Sentinel

When you wake up, you find yourself inside a small enclosed space, with a glass front. You can see multiple other such enclosures around you, and in the one across from you a woman rocks back and forth, staring at the wall of her enclosure. As you look around, you quickly realize that it isn't an enclosure at all, it's a cell. The memories of the experiment flood back to you, and your heart begins to race. You run your hands over your chest, where the goo melted into you.

“What was that stuff?” you wonder aloud to yourself.

As if responding to your voice, you can feel something move inside you, slithering among your organs. The sensation terrifies you, and you start to breathe faster, beginning to hyperventilate.

Relax.

The voice is an odd rumble all around you, and has no discernable gender. You spin around, searching for a speaker inside your cell, but find none.

We are inside you.

You squeak at the voice and shove yourself against the wall, your back slamming into it painfully. Almost immediately you can feel the odd sensation within you move to your back, and the pain subsides.

Do not be afraid, we will not hurt you.

You begin to shake, and your voice is a quiet stutter as you whisper “W-what are you?”

We are Sentinel.

“ S-sentinel?”

You are ours, and we are yours. We are a Symbiote.

“S-symbiote? As in parasite?” you ask slowly.

A symbiote, not a parasite.

The voice seems to be slightly angry at the term, and the odd sensation moves quickly inside you making you feel sick and your head pound. You groan at the pain.

Sorry,don’t want to hurt you.

Slowly the pain subsides as the movement stops. After your head is clear of pain again, You take a deep breath to steady yourself.

“Where did you come from?” you ask.

We are an alien. Drake found us, brought back five of us. One escaped.

“An Alien.” You state, slightly reluctant to believe the strange voice. Sentinel, apparently.

Yes. You are our perfect match. A perfect host. We will protect you.

You feel an intense feeling of protectiveness surge inside you, and you gasp at the feeling. You extend your senses towards it in your mind, and feel your consciousness brush against another in an indescribable sensation.

“A perfect host?” you ask “How is that possible?

Very rare. You are special. Pure chance.

“Chance?”

Our match. Any other symbiote deadly to you.

“D-deadly..?” you begin to breathe faster again. Immediately you feel a surge of calm fill your mind, and you breathe easier. “Thank you.” You say.

Welcome. Speech still hard for us. Still learning.

“I see..” You say, relaxing slowly. A wide yawn escapes you, and you are suddenly aware of how heavy your limbs feel.

Sleep. We will watch over us.

You nod, and slowly lay on your side, using the pillow lying on the floor of the cell. After a couple of seconds you pass out.

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Y/N. Wake up.

You jolt awake at the sudden voice in your head. You scan around you, and suddenly become aware of Carlton Drake standing outside your cell, together with two scientists, one of which seems to be the woman from before. Dora Skirth, you recall.

You jump up and run to the glass, putting both your hands on the surface.

“Let me out!” You scream.

Drake watches you with fascination, and then stares at the holographic display on the glass of your cell.

“The subject’s vitals are stable.. Amazing.” you can hear him say, although his voice is somewhat muffled. He looks back towards you and you slam your fist into the glass, leaving a smudge of blood. The pain floods your body, but you ignore it.

Y/N.

Sentinel’s voice fills your head, filled with concern.

“Continue to monitor the subject. Make sure to keep this one alive.” Anger flashes over Drake’s face at that, and the two scientists flinch. They nod, and all three walk away.

After some time, you step back from the glass and lean against the back wall, before sliding to the ground. A warm sensation fills your hand, and as you watch the split skin heals itself. You can feel Sentinel move beneath the newly healed skin, before moving back to your chest.

“Thank you.” You whisper.

You are welcome. We will always heal us.

“What am I going to do..?” you say to yourself, and you can feel tears threatening to form.

We. You are not alone.

You freeze at the words. Not alone.. Not any longer, you suppose.

Approval fills you, coming from Sentinel in your mind. You release a content sigh, your fear temporarily disappearing. The approval changes to apprehension, however, and you can sense that Sentinel is hesitating to say something. After a couple of minutes their voice fills your head.

My kind use and discard their hosts. We, and another, do not agree with their methods. We wanted more.  A bond. You are perfect for us, we do not wish to leave you.

“Another?” You ask.

Yes, Venom. Their host is across from us. They do not match however, she will not last much longer.

You look at the woman across from you. She has brown hair that flows to the bottom of her ribs. Her face is hidden in her arms, and she is still rocking back and forth.

“You are different from the rest. Why?” after a moment, Sentinel replies hesitantly

Let me show you.

At their words images, no memories, flow through your mind. A desolate planet, with thousands of symbiotes upon it. Alien hosts, used and then discarded. Sentinel’s disgust at the waste of life. Small symbiotes, younglings you realize, with Sentinel in a host protecting them from an enemy, forming shields and fists to fight. Feelings shared with another symbiote, Venom.

“You were a protector..” You whisper. “You protected the young symbiotes too weak for a host.”

Yes. As such, we cared more for life than the others. It’s why we dislike the loss of life our species thrives on.

You hesitate a moment, before you attempt to send a memory back to them. A memory of your brother, young and healthy, before the sickness took over. Then your brother, sick in the hospital. You show them a memory of the life foundation add, and the promise of a cure. After a moment, you sense Sentinel’s understanding.

You gave yourself in hope of saving your brother. Approval once again flows from them. If you do not mind.. We would look at the rest of your memories. We wish to know everything about of you.

You hesitate a moment, then take a deep breath, nodding to give your consent. Sentinel’s emotions flow through you as they look through your memories. You sense confusion, approval, and suddenly white hot anger.

Who is that?!

Sentinel’s voice is loud in your head, and a memory of a face you know fills your mind.

“T-that.. Is my uncle.” You answer slowly, your voice barely above a whisper. Other memories flow through you, of roaming hands, your voice begging stop, stop, STOP.

“STOP!” You scream, your voice ripping out of your throat. Your breath is coming in fast, short gasps, and your hands are shaking violently.

y/n. We are safe. Breathe.

You sense waves of rippling concern, filled with anger. After a moment, Sentinel forms a hand from your arm, and laces the fingers with your own. You grip the hand tightly, forcing yourself to breathe deeply and steadily.

What he did.. We shall kill him.

Sentinels voice is a wave of anger in your mind, and you can feel the promise in the statement.

“No, Sentinel, we can't.” you answer quietly, breath still coming too quickly.

He hurt you.

“I know.. We just can't.” You finish lamely.

We shall see.

You shake your head, and let out a long breath, your pulse finally slowing. After a long moment, Sentinel’s voice is again in your head.

We.. are sorry. We did not mean to make you remember.

“It's okay, it's not your fault.” You can feel Sentinel’s sorrow as your own. You slowly wrap your arms around yourself, trying to offer some comfort. The feeling of sorrow slowly fades away, replaced by a small feeling of happiness and pleasure.

“Thank you. For being here I mean.”

You are welcome.