That last line reminds me of Incredibles, I think

Delusions of Bliss

​

Forgetting is painful, but knowing is worse.

Joining the Covenant of Eternal Bliss was supposed to be the answer. A promise of relief. The lifting of worldly burdens through spiritual enlightenment. Members were said to feel fraternal and sororal bonds with all those that transcend. Peace at last.

Of course, this was all lies.

Still, millions flocked to become part of The Congregation as if it were going out of fashion. Who’s to blame them, I can’t as I was one of them. the world we live in is a hellscape of strife and injustice, of war and death, so it’s no surprise we leapt at the chance of escape, no matter the cost.

We swarmed newly furbished centres across the globe, places that would perform a miracle surgery, one that would separate mind from body. True escape from the material world.

It’s not surgery, it’s torture. An old technique was implemented, one from a more barbarous age where driving spikes into the brain was once considered healthcare. Strangely, failure isn’t fatal, but death would be more welcoming as one becomes a prisoner of their own mind. They become a passenger, viewing through the glazed lenses of a zombie shipped off to slave away, housed in battery farms, producing infrastructural materials for the Covenant and their allies.

My surgery failed. The farm is my life.

I wish I could forget.

​

[WC: 230]

Find more of my stuff at r/TheHiveWithUdders.

The first thing I notice is always the shadow. Anything that hides in a human guise will affect the passage of light, in some ways more subtle than others. To a normal person they wouldn't see anything different, with the mind-obscuring effects active. But to those of us with psychic inclinations, it would change.

Vampires would show a hunched figure, large wings folded at their backs. They were not the beautiful beings of legends, but beasts. Werewolves would show their thick fur, hot breaths evident even on the warmest of days. Fey had ones that were too slim and graceful, demons flickered like flame. So many varieties existed, I was used to identifying them with a casual glance.

Once I had seen their shadow's form, their guise would fade for me. I knew of others like me, yet whose minds weren't as strong as mine. They would see flickers of their true forms, but nothing permanent. Yet for me it would see a faint image of their disguise, behind which I could see their true forms.

Most of the time, I left them alone. They might not be human, but they did little to harm them. Sure, some might accidentally get hurt, but such was the way of things. It was only went they went out of their way to be malicious would I step in. Despite clear physical differences between us, they found I was more than a match, reading their intentions even before they could act on them.

I was walking alone, enjoying a nice day in the park, when I noticed someone different. Something about their movements made me take notice, and I glanced at their shadow. For a moment it looked human, before splitting into a writhing mass of tentacles.

I stared for a moment, caught offguard. I had seen many different forms, but each at least had a form of humanoid shape to it. This was a formless mass, utterly different to anything I knew about. I dragged my eyes up to their body, seeing their illusions pale.

Inside was a wet, twisting vision of madness. Those tentacles I saw wove around each other, some topped with eyes, others with mouths, all in a seemingly random.and ever moving configuration. A singular large eye was located in its centre, one that swivelled to meet my gaze.

Having seen its form, my mind instinctively went to touch it. But it's thoughts were arrayed in such a different way, I could not see them. Or rather, as I tried to grasp them each part slipped through my grip. One shattered itself, forming a new shape aimed at me.

"A psyche-watcher, how intriguing."

The alien creature stalked towards me. Its human guise would be locking eyes with mine, even as I stared into its true form. I inwardly gagged at the wet sliding sound it moved with, something about it so inherent wrong it revolted me.

"I know you see me."

I tried to pulled back as it spoke to me, but another shattered thought encircled my mind. It rooted me to the spot, preventing me from telling my body to move. I felt nothing from it, as though I was merely an ant being inspected. With fear lancing my head I fought to escape, yet I was held in a grip of iron.

"Psyche-watcher, lend me your mind. I wish to understand."

I focused, forming my own words.

"Let me go."

It finally stopped, now close enough to touch. It's thoughts grew tighter, keeping me locked in place. A branch grew from on part of its broken mentality, scraping at the edge of my mind. An insidious touch, something I had never imagined to be possible. A mental interrogation, the mind forced open like a book. It addressed me once more, even as it cut open my mind.

"I will understand."

This sounds cool, could you explain?

I named my white horse "White Boi" in BOTW.

Harry, Octavia, and Persephone were cavalry members. They were tasked with taking out mythical creatures. In their shining armor, they rode up to a clearing in the Hills of Gasta. They saw what looked like roosters. The knights charged, and the birds looked up at them. The creatures looked to the sky, opened their mouths, and shot out fireballs. “I think they’re cockatrices”, said Octavia. The knights shot at the birds with arrows. The birds tried to escape by running, but they were too slow. There were explosions heard above. The knights looked up to see multiple fireballs falling toward the ground. The fireballs that the cockatrices sent up earlier had multiplied via exploding. The knights jerked the reins, and their horses ran. The grass was lit ablaze.
“Great job, White Boy”, Harry told his horse. “Really? That’s what you named it?”, asked Persephone.

Great plot twist

I have a book of alternate history stories about teddy on my book shelf. Can't wait to read through these.

call that man Karma.

Simply amazing and full of pathos. Je also a bit sad. He had a goal in life, a mission,.and he accomplished it at the first go he said it, anticlimactic. Bus so worth the pathos.

When in doubt, try a sledgehammer.

Beef up the taser, of course, but make the darts longer range. Those murderbots likely have better senses than you, and quite a bit more range given they probably have some ranged weaponry.

You could also augment one of your rifles to shoot the darts (with a much longer and stronger cord) and hook the thing up to, like, a car battery.

Not a lawyer though, make sure that's remotely legal as a self defense option. Probably isn't, but worth checking.

They will be back. Oh, they will.

They told us lies, all lies! And most people, fools, believed them.

Not me. Not us.

We, The Rebels, will stand strong. As the last survivors.

"Earth is not safe to live anymore."

"We have found another planet like ours."

"We can, and will, restart there. Come with us."

LIES!

There is no such place like Earth.

Earth is Earth. Earth is Home.

But they are so blinded by their own little minds that they can't see it.

"Science", they say. Fools!

I'd rather stay. The planet is bad, but not as bad as they say.

We can live longer. We WILL live longer!

We don't need them.

They will fail.

Soon...

Any time now...

They will hit The Dome...

Username perfectly checks out.

I like the twist!

Well, I didn't say success was part of the plan. I like how this got slightly meta!

Oooooooh dark I like it!!

I sink into a vent just as Yellow enters. They didn't see me, thankfully. I begin crawling to Medbay, only to bump into Pink in the vents.

"Psst. Hey, Pink," I whisper. "Can we talk real quick?"

"Sure, but make it quick - I've got my eye on Green."

"It's about that... can we call it quits? Just stop the kills? I've actually made friends with one of them... and you killed one that I had just befriended."

"You mean Red?" they grunt. "Saw me vent. It was a necessity."

"Yeah... just... can't we just let them finish the tasks? If we seem like we're doing tasks too, they won't suspect us."

"Look at the task bar already, mate." We both look up. "It's past halfway. We can still win this thing." They begin crawling in the direction of Navigation.

"But... but that's what I'm trying to say. We can just let them win instead of killing them all off." I follow them, and hear their sigh. We pop out of the vent into an empty Navigation Room.

"Okay, mate, let me get this straight. You want to stop killing the crewmates because you've made them your friends." They stare at me.

"Yes," I reply, relieved they finally get it.

They punch me in the face, and I fall flat. I look up, and stare down the barrel of a gun. "This is my solution to your problem," they shrug.

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"I know what you're thinking, but believe me. I know what I'm doing!"

She sighed in frustration and looked at me more than a little annoyed. Still, I felt like I was getting through to her and although I tried to suppress it, I couldn't help but get my hopes up.

"Don't we have enough information about them already? Can't we just kill them?" I fell silent and merely looked her straight in the eye, shaking my head briefly as if she was making an obvious mistake. She still hasn't learned how to handle silence, how to stand up under pressure. Deep down I smiled maliciously, she was still a beginner.

There was a reason she was paired with me.

"Okay, you got me. But you better end it quick, understand?" I gave her a big smile and thanked her like the most obnoxious idiot ever. She had no idea that she had just saved her life with that answer.

The moment we parted my smile disappeared completely, there was no longer any reason to keep up that facade. To act like a clueless newbie like her. I've been in this business for so long, there's nothing I haven't done and nothing I'm not willing to do. And yet this is my first time.

My fingers tingled with excitement. It's been so long since I've spilled blood and I can't wait to see their faces. The realisation that I have betrayed them will rob them of all their confidence and turn them into mere prey for them to feast on. I will take the time to explain to them that it is not about the money, the fame or any of their countless enemies. It's much easier, to the point where it's almost comical how obvious it is.

I've started to like my target, experienced something like friendship for the first time in my life, and I don't want to lose it. This warm, cozy feeling is something I hold very precious in the cold world I grew up in. And I will do anything to preserve that sensation, even if it means betraying the people who raised and nurtured me. I feel no remorse, after all, I was raised to do nothing else.

And after I wipe them off the face of the earth, sink their last remains in the sea, I will return to my friends. Smiling and laughing as if I had not ended countless human lives because of them.

[removed]

"AT LEAST GIVE ME MADE IN JAPAN VERSION!!! ARGH!!!"

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Crushing damage might do the trick. Lots of it.

The Boys was one of my inspirations for my superhero/villain stories here.

The other is both the O.S.I. and Guild of Calamitous Intent from Venture Bros

Asher debated a moment, then realized the human’s priorities were a bit…off. Especially since Asher had concluded the temperature fluctuations were not, in fact, limited to his imaginations. “Are you part of a union?” Asher asked.

Mr. Banes thought, just a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, yeah I am but-“

“Then your union rep is likely going to back you. Especially given what I’m seeing of your documentation and work record,” Asher replied idly, not catching himself in time. Mr. Banes looked like he wasn’t about to let those little supposed-to-be-private-unless-provided-via-search-warrant-details slide, so Asher cleared his throat and—borrowing from some of his ‘colleagues’ penchant for dramatics—leaned forward and dropped his tone. “It’s not the legal system that should be weighing on you, Mr. Banes. It’s the fact that Calamity Jim has a wife…er…girlfriend? Partner? Hell, could even call ‘er a side-chick if you’d like, get it? Side-kick?”

By Mr. Banes’ frown, he did not get it.

Ash sighed again and leaned back. “Let me get you in on a well-known secret, Mr. Banes. Supers? They don’t care about legal turnouts or case proceedings. I’d put good money on you clearing any charges of being found at fault here. Hell, I’ll represent you if you think your rep isn’t giving you a fair shake even, pro-bono.” Mr. Banes might have looked a little uplifted if he wasn’t waiting for the other shoe to drop. Asher was beginning to really feel for the guy. “But Calamity Jane isn’t going to care that you weren’t found at fault. All she cares about it that Calamity Jim passed out due to toxic fumes and then was summarily vaporized by you firing up the silo.” And to really hammer the point home. “You’re married? You have a kid?”

Mr. Banes’ expression was getting paler and slicker by the second. Asher’s face was bearing the brunt of his blasé impunity.

“My partner is out of town and my son—” Mr. Banes expelled a heavy breath. Then repeated his mantra of, “No one was supposed to be down there.”

“Because you followed the rules set in place to protect people.” Ash made a point of side-eying the wall. “Because when people don’t follow those rules, what happens to them, Mr. Banes?”

Mr. Banes looked at the wall as well, then jumped a little when he looked back across at Asher, who took that reaction as he might have been laying on the dramatics a little thick. “People can get hurt,” Mr. Banes responded quickly.

“Exactly, Mr. Banes,” Ash said, leaning back and resuming his relaxed stance. The heat in his face was mitigating, however, so he’d made his point effectively elsewhere as well. “Because people who don’t follow the rules can get hurt. Or worse yet, hurt others. And on that note,” Asher set down his tablet and smiled at Mr. Banes. “I’ve made arrangements for your son. His school has been in contact and is cooperating. Your partner has also been located, and work is being done to bring them to safety as well.”

“From Calamity Jane,” Mr. Banes said slowly. He looked back to the blank wall. “What about… Sandpoint’s side-kicks?”

“Sandpoint isn’t dead,” Ash explained bluntly. “At least, far as I’m aware based on his physiology. Something about reincarnation? Rapid regeneration? Some people get all the luck of second, third, even fourth-chances, am I right?”

Mr. Banes was frowning again.

Asher took a moment to underline an earlier note he’d made: No animosity toward Supers. Well, no client was perfect…

“Am I free to leave?”

“Sure, sure,” Asher replied, waving a hand. “Just, you know, if I were you, I’d stay? On account of this being probably the last place Calamity Jane would want to hit.” Ash stood up from the table and made his way to the door. “But let’s see if we can’t get you some better, more comfortable accommodations in the meantime, eh?”

“I— Thank you,” Mr. Banes said, appearing somewhat defeated.

“Not a problem,” Asher said, swiping his keycard. The door dinged, but Mr. Banes spoke up before Asher could fully step through, which more or less broke the illusion so the very normal and boring hallway packed with now a half dozen Supers was somewhat visible now.

“Thanks again, uh, Asher? For the coffee. But I’m a little—” Mr. Banes held up his arms and nearly toppled out of the chair. He had clearly been expecting resistance from the cuffs that were no longer impeding him, and, by Asher’s estimates, hadn’t been for the past ten or so minutes. In fact, they lay open and unlocked before him, the leg restraints beneath also slack.

“Oh right, I found all that to be a little much, didn’t you?” Asher spoke up for the hallway crowd. Mr. Banes was still looking at the cuffs in silent disbelief. Asher spared him. “I’m a fixer, Mr. Banes. It’s what I do; I get people out of situations. And I’m more than happy to be getting you out of yours. Just sit tight, and I’ll fix things from my end.”