The Vespidian Arc 7

Healthy Green Glow, Chapter 15

I seem to be in a pickle. I would prefer it if the pickle was in me and not the other way around. I sat next to Astrea, beside a glowing pool of goop. This was no ordinary pool of fluorescent sludge, oh no, this was the concentrated stuff. Direct from BAI, the cream of the crop, so to speak, of toxic irradiated slime. I stared around the cavernous room to the varied, shall we say diverse, congregation here. There were quite a few of them, thirty or so in total. All of them were less than pleasing to the eye. Some were downright hideous with deformed and warped bodies. I guess compared to some of these, I didn’t get the shit end of the stick on looks. I can see that it could have gone a hell of a lot worse.

Nuclear Knight stood on an upraised platform that overlooked the pool and the rest of the room, “We are gathered here today to welcome two lost souls amongst our flock.”

Hmm, it almost sounds like we are getting married or something. I interrupted, “We didn’t say that we wanted to join.”

He was not perturbed. “Worry not children, you are welcome among us. Now let us rejoice in the word of Pluton. His love, his salvation is for all. Lord Pluton shall not turn away the leper nor the crippled.”

Astrea didn’t understand what was going on. I did though, this was clearly an initiation into the cult. Why do all the wackos on power trips come after me? Am I some sort of mailable individual who has a sign on my back saying “Come convert me!” It is not like I am some youth straight out of college who is gullible and susceptible to influencing. What is this fifty shades of gay? Sorry sir, but religious institutions are more for power and control than actually teaching morals and social edicts. Sure they are there, but they are simply sprinkled in. It gives them the moral high ground on the things that they do and allows them to look down on others. It is a lot easier to control people if they give themselves over to some higher cause like serving some god.

Those in despair and at the lowest point of their lives will cling to anything to be able to find meaning in life. Ostracized from those whom they used to be close to. Forsaken by society, whether it be real or imagined. It is when they are most vulnerable to kind words and a cause to believe in. Such things are dangerous, extremely dangerous. Under the right circumstances, even healthy minded people can fall prey to such things. It doesn’t even have to be a religion around a god figure, it could very well be an ideal. The so-called right thing can very well be a machination of the most atrocious things imaginable. History has seen it time and again. With the best of intentions, the most heinous acts humanity has ever witnessed have been committed.

Germany in the aftermath of the first world war would be a prime example. The people were desperate and angry. Since they had been forced to pay reparations and it had destroyed their country, in a war they didn’t even start. Such conditions make it easy for radicals to take hold and gain power. The perfect spawning ground for the National Socialist German Workers’ Party later commonly abbreviated to Nazis. They used the scapegoat method on the Jewish people and made them out to be evil. It is hard to imagine that a single man, who failed to get into art school would set in motion events that would shape the world and be responsible for the deaths of millions. The most reviled human in recent history, Adolf Hitler. We all know how that ended.

It is easy to demonize others by stripping them of their humanity and comparing them to something else, like pests or vermin and as such needing to be exterminated. Of course, let’s not forget about the Japanese and the slaughter of the Chinese during WWII as well. I mean, I love the culture, like roll on the floor foaming at the mouth for more, but that doesn’t excuse the atrocities committed by Imperial Japan. Then there were the US firebombings of Kyoto and Tokyo, among others. These killed a lot more than the nukes ever did. As well as the internment camps, the confiscation of property, and mass round-ups. The USSR under Stalin killed more than the Nazis ever did over the course of his iron-fisted reign. Yet we don’t talk about that. After all, the victors write the stories that go down in history and they choose who the villains and heroes are.

I guess, no matter how you look at it humanity is capable of some terrible things. Witch hunts to inquisitions to root out heresy and forbidden ideals. History is full of darkness. Nowadays we tend to sugar coat these things, less to scare the children. However those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. We have come so far and yet we could easily fall back centuries. It is a slippery slope. Might makes right could very well make a come back.

Molotov is very much the same, comparing humans to animals. If she had her way civis would either be wiped from the face of the earth or enslaved by Supers. I can only assume that they would be used like cattle or pets, beasts of labor. It is a scary thought. From what I heard, she was doing that over in Russia. I sincerely hope that her diabolical schemes never come to fruition.

All that being said, there are merits in religion and ideals. It is only when they have been corrupted and twisted to serve some ulterior motive that things go horribly awry. If used correctly, they can bring people together in peace and harmony. Giving them a place of safety in an otherwise inhospitable world. Depending on what exactly is taught and actually practiced the outcome is very different. In the past, it has been used as a unifying element to pull otherwise opposed groups together under one banner. There are plenty who preach one thing and yet practice another behind closed doors. Here would be a good example, these poor people certainly need the love of some all accepting god. After all, a lot of them have faces not even a mother could love. They are all desperate to believe in something after being rejected by those above. There has to be meaning in life or else everything is dull and gray.

Nuclear Knight spoke, raising his hands. “They say it is what you make, I say it is up to fate. The Lord has brought us all here, together for a purpose. There are no happenstances, no coincidences. All has been preordained. It is our destiny to fulfill his will. As we seek salvation from the sins of the overworld. The land above us is rife with evil and abominations. Their tempting words will lead us astray with the sins of the flesh and the greed for material possessions.”

Sounds like some pretty orthodox stuff. By saying that everything has already been set in stone he is more or less making it so that his actions are blameless since they would have happened no matter what. I am on to you. It is a clever way of escaping responsibility while also furthering his fanaticism. Fanatics in just about anything are bad news bears since they take things way too far. The other thing is he is telling everybody to give up their possessions. He is likely hoarding them somewhere.

“We must stay on the path of the righteous or else our souls shall be forfeit and the everlasting life of the Ever Glow will be lost!”

Shrieks filled the crowd and children cried. They fervently pleaded and worshiped him. Oh boy, he has got these people thoroughly indoctrinated. Well, I guess if his preaching is just peaceful then it isn’t so bad. Could be a lot worse… oops. Me and my big mouth.

“We must convert the nonbelievers!”

Oh, god dammit! Why? Why can’t you people just be happy with those already around you? Don’t involve innocent bystanders. He stepped down beside me and I edged away from him. I was kinda cornered with the pool behind me. He’s not… son of a bitch. He is going to push me in there, isn’t he!? Gross, gross. I don’t know where that has been or who has been in it. For all I know, it is their spawning pool and it is filled with all their disgusting bodily fluids. His hand pushed me and I latched on. It is going to take more than that to defeat me! I smacked him in the face, or rather helmet and it came off. I stared wide eyed at the glowing skull that had sinuous muscles attached to it.

“What are you!?” I screeched at him.

“I am Lord Pluton’s Apostle, his prophet set upon the world to bring glory to his name and salvation to the lost and the damned.”

“You are crazy!”

“Be reborn in his holy glow!” He shouted, dunking me under the surface.

I should have known he wasn’t afraid to go in himself! I clawed at the goop as it soaked in everywhere. I held my breath as long as I could, struggling against his firm grasp. My antenna writhed, drowning in the scent of… well, I am not entirely sure what it smells and for that matter tastes like. All that I know is it burns like acid. Somehow I am getting flashbacks to that night that started all of this. This, this isn’t Mutigene is it?! Where would he even get that stuff?

My air was running out and the hearts beat erratically fueling my fears of drowning. His firm grip held me down here where I couldn’t get a good hold on anything to push or kick off of to break free. If I could just touch the bottom, then I could get loose. This goop was viscous almost solid, yet didn’t give me enough purchase to escape and instead weighed me down. Bubbles foamed out of my mouth and I gasped for air, except there was none. The searing liquid filled my insides. My lungs filled to the point they overflowed and it oozed into other organs, mixing and churning like molten lava. So fucking painful! This is so much worse than being dissected. Am I melting?!

My strength gave out and I stopped struggling, just as things started turning dark. That was when he pulled me up. He flopped me down and pushed on my chest. Blugh! The goo shot out of my mouth and I writhed. I rolled onto my side throwing up. I don’t know how long I lay there barfing my guts out, but eventually, I got a clear enough head to see that they had tried to get Astrea too. Unfortunately for them, she was too tall to be submerged in the pool. Well, it is not surprising she is like nine feet tall.

She just looked at them strangely and Nuclear Knight had to fill several buckets up and dump them on her head. She didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, I think she enjoyed it. Probably thought it was some sort of bath. I guess she is used to this stuff. Well, she has been down here for a while. Come to think of it, she has probably been drinking this stuff. What other water sources are even down here? Maybe, maybe that is why she is so damned big?

At any rate, my head is all fuzzy and I don’t feel so good. My abdomen feels a bit bloated too. I gotta pee, I really gotta pee! I covered my face partly in shame and partly because I feel something coming up again. I couldn’t hold it anymore and just let it spurt out. Arrgh! It burns it really feels like my cooch is on fire. There was yellow mixed in there. I am bleeding! So that means, I gots the Chlamydia! This is going to be so embarrassing when Neon Nurse gives me a check up and I will have to tell her it burns when I pee.

“His love fills us. It encompasses us and surrounds us even here in the darkness. Let his glow guide us. We are reborn through his light.”

“We are reborn!” cried out the crowd.

“Take them to recover, with the other initiates,” he said, pointing off to the side.

Astrea didn’t let them touch me, seeing how weak, I had become. She carried me as they prodded her into following. It seems that she is scared of Nuclear Knight. They must have gotten into a fight before or something and seeing the results it is easy to see that she lost. Not really a big surprise, she likely tried to brute force it and got burned. That would explain why her face is a bit melted. I should have paid more attention to the warning signs she was emitting. She knew they were around here.

We were led along to a room near the back of the enclave by among others the porcupine girl. She had long spines that came from her back and instead of hair more of them protruded from her scalp. They looked like they were made of bone or something. Her face was a little rodenty, sharp teeth and large eyes. However, unlike most rodents, she was neither shy nor scared.

“Welcome sisters. We do hope that Pluton’s favor does not harm you.” She smiled, revealing those bucked chompers.

“What are you going to do to us?” I asked, feverish.

“We will put you with the other converts and await any changes that might come. Once you are stable you shall be taught the scriptures of Lord Pluton and his will.”

“I need water. Like nonglowing water.”

“We shall bring you food and water soon enough.”

Well, that is thoughtful of them. Then again, I guess they have a vested interest in keeping their converts alive. We had come to the place that they kept the mutating people. There were five people in here, each in a different state of development. Some were turning into animal people while others were, well… I am not entirely sure what was happening to some of the others. One of them I couldn’t even tell that it was a person anymore. I could only assume that it was what with all that bulging flesh and extra limbs.

The newest convert before us appeared to be an office lady. Her business suit and the like were shredded and from what I could see she was having some serious problems. Her arm had broken out in hives or maybe giant zits. I poked one and she reeled, screaming into a corner. Wait, those are eyeballs. Those are definitely eyes, they moved and oozed tears as the pupils expanded and contracted. Holy shit, she must have like fifty of them just on that arm alone. It looks painful.

“What is your problem bitch?!”

“Sorry, I didn’t realize those were eyes. Are you ok?”

“Do I look ok to you? Use your damned eyes.”

Eye puns… she is fine. I dismissively looked away from her.

“You shouldn’t touch others so readily.” Said a voice from over to the side.

My gaze found something rather strange. Well, maybe not so much down here. A giant Cockroach. Now, this was no ordinary creepy crawly that I had encountered before. This thing just talked. Reee?! I jumped away like a scared cat. I knew it! Hide your children, hide your wife. Nuke em Rico! The uprising is at hand, we are doomed, DOOOOMED! Astrea quickly picked me up again, looking worried over my actions. She looked between me and the roach assessing what to do. It seems that she didn’t like the roach either.

“Calm down. I mean you no harm.” Said the roach.

Lies! Who can trust a bug? I stared at it pointedly. I could see exactly why this thing could talk. It had a huge brain. In fact, the gray matter was exposed on the top of its head, covered by sort of clear see through carapace or membrane. It was totally gross. Ngh, I saw it move. Those big, bulbous, soulless eyes staring at me. The antennae twitched. Astrea loomed over him and he retreated a little, scared. Hmm, so that means we are still the predator in this situation. We must be wary to no be outsmarted by this abomination.

“Were you a human originally?” I asked eyeing it.

“No.”

“Why can you speak English?”

“I learned?” It said questioningly.

Hmmm. Likely story. The girl who had brought us here took its clawed appendage in hand, “So, Doctor are they doing better?”

“Wait a minute.” I said, pointing, “You are a doctor?”

“I am indeed.” It replied, “Yes Maggie, they are doing better. Most are stable. Though we, unfortunately, did lose one.”

I looked over to where it was pointing and it looked like something had melted into a fleshy soup. Oh, that doesn’t look good at all. So I guess people do die from that baptism in sewage. That poor bastard, I hope they are dead. I certainly wouldn’t want to live like that. Something was really bugging me and it was that damned roach.

“How did you become a Doctor?” I questioned it.

“I was taught.”

“By who?” I demanded.

“I am sure that you would not know her.”

It can’t be… “Dr. Arbor?”

“Oh, so you do know.”

“Wait, how do you know her?”

“She found me a few years back and experimented on me. As a result, I have gained Super Intelligence.”

By Helix. It is worse than I thought. I picked up a newspaper that was over to the side and rolled it up. I smacked him over the head with it. It was super effective. He reeled back fleeing from me as I chased him down. You must not be allowed to live! The world is at stake. Your kind shall not inherit the earth! Come back here, it won’t hurt much. I am just going to smash you like the insect you are.

Maggie got in between us, fending me off with her rows of spines, “What are you doing. Stop that.”

I smacked her on the head too, making her cry. Bad, that is a bad whatever the hell you are. What? Did you freaks think I was going to play nice? You fucking kidnapped me and dunked me in irradiated goop. You think I am not going to be mad?! Maggie did something unexpected. The spines on her back wiggled. It seems that she was angry. It was kinda cute how she was pouting. I faltered my attack of the bristling porcupine girl and in the next moment the quills shot out like missiles. I swooped and dodged a lot of them, but there was a lot. They harpooned me and I felt like a pin cushion.

“Owe, fuck!” I yelled, trying to yank out the one that had lodged itself into my face.

The damned things were barbed and it was stuck in there. The more I pulled, the more it hurt. I grit my mandibles and tore it out, leaving a hole in the middle of my face. I glanced over to make sure that Astrea was ok. She was fine. She had been hit by a few, but they did not penetrate her thick exoskeleton. It was definitely more dense than mine and tougher. She had closed the gape and concern filled her face. She poked at my wounds and pulled out the ten spikes that had stabbed into various parts of me. Luckily, they were rather shallow. It seems that my exoskeleton was just a little too weak to ward them off. So that means that these things were about as bad as bullets in terms of force. I will have to keep that in mind.

I stared down at the quivering rodent girl. You, you evil little creature! I smacked her again with the newspaper and she started blubbering. That is what you get for quilling me, you little bitch. She was bald for the moment, but I could see the heads of the new spikes already growing and poking out of her skin. Wow, those things grow fast. I guess that means she is defenseless. I grabbed her before she could run away and bent her over my knee, spanking her. Not too hard or anything. I don’t want to cripple her with a broken ass.

“Release her!” Cried the roach charging.

I grabbed him by the face and held him at bay. He is pretty weak. Well, I guess he is a thinker, not a fighter. I should kill it here before it can breed. It looked kinda desperate, trying to save her, at the expense of its own safety. Maybe this roach is not evil? I let them go, realizing that I was becoming the bad guy here. I did attack out of the blue, sure it was just a newspaper, but that doesn’t really matter. Besides, what kinda hero picks on a little girl?

“You, you let us go?” he questioned in disbelief. Clearly, they thought I was going to kill them.

“My bad. I got carried away. You are not plotting to take over the world or anything right?”

“No, I am a pacifist.”

“Oh, so I see. You a girl or a boy by the way?”

“I am male. Why did you attack me?”

“I ran into some roaches down below that seemed like they wanted to take over the world.”

“Lord Pluton’s love will make the world glow!” Said Maggie.

“Maggie. We have talked about this. Pluton isn’t real.” Said the roach.

“Don’t say that Doctor or else your soul will burn in nuclear hellfire when the world is purged during Pluton’s second coming! Only the chosen shall be spared.” Cried Maggie.

Oh, well that is quite the bomb to drop. So Nuclear Knight is planning on setting off a Nuclear Apocalypse? I guess I should have seen that one coming. That is not peaceful at all. We should probably do something about that. Where the hell did he get a nuke? Sure, there is a lot of radioactive waste down here, but it is more complicated than that to make a bomb I would imagine. Unless he is just making dirty bombs.

“Wait, you don’t believe in Pluton?” I asked the roach.

“No. I am a man of science! That Pluton is simply the fanciful ideal that Nuclear Knight used to rationalize what happened to him and the others.”

“Then why the hell are you here in his cult?”

“I am here to observe them and ensure that diseases and the like are controlled.”

“So Dr. Cock-”

He interrupted me, “My name is Dr. Crypto!”

“Mr. Roach.”

“My name is Dr. Crypto!”

I gave him a stingy look. Taking away my fun. “So you are just observing and don’t like Pluton right?”

“I am.”

“Does that mean you will help me in undermining Nuclear Knight’s control?”

“No.”

I balled my fists and punched them together menacingly, “I guess that means I can’t let you leave here in one piece.”

He waved his claws frantically, “Just because I won’t help doesn’t mean I will oppose you.”

I smiled, oh such an evil grin, “Good cause you got a lot of explaining to do. What is Nuclear Knight’s weakness?”

He gulped, looking shiftly around, “I, I don’t know.”

“Wrong answer!” I shouted and smacked him over the head with the newspaper, “Astrea, if this doesn’t prove to be useful I will allow you to eat it.”

She looked around and then started drooling with hungry eyes at the roach. He panicked “Ok, ok, I will talk. Just don’t let her eat me!”

Fufu, I guess playing the Villain comes naturally for me. I certainly look the part. It seems a lot more effective than trying to reason with him. I smile and they cringe away in fear. I could smell their fear, such a delightful scent. The stench of prey. Shall we begin the questioning or rather an interrogation? It won’t hurt, much, I promise.