{"sf1_id":877840,"sf2_id":"yndwwGvm","title":"The Protectors: Grey in Grey","author":"WolfenRyujin","words":4393,"posted_at":"2015-06-24T09:05:00.000Z","tags":["Alternative Reality","Character Development","Cheetah","Cyborg","Fennec","Lemur","Lion","M/m Hypnosis","Rottweiler","Story Progression","Superheroes","shepherd"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/877840-the-protectors-grey-in-grey","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/yndwwGvm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/f9/6f/f96f6c86-fd87-428b-9360-931f9ed053b0","description":"#3 of The Protectors\n\nSo, third Chapter in this Prequel Series.\nSorry it took me so long to write this, reasons were explained in my journals and the foreword of the last story i posted.\nStill, this turned out rather good... i hope at least.\nAs always feedback is appreciated and while relatively tame for the long run the same as usual: Don't read if under age of consent or if you don't like M/M imagery, hypnosis and all that other stuff.\nWell, have fun reading.","content":"\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\n  \n\nEcstatic moans could be heard up and down the alley, the cheetah barely holding on\u0026nbsp;as pleasure surged through his body, flames erupting here and there all over his fur,\n\nas he let it wash over him.\n\nAbyss just grinned, watching as the hero was impaled by his colleagues impressivemember, Hammer doing what he did best, pounding someone into submission.\n\n  \n\nOrdering the rottweiler around had become somewhat of a hobby during the last\u0026nbsp;week, the mutt almost too easy to control, maybe it was a canine thing.\n\nThe lion wouldn't complain of course, it was quite nice in a way, although the\u0026nbsp;dogs spark didn't seem to change as much as he had hoped,\n\nmaybe because his had already done so much to the rottweiler.\n\nIt was a possibility that the subtlety of Flickers spark was exactly what had caused\u0026nbsp;the lemur to react much more.\n\n  \n\nAnother moan moved Abyss' attention back to the cheetah, his eyes deluded,\u0026nbsp;glazed over as one of the magical crystals kept holding his attention.\n\nThe tight spandex boxers Brightstar was wearing were already strained to their limits,\u0026nbsp;only pulled down far enough to expose his bubble butt,\n\na wet spot growing with every second.\n\n'You enjoy this my little friend, don't you?'\n\nHe couldn't help but chuckle, holding back a laugh as he waited for an answer that he\u0026nbsp;already knew.\n\n-...aaaaawwwwrrrr...can't...,- moaned the smaller feline, his tail wrapping itself around\u0026nbsp;Hammers neck as if he was trying to get support for his lean frame.\n\nOn top of him the dog grunted, slobber dripping down his muzzle, he was almost there\u0026nbsp;himself, then again, he was almost there pretty much everytime the lion was near.\n\nAffectionately Abyss scratched the cheetahs chin, enjoying the view as the former\u0026nbsp;blue eyes were swallowed by his magic's purple hue, the last gates to the heroes\n\nmind opening under the assault of sensual sensations.\n\n'It's okay Brightstar, it's okay... you can let yourself go and enjoy it all,' he purred without\u0026nbsp;losing his commanding undertones as he watched the smaller feline shudder.\n\nSeconds later something akin to a growl could be heard, the cheetah snarling as the\u0026nbsp;steady, fast thrusts of Hammers hips had pushed him over the edge,\n\nthe tent in his\u0026nbsp;boxers twitching as creamy, white liquid started dripping from the tip.\n\nA few moments after the feline had fallen head over into lustful bliss, Hammer joined him,\u0026nbsp;a howl escaping the hulking hound as his pride started pumping it's load into the\n\ntight opening he had penetrated for what he thought an eternity.\n\n'My, my... maybe i should start leaving these experiences with you guys, you seem to\u0026nbsp;enjoy them so much,' he chuckled again, scratching Hammer behind his ears like one\n\nwould with a pet.\n\n\"...was...was Hammer good, Master?\"\n\nIt was almost adoring how much this part of the mutts personality had grown,\u0026nbsp;there probably were a few dozen reasons why, but Abyss didn't care,\n\nimportant was\u0026nbsp;that the dog was under control and enjoying every second of it.\n\n'Hmmmrrryes, Hammer was very good indeed,' he purred, leaning forward before\u0026nbsp;planting a kiss on the canines lips.\n\nAs the mutt slowly pulled back a weak mewl, almost a whimper, could be heard from\u0026nbsp;the exhausted feline below.\n\n'Now, why don't you go home Hammer? You were a very good dog, but good dogs\u0026nbsp;also need rest.'\n\nAlmost immediately the brute nodded in agreement, smiling at the white lion\u0026nbsp;with the glee of a praised pup.\n\n  \n\nMinutes later Abyss was alone with the other feline, fingertips dancing around the\u0026nbsp;magical crystal whose pulsating light held the weakened minds attention.\n\n'I want you to listen very carefuly Brightstar, very... carefuly, like the good, dutiful,\u0026nbsp;kitten you are, so i can show you even more amazing things, yes?'\n\nA warm hand ruffled the cheetah's hair, eliciting a soft purr, the tip of Brightstar'stongue sticking out between his lips.\n\n'That's good,' he simply moved on with his monologue, knowing by now that his\u0026nbsp;magic would give the words weight that let them sink deep into the subconsciousness.\n\n'Now, i want you to keep doing your heroic duty, using your flames to fight and defend,\u0026nbsp;but,' he left room for a dramatic pause to make sure that he had the cats attention.\n\n'But you will feel a new flame, with every single bad guy you stop, a warm ember that\u0026nbsp;slowly grows in heat as fire erupts from it, and all those little touches you like to receive\n\nwhen you're aroused will be done by this flame, by it's erotic energy.'\n\nHe couldn't help but grin, couldn't wait on how this would play out, his own costume,\u0026nbsp;a blue jockstrap with golden edges,\n\naccompanied by boots and gloves of the same colour,\u0026nbsp;tenting out in his crotch.\n\nBy their very nature these people were adored by the public, having them get aroused for\u0026nbsp;what they did every day was just a fun little game for him, and a rather hot one at that.\n\nAbyss could get used to this, playing the villain for them just to see them fall, well,\u0026nbsp;so far not many knew about him and only two well, three, were under his influence,\u0026nbsp;\n\nHammer, Flicker and now Brightstar.\n\nA deep breath, Flicker, he had to check in with him soon as he was curious how the\u0026nbsp;lemur had changed.\n\n'Now, i will go in a few moments my little kitten, you'll remember the most intense,\u0026nbsp;best battle you ever had and there's nothing wrong with getting excited over that,\u0026nbsp;\n\nis there?'\n\nHe had to leave the last word with his victims, it worked better that way as they\u0026nbsp;were much more willing to accept something that the lion suggested,\n\nat least if\u0026nbsp;the illusion was there that they had a choice.\n\n  \n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\n  \n\nIn a way Charles had grown fond of the lemurs visits, just a short while and he already\u0026nbsp;had started talking about his past with the hero.\n\nThey were alike in a way, smart, good with their hands, head brimming with ideas that\u0026nbsp;they just couldn't get out the way they had hoped for.\n\nSure, the lemur had no superpower or anything like that, but his brilliant mind compensated\u0026nbsp;well enough for that, at least from Charles point of view.\n\nAs he prepared the tea for Larry's next visit he mused a little, they hadn't talked too much\u0026nbsp;about the fennec's own past, more about inventions and possible designs.\n\nThere were questions bound to pop up should he go into more detail, in a way he didn't\u0026nbsp;mind the thought but as someone thinking about himself as a hero Larry probably held\n\nsome moral rules high that Charles had forsaken years ago.\n\nOn the other hand, speaking with the lemur, helping him out in any way he could,\u0026nbsp;had made him feel more alive than any recent memory told him he ever felt.\n\nHe still knew that he probably just had a few months left, but the dread that fact\u0026nbsp;had brought was gone in a way.\n\n  \n\n-Charles? I bought some groceries for you, your fridge was almost empty last time.-\n\nAs Larry opened the door, trying to hold the grocery bags close to his body so that\u0026nbsp;they wouldn't fall down, or some of their content escape,\n\nhe already looked around\u0026nbsp;for the fennec.\n\nSlowly he made his steps in, closed the door with his foot before heading for the kitchen.\n\n'How much was it? I should at least give you the money back,' Charles' raspy voice could be\u0026nbsp;heard from the small room Larry was heading for.\n\n-It's fine, wasn't that much and if i stay here more often i probably end up eating\u0026nbsp;half of it anyway.-\n\nThe fennec shook his head, smiled a little even, he almost felt like he had an argument\u0026nbsp;with a child that tried to support it's parent.\n\n-So, what are we up to today? I still have lots of ideas for your company, well, at least\u0026nbsp;the non-lethal ones are for your company.-\n\n'I thought, maybe we could just talk a little for starters. You seem eager to get everything\u0026nbsp;out of your head and into the world way to fast you know?'\n\nLarry looked back a bit puzzled, brow slightly furrowed and one ear standing up as the other\u0026nbsp;hung down.\n\n-I just never had this much energy for it, you know? As if someone had opened a floodgate\u0026nbsp;for energydrinks in my brain.-\n\n'Just hope you don't get a sugarcrash soon,' he chuckled even, although the raspy imitation\u0026nbsp;of a laugh soon was broken up by\n\nheavy coughs that he barely got under control again.\n\n-Should... i call a doctor?-\n\nLarry's hands had already grabed his cellphone, fingers almost twitching to dial a number,\u0026nbsp;he was truly worried as the condition of the fennec\n\nmay not had gotten much worse but wasn't\u0026nbsp;improving as much as Charles always claimed.\n\n'It's fine, it's fine,' he mumbled after a few, deep breaths before moving his wheelchair back into\u0026nbsp;the living room.\n\n  \n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\n  \n\nThe shepherd grumbled a bit while his left arm was stuck with a job, of course they had upgraded\u0026nbsp;the electronic lock, of course they had...\n\nIf he had better hardware it wouldn't be a problem, but it wasn't as easy as just sticking in new parts.\n\nA deep sigh escaped his muzzle, his ears twitched as he looked up... had there been a sound?\n\n  \n\nNo...nothing, another deep sigh, he was getting paranoid again.\u0026nbsp;\n\nNo one, really no one was supposed to know he would pull this, nobody should be here.\n\nThe cybernetic mutt needed the technology stored here... badly at that, an upgrade was overdue,\u0026nbsp;maybe he wouldn't get new weapons out of it, but better processors, circuitry, maybe even\u0026nbsp;a new alloy to make his plating more durable.\n\n  \n\nFinally, after what seemed like an eternity, the lock clicked and opened.\n\nA satisfied sigh later he slowly pushed the door open, a swift look into the room behind it before he\u0026nbsp;quickly went in.\n\nThe laboratory was quite big, sterile, but at least organized.\n\nHe had seen quite a few that had been a chaotic mess which, more than once, had led to him\u0026nbsp;almost getting caught.\n\nSlowly he moved around the tables, looking for an index folder or something, hopefully they hadn't\u0026nbsp;gone fully digital with their records.\n\nAfter a while he gave up, looked for a computer and booted it up.\n\n'Figures, let me spent more time here, not like i'm a wanted criminal, nope... honestly, have some\u0026nbsp;consideration for people like me,' he muttered to himself while trying\n\nto hack the simple password,\u0026nbsp;using his cybernetic arm for a direct connection.\n\nThe shepherd had long forgotten when he had started talking to himself, at some point it had just\u0026nbsp;happened, and in a way he didn't care about it.\n\n  \n\nAfter a little while his brow furrowed, this couldn't be right, what he found here sounded too good\u0026nbsp;to be true.\n\n'But what if it is,' he rubbed his chin a little, took another look around.\n\nA look at, what the screen showed to be, Project Mithril later he stood up, they probably kept it in\u0026nbsp;the safe in the back of the laboratory.\n\n  \n\nAs the canine made his way to the back of the room the screen flickered a little.\n\nProject Mithril, highly experimental this was one of the first attempts to build a nanite-swarm,\u0026nbsp;microscopic machines, able to reform almost any material according to their programming.\n\nIt still was unstable, kept in an ionic field so that none of them could leak out as they would\u0026nbsp;simply start replicating, eating away any substance to let the swarm grow, be more effiecent.\n\n  \n\nHe knew that of course, still, his thoughts kept on turning, what if he could make them useable?\n\nIf he could make them stable, part of his system they probably would lose some of their current\u0026nbsp;functions but could make him stronger,\n\nturn an upgrade into a matter of seconds instead of days.\n\n  \n\nCompared to the door that led into this room the safe itself was almost nothing,\u0026nbsp;they may as well had presented the nanite-swarm on a silver platter he thought chuckling.\n\nIt still wouldn't be easy, but just getting them out of here into his retreat would be enough for\u0026nbsp;now.\n\nAfter that he could start working, there probably was some way to input information, else they\u0026nbsp;couldn't experiment with the swarm.\n\nA simple combination later, probably the birthday of the chief researcher or company owner,\u0026nbsp;he saw it, the cylindric glass-tube with a floating,\n\nsilver bubble in it that slowly changed shape.\n\nBoth ends had ports for different input devices, the information probably was sent via the\u0026nbsp;ionic field itself as to not give the nanites the opportunity to escape through the wiring.\n\nAlmost shaking he slowly lifted it out of the safe, could hear the electric buzz that fed\u0026nbsp;the thing with energy, probably some experimental battery or a radioactive power-source,\n\nionic fields, even this small, needed something stable after all.\u0026nbsp;\n\n  \n\nWith that he made his escape, grinning the entire time, if this worked, and he knew he could\u0026nbsp;make it work, he would be much, much stronger in the long run.\n\nNo more upgrades like the ones up till now, no Sir, this was his ticket to a lot of opportunities.\n\n  \n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\n  \n\nFor the first time in his life Larry didn't feel like rushing home, while full of energy in any\u0026nbsp;other situation he had to take his time now, had to think.\n\nThey had talked about Charles past, about his illness, how it all had led to him being... him.\n\nHe still couldn't quite understand it.\n\nFrom what the fennec had said his cancer was the result of experiments conducted on him,\u0026nbsp;not all painless, on the contrary, and yet he worked for the company that, back then,\n\nhad done a lot to him, simply to understand the electrokinesis he wielded.\n\nBut through the entire time the fox hadn't sounded sad or angry, he was happy,\u0026nbsp;happy that what was learned through him, some of the experiments were even his idea,\u0026nbsp;\n\ncould help others, could bring progress to a lot of fields.\n\nWas Charles insane?\u0026nbsp;\n\nHe didn't act like it, had no kind of tick or anything that turned him into an emotional mess.\n\nThe fox seemed... normal, and yet he talked about being, basically, tortured as if it was\u0026nbsp;nothing.\n\n+Progress shouldn't be opposed and just like any other current, it will find a way, even if\u0026nbsp;resisted at first,+ the fennecs words echoed through his mind.\n\n  \n\nThe implications behind that alone made the lemur shake his head.\n\nIt was like saying that rules didn't apply if you did something for the right reason.\n\nHe didn't like the thought, it just didn't feel right and if he followed that logic he could just\u0026nbsp;steal money, or anything, if it meant his inventions could be of use in some way.\n\nIt was the same, twisted thinking a lot of villains used to justify their actions and yet,\u0026nbsp;again, the fennec was otherwise normal, still helped out.\n\nOnce more he shook his head, grumbled a litte, the more he thought about it all,\u0026nbsp;the more logic seemed to be in those few words, logic that he didn't like because it\n\nactually struck a chord in him, he wanted to be helpful, so why not help himself to some\u0026nbsp;funding?\n\nWhy not?\n\n-Because it's too easy!,- he didn't scream but still was angry at himself, the whole thing\u0026nbsp;was a tempting excuse, dangling in front of him like a ripe apple, just begging to be picked.\n\n'Oh? What is?'\n\nIn an instance the whole mess in his head was forgotten as adrenaline rushed through his\u0026nbsp;veins, that voice... , and while he was ready to fight in an instance he wasn't sure why.\n\nAnother why that had to be answered later, he remembered the voice of course,\u0026nbsp;remembered the lion that, a few quick glances around later could be seen,\n\nhad obviously\u0026nbsp;done something to him.\n\nBut why was he so aggressive right on the spot?\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe memory itself wasn't painful, sad or anything negative, it actually was pleasing,\u0026nbsp;like a soft hand moving through his fur, slowly moving his worries out of the...\n\n  \n\n'Even bigger resistance than before, it seems your kind really is diverce in it's nature,'\u0026nbsp;Abyss chuckled, amused, intrigued.\n\n'Others were actually quite the opposite, rather fond of getting back into my grasp,\u0026nbsp;even happy to obey.'\n\n-No idea what you're talking about,- he almost grunted, shook his head, flexed his\u0026nbsp;muscles, maybe he was no Hammer but he still could put up a fight, even\n\nwithout his gadgets, not that Larry ever left the house completely unarmed.\n\n'Don't worry Flicker, you do prefer that name i take it, i'm not here to fight you,'\u0026nbsp;the lion said calmly while sitting down in mid air.\n\n-You did something to me, didn't you?-\n\nThe lemur still was ready to fight, kept a practiced stance that would at least\u0026nbsp;make evading some attacks easier as the hand behind his back,\n\nintended for balance, tried to grab one of the smoke bombs from his belt.\n\n'I unlocked your potential if that's what you mean. Brimming with energy,\u0026nbsp;aren't you? Ready to take on the world, mind flooded with ideas.'\n\n-How...?-\n\n'It took me a while i have to admit, your spark is special, not as apparent as\u0026nbsp;the ones others possess.'\n\n-The hell are you talking about?,- and with that the smoke bomb was forgotten,\u0026nbsp;for the moment at least, his curiosity got the better of him.\n\n'See, now we can talk. I'm talking about the source of your little power.'\u0026nbsp;-At least i know that you're insane now. I have no power Mister.-\n\nThe lion started grinning, showed bared teeth before a deep laughter escaped\u0026nbsp;his throat as if someone had told him the funniest, dirtiest joke ever conceived.\n\n'So ignorant of your own talent,' a deep breath that sounded like he still wanted\u0026nbsp;to laugh later he got his calm demeanour back.\n\n'Still, you have a great power, the mind always wins out over matter, many books\u0026nbsp;i've read here had grasped that concept already.'\n\nThe lemur grew more confused with every second, not only because the lion,\u0026nbsp;at least he wore something this time,\n\nobviously talked nonsense yet he stood there\u0026nbsp;listening to him.\n\nBut what confused him most was the fact that the lion talked about him as if he was\u0026nbsp;some kind of big shot with the power to move mountains at a whim.\n\n'Don't believe me, do you? Can't blame you, it was a surprise for me too.'\n\n-So let's just walk that path down, not saying that you're right, what great power\u0026nbsp;would i have, huh?'\n\n'That is a tricky question,' the lion mused, scratching his chin as he looked the lemur over.\n\n'You see, your spark, your power as you call it, doesn't show itself on your body,\u0026nbsp;doesn't move objects or harm those you want to,' slowly a grin started spreading again,\n\nthe lion looking like a hungry beast whose prey got more delicious with every heartbeat\u0026nbsp;it still had.\n\n-So?,- he could feel himself become impatient, nervous even, that look in his opponent's\u0026nbsp;eyes was a warning sign as big as the city.\n\n'Your spark, is about potential, potential of the mind, dear friend.'\n\nAnd within a split second all the tension was forgotten, all the intimidation the lion possessed\u0026nbsp;so far gone.\n\nLarry laughed, laughed louder and more amused than he ever had in his live.\n\n-That's it? \u0026nbsp;That's the best esoteric bullshit you could come up with?-\u0026nbsp;\n\n'So eager to hide your own light, aren't you?'\n\n-No, no, i get it, my power is having ideas,- he tried sounding funny, talked with a weird\u0026nbsp;voice but as he said the words it felt weird, not for the right reasons Larry thought.\n\n'You don't quite understand what this entails, do you? Potential is basically limitless,\n\nbeing able to channel that... i know people willing to kill for that.'\n\nLarry almost slapped himself as the most obvious, weird thing about this all finally\u0026nbsp;hit him.\n\n-Why ....,- he started, looking back up at the feline in front of him.\n\n-Why aren't you using your crystal-lightshow thing?-\n\n'Maybe i don't want to, i wanted to talk to you, confirm some of my thoughts, maybe\u0026nbsp;even help you.'\n\n-Help me how exactly?-\n\n'Ah, we're getting somewhere finally, well, i could try and help you understand the nature\u0026nbsp;of your spark.'\n\n-And i guess you wan't something in return for that help, don't you?-\n\n'Nothing in particular, the more you understand about it, the more i will understand about\u0026nbsp;these sparks.'\u0026nbsp;\n\nAs Abyss spoke Larry squinted, thoughts racing in his head, and there still was the creeping\u0026nbsp;paranoia that the lion would do something to help himself to the lemurs assistance.\n\n-So you don't know everything about this.-\n\n'Not yet, that's right, but i'm sure you'll be a big help, i promise, of course, to share all\u0026nbsp;my findings.'\n\n  \n\nMinutes past in which Larry thought about it, gestured the lion to be quiet for a few to\u0026nbsp;let him think...\n\nThe fact that there still was no crystal to be seen, at least to his knowledge, probably\u0026nbsp;was saying something.\n\n-No experiments conducted on me,- was all he said after a while, looking up at Abyss.\n\n'Huh? Well, i think that's okay, but you do know we have to test somehow if what i think\u0026nbsp;really applies.'\n\n-Just as long as you stop when i tell you, don't want you to fry my brain or something like\u0026nbsp;that.-\n\n'I wouldn't dare, honestly, if i wanted to hurt you in any way, don't you think i'd have\u0026nbsp;done so already?'\n\nThe lemur shook his head.\n\n-Sure, could be, but i want to stay save. As long as we're clear about that one part,\u0026nbsp;and no hypno-whatever hijinks with your crystal to get my permission.-\n\nThe lion just grinned at first, but nodded soon.\n\n'No problem, we have a deal then?'\n\nHe still didn't feel comfortable with it all, but maybe it would shed some light\u0026nbsp;on a few things.\n\nMoments later the two shook hands.\n\n  \n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\n  \n\nPondering he sat there, looked at the silver bubble in it's invisible prison behind the\u0026nbsp;glass tube.\n\nGetting it here was the easy part, easy if he compared it to what would come now.\n\n  \n\nIt wasn't just understanding the little machines, not just that he would have to build\u0026nbsp;a completely new interfacefor them, all things together, though, made his head hurt.\n\n'Still,' he sighed under his breath, stretching.\n\n'It's worth it... in so many ways, i just have to make you little guys work the right way.'\n\n  \n\nThe right way, his way...\n\nTo his knowledge he still was the only cyborg on this planet.\n\nOf course, there could be secret projects out there, scientists funded by the government\u0026nbsp;to find ways to help them combine living flesh with dead machines.\n\nThey'd probably kill to get all the data in his head, all the myriad of things you'd have to\u0026nbsp;keep in mind to form the simple, yet elusive, connection between nerves and a chip.\n\n  \n\nThis project would drive him crazy... more crazy...\n\nDid crazy people knew they were out of their mind?\n\nHe knew, being lucid about it just made the ride more enjoyable in a way.\n\nBefore long the shepherd started laughing.\n\n  \n\nIt wasn't even that he wanted to turn the whole planet into a copy of his image,\u0026nbsp;wasn't like that at all.\n\nBut he wanted perfection, always had wanted perfection from himself,\u0026nbsp;crossing one border had come just as a mandatory step.\n\nAnd the next border, the next step beyond, was right in front of him...\n\n  \n\n'WELL!,' his voice echoed through the hall that made up his refuge.\n\n'Let's get to work my little darlings.'\n\n  \n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\n  \n\nHours had passed, the night was almost over as a massive hand tried to hit an alarm\u0026nbsp;clock that didn't ring.\n\nMoaning, slowly moving Brian came forth from under his blanket, rubbing his head\u0026nbsp;as his gaze tried to focus on the clock in his hand.\n\n\"Four thirty... how... my head...\"\n\nHe moaned again, slowly got up, not even realizing that he was, against all his habits,\u0026nbsp;naked as the day he was born.\n\nBefore long he made his way to the kitchen, started his coffee machine just to change his\u0026nbsp;course and move towards the bathroom.\n\n  \n\nThe motions came on their own, taking a shower, toweling off, getting back into the kitchen.\n\nHe yawned and cursed multiple times, tried to do both simultaneously once or twice.\n\nI have the weirdest dreams sometimes, Brian thought to himself,\n\nit wasn't even that he didn't like what his subconsciousness had come up with.\n\nOnly natural to imagine some of his colleagues in... compromising situations, with the fur-tight costumes and all.\n\nThough the weirdest part about his dream wasn't that he ended up fucking another hero,\u0026nbsp;it was how much he had enjoyed the thought of being controlled.\n\nEven now there was the faintest feeling that if the right person were to say a single word,\u0026nbsp;the right word, he would fall to his knees and beg like a, well, dog.\n\n  \n\nWas it really that weird though?\n\nBrian wasn't sure... he had started the whole hero-thing because his family had basically told\u0026nbsp;him it was the right thing to do.\n\nHe had done a lot of things because of exactly that reason.\n\n  \n\n'Just like a good dog,' an ethereal whisper creeped into his thoughts.\n\nHe shuddered, could almost feel a hand moving over his abs as if to rub his stomach.\n\n  \n\nSeconds later he blinked, shook his head...\n\n\"Coffee...,\" the mutt mumbled to himself before moving over to the cupboards in search\u0026nbsp;of a mug.\n\n  \n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\n  \n\nAs Larry, finally, got home the first thing he did was calling in sick for the day.\n\nHe didn't care about the, probably angry, call from his boss this would earn him.\n\nThe lemur had far too much going on in his head at the moment.\n\n  \n\nIdeas were floating around, the conversation he had with Charles and the deal\u0026nbsp;he had struck with the lion, Abyss as he now called himself.\n\n  \n\nTo get at least some focus he grabbed a can of energy drink, popped it open as he\u0026nbsp;sat down in front of his workbench.\n\nIt didn't take him long to grab some stuff, trying to build a new little gadget,\n\nhe wasn't even sure what it would end up as, \u0026nbsp;or if he had the right parts to finish it.\n\n+Progress shouldn't be opposed,+ Charles' words echoed through his thoughts.\n\n-What am i getting myself into,- he muttered, fingers still fiddling around with a few\u0026nbsp;parts to his newest invention.\n\n  \n\nCracks started forming in his mind, started forming in the world.\n\nCracks he didn't notice or chose to ignore, maybe both.\n\nStill, they were there, slowly growing as doubt ate away at his attitude.\n\nAnd as they grew, unheard, dark whispers started flowing into the air...\n\n  \n\n\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"The Protectors","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/819892-the-protectors-it-will-look-into-you.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/969742-the-protectors-close-to-the-border.json"}}