The Vespidian

Arc 8 Superficial

Chapter 1

“Vesper, Vesper?” asked a familiar voice.

I opened my eyes and there was Astrea looking down at me, concerned. She fanned me with her four arms. I turned my head and gagged throwing up water. Why do I feel so cold? I feel like a drowned rat. After a little bit of shivering and just laying there things started to become clear.

Beyond the crystal clear sky had not a cloud to be seen. Ah, another blistering California summer day. She reached down and I took her hand, being pulled onto my feet. Oh, so strong, my knight in shining carapace. I blinked a few times to understand where we were. There were people all around, wearing mouse-ear hats. For some reason, they weren’t screaming or running away after seeing us. In fact, they just went about their business chatting, eating overpriced hot dogs, and riding the roller coasters. Nicky Mouse Land? Holy guacamole, how long has it been since I came to this place? High school? Has it already been that long?

We were in the water park section where they had slides and everybody was running around in trunks or bikinis or one pieces. Come to think of it, even Astrea was wearing a light red bikini. I glanced down to find that I was wearing a matching set. Not really sure why we don’t have nipples and our naughty bits are in the abdomens. She didn’t seem to mind, though, so I was not going to question it. Now that I looked at it, I could certainly see the appeal to this it gave her a flashier appearance than normal. Oh trying to garner more of my attention? The way her thick carapace gleamed in the sun, reflecting a velvety blue, it was making me moist. Of course, it might have been since it appears we just went through a water slide and I almost drowned.

“What did you want to do now?” I asked, having gotten my bearings.

She pointed and there was the Water Log Ride, my favorite. Without another word, we lined up. She stood behind me, her arms hugging me. I leaned back in her embrace. We rocked slightly from side to side and I realized something, this, this was a Date! Seeing as how Astrea is socially inept, I must have set this whole thing up. I just can’t remember any of my plans. Nooo, the date is going to be ruined. I racked my brain trying to come up with the most romantic thing ever. I couldn’t really think of anything though, the only thing coming to mind was a certain plan to get into my pants.

Yes, Boris and Molotov’s date seemed rather romantic. If I had fallen prey to it, then I would probably be evil right now. However, I wonder what we have already done? Have we done the Haunted House already and, and even the Crazy Army Helmet ride? Ok, ok think here. I don’t remember hearing pirate music or seeing swashbuckling, so I think we haven’t gone on the Pirate Cruise yet. Ok, so that is next and then Yeti Mountain? But before that, we gotta have lunch, Pizza break!

During my plotting, the line had moved forward and it was our turn next. We got on the log ride, weighing it down. It was a bit lopsided due to Astrea’s mass. Oh no, it wouldn’t go if we were in it. Reluctantly we got out and Astrea looked sad. I could tell that she really wanted to have fun too. What is this shit, make your damned rides to accommodate people of all shapes and sizes, she is just big boned. It is not like she is fat or something, this wasn’t an over indulgence it was just how she was. I could fit, but that would be mean to her so we left looking for something else to do.

The more we looked, the more I realized none of these rides would withstand a girl of her magnitude. Yeti Mountain was a no go, Pirate Cruise nearly sank when she sat down, and the Army Helmets broke, trying to turn. Oh, my god, this is horrible, worst date ever! The pizza was even awful. I almost started throwing punches over this overpriced garbage that tasted like cardboard. The Haunted House was too small, Astrea could not fit inside the corridors, without breaking them.

It was already dark when our choices finally exhausted. There was only one ride left in the whole park that we had not tried, the Ferris wheel. Reluctantly, we looked over the specs and surprisingly enough, she would fit. The weight load was over a thousand pounds per compartment, which meant that me and her could just barely get into the same box. It was a little cramped. I ended up sitting on her abdomen, otherwise there wouldn’t be anywhere to sit. I didn’t mind, in fact, I enjoyed it as her tendrils coiled around me and her arms held me.

Slowly the rocking booth ascended into the night sky. Truly, a beautiful scene filled with glimmering stars. Despite the usual light pollution, there were a lot of stars out, glimmering and twinkling down to us. It was so warm, so peaceful. I leaned back and looked up at her awestruck face. Ah, that is right, this is the first time she had seen the night sky. She had been in that sewer for so long. Don’t you worry about a thing. I will show you the world.

I held her head and kissed her.

“I love you.”

She just smiled at me as the world around us dimmed. All the park sounds and music dulled into a silence. The stars flickered out, the park lights fell into darkness and slowly everything faded into an abyss. I held onto her and yet she still melted between my fingers. She evaporated before my very eyes. I cried and held my head. Astrea? Where, where are you? But there was nothing here. And I realized it had all been a delusion.

Darkness, always it returns like a faithful friend. I wonder when it stopped scaring me? Where once this desolate wasteland of nothingness was frigid and terrifying, it was now merely lukewarm. I have been here so many times now to know my own head, my own imagination. This place was merely the outer shell projected over my inner sanctum. Really, it was mostly just to keep out unsavory sorts, a defense mechanism. Seeing as how I am here I can safely assume I didn’t die from Nuclear Knight’s attack.

How long has passed, I wonder? Would there be more dreams? Sub appears to be recovering as well, which means she is hiding somewhere. That makes this stay a lot lonelier than usual. The tentacles forest and lollipop fields are just not the same without her. And so I spent most of my time watching the painting like sky above. Just me and my thoughts, I am surprisingly not freaking out as much as I thought I would over being in a coma, again. Am I just getting used to being a punching bag or something?

I can hardly wait to be free from here. Me and Astrea, just thinking about it brings a warm smile to my face. I have so much to show her, so much to teach her. I am pretty sure that I could get Neon Nurse on board to help teach her human interactions and words. Then, once she was somewhat competent we could go on vacation for a bit, get to know one another better and maybe, maybe even settle down to have a family. The whole world is out there to see. I am sure that she will love eating various critters from across the globe. We could go on a sightseeing tour to exotic places. We could go exploring the Amazon or maybe go to the Caribbean and catch some rays on the beaches, well maybe a desolate uninhabited beach, but still. Hawaii would always be nice too.

I had been so alone now that I think about. Sure, there was Sub, but she wasn’t physically there. I couldn’t just reach out and touch her on a whim, nor curl up in her arms when I needed a hug. If anything she was similar to a ghost. I could feel her, but can’t really touch her, unless I was in here, of course. It is funny how we take not being alone for granted. There are after all billions of people out there, so surely one of them would be the right one. But for me, up until I met Astrea, I had been the only one of my kind. Sure, I got along with humans, but even I am not so delusional to believe that I am one of them anymore. Astrea just existing has opened my eyes to this fact. I am not one of them and I never will be again.

All things pass eventually, and so did this. A doorway appeared, as it always did when I was ready to leave.

****

My eyes slid open, unfocused at first. White and gray blotches all around. Blinking a few times things became clear. I was… where the hell am I? It looked like a hospital room, smelled like one too. White and sterile, absent of life. That was normal, only thing was, I could tell something was off. It was the sounds, besides the steady beep of the monitors to my side, it was quiet, too quiet. Oh wait, this isn’t a hospital room, this is an observation room. Which means I am in either Dr. Arbor’s lab, or in Neon Nurse’s. I lay there for a long moment, the light overhead dully glowing. It was not overwhelmingly bright like most lights, that is nice of them to not blind me.

There was not much in this place, the bed I lazed about in and an end table to the side. A glass of room temperature water sat atop it. I could tell from the lack of condensation. My left arm flopped about, hard to move. I must have been laying on it since it was tingling and felt dead. Through a bit of effort and shaking it around to get the blood circulating again, I managed to grasp the glass, only to crush it by applying far too much pressure.

I stared at the claws… this wasn’t right. This was not my arm. Something had happened to it. It was bigger than the rest of my arms, giving me a slightly lopsided look. Kinda like if someone only worked out one arm, but more than that it was thicker, harder than my other arms. Come to think of it, this arm melted completely off. I remember watching it, I can still feel the pain searing through my veins and the numbness that came after. How the hell did I grow it back?

I fumbled about and found the little controller used to call for a nurse. I pressed on it and sure enough after a little bit Neon Nurse appeared. She smiled vaguely and stuck a straw in my mouth. I sipped on it and cool, refreshing water alleviated my dry throat. I sighed and lay back, I felt rather weak.

“Are you feeling alright?” she asked, observing me and glancing over the monitors to my side.

“I feel like I went ten rounds with Mike Tyson and got my ass beat.”

“You are lucky to be alive. It was very foolish of you to pick a fight with Nuclear Knight.”

“He is the one who chased me down and started that I just wanted to leave.”

She nodded a little, looking away from me, “What’s done is done. No use fretting over it now. Mistakes were made and we have addressed them while you were out.”

“What sorts of mistakes?”

“Chief will have more about you assignment once you meet with him. For now, just rest and get better.”

“Oh, right Neon Nurse. I got a favor to ask.”

“Yes?” she replied quizzically.

“I have this friend you see and she needs help.”

“A friend?”

I smiled, “Yeah, she is like me, but bigger. Speaking of which, where is she? She should have been there with me when we were attacked.”

Neon Nurse’s face froze, she seemed to be thinking something over. She looked away, avoiding eye contact. What is that about? Before I could raise my concerns she spoke and my heart felt like it shriveled up, “Vesper… 808, she, your friend succumbed to her wounds. She sacrificed herself to save you.”

At first, it didn’t really register. “Who is 808? That isn’t really a name. Astrea, I am talking about Astrea. She is like a big me, but she can’t really talk much. But she is learning. She is learning so well. She even learned my name and I taught her how to say cockroach and… she looks mean, but, but she is really a good girl.”

“Vesper,” said Neon Nurse, I didn’t like the tone of her voice it was withdrawn. It was hesitant and sad. If her fake face could produce tears I get the feeling they would be glistening in her eyes right now. Don’t you do that, you are going to make me cry. “I’m sorry.”

Sorry? What are you sorry about? Deep down I knew what she meant, that doesn’t mean I was going to accept it. I could feel it, the tears had come. No, no, no, this isn’t how things were supposed to go. This isn’t right. We just met each other. How could she be torn from me so quickly? I loved her. We were going to have babies together and find somewhere that no one would bother us. She was innocent damn it! She didn’t do anything wrong. This isn’t real, this has to be some nightmare. Ah, this is just another fevered dream, isn’t it?

I tried to get up, only to fall flat on my face. My legs weren't really working, “Astrea! Astrea!? Where are you?!” I shrieked, dragging myself towards the door.

Neon Nurse coiled around me in a bear hug. She wouldn’t let me go, “It is ok Vesper. I am here for you. Go on, just let it all out.”

I struggled, writhing and squirming like a lowly worm. I couldn’t fight her off, I was much too weak. “Shut up! Where is she?”

“Vesper, she is dead.”

“You are lying to me!” I felt a surge of power fill my left arm and it moved, tearing off one of her limbs. Neon Nurse stumbled back from the blow. Despite missing an arm she grasped at me, trying to hold on to me. I yelled at her, “How could she be dead? She is stronger than me and tougher! How am I alive and she is dead?!”

“She protected you, shielded you from most of Nuclear Knight’s attack.”

I held my head, it is my fault? She is dead because of me? If it wasn’t for me then she would still be alive down there. I, I killed her. It is my fault, all my fault. I hit my head against the ground, cracking the ceramic tiles. Why can’t I do anything right? Hero? Don’t make me laugh. What sort of hero gets the ones they loved killed? I am just an idiot who gets people killed.

Neon Nurse slid my head onto her lap and pet me, “Don’t hurt yourself. She wouldn’t want that, would she? I don’t like seeing you like this.”

“I just want to curl up and die.”

She pet me more, playing with the tendrils, stop that. They are sensitive. “Vesper. You have friends who cherish you. I love you. I know you have heard it before and don’t feel the same way, but I love you. It hurts so much to see you like this.”

I cried, burying my face against her, “She completed me. I will never meet someone like that again. I will never feel anything like that again. You don’t understand, you can’t possibly know what it felt like.”

“Vesper, that is just the pheromones talking.”

“But I was so connected to her.”

“It is a trait of your species. You bond very quickly. It is a shame. We lose those who we care about. That is life. Fleeting and painful, but it is the pain that lets us know we are truly alive. Without the pain and suffering, how else would we know the joy and the bliss of life? There was a time that I considered ending it all and letting it all go.”

“You wanted to die?”

She smiled sadly, “I did. It was when I was diagnosed with cancer and told that I only had two years to live. I tried so hard to find a cure and failed at every turn. It hurt day in and day out. The chemotherapy made things worse, it weakened my immune system. My hair fell out, my face looked like a corpse and I could hardly move. Depression set in. It was like I was swallowed by an abyss of emptiness. Nothing mattered. I was so empty. I wanted the sweet release of death so much back then. But when the time came, I couldn’t do it. I was too afraid of death. I was terrified of vanishing and fading into nothing. Being forgotten as though I had never existed, to begin with.”

“How did you get out of that?”

“Well, about a year into it, my powers fully awoke. I understood things that should not be. I had been a robotics engineer during school, but I had to drop out due to my illness. There was only so much they could do for me. Medical research back then was archaic, to say the least. I knew how to fix myself. The weak flesh had to be stripped away and replaced by machinery, but I was not ready to do it to myself. Too many unknowns, too many chances for failure. I could do it only one time and it had to succeed. In my desperation, I turned to less scrupulous sources and made terrible deals for funding and materials, both organic and mechanical.”

“When you were a villain? So it was because you were desperate?”

“Yes, sometimes the right thing is viewed as wrong. Like in the past where doctors could not use cadavers to gain medical knowledge to save lives.”

“That is true,” I said vaguely. Well, she had done a good job of distracting me. Strange, Neon Nurse never really talks about how she became a cyborg.

She smiled at me, welding back on her left arm. “See, no harm, no foul. You know, we are rather similar now more than ever.”

“Why is that?” I asked.

She lightly touched my left arm, “Our components can be changed.”

“Uh, what?”

She thought for a moment, “Ah, sorry. Astrea was it? Though she is dead, she is with you even now.”

I just looked at her blankly, “What? What are you talking about?”

She grasped my hand, “Vesper, this arm was melted completely off. It was gone, however, we were able to attach Astrea’s arm and it was compatible with you. In death, she is still looking out for you. We have preserved her in another room for study and should you ever need organ transplants.”

“I can see her?”

Neon Nurse’s face scrunched up, “You might not want to see her like that. There was a lot of external damage from Nuclear Knight. I think it would be best if you didn’t see her.”

I was about to protest, but thinking about it. I don’t really want to see her melted and deformed. I know full well what that corrosive gas could do. It would be better to remember her as she once was. Speaking of which, I was exposed to that stuff… how fucked up do I look?

“Mirror,” I said.

“What?” replied Neon Nurse.

“Give me a mirror.”

“Just a moment.” She brought it over.

I was expecting the worst but was pleasantly surprised to find that I did, in fact, have a face that was not melted off. Though it was warped a little and my upper left eye had been sealed shut.

“How is my face not worse off?”

“Let me tell you, you are getting stronger Vesper. At this rate, it won’t take long for you to reach rank 6. However, there are some things that need to be discussed. For the time being, you will be taken off of street patrols. The higher ups have decided it would be safer to place you on the Image Campaign.”

“Image Campaign? What the hell is that?”

“Did Chief not mention it to you? Strange, he told me you had already agreed.”

“I don’t think I signed up for anything weird. What exactly is this Image thing?”

She paced a little thinking it over. “To put it simply it is something of a PR program. You know Public Relations. From what I heard you will be getting to pick a sponsor and doing jobs to help sway public opinion in our favor.”

“Why are we worried about public opinion?”

“After LA, people are starting to doubt us. They are questioning if we can actually keep them safe. The recent Slum incident is not helping matters.”

“Ok, but why me?”

“I don’t know.” Replied Neon Nurse.

“Wait, what?”

She repeated, “I don’t know. There could be a multitude of reasons as to why they chose you and Sunshine.”

“Sunshine is going with me?”

“Yes, she is. I can see why they would choose her, but you… well, Vesper, I frankly don’t think you are suited for this. Though it is out of my hands at this point. All that I can say is, be careful. Appearances are everything and this means you will have to be on your best behavior at all times. Keep swearing to a minimum and no weird, perverted stuff. Also, you can’t reveal your identity to anyone that does not already know. The media would go nuts if they found out we are actively using a Subhuman on our Hero roster.”

“So stop being me?”

“Pretty much. Once you are recovered Chief will have a meeting with you and the representatives for the prospective sponsorships. I would recommend against trying to goof off and scare off the sponsors. There are big opportunities and future connections at stake here for you. You never know when having friends in high places will bail you out of trouble.”

“What if I get like a sex toy sponsor, like eh, what was that one I saw the other day? Something about dragons?”

“You won’t. We made sure of that.”

“Oh come on, I think I would be a great adult toy spokesperson.”

“That would be the wrong kind of image. You will be talking to kids you know,” She flatly replied.

“I thought you were in the business? What with the robo ginas and what not.”

“I am, but that is more private. It is not in association with the Hero League.”

“Couldn’t I get a Sponsorship from your company?”

“I will consider it. However, now would not be a good time.”

“Eh, seriously? This is harsh. Why exactly should I even do this?”

“Either you get a lucrative sponsorship and all the perks that come with it, or you will be doing roadside cleanup for the next three months.”

“What the fuck is that! I didn’t do anything wrong. It feels like I am getting shoehorned into this.”

“Vesper. You ran off on a mission and instead of regrouping, actively avoided your team members. Now, I know why you did this, it was to keep Astrea a secret and we have done that. However, you are being reprimanded for your actions since it looks like you just ran off. This is the higher ups way of putting you on a tighter leash. It also does not help that Sheila has gone missing. Sweeper can’t even find her.”

“Sheila is missing?”

“Yes, at first we thought she was just messing around like usual, however, it has been a week since the last time anyone saw her. It is uncharacteristic of her.”

“Oh shit, Sheila knows about Astrea.”

“What? She knows?” Neon Nurse’s face hardened, “That makes things more complicated. Ok, don’t you worry about it. I will start looking into it more.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“No, just worry about yourself for now.” She pat me and handed over juice pouch. I slurped it down, mmm apple. Kinda wish it was banana though.

Sponsorship… I sat there wracking my brain. Who the fuck would Sponsor me?