Between reading bedtime stories to Jenny. Well, one bedtime story over and over again. Between that and spending quality time with Kristy, the week flew by for Collin.

Collin looked around his new, sterile room. It was one of six in a larger hexagonally shaped room. He couldn’t be sure how large this facility was, but he was sure there was more here than he’d already seen. Of the six rooms, four were occupied by one of the graduating subjects, including Collin, per room.

Kristy had tried a few more times to talk Collin out of continuing the tests, but he hadn’t budged. She only wanted the best for him and he wished he could tell her what he was up to so she wouldn’t worry as much, but him coming home safely would have to be enough.

“Welcome back everyone,” Merrin said in an even voice. She was still in her monkey form and Collin was beginning to suspect there was a reason she never turned back to being a human, “I know you’re all tired, but today, we are going to start the tests on the first day.”

“Bring them in,” Chuck announced over the intercom.

Four people in black full body suits pushed four carts into the hexagonal room and then into their respective room with a test subjects. Collin’s cart was no longer the only one with a CX number engraved on his cart.

Merrin spoke to everyone, “Now that we know you are all capable of connecting to your hypnosite, you have each been assigned a specific on to bond with. From here on out, the testing will consist of you developing your Hypnosite. As you all experienced, they start out hard to control since you cannot think or even remember clearly. This is due to the reduced cognitive function of your hypnosites, but it is not a permanent state. As we feed your hypnosite new nerve tissue and brain matter, it will expand it’s cognitive ability and in turn, your own memories, intelligence and capabilities while controlling it.”

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The teenage looking woman, CX11, raised her hand, “Why didn’t you just make them smarter before connecting them to us?”

Merrin chuffed, “We tried to no success. We would have if it were an option, but something about the human mind being inside the hypnosite is a necessary catalyst for any changes. Are there any other questions before we begin?”

The only man besides Collin, CX17, spoke up next, “Why didn’t you tell us any of this last time? You didn’t even let us ask questions.”

”In a few words,” Merrin said, “You matter now. Besides, it’s best for the failures to know as little as possible.”

That made sense to Collin, but he was still curious about one thing, “How long did it take you to be able to do the things you can do with it?”

Merrin kept looking around the room as if she hadn’t heard Collin.

”Yeah, how long did it take you?” CX11 said.

”Months,” Merrin answered quickly after CX11 spoke, which seemed a little odd, but Collin shrugged it off. He was probably just reading into things too much, “From what we’ve gathered from feeding hypnosites, there are thresholds. Once a threshold is reached the Hypnosite goes dormant while it expands it’s cognitive ability. These start as easily obtainable, requiring very little nerves and brain matter and the period of dormancy is short, but the smarter it gets, the longer it will take. I personally have not reached a new threshold in three months.”

“So are these things unable to turn into anything until they get smart enough?” CX11 said.

”Not necessarily,” Merrin said, “That part depends on you. Every person is able to transform into anything they have consumed. It is stored inside of the hypnosite’s memory, but being able to instantly access more than one thing comes down to your own compatibility with the hypnosite. I can change into two forms at will, most can only do one. We call those “Willforms” If you want to change that form you can access at will, it takes concentrating for hours and you have to consume a small piece of the creature again. Some people are unable to change their Willform at all.”

”So..” Collin tried to say, but Merrin cut him off.

”I’m going to put an end to the questions there for now. After the first round is completed today, then we can talk more. Get ready everyone.”

With that, Merrin left the room and the metal walls dropped down around Collin.