Microstory 121: Cesare Mancini

This is an experimental Bellevue Profile microstory. The introduction can be found in Microstory 101. More to follow.

Cesare Mancini was born in Italy just like any other baby. After several weeks, however, his parents noticed two bulges protruding from his shoulder blades. They were concerned that they were tumors, but they continued to grow into full tentacles throughout his formative years, eventually hanging mere centimeters from the floor while at relaxed position. He could stretch and extend them to reach more than twice as far, and held excellent control over their movements. Strangely, the family took the initiative to contact the government. They were relocated to the mutant island which had, by then, become a joint venture amongst a number of nations belonging to The Confederacy. Cesare’s mutations persisted as he grew older, and he began to take on other physical properties of octopi and squids. His skin became softer and more sensitive to changes in light. He developed an ability to change colors and blend in with his environment. His skeletal structure started being able to collapse and morph into a number of shapes, allowing him to fit through tight spaces. Small gills formed on the top of his shoulders that allowed him to not only breathe underwater, but also to propel himself through it via jet propulsion. His brain mass increases every year, giving him a slight intelligence advantage, but also risking his lifespan. He joined the Special Projects department of Bellevue in an attempt to halt his head’s expansion.

Author's Note

Image courtesy of Megan Highfill.