Chapter Two: All The Small Things

As Penn awoke, for a split second he thought that everything that transpired the previous day was only a dream and that he would be in his room with his aunt and uncle dressing up that stupid rodent it some crazy costume and he would be back to beating Rippin senseless in his normal size. Sadly though, when he looked around the bedroom in the dollhouse he was reminded of his current situation and size. As he got up from his tiny bed, he heard the sound of leather being hit repeatedly as well as fierce grunts that could only come from one girl he knew all to well.

He looked out his window to see Sashi swinging away at the punching bag in the darkness of her bedroom, with only the light of the slowly rising sun to illuminate the room. As the now shrunken hero watched his friend punch and kick the leather bag, he took notice of her new attire which was a sports black bra and a pair of black sweatpants that showed off well-toned muscles and abs that she usually kept hidden under her layers of cloths; he also noticed that she wasn't her specs either during her training session and that her hair was tied into one pony tail rather her distinct two pigtails.

Sashi moves were fierce but precise strikes that sent the punching bag flying backwards only to swing forward into her fists over and over again. While the Asian teen's attacks were deadly, Penn couldn't help but note that there was a sort of gracefulness to her movements; she was almost hypotonic to watch as she battered the punching bag.

After a minute or two more of hitting the leather bag, the part-time sidekick stopped her one-sided sparring match and let out an accomplished sigh, happy with her handiwork. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Penn looking back at her from the dollhouse.

"So, did you enjoy the show?" she teased with a smirk as she made her way up to the dollhouse

"What?—oh! Yeah!—I mean no!—I mean um…" Penn was stumbling through his words until he could make a proper sentence "Uh-you're up pretty early. I mean you do know its Saturday right?"

"I know, but I train everyday at the crack of dawn—whether it be weekdays or weekends" Sashi informed him "It keeps me sharp and ready for anything"

As she spoke, the redheaded teen kept his eyes looking downward, due to the fact whenever he looked up his line of sight met up with his friend's chest; which from where he was standing was blocking her face.

"So why are you up this early?" the sidekick inquired

"I'm kinda used to uncle Chuck waking me up this early for breakfast" the part-time hero answered "that and your little sparring match work me up"

"Sorry about that" Sashi apologized before thinking of something "Hey, you wanna join me?"

"Uh, sure, but I don't think I'll that much of a work-out partner" the ginger admitted

"Its fine, you can just keep me company while I train" Sashi said as she held out her hand

Penn then climbed onto her hand, allowing his friend to place him on her shoulder. The violent teen then got down on her hands and feet and began to do push-ups. While the up and down motion may not have bothered Sashi herself, to Penn on the other hand it was like being on a carnival ride. He was glad that he didn't eat anything before doing this or things may have taken a turn for the gross, but he still felt dizzy during the whole event none the less. He clung unto the shoulder strap of Sashi's sports bra with on hand and steadied himself by propping his hand up against her ear.

"Are you ok, Penn?" she asked

"Yep, just peachy" he lied as he fought the urge to pass out from all the blood rushing to his head

Just then, Sashi put right arm behind her back and continued to do her push-ups with only her left arm, which amazed the part-time hero.

"Holy crap Sash, I had no idea you could do that!" he said

"There's a lot you don't know about me" she replied as she continued her one-handed routine

"Yeah, because you keep everything to yourself" Penn retorted casually

The moment he had said that, Sashi came to sudden stop, nearly making Penn go flying off her shoulder had he not grabbed onto the bra strap. The part-time sidekick then plucked him off of her person and brought him only inches to her now glowering face as she stood straight up. What Penn had said wasn't meant to be taken as an insult, but the way she was now looking at her, his friend had clearly taken it that way. So whether he liked it or not Penn was about to get into an argument.

"What the hell's that supposed mean?" she demanded

"Jesus, calm down will you?" Penn answered sharply "All I said was that you keep everything to yourself! And you know what? It's true!"

"Any information I give out is on a—"she attempted to say

"Yeah I know 'a need to know basis'" Penn cut in "But we're friends Sashi, your supposed to trust me with this kind of stuff, y'a know? hell I don't when your birthday is or what shows you like or even what your favorite food is"

"And for how long will we be friends Penn?" she questioned harshly "What's going to happen when you and Boone leave me behind and I'm left alone?"

Penn was shocked when she said; did she really think so little of him and their friendship?

"Why would you even think that Sashi?" Penn asked

"Because that's what always happens!" she snapped back, holding back tears as she did "Ever since I was little girl I've been alone, no one would come ten feet near me! They all thought I was freak who would turn on them in a heartbeat! So why should I think differently that you won't do the same in the future?!"

At first, Sashi assumed that her now shrunken friend would make some witty remark about how she was overreacting and try to laugh it off, however much to her surprise the redhead instead gave her a comforting look as he tried his best to give her a gentle hug across her face—which he quickly retracted after quickly realizing how much of a dumb idea that was.

"You should've it figured out by now, but I—I mean me and Boone wouldn't ditch you" he assured her "We've seen you at your worst more then once and we still stick by you. Because that's what friends do Sashi and I swear I will never leave your side as long as I live"

Normally Sashi would be skeptical of those kinds of words, but way Penn had said them made feel a certain warm comfort. She gently placed him back on the table and smiled at him, to which he returned with one of his own.

"Thanks Penn" she told him

"Anytime Sash" he replied

"I'll tell you anything you want to know about me—with certain restrictions" the Asian teen informed him "But first I need to take a shower. All this training and soul-bearing worked up a good sweat"

"Yeah I didn't wanna say anything since we were having our heart-to-heart" the tiny hero responded "I don't if its because of my size or that I was right above your armpit, but you seriously reek!"

Instead giving him another glare, Sashi instead let out a small giggle from her lips.

"Well I'm off to hit the showers" she said "You wanna join me?"

There was a pause on Penn's end as his face read a mixture of confusion and shock. Was she seriously asking if he wanted to bathe with her? Just then, Sashi let out a laugh, clearly showing that she was joking (which Penn thought she was incapable of doing at all) the part-time hero made a hearty laugh in response to show he had gotten the joke before she left the room. While Penn laughed on the outside, inside however he was saddened by it.

"Wait why am I upset by that?" he asked himself in his mind "We're just friends. It's not like I'm…aw crap"

It something he had been inwardly dealing with for awhile now even before he was shrunken down, but due to the missions and his personal life, Penn had managed to keep those thoughts buried down and brush them off, however now that he was closer to Sashi then he had even been before, it was becoming increasingly clear to him.

"I have a crush on Sash…" he said to himself aloud "…shit"