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Volume Ten (ish): Issues 801-927
The story within this particular segment is somewhat divided, as events are happening both in the dream-state of the motel/pink dimension (which I will be simplifying into “the Cloud”) and the real world, seemingly simultaneously; events within the Cloud are also fairly divergent until they all inevitably converge at the same junction. I will do my utmost to keep things organized, but the timeline is a bit wonky here. Additionally, I will confess to some personal confusion as to the exact revelations within the motel, so I will likely be speculating and using prior forum discussion to inform my conclusions.
In the Cloud, Erin, Aiken, and Cherry are all dressed as they once were, when the girls were Aiken’s mystical apprentices. Cherry encourages Aiken and Erin to intimacy, with Erin sucking Aiken’s cock while Cherry trickles poison into his ear that Erin left them. She teases him with the potential to have both of them, his coven and personal harem, back once again, claiming he knows a love spell and urging him to use it on Erin. Aiken seems resistant, but Cherry takes over the blowjob duties as he nevertheless begins the ritual. When he transitions to fucking her, Erin deduces what is happening and, outraged, attempts to fight back. However, Cherry summons the pink tentacles of the void to restrain her, and Aiken kisses her, seemingly binding her to his will as his love slave.
Kanti, having fallen into the Cloud while waiting for Cherry to emerge, has been captured by Rowena and Patricia, who seem to have been transformed into a fantasy of cult priestesses. With Kanti bound between a set of ceremonial pillars, they place a burning censer at her feet, and pink smoke begins to waft up as they molest her, claiming she will become an obedient slave for their master. Kanti struggles valiantly, but eventually succumbs to the haze and the pleasure. They free her from the pole and lead her into another corner of the fantasy world, this time seeming to be her own bathroom. She bathes and does her makeup, seemingly on rote, before Vik surprises her, telling her to come with him. She begins to resist, but the towel easily flutters to the ground as she proclaims him her master and mounts the bed. The pink tentacles begin running over her masturbating body as she weakly tries to make sense of things; Vik tells her she has a fantasy of him inventing a potion to enslave her to his will and eventually begins blowing him. At Vik’s will, the tentacles transform the patiently attending Rowena and Patricia, changing their appearance to those of Amy and Laura. He proclaims that “Amy” will be his wife, “Laura” will be his girlfriend, and Kanti will be his sex-slave; then, he tells the other two to fuck while he and Kanti go to find Cherry.
Echo wishes Adrian a happy anniversary, claiming it is the anniversary of their first date and that she has brought him a present. Upon unboxing the gift and revealing the Watch, Adrian asks what it cost her, and she replies that it was more than she can say. She encourages him to use it on her to ensure she never leaves him, seemingly activating its power with the touch of a finger; Adrian reluctantly refuses and walks away. As he does, a facsimile of Jakob appears, dangling the Watch before Echo and programming her with the “tits and holes” schtick. He warns Adrian that he doesn’t have a choice now, except deciding how much of her brain Echo keeps. Sarcastically, he urges him to hurry, as there isn’t much left. Adrian gazes through the “windows” of the apartment and sees Vik and Kanti, as well as Erin, Aiken, and Cherry. Having found his missing friends, he forcefully takes the Watch from Jakob and hoists it before Echo; he asks if she is from Cherry’s memory and if Jakob took her, both of which she confirms. He then tells her to obey him and to tell him everything, starting at the beginning.
Erin, reeling from Aiken’s spell, thanks him and proclaims she loves him, much to Cherry’s delight. She asks Cherry to begin teaching her about the
Cloud, and at Cherry’s direction, seems able to control the pink tendrils. Drunk on love, she and Aiken begin having sex. Cherry, distracted by her happiness, hardly notices as Erin grips her with the tendrils and begins fucking her as well. Cherry seems delighted, especially as Aiken prepares to fuck her, before Erin seems to break from the spell and tells Aiken to use the same on her. Aiken kisses her, incapacitating Cherry, and it is revealed the entire thing was a ruse to make Cherry vulnerable. With that done, Erin uses her powers to take the remaining mental trauma away from Cherry and onto herself. Shaken, she and Aiken recover from the ordeal and realize something else now has control of the Cloud. They decide to pursue further for answers, leaving Cherry to rest.
In the real world, Jacqui and Miriam discuss the upcoming visit of Adrian’s parents while Heidi eats Miriam out at the store. Hitomi and Caitlyn practice for an upcoming chess competition. A wounded Julian and Mallory settle into his rented room to await Erin’s return. Angela coordinates her departure with Einfríður and calls Danielle to touch base with her; however, she is shocked when Danielle asks if she told Jakob about her trip, claiming there are many things neither of them tell Johannes and telling her to inform Jakob that his dead girl says hello.
Echo tells Adrian… something. The information is communicated visually in issue 823, and it is a bit difficult to ascertain the specifics of it. We see Cherry meeting with Danielle, who is wearing her maid outfit and eventually forces Cherry to look into the Watch, so we can assume that some part of this details that abduction. We also see what seems to be Cherry nude, collared, and blowing Vikram, of all people, implying he has had previous dealings with Jakob himself, which has never been on anyone’s radar. We see Cherry displaying an image of Erin at aerobics class, possibly Jakob using Cherry to locate her old friend, as she has long been of interest to him. Finally, and perhaps most strangely, we see maid-Danielle greeting Miel Dauphin, Adrian’s mother, implying that at some point Jakob also had dealings with Miel. Combined with the flashback to the ‘80s in the run of the early 1000s, this has led to speculation that Jakob may be Adrian’s biological father, though this is more of a sidenote. What is odd is Adrian’s reaction to these images, as it suggests him coming to some dramatic realization, which seems further confirmed based on his actions immediately after leaving the Cloud. My best guess is that, somehow, these flashbacks reveal to Adrian secret programming from the Watch inside of Danielle’s head, of which he was previously unaware, as that is what he directly acts on in subsequent arcs.
Upon receiving Echo’s mysterious revelations, Adrian assures her he will come for her and takes a plunge down a mental drop, hurtling through the Cloud. Somehow, below him, is Vik, who is scheming with an enslaved Kanti as to having Cherry erase her mind. Vik sees Adrian, realizing he is in the Cloud, and appears horrified. Before Adrian can hit the ground, he is picked up by a facsimile of Danielle in a plane, who lands him safely and directs him after Erin and Aiken. She also asks if he loves her, and a facsimile of Rain appears and tells him he ought to answer. He replies that, while he knows the real Dani would never ask, he does, and he will tell her at the next opportunity. He then begins following one of the pink tentacles as it draws him further into the Cloud. Vik, enraged at Adrian’s appearance, swears he will kill him; Kanti, meanwhile, notices the Cloud growing more volatile and tries to warn Vik, but he shrugs her off in his rage. The increasing volatility continues to worry Kanti, who is eventually grabbed and entangled by them. Vik coldly leaves her, claiming he has business to attend to.
Patricia and Rowena, still in the guises of Amy and Laura, continue fucking each other for Vik’s amusement as the tentacles enlarge their breasts in accordance with his desires. Eventually, however, they are unexpectedly grabbed as well, and in the real world, the two of them and Kanti appear, washed out of the motel nude. In a daze, they find Mallory standing over them, who tells them to come with her to Julian’s room for refuge. Also, oddly, Rowena seems to have been permanently changed from her fair-skinned original design to the more Indian design of the Cloud, though it is unclear whether this is an artistic choice or a lingering and permanent effect of the void (she was seen in the real world still white as recently as 655). Not an issue of concern, but something that’s always stricken me as odd.
Back in the real world, Amaltheia is having completely normal and healthy fantasies of being a leashed guppy under Miriam’s control, and calls Miriam to come over for a question about setting up the fishtank she’d recently purchased. Miriam and Jacqui seem to be having hot flashes about fucking each other that night, until Heidi comes back and Miriam has to run and “help” Ama (though we see no signs of intimacy between the two aside from Ama’s hot flashes. Anya and Rachel, two of Danielle’s “deprogrammed” former Zenon patients, are debating cleaning out their closet of some ren-fair garb, before a mutual fantasy flashes through their minds of submitting to their programmed Master, and they decide to keep the clothing.
Adrian, following the pink tentacle, runs into Vik, who has used the power of the Cloud to transform himself into a Hulk/Bane/Rhino version of himself with absurd muscles and stature. He shouts that Adrian took Amy from him, to which Adrian says Amy left him of her own accord and that they need to work together to escape the Cloud. Murderous, Vik ignores the suggestion and begins trying to crush Adrian with his bulk, though Adrian is nimble enough to dodge him until his ankle is caught by a tendril. He finds a stake nearby after the tendril manages to drag him out of Vik’s crushing trajectory and squares his shoulders, ready to finish things with Vik.
Aiken and Erin continue following the tentacles, discussing their respective acting abilities in the ploy against Cherry. Aiken asks what she is going to do with the tentacles, but she reaffirms she is not controlling them and doesn’t know who is, but that they seem to be leading the duo into the nexus of the Cloud. Aiken remarks that he thought the Cloud was Cherry’s creation, but Erin replies someone else is inside as well, possibly Vik. As if summoned, they hear his mighty cry, and in a crumpled ball at their feet is thrown Adrian, cradling the spear and fleeing from a charging Vik. Erin exercises momentary control over the tentacles and manages to restrain him, struggling under his strength, and Adrian leaps forward for the kill; however, the tentacles jerk him back at the last moment, sparing Vik. They all wonder aloud who is controlling the tentacles, to which a divine voice declares, “Me.” They look up and see… Dr. Zenon, coming on the clouds like an angel of light. In their moment of distraction, Vik charges forward and lands a solid blow on Adrian, punching through his chest entirely before Zenon restrains him. Erin, devastated, grasps for Adrian’s shredded body as Zenon declares they can finally talk.
Back in the real world, Amaltheia’s hot flashes are only worsening (or improving?) as she masturbates with a hitachi to fantasies of Miriam stealing a mermaid version of herself from the sea and enslaving her. Anya and Rachel’s fantasies are also persisting, as they both fantasize about rousing their lord Adrian from sleep and sucking his cock. The fantasies seem to have spread, with Sue masturbating in her mother’s bathroom to thoughts of Adrian and Erin dominating her and enslaving her with a crystal pendant. In Julian’s room (and fantasy-free, for once) the women who have escaped the cloud remark on what they have endured and whether they should call the cops, Rowena humorlessly remarking that she is a cop. Mallory assures them the ordeal will be over soon, and is gone when they turn to confront her; Julian, still clinging to life, agrees that they wait for new developments before moving.
We see a memory of Erin’s, of the death of her parents and herself being found alive and largely unscathed from a car accident due to her latent healing abilities. Adrian’s death being just the latest and worst in a long line of suffering in her life, Erin has had enough. She takes the spear as Zenon apologizes for the method and, before he or Aiken can stop her, she makes to stab herself with it in the heart. However, an apparition of the busty redheaded woman from before (her daughter, Tamara), stops her, asking Erin to let her live. Aiken grabs Erin, asking her what is going on, and she reassures him she is alright. They turn to Zenon, Erin asking him what he wants to say. The doctor is blunt: Jakob is coming, and Erin can choose to either save Jakob… or serve Zenon. Erin laughs at the suggestion, but Zenon persists, claiming that with Adrian gone, he is her best option. Erin asks what his offer is, and he replies simply that he will not do to her what Jakob would do.
Erin is skeptical, but Zenon continues that Jakob will destroy her and everyone she loves. He says that being with Cherry in the Cloud has taught him a great deal, and asks them who they think Danielle is working for. He tells them she is and always has been Jakob’s pawn, that she was activated too early when Adrian interrupted Derek’s confrontation of her all the way back on the Night of the Watch. He tells Erin that, while she serves the Watch, she can pick who holds it. Aiken accuses him of being presumptuous and does not know what he is, but Zenon counters that he knows exactly what he is. He reveals that, the night that Vik was attacked at the gas station, Cherry’s red creature found and attacked him as well, merging the two together. He says that, in contrast to Cherry’s danger and unpredictability, Erin will be a goddess if she serves him… and Erin seems a bit awestruck, her expression slackening and becoming more distant.
Adrian awakens at a crossroads, a land of darkness and haze. He looks back and forth, calling for Erin, and finds himself confronted by the Baron; Mallory has been interceding for him, it seems. Lacroix confirms Adrian is dead and, upon Adrian asking what happens next, tells him it is up to him. Though surprised, Adrian asks about his options, and Lacroix tells him that if he returns, there will be much pain. He decides to return regardless and bids the Baron farewell; the Baron assures him they will meet again.
Cherry, still woozy from her mental fog and Erin’s abrupt brain therapy, is roused by Mallory, who has entered into the Cloud (possibly to intercede for Adrian, possibly just because she can sense things beginning to get out of hand within). Cherry seems to recognize and exhibit some trepidation toward Mallory, asking if she is here for her; Mallory assures her she is not and tells her Aiken and Erin are in trouble, that the Cloud has taken in others, one of whom wants Erin. Defiantly, Cherry proclaims he cannot have her.
In the real world, Miriam visits Reka with coffee and asks her if she and Weston would like a visit from Heidi that night, apparently changing her mind about the planned foursome between herself, Heidi, Jacqui, and Adrian for unspecified reasons. Elsewhere, Amaltheia is even more worked up after Miriam’s visit and tries to set up a date with her, to no avail. She eventually gets confirmation that Hitomi is free and heads to her place, where she is introduced to Caitlyn and is dragged into their fun.
In spite of his killer sales pitch, Zenon begins to tip his hand, as he uses his command of the Cloud’s tentacles to forcefully bend Erin to his will; he seizes her, filling her holes and restraining her as tendrils slide into her ears, saying that while he needs her for her powers, she will make a delightful love-slave as well. Aiken attempts to interfere, but he is quickly restrained as well, eventually shunted out of the Cloud by Zenon for simplicity’s sake. The doctor claims that, while the Watch’s effects are permanent, one who knows the patterns can change things, and he has had plenty of time to acquaint himself with them in Cherry’s mind. He strips and begins using Erin, telling her that, whereas Jakob would have destroyed her mind, he will do much more for her, and she ought to be grateful. He claims Jakob hates women who refuse to submit, hence his tendency to turn them into “tits and holes;” the idea seems to catch Zenon’s fancy, and after demanding if that is what Erin would have preferred, he proceeds to use the tentacles to make her just that in spite of her weak protests. Face demented, Zenon is surprised when Mallory suddenly appears and demands that he stop, claiming he is becoming Jakob and that they are all inside his skull and abiding by his plan within the Cloud. Callously, Zenon grabs her with tentacles, stuffs her full of them, and lobotomizes her, turning her into a drooling, vacant sexdoll and offering Erin a choice: she can end up like Mallory, or serve Zenon voluntarily and keep her mind. He bids her make her choice, quickly.
Outside of the Cloud, the women have managed to somewhat stabilize Julian, when a nude Aiken appears, having been removed from the Cloud by Zenon. Upon hearing that Cherry is within, Julian insists the others help him up so that he may go in after her. They assist him to the motel’s door (and it is inexplicably nighttime out, despite it being daytime when this segment ends… maybe this whole ordeal takes an entire day? That seems odd) and he thanks them for the assistance. He tells Aiken he will do his best to get everyone out, and Aiken tells him to seriously consider whether he wants Cherry out there with them. Upon entry to the Cloud, he finds his body restored, complete with a convenient pistol, before he is accosted by Kanti. It is unclear to what extent this is actually her, as she was seen cast out of the motel in 859, but she is not seen again until this page, where she seems to have gotten free of the tentacles that had stolen her from Vik. My assumption is that it is a retcon on the part of the writers, given what she goes on to say. Julian asks if Kanti knows what is going on; while she can’t give great insight, she mentions that Vik is mixed up in it, and that while Zenon tried to expel her, something kept it from happening. The unlikely duo begins proceeding further within, heading to the source of all the chaos.
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