PRD-216 (f)

[Blah!?]

Hey everyone, it's time for another story.

Obviously inspired by the SCP Foundation.

Even though sneezing is a plot point, this is the most story-driven fic I've posted here.

Be warned, this one is really, really weird. Plus, the ending is incredibly sappy and I guarantee it will make you hate me. Seriously, this is almost on par with Gainax.

---

Marie Ambrosino stared at herself in the ladies' room mirror, studying her face. She knew it was the same as always, but there was something under her skin that, put simply, wasn't herself. Marie shook her head, and then glanced down at her right hand. Between her thumb and pointer finger she held a small, white feather. It was the same kind if feather one might find sticking out of a pillow, light and fluffy. Swallowing silently, Marie moved the feather up to her face, stopping just below her large, triangular nostrils. She inhaled once, slowly and forcefully, closing her eyes and allowing her shoulders to rise and fall. This was the only part of her past life that Marie was forced to remember. A past life she was desperately trying to forget.

Marie slowly inserted the feather into her right nostril until her fingers bumped against the underside of her nose. After taking another pause for a deep breath, she began to twirl the feather around, brushing it teasingly against the edges of her nostril. Marie's eyes immediately fluttered shut as a slight urge to sneeze began to build up.

"Heh…" Marie's breath hitched after just a few seconds of tickling. For the past three years, her nose had been particularly sensitive. Strangely, the 20-year-old woman was very lucky to posses this trait. Shuddering once as the tickle in her sinuses grew, Marie continued to whirl the feather around inside of her nose. It would not be long before her efforts produced the desired result.

"Ehh… Hahh… Ahhh! HEHSHHOO!" Snapping her head forward sharply with the force of the sneeze, Marie continued tickling her nose. Just once wouldn't be enough. "Ahh… Hehh… Heahh… HASHOO! SHHHOOO!" Squeezing out a slow, deliberate double-sneeze, Marie finally removed the feather from her flaring nostril. "HEASHOO! Hahh…" Marie stopped at four sneezes, feeling sufficiently congested. Taking another look at herself in the mirror, she saw nothing had changed. Her nose wasn't even the least bit pink, but she had done all she needed to. Before stepping outside, Marie discreetly slipped the feather back into the breast pocket of her flight suit and took in a long, forceful sniff.

"Good morning, Mister Beckett. Are you ready to get going?" Marie asked, approaching her latest client. Working for the Slipstream Private Charter Agency meant she got to meet a lot of interesting people. Beckett was no exception. He appeared to be no more than a few years older than her, and he was the image of a handsome, stylish individual. Tall, dark hair, sunglasses and a suit to top it all off. Even though this was her first time meeting him, Marie felt a sudden attraction. However, she would remain professional in light of the fact that Beckett was still a client above all else.

"Call me Marshall," Beckett replied, lowering his sunglasses for a second in a suave greeting. He held out a hand toward his pilot. Marie extended hers in return and shook, remembering partway through that she had just sneezed on that very hand a few minutes ago. Marshall didn't seem to notice.

"And yes, I am absolutely ready to get underway."

Marie smiled and tapped the side of her helmet, nudging the large, heads-up display visor back into its standby position on her forehead. She quickly jogged toward her vehicle, a gray, mid-sized helicopter airbrushed with Slipstream's logo. It was actually a repurposed military vehicle, a Banshee Assault Helicopter, a line which was decommissioned seven years earlier. With its weapons and tactical equipment removed, the Banshee made for a rather spacious passenger vehicle. Even though it was an older model, its technology was state-of-the-art for its time. Four horizontally oriented rotor pods, two large ones in the front for altitude and speed and two small ones in the rear for control, made the vehicle very fast and maneuverable.

"This is our ride right here, "Marie said, patting the side of the Banshee. "She may be a bit old, but she's fast and she runs real smooth. We'll have you at your destination in no time at all." Marshall smiled and approached the helicopter. He placed a hand on it directly beside Marie, admiring its adamant design. "I am sure you will." Without another word, Marshall climbed into the vehicle's inner hold. It had been refurbished with leather seats, a restroom, and what could easily have been a contender for the world's smallest kitchen. Marshall took a seat and crossed his legs, eager for the journey to begin.

Thinking that she might not get another chance during the flight, Marie snuck around behind the tarmac's fuel depot and dug out her feather again. Making sure no one was looking, she began to tease her large nostrils, coaxing out even more sneezes. Marie's long, prominent nose wrinkled, ready to release.

"Eahh… HEASHOO! HASHOO! HEHSHHHOOO!" Sneezing three times in a row, Marie bent forward at the waist. She quickly straightened up and rubbed the turned-up underside of her nose with a long, slender finger. As her nose squished back and forth across her face, Marie could already feel it beginning to fill up with mucus. Feeling she had done enough, and not wanting to dirty her feather, she decided to get underway.

---

The flight to Marshall's destination went largely undisturbed for the first few hours. Aside from some slight turbulence, the peace and quiet was not once interrupted. While Marshall appeared to be quite content, Marie was not so comfortable. She was beginning to feel a bit dehydrated. The flight was taking longer than she had expected. Taking a quick glance in a mirror that allowed her to view the passenger cabin, Marie noticed that Marshall was paying little attention to her. They had maintained a conversation or two earlier in the flight, but before long everything they spoke about grew stale. Now there was nothing but silence.

Since Marshall was paying more attention to the scenery outside than to his charter, Marie set the Banshee on autopilot and once again retrieved her feather. She flared her triangular nostrils as she raised it up to her face, and immediately began to tickle as discreetly as possible. Closing her eyes, Marie began her buildup.

"Hahh… Ehh… Ahhh…"

"Paranormal Research Division Identification: PRD-216-6-H. Ambrosino, Marie."

The pilot froze, on the verge of a sneeze. Did Marshall just say what she thought he said? If he did, then it meant she had spent the last two years of her life on the run for nothing. Despite all of her efforts, Marie had been found out. She didn't dare utter a word, so she let Marshall continue.

"Female. Date of birth: April 4, 2021. Hair color: Brown. Eye color: Green. Height: 5 feet, 7 inches. Weight: 135 pounds.

Test description: PRD-216-6-H was selected from 7 candidates of identical age and health, both mental and physical. Subject was chosen personally by PRD-216. PRD-216 prefers to dwell in dark, damp environments. In the case of human hosts, the primary instance of this environment is the nasal cavity, where PRD-216 will attach itself to the nasal membrane and feed on the host's mucus. In exchange for shelter and sustenance, PRD-216 will provide its host with mild psychic abilities, including but not limited to precognition and telepathy. Should the host exhaust its supply of mucus, PRD-216 will begin to absorb moisture from other areas of the host's body, resulting in dehydration and eventually death if left unremedied."

Despite feeling incredibly thirsty, Marie was sweating buckets. She didn't even want to look back at Marshall through the mirror. Knowing the Paranormal Research Division, he was an agent capable of incredible feats which Marie could only imagine. Even with limited precognition and telepathy, she was powerless against such an opponent. Behind her, Marshall stood up from his chair, and instead of approaching Marie, he headed toward the Banshee's kitchen and retrieved a pot of tea.

"Would you care for a drink, Miss Ambrosino? You look parched," Marshall said, pouring two cups of the hot, brown liquid. Marie jumped, her harness catching her and slamming her back into her seat. She didn't expect him to be so well-mannered if he was in fact a PRD retrieval agent. The young pilot slowly and cautiously turned her head and looked back at him. Marshall was seated back in his chair, the two cups of tea laid out on the table in front of him. He beckoned for Marie to join him, still appearing as peaceful as could be. Knowing she would have to comply with his every order eventually, Marie gave in. She unbuckled herself and stood, leaving her helmet on the empty copilot's seat.

"Please, drink as much as you need," Marshall said as Marie sat down in the other leather chair. She nervously picked up her cup and drank its contents in a single gulp. It was hot, but not scalding, and it felt like a much needed breath of fresh air. No longer paying attention to Marshall, Marie poured herself another cup and quickly downed it. She then held up her feather again. If Marshall knew so much about her, he would understand.

"Ahh… Heahhh… Ahhhh! AHSHHOO! Ahh! HEHSHOOO! HEASHHHOOOO!!" Marie bent over in her seat, nearly knocking over the teapot on the table. She rubbed her nose back and forth with her finger, straightening up in the chair. Her dehydration immediately halted, and she diverted all her attention to the young man seated next to her.

"Just take me back. There's no way I can get away from you now," Marie said, a sorrowful tone dominating her voice. The Paranormal Research Division hardly mistreated her when she was a test subject, but she was permanently denied a normal life. The rest of her existence would be spent living in a small, nearly empty room and undergoing regular tests to monitor the status of the small life form currently residing in her left nostril. It was an absurd situation, but as much as she longed for a normal life, Marie had grown acclimated to seemingly impossible ideas.

"Oh, not at all. In fact, you and I find ourselves in a similar predicament," Marshall replied, sipping his own tea. Marie wrinkled her long nose and raised an eyebrow, confused by his hesitation to reclaim her for the organization.

"Four years ago, I too escaped from the Paranormal Research Division. I managed to successfully hide myself away, but I have been monitoring their activity for precisely the reason that brings me here. It seems they have discovered your new life, and are currently making plans to recapture you."

Marie still wasn't sure if she could trust Marshall, but she breathed a sigh of relief at his words. Maybe he wasn't lying at all. Over the years, Marie had gotten to know the PRD all too well, and if the man sitting next to her was working for them, he would have taken her in a moment's notice.

"Thanks," Marie mumbled, taking another sip of tea. "Do you have some sort of plan?" Marshall nodded, crossing his legs and relaxing in his chair.

"The destination I chartered this flight to take me to contains a hard copy of the location of a safe house. The location has never been transmitted digitally, and only my most trusted associates have handled the copy, so the PRD has no way to track it. Once we retrieve the coordinates, you will be able to take shelter until the other residents of the safe house can relocate you to someplace more permanent."

Marie was enthralled. Marshall Beckett was her knight in shining armor. She was no longer concerned with whether or not his words were true. If he was lying, it wouldn't matter. If he was telling the truth, she could finally have a safe, normal life away from the watchful eye of the PRD. Marie stared into Marshall's eyes as he explained his plan, gliding blissfully across every word. Suddenly, Marshall pressed his finger into the tip of Marie's prominent nose, snapping her back to reality.

"Hey, pay attention. The sooner you can get to the safe house, the sooner you can move along with your life."

Marie pulled away and shook her head, feeling a bit dazed. "Thank you so much. I really don't know what to say. After all this, will I ever see you again?"

Marshall leaned back in his chair again and sighed. "If you do, then fear for the worst."

---

Marie set the Banshee down in a forest clearing as close to Marshall's destination as possible. He had warned her against traveling at night, so they would have to remain there until sunrise. Glancing into the passenger cabin, Marie saw that Marshall had fallen asleep. Before waking him up, she made use of her feather again. She pressed the piece of white fluff as far up into her right nostril as she could, squishing up her nose slightly. Whirling the feather around, Marie was quickly overcome by another set of sneezes.

"SHHOO! Ahhh… Hehh… Hahhh! HASHOOO! HEHSHOO! Heh! HEASHOOOOO!!" Marie's final loud sneeze left her feeling stuffy. She rubbed her squishy nose back and forth with her finger, trying to stop any remaining sneezes from bursting out inappropriately. Marie then tiptoed into the passenger cabin and gently shook Marshall awake. She sniffled lightly as her companion awoke, and she helped him climb out of the Banshee.

"There should be a cabin in the woods nearby. We can stay there for the night without any risk of the PRD finding us." He led Marie though the trees, still holding her hand. Marie sniffled again and rubbed her nose with the index finger of her free hand, but she mostly ignored the feeling. Even though she was supposed to be running for her life, spending the night in a cabin, alone with no one but Marshall, was awfully appealing to her.

---

Immediately upon arriving at the cabin, Marie stripped off her flight suit and laid down on the structure's single bed. The thought of having to share it with Marshall induced a pleasured shudder. Feeling her nose clear up, Marie reached for her feather, but she remembered it was still in her flight suit pocket. Just as she was about to jump up and retrieve it, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked back to see Marshall sitting on the bed next to her, holding a small feather of his own. He was still fully clothed, but Marie didn't care how he was dressed. She smiled at him, and without a word, he reached the feather toward her large, triangular nostrils.

"Ehh… Hahh…" Marie's nose began to tickle the instant the feather brushed against it. Her eyes fluttered shut and she scrunched up her face, ready to sneeze once again. Feeling the feather twist and twirl around inside her right nostril felt even more powerful than when she tried to induce herself. Something about the situation amplified every positive feeling. As the tickle in her nose peaked, Marie reared back her head and took in a deep, gasping breath.

"HAH! HEASHHOOOO! Heh… Ahhh! AHSHHOOO! HEHSHOO! HASHOOO!" Marie's nose was once again stuffed. She rubbed it slowly but vigorously for a few seconds, then sprung toward Marshall. She wrapped her arms around him and tried to kiss him, but before her lips could touch his, she felt him pushing her away.

"I am sorry. I can't," he said, a dismayed look in his eyes. Marie backed down and returned to rubbing her squishy nose, driving away the last of the tickling. She pulled up the bed's covers and slipped herself underneath them, still facing Marshall as she rested her head on the pillow.

"I told you I am also an escapee, but I never explained myself fully. I am PRD-044. I was first taken in by the Paranormal Research Division in 1823. Since then, my consciousness and cumulative memories have been transferred into a new body each time I should have passed on. I have lived too many lives for one man, but between them all, I loved only one woman. I am doomed to live for an eternity, and she was blessed to die young. I can never again lie with another." Marshall glanced back at Marie and saw that she had closed her eyes.

"I'm so sorry," she breathed, still awake despite her appearance. Marshall laid himself down on the bed next to her, staring blankly at her closed eyes. Marie was nearly as beautiful as his love, but despite her merits she was not the same person. Their relationship would end that night. Marshall slowly leaned toward Marie's face and tenderly kissed the tip of her nose, earning a smile from her face, but it was clearly a sorrowful one. The next morning, their time together would be through.

---

Through a pair of binoculars, Field Marshal Jackson Beckett watched as Marie Ambrosino prepared to leave for work. After today, he would never see her again, but Beckett had given her everything she had ever wanted. He had extracted PRD-216 soon after Marie had fallen asleep and immediately returned it to the Paranormal Research Division. A special arrangement was made, and rather than reclaiming Marie, she was given a class-A amnesiac, erasing every memory of the PRD she had ever known.

Beckett felt a pang of nostalgia as he saw his previous body join Marie in their apartment's living room. The consciousness from his new body had been transplanted into the body Marie knew, and both were given false, synthesized memories. The young couple believed that they had been engaged to marry for a year, and were happily living together. That was more than Beckett would ever have for himself, but he knew Marie deserved more than he ever would. His line of work earned a man no good karma. Beckett felt an even greater sensation of nostalgia as Marie sneezed once while slipping on her jacket, but it did little to comfort him. He laid down his binoculars and began to walk away, leaving behind the second woman he had ever loved.

---

OK, you may all murder me now. I won't hold it against you.

[obsessed]

ASD;LKFASDFSD. WHAT?!

I love and hate you for this.

It's brilliant, nonetheless.

[TheCakeIsAlive]

I'm sorry to prove you wrong, Blah-San, but it most definitely did not make me hate you.

In fact, I'm glad you picked this ending.

I have one question though... when did Marshall Beckett fall for her? *is a little confuzzled*

Anyway, it's a great story and I am unanimous in that .

[Sneesee]

Love this! So well written!