Midnight Bliss

-o-o-o-o-o-

Chapter One: Transformation

-o-o-o-o-o-

"What are we doing here?" Blue Calhoun asked, following C.P. up the long road. He flew just off of the ground while she rode her cruiser right behind him. "This game is really creepy," she moaned, and indeed it was. Sickly trees with twisted limbs made up the forest alongside the road and ominous clouds loomed overhead. An occasional wash of lightning inside the heavy clouds above punctuated the unwelcoming darkness with a light neither warm nor illuminating.

"There's a guy here whom I think can do something for me."

"What guy? And do what?"

"Some guy named Demitri Maximoff. He's been living here since his game was unplugged."

"In a nasty place like this? Who would want to live here?" As if to confirm her complaint a large bolt of lighting struck a distant hill. "This place is more miserable than the Wastelands of our game. At least the Wastelands have a few nice places to go, like the waterfall. This...this is one big festival of Gothic dreariness."

"It's not exactly Sugar Rush, is it?"

"That's for sure." Thunder rumbled in the distance. "At least it isn't raining. That would be the frosting on the cake."

The road ran through a small town where a few sallow-faced locals peered at them, hastily turning away as they passed, some even running away shrieking at the sight of C.P..

"And what can this guy do for you?" Blue Calhoun asked C.P..

The village was soon behind them and the road began to climb toward a dark fortress-like structure perched on a natural parapet of rock.

"Remember that cat-girl I met in Game Central Station last night."

"Of course. The one with the 'interesting' fur?"

"She told me about this guy. Apparently he can turn me human."

"Human?"

"Seriously. She said it's some kind of attack, and when he'd use it on her, her fur and claws would disappear and instead she'd be a human woman dressed in a sexy evening gown with opera-length gloves.

"And then what?"

"Well, then he'd grab her and drain all her energy, and she'd change back into her usual form. But for a moment at least, she'd be a bonafide human being. I was thinking, that perhaps he could change me, but then not finish the attack, and that might leave me human, at least for a while. Of course I'd not want it to be permanent."

"And why the heck would you want to become human?"

C.P. sighed disgustedly. "Because I like human women, and it's hard to get them to take any romantic interest in a giant robotic villainous insect."

"I see your point."

"Maybe even you'll notice me."

"Notice you? I've noticed you and you're just not my type, insect or human or whatever. I want a good guy."

"I still keep dreaming."

"Dream on, Romeo," she said liltingly. How many times had they repeated this exchange? It had become something of their private running joke.

They reached the front gate of the dismal fortress and flew into the courtyard, where a number of skeletons and undead warrior sorts looked up at them and shuffled about, but none approached. Seeing someone who looked like a higher ranking NPC, C.P. landed and scuttled up boldly toward him. "Hello!" he said cheerfully. I'm looking for a guy named Demitri Maximoff. Would you happen to know where to find him?"

The NPC, a skeleton a head and a half taller than the others and dressed in a yellowish suit of late Medieval armor, nodded. "He's inside. But I don't know if he'd want to talk to you," he said, his empty sockets looking the Cy-Bug king up and down.

Blue Calhoun landed next to C.P., and the skeleton commander looked her up and down and then whistled appreciatively.

Blue Calhoun was not impressed. "Flattery don't charge these batteries, bone-face," she huffed.

"Demitri would definitely talk to her," said the skeleton commander. "He's got a thing for beautiful women."

"Could we possibly meet him?"

"I'll send someone in to ask him," and he nodded at one of the lesser undead, who quickly went into the main fortress. And then he took a step toward Blue Calhoun and bowed elegantly before her. "I know you probably don't think much of a skeleton like me, but I want to tell you, that it does my desiccated old heart a world of good to see a pretty thing like you in armor."

Blue Calhoun smirked.

Some of the commander's underlings had gathered closer and were all staring up at Blue Calhoun in admiration of the tall, armored beauty, fleshless faces grinning.

"You probably have a sweetheart at home, so I won't waste my breath with feeble attempts at wooing you. And you're probably not into necrophilia anyway. But just know that you've made an old undead warrior happy."

"She makes us all happy," said C.P. putting a claw on her shoulder protectively. "And I'm hoping that after this visit to Demitri, I can make her a lot happier,"

Blue Calhoun shrugged his claw off of her shoulder. "Keep dreaming, Romeo."

"Of you? Always," he chortled. Some of the skeletons laughed as well.

Calhoun shut down her hoverboard and leaned it against the fortress' stone wall. "You there," she commanded, pointing a finger at one of the skeletons. "Guard this. If it's not here when I get back, I'm hauling your sorry bones over to Atomic Dog slathered in gravy."

The skeleton saluted and stepped in front of the cruiser, brandishing his halberd with all seriousness.

The messenger returned shortly with news that this Demitri Maximoff would receive them, and the soldier opened the door. But as they passed into the entry hall of the fortress, the skeleton commander reached out and gently caught the Sarge by the arm. "Just watch yourself in there. Demitri's got a taste for blood, if you know what I mean. Keep your gorget up."

"A vampire?" she asked apprehensively.

The skeleton nodded.

"Thank you for the heads up. I supposed I'd run into one in a game called Castle of Blood where there's a guy named Schoenberg for the hero."

-o-o-o-o-o-

Inside of the poorly lit fortress Blue Calhoun and C.P. were met by an elegant woman dressed attractively in a long green gown, a candelabra held aloft in one hand. "Follow me please," she said with a small nod to the visitors and walked away.

C.P. scuttled after her unhesitatingly. "You work for Mr. Maximoff?" he asked eagerly, trying to make conversation with the human woman as he always did. He was so predictable.

"It's Lord Maximoff, and yes I do," she said curtly.

"Oh, a lord. Even better. I like someone with rank and titles." Their guide turned a sharp corner and went into a doorway, and then proceeded up a flight of stairs. "You know, I'm a king myself, in my game."

"A king?" She paused and turned around to look at him, the light of the candles glinting off of his shell. "A king?" she asked again, somewhat doubtful of the giant insect's claim.

"King of the Cy-Bugs. The Cy-Bug Prime." He winked at her with his two left eyes. "I'm the End Boss."

"I see," she said, only slightly impressed, and resumed leading them through the corridors. "We don't have much royalty visiting here."

"Other people visit?"

"Some of the locals do. They come to ask Lord Demitri for money or favors. That kind of thing."

"I see."

They soon arrived in a large, sumptuously furnished room where a tall, imposing man with overly-defined musculature came forward. His brown hair was swept up and away from his face, and his clothing clung all too closely to his body. His eyes seemed an unnaturally bright shade of red. He looked the huge Cy-Bug over, a bit surprised as to the nature of his visitor. And then his gaze caught Blue Calhoun coming in behind C.P., at which a smile formed on his lips. "I'm Demitri Maximoff, he introduced himself genially. "Welcome to my home."

"I'm the Cy-Bug Prime, end boss of my game, Hero's Duty: Code Blue,"

"A villain?" His eyebrow raised, and his eyes fell again to Blue Calhoun.

"And this is Sgt. Tamora J. Calhoun, chief NPC protagonist in our game," said C.P., gesturing toward her with a claw.

"Sergeant." H stepped closer to her and took her hand. "At your service," he said, bringing her hand to his lips were he kissed it, perhaps with more than a polite affection in his grip.

"Lord Maximoff," she said with a nod, her opposite hand ready to draw her pistol and put a bullet through his skull if he made a move. The hungry eyeballing confirmed what the skeleton commander outside had cautioned.

"What brings you two here to my humble abode in Castle of Blood?" Demitri asked, straightening himself.

C.P. raised himself slightly on his legs. "I met a former gamemate of yours who told me something rather interesting about you."

"Oh? And what did he tell you that would be of such interest?"

"She said that you had the ability to transform someone from whatever they were into a human being," he explained. "I was hoping perhaps you could use that ability on me...make me into something the sergeant here would find a little more appealing."

"C.P.!" Blue Calhoun groaned and slapped his carapace.

Demitri was amused. His lips curled back just enough to reveal the tips of a pair of fangs. "Ah, I see."

"Well, not just the sergeant, but any woman really. I want to be human, even if just for a short time."

"To impress all the ladies?" And then the vampire laughed. "Well whomever it was you talked to only gave you half of the story. It is true. I can make you human, but you'd also be female."

"Female?"

"My Midnight Bliss attack. It turns the recipient into a human—or mostly human—woman, and an attractive one at that.

C.P.'s enthusiasm spiraled downwards. "Are you sure?"

"You're welcome to test my word for yourself." His body suddenly flared with a red aura.

"She also mentioned that the transformation was followed by a draining attack that reversed the transformation..." C.P. added.

"In battle, yes. But I can hold myself back, in which case the transformation lasts several hours." The aura died down.

"Really? Several hours? Then, could I try? I'm willing to hope for the best and give it a go," he declared optimistically. "Maybe the female part will be overridden by my desire to take a male human form. I might get lucky." He suddenly giggled. "In more ways than one."

"I suppose there is a chance. I've not tried it with the intent for a man to retain his gender."

C.P. shuffled forward excitedly. "Tell me what to do!"

"I will require payment, you realize..." he said slowly, his scarlet gaze rolling again to Blue Calhoun.

"Somehow I knew this was coming," she sighed.

"It won't hurt much; just a sting at first. Some people even find it pleasurable," he said with a wink. "And it certainly won't kill you. Not even close to it."

She folded her arms over her chest. "What about turning into a vampire?"

Demitri laughed again. "I'm not a true vampire...only a blood-drinking demon masquerading as one. If you were also hoping for a transformation yourself, you've also only gotten half of the story like your friend. And no, you won't be poisoned with evil or become my zombie slave or anything like that."

"Fine, fine," sighed the Sarge. She turned to C.P.. "You really want to try this?"

"I feel like there's a small chance it might work. You know I'm blessed with a little luck. Would you? For me?"

"All right," she conceded. She walked up to Demitri, who had drifted across the room and was pouring three small glasses of port wine from a decanter. He handed her one, to which she said, "if you harm me any beyond the expected bite, just know that this bug will you tear you and your castle apart. The end boss of Code Blue is not to be underestimated."

"I understand, Sergeant," he said with a toothy smile and picked up the two remaining glasses. He handed one to C.P., who took it delicately in the pincers of his clawtip.

"Here's to getting what we want," toasted C.P.. "I want to be human. You want to drink blood, and the Sarge...um...the Sarge..."

"Wants to get bitten by a six-foot-five mosquito?" she offered in a sardonic joke, knowing there was nothing positive in this for her.

"Six-foot-six" Demitri corrected, smirking at her feisty irreverence.

She sighed and drank.

"I'll love you always for this, Sarge," C.P. toasted her. He drank the port and savored the taste for a moment. "Delicious. I'll have to find out who your supplier is," he complimented Demitri.

"You are a strange creation, Cy-Bug Prime," said the vampire. "I've never known a robot with a trained palate." He raised his glass and downed it. "So, let's do this." He took their glasses and set them aside, and then faced Blue Calhoun. Placing a single finger beneath her chin he tilted her head back and appraised her neck. "Very nice," he said and he prodded her skin gently with his fingertips.

Blue Calhoun closed her eyes and tensed when she noticed him licking his lips, readying herself for the demon's bite. But instead he released her and turned back to C.P.. "Are you ready, King of the Cy-Bugs?"

C.P. nodded and his blue eyes glowed brighter. "I'm a man. I'm a man. I'm a man..." he whispered to himself in a mantra to guide his transformation.

The red aura flared up again, stronger and more flame-like this time. "C'mon, baby," the vampire commanded.

C.P. walked forward and butted his exoskeleton against Demitri's outstretched hand.

There was a flash of fire and the transformation was instantaneous. But Maximoff didn't even bother to look at C.P.'s new form. Instead he lunged straight toward Blue Calhoun, seized her in his arms, and forced his mouth to her neck.

She tried not to struggle as the vampire's fangs broke her skin and found her jugular vein, a searing pain shooting through her nervous system, only to be replaced with an immediate icy chill. Getting a grip on herself, she calmed down and consciously tried to relax. Demitri's grip on her changed as her stiff, defensive stance melted.

Gradually she overcame her instincts and allowed herself to go limp in his arms. The icy sensation slipped away, only to be replaced with one of warmth as his mouth worked against her skin, draining her blood amidst small, impatient moans, pleasurable moans. Not releasing his bite, he lowered her onto the nearest couch and continued to feed while C.P. woke up from the daze of the transmogrification.

C.P. opened his eyes and noticed immediately that his vision had changed. The blue cast through which he saw his world was gone, as were the heightened mechanical senses of a Cy-Bug. But instead, he saw the entire visible spectrum of light. Colors he had not known before suddenly danced before his eyes, no longer hidden beneath the ultra-violet spectrum or masked by infrared. This had to be human vision.

Daring to look down at himself, he sighed in disappointment as the upper side of a pair of breasts came into view. For all his hoping and wishing and concentration it had been just as Maximoff had foretold. He had become a human female.

"Oh well...at least I gave it a go. Oh amazing..." he gasped, for even his voice had adjusted. "I even sound different." The richness of it was gone, and so was the tinny sound, replaced by something sweet and breathy.

He looked around to find Blue Calhoun, only to spot her lying on a couch with Demitri bent over her, slobbering at her neck. "Poor Sarge," he sighed, feeling a tad guilty. She'd been so kind to pay Demitri's price, and it had been for nothing.

C.P. walked over to the side table and reached to pour himself another glass of port, only to catch sight of himself in the mirror behind it. "Oh goodness!" he coughed, surprised and shocked at the form he had taken. Looking at his reflection he saw a soft, voluptuous human body with perfect lips, gorgeous eyes, full perky breasts, a tiny waist, and wavy platinum-blonde hair. "I look like what I was hoping to catch," he gasped.

-o-o-o-o-o-

"Midnight Bliss" continues in:

Chapter 2: Invitation

Chapter 3: Temptation

Chapter 4: Consummation

-o-o-o-o-o-

Wreck-It Ralph and all related concepts, characters, worlds, and events are property of Walt Disney Pictures. Original characters and story elements are property of E. Potter, writing under the pen name of Miratete.