[Dronification, Brainwashing]
The City of Equilibre. A city that hung in constant balance between good and evil. The two forces were faced with constant attacks from the other, as a result of the two big players that commanded their loyalty. Whether it was the Darkness of the city, Tenebris, or the Light that claimed to protect it, Lumiere.
The defenders of the city were known as the Natura Couleur. A gathering of young women that wanted nothing more than to see the people that they worked alongside smiling until the very end. And it was for that very reason that they stood tall against all odds. No matter how difficult it was. No matter who was against them. They would stand…
But there was just one problem. They were still far too prone to having problems between them. The public had seen them feud amongst themselves over small things, especially when it concerned the young Natura Vert. She was a weak link, and so was the rigid Natura Bleu. Both of them were prone to outbursts that could cause danger for the surrounding area should they end up clashing too hard.
It was because of this that a young scientist, Livia Loveless. It was thanks to her bright mind that the people of Equilibre had a chance to fight back, using the drones that she had developed as security detail. And those very same drones were able to help the heroes as well. But they were also the greatest casualty whenever they ended up fighting amongst themselves.
To say that it bothered her would be an understatement. These were her creations. And even if she didn’t think of them as something like family or the like… She did think it was rude for those heroes to keep wrecking them. And to make matters worse, they never really stopped by to apologize!
...Actually that was wrong, Natura Blanc always came by with a bag full of sweets to try and smooth things over. Which was why she didn’t immediately just think about turning her drones against them, because she knew there was a good heart underneath the turmoil they had between one another.
But if she could just suppress some of that emotion, they could defend the city with much more efficiency. They could stop fighting against one another, the pointless measure that would just feed into the bad half of the city, and they could earn themselves a new reputation that wouldn’t be ruined.
That was what brought Livia to the conclusion that should’ve been simple from the start. The logical mind that she owned should be the one to control the Natura. And the only way to do that would be to turn them all into her drones.
All she needed was a brief opening…
---
“Seriously? Can’t they take a break!?”
The green-haired and impulsive Natura Vert shouted as she drew her daggers, her eyes scanning the targets on the ground. She wanted to stay in today, but NOOOOO, they just had to start giving them all problems. “Blanc! How’s the civvies!?”
“They’re doing better than they did before the attack!” The dark-skinned heroine, Natura Blanc, cried out as she patted one of the young boys that she had just healed on the back. “How’s the damage, Noir?”
A grunt echoed over the communicator as a set of bricks slammed against the floor. “Could be a lot worse! The drones from that Loveless lady have been helping me keep the buildings stable, but it’s going to collapse on me if I move! Tell Rouge and Bleu to finish the villain off already!”
Natura Noir sounded preoccupied, and frankly it was impressive that she could even hold the building up at this point. But thanks to the drones, which looked like artificial humans draped in a thick layer of white latex, she had more than enough power to spare. It was still a difficult task, but at least the building didn’t just have her as support.
“We’re on it, we’re on it!” Natura Rouge’s voice echoed over the communicator. “Why’d they have to go and ruin our day off, anyway? Don’t they know we’re ready to take them down even on a day like this?”
The sound of a sword cutting through a monster echoed across the line, as well as another having trouble breathing through a veil of water. “They never think. That’s just it, Rouge.” Natura Bleu’s cold yet collected voice came through, as she slowly sheathed her blade. “That being said, targets eliminated. We should finish our duties and head back. No need to waste any more time.”
Livia stood on top of one of the other rooftops, a visor wrapped around her head. She could see the vitals of every single drone of hers. She could also detect the heat signatures of every single Natura. They were all close to a drone, even ones that had been struck down. And though she felt the frustration at seeing them experience this abuse… She needed to stay composed. Because she needed to transmit her orders as cleanly as possible.
“...Hold on.” Natura Vert said as she looked up, noticing Livia on the nearby building. It took but a moment for her to swap frequencies and intercept that visor. “Loveless. What are you doing here? I thought we had a deal. As much help as your drones have been, you are to remain off-site to ensure your safety.” Though it pained her to be formal, Vert was doing her best. She really was. She would’ve preferred to cuss her out, but this wasn’t the time.
Livia smiled a little as she noticed the girl popping up in the corner of her HUD. “Natura Vert. Please hold still. This will only take a moment.” She said, as she closed her eyes and let the visor transmit her thoughts.
“What do you mean?!” The green-haired heroine shouted over the visor, only to feel a painful sensation spread through her arm. The same arm where her transformation device was attached. And looking to her side, all she saw was one of those faceless white latex-clad drones that served the scientist. “LOVELESS YOU WHO-”
“ACCESS GRANTED. RE-NATURALIZE.”
The transformation device’s light turned a simple humming white as it slowly started to expand. It completely engulfed the heroine, erasing her existing suit and encasing her in a layer of white latex, just like the kind that the drone was covered in.
Vert struggled underneath it, trying to use her powers. But all that she got for her troubles was a bunch of static. Static that filled her mind. Static that overpowered her thoughts. Static that… Static that…
As the transformation device finished its transformation, it locked itself in place over her heart. And Vert stopped moving, having been converted into a loyal drone. A Natura Drone, permanently Naturalized to make sure that she would always be ready to defend the city.
“What’s going on? Vert? Vert! Veeeert!” Blanc cried out over the comms, wondering why she could hear the girl struggling to breathe. This wasn’t like her…
That worry of hers left her completely open to the helpful drones that had been carrying the civilians away slowly approaching her from behind. And once she noticed their footsteps, it was too late. They grabbed her arm and sank their fingers into her transformation device…
“RE-NATURALIZE.”
Just like before, the drones managed to impart their directive into the transformation device. and once again, the poor girl who wore it was trapped within a cocoon of pure white latex. Struggling to fight back against its binds.
“N-Noir! Rouge! Bleu! H-Help-” She cried out, before her face was shut within the layer of white. Though Blanc was a strong young girl, she was nowhere near strong enough to fight against the binds of a drone’s encasing. Nor was she strong enough to fight against the power that Lumiere had blessed her with, now repurposed to control her.
The black-haired girl serving as a supporting pillar for the building that was about to collapse grit her teeth as her muscles started to bulge. She wasn’t having any of this! “You freaks! You hurt my Blanc!” She shouted, using her strength to toss the building into the air as she turned her fists on those otherwise helpful drones.
Although Noir managed to knock down a few of them, the building she tossed came back to bite her as it fell down. And though she managed to grab it and wind herself up for another throw, it left her just vulnerable enough that the drones could manage to grab her.
“RE-NATURALIZE.”
The strongest member of the Natura Couleur grit her teeth as she watched the white latex cover her, before she slowly closed her eyes. At least if she was going to be turned into a drone… She was going to be together with Blanc. One way or another.
As soon as her transformation finished, she went right back to her duty. The unremarkable Natura Drone holding up the collapsed building alongside its fellow drones.
“Well…” Natura Rouge said as she slowly felt the sweat running down the side of her head. “We’re in a pickle, aren’t we, Bleu?” She chuckled nervously as she looked at the approaching drones, her flames flickering across her body.
Natura Bleu slowly drew her blade once again, the waters from her soul pouring out and coating it in the process. “Consider them enemies. Loveless must’ve been taken over by Tenebris. That’s the only explanation.” The cold-hearted heroine said as she faced those drones. Including the ones shambling towards her from the floor. It seemed like the collateral damage was still alive…
“Don’t say that too fast, Bleu! She might just have a few screws loose. Nothing we can’t fix with a bit of talking-”
Rouge was in the middle of a spiel when she realized that she had been grabbed by one of the grounded drones, kicking it away to try and free herself… But in the process, leaving her arm open to the onslaught of drones approaching her from all sides. And all she could do was just nervously laugh as she made a horrific mistake. Ah well, that’s just how the cookie crumbles.
“RE-NATURALIZE.”
Natura Bleu closed her eyes as comms shut off, knowing what happened. If everyone else had been turned, then she was next. She wouldn’t let that happen.
With a single slash from her blade, the rain of her soul came crashing down, smashing all of the surrounding drones straight into the ground. And with plenty more water to spare, it was simple to slash straight towards the woman who had started this entire mess, leaving a path heading up several stories.
“Hang tight, Loveless. I’m coming.” She said over the communicator, knowing that she was no doubt listening in, as she quickly ascended the watery path. She was going to strike her down, one way or another, and free her friends. And then scold them for falling prey to this tactic!
Livia just casually stood there on the edge of the building. Watching the approaching Natura Bleu with her sword pointed at her. She knew that she was in danger. and yet she did not move an inch, preferring to just stand there and wait for her punishment.
“Accepting your defeat? Good! TASTE-”
Natura Bleu let her emotions run unchecked for a single moment, which cost her everything. Because while the Drones might not be very advanced, they were able to use any ability bestowed upon them. And in the case of the Natura Drones, this included their existing abilities.
“RE-NATURALIZE.”
Her wrist had been grabbed by the drone that had once been Vert. And Bleu just silently cursed her luck. Of course it would be her fault that she ended up getting covered in this all-consuming latex.
The last thing Bleu thought about before she was sealed away… Was a tinge of regret. Maybe if she had talked directly to Loveless earlier, this wouldn’t have happened.
With that, the last Natura Drone had been converted. And the two that stood barely a few meters away from their creator saluted her, recognizing her as the one that had given them their orders. The one that they obeyed without question.
Livia Loveless sighed deeply as she looked to the sky, the sun shining brightly down on her. The city was about to enter a new age. An age of obedient defenders that protected everyone without getting worked up about one another.
An age where she would make sure the Darkness was eradicated, as a faint yet familiar and foreboding light filled her eyes...