Wasting little time but with a few continued annoyances of being discoordinated, I managed to boost myself up and lay upon the raised bed while draping the over-sized towel over me. Facing upward, I stared at the raised ceiling and began re-examining my life’s choices. *Sigh* ‘I don’t believe things could get much worse than this, or at least worse than what I experienced just yesterday.’ I consoled myself with this thought and called out to my teachers. “Okay, I’m ready!”
Waiting in the still silence following my call, it was only a short while before a slightly red-faced Monroe and a blushing Victoria with mussed hair returned to the room. I felt my eyes roll on their own at the middle-school level awkwardness of it all. Apparently, my teachers were taking advantage of my current need for their ministrations in order to get to know each other better.
I let out another quieter sigh this time, and just resigned myself to my fate.
Together, my teachers came to the table, each donning a pair of rubbery gloves and setting out a small bucket on the table alongside me.
What followed, was a horror that should never have to be repeated in a healthy young adulthood, at least when not under anesthesia. I was washed from head to toe with antiseptic smelling cloths pulled from the bucket. Monroe and Victoria worked together to clean me, save for my perineal area which they blessedly allowed me to do for myself. The more clinical side of my mind was surprised by the correct method which they utilized in turning my body to scrunch up the top layer of cloth beneath me, before using correct modern-day technique to maneuver my body in order to retain an optimal sterile field. Other than that side observation, the remainder of me was red and aflame with embarrassment.
I’d always been the one to perform bed baths on residents in the nursing home. It was either for those who refused or who were unable to take showers safely. After over a year of now working in the nursing home wandering dementia unit, I felt that I was fairly accomplished at performed those bed baths. However, my two teachers, neither of which had shown any prior inclination of being trained for this, had put my abilities to shame.
A kind of numb surreality came over me throughout their ministrations as the more clinical side of my mind continued to watch on with interest. Following the cleansing, I was given an entirely new perspective on Victoria’s medical skills.
With a wave of her hand and a look of focus on in her eyes, I watched as a misty ice began forming in the air around me. My eyes truly bugged out as that mist began congealing more thickly to create an honest to the heavens model representation of my body directly above me.
Monroe as well gave a surprised look as he glanced between the icy model and Victoria. He looked more than markedly impressed at her creation. Grave respect and what looked like deep appreciation then overtook his expression of surprise. His mouth opened for a moment as if to ask a probing question, but then his lips tightened as if refusing to speak what was on his mind before returning to the task at hand. The only sign anything was different was that he moved over the slightest in order to rub shoulders with Victoria. From my vantage point, I believe I saw worried tension ease out of her own shoulders with this show of comfort and familiarity in his actions.
Despite my current near naked plight, I felt a comforting stirring of energies within my core as I watched this interaction between the two of them.
However, with no further fanfare, my prim and proper esteemed self-defense instructor began poking, prodding, and massaging at near every inch of my body. The thoroughness and clinical detachment with which he performed this action, was beyond impressive and horribly invasive. As he progressed, Victoria was simultaneously seemingly replicating what he was learning on the white misty model above me. Intricate muscles, tendons, and bones began filling in the previously undetailed model.
I honestly felt that whatever they were each doing was extreme overkill. It was as if each was striving to show the other the utmost level in their personal abilities and skill.
Monroe only opened his mouth on occasion to ask Victoria to make special note of certain muscles saying things like. “Can you mark this muscle as being over utilized and this other one as being under stimulated?” With a quiet nod, she added a kind of grey or blue colored mist to the increasingly defined model. Too soon it seemed, the model was covered in an array of those colors along all of my muscle groupings.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Apparently having finished with the body mapping, I was allowed to rest and remain still as Monroe began dipping a series of different length needles in the paralytic solution. They blessedly allowed a new covering blanket to lay over me in the interim. Not that it truly mattered any more with the extent that I had been despoiled. Never had I ever had such an extensive physical exam done in my life.
Refusing to continue bemoaning about the disparity and discomfort of it all, my more logical and opportunistic side took over. I felt that such an evaluation of this level back on Earth, would require the use of several high-end machines that did not exist prior to the creation of Millennial Enterprises. It was almost disappointing that the information gleaned from this evaluation couldn’t be carried over to my other body.
As Monroe continued to prepare the needles and solution, now being far closer to and able to see in greater detail, I will admit that I was eyeing the size of some of those implements with more than a little concern. Some of them appeared to be thicker than the 15 - 16 gauge needles I’d had the opportunity to see once when observing the injection of short lived nanites to cure an illness. At that time, I had learned and remembered that as the numbers got smaller, the needle got thicker.
Victoria actually came over with a solution to my concerns. While still maintaining the stable model made of icy mist above me, with a serious expression she withdrew another potion from her pocket. “You’ll want to take this as it is a general paralytic and anesthetic.” With a brief smile spoiling her currently serious demeanor she added. “As much as I enjoy tormenting you on occasion, this really would be too much. And besides, you need to remain still as varying levels of the paralytic are injected into each muscle for optimal treatment.”
I just nodded my head and eagerly reached out for the potion. Not being awake for the next part was a great idea for which I was all in for!
A single swig aided by her steadying hands and a gentle warmth and numbness spread through my body bringing with it a haze of darkness. And I was out.
.
.
.
Coming too, I found myself clothed and laying on the padded ground of the sparring room. Monroe and Victoria were in another section of the room actually sparring. My surroundings appeared somewhat hazy still and my limbs felt leaden and limp. Only my eyes were able to be cast about as I took in everything. Slowly the numbness from my mouth began to fade away. After exercising my jaw a few times and moving my tongue about, I considered calling out to my two teachers, but then thought better of it.
They appeared to be very engrossed in their current engagement, with eager excitement on both of their faces. I might have noticed a flicker of a look from Victoria, but I gave her a wink I hoped she saw and closed my eyes again.
Laying there, lost in my thoughts with the general numbness slowly fading from the rest of my body, my thoughts began wandering on their own. My two teachers appeared incredibly well suited to each other, and it made me think of myself and my personal life.
In real life I had to be careful. As much as I yearned to find a partner and companion to share the joys and woes of life together with, I had responsibilities to myself and others. In addition to denying myself such pleasures of their company while I sought to rectify the mistake I made with my sister and her disease, I also was more than a little concerned about the rumors that had been spreading regarding special ability users.
Although the mainstream media and political officials still refused to cover any news topics on the unusual and mysterious goings on during and after the war, rumors still abounded. I’d heard of cases where a loved one was turned into the police and other governing agencies when their spouse, child, or own parent discovered their uniqueness. How would I dare to place my life and wellbeing in the hands of another when betrayal was such a strong possibility?
The idea that your life companion, who you made serious legal and often religiously binding vows with could so utterly betray you, simply out of fear of the unknown made me deeply reconsider the risks of placing my own life and freedom in the hands of another.
Unless they too shared a unique ability and subsequent vulnerability as me, I dare not say that I could trust them.
As the frequent sounds of flesh impacting flesh and the floor had subsided for some time, I risked opening my eyes to see the latest development. Victoria was sitting on the ground leaning against one of the wall mirrors and drinking from a glass. Monroe was tinkering about his weapons rack as if in contemplation.
I figured now would be a suitable time to start making noises of being awake and aware. “Ahhehem.” Clearing my throat in a kind of prolonged rumble, I gained the attention of both masters.
“Ah, good! You are awake!” Monroe exclaimed. “We can now move onto the next part. . .” His smile betrayed his humor as he quirked an eyebrow at me. “Standing up!”
I quirked an eyebrow of my own at this declaration. Thinking it was ludicrous, I attempted just that. As I ordered my muscles to move me to a standing position, all they did was make me shift and flop about like a near dead landed fish. None of my limbs worked as intended as I tried multiple times with similar unsuccessful results.
By this point, Monroe had made his way over to me and squatted down beside my impotently still form. “As the general anesthesia subsides, you should begin regaining minor function to your limbs. However, I made a particular effort to dose your excessively used muscles with more paralytic in order to allow you to better train your lesser utilized ones.
Casting his gaze about Monroe paused before continuing. “If you desire to continue learning from me after this, I will need to perform a more abbreviated version of targeted muscle paralysis to better teach you.” His lips twitched in humor at my look of horror. “No need to be that worried. The needles will be much thinner, and you won’t have to fully disrobe for future sessions.”
I felt a rush of relief at his clarification, but still some trepidation remained behind. I was unsure I wanted to even experience a much-reduced version of what I had to suffer before. For now, I would finish what I started and take things as they came after.