The Vespidian Arc 2 Me, Myself, and Neon Nurse

Chapter 4

I followed rather readily. A high ceiling was overhead, and white lights were spaced out at intervals. Swat vans and patrol cars were lined up all over the room. After a quick glance, I saw the closed bay door, and where we were going was a freight elevator. His suit had changed, and he was wearing a much smaller one. He was about my height now. It had no cannons on the arms, and there was a small tank on the back with a turret type of setup. The elevator started up, and we soon arrived at the main floor.

The marble floor of the reception room was sparkled and black. Cameras dotted the white ceiling, and white glass made several offices over to the side. The main entrance is spread out at the opposite end. Heavy blast doors yawned perpetually; they made up the inner layer. The outer was a sliding glass door that opened whenever someone stepped on the plates on either side of it. There were a lot of people here. Most looked like average everyday families checking out the gift shop at the other end of the massive hall.

Soldier-looking people stood around the entrances. Their uniforms were white and red armor plates. They did not look that thick, but I could imagine it was better than Kevlar. There were no helmets among these people, and they seemed very bored. Behind the counter to the main reception were several women in professionally cut business dresses and bundled hair.

At first, I was lost in the sea of movement, hiding behind Fire Chief, and only a few people seemed to notice me. As we made our way across the room, more and more eyes became curious about me. Mind your own business. Haven't you ever seen a Wasp Woman before? I hated being watched, their mocking expressions. The pity, revulsion, hatred, and there was even somebody giving me googly eyes. Gross, it was some old guy too! What is wrong with you, people? I pulled the blanket closer to conceal it even more.

We rounded a corner, and the corridors became white-walled with black floors. Every so often, there would be a door to one side. There were more of the Hero League people running around. I still had not seen any other Supers yet, at the least, not in costume. There could be some running around as civis, though. We ended up at the far end of the hall, where it turned once more. This time it went down a stairwell. I lagged for a moment, but he prodded me until I moved.

This started to feel very familiar, just like a certain crazy doctor's lab. Hallways... why do they love them so much? Yet another one, and I found an open door. It appeared to be an interrogation room, which you would see at the police station: a two-way mirror, table, and chairs with a bright light.

"Just stay here I will be back." He said, pointing at the chair.

"Wait!" I cried, latching onto him. "Don't leave me alone in here."

"Get off of me." He stared me down; I could feel his glare through the mask. "Go sit down. I will be back in five minutes."

Reluctantly I let go, and he walked out. The door closed, and I was alone. It could be worse. It could be worse. I whispered to myself. I glanced about the room. It was dry and cold, devoid of any sort of humanity. My antenna twitched as I took a deep breath and listened to my surrounding. The scratching of bugs in the walls and voices.... not those voices, like people's voices. I am not crazy.

"So what is the big deal? Why the hell did you bring her to an interrogation room? She should be in getting a check-up." Said a woman's voice with a little bit of a synthetic tone to it.

"Calm down, Neon Nurse. Look, she could be dangerous." I could tell that was Chief.

"Dangerous? Nothing a good old needle to the neck won't fix. Look at her; she is a frightened animal. I mean, what the hell even is she? Wait, is she an alien?"

"I don't think she is an alien. Why is it always aliens with you anyway?"

"Well, what do you think, Dreamer? You have been staring at her this whole time." Asked Neon Nurse.

"The antennae are twitching. So those are functional, interesting. She is scared of something that much is obvious... however, I don't think it is us. In any case, we won't know anything until after I have a little stroll through her head."

"I wanted to have the first crack at her. Tell me any juicy details you find out. If she is an alien, you better tell me!"

"No. I won't tell you."

"Oh, come on! It will be our little secret. Don't be stingy! I will hook you up with a nice robo arm; come on." She said overly excited to the point that it sounded absurdly fake.

"My lips are sealed."

I shifted uneasily. What does she mean by a stroll through my head? I did my best to keep my eyes from wandering to the mirror. Were these people even scarier than Molotov? No. These people are nothing compared to her. The door opened, and there stood Fire Chief; he had a bowl of soup in his hands. Then I saw her; I could only assume that she was this so-called Dreamer. Why? She did not look like a nurse.

She wore what looked like a white opera mask that had melted and was distorted; it left her crimson lips exposed. Her outfit was a deep blue leotard, shoulder gloves, stockings, and a light cyan cape. Her long silky hair was dyed blue as well. In her hand, she held a little cane that looked very expensive. She stood in the back, watching me.

"You were hungry, right?" Asked Fire Chief putting the bowl on the table in front of me.

I nodded and took it, then stopped myself. "This isn't poisoned, is it?"

He shook his head, and my upper eyes squinted at him, trying to see past that damned suit. This is that good cop, bad cop shit, isn't it? My stomach growled and started anticipating the savory flavor. Fuck it; I am hungry. I took a spoonful and tested it. It was tomato soup. My tongue stabbed into the bowl, and they jumped back. After a couple of seconds, it was slurped up, and they were eyeing me with suspicion. I licked my lips, and Dreamer stepped forward.

"So, what is your story?" She asked, sitting on the edge of the table.

"I am Vespidian, and I came here for help." I sounded a lot more confident than I was.

"What sort of help?" She questioned.

I stared Dreamer straight in the eyes, "I want protection. A Super Villain was trying to recruit me. They did terrible things to me."

"That does not sound good. Who was it?"

"I don't know if I should tell you." I shuddered. "I am already up shit creek if she finds me."

"How are we supposed to stop her from finding you if we don't know who to look for?"

A feeling of hopelessness washed over me. I clutched my head. "I never should have run. When she finds me, she will break me. This was a stupid idea! What have I done? Not like Nicky Mouse!"

She wrapped my head in her hands and hugged me. It was somewhat reassuring. Why do I feel like I can trust this person? Something ain't right about this. She prattled on, though. "That's it. You are alright. Just relax. Trust me. That is it, trust me..."

~~~

Her voice filled my mind, and something felt like a spike in the back of my head. It hurt for a moment, but then numbness swelled, and my eyes could not focus. Darkness came. It was that terrible place. The place of madness spread out, and I lay there crying. I never wanted to come back here again. I wallowed about for a long while, but then I heard her voice. I glanced up and saw her; Dreamer stood looking over the darkness. Tendrils of ebony struck out angrily at her. She just ignored them; there seemed to be some sort of force field around her.

She stepped closer and looked down at me. "You have quite the dark mind."

"Is that what this place is?"

"Yes. This is your inner mind. Subconscious in case you don't know."

"What were you expecting, sunshine and rainbows, or unicorns perhaps?"

"Not from you, but I was not expecting a void of depravity. I mean, look at this place. It is a dump."

"Well fuck you bitch!"

She smirked. "This is your mind, you know. It is only this way because you want it to be."

"Bullshit. I hear all these voices, and I can feel them. I don't like this place."

"What do they say?"

"What do you think. You are reading my mind."

She was silent for a moment, just listening to the seething darkness. It hated her; I hated her. She was not welcome here. I could feel the scratching all around, writhing discomfort. She was being rejected, yet she stood her ground. Dreamer would not budge.

"So much hate, regret, sadness, revulsion, pain, fear. How are you so scarred? You are far too young to have all of this festering bile in here."

"Da. None of your business bitch." Said Molotov materializing out of a dark mist.

"Molotov! Why are you in here?" I cringed. "It isn't what it looks like. I was going to come back, don't hurt me! Not the whip, please not the whip!"

"Shut up, fool. I am the only construct of mind to fight off invaders. That right there is a serious bad thing. What? You no see tentacles creeping out to corrupt us?" Shouted Molotov.

I looked back at Dreamer, but there were no tentacles; she was just standing there. Although the darkness around her was turning gray, it was lightening. She spoke. "No need to be so aggressive. I did not come in here to hurt you."

"Why did you come in here?" I asked, hiding behind Molotov.

"I want to help you. Is that so hard to believe? With my power, I have helped many people who suffer from mental conditions to recover and get better. Trust me. You need some serious help. Just looking around, I see many hallmarks of schizophrenia, bipolar, and if that thing you are hiding behind is any indication you have multiple personality disorder or even dissociated personality disorder."

"Get out of here. You are not welcome!" Shouted Molotov.

She raised her hands submissively. "It is alright. I have already learned what I needed to know. As for all of this, well, it takes time, and if you are willing, I will help you."

She faded away and left me and my mind alone. "Why did you choose Molotov?"

'Because she is biggest, scariest thing to you. Perfect for fighting off whatever the hell that was. Now listen, never let that back in here.'

"Why not?"

'She wants to change you. The only one who should change you is you. Others will try to control you. Be especially wary of mind powers.'

"But it is so dark in here; it may need to be changed."

'Mental baggage acts as a castle for mind. You take it all out, and it like you open gate to invaders. You will be vulnerable. It is why I trained you to resist torture, this is what happens when Super Power is used to torture. More scarred, you are more resistant. Understand?'

"I think so. Am I crazy?"

'Nyet. We are in inner mind. If you crazy I crazy, we are one and same after all.'

"So I am just talking to myself?"

'Da. I am subconscious mind, your conscious mind. Same yet different, one yet two. I take care of things that take no thought to do, breathing, beating heart. That sort of thing. I also take care of instincts. You make choices on urges. I am not in control; you are. I can only nudge you to do something if I feel it right.'

I stood looking her over. "You can change, right? What should I call you?"

'Form? Da. What you want me be? Name hmm interesting concept. Sub would not be bad. It is basic, and I don't particularly care.'

"Sub? Alright, why are you so angry?"

'What you mean? How you not mad after all the terrible things happening to us? Life has turned to train wreck. Our safe little world of watching anime, playing games, goofing off, and diddling to porn has been shattered. It is because you did not listen to me. I wanted to go home.'

It felt peculiar talking to myself. I mean, it was a totally different me, and she was angry at just about everything. I was being insulted by myself.... did I fall down the rabbit hole or something? Is there more than just her? Don't tell me there is an army of other mes in here somewhere. There is a little nagging feeling that I might be totally fucked in the head. I mean, I am talking to myself, and it is talking back. Well, you know what they say about the abyss, you stare long enough, and it stares back. She is really mean too. She is a lot like Molotov, actually...

'That is not very nice.' Said Sub glaring at me.

"What?"

'You know what. Where the hell you think we are? I hear everything. I know what guy we cream pants over... although now I suppose we don't wear pants. Anyway, don't compare me to psycho bitch.'

"You say that while looking like her."

'Da. To get point across.'

"So, what do you want?"

'Apology.'

"For what?"

'You know what.'

"Sorry?"

'Eh, good enough. I don't expect much out of you anyway. What is done is done. But you should know more you trust me, stronger I am.'

"What the fuck! So cruel. Why should I trust you?"

'Why would you not? I am the competent one. I kept us alive while in coma. I would not do something that would hurt us; that is stupid like robbing bank. That is shitting where you eat. Anyway, main reason is, I am your mental defense. Scary lady did not get kicked out, she left on own. I was not strong enough to repel her. Which means she could come back.'

"Is that bad?"

'What you mean is it bad?! Are you stupid? I fear she come back and have way with us. She could have taken us to brown town! Skull fucked our brains out! Turned us into sex slave if that what she wanted! Never let her in again!'

"Why are you obsessed with sex?"

'I am you remember?' Said Sub shivering. 'Look in mirror miss two terabyte porn folder. So... so many tentacles.'

"Ah, right point taken."

'Da.'

"You don't think that she knows anything she not supposed to?" I questioned.

'Hard to say. Just don't think about anything sensitive.'

"I will keep that in mind. How do I leave here, by the way?"

'Da. You imagine door and open it.'

"That easy?"

'Da.'

"Bye, I guess."

'Don't worry, I always watching. Don't be too stupid out there. Don't let Neon Nurse stab you! She wants our ass.'

"Neon who?"

~~~

My eyes opened, and I sat at the table with Dreamer standing over my shoulder. I jerked away from her hand. She seemed surprised but had a warm smile.

"See, that was not so bad."

I snapped back at her. "Stay the fuck out of my head. It is bad enough without you fiddling around in there."

"I did not mean to scare you or anything. We just needed the information to help you."

"You stay away from me."

"Very well." She smiled. "I will not help you unless you ask me to."

Fire Chief stood up from his chair. "Well, now that we know that Molotov is in town, we need to call in some serious help. Don't worry, you are safe here."

"I am safe?" I wanted desperately to believe it.

Fire Chief took off his helmet. He had a thick, blunted chin covered in grizzled stubble, and a scar ran up from his muscular neck clear to his right eye. Baby blue eyes and black Caesar cut hair, now that, that was a man. He just smiled at me and said. "Everything is going to be alright now."

Don't do that! Do you want me to go weak in the knees? Tears started falling, and no matter how I wiped, they kept coming. Why did it feel like I could trust him? I must just be desperate. Well, that and he is right in my hitbox. What? A girl can dream. I mean, he just saved me and pulled me off of the streets like a lost puppy. Albeit a rabid puppy, but still. I am not saying it is love or anything, but I would not mind getting to know him a bit better. Wait, he just showed me his secret identity!

"Why did you show me your face? Secrets are secrets, right?" I asked, nibbling on my fingers, worried out of my mind.

"Around here, everybody knows everybody. You are one of us now. We stick up for one another, so don't worry."

"I am one of you guys? I joined the Hero League just like that?" I asked nervously, looking between the two expecting it to be a joke.

"A little premature to be saying she is one of us. She can't be trusted yet; for all we know she might be a spy." Said, Dreamer. "She still has to pass a few tests to join. First of all, we need to get you medically examined. I know a certain nurse who is biting at the bit to see what is what."

I swiftly ignored that first part, focusing on the second, "She is not going to go all Dr. Feelgood on me, is she?"

"That is entirely up to her. Depends on how thorough she wants to get."

"That is a violation of human rights!"

"It is for a good cause." Said someone behind me. It was Neon Nurse and her syringe of love? Peace? Justice? I don't know, but it scares me. That thing looks dangerous! "You won't feel a thing!"

"I never agreed to this!" I shouted and tried to run, but that bitch got me right in the ass. Fuck! The Sub was right. Why does everything go for the ass? I guess it is a weak point, the joints between my pelvic armor and legs. I had half a mind to sting her with my own syringe, but my muscles were already going crazy. I dropped to the floor, writhing and screeching. The smile she wore was unhinged. Don't you look at me like that! What the hell have I gotten myself into now? Then the lights went out.

~~~

"Fuck me! I am here again?" I shouted, staring at the abyss.

'Nice to see you too, asshole.' Laughed Sub bubbling up from the ground. She did not have a form, just darkness with a wide grin and glowing eyes. 'I told you to watch out for her. But you no listen.'

"Well fuck you, I am leaving."

'I would not do that if I was you.'

"Why not?" I asked.

'Neon Nurse is ehh...' She trailed off. 'Well, doing things to us.'

"By all that is Swol, damn it! What? What is she doing."

'You don't want to know. Trust me on this one. I don't even want to know.' Said Sub shaking her head while shivering.

I yelled at her. "What the fuck is going on out there?! Now you got me worried!"

'If you must know, it involves Robo Snakes, like five Robo Snakes. At least now I know how it feels to be in the hentai. Good news I know what all holes do now.'She was shuddering and writhing while she held her face... oh god, she is a pervert.

"Don't want to hear it!"

'You asked! Ok, middle hole is-'

"LALALALA! I can't hear you!"

'Seriously though, this is important.'

"Don't tell me!"

'Alright, I won't tell you. I know what poison is now, though. It causes paralysis. Pretty useful, eh? I stabbed that bitch right in the stomach. Problem is she is cyborg, and it only slowed her down for like a minute.'

"Wait, you said she has Robo Snakes? Why the hell does she have those?"

'That is a good question. Be sure to ask after you wake up.'

I cringed. "Is there going to be any lasting damage?"

She looked up for a second and seemed to be thinking. Why can't I tell what she is thinking, but she knows what I am? That is not fair! She stared at me.

'I heard that. Well, if you actually listened, you could easily hear what I was thinking. If you tried, we could be all cool and talk with telepathy, but no, someone is slacking. As for damage well, the ovipositor will take a full day to recover. She was very interested in that. I think she might have hots for us now, scratch that; she is going to rape us. She seems to think we are aliens and going to impregnate women. She has watched too many movies.’

"Wait, I have a what? I have an egg layer?"

'Indeed. Our inny is an outy, literally. It is pretty weird having a reversible womb. No eggs, though, not yet. Neon Nurse was very, very disappointed about that.'

"That is fucking gross. I don't want to know. Is she going to be done soon?"

'It will be a while. She is, eh... exploring.'

"Yeah... just tell me when it is safe to wake up. I am going to choke that bitch so hard! I can break her neck, right? I mean, she is a cyborg, right?"

'Yeah, I will be right there with you.'Smiled Sub.