NK gulped. The impulsive side of her wanted to make a snide remark at the newcomers, and see the glorious commotion it would create, but she quickly suppressed such a stupid impulse.
It would be funny, she admitted, but it would undoubtedly be the quickest way to get herself flushed into the urinary tract system.
Now was definitely not the time to make some offhanded joke about the oldest cells in the world.
Once the cloaked cells sat down on their high chairs, they immediately brushed off the hoods covering up their faces.
NK suddenly felt a sharp pain throbbing inside her head.
Urk... The hell is this?!
She had to muster all her strength just to keep herself from dropping down to her knees to vomit.
She wanted to say that these ancient cells were so ugly and worn out that it was making her head hurt, but obviously, it was something else.
The neuron cells in front of her had intricate wires and synapses attached to their heads, and almost all wore some sort of mask that either had some type of breathing apparatus or optical implants or both.
NK felt sick, but she also realized the other members of her group also felt the same malady in their heads.
As if sensing the unease she and her group were enduring, the cell in a business suit muttered something to the seated neurons who then wore back their hoods.
Almost immediately, NK felt the crushing pain in her head disappear as if she didn't just experience hot needles being jammed into her skull.
"Apologies that you have to endure such inconvenience," the cell wearing a business suit apologized. "You must understand, my colleagues here normally do not leave their sanctums in the brain's great lobes and thus forget to realize that other cells could not handle the electrical pulses they emit."
Like the seated neuron cells, the cell wearing a business suit also sported wires attached to his head which he had woven into a long ponytail.
"In any case, welcome, welcome, dear lymphocytes and phagocytes, to the Hypothalamus," he raised his arms forward in greeting. "I'm Neurosecretory cell, director of the Hypothalamus, and these colleagues behind me are representatives from the Council of Neurons."
Despite the pain they endured from the electrical pulses emitted by the ancient ones, they still showed their respect to them as they all bowed in reverence.
In this world populated by trillions of cells, the neurons in the brain were always considered the most important, the most prioritized, and the most ancient of cells. It was said that they've existed since the beginning of time and that their existences were far more valuable and important than all the cells in the world combined.
Aloof and distant, they always kept their business with themselves, meditating inside the great lobes of the brain so as to conjure and maintain a mysterious phenomenon that controls the world called the Consciousness.
Neurosecretory bowed his head in response, but the seated neurons remained unmoving.
"Please, let's skip with the individual introductions and immediately discuss the matter at hand namely, a report about a world-ending threat correct?"
"Yes sir," Helper T concurred. NK turned to look at her commander who took a step forward to differentiate him from the rest of the immune cells. "I was the one who called for this meeting and, actually, we also have a request."
"Hmm," Neurosecretory crossed his arms. "Well please proceed commander."
Helper T took in a deep breath before continuing. "We are dealing with an unknown enemy that kills immune cells but then vanishes off without a trace. The first reports of such attacks occurred some four days ago and we've been receiving distress calls from everywhere in the world after that."
"I see. Then are you suggesting, commander, that the vitamin supplements we're importing are still not enough?"
"They are not for combating this type of infection sir," Helper T corrected. "We've sent out squad after squad of Killer T cells to investigate these killings, but so far, we've yet to find even a whisper of the name of the culprit."
"A whisper of the name he says..." One of the cloaked neurons repeated, his voice sounded distorted and artificial. "Are you admitting to us you that cannot do your job cell commander?"
Helper T shook his head vigorously.
"N-No milord," He stammered. "W-We're doing what we can, but I believe it would be best if we could ask for your support."
"And what would that be?" Neurosecretory raised an eyebrow.
"Firstly, to increase the temperature to fever levels," Helper T placed a hand on his glasses to straightened it up. "And secondly, to suggest to the Consciousness to stir the world into this place I heard called a hospital and seek additional support."
"A HOSPITAL?!" one of the cloaked neurons jumped out of his seat as he shouted, his voice high-pitched and distorted. "You cheeky little bastard, do you even know what a hospital is?!"
"I uh," sweat started to pour on the sides of Helper T's face. "I saw it on one of the dream broadcasts, and they heal up worlds do they not?"
The sudden outburst of the neuron only made the tension in the air thick and suffocating. The cloaked neurons started to discuss in hush tones with themselves as the immune cells all stood in absolute silence.
NK watched at the council members, and she could see it in their behavior their confusion over the matter. Truth be told, Helper T had first discussed his plan with her and the other immune cells before they decided to come here into the hypothalamus to petition the ancient council. NK had also seen this place called a hospital on one of the dreams being broadcast when the world went into REM sleep. She didn't have any idea what the world outside their world looks like, but from what she saw, this hospital could definitely help them in saving their world from total destruction.
"They do," the neuron who jumped up confirmed. "But why would you even suggest such a thing? Have you already thrown your tendrils up the air in defeat?"
"We are just preparing for the worst milord," Helper T replied. "This might be a battle we cannot win without outside help."
"And why would you say that?" the neuron pressed on. "For all we know, this threat could be nothing more than an overcharged flu that a pint full of lemonade could easily eradicate."
"It is true we haven't yet found out the culprit, but we've proof of the destruction it had already done."
Helper T turned his head to signal at Dendritic cell who immediately walked toward the seated council.
"My lords," Dendritic made a nervous smile as he took out a bundle of pictures from his side bag. "Please take some time to study these photos to get a better idea of the threat we are currently facing."
Dendritic proceeded to distribute the pictures to each cloaked neuron. The council members then studied each individual photo before swapping them with their seatmate.
The rest of the cells in the room stood silently to give the ancient neurons some time to think.
Finally, after what felt like a minute or two, a neuron sitting on the rightmost chair stood up and then banged his fists on the table, shocking everyone back into attention.
"I've warned you imbeciles not to go on that trip!" he shrieked at his peers as his voice-modulator cracked with static. Even covered by his cloak, it was clear for everyone to see he was shaking. "I've warned you not to go overseas!"
"Oh just sit down, will you? You're just paranoid!" another neuron countered. "This is clearly nothing, but a flu infection and the immune cells here are just a bunch of useless pieces of walking glucose making stuff up."
NK gritted her teeth. It took all her strength to restrain herself from lunging toward that effing neuron and beat some senses in his effing nucleus. Who was he calling useless pieces of walking glucose?
"Are you shitting me?!" the frantic neuron exclaimed. "All these pictures are of dead immune cells! These are not just some ordinary cells getting killed, but cells from the immune system! This is not a coincidence. Have you morons not seen that Kurzgesagt video in Youtube?!"
Every one of his fellow neurons shook their heads as they let out a collective 'oh-here-we-go-again' sigh.
"For the umpteenth time, this is not Ebola!" another of his colleague stood up. "We've not been into Africa, and we've not eaten bush meat!"
"We could have met someone that did!" the frantic neuron screamed, now throwing the photos up in the air. "The Consciousness should be warned of an impending Ebola infection before it's too late!"
"Ok I've had enough with you, this is not Ebola!" one of the neurons rolled up his sleeves, and then body slammed the frantic neuron down to the ground. The other members of the council immediately moved to restrain the two.
"Unhand me you louse! You will not silence me from informing the Consciousness!"
NK watched the whole commotion with both surprise and horror.
What the hell are they doing?
One thing they were discussing silently with themselves and now two of them were on each other's throat. She tried to make sense of it all but realized she absolutely had no clue on what they were all talking about.
Kurzgewhat? Youtube? Ebola?
None of these words made any sense to her, but her impression of the ancient neurons as high and benevolent cells had now completely gone down the drain.
There was actually nothing special about them, and they act exactly like any cell in the world that have metal sticks stuck up their behinds.
They're just... They're just a bunch of idiots... She shook her head in disbelief.
"I'm terribly sorry that you have to witness this uncivilized behavior from my colleagues," Neurosecretory apologized as he strode toward Helper T. "The council will definitely deliberate on your proposal, I assure you of that... Just give them some time... They're all under a significant amount of stress."
"Err, t-thank you," Helper T responded unsurely. "Um as I said, with outside help, we could definitely track down and defeat this threat."
"I'm sure you can," Neurosecretory replied. "Now, for your first request, I can handle raising the world's temperature to fever levels. Could you please hand over a pyrogen for code activation?"
Helper T nodded again and then turned to look at Lady Macrophage who in turn took out a metallic cylinder from her pocket with the label 'pyrogen.'
"I believe this would suffice to your liking Neurosecretory-sama?" Lady Macrophage chirped as she handed him over the pyrogen cylinder.
"Why yes, it will, milady," Neurosecretory smiled back as he took the cylinder from Lady Macrophage's hand.
"Um sir," Helper T started. "Would the council still want to hear more of our report? I have members from my elite hit squads to give their re-"
"Who are you calling neurotic?!"
"You ARE neurotic you dumbass!"
"Would you all please shut up?!"
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
On the other side of the room, the commotion had suddenly turned into a brawl with neurons now fighting with each other instead of just breaking a fight between two of their members.
"Would that answer your question, commander?" Neurosecretory asked drily.
"Yeah, it kind of," Helper T admitted, his lips now forming into a straight line.
"Then this meeting is adjourned," Neurosecretory turned to walk back toward his neuron colleagues. "I need to sort them out first. You may now leave. Thank you."
Like clockwork, the immune cells then formed a line toward the exit door.
NK let out a sigh as she tried to restrain herself from showing her disappointment and rage.
Her time had been entirely wasted on this stupid meeting. True, she understood the reasoning behind Helper T's request for senior immune cells to accompany him in this meeting as a show of unity, but the neurons just barely acknowledged their presence in the room before turning on against themselves.
"What a total waste of time," she groused through seethed teeth.
As she was about to exit the room, she stopped and turned toward the neurons dogpiling on each other.
"You're a bunch of neurotic old farts!" She hollered before skidding out of the room.
-----
A/N:
The Image above is of a Tech Priest from Warhammer 40k. Basically, I imagine the Neuron cells to look like them. ^^
Originally Posted on Dec. 4, 2018