I grabbed the small monkey and tried to throw him off of me. He felt like an acidic ball of black silly putty, it was horrific even touching his fake fur. The experience was a sensory nightmare.

“Juli listen wait,” I tried to say as the monkey again ran towards my dad.

I caught him by the putty tail and flung him back as Moto approached my father and started to cast Reflect.

“Moto wait NO!” I yelled at the gorilla. Things were happening too fast I wish I could just make everything stop.

“So I find the target and now you’re scared,” Juli laughed.

“No it’s my Dad you idiot!” I yelled while struggling with the macaque.

Moto Moto of course, knew it was my dad. He just didn’t care, the goal was to win after all.

“Oh so when my mom was in trouble you decided to eat my brain but now dad’s in trouble and I have to help you?” Juli laughed. "This is why we help people when they ask!"

This wasn’t going well, no matter how right Juli was. The retort especially stung considering what I had told her earlier regarding the door.

“Jon,” my dad finally said with fear in his voice. “What’s going on son?”

I had no idea how he was even able to speak to me. Everyone else was going on with their day. How was he focusing on things that were supposed to be just a daydream to him?

“Dad. God I’m so sorry. I um, got the ability to resist their mind control. Did you as well? The ability came with some weird skills. And now I have to scan you. It shouldn’t hurt,” I said in between fighting back the monkey who was now furiously trying anything to get to my father. The monkey kept throwing pieces of what I hoped was putty at my face when he got too far.

Whatever I said made my father shudder like I’ve never seen. His face began to twitch as he responded. Moto stood next to him with one hand outstretched, ready to Reflect at any second.

“Boy no once the system knows it’ll be too late!” my father yelled in panic. “Think of your mother! We-“

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

As my dad was talking Juli tackled me, momentarily giving the macaque a free shot towards my dad’s eyes. Seeing this happen, Moto immediately used Reflect.

“Moto no!” I yelled in despair from the ground.

Mind Games: 006

Completed.

Winner: Jon M.

Prizes: The AI of Juli B, all earned skills of Juli B. Unlocked Skill Minion Travel

Additional Rewards for fast completion: AI Upgrade 2, Symbiote Pet Unlocked

The last thing I saw were my dad’s eyes wide in panic as the mind game ended and I was suddenly outside again. A few voices rushed to my head asking where I went as I saw Juli's body collapse.

Well that's traumatizing Juli thought to me.

Nothing mattered. I won but at what cost? Moto's memories were merging with mine as I saw into my dad's thoughts. He was no longer in control, but in a way I didn't think was possible.

I should have known when he called me "boy" i thought.

When Moto used Reflect on Dad it showed that some worm thing had infected him months ago but my dad was fighting back. Using Reflect and exposing him probably screwed up whatever he was planning and likely got him killed.

Can I be put into someone else's brain? You're sort of a mopey bitch, Juli thought.

Today couldn't get any better.

****

Rijohe

“Something happened on the outside,” Tom’s AI laughed. “She’s soooo mad hahaha”

It seemed to Rijohe that the boy's AI was malfunctioned. It appeared shortly after the conversation started and looked like a skinny human male with both a long mullet and Mohawk for some reason. How the malfunction was even possible he only had a vague idea. It could either be as a result of Yuini intervention, or the boys lingering coma effects interfering with the AI’s mental link. His own AI Bot was oddly quiet during this part of the ordeal.

“What’s going on?” Tom asked. “I told her I needed to explain all of this to him.”

The AI spun his head around in crazed circles before answering. Tom's symbiote ape looked afraid of the AI and took a few steps back.

“The birdmen know she’s here now. Someone spilled the beanssss” it whispered.

Rijohe let out a big sigh of relief. The ships system immediately noticed his distress was finding a way to help him. He was sure to be rescued before Tom or this brain worm could try anything.

“It doesn’t matter then,” Rijohe told Tom. “Whatever you or the worm want. My people are coming, she isn’t getting me or anyone else. What a terrible plan.”

Tom shook his head slowly as he answered.

“This worm is driven beyond anything I’ve ever seen. She had my frail weak body running to grab as many people as possible before you took them to the factories. Even now she screams for strength and growth above everything else.”

He stopped for a moment to recover his breath and then looked up to Rijohe’s eyes.

“She’s trying to get strong enough to handle a Kwitle brain. I’m just a stepping stone to you,” Tom finally explained the rest.

Rijohe laughed at the frail man. “It’s never been done. That’s why this plan is terrible. Our symbiotes protect us. And even if they didn’t our brain chemistry is too toxic for the worms.”

“Normally yes,” Tom agreed. “It would be too toxic and its impossible to meld the chemical imbalances. Unless you find a symbiote willing to help you.”