Alex – Heart Of The Vanguard

Skiff: "Now inside the bunker, you will need to make your way through the facility. You will need to find out as much intel as possible regarding the floor plan and..."...

Dr. Skiff's voice dribbled on, but I phased out, I didn't care, this place was just a constant grating torment to me. I sat slumped by the door, still thinking about what the hologram had offered me... And what it had said about Skylen, not to trust him, but he seemed alright? Sure, he was a bit short and to the point and had questionable leadership skills, but he had done nothing sinister so far I guess? I had been day dreaming so much that I hadn't realised Dr. Skiff's recording had finished talking and the hologram of the blue silhouetted Dragon returning is what brought my mind back to reality. It faced down the hall with it's back to me, I had hoped for a few moments that whoever controlled it before would do so again so I could get some more answers out of them. But it remained motionless until I started pulling myself up of the floor.

Skiff: "Please proceed." Her voice nagged.

Me: "Alright alright, I'm getting up already... Jeez..." as soon as I was up the hologram launched away down the corridor, jumped up into a vent in the ceiling, I walked down and stopped below the grate.

It was easily 12 foot up, how could I jump that far?... Then thinking about it, I have never actually tried to jump up that high. I hunkered down and launched myself up, sure enough I went high, high enough that I smashed my head on the grate and fell back to the floor, the dislodged grate then falling and smashing me on the head. I growled in pain and frustration as I rubbed my sore head and looked back up. At least I had access now, so I braced and launched myself up again this time making it into the duct in one go. As soon as I made it up my holographic friend ran off down the duct and around the corner out of sight.

Me: " *Sigh* Why the need to rush everywhere?..."

I followed it for about 2 or 3 minutes, Dr. Skiff still narrating my route, instructing me to look out for things, but I still wasn't really paying attention, more just blindly following the blue glow of the hologram. Eventually it dropped through a grate and again I followed it, conveniently into some kind of security control room.

Skiff: "You will need to find any floor plans or an indication of where your objective will be located and identify any escape routes. It will also be an idea to disable any further security measures for the facility. However on this occasion, just proceed to the next scenario."

A door opened on one side of the room, so again I stepped through into another pitch black room, again the door slamming behind me, again, I had hoped that the hologram would be hacked again. But no such luck,

"Loading scenario", the lights came on, revealing the interior of a warehouse type structure, but it was small, only due in part to this being a training scenario of course and space was limited. It was still mad to think that to the left and right of this hall there were training scenarios just like this one, with my friends doing exactly the same thing. 

Skiff: "The purpose of this scenario is to retrieve a item of extreme importance. It's location you would have extracted earlier from the security center but for the purpose of this scenario follow the hologram for the correct crate. Bare in mind there are similar security measures as to other internal areas. However, large open spaces such as these could provide less cover." The hologram bolted off, darting between random positioned crates, fork lifts, cable reels, whatever was around. I on the other hand, had lost enthusiasm for practicing and merely strolled through as the hologram darted left and right in front of me before finally running up to a crate in the racking up on the first shelf, at the side of the warehouse and vanished. I hopped up the 6 foot or so and peered into the large crate where 'Bluey' had disappeared. It was for the most part empty except for a layer of straw and a small white box in the middle. I grabbed it a pulled it out, jumping off the racking to get a better look while on the floor, not that I got a chance.

Skiff: "Place the box in the container beside the door on your way out." The warehouse shutter opened, revealing a small door in the scenario wall behind it with what looked like a bin next to it. I made way towards it, threw the box in the bin, the door opened and I stepped through.

On the other side I arrived in a hall much like the entrance to the scenario rooms, the guards and drill Sargent were already present and waiting and so apparently were a couple of the other Dragons, including D12, with more making an appearance by the minute. D12 was laid down and smiled to me as I approached and I tried to smile back, but it didn't really work, I laid down beside her.

D12: "They said we have to wait for everyone else to finish... but anyway, what's eating you?"

Me: "Do you ever have those moments where you're not sure if something you just saw is real or if your mind playing tricks on you?"

D12: "Hmmm...nope... Then again, as far as I can remember, I've only been alive the past 8 and a bit days..." she stated, sticking her tongue out. Somehow even with not wanting to be happy, she brought me around a bit and made me smile. "...so what did you mean by that?"

Me: "Oh... Nothing important, as I say, probably imagined it." I said staring off in a day dream.

D12: "You seem really distracted, and I mean like, worse than usual sort of thing".

Me: "Do I? Sorry." I said still staring into nothingness.

D12: "It's ok, but now it's just us girls here, you know what you need?"

Me: "What's that?"

D12: "A good shag." My head came thundering back to reality as I heard those words and snapped my attention to '12.

Me: "You what?!"

D12: "Seriously, despite what you think about me always being 'chipper' as you put it, I've had a couple of bad moments in our room, and do you what sorts me out? '42 giving me a good fuck." I shook my head in disgust at the thought and randomness of this conversation.

Me: "What is wrong with all of you? Why does everyone here seemed to be obsessed with sex? It's not something I want to be thinking about! Don't even go there, I'm not interested at all in getting laid in this body."

D12: "Pfft, not that I can remember, but shagging as a Human or shagging as a Dragon, what's the difference?"

I buried my head in my hands, realising that when I explained my story this morning, I had completely missed out the important bit about me being a guy.

Me: " '12... I have something to tell you, but please don't laugh. There's something I forgot to mention this morning, when I was explaining my past. When I was Human, before I was changed... I was actually a guy... I have a fiancée, as in, a woman, and to be completely honest with you, I'm really struggling with the thought of living it as a woman, let alone having sex as one. And that goes for Dragon or Human, I don't want anything to do with it, I just want my old body back."

There was a few moments pause before suddenly she burst out laughing...

Me: "How is that funny?" I demanded,

D12: "Oh that's good, that's a good one! Cor, dear..." Her laugh filled speech quickly died out, noting my pissed off expression. "...shit... You're not joking are you? You really believe these memories you have?"

Me: "Of course I do because they're my life!" I said through gritted teeth, trying not to speak too loud.

D12: "So, you really were a guy? Like, full on? Or trans? Or-"

Me: "Noo... no transgender nothing, just full on, red blooded male from birth, thank you!"

D12: "Pah! 'red blooded', Who told you this?"

Me: "It's just an expression, just trying to get my point across that I'm a full on guy, one hundred percent male, honest."

D12: "Well, I hate to tell you, but from where I'm standing, currently you're just a cute lil' Dragoness right now."

Me: "I'm well aware off that, thank you." I replied sarcastically.

D12: "So... you're not interested in Sam at all then?"

Me: "No." I replied bluntly, glad that she was starting to get the point.

D12: "Poor guy's gonna be heart broken."

Me: "What do you mean? I already told him I'm not interested." '12 shook her head,

D12: "Oh Alex, for someone who reckons they were a guy, you have a poor understanding as to how a man's mind works..." I pulled a confused face back wondering what she was on about, which thankfully she understood and took to elaborate, "...It takes a lot for a guy to accept the answer 'No', this is just common knowledge, men are stupid. And the way he looks at you still... He likes you Alex, and certainly more than the friendship levels you're clinging to."

Me: "I'm not fucking as a woman, that's it, end of." I said through partially gritted teeth again, she held her hands up, 

D12: "Ok ok, just, try and keep open minded, don't knock it 'til you tried it at least." She said with a wink, which I replied with an irritated roll of my eyes and she smiled back. Sam then appeared from his door, spotted us and made his way over.

Sam: "Hey." he said aiming more at me I noticed.

"Hey" we both replied back. Sam looked at us a bit confused, seeing my slightly depressed look and I saw him open his mouth to ask and thankfully also saw '12 subtly shake her head at him as if to say 'Don't'. Just at that moment D42 appeared,

D12: "Trust the boys to be the late ones eh?" She mocked at me while nodding to the boys...

We only had to wait about 10 minutes for everyone else to finish, including Bruticus, he was last out, I felt kinda sorry for him, even though that wasn't strenuous, that can't have been easy for him, the other 3 up until then just spoke about the scenarios we had just done, but I for the most part stayed quiet.

Drill Sergeant: "Fall in!..." the order was sounded and we all lined up in front of him. "...Now you've all had your little prance around in the woods lets move on to some of the nitty gritty!"

His 'Nitty Gritty' it turns out, was theoretical learning more about the types of the defences enemies would use and how to either disable, fool or get around them, this took all afternoon and apparently we still weren't done and would have to carry on tomorrow. Which brought us nicely up to dinner time... We all sat down, D12 more or less just shoved me to the end of the table and sat next to me, not allowing Sam or D42 to sit near me.

D12: "Sorry I acted the way I did earlier." She said to me quietly

Me: "What do you mean?"

D12: "Trying to pressure you into it, I can see it's still bothering you."

In truth I had forgotten about that earlier conversation, I was more worried about my conversation with my 'Bluey' hologram friend. I had 3 people I was already starting to count as friends sat at this table, chances were I was likely to betray and abandon all of them at some point, one way or another, and it was tearing me up inside.

Me: "Oh, don't worry about it, I hadn't even given it a second thought", which was actually an honest answer.

D12: "Well look, if you need help with anything, and I mean anything, even if it's something girly related or embarrassing, I'm here for you, ok?"

'Great, thanks for sending my guilt trip into over drive...' I forced a smile,

Me: "Thanks '12." and she smiled back and started tucking into her grub. I ate quietly and rather slowly, for the first time since being here I wasn't really hungry and didn't finish before the claxon sounded.

Sam: "Hey... Alex... Will you be joining me again now tonight?..." Sam asked as we got up from the table, I turned to him and thought about it. "...or not? You don't have to, just wondered if it you wanted some company at all?, it would be nice, but don't feel like you have to yeah?" I paused as the room started emptying, D12 came to my side and pulled me away out of Sam's earshot.

D12: "Hey, you can say no you know, he'll be alright I'm sure."

Me: "Yeah but to be honest, he's right, It has been kinda lonesome." she rubbed my shoulder in comfort,

D12: "Well, take no notice of what I said earlier, if he's your friend and you want to keep it at that then I'm sure he'll understand, you don't have to do anything you don't want to or not comfortable with ok?"

Me: "Thanks '12, he is right though..." I turned back to Sam "...company would be nice, thanks Sam..." he smiled and we headed back to our cells, Sam's restraint was removed at the door then mine as I followed him in. "...Oh yeah!" I shouted, making him jump, trying to look over my shoulder. I could just about see it, exactly as Sam described, a gloss black diamond shaped metal plate, mounted on my back between my wings, I reached round to grab. I could touch it and tried to pull at but couldn't do anything else, it was stuck.

Me: "Can you try and pull it off?"

Sam: "Erm, I can try..." He replied unsurely.

He stepped up beside me and pulled at it, or tried to anyway, tugging it this way  and that, leaning over my shoulder and wings at different angles.

Sam: "I can't... *Grunt* can't get to it properly... Can you lie down?" I rolled my eyes,

Me: "Come on..." I gestured him to follow to the pit bed. I laid down to one side of it and he sat next to me, leaning over my left wing and back to get better hold of the device.

Sam: "Not hurting you am I? With me leaning on you?"

Me: "It's not the first time you've been on my back." 

Sam: "What?" He stopped fiddling with the device and looked over to me confused. I looked over my shoulder to him,

Me: "That day we met Bruticus in the dinning hall, we were knocked out? Well, I woke up soon after, the guards just threw us in here, I couldn't just leave you there so I picked you up and brought you in here, you sort landed on me as I fell over."

Sam: "Oh... Well thank you then I guess."

Me: "But don't be getting any funny ideas."

Sam: "What do you mean?"

Me: "You know what I mean." He stopped and stayed quiet and still for a few moments before continuing his fiddling, pretty much confirming that I was correct and knew what he was thinking. '12 was right, he did still like me in that way then... I just needed to throw him off of the trail but being nice about it. There was a click and a mechanical sound, followed by a constant low hum.

Me: ”You got it off?"

Sam: "No... But I got it open, somehow..." I peered over my shoulder, the 4 corners of the diamond had opened outward and I could just about see inside, amongst some other electronics, there was a disc, mounted flat and center of the diamond pulsed red and purple, the waves of colours working from out to in.

Me: "What the fuck is that?!" I said actually kind of worried and tried craning my neck around even more to get a better look.

Sam: "I have no idea..." Sam replied, kind of mesmerised and in awe of this intricate looking device.

Me: "Well, can you take it out?!" My abruptness bring him out of his stare,

Sam: "Alex, I can see that this thing goes down below the level of your back, who knows what things does? It could be dangerous to play with it!"

Me: "Sam! Take it out!"

Sam: "Ok ok... still don't think it's a good idea..." Shaking his head he reached back to the device, as soon he touched the disc my hole body exploded with a buzzing energy and then there was nothing.

__________

I woke up, god knows how much later, in a square white room, so, not my cell, the floor was padded, almost rubbery, or maybe closer to something like a leather sofa. I pulled myself up from the floor, 'fuck everything aches', noticing drip feeds into my arm from the ceiling, I yanked them out and looked around the room. There was what was presumably a toilet area for a side room and that's it, the only thing that broke up the bland colour scheme of the room was a mirror across one wall and I was the only one in here. The mirror suddenly changed, startling me, it was a 2 way mirror, revealing an observation room on the other side and Dr Skiff stepping up to it.

Skiff: "How are you feeling D-two four?" Her voice came through speakers into this room.

Me: "I don't matter, where's D-zero three?"

Skiff: "D-zero three is in a medical pod just like this one, just down the hall." she pointed to her left.

Me: "Is he ok??" I demanded.

Skiff: "He will make a full recovery, with some potential scaring, right hand was severely burnt and the shock blew him across the cell into the opposing wall, knocking him unconscious and giving him concussion... You are both lucky to be alive..." I looked down at my feet, again I had put Sam in harm's way. "...that technology mounted to your back is designed to keep you alive, not a good idea to toy around with it."

Me: "What is it? What does it do?", She sighed, contemplating on how to answer, I could tell, but why?

Skiff: "It's a regulator, after your accident your nervous system started shutting down, we have no idea why and have never seen this type of disorder before. It does exactly as it says on the tin, regulates the electrical impulses to and from your brain. Without it, your entire body starts shutting down, muscle control right down to organ functions, within 18 hours you'll be struggling to move, within 24 you'll be dead."

I looked back over my shoulder at the device which was all closed up, before looking back at Dr Skiff.

Me: "Yeah... I think I might leave it alone now." Skiff nodded enthusiastically,

Skiff: "Yes, I would."

Me: "How long was I out of it?"

Skiff: "For about 20 hours, in fairness, going by your vitals, I think you were unconscious about 11 of those, you merely slept the rest."

Me: "Can I see D03?" She shook her head.

Skiff: "No... He's currently sedated. D-two four, I need to talk to you about your recent behaviour... I'm sure you know what I'm talking about... Is there something bothering you?"

Me: "No, nothing at all." I replied, yet again, I wouldn't tell her anything relating to my memories.

Skiff: "Very well... Fighting internally with team members is forbidden, which I'm sure my colleague Dr. Paul has explained?"

Me: "He has yes, did he explain my side of the story?"

Skiff: "He doesn't need to, I have seen the footage, and although yes, D50 approached you, Dr. Paul was correct, you could have ignored him and walked away at multiple occasions..." My lack of reply due to my annoyance was obviously enough to tell her to carry on. "...Records show that for several nights you used a different cell from D03... Yet you returned with him last night and are worried for his well being now. Are you both ok and getting along now?"

Me: "Yes... we had a... a disagreement, but I think that's behind us now."

Skiff: "Mm-hmm... But you're both ok and allowing each other to get closer now?"

Me: "Yeah we're fine, it's just my fault he got hurt, so I'm worried about him."

Skiff: "I understand, but I'm referring your sexual relationship, our records indicate that you 2 haven't mated yet"

'WHOA!... No beating around the bush there eh!...'

Me: "As I've said before, I'm not interested in him in that way, we're just friends." I growled.

Skiff: "Oh, well, if there's another male you wish to share a room with we can ar-"

Me: "I will rephrase this, I am not 'mating', as you put it, with anyone, it doesn't just apply to D03." I said as calmly as I could, she paused as processed my retort.

Skiff: "Oh... I see... Is there something wrong with the idea of it?", I had to go careful here now...

Me: "No I just... Don't want it to distract me from my training and my job." I quickly came out with,

'Yeah, that should work' I grinned internally.

Skiff: "Well, don't count it as a negative, sometimes a distraction from the norm, especially during down times, it would actually be healthy for you, both physically and mentally."

'Why are you so set on me to have sex?!' I thought to myself as I stared back at her in annoyance, a thought crossed my mind, it was bad enough where my mind started to wander with Sam's weight on my back from carrying Sam into the bedroom unconscious suddenly evolved to him moving on my back, pinning me down, thrusting into me with that large rod I laid eyes on the other day... I felt a tingling sensation from my crotch area... 'What the fuck was that?!' a shiver went down my spine, worst thing was my body seemed to enjoy that image way too much.

Me: "I will pass for now, thank you." I said plainly as possible, trying to hide my embarrassment.

Skiff: "Very well... Well, as far as I can see, your vitals are all in the green, your body may ache in places for a while due to the fit you had, but otherwise you shouldn't have any issues, unless there's anything else you wish to discuss?"

Me: "No, thank you."

Skiff: "Very well, enter the pod behind you then and we will take you back to your room, you've missed too much of today to be able to participate. Oh and D24, please leave the regulator alone. And also, please don't cause any more trouble." I nodded, her ticking off about the regulator and the thought of it hurting Sam bringing my guilty conscious back on in full, I willingly got into the dark pod at the back of the room and let it close me in.

__________

Again I dropped out of the pod in to the main room of my cell, my landings certainly becoming more graceful and quieter, considering I was being dropped from about 16 foot up, I was certainly getting very use to this body to the point I was starting to worry if I was going to miss it when I was human again. I looked around the room and saw the ominous sign, a large Draconic body sized and shaped dent in the wall near the tunnel entrance, in a perfect trajectory from the bedroom. I grimaced and instantly went glum knowing that was caused by Sam being flung across the room. I went to go and curl up in bed.

Some time passed but no matter how I laid, I couldn't get or stay comfy for long, so I sat up with an annoyed growl. I decided that maybe a shower might calm and settle me down a bit. I walked in, started the shower and started washing myself down, again, my thoughts again wandering to Sam and wonder how he was, was he even awake? I hope he didn't hate me for what happened. I finished showering and sat by the window as we both did quite regularly while I dried off, not that there was anything to see, but it was better than to stare at a wall. I was there for quite some time, to the point I was starting to ache, but I could just feel I was still agitated. 'Maybe because I had been a sleep for 20 hours and hadn't done anything today, I hadn't spent any energy... yeah that must be it.'

I then decide that best to try and waste it, so I belted down the opposite end of the cell, bounced and launched off of the main door, then back up towards the window, bounced and launched off the window then back again. I relayed like this a few dozen times, I lost track how many precisely, but certainly to the point that I was panting by the time I called it quits, but now I felt like I needed to shower again after that little work out, so I went and had another quick one. I showered, waited and dried off again by the window before heading back to bed. Yet STILL I tossed and turned, unable to get comfy. I rolled onto my front and smothered a pillow over my head and face, 

Me: "GRRR... What is wrong with me?!" Sounding muffled. I lay there for a while, thinking about Kayley again, the thought of her I knew some times would calm me and semd me to sleep... but then my mind started wandering... some of good times we had, bad times, nice times... Then to some of the saucy times we had... One of them in particular, one of the last few times I remember of her riding a top of me, cow girl style, slowly grinding away, a moan escaping her mouth with each grind of her hips, her lips spreading into a smile as she looked down at me... Oh Kayley... My mind came back to reality to find myself humping and grinding the bed.

I jumped up gasping in shock of what I had just been doing, seeing a slight glistening patch where my crotch had been, I looked up at the camera wondering if anyone had watched that, I rubbed my face in my hands in embarrassment. I paced quickly to the bathroom and sat down, knowing it was the only room in this cell that didn't have a camera in, for a bit of privacy while I cooled off.

I sat there, trying to calm myself, but it wasn't working, I just felt even more desperate for relief... I couldn't take it, all the recent talk of it with Skiff and D12, setting me off, my feminine hormones that I just wasn't use to along with the mixture of encounters and thoughts of Sam were too much now... I had to do something that I, my Male self that is, wasn't going to like... I laid down and rolled on to my back, making sure I was out of any camera view. I looked down and placed my middle finger, being careful of my claw, against my slit, I was so wet that with minimal pressure, it pretty much just fell in, taking a gasp as it did.

With the first inch or so of my finger already in, my male mind was screaming that it was wrong, that I didn't really want to do this, but my current predominant feminine side was in control, she was pushing the male side to the back of my mind and pushing my finger in further, again my mouth dropping open for a gasp, only this time no sound came out, then that was it, my finger was in up to the palm. The feeling of the sensation of my body being invaded... I could only describe it as bliss, alien, but oh so welcoming, releasing a pleasurable tingling from my groin spreading all over my body.

I pulled it back out most of the way, feeling a slight scratch inside as I did, reminding me to still go careful of my claw, I looked at my finger as it hovered above my slit, soaked in my juices. I pushed it back in, I threw my head back to the floor, enjoying the pleasing invading sensation all over again. I picked up the pace, the feeling intensifying and a pressure building deep within. I lost track of time, I lost track of everything that was around me, except for my own moans of bliss escaping my mouth that I couldn't stop, even if I had wanted to, as I thrusted into myself.

Then with little warning, the wave suddenly built and hit me, my mouth opened wide, no sound emitting from it as my back arched and I writhed and shook on the cold metal floor of the shower. I don't know how long that this outer worldly feeling lasted for, but as my mind and the heavy breathing started to return to normal, I came to realise that the lights out had kicked in and the cell was now fairly dark, but even so, I could still see the soppy mess I had made on my finger and crotch.

Oddly, I could feel my male mind neither liking, nor disliking what I had just done, it had just gone... quiet. I got up, used the shower yet again quickly, just to clean off my mess, then headed for bed. My mind still torn about my situation... I didn't want to have sex with a guy, but after that, if that was anything like the feeling I would receive from a real cock then I was certainly not finding myself as opposed to it as I was before. Tell you what though... That was the best night's sleep I had in over a week.

(-Evanescence)