(TATB) Ch 20: Victor And Skylar, The Meeting Inside The Closest!

(Sydney)

Walking toward the outskirts of the town, I felt like I was dragging an oversized boulder behind me. That boulder, of course, was Victor, who seemed like he'd rather face a pack of wolves than take another step toward the edge of our little settlement. I didn't blame him, not really—talking to a Brob for the first time was intimidating. But we didn't exactly have time to drag this out.

"Could you please slow down?" Victor called after me, his heavy footsteps crunching on the dirt path. I felt his hand on my shoulder, and I stopped, letting out an exaggerated sigh.

"What is it now?" I asked, turning to face him.

He looked like he was about to face the guillotine. "I don't think I'm ready to talk to the Brob."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Her name is Skylar," I said firmly. "Try to remember that when you're talking to her."

Victor groaned. "Dammit, Syd, could you slow down and just talk to me for a second?"

I frowned but stopped walking. "Look, Skylar will be here in a few minutes, and we don't have time to slow down. She specifically asked for a representative to talk to her about the wellbeing of the town. That representative is you. So let's get this show started."

Victor stopped dead in his tracks, crossing his arms like a stubborn kid refusing to eat his vegetables. I kept walking a few steps ahead before I realized he wasn't following me. When I turned around, he was just standing there, his face tight with hesitation.

"Victor," I said, softer this time, walking back toward him. His shoulders were tense, and I could see the conflict written all over his face. "Why is this so hard for you? You're Victor. You've made everything look easy since we got here."

He didn't respond, just stared past me, his jaw clenched. I put a hand on his shoulder, and for a moment, we just stood there in silence. "I've never asked about your past," I said finally. "I told you all about mine, but I never pushed you to share yours. I figured... if you wanted to tell me, you would. But, Victor—if this is about something deeper, you can tell me. I'll listen."

His eyes flicked up to meet mine, and for a moment, I thought he might actually open up. Instead, he let out a slow breath and straightened his shoulders. The fear and doubt I'd seen earlier melted away, replaced by something calmer, steadier. His eyes locked on mine, and he gave me a small nod.

"Yeah, I can do it," he said, his voice low but firm. He stood to his full height, which always made me feel about two feet tall in comparison. "I don't know why you guys chose me, but... I won't let you down."

I grinned. "That was never in doubt."

The ground beneath us began to tremble—a soft vibration at first, growing stronger with every second. I looked toward the sky, and sure enough, the faint echo of a door creaking open reached my ears. A massive shadow fell over the town as Skylar's towering form stepped into view, her long legs carrying her effortlessly across the room. My heart jumped a little in awe and nerves as she tossed what looked like a pile of books onto her bed, the sound reverberating through the air.

"She's here," I said, crossing my arms as I watched her towering form move across her room. I had to admit, watching her felt a little surreal. She looked so... ordinary, for a Brob. Like someone you'd see walking around the city, except, you know, skyscraper-sized.

"Yeah," Victor said next to me, his earlier confidence wavering. "I guess she is."

"Well," I said, grabbing his arm and tugging him forward. "Let's go."

Victor muttered something under his breath, but he followed, his heavy footsteps matching mine as we made our way to the edge of the town. My communicator was already in my pocket, ready to go. I just hoped Victor was too.

***

(Skylar)

Sliding into my room, I let the door close softly behind me, already tugging off my shoes as I sighed. Tessa had been on one today, her chatter relentless and impossible to escape. I loved her—she was my best friend, after all—but there were days when her words piled on top of my own exhaustion like bricks.

Today was one of those days.

I tossed my shoes near the door, not bothering to align them neatly like I usually did. My bare feet touched the cool floor as I walked to the window, sliding it open to let in some fresh air. The crisp breeze wafted in, brushing past my face and carrying away a fraction of the day's tension.

And then my eyes darted to the closet.

A thrill ran through me, cutting through the exhaustion. Today was the day. The first official meeting between me and the representative of the town—my town. Or, well, our town. It wasn't exactly a bustling metropolis, but it was growing faster than I ever imagined, and the Lilliputians had already come so far. They were extraordinary, really.

Sydney had organized everything for today—the time, the meeting place, even the introductions. I'd be meeting this Victor person, the representative they'd chosen. I hadn't met him yet, but the others had mentioned him enough to make me curious. Was he another Sydney, eager and bright-eyed? Or more like Meara, sharp and calculating? I'd find out soon enough.

Padding softly toward the closet, I lowered myself onto my knees, careful not to let my movements shake the floor too much. No matter how many times I approached the town, I still couldn't believe how tiny it all was. It was surreal, like looking at a living, breathing diorama.

"Sydney," I called gently, keeping my voice low but clear. Even so, the sound carried through the closet like a soft wave. I leaned in closer, squinting at the outskirts of the town. Two tiny specks came into focus, their minuscule forms more visible thanks to their clothing. They were moving toward me, and even from this distance, I could tell one of them was Sydney. The other... must be Victor.

"Hello, Skylar!" Sydney's voice piped up, his enthusiasm unmistakable even through the communicator. I smiled, feeling my heart skip a little. Talking to the Lilliputians still felt magical, like breaking some invisible barrier between two worlds.

"Hi, Sydney," I said warmly. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."

"No, no," Sydney replied quickly, his tone bright. "You're right on time."

I grinned, resting my chin lightly on the edge of the closet for balance as I peered down. "Good. So, who's your friend?"

Sydney turned toward the other speck, gesturing grandly as if this were some grand unveiling. "Skylar, I'd like you to meet someone. This is Victor."

I tilted my head curiously, leaning in a little more. "Victor, huh?"

A deeper, quieter voice came through the communicator, hesitant but polite. "Uh, hi. It's nice to meet you, Skylar."

I couldn't help but smile. "It's nice to meet you too, Victor. I've heard so many good things about you already."

There was a brief pause before his voice returned, softer now and tinged with nerves. "I've, uh, heard good things about you too. And... thank you. For taking care of us, I mean. It means a lot."

"Aaaahhhh, it's no problem at all," I said, waving a hand dismissively. "You're my people. I couldn't imagine not helping."

I heard Sydney chuckle softly, but then his tone shifted. "Well, I've got work to do back in the lab, so I'll leave you two to talk. Have fun!"

"Wait, what?!" Victor's voice shot out, low and quiet, but still loud enough for me to hear thanks to the communicator. I bit back a laugh, pretending I hadn't noticed his clear discomfort.

Instead, I leaned in even closer, lowering my voice to something warm and conversational. "Victor," I said, watching his tiny form freeze as I spoke, "would you mind coming with me? I think I left something in the kitchen, and I need to grab it."

"Wait, what?" he repeated, this time a little louder, and I had to press my lips together to keep from grinning.

"It's nothing crazy," I said, tilting my head. "Just a little walk. I promise I'll be careful."

He didn't respond right away, and I could almost feel the conflict radiating off him even from this distance. Sydney, of course, didn't help, his voice chiming in like he was enjoying this far too much. "Go on, Victor. She won't bite."

I raised a brow, smirking. "Not unless I'm really hungry," I teased lightly.

Victor let out a tiny, exasperated sigh. "Fine. Let's... let's get this over with."

I beamed. "Great! Let me just..."

Carefully, I extended a finger toward him, he was probably watching it like it was some kind of alien spaceship. This was to be interesting.