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Sweat poured off your body in heaps, chest heaving up and down unstable. The blinding light overhead did you no favors. With the back of your wrist, you wiped it sluggishly across the bottom of your lip, where tiny droplets of blood were collecting. You shook your arm vigorously, the blood splattering onto the ground next to you. Shakily returning to a fighting stance, you took a deep breath and readied yourself for the next clash.
Nikolai, codename "Silver Wolf", looked at you expectantly. A smile was stuck to his face, his cheek having a slight cut where blood flowed slowly. He pulled something from his pocket, jamming it harshly into his leg. An audible sigh could be heard from the other side of the ring, and you looked at him questioningly.
"That's all for today," he chuckled, clapping his hands together at your confusion. "I think you finally have the stuff to go out on the field. We will be leaving tomorrow night. Be ready."
You shrugged your shoulders helplessly. "Are we not going to talk about what you just stabbed in your leg? You remind me of those people that laze around on the streets all day..."
He laughs heartily again. "It's an Anti-virus specifically made to combat the power your body holds."
"I thought... didn't Doc say it was supposed to help people?" You questioned, your mind trying to pick away at the unresolved queries of what you were. "How is it supposed to help if it hurts?"
Nikolai's constant cold eyes only stared back. "I'm no doctor, but the people up top know what they are doing. Take solace in that."
Nikolai was a mysterious person, that was clear. So was the establishment he still worked for. You've still yet to visit the entirety of this place, some parts of it beyond the access a keycard Bob gave you. Dismissing Nikolai's cryptic messages and attitude, you said your goodbyes for the day and headed to the elevator. Up the floors, down the halls, unlocking the door, and automatically strode to the bathroom. Stripping off your training garments, you turned on the shower nozzle, feeling the first cool water droplets. A nice change of pace from the back-breaking regime Nikolai had been putting you through the past couple of days.
Trailing your fingers down your arms, your face involuntarily turned into a frown. Somehow the woman doctor had not reacted poorly to you as you do yourself. The scars lined your arms, trailing your shoulders and still defining chest, down to your stomach, before clawing around to your back. Such a disgusting trait has stuck with you for what seems like your whole life. At least what you can remember.
Something pulsed oddly in your forearm. Gazing in dismay, it trailed up to your wrist, coming out of your arm to reveal the already acquainted tentacle. Seeing it protrude from such an unusual spot would probably make any regular person hurl. You had just dully gotten used to it. It whirled around in the air, before coming to a stop nearly inches from your face. Near the top, it began to bubble and convulse, something reminiscent of a spherical shape slowly making its way to the surface. You wanted to grit your teeth at the unexpected irritation but found yourself unable to. You tried to raise your brows in surprise, only for them to be stuck as well. It was as though your entire body was submerged in thick concrete, all but stagnant if not for the tentacle.
True to your guess, a white bone orb made an audible pop as it surfaced above the flesh. The lump writhed in multiple directions, before rolling south, a dilated iris accompanying the turn.
The iris itself was a deep murky green, so much so that on the verge of black it looked to have been dredged from the bottom of a swamp. Closer to the pupil it swirled into a more lime green, an abyssal black pupil staring straight into your soul.
Your mind was still foggy with confusion from not being able to move, a deep and rich voice that sounded much like Ron Pearlman from the 2004 "Hellboy".
Damn Aizawa and his obscene movie expertise.
Ah, (Y/N), a pleasure to...formally acquaint myself with you. It seems I have finally gained enough strength to converse with you. It echoed. But it didn't make sense. The water was still running, and you were in an enclosed space, so how -
Crazy, isn't it? Do not worry, you are not going insane. The voice reassured. Your eyes tried to widen, still to no avail. Your eyes were still trained on the eye, but there's no way -
Yup, that's me. Hold up, so it could -
Ya. Read your thoughts too. I might know you better than you do. Alas, there is no point in playing games with you, as we are supposed to be 'friends', as your mammal species call it. After all, we cannot live without each other.
Your jaw finally unclasped from its locked position, and you let out a breath of relief. Talking out loud was better than this...mental prison of sorts.
A prison? Feh, do not think so harshly and brash of me. Now, as I was saying... you have many questions going through your head, and thus I am here to answer them.
First of all, yes, I am the "parasite" the head doctor spoke of previously, even though the word detests me; I'm so much more than that. Paying close attention, it was almost as though the eye itself was slightly vibrating as it spoke throughout your skull. I have given you new life: without me, you would have already died, your body destroying itself slowly and painfully over time. You have your father to thank for that too.
I was also the voice that guided you with your first encounter with Umbrella Corp, that gave you the words to speak and put Umbrella in their place. I have heightened your instincts, strength, agility, and everything you needed.
On the other hand, I am in your debt, as you are in mine. When we came into contact, you became the perfect host so that I could take root.
"So you are a parasite?" You asked warily.
...
In a way...yes. I am a parasite. Attached to mainly your spine and your brain. If I wanted to, I could control your body full-heartedly, as I demonstrated earlier. But that is not my objective. I'm no hookworm or chickenpox; I have my own sentience. My intelligence is far beyond anything the world has seen before when it comes to such as a species as I.
Your mind is racing. Remember the old man? On the camera? He has a strand of the same parasite in you; the NE-α type. In other words, the same parasite as me. But the host and the parasite did not meld the way those scientists wanted them to, I could tell. What you saw of the old man was just the beginning. They will put him out of his misery soon before it gets worse.
Me on the other hand...I have evolved. To work alongside you, one hand on the steering wheel each. I've seen you grow, and I must say I am fully hooked to see where your story will lead.
Speaking of leads, the USJ incident is still a mystery to you, so I shall explain. That creature you ran into; that was no ordinary thing. A reanimated carcass that reeked of death. I myself do not know how we spoke to it, but it must be something with how we are connected. f am still learning many things, believe it or not.
One of your arms against your own volition clasped around the shower faucet, turning it off while your other hand with the tentacle slid under the curtains, coming back shortly with a soft white towel in its grip.
In my opinion, I do not trust these umbrella people. Even though Umbrella Europe made me - that I know - these people are hiding something more sinister here. Just be on your toes, I will communicate with you later. I feel your body is tired.
And with that, the tentacle vanished back into your arm, leaving you alone and slightly shaken. You shoved your head into the towel, letting out a big huff. It was right, the bed was feeling very welcoming right now. Drying off the rest of your frame, you hopped into some comfy clothes, your body mere inches from collapsing on the bed.
A deep red light engulfed the room, loud sirens blaring that sent your body into shock. You instinctively dashed to the cupboard to put on normal clothes the site had given you, rapid footsteps approaching. Finally getting on the last of your apparel, a mighty foot blasted down the door.
"No rest for the wicked kid. We got an emergency," Nikolai commanded, barely out of breath. He was already in his battle suit, reminiscent of a wolf with claws on his gauntlets and a wolf skin wrapped around his head leading down his back like one of those bear skin rugs. Your equipment is already on the chopper?"
"Chopper?" You inquired, joining the Silver Wolf in the mad dash towards the roof. When you slammed open the door, you were battered by gusts of wind from the already spinning rotors of the helicopter. You hopped on effortlessly with Nikolai following suit.
"Sometimes it's best not to ask questions and just go with the flow, eh?" Nikolai joked, though it was swept away by the helicopter's blades. You both put transceivers deep into your ears to hear the mission debriefing. Oddly calm being ripped from your well-needed respite, you listened closely into the earpiece to decipher exactly what was causing the ruckus.
"Nemesis -- Silverwolf, your mission: Multiple organisms formally known as Nomus are currently attacking multiple parts of Hosu city. Fire is widespread and there are already numerous deaths and injuries. These creatures are the same kind you fought at the USJ, so be careful Nemesis. Your goal is to save and destroy. Think of this as your first major test, young man. Good luck to you both. ETA: Five minutes."
A ball of despair wedged its way into your stomach as your gaze wandered across the skyline. Reflecting off the lights of still-standing buildings, giant plumes of smoke filled the open air, their monstrous size and destructive nature bolstered by the fires that raged on below them. Though still hundreds of feet above it all, imagined screams and wails for mothers and fathers made their way to your ears, dragging you down the road of your dark past. You looked away to be met with the cool eyes of Nikolai.
You merely gave a nod in response. Now was not the time to dwell in your head. There were people to be saved. Reputation to uphold. And most importantly, villains that needed to be reprimanded.
The chopper circled quickly before finding a suitable place in an apartment complex not far from the main struggle. You hopped out with Nikolai, the chopper taking you back to the sky mere seconds after the two of you left. Now equipped with your renowned hero suit with the vials (in case your power was to hit the wrong person), you steeled your resolve, turning into Nemesis and hopping into the confusion below.
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The beast's footsteps cracked the pavement below it, the blazing fires surrounding it casting an eerie glow over its muscular figure. Though it had no eyes, it still eyed down its prey with malevolent intent. Its lower jaw could not form a smile without the top half, but the excitement of nearing a kill was evident in its posture. Its shadow loomed dreadfully over a crying mother and her child, clutching onto one another throughout the midst of chaos. Closed eyes. Silent tears. The mother prepared for the end time. The child was still too young to understand the predicament they were in.
The wall next to them shattered, dust across their skins making them shut their eyes tighter. There was a groan of confusion from the monster in front of them before a shrill squeal erupted from its direction. When the pitch reached its utmost climax, the screech was replaced with a loud crunch.
The mother was the first to dare open her eyes. Now that the dust had settled, she saw the outline of a figure around the same size as the beast they had encountered, now situated on its knees. Its silhouette had its arm outstretched to the skull of the monster, tentacles lashing around its face before twisting around it like some sort of unholy cocoon. A disgusting pop accompanied when the still-standing creature tore back its arm away from the Nomu. The Nomu's body seemed to jolt, its entire being vibrating before going still. It staggered, before standing straight up.
A human hand cleared the cinders, outstretched to the civilians.
"Do not worry, all is safe now," A strong, reassuring voice stated. The mother couldn't believe her eyes when they met a young boy; he surely was still in high school. In her disbelief state of mind, she reluctantly took his hand and stood up. Her panicked eyes frantically went to the Nomu, only for it to still stand in the place the other figure had left it. Upon the Nomu's head now lay a giant mount of scarlet flesh, scorpion-like with its spiked tail. Multiple claws at the front with a yellow and orange eye at the epicenter of it all that was reminiscent of molten metal. Her eyes switched back from the boy to the Nomu, to the boy, to the -
A strong hand rested upon her shoulder. "Rest assured, this creature will no longer hurt you." The boy turned to the Nomu, and through unspoken words, it went on one knee and bowed. "My new friend here will escort you to someone safe. Meet up with me again when the job is done." The last sentence was directed towards the newly formed Nomu, which bowed its head even further.
In a petrified stupor, she was led by the creature mere inches from killing her to a much safer place away from the destruction.
The blackened, scarred monster was even cradling her baby.
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"Ha ha ha HA! ARE YOU PEOPLE SEEING THIS?" Jim Kanble, the head scientist at Umbrella Japan frantically yelled. He looked at his other technicians' faces to be met with awestruck and somewhat horrified faces. From inside their control room, the multiple monitors showed
"Never before seen! We are writing history people!" He continued, still in his nerve-wracked excitement. "We had been able to obtain special access to the Nomu and take its blood samples, and they are SO clearly connected to (Y/N)'s molecular structure! Those Nomu creatures are dead organisms, yet (Y/N) still leaves and breathes! Isn't this just EXHILARATING?!"
The head of research was in a frenzied state, his usual well-kept white coat now crumpled and unbuttoned. Sweat stained his undershirt, the glasses on the bridge of his nose uncentered and droopy. His eyes were crazed, like a poor man who had been given a taste of power.
And he wanted more of it.
"We must use more. More research! More tests! Make sure my subject comes back in TIP-TOP SHAPE OR I WILL HAVE YOUR HEADS!" He threatened. Most of the workers alongside him were barely fazed. This is what the head researcher became when he delved far into a part of his findings, so much so that he became them. If anything, it was something for the others to look up to; a man willing to sacrifice his being in the name of science.
"If we can perfect (Y/N)'s being, he can become something incomprehensible. We can cure things that humans have feared for years! There will be no more need to put young men on the frontlines of war when you can have Supersoldiers to command at your fingertips! The possibilities are endless!" Jim grinned, mashing away at his keyboard to go further into his pile of notes.
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The stench of smoke and blood was so palpable you could cut through the air with a knife. With the transformed Nomu and your side, you saved many people lost in the rubble, your Nomu comrade doing most of the heavy lifting. Most people looked more confused and scared than relieved, seeing as the creature that was helping you had its brethren still out and about causing ruin. Silver Wolf was nowhere to be seen, most likely on the front lines fighting with other pro heroes.
Before following that train of thought, your gaze wandered back to the Nomu, the scorpion tail on its head writhing on its head in your direction.
To answer your question, I merely put a part of me into that Nomu creature. No harm done. Though, I don't know if the skull crunch was needed...
"Oh don't give me sass now," you mumbled, your steps turning into a light job. The Nomu creature followed suit. Commotion, mighty cracks, and punches littered the air like bombshells in your ears. There had been barely anything over communications, so you had truly been left to your own devices, though you were sure Umbrella was still watching.
As you were about to turn the corner onto another main street, the floor suddenly became wet concrete, and your legs would no longer move. The Nomu seemed to suffer the same effect, its head reared at you expectantly. Looking down, your feet seemed fine, but your body would no longer travel forward. A tingling sensation overcame your neck, and you slowly turned your body around.
Through the still smoldering flames and flickering streetlights, a figure loomed out of the shadows. The aura he gave off seemed so intimidating, almost unapproachable. Yet your legs and feet moved you closer, closer towards the unknown man, and farther from the heroes that needed your aid.
As the two of you neared closer, his features became more distinct. His jet black shades shined dangerously against the flames, his Caucasian skin and blondish hair contrasting with the long dark trenchcoat he wore. Somewhat like your hero costume, he also wore coal-black combat boots, jeans, gloves, and a belt. The tingling sensation only grew stronger and stronger as you neared, a visible smile on the unknown man's face.
Did you know this man? He felt similar...somehow. Akin in a way. Like a brother, yet from different blood. You were somewhat scared, yet calm. Anxious, yet excited. Your body and mind felt as though it was going through a civil war.
"(Y/N)," The man pronounced, his grin only growing wider. "We meet again."
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-Toilet_Watur