A/N: Hey. Remember how I mentioned Night Vale in my last update for Unfinished Memories? Did I mention it? Well here it is. Another fanfiction I will be working on kind of frequently kind of not.
I thought it would he really neat to do, ya know? So yeah. If I get some reviews or just a little reads here and there I'll pursue it with more vigor than this chapter had me do. If it's nothing I might work on it whenever. I mean, I do have Unfinished Memories to finish...
So yeah. There are a lot of aspects in this AU of mine. Don't worry. Next chapter I'll write a whole little list of all these parts to make more sense. Since I'm writing this on my phone, I can't do it right now.
Disclaimer: I don't own Night Vale
...
Chapter 1
"And how old is he, Ms. Palmer?" the scientist looked up from her brightly lit computer screen at the sickly woman cradling a child close to her side. It was pathetic. If death had an accomplice to frighten his victim to his sufferings, she would be the splitting image of that terrifying result.
The scientist paused her thought process, discarding the rest swiftly. She could have pursued a greater espionage in rhetorical terms and language, but speaking in methods was prohibited in the Laboratories. Punishment for this rule was quite severe considering one was in the Laboratories for science and not English language arts. The result was having a grand amount of unidentified mystery chemicals being tested on the rebels own body.
This scientist would rather avoid that if all possible. She had work to do after all. A scientist is always efficient in their time and observant in their duty. This woman was a scientist therefore she has to follow this without hindrance and return to her duty of analyzing the pair. That was her function and everyone had a function whether minuscule or large.
Just as the mother before her had the function of raising and producing a child.
This mother didn't require much concentration from the veteran scientist. She was pathogenic and it was either terminal or she acted upon in it too late. Too late as in ignoring it or pursuing a reckless selfless abandon in the action of pushing it off too far. It might have been to provide a meal. It might have been to care for the child. Whatever the case may be, it was none of the scientist's concern. She had no reason nor any leverage meddling in the rather emotional affairs of mindless others.
What was under her care and stipulation, however, was the child the mother protected with her arm. Oh look, it appears the woman has now received a glare from the mother for just looking at her child. What is this? What is this mother trying to procure? Salvation?
Ah, salvation. Such a double-edged term for what it's worth. The scientist couldn't help but to find this virtue the woman expressed vividly amusing in a sense of humor normally parched and deserted. Protecting him from the scientist she was willing to drop her child off. Her mind and heart and body needed a common frequency to run by. It wasn't the scientist who summoned her. No, that was her own doing and yet here she was glowering at said scientist because she just got in a speed dial from reality. How... pointless. Tedious mothers and their aegis liturgies.
Hence why no parental figures or idols are allowed in the facility. A scientist is always free of emotional attachments that may ruin experiments, whether the scientist sustains the injury or the patient. Another rule to follow with fresh vigor each day. These guidelines were like virtues in the Laboratories and it was a blessing that this woman wasn't a worker or she would be ill for another reason not associated with diseases.
Nonetheless, despite the obvious display of overwrought idiosyncrasies, the child and his mother were here to present a Donator for the scientists' cause. That cause remaining unknown to even the likes of the fourth wall readers and the pair in front of her shallow eyes made of steel and ice.
Nobody knew what the goal was in the Laboratories and those who have gone to ask personally have never returned. It's rather clear that they are not supposed to know or even acknowledge it. Just pursue work and keep the Supervisor at bay. Keep the Donators coming in to test on. That was her job.
It was clear that the mother wasn't here to enter herself - not to mention that she had exceeded the age limit restrictions anyhow -and wasn't here for a nice surprise visit with a relative. Besides, she was too sickly. The Laboratories required a distinct healthy type of individual cleansed of all and any ailments while still at the age of susceptible influence. This woman violated most if not all of these guidelines.
The child, per contra, appeared to be acceptable in all of the areas listed. This is, of course, double-checked by the scientist when she peered at the records given by the City Council (everyone knows when you are born the city confiscates a piece of your existence to monitor your being) and by personally observing the toddler that would normally be in the beginnings of Education by this point if not presented for a more worthy cause as the Laboratory necessities.
The child was nothing out of the ordinary. A young boy with a peculiar set of characteristics, surely, but those were physical traits inherited by the parents lacking the precautions for this sort of mistake. His genes were a mixture of odd substances that shouldn't be mixed. But these mixture of genes also make him appear more prosaic. He appeared average, quotidian even, in the general terms of child innocence and innately personalities. A neutral or default experiment subject. A perfect one to use as a guinea pig if such an analogy would be presented.
While personal descriptions of the child would be rather pointless in terms of achieving a goal, the traits he snatched off his parents were an odd mixture. His hair was pale blonde on the top with a brown coat hugging his neck and side of his head that the scientist was unsure whether from hair dye or natural color. His eyes, a eery color of perhaps violet, or fuchsia if in the right light, watched her silently. He was skinny and pale with small freckles dotting his cheeks so faintly that, if the scientist hadn't been accustomed to seeing them instantly, would have missed their existence. The only deficiency she saw in the child was the vision, for the child wore glasses taped along the bridge as if played too roughly, but that wouldn't be too off setting for the results the scientists' had planned.
Overall, he was a good candidate and the mother was hindering any progress by staying here. She needed to leave and forget about her son. The fumes in the air should aid in her passing through the stages of obliteration. It was a blessing and a curse having those fumes for the incomers. Those not accustomed to the air, or every Donator and plus one, always forget even arriving to this place and the Donator in the building will forget about relations. It was a lovely sequence really.
Of course there were exceptions. The scientist, as all were, was vulnerable to the air in increments to become numb to the effects when she first signed up. It's so even if you leave you won't forget who you are and come back to work for another lovely day the next. Absolutely lovely and not at all boring since that would be being picky in this occupation.
A scientist had to keep thinking of the perks of the experiment. It was a must in this case for once boredom enters the mind, you will rarely want to complete an experiment or take notes at all really. If that were to happen, the Supervisor will soon after report an unfortunate accident of the said relaxant that just happens to be fatal.
This scientist was not going to be succumbed to these sort of incidents merely because a mother wasn't ready to let go of the child she herself had set up for slaughter. Oh, did she say slaughter? She meant experimenting. Better to be vague.
The sooner the mother left and forgot about her son, the sooner the scientist woman could locate the nearest Distributor to locate the boy into his new quarters.
But the mother looked torn with leaving. This irritated the scientist like a slide on a microscope having a small chip in the corner that seems small but in truth affects the entire experiment.
That being said, she, as in the mother, wasn't the first to come to the Laboratories due to some incapability of caring for the child. She certainly wouldn't be the last.
Perhaps it was the power plants in the posterior sector, but the people in this town tended to be rather unhealthy and sickly despite their perfectly able living conditions and bountiful food supply. The scientist has seen people with severe cases of poisoning or radiation with their child quickly in tow and completely healthy. Variations in the tests expressed that the fumes of the power plants in the sector particularly affect adults but not the children 16 and under. This is certainly not done on purpose and for the experimental purposes of the scientists.
No, absolutely not. Can you sense the sarcasm?
Certainly the Laboratories are not doing this on purpose. A scientist is always looking for the common good. Perhaps it is just the people and their poor lifestyles as families.
Anyhow, most scientists in the facility noticed that as many as 150 children have been dropped off or left entirely between the ages of five to twelve in the last few months. It was cataloged and tested and it seems those are the consistent statistics in the area of speaking. The parents always leave a note or come in person and glare at the scientists' for having their child when it's their fault for bearing a tiny humanoid in a world so dangerous and vile.
Is there an experiment to test the attachments people apparently hoarded? That the scientists could legally - or secretly - pursue? She should ask the Supervisor later because then this mother would definitely be the first subject.
Another note the scientist kept in her head like a post it. A scientist never forgets important information or forthcomings. That's being an air head. Metaphorically. There are those literal air heads in the WW sector but that's a whole other matter entirely. Neither were those important information. Not now anyways.
Important information was like the boys mother refusing to leave. She wasn't ready to move on. Wonderful. This scientist abhorred women who couldn't understand when their presence isn't necessary. Ms. Palmer is one of them.
"Miss Palmer, his age please," the scientist repeated again, flicking her gaze to the shaking woman with distaste before writing more statistics into a notebook for future processing.
Even when the scientist looked down to scribe the information of the subject, CP0135, into the system, the scientist could feel the said subject watch her with the utmost attention. The child never cried or screamed. He didn't seem to sense his mother's distress at all actually, almost dull to it in retrospect. He was silent and observing.
"Six years old," she paused and a rage of coughing fits consumed her. She then attempted to add in between coughs, "H-his birthday is next week." Tears were escaping her eyes like a mourning river in a forgotten cemetary. The scientist just blinked at her slowly, unsure what she wanted and not caring either way. She was used to the disarray of emotion and merely typed out the minor unnecessary information of the mother.
This scientist knew better. She wasn't picked for being an emotional wreck and sympathizer. She was a scientist and all scientists cared for were their experiments and the results they obtained without fail. Experiments. Lab tests. Statistics. These were what she was selected for. It was not for helping a sick mother cope with abandoning her son that appeared to not care in the slightest.
Tears were disgusting. Tears and emotional attachments. No one in the Laboratories were to get involved with a patient in terms of relative frequency or connection. Everyone at the Laboratories followed this rule as if God - if such a being was real - wrote it in his ancient script into their minds and genetic code.
"Could you-" the mother began and the scientist quickly side stepped the question with a request of her own.
"Identification please," she chopped up nicely and served on a silver platter, ignoring the emotions the woman was attempting to put on her. All of these bare, primate emotions that don't aid in any objective. Sadness won't get a job done. Pitying won't either. Those were the feelings and passions Miss Palmer wanted off of her like a leech. Instead it was washed off like rain drops on a windshield of a car.
Miss Palmer placed her hand on the counter, wrist up. Picking up the scanner, the Scientist proceeded to scan the ID neatly barcoded on the woman's wrist and typed a few more figures into the computer screen as the woman pierced the silence with contaminating sobs. The scientist was tempted to press the button signaling a forceful release but ceased as a precaution in case it ruined the specimen.
That would be bad for experimentation.
Speaking of him, the child looked up to his mother in confusion and curiosity. He gently tugged on her sleeve and stood stalk still as his mother enveloped him in her embrace meant to be warm and comforting. It was as if he was frozen or unaccustomed to this. Affection appeared foreign. It was this that attracted the scientists attention - not the mother.
"Cecil Palmer, correct?" The Scientist asked, watching the child now and trusting her fingers to type what she deemed necessary.
A scientist was always taking advantages to notice something strange and brilliant. Always. This was such a case. The Supervisor will be intrigued when it hears of this... or reads it. However the Messengers approach it nowadays. The last one still hasn't returned.
The mother peered up and nodded, wiping her disgusting fluids with her hand. "Yes. His name is Cecil Gershwin Palmer." She stifled another sob thankfully and the scientist typed his name once more. It was a caution in case the mother faked his name. It had happened before and resulted in the confusion of tags and results.
"Thank you, Miss Palmer. That is all. Please leave your son as is and exit the building." It was blunt and brief as she was taught. Make it cold so they don't want to remain. That is best in this situation. The sooner the mother left, the sooner the scientist could pursue in locating this child with a Distributor and Tester.
Nodding, tears strewn down the mother's face as she knelt down and looked her son in the eyes. When she opened her mouth, syllables escaped her mouth like a crash of reality. Her words were contradicting the weakness she exhibited. They were stern and like steel mixed with ice. She wanted her son to remember something when it is clear he will forget all about her when she leaves and the fumes do their duty.
"Cecil," she started, "Beware, be warned, and be wary. Please, my son. Remember this and , for all that is in this world, remember me for I know I will not reciprocate it." The boy nodded and blinked slowly. He didn't say the general "I love you" or cry for his mother's love. He just watched her. The scientist was curious the family background of this child but decided to look into it later when she doesn't have to note the child personally.
Sighing, the mother left the facility slowly and upon the doors closing silently, the Scientist pressed the button to initiate the forgetting sequence on those who recently came, the boy included. In a moment of bright light, everything settled and the boy was staring at at the scientist with a face of perplexion.
If the sequence adjourned successfully, he should remember his name, age, etc. But he will not remember his mother or any relations in fact. As far as his blank slate will conceive, he has lived here this entire life. That is, if the scientist did it correctly and she was certain she did. There was little that can go wrong when all you do is press a button.
Like all his qualities insisted, however, this child seemed to be the exception. The scientist didn't know whether to be impressed or concerned by this when he spoke.
"The light. What was that for?" He questioned. This was the first phrase the woman had heard him utter and it was the aspect he shouldn't have remembered at all. Interesting. Did he not forget?
After a minute of debating this foundation, she concluded silently that she found this more interesting than worrying. What is there to worry of? It won't change anything since the drug administered will surely change him nonetheless.
"To help you move on," she spoke, getting up from her chair to stand next to the boy. Pressing the small of his back forward towards a door to the Distributors, she noticed his movements were more robotic than smooth. He was anxious, but not scared. He was confused. "Do you remember why you are here? Who took you?" Cecil ceased his stiff steps for a second, thinking, before moving forward again with the same gait.
When he didn't respond, the scientist stopped him forcefully. This was not a simple little laboratory. This was the main one. Simple little gestures such as not wanting to give ones opinion was not allowed in the slightest, no matter the restriction of verbal words a child may know.
Cecil didn't look at her at first. The scientist could play this game as well. For perhaps five minutes they stood there with obstinacy, the scientist growing more impatient and Cecil more anxious. At last, the child conceded and turned to face her. He stared at the scientist for a long while before shaking his head slowly, looking ahead with quiet words.
'A deceiver,' the scientist noted with a smirk. 'Interesting.' It was all in the face. He wouldn't meet her eyes. He hesitated. His pulse had changed (she had kept tabs when she forcefully rotated him upon grabbing his wrist). It was all in the body and this child was too young to figure out how to control it.
Imagine if he had? Now that would be intriguing indeed, wouldn't it?
It was a new aspect in this place. No, wait, not new... abnormal. An extra variable if you will.
As far as the records foretold, every patient in this facility had forgotten what they were supposed to forget. Except Cecil Palmer, CP0135, that is. While the Scientist wasn't sure why he was the exception, she decided to let it be. Another experiment. More tests. A result she actually would like to pursue with vigor. Besides, if he remained as he was in terms of interest he will be a factor to drag in new interns in the Laboratories.
This place was in a grave need of interns and scientists. Most have been... lost to some very unfortunate events left undisclosed to the family and every worker in the facility. Very... very unfortunate events that could never involve violence of a patient, contamination, radiation, a lively monster in the Supervisor room... Never. This is a nice, clean, decent Laboratory.
She was one of the last receptionists in this Laboratory specifically actually, not that she knows what happens to the others. Not at all.
Scanning her wrist bar code, dyed blue for Laboratory access, the scientist waited patiently by the quiet child for the doors to open. It wasn't long before a loud, resounding hiss broke through the comfortable silence, revealing Distributors at their desk ready for the new subject.
"This is going to be your home now. In a minute a Distributor will come a take you to a room to run some tests. After that you will be placed in a sector and into your own room where you will prosper best. Do you understand?" The scientist spoke quickly and with no happiness as she found no reason to be happy about her situation. She was going to be blind to witnessing his tests after all and that was the part she wanted to participate the most in. She didn't want to be stuck in the receptionist area. It was relatively boring compared to what will go on behind these doors.
The boy never responded to her. When she looked down, she found him staring ahead at the Distributors but not seeing them.
"Do you understand, Cecil?"
His response wasn't to the scientist's question at all.
"I will never leave, will I?" The child spoke once more, quieter than his previous statement. The Scientist glanced at the saddened boy and a sympathetic sigh escaped her lips. She was getting too attached to him but it was almost impossible not to.
After all, he was the exception. Only time can tell how far that exception will reign.
"No. You have been donated to our cause and until we deem you unnecessary, you will remain in our care. Even when that time comes, you will be disposed of accordingly. No matter how you see it, you won't leave - at least not alive anyhow." 'Sorry Cecil,' she added silently as she nudged the boy forward again.
She didn't understand why she felt sorry for him. Perhaps this was a new kinship. She wasn't sure. Even though he barely said anything, she felt a sort of guardianship towards him. Not really friendship or parenting. Mutual. It was weird and not to mention prohibited in the Laboratories.
But when she looked at Cecil, she realized with begrudgingly expressed groans that it isn't going to be leaving anytime soon.
Not with him here.
"Are you ready?" She prodded when he didn't move.
Cecil nodded and moved forward into the door for the Distributors without looking back. His shoulders were slumped as if the entire world had crashed on his shoulders. With a loud clang, the doors clasped shut and that was the last the Scientist woman would see the boy.
When the tests for the Palmer child came back to the Distributor male, he was impressed at the results. Cecil expressed a lot of talents quite vividly compared to past subjects. Diverse. New. Different. Whatever it may be, they were intriguing and finally allowed the Distributor to access the area few children have managed to get in.
The child, CP0135, had strong vocal chords that would manifest into a deeper voice when he gets older. As for intellect, he had a surprisingly good amount of diction for his age group. Anything he was told, the child was able to repeat with words more difficult than those given to him. His imagination is especially tolerable. He would be very susceptible to influence if given in the right dosage.
And all of this for being six years old! That's rather impressive if he said so himself!
Most of the Testers and Distributors were rather interested in the new child compatible with one of the oldest sectors and also the least populated. Only perhaps 100 children resided in the area, some having been there so long that they are elders in the case of Old Woman Josie.
The Night Vale Sector. It was rather preposterous when created but it seemed the normally secluded area was going to get intriguing soon enough. On a normal basis, that sector rarely has any problems with the scientists and watchers. Seeing how this boy has transcended, it might change.
If the results were correct, the room Cecil was going to be placed in was going to end up making him a radio host. Occasionally another child or individual of his age group will be involved as his intern but they will not last long in fear of ruining him. Of course the child will only see this as an unfortunate accident! That can be easily arranged.
As the Distributor male led Cecil to the sector, he noticed the child becoming rather seclusion and quiet. This wouldn't do well. Children were supposed to ask questions or even cry about their parents. Not half an hour earlier he had brought another boy here who looked almost exactly like him (Kevin maybe?) and he talked the entire way there. That kid was going to the Desert Bluffs sector though.
Cecil was practically the opposite of him. He hadn't even spoken a word since the receptionist had brought him in. Perhaps the Distributor should initiate some sort of topic?
"So, Cecil," the man began, "Your sector will involve you being a radio host. Wouldn't that be neat?"
"Neat," the boy repeated to himself and nodded with a small, sad smile, "Yes, that would be lovely I guess. I've always wanted to be like Leonard on the radio but mum always said I was too good for it."
"Did she now?" The scientist replied smoothly, nodding in the direction of a fellow Distributor coming from the DW sector.
"She explained I was meant for bigger things than being confined in a little recording booth. But... I suppose she doesn't matter, does she?" The Distributor was impressed. This kid was six years old. He shouldn't be able to speak this fluently and with all these words at that. Granted he did excell in diction, he was only six!
"Will I be alone?"
The scientist was silent. As a Distributor he had no say, but as a scientist he was curious how this would effect the patient. Curiosity was fuel in this Laboratory. And, as always, scientists always take advantage of new information. "Yes. You will be alone but all the inmates will hear your broadcast each day."
A small "oh" escaped Cecil's lips as his shoulders hunched. Chewing the side of his cheek, the scientist allowed a little of human morality to appear. Just a smidgen. Nothing more!
"Would you like to pick your wardrobe for when you are here? Not many get to do that. We can even get you some new glasses." The scientist Distributor hoped no one would snitch of his actions as he did a detour to the wardrobe room. As it was, he was unsure if it would affect the boy that much since no reply was given immediately.
When he did speak, it was almost hurt. Ouch.
"Why do I need to alter my clothing?" He asked softly and the Distributor sighed, wondering if this was best. Great. Now he felt offended. Damn it.
"Look at you! Your pants barely fit you and your shirt is full of holes. In the wardrobe at the Laboratories we have any style you wish to have. Keep in mind the one outfit choice you have will result in you always having such a wardrobe." With that, he opened the door to the room and watched the boy go through each rack of clothing.
The Distributor wondered silently if he was violating any of the rules. He wasn't getting attached to the boy. He was performing his duties as a Distributor. He wasn't getting fond of the uncertain child. That was prohibited. That was one of the big three rules! Pfft. No way he was becoming a softy. Definitely not.
"Here."
Blinking, the Distributor male looked down at what the child was holding. It was a pair of trousers with a purple button up shirt the color of his eyes along with a black vest over top. This clothing was often rejected and placed in the back so the Distributor wondered how the child found it so quickly and strikingly well for his form.
"Are you sure?" He double-checked and the child nodded. "Alright. Let's get you some glasses. These ones appear outdated. I will grab some that fit you and you can tell me if they appear right." Cecil agreed to the request silently and the scientist quickly left and came back with a pair of purple glasses with the top of the frame gone, leaving the bottom to support the lens. When handed to the boy, he put them on and appeared to like them.
Grabbing a comb and other toiletries, the Distributor led the boy to his room. He appeared a little less reclusive. Good. A little more perceptive to the drug hopefully! Maybe his little spur of humanity wasn't all for naught!
When they arrived at his room in the sector, the Distributor looked down at the child and proceeded to type his code into the door resulting in it unlocking with a loud hiss of restricted air.
The room was set up to appear for whatever likings the patients preferred therefore it wasn't too surprising seeing it in purple. Mostly everything was that with mixtures of black and white neatly arranged. In the corner of the room rested a nice queen bed the boy would grow in. On the opposite wall was a desk with a recording set. A small tape recorder was placed on an end table at the edge of the bed. A small book case with various books adorned the wall. Lastly, there was a wardrobe where his outfits would be placed.
No electronics besides the recording set. The scientists thought this would mess with his system. They didn't want him to hear of the outside world. That would end up ruining his influence. If he was going to be the voice of Night Vale, everyone would listen to him and from there a riot would spread. That's what happened in the HG sector last year.
The Distributor shuddered, thinking of all the bodies that were strewn across the floor like dolls.
But this what Night Vale. This was Cecil Palmer. Surely he would be a good kid and radio host, yeah?
Oh! Right. The rest of the room.
Two doors were also in the room besides the one the duo had entered through. One was to the bathroom and the other to a closet for only the Scientists. In it was equipment to designate and place the medication for a successful influence. They were similar to medical supplies for vitals but with more tubes and needles than perhaps necessary. Since the Distributor assisted with the boy this time, he would administer the dosage.
"Place your clothing at the edge of your bed and get under the comforters. We have a strict bed time here for inmates and yours is about to arrive." Cecil quickly got into the bed and under the covers, his arms resting on top of the purple comforter.
Using the bar code on his wrist, the Distributor unlocked the closet and pulled out the tools. Cecil watched with no expression. Small notions of tugging at the covers showed his restricted fear. He was only a child after all. Not a mastermind.
The scientist grabbed the syringe and pressed the plunger lightly to see if it was still usable. It was thank god. He didn't want to call in SC to request another syringe. The scientists there were complete asshole sometimes.
Shaking his head, he sighed and proceeded with his work. When he dragged the vitals machine and rack with bags of the influential drug, Cecil seemed to get tense as all subjects do.
"This won't hurt a bit," the Distributor assured the boy as he grabbed his arm and began attaching needles and tubes to the boy's body. After assigning them, he wrapped the body parts in a light coat of gauze and bandages to prevent him pulling them out on his own or in his sleep. Pressing a button, the scientist watched the drug course through Cecil and the follow up reaction of droopy eyes and confusion.
Within minutes he was asleep.
Sighing, the Distributor male turned off the lights and left the room, absent-mindedly scanning his wrist on the scanner to lock the door.
As he left, he began to hum, looking through each window to make sure each inmate was sound asleep.
He paused when he spotted Josie watching him through the window. She was so old that she didn't need to be administered anymore. She was already too potent of it that it didn't matter.
Walking up to the old woman, the Distributor hesitated before sleeping, "It's your bed time Josie."
The old woman blinked slowly.
"Uh... Josie? Don't make me get the sedatives. You know I will."
Blinking slowly again, she opened her mouth, "the Angels have spoken to me again. They say Cecil Palmer is going to become something more than anyone thinks. They say he is going to rise to the occasion. They speak a lot." With a few more mumbles that the Distributor couldn't make out, Josie walked away from the door and to her bed.
It took a second for the Distributor to do the same and walk away. A rise to the occasion? Josie is probably just speaking nonsense.
Besides, Angels are not real.
Sighing, the Distributor resumed his humming with more force as he walked down the corridors. As a final thought he glanced back at room 0135 and added aloud.
"Welcome to Night Vale, Cecil Palmer."