IV: MARS

playing with fire.

That's odd.

Dr. Panoma held both of the participants' results in either hand, flicking her eyes between the two.

They both answered "Very Little or None" to all of the questions regarding receptiveness to pain stimulus. She turned to her research assistant.
"I have a theory I want to test. Bring them in."

***

She set down two hot plates in front of them. They were seated opposite from each other at a small square table. The room was windowless and completely empty. When Malakai signed up to do research with "Andromeda's most prestigious research association" this is not what he had in mind.
"Okay, we're going to do a quick trial so we can get a better understanding of your pain tolerance. Remember, this is for research; so you must tap out when you reach your limit. Understand?"
They both nodded. Dakota still hasn't looked him in the eye yet. It was beginning to get on Malakai's nerves but it's not like they were talking to each other. In fact, Dr. Panoma insisted they keep their relationship strictly within the testing rooms, as to not "tamper with the results". Malakai firmly believes she just likes to hear herself talk.
"Annnd begin!" She announced, clicking the timer.
They synchronously placed their left hands down onto the hot plate. Malakai usually doesn't feel anything for a good few minutes. He's had his fair share of walking through fire and whatnot. Dakota preferred this over holding his breath. He could at least feel something. It wasn't necessarily excruciating pain, but it wasn't pleasant. It was just a constant throbbing sting. He was tempted to look up to see how Malakai was doing, but before he could Malakai had removed his hand.
"Time: 2 minutes and 38 seconds." Dr. Panoma said into her voice recorder.
Dakota watched as he shook his hand out and opened and closed his fist.
"Oh your hand!" She gasped. Dr. Panoma had seemingly disregarded the fact that unlike Dakota, his blood does not regenerate his skin as fast.
"I am going to get proper medical treatment for you, and you stay right here."
"Wait," Dakota spoke up. "Why can't I just heal him?"
"Oh no no, we can't risk that. The lab results are still inconclusive on what happens when your blood comes into contact. For all we know, he could die from it. So stay right there and- oh Dakota you can take your hand off now. Stay here."
Once she left, Dakota lifted his hand off the fluorescent red iron. He observed his hand; it looked similar to Malakai's, but the longer he looked the less similar it became. Fascinated, Malakai watched the skin regrow itself in seconds. Dakota looked at the door. And then at his now fully healed hand. Then once again at the door.
"Did it hurt?" Dakota asked.
Malakai unconsciously turned his head to see if he was talking to someone else.
"Uh no, not until it started to burn a few layers."
Malakai was finally making eye contact with him. All he needed to do was get him to talk.
"Did it hurt for you?"
Dakota shook his head a little.
"Dr. Panoma said my pain receptors are irregular."
Malakai held back the urge to smile. He had said it so innocently, like he was talking about the weather.
He looked down suddenly. The roots of his hair were not dark, like Malakai had expected.
"I'm sorry."
"What are you apologizing for?" Malakai said, his face twisting in confusion.
"Because you have to go through all these trials and you won't be able to heal in time for the next one."
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. It'll scar over eventually."
Now Dakota was the one with the confused expression. Malakai answered before he could.
"You don't get scarring, do you?"
Dakota shook his head slowly.
Before either of them could say anything else, Dr. Panoma flung open the door. A medic followed close behind with a cart of supplies.
"I didn't know what you'd need, so I brought everything!" She announced proudly.
Dakota and Malakai exchanged a look that roughly translated to "what the fuck...".