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"Hey, I like your schtick. Very theatrical, you know. Great for the crowds. Ka-chow." The HERO-QUEEN moved her fists back and forth. "Hope you make it, huh? And not just because we're running out of guys out there. All you gotta do is hold still, and we'll see if fate, uh, chooses you. Hell yeah. Ready?"
You were born ready, you replied, having cooked up that response in the line outside. The HERO-QUEEN chuckled in noble appreciation. "See, I'm telling you, Snickers. This guy's a killer. Okay, uh— yeah— it's like—"
Then she spoke something you can no longer recall, something that made her CROWN flash white, something which tore right through you! Your insides writhed like worms! Your joints snapped like kindling! Your skin thawed and ran and hardened again in strange frozen patterns, like ice cream salvaged too late! The next thing you remember is the HERO-QUEEN herself bent down over you. "—another one. I'm telling you, something's fucked with this specific—"
You fluttered your eyelids. You felt asleep, yet awake. Dead, yet alive. Was this what it meant to be touched by ultimate power? To be <span class="mu-i">transformed?</span> Something was the matter with your arms.
"Oh, no, wait, fuck. Hello?" You were kicked by a noble boot. "Still ticking? Blink if you're not braindead."
You blinked once, then quite a lot more for good measure. Your arms were crooked underneath your body. Your arms were splayed outside your body. Both things couldn't be true.
"Oh, fuck yeah. Let's take a look. Hoo-ee!" The HERO-QUEEN plucked you up with her mighty strength and held you out in front of her. "This is a neat one! What's it, like, 20% beetle? That's a good deal. Check those guys." She swiveled your head towards the wall. "Pretty sure they got a lot more than 20%. Except that one. Uh, normal on the outside, but we think his mind— well, yeah. Lot more than 20%. Can you stand?"
Your legs had more segments than previous, but the HERO-QUEEN generously supported you. "Good enough. Snickers says you'll learn fast. Just gotta get the new wiring going. You can still talk, cantcha? Can't have a mute on the squad. Hope you understand."
After some concentration, you were able to confirm that you could, in fact, speak. (Your mouth was untransformed, but the skin of your face was curiously rigid.) The HERO-QUEEN was greatly pleased. "That's the last one, then, I think! Hey, whaddya do for a weapon? Something small? Because with four arms, it could look wicked cool having four— oh yeah. You passed, by the way."
Thus you entered into the CHOSEN ONES, and was marked forevermore for greatness. Once the initial shock passed, you were overjoyed with what the HERO-QUEEN had granted you, especially once she procured an extra set of pistols. She pointed you at the heap of bodies. "Hey! Bonus test! Go ahead and put those sonsabitches out of their misery, wontcha?"
(2/3)
