lined herself up with the gap, and put her arms at her sides. "Come speak to my face, I won't grab at you or hurt you." She could've chosen her words better but she waited patiently. "Hey, you're winning, at least let me see your face, okay?" She didn't really get a response but the girl slowly stepped around the corner and stared right into Jaden's eyes. "Would you be so kind as to stop stabbing me?" 
The response was quick and blunt, "don't grab at me then." It was shocking to hear she had a voice and to hear the reasonable words that the voice made. 
"Do you plan to starve back there?" Jaden didn't want to siege the woman overnight so she would rather make her points now.
"Better than whatever cage you'll put me in." Okay this lil' thing is hard core, and intense.
"My name is Jaden, I promise I'll never put you in a cage." There was a pause as the tiny analyzed her words and thought of a response. 
"Give me back my knife and maybe I'll believe you." Jaden figured she didn't have much of a choice, and she'd like to be trusted. She looked away to pick up the tiny knife off the counter, it had a harsh point and was dark black. When she looked back that same girl was standing there next to the microwave. 
She began to reach in to hand it to her, "here you go."
"Stop, set it down." Jaden did stop, but she kept her grip on the tiny knife.
"Take it from my hand, please." She didn't hear much of anything and she hardly felt the thing leave her grasp. 
"Thank you," Jaden heard a little velcro pouch open and once she retracted her hand watched as the woman slid the knife in. "You're not gonna let me go are you?" The tiny woman finally spoke a full sentence!
"You could come peacefully, introduce yourself, make a friend." Jaden wanted anything to come of this at this point. 
"My name's Steel. I like knives. I want you to leave." Jaden immediately began to pout like a child. 
"It's my house, baby-legs. I'm not leaving." Steel sat down, and crossed her legs.
"Then I won't either, roommates." She did jazz hand as she said "roommates" and said it in a cheery tone for extra insulting power. Jaden ducked out of Steel's view for a moment and put on a thick oven mitt. Once she had it secured on her hand she quickly japped it onto the opening and awkwardly grabbed Steel by the face and began to pull her out. It took Steel a moment to unfold her legs and shake off the shock of the sudden attack but she did not come out easily. Jaden winced as she felt a tiny knife pierce the mitt and her skin, and another. Steel grunted and screamed as she was pulled out and even while looking down from the deadly height once out in the open plunged another knife from her belt into the giant hand. Jaden quickly used her free hand to encase Steel's body and hold her arms down while she lowered her mitted hand. This left Steel trapped and dangling, she quickly began to tear up and wriggle around. She didn't squirm much, even if Steel was free the floor was a long way down. They locked eyes as yet another knife from Steel's belt fell out of its designated pocket. Once it hit the floor with a metallic thud Steel began to cry hard. Wailing, sniffling, and tears, nothing like the warrior from a moment ago. Her little eyes were red and her face damp with tears, Jaden felt every one that fell off her chin as they would all land on her fingers. She decided to tuck the Steel's little head under her chin but continued to hold her like an ice cream cone, convinced she would still fight back. After a moment Steel rested her head on Jaden's chest and calmed down after about a full minute. She choked on her words, "I'm dead… aren't I?" 
"You're not dead Steel." Steel looked up at Jaden but couldn't see her face.
"You're not mad?" She sounded confused.
"I'm not mad, I'm not gonna hurt you, you don't have a cage." Steel sniffled and kicked her legs which were beginning to pool blood.
"C-can you put me down? I would like to be put down please." Jaden set her down on the kitchen island counter and set her bleeding, oven mitt hand palm up next to her. Steel glancer at the hand and back up at Jaden with more tears forming in her eyes. Jaden let go of Steel for a moment; Steel shuddered but didn't move other than that. 
"Give me your hand." Jaden ordered the words and layed out her index finger in Steel's lap. Steel placed her right hand on it and looked Jaden in the eyes as her hand was encased by a thumb. "You're gonna pull out the knives and set them down on the counter." Steel nodded, sniffled, and slowly walked over to the big hand, while having hers held. She kneeled in the rubber palm of the oven mitt and carefully yanked all 3 dagger-like knives out. She set them down first near the wounds they made, and second on the counter as a group. Jaden tore off the mitt with her teeth and then set it down on the counter behind her with her now free hand. She showed her fresh wounds to Steel, but continued to hold her hand. "Ow. No more stabbing. Okay?" Steel nodded, "and no more hiding. We know each other now, we can get along." She removed her thumb from the back of Steel's hand. Steel did not pull her hand away but nodded solemnly. 
"I think I'd like that." Steel gave her opinion on the order and kept her hand on Jaden's thumb. Steel liked the safe feeling; it felt good.