Comm: Sami's Mind is a Black Hole

Summary: At Orange Star HQ, Nell drafts Sami into an exercise to work on her concentration; Sami, however, is not aware that it's actually a demonstration of Black Hole hypno technology. Commissioned by AltrixWrites.

This is Advance Wars fanfiction, I do not own the characters.

[Story Listing]

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Nell, senior CO of the Orange Star forces, knew first hand that trouble could come from any direction. As a result, it was imperative to prepare new, modern training regimens to better counteract the offenses of opposing powers. In particular was the well-funded, technologically-advanced force of Black Hole who, above all others, had little inclination to follow the rules of war.

Orange Star had to be prepared for anything. So she had called one of her most reliable up-and-coming COs, Sami, for a training exercise.

"I hate to call you in on short notice like this, Sami," Nell began, clutching a clipboard to her chest. "But I'm afraid we don't have the luxury of time when it comes to foiling the plans of those terrible Black Hole goons..."

"No problem, Nell!" Sami beamed, saluting with a practiced motion. "Anything I can do to help, just say the world! I'll mobilize immediately if that's what it-"

"Ah, this isn't a debrief for an upcoming mission." Nell clarified with a smile. "Actually, it's more of a training seminar, for psychological prep."

"Mm? Psych?" Sami cocked her head to the side. "I feel fine though. All fired up, more than anything!"

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, Sami!" Nell nodded. "This exercise will provide some curveballs, but I'll provide you with a full debrief at the conclusion of the exercise."

Nell directed Sami's attention to the rest of the room. A projector was set up towards the back of the room; at the center of the room, there was a chair, a desk, and a pair of headphones.

"Mm? Is this some sort of lecture?" Sami's mouth flattened. "I already passed the academy training with flying colours, and you've seen me on the battlefield... with all due respect sir, I don't think I need a refresher."

"Ah, it's nothing like that... though I can see where the confusion comes from." Nell shook her head, pacing towards the projector. As she flicked it on, the screen at the front of the room was illuminated with the towering visage of a Black Hole base.

"This will be a concentration exercise." Nell explained. "I want you to sit at this desk and focus on the base being projected. Do not let your attention waver from side to side; your focus should be straight, unflinching."

"Uhhhh..." Sami struggled to find words.

"Easy, right?" Nell smiled encouragingly.

"S-sure, but... is that it? Is there... nothing else?" Sami turned to Nell.

"There are always distractions on the battlefield, you see." Nell frowned, tapping her chin. "Sudden developments on the battlefield, drama between soldiers... when I was a cadet, I chased a black cat through a trench for hours."

Sami paused. That was a pretty reckless, stupid thing for Nell to do, buuut... considering she was Sami's superior, she held her tongue. Nell had interesting approaches to discipline Orange Star soldiers, after all...

"Okay..." Sami glanced towards the desk. "And what are the headphones for? Are they noise-cancelling?"

"No no, they play sound." Nell pointed out. "A little ambient noise. They may create distractions of their own, but don't lose focus!"

"Mm... okay." Sami nodded, settling into the desk. She took the headphones in her hands and hardened her expression, turning to Nell.

"I'll do it!" Sami exclaimed. "I'll be the most battle-hardened focuser you've ever seen in your life, sir!"

"I love the enthusiasm!" Nell beamed, stepping over to the projector to rewind the wheel. "The exercise will last thirty minutes. I'll be watching through the one-way glass. Good luck! And remember, focus on the mission!"

As Nell exited, closing the door behind her, Sami waved her off, snickering as she slipped the headphones on. This was gonna be a cinch...

The exercise proceeded as normal. It seemed that the HQ in question was just a static image. The headphones provided some distracting noises--the rat-a-tat of gunfire, the odd explosion, something Sami definitely recognized as a Wilhelm scream--but Sami took Nell'a instructions to heart and did not waver her gaze.

This went on for fifteen minutes, and Sami was getting bored of the exercise. It was way too easy... it was hard to believe that this could be a serious military exercise regimen.

Sami, however, didn't realize the ulterior purpose of the exercise... until these crucial moments. Slowly, the image on the projector began to move and twist. Sami blinked as, overlapping the image of the Black Hole base was a swirling spiral.

"The heck is this?" Sami muttered to herself. Unconsciously, her eyes began to track the movement of the spiral, rotating in turn. Upon the realization, she grunted, focusing her attention towards the center, as if her eyes were lasers trying to burn through the spiral.

But then her headphones buzzed to life.

Follow the spiral...

The spiral is bliss...

"...Mmhn..." Sami grunted, her focus wavering. As hard as she attempted to keep her eyes locked to its center, her gaze would always drift and waver to one side, following the gentle curvature of the spiral.

She bit her lip, her fist clenching on her seat. She had to focus! But she was stuck between a rock and a gentle place; if she made to avert her eyes from the spiral, she would certainly fail the evaluation for sure. And Sami was no loser...

Besides, the spiral was nice to look at. She was developing a bit of eye strain looking at the still, unmoving image of that gaudy base. The spiral was a lot more pleasant on the eyes.

The sonorous voice in her ears continued to beckon her.

The mission is not important...

You've been such a good soldier...

Why don't you relax...

"...Mrgh... relax..." Sami repeated those words slowly. Now her entire head swayed in a cyclical motion along with her eyes, content to be carried along by the flow of the spiral. The image of the base had almost disappeared entirely behind the swelling image of the spiral.

As Sami's resistance was chipped away, a gentle glowing sensation filled her, beginning from within her buxom. In gradual pulsations, she felt such a warm feeling spread to her extremities. Her arms loosened, flopping into her lap, her eyes widening as if to witness more of the spiral. Moments prior, she had been struggling to put the spiral out of sight and mind... but now, she could hardly imagine an existence without the spiral.

The spiral loves you... the spiral beckons you...

The sonorous voice in her ears spoke such sweet nothings and her mind, reduced to the tofu she enjoyed at the mess hall, absorbed it all without fail. Part of her was screaming to avert her gaze, but that part of her sounded so far away, so distant, replaced by the tender embrace of the spiral.

The spiral is happiness... the spiral is bliss... become one with the spiral...

"The spiral is... bliss..." Sami droned in a dull monotone, her body swaying with the movement of the spiral. She was so hot in her uniform, but her arms, overwhelmed with that warm, enveloping feeling, did not move to any command. It was as if every part of her body was being hugged by a formless being that held her close, cradled her, told her everything was going to be okay.

On the battlefield, she was a strong woman, coordinating scores of men to assault key objectives, to work together to take down machines of war in overwhelming waves and teamwork. But the spiral took her to a place of nurturing. She wanted to be held and protected... she wanted to be with the spiral.

The spiral is love...

"The spiral is love..." She repeated again, her voice an echo of the gentle voice in her head. She swayed more and more, willing her body to become one with the spiral. As she slumped forward, she staggered to her feet, jaw agape as the deck scooched aside to make way for her...

"Hah... hahhh..." Sami moaned, hugging herself. With a token final resistance, she closed her eyes, clutching her head. But shielding her eyes from the spiral would do nothing... it was already inside her head, becoming a part of her...

PING! Her eyes shot wide open, consumed by spiral shapes. Her tongue lolled as she spread her arms. Her knees collapsed on themselves.

"Haaaah!~" She cried out, outstretching her arms to the sides. She hugged herself all over, her body flush and pulsating...

PIIIIIING!

A bell marked the conclusion of the presentation, thirty minutes after the exercise began, the projector sputtered to a stop, the image of the spiral and the base cutting off.

"..."

Sami, deprived of the influence of the spiral, slumped forward, as if she were a robot that had just had its power cut. She collapsed limply to the floor in a heap, her body pulsating with the ebbs of that gentle, embracing warmth that pervaded her entire being.

Sami's headphones had toppled off on their own as she collapsed on the floor, a drunken smile on her face and a trickle of drool travelling down her agape mouth.

"Spiral... bliss... happy...~" She swooned, over and over in ecstatic gasps, slumped to the floor like a puppet with her strings cut.

Kchunk. The door handle turned, and Nell let herself in, wearing a worried grimace.

"Oh Sami..." Nell tutted, folding her arms. "I really thought that you of all my COs would've been able to resist that. This hypnotic technology Black Hole came up with will be bad news for us if we can't come up with a countermeasure..."

Nell's lamentations fell on deaf ears, as Sami's mind was consumed by the bliss of spiral. She was spinning, spinning, over and over with delight, her eyes utterly consumed by spirals. Nell knew it was nothing that a hot bath couldn't solve, based on earlier encounters with the technology...

Nell kneeled down in front of Sami, ready to perform an evaluation of Sami's present condition. Nell propped Sami up and adjusted her so she was in a seated position... slumped like some overly large plush. Nell raised a pointed finger, waving it in front of her eyes. Still consumed by spirals, Sami didn't react. Nell snapped her fingers. Again, no reaction. Nell harrumphed, taking some notes on her clipboard.

"The spiral... the spiral... spiralling, spiralling~" Sami hiccuped in drunken bliss.

"Yes yes, we all know how great the spiral is..." Nell mumbled, taking some extra notes.

Nell sighed, preparing for the verbal assessment. "Hello Sami. How are things on the front?"

"The spiral is love... the spiral is bliss..." Sami continued to babble, her head swaying from side to side until it slumped to one side entirely. Nell scribbled some notes.

Reverse-engineering this insidious technology from Black Hole would certainly prove to be an uphill battle. The way it had so totally zonked all sorts of soldiers was definitely concerning. Nell was planning to schedule a separate hypnotism session for Sami tomorrow, but she wondered if that would cause irreparable damage to her mind, somehow. She'd have to find someone else, and ensure Sami made a full recovery from this episode alone.

Nell took Sami and heaved her into her arms, as if to carry her out like a bride. Sami giggled excitedly, swaying back and forth, her fingers twirling in happy little spirals as she gawked up at Nell.

"Happy... bliss..." Sami prattled on; Nell forced a smile, patting Sami on the head.

"You're going to need some serious R&R, Sami." Nell cooed softly. "The debrief can wait until you're stable."

Sami continued to babble about bliss and spirals. Nell waved a hand over her face, gently patting her cheek. No reaction.

"Maybe I should have Andy take a shot at this next..." Nell mused to herself quietly. "That boy may be a little too stubborn to be beguiled by hypnotic suggestion..."

Nell considered the possibilities as she carried Sami out of the room and towards the barracks. Tomorrow was another day...