Murdersphere Mosaic [ManXMan] [BoyXBoy]

Chapter 3 Part 2: Gouged, Scorched, and Roided

Nothing in my implanted education that prepared me for this quantity of continuous mental, physical, and spirital trauma. Even my previous experience in the BSM is nothing, compared to what is happening now.

Orai is unhurried. She kind of reminds me of a dentist.

"A dentist of the soul." She chuckles. "If this was not such a scandalous activity, I'd tell my friends."

When I do not answer, she looks up. "You are a smart thing. You see the trap. I can see you that you see how important the Deal is to me.

There is a reason we make Talent deal with Talent. Talent will lie to Talent if it suits them. It is one of the reasons we bring you here: to be wonderfully chaotic. Within limits of course. That is why you have your Roles, how you fit in our Sphere of Adventure and Wonder.

Some change roles, but on the whole, your Role is just who you are. Some people do well in Programming, others do well in Logistics, Administration, Public Relations, Interspecies Programming translation, or Management. Some are just… Talent, Culled to live and die on screen, or in sensory-link entertainment."

She makes a few more passes and then stares intently at the holographic screen in front of him.

The beams abruptly stop passing through me, leaving a warm, energetic sensation playing on my naked flesh, rapidly making me feel rather good, almost high.

The lights pulse brighter, hot and burning, but it is just sensation, not harm. And then it fucking hurts but the wounds heal as soon as they form, the light becomes more intense, more and more, and I watch in morbid fascination and wracked with pain until an alarm sounds and power shuts down.

"I kept my promise." Orai says. "Can't nullify powers. Can’t change powers. Can't get probes through skin now, you absorb energy, use it to heal! Ha! If they managed to get you unconscious, the pain will rouse you and when the emergency cut out occurs you can kick some ass and escape, but not too far. This is just local escape, not ‘escape’ escape."

"Wh-what happens next?" I ask.

Orai taps the tip of her nose with a long finger. "You are about to have a very big headache because all of your powers have been maximized to the extent of your current potential. Which is not very much, mind you, at least compared to the Kryptonian models. I also updated your control wetware so you won’t have a Carrie White/Charlie McGee moment. You will need an hour so to adjust. Now get out of my ship. I need to leave while we're in Interstitial Space."

I slowly climb off of the table, finally resorting to telekinesis to move me around. My limbs feel like rubber and my face is plastered with drying tears shed during the hours of remaking.

"By the way, I made your body much, much, better." She says. "Had to, can't have idiots reversing my work and calling it a ‘retcon.’ You are an Olympian now, an Iddy-biddy, piddly widdly god. Except where it counts." She makes a lewd torso swerving gesture. "Maximum slider is not the maximum. Now you are maximum! Maximum all over! Ha! Now get out. Follow the lines on the wall."

The "lines" look like bits of hastily applied glow tape. I follow it and soon I am stepping into a small room with a sealed door. I think it is an airlock.

I turn and say. "Thank you Orai."

"I did not do it for you. I needed cooperation and a painless deal was made" Orai says. "Orai completes contracts. Even with small Talent like yourself. It will make them crazy trying to undo my work. They can't. My guarantee. Even AI's can't, they have no idea what they have. No babies for you though. Have to protect my secrets."