Guinea Pig

Your alchemist friend convinces you that maybe you should give up the adventuring life, and settle down with them...

* * *

Your friend sat you on the bench in their lab. The wound wasn’t bleeding much, but a wyvern’s venom was the worst part of its bite. You felt your arm burning as the venom coursed through your veins. But your friend should be able to help. They were an expert, after all.

They finally came back round to you, holding a bottle. By this time, your arm was starting to shake and spasm, as the venom took hold. They sighed, taking hold of your arm, and holding it out to a plant on the table next to you. They told you to hold still.

And you tried, but you couldn’t. That’s when you noticed the plant, extending tendrils towards your arm. Your friend looked you in the face. “You can’t afford me wasting a single drop of this, so once the vines have your arm held still, I’ll administer the antivenom.”

It felt like it took forever, but eventually, your arm was bound tight by the thick green vines, and your friend began to gently pour the antivenom on, a few drops at a time. If you had been in pain before, it was nothing compared to this.

It felt like fire in your veins, burning the venom away. Eventually, the pain stopped, and you could feel your arm stop trying to shake. The vines retreated, and you sat, exhausted from your ordeal. It was then that your friend rounded on you.

“And what do you think you were doing? Taking on a wyvern, alone? How foolish are you? I know, I know, it’s what an adventurer does, but it just isn’t safe! You know that, right?” You held up a hand, silently pleading for quiet. Your friend bustled away, to a small kettle on the stove.

“I’m going to make you some tea to help you sleep. You can stay here tonight, the guest room’s all made up. You really should consider settling down you know? It isn’t safe out there, you’ve just proved it.” Their words felt less accusatory now, and before long, they returned.

The cup they handed you felt warm and comforting in your hands. You took a sip, it was the perfect temperature, and so you took another sip, and then another. Before long, you were feeling drowsy, sleepy. Like your head was filled with clouds, or fog.

It was so hard to think. You looked up at them, a question you couldn’t quite form on your lips. They smiled down at you. “I did tell you it would help you sleep, and it will. You just need to finish it. Go on, you can do it.” You took another gulp. “That’s it, well done.”

It felt good to hear them say that. To praise you. You smiled up at them, and they held a finger to your lips, silencing you before you could speak. “Hush now, don’t talk, drink. It’ll make you feel better. Then you can go to bed, and we’ll talk in the morning, okay?”

You nodded absent mindedly, and finished your tea. They helped move you to the guest room, and, after a few minutes helping you take your armour off, they left you to go to sleep. And as you did, you dreamt. Not dreams of the wyvern, or the other creatures you had faced.

Dreams of them. Working with them, living with them. Being their good little servant. So helpful, so useful, and so safe. Away from the dangers of the wilds. Away from the gnashing teeth, the claws, the weapons that had brought you back to them so many times.

And when you woke up, you found yourself… Agreeable to the idea. They looked at you as you walked into the kitchen. It was still hard to think, but you asked them if they’d be okay with you staying over to help out with their experiments.

They beamed as you asked the question. “Oh, that would be lovely! You’d get to stay here, out of danger. I’d get a useful little bimbo to help me run experiments, to be my guinea pig. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?”

“Bi-Bimbo?” You asked, mind struggling to comprehend.

“Yes sweetie. A bimbo. My bimbo. All big and strong, and no brains, just how you want to be.” They came closer to you, and you smelt a fragrance on them. It smelled so good, and as you took another sniff, you felt your mind slowing down even more.

“I…” You had forgotten what you were going to say.

“Oh, my sweet bimbo, it’s okay. You don’t need to think. Just hush. Sit down, and I’ll tell you what comes next. You’re going to love working for me, I promise.” You did as you were told. It was so easy to do that.