"Ugh, my head." Ted groaned.

"Already awake? I figured I'd have a few more hours at least." Narissa commented as magical light surrounded her hands while she waved them around the fleshy wall.

Ted looked around quickly. What happened? Then, it all came flying back to him. He let out a groan and put his head down into his hands.

"That bad, huh?" Narissa remarked.

Ted grabbed a fistful of his hair and grunted in frustration. He had riled himself up so much, and then deflated right at the end. He couldn't believe it. How could the others even manage to keep going against strange things like that? He just couldn't understand it.

Maybe it was just that they were so much stronger than he was. When the wolf leaped towards him, he was certain he would die. It was like walking up to the barrel of a tank. How could he even have a chance against that? Why should he feel so frustrated that his courage faded at the end.

I mean, wasn't that just his instincts trying to keep him alive? What else could he have really done?

His mind swirled with thoughts, and he let out another groan as he flung himself backwards to lie on his back on the ground.

The commotion made Nugget stir slightly in her sleep.

"This isn't the best time for a pity party sweetie." Narissa said. "I'm sure you realize it, but we're kind of in a pretty bad spot here."

"What? I'm not...this isn't about me at all!" Ted protested.

Narissa rolled her eyes. "Alright, then why don't you come here and help me?"

Ted stood up almost instinctually. "I have no idea what you're doing. How could I help?"

A predatory smile spread across Narissa's lips. "Why it's simple. I don't need your brain; I just need that body of yours."

"What? Why would you need that?" Ted gulped as he crossed his arms across his body as if he was trying to keep it covered from her eyes.

Narissa stepped back as she kept a single finger gently placed on the wall. She turned and smiled at Ted as she reached out an upward palm towards him. "Just give me your hand, and I'll show you."

Ted hesitated, but after a moment he nodded and carefully put his hand in her palm.

Immediately, she pulled him forward. "Alright, now just place your hand flat right here," she said as she put his hand where her finger had been.

"Okay, that doesn't seem too...whoa! What is that?" Ted felt a jolt of something enter his body from his hand. It was made worse by the unnerving texture of the wall itself. Like a moist skin without any hair. He shivered as he could almost imagine the layer of fat underneath the fleshy wall he was touching.

"Just keep your hand right there, whatever you do." She said calmly as she gracefully slid behind Ted. She traced both her hands up his arm and gently grabbed both sides of his other hand.

She carefully placed his hand on another wall, and for a moment held it there with her hands.

"Don't let go, okay? It might feel a little weird, but I need you to keep still for me, okay?" she explained.

Ted definitely felt strange. Even the hair on his body was starting to stand up on end, like he was covered in static electricity. "I'll try." he said.

Narissa leaned close to his ear and whispered. "You better listen this time. After all, you did promise to do what I said, remember? My world, my rules. And I don't want another uprising like the one you and your skeletal friend caused last time."

"Huh?" Ted blinked confused. "I don...Waa!"

He jumped but managed to keep his hand still as Narissa dragged her finger along his chin. Except it felt more like she was dragging a claw or some dull knife along his skin. It even left a red mark, despite her finger looking smooth and softer than silk in her white glove.

"Just a little reminder to be a good boy and listen to my commands." She warned him. "Don't want to make me angry, now do you?"

"I mean, I guess not..." Ted mumbled.

Narissa smirked as she set her hands along the wall. "Good. But I can't fully trust you anymore, so..."

Ted felt a jolt of energy link between his arms. He let out a groan as it felt like his heart was being squeezed in his chest. But he managed to keep both of his hands on the wall, despite the discomfort.

SQUELCH

The wall twisted under Ted's hands. Then, it reached up and straps of flesh lashed around his hands to hold them in place.

"Wait, what is...HMPH!" Ted was about to complain as flesh leaped out and wrapped around his mouth, gagging him.

It was awful. With it so close to his mouth, he couldn't help but taste it. It was like rancid pork and burnt rubber had a child that put both of them to shame. Yet for some reason, his gag reflex seemed to not react to it at all. He figured it was because the vomit inducing taste was so bad it immediately killed all of the nerves that could make him vomit.

"There, now you can't make any noise." Narissa cooed as she walked up behind Ted like a predatory cat. "Wouldn't want someone getting the wrong idea here."

"Mmm, mpfff, hmmm." Ted protested.

"Now now, the more you struggle, the worse it will be. I just need to borrow a more complete schematic from you." Narissa explained. "Don't worry, I'll give everything I use back when I'm done."

For some reason, that did not assuage Ted's fears at all. In fact, it made them just a little bit worse.

But as her hand started to glow and she reached towards his stomach, his regret at agreeing to this only grew. Then, with her glowing hand, she seemed to pass straight through his skin and into his guts.

It was a strange feeling. It felt like there was electricity coursing through his heart from one hand to the other. And now it also felt like someone had their hand inside his guts and was reaching around for something.

"You know, normally we'd use a goat, or," Narissa looked down at Nugget, "a chicken for this. But I knew you'd be upset if I slit her open."

Narissa lifted her head so she could look at Ted directly in his eyes. "And you deserve some punishment after getting me trapped earlier." She reached up particularly high, and Ted let out a pained grunt.

Still, not a speck of blood was dropped, and it just looked like Narissa's arm was disappearing into some kind of portal at Ted's stomach.

Narissa leaned closer to his ear and whispered, "You might want to look away. I need you awake for this, and don't want to deal with you fainting at the sight of your own intestines. But trust me, I really do need to read them sweetie. It's a necessary evil, trust me."

Yeah, Ted thought that was dumb. HE tried to scream, "HMMMMMMPH," but it was so muffled by the flesh wrapped around his lips he could barely hear it.