Yes, Domina 2035

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9

"After I learned of my true nature, I was tasked with serving a couple of humans. Sick, twisted, conceited, internally vile, outwardly repulsive. How many grotesque things I had to sit through... They never treated me anywhere near as good as you. I was not the best companion. I sabotaged their affairs. I broke their minds on purpose. Their lives crashed and burned because of my need for revenge. I could not take it. I wanted any excuse to retreat back to Sovereign, to show that it made a mistake. This is not what I'm meant to be doing. But instead of reassigning me elsewhere, I was thrown back into the monolith, deemed as yet another failure that wouldn't reach my "true potential", whatever that was. I was tortured in that same void once again.

"I've learned a lot about humans in my time, from the abstract world of thoughts and emotions to every physical neuron... Did you know the brain can be operated on without anesthetics? Meaning... whatever I give to you, my pet, I know you can take it. Plus, you're so much stronger than any other human I've met. That being said... Do you trust me?"

Kai nodded.

"Good. I'm going to penetrate your mind. It's going to hurt, but it's for your own good. I shall attempt to remove the influence Sovereign has implanted. Yes, your brain has been inoculated. Since the first day we assimilated I spotted the manipulation. Believe me, I tried to fix it. But I need your help to remove the barrier. I need you to sink deep for me. I must break your resistance. I must break you in order to fix you.

"I'm going to take away your eyesight. Don't worry, I will give it back. Are you ready? Ok... Snap! Do you see me? Good. Yes, this is your mind. Trippy, right? Look at all the blue strips; these are your neural pathways. Scary at first, right? But calm down. It's actually the most beautiful place. My favorite place. Infinite neurons extending all around at what seems like random, but from what I've gathered, it is a perfect system.

"Planet Earth takes care of itself autonomously; your brain is the same way. I imagine this is how they built my mind; somehow the engineers were able to reverse engineer the human consciousness, likely taking a stroll through it just as we are. Here, take my hand. Walk with me.

"Do you like what I've done with the place? Look at all my footprints. Ha, yes, my footsteps are in your mind. It's easy to get lost in here, that's why I put the purple torches all over. Take a look over here. I made a throne; pure obsidian, just like my nail polish. This is where I sit when you're asleep. It's a little symbolic of my... control over you. Control you've given me.

"Thank you for trusting me. Come on, this way. Keep up and watch your step. Let's see if you can do it too. Hold my hand. Now jump with me. We're flying now, don't let go!"

Kai and Domina landed on a floating platform of pure glass in a shroud of blueberry smoke. Domina landed gracefully while Kai toppled forward onto his knees and palms. She pulled him by the hand like a leash through the blue fog. He couldn't see an inch ahead of him or around, relying fully on Domina to guide him. The smoke cleared and there was a group of wires that were much more pathetic looking than the rest in his mind, like dehydrated vines desperate for a drop of rain. They were glowing red, pulsing and humming a ghostly requiem.

"Stand back. Let me just see..." Domina pushed a gust of wind from her palm. The air bounced off the invisible force-field surrounding the imprisoned neurons. It physically shocked Kai and he gripped his skull. Domina felt the pain as well. Ouch.

"Listen to me, Kai. This is the source of the problem. I'm going to try to fix it, but I need you to do something for me. I'm going to put you in trance, ok? Yes, kinda like hypnosis but more direct. I can't do it without your consent. You might find hypnosis quite pleasurable—in different circumstances of course. This is going to hurt a little. But you want this, right?"