The Vespidian Arc 1 Contamination

Chapter 12

The darkness swelled as it had before like when I had changed. Those smiles and eyes were more clear now. The familiar visages of white bone… my own face, but different. There were many of them, so many that the black around me was consumed by the white. All of them gazed at me, tilting their heads, smiling, happy to see me. Most were like me, almost mirror images of this scary face. Yet there were a few that were much larger than the others… then I noticed the one that loomed monolithic behind the swarm. It was her… that bitch that did this to me. I knew that distinctive scar along the left side of her face going through the two eyes atop one another on that side, her crown of eyes above that pierced through me.

The name, the thought of her seared and burned. Mother Imperatrix. Mother Empress.

All at once a light flared from the darkness illuminating her and the rest. Beyond them the surroundings changed to a pulsing, throbbing… wet cavernous expanse. Honeycomb shapes melded and distorted the living walls of drooling black ichor weeped like a sap or blood. The wasp women gazed down upon me. A sea of black and blue carapace, walls of white faces and bristling orange wings. I felt so small and scared below their countless eyes. Yet as my eyes lowered something was off. The smallest of them, the closest to me were… oddly kind of cute with little pink and milky white bodies. My eyes drifting back up to see the predatory creatures that those little wasp girls would become. My antenna quivering as I could smell them, hear them, feel them. Despite the fear that bubbled from my mind I felt only warmth from them…. Acceptance.

“What do you want from me?”

All of them tilted their heads at once in a unified, synchronized motion as though all of them were a single entity. “Does she see? Does she hear?”

I quivered their voices grating at my mind. “Yes… just be… talk quieter.”

They… they rejoiced. All of them buzzing… purring? What kind of wasp purrs? One of them stepped forward, larger than the children and even the ones my size, though much smaller than the titanic Imperatrix. This one had no eyes, the top of its face covered in a living veil of bluish black material that undulated. Her elongated head hooded with a living liquid like substance that reminded me of a jellyfish, trailing behind the head were tentacles with purple rings every foot or so, when they shifted it created mesmerizing patterns that distorted and made it hard to perceive how long they truly were. Her hardened chest was branded with an alien symbol. A fractured hexagon encasing a large eye that had smaller hexagons instead of an iris. I could see other symbols as well glowing light blue bio luminescent, dripping like blood, a honeycomb like shape with six eyes converging from each corner into the middle around a dot. Oddly if I squinted the figure gave off the vibes of sort of corrupted nun or a saint or a holy woman from some fantasy game.

She smiled gesturing out with her massive clawed hands, wings spread wide as her voice hummed with vocables layered so that every word was repeated as an echo several times. Around her the smaller versions of herself, instinctively I knew that they were her brood, her children, raised their voices into a choir. Her voice leading them- It was the singing that I had heard before in my terror and panic during the long painful dark, I remembered this voice even through the pain. Yes that voice was from her, from them.

“Welcome to the Hive,

Little one,

New and bright,

Born from HER warmth,

Bathed in HER light.

Feel your limbs, your wings, your breath,

Gifted by the Empress,

Who grants life from death.”

They sang as the buzzing of the others created a pulsing, flow of emotions, a living music of sorts. Above the massive form of the Mother Empress sat upon some sort of living throne of light blue gelatinous flesh, her taloned foot and a single finger swaying in time with their bodies as though directing like a conductor some sort of symphony. A slow beat, soothing almost.

“Buzz softly now, hear the Hive’s hum,

The rhythm of many, the beat of one.

You are not alone- never again,

You are HER will without end.”

At some point the little ones had joined in, their high pitched little voices adding to the harmony of the strangely alleviating song. It was making my head tingle. Despite my distrust my antenna swayed to the sound. A warmth radiating with every vibration. It was calming. Soothing. A balm of sorts. I could feel that creeping heat crawling through me with shivers. Maybe I was just weak and broken right now, but fuck did it feel nice, this warmth, this… affection.

“Step by step, you’ll learn HER ways,

In tunnels deep and nectar haze

You’ll serve, You’ll love, You’ll grow so strong,

And hum HER name in every song.”

For some reason I wanted to cry with joy. I felt whole. I felt them. Their loving embrace. Her embrace. All the pain melting away, all the suffering that plagued me until now fading under the current of this vast emotion that I couldn’t even process properly. Those scary visages softening, growing familiar.

All of them swayed, hands linked in a ring, a circle that encompassed me, their faces forming a wall of protection, of warmth that staved off the darkness of this place. The waves of black that tore and ripped at me before broke against them, flowing away harmlessly. The hum of their minds pulsing around me. I could feel their emotions, their pure and unconditional adoration for me.

Why? The question gnawed. It burned. It seared. Why were they so soft, so kind yet looked like monsters? Why were they so caring to me? The answer was there kneading at the back of my mind, with talons, claws and tentacles.

I was one of them.

“So lift your head and blink anew,

You are HERS- entirely true.

Our most cherished one reborn, a path begun…

Welcome home, beloved one.”

That large wasp woman with the veiled face bowed, down to the floor, pressing her massive head so that it scraped against the black that bubbled around us. As did the rest, all of them supplicating before the Empress who loomed over me, her vast tentacles slithering and coiling in slow undulating motions. I gazed up into that face that brought me nothing but pain and terror before, now seeing a softness, warmth in the hard cold carapace and her inhuman eyes. These faces had been protecting me all along. The thought was relieving. Enough so that I relaxed feeling myself melting in their embrace. Safe. Sound…. Home.

The moment I thought that warmth flooded me. The Mother Empress seemed radiant… divine. Like some sort of eldritch goddess. That image of her bright and soothing, gazing upon her burned yet made me feel whole. Her mind reaching and crawling, slithering with tendrils as she loomed over me. The light that obliterated the darkness of this place revealing the thrumming and living hive that surrounded me. As her tendrils touched my forehead my vision flickered as perspective warped, thoughts drowning within her.

I gazed down upon that weak and quivering little one below me. That human in mind, flickering between what she truly was and what she clung to desperately... foolishly. The odd little amalgamation, malformed, distorted. Half human, half Vespidian, her form bubbling back and forth at war with itself. Fighting and struggling. Hating and loathing itself for what it was. Such a broken little thing. So familiar, yes. What once was. Too weak. Too soft. Too… human… The other half. Nostalgia flickered for a long moment, fond yet painful memories fluttered. We know this one. Brief glimpses of the future passed flooded for a moment.

Again, like before images of events and places, faces unfamiliar yet known. Friends, family, lovers… death… ruin… agony… hatred… darkness… sorrow… rage… too early. Too soft. Oh how she will suffer. She won’t survive. This pitiful old self. Would it not be more merciful to simply reabsorb her? Save her from the horrors of this world? Perhaps interfering had made it weaker than it should be? She needed to grow, such a gentle and cowardly soul would not do. A brief moment of sadness, reluctance. Acceptance.

The wiggler retracted separating me from her. Leaving me panting, gasping, reeling from the colossal mind that had lovingly filled me for that blissful moment that seemed to stretch into eternity. I… no, we. We were one and the same. A realization crystallized… she… that was me? My future? My past or a different version of myself. Yet… not? Our shared memories overlapping in a haze of recollection. My mind mixed up with hers too much to bear as my memories reeled and cut themselves off, severing and burying this truth or else it might devour me whole. I could feel my mind, my brain cutting off synapses to drown out the connection.

She lifted me with her hands that were bigger than I was. Gently rocking me against her armored chest. Her voice rumbled and shook me to the core as that alien face split into a smile that seemed so vast that it might consume the world. “Welcome home, Vesper.”

***

I had slept soundly for the first time that I could remember. That lullaby still whispering in the back of my head. Unfortunately like everything else good in my life this warmth faded into a shrouded haze of blank forgetfulness when I awoke. It was just an illusion, just a dream. She wasn’t real, wasn’t here to save me. Sure enough, the memory distorted before melting away. I never could remember my dreams for long after I wake up.

Morning came with the sound of Molotov opening the door. She smiled mysteriously, and my gut rolled; I had a profoundly bad feeling about this. "Vespidian. Ready to start today's training?"

I nodded, knowing it was not a question. She led me back to her room. She motioned to the weights, and I took them. I was almost expecting my muscles to be burning from yesterday's exertions; however, as of late, I had grown used to the quick recovery. To think that two weeks would have flown by so quickly. The training was my only escape. I could zone out and be somewhere else while the body lifted weights or did various exercises. It was surprising how fast my muscles grew. My strength had already passed the threshold where lifting a thousand-pound weight was the norm.

I never did that death dungeon again and was thankful for that. Molotov taught me varied techniques. Thankfully, for now, it was all nonlethal stuff. Apparently, she wanted to hammer in the basics in case I needed to kidnap people without hurting them too badly. Strangely, I found myself adjusting to this inhospitable environment. With no rescue in sight, the real prospect that I would become a Super Villain sank in. I don't wanna ride that pony; it is a bad pony.

She quietly watched my unflattering grunts and groans, lifting the weights. I hated her, and I despised her to my core. It was strange, almost like she was trying to make me hate her. I would catch her dreamy-eyed gaze at me. The moment she realized I was looking, her face would harden.

"Are you trying to make me hate you?" I asked, doing my push-ups.

Her smile was bleaker than the tundra. "Da. Too smart for own good I see."

"Why do you want me to hate you?" My mouth gaped a little. Why was she being honest? Now, I am scared. "Shouldn't you be nice to me? I mean, I would work better that way. I am a very incentive driven person you know."

"What is hatred?" She asked vaguely. I did not get a chance to reply. "Hatred is another form of love, my dear sweet Vespidian."

"I don't understand."

She laid her hands on my shoulders, rubbing them slightly. "What is love? Is it not being unable to get someone out of your mind? Being unable to control yourself and desire someone even if you do not really know why?"

I thought on it. I had never been in love, so not too sure about that. It is what everyone said about it. Dad was always going on about how much he loved Mom, and sometimes it made me sick, especially when they got all lovey-dovey out in the living room. Well, not really sick it was cute, but it was my parents, so it weirded me out. It felt like a ping-pong ball bouncing around in my head, dragging up memories. Hatred was different altogether. It was a seething rage that made me just want to kill someone. It made me plot against them. Think of ways to make their life hell. Like Molotov, I just want to strangle her and escape from here.

She had a knowing smile when I thought that. I scowled at her, "I don't get it."

"Don't you see?" Her grin was pure evil. "You can't stop thinking about me, can you?"

"Fuck that. I hate you."

"So you love me." She whispered.

"No, I hate you."

"They are one and the same." She said, twirling and holding her chest while blushing. Oh, Swolix, she is one of those yandere bitches. When the fuck did I get a psycho stalker? Well, I shouldn't be surprised she is a Super Villain. "You see, I wanted you to work harder and so I offered you an outlet. I gave myself to you, to be your target. Da, Vespidian. Your hatred for me will make you stronger since you have a goal. You want to surpass me and to do that you will soak up every technique I show you in hopes that you can use it against me."

"That is fucking bullshit!" I yelled, throwing the weight at her, and she flicked it away and tackled me. Her arm coiled around my neck, and she squeezed, cutting off the windpipe. I struggled, but there was no escaping this. Air would not reach my lungs as my eyes felt like they would pop out.

"This is called the sleeper hold. Remember how it feels. Da, just like that. Shh, it will all be over soon," she whispered as the world darkened. Then she let go, and I gasped for breath, writhing on the floor. I had pissed myself. I hate this. She clapped, and several men entered the room.

She bent over me, stroking my head. It felt light, and my brain tingled from the lack of oxygen. "Now then, if you do the sleeper hold correctly on these men. I will let you try and see if you can get me with it. Remember, if you do it wrong they will die and that will please me even more. Another step taken to being a real villain."

Damn, it all to hell. She was manipulating me! She was not giving me a choice. This was only the illusion of choice. If I refused, she would hurt me more, then ask again to do it until I had broken down. No matter what I did, I was playing into her hands, Fuck! I started crying, and I felt the coldness of her eyes.

I screamed at her. "What do you want from me?!"

"For now do the sleeper hold. I will reward you when you do it right." She approached me, and I retreated. "You better start or was that demonstration not enough?"

I whimpered when her hand grasped my own. "Show me again just, just don't do it to me."

She wore a blissful smile, knowing she had just won. Her hands showed me what to do, and I had no choice but to do it. I mimicked her, and she nodded in approval. The men were shorter than me, but they were still large. Six feet is nothing to scoff at, after all. With their broad shoulders and thick necks, I found myself being aroused by it. Those thoughts were crushed in an instant as I set to work. My arm wrapped around the first neck, and I locked it into place. He did not flinch when I tightened to the point I could hear his inability to breathe. Swolix, how fucking loyal are these guys? I could kill them, and they don't even care. He was down after a few short moments. Thankfully, he was not dead.

I moved to the next guy, he was roughly the same in build, and unlike the other one, he struggled when I had cut off the air supply. This set off something monstrous inside of me. A predatory urge to kill, to feed, filled my thoughts. It was enjoyable when my prey resisted. He bucked and fought against my grasp, the mouth unhinged, and my saliva slopped down on him. His screams made it even more tantalizing, and when they were muffled by my lips closing around his head, I shuddered in bliss.

‘Yessss, feed. Feast and grow. Consume the lesser creature.’ whispered a voice in the back of my head, an irresistible voice I had heard somewhere before; it made my eyes nearly roll in pleasure. Just the sound of that voice made my vents burst open, and I wanted nothing more than to obey. A single word described that delicious sound, Mother.

My tongue thrashed violently, licked and squirmed, tasting him, telling me how delightful it would be to simply give in and devour him. It took every ounce of will not to bite down with my mandibles on his head, even though every ounce of me begged to taste the flesh and tear him apart. I ripped my jaws back and threw him away. My breathing was uneasy, fuck. No, no, no. I held my head, wanting to cry. I almost just tried to eat that guy.

Molotov clapped. "Da. Interesting. Time for reward." She opened a container, and there sat a raw and bloody slab of meat. My antenna squirmed, drinking in the drool-inspiring aroma, and I shook my head, resisting.

"I am not an animal."

"When did I say you were animal? You are kind person, but we must strip away that weakness, if you wish to survive. I know you like meat. I thought you would enjoy it." She said, looking shy and a little sad at being rejected.

"I hate you!" I yelled at her. She looked so hurt, yet I knew it was all a lie. I could tell she was grinning on the inside. She was crazy!

"I only do this because I am worried about your future." She smiled. That was not a lie. Somehow I knew it deep down. What would make her worried so much? That did not bode well at all. Something that even Molotov was concerned over sounded terrifying.

My voice shook. "What are you worried about?"

"There are many things I am troubled about Vespidian. I am genuinely concerned about what would happen to you if you escaped and tried to fit in. I know full well how unsupportive humans are of sub-humans. I can just imagine it now. You being chased through streets like a monster with bullets if you are lucky, the Supers if unlucky. All because of what you look like and not who you are. They would hurt you, hunt you like animal."

I grabbed her, and she did not resist. I shook her, crying. "Is that any different than what you are doing?! Why are you so mean? Why can't you just be nice to me?"

Molotov pat me on the head. "I hurt you because I love you, because I know you are not animal."

I started wrapping around her trying to kill her. My arms squeezed her neck. "Love should not hurt. Let me go!"

She ripped both hands off, and I screamed, falling to the floor. Yellow pooled out, and the pain made me shiver. Vaguely she tossed the severed digits at my feet. "It is not love, if it does not hurt."

"You are insane." I wailed, trying to attach my hands.

She thought on it. "The world is mad why should we be any different?"

"You are the monster, not me."

"Don't you see?" She cackled in that deep manly voice. "You might deny it with all your heart, but you are a natural born killer. You are already my protege and I will teach you everything. There is no place for you, but at my side. You think the world is going to accept what you have become? No, they will shun you. I am the only one you can rely on. The sooner you realize this the sooner I will treat you kindly. You think this is bad? This is nothing compared to what those people out there will do to you."

"Why are you doing this?" I cried.

"I want to fill your heart in every aspect." Molotov shyly replied. "After all I want you to think of me at every waking moment. I want you to dream of me. The more you hate me the more this will be true and the stronger these feelings become the more you will realize that they are affection."

I growled and rose up to charge her. Fuck you, Molotov! I stopped myself when I saw how large her grin grew the moment she saw my aggressive stance. Damn it! This is what she wants. I held my head, screamed, and slammed it into the wall to take out my frustration. I looked away from her. "I am not falling for this."

"So I see." She said, changing her tone. "Da. You have done good Vespidian. As expected you resisted psychological taunts. Now then I believe it is time for your check up with Dr. Arbor."

I stared at her. "That was all a test?"

"Da. But of course. You think I love you?" Molotov chuckled lowly. "Da. Little smidgen perhaps, you are my cute and cuddly little monster after all. What I was just talking about is how I felt about Nicky Mouse. Though I do hope it motivates you. Although what I said about the outside world treating you terribly is very true. There is massive xenophobia against non human supers. Look at Slums for proof. In fact look no further than how your own mother treated you. That is the normal response to your appearance in case you were wondering."

"Don't fucking talk about that bitch." I snarled, and then she shoved the meat chunk in my mouth. I chewed on it angrily, feeling the mandibles tear it apart. Tingles spread through my brain in delight. I hated myself for enjoying it. She had figured me out and was just toying with me. Molotov knew all of my buttons and was systematically pressing them to piss me off, then calm me down. I don't even know what to do anymore. Is there really even anything I can do? She enjoys my resistance, delights when I give in, and eagerly anticipates my hatred. I am cornered. She is controlling everything.

"Come along Dr. Arbor is waiting."

"What does Dr. Arbor want?" I asked with a stingy face.

"Tests. Mostly check-ups on your body."

"Nothing crazy?"

"If I see it getting out of hand I will step in rest assured. I has your back comrade."

"Fuck you."

She smiled vaguely. "More you hate me, more you love me."

"You are full of such bullshit."

"What? You want me to leave you at mercy of perverted bioengineer who might rape you? Kidnap you yet again to haul off to her secret lab where you will be treated like live stock?"

I shuddered. "No. Please don't do that."

"I thought as much." She smirked.